Light iPhone Apps: Which One is Best? Our Top Pick
As of this writing, there are three, count ‘em three, iPhone apps in the Top 50 Free iPhone apps on iTunes that are dedicated to turning your iPhone into a light – something we fully support after trying to use the iPhone on several occasions during particularly dark, evening moments.
Here’s a run down on the three apps and our pick – click the little app icon next to each summary to download any app:
Light – From Erica Sadun, this was one of the first iPhone light app available to users – and the first one we noticed – when the iPhone’s 2.0 firmware launched on July 11. This could not be simpler to use. After installation, click the “Light” icon on your Apple iPhone’s desktop. The screen turns into a screen of all white pixels. When you’re done, just hit the home button again and you’ve turned your light off. Great to see women developers cranking it out.
According to Erica on her blog:
There’s a newer version of light that supports red light, blinking yellow, ‘police mode’ (red/white/blue/white), and mind-bending ‘chroma’ mode. However, it’s stuck in Apple’s review process.
MyLite Colored Strobe and Flashlight – From DoApp, Inc., this seems like the current “Light” app that has the bells and whistles that Erica appears to be trying to get approved – and then some. This iPhone app turns on by clicking the MyLite icon on the iPhone desktop. The app gives you a screen of all white pixels. Tap the screen again and you get a nice user interface which allows you to change colors, brightness, strobe presets and control timing of strobing. The developers at DoApp originally were charging 99 cents for their app and quickly changed pricing in an effort to drive adoption – and get the light out!
We love the music concert application which is suggested by DoApp’s iPhone app and look forward to seeing photos of it in action. “Everybody put your iPhone lights on red – let’s rawwwwwwwwk!”
Flashlight – From John Haney Software, this app – a Version Tracker favorite – gives the familiar all-white screen and after you click the “i”-for-info button, you’re given the opportunity to enable a strobe. Colors are available, too, by using the multi-touch screen and simply sliding red, blue, green, black (not sure why black) or white into place. On the iTunes page for Flashlight, the developer notes a coming update with dimmers, custom colors and no “info” icon on the light screen.
John Haney Software (their Facebook presence), we’re presuming John, dedicated his work to his wife and his daughter, Katie and Samatha – a fine touch at the end of any successful project.
Our pick
They all do the basic job of turning your iPhone into a light if you’ve lost your keys or there’s a blackout or if you want a better look at the ghost with the hockey mask in front of you in a dark corridor. None of these apps can possibly turn the iPhone app into a true “beam” flashlight – the iPhone doesn’t have the mechanics for that nor should it. (Imagine shining a flashlight in your eyes.) But, it can still be a very useful source of illumination.
DoApp’s MyLite Colored Strobe and Flashlight is the winner for best iPhone light app in MyNewIphoneWorld’s view. It gives you the most control over colors and strobing.. and digs deeper by creatively anticipating the use of the iPhone “light” in a concert environment.
