Nah, your sarcasm detector isn't busted -- we genuinely are surprised that Apple has lifted the iron fist and allowed a piece of hardware on its handset to be used for something other than Jobs himself intended. It may seem trivial to those who haven't witnessed Apple block the most sensible of programs in the past, but allowing applications that enable end-user control of the LED camera flash is a pretty big deal. It's one of those "sad, but true" moments, you know? As of now, the affordable (£0.59) Flashlight - For iPhone 4 and even more affordable (zilch) LED Light for iPhone 4 can be downloaded directly from the App Store and used to activate the LED whenever you darn well please, and for reasons that we needn't mention, we'd suggest you go ahead and grab one... pronto.
Update: Another free option -- Power Light -- just splashed down into the App Store.
Update 2: Lookie there, another free option with LED-Flashlight! Woo!
Update 3: Apple even let an iPhone 4 LED Strobe application through (video after the break). Be still our hearts!
I am iPhone 4 user, and yes I went and downloaded the LED app, and yes it's useful. But seriously engadget this does not deserve it's own news article... Come on, really? There is better stuff going on right now in the tech world.
Seriously, if you're not interested in an article, don't read it. It's a very simple concept, that even a five year old can understand. It's not as if Engadget are limited to a certain number of articles a day, and something had to be deleted to make way for this. There are still other articles on here. Ignore this one, and go onto the articles that do interest you.
Wow. That's just sad. My phone from LG came with the feature build in from the start, and iPhone users have to pay money for an app to turn on the LED flash at their will.
@chaos06 Or, as an alternative, iPhone users can download one of the free ones, and pay nothing (the article above mentions a free one). It's all up to them ;)
We're talking about flashlight man...c'mon we're sitting here talking about flashlight. Not the phone that I go out there and die for and make calls that's it would be my last...but we're talking about flashlight man! How silly is that? Flashlight?? Flashlight??
Wow apple congrats on allowing a service that Sony Phones had available only about 6 years ago. Iphone 4 continues to suck over and over. If I were looking for a ohone I wouldn't even consider apple in the running until they have atleast cought up to oh... You know... EVERYONE ELSE!!
pfff my samsung moment has been doing that for the past year. Jesus Chistmas, why does one Iphone had cause a big stir while other phones have been doing this for quite some time.
I dunno why I am bothering to post so far down the thread, but anyway.
Back when I was looking at upgrading I only included phones whose LED flash could be easily activated as a flashlight, as that feature came in so amazingly handy on my old Q. I honestly wouldn't have the best-spec'ed phone in the world if I couldn't use the LED as a flashlight (or it didn't have a LED). I sort of think it's a crock that I have to resort to patching to get this functionality on my Pre, but at least it's right there handy in the system menu, can get it turned on in about a second.
So welcome, iPhone faithful, to the wonderful world of being able to answer the ineffable question "Anybody got a flashlight?" Less stubbed toes will result, hopefully.
I wrote FlashLight4x (in review now) because while you can use video to turn on the LED as you stated, a standalone app can use fast app switching to turn on the light and not have to fiddle with all the camera junk. The simple benefit is one icon press or a double tap on the home button gets you instant light. It doesn't sound like much until you actually put one into use.
Originally Apple wasn't going to allow these apps so I wrote FlashLight4x for myself because I wanted a simple and quick way to turn on the light. When Apple began approving them I decided to submit it (there's a paid and free version coming). I don't expect to make a whole heck of a lot of money from it, but having tried a lot of the other ones I found too many included odd junk (like flashers) that I would never use and just got in the way.
Check out Astek’s Light Beam for iPhone 4, an elegant LED Flashlight app available now with beam, strobe, and SOS beacon on one simple page. It’s the app that could save your party AND your life!
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posted July 8th 2010 3:33PM
So sad that this is even news
I am iPhone 4 user, and yes I went and downloaded the LED app, and yes it's useful. But seriously engadget this does not deserve it's own news article... Come on, really? There is better stuff going on right now in the tech world.
@KnifeySpoony
Seriously, if you're not interested in an article, don't read it. It's a very simple concept, that even a five year old can understand. It's not as if Engadget are limited to a certain number of articles a day, and something had to be deleted to make way for this. There are still other articles on here. Ignore this one, and go onto the articles that do interest you.
@MiddleFinger
Meh, you shoulda quit while you were ahead...
(let's see if a "head" joke comes outta this)
Wow. That's just sad. My phone from LG came with the feature build in from the start, and iPhone users have to pay money for an app to turn on the LED flash at their will.
@chaos06 Or, as an alternative, iPhone users can download one of the free ones, and pay nothing (the article above mentions a free one). It's all up to them ;)
@MiddleFinger
Actually, the Droid X can do this. :)
We're talking about flashlight man...c'mon we're sitting here talking about flashlight. Not the phone that I go out there and die for and make calls that's it would be my last...but we're talking about flashlight man! How silly is that? Flashlight?? Flashlight??
Wow apple congrats on allowing a service that Sony Phones had available only about 6 years ago. Iphone 4 continues to suck over and over.
If I were looking for a ohone I wouldn't even consider apple in the running until they have atleast cought up to oh... You know... EVERYONE ELSE!!
You know Engadget, it is really OK to have nothing to say about the iPhone for one day...
@MiniG
But then who is going to inform all the iphone fanboys of "breakthroughs" like this.
It's kind of sad really, Apple fanboys are like the people chained in Plato's cave.
pfff my samsung moment has been doing that for the past year. Jesus Chistmas, why does one Iphone had cause a big stir while other phones have been doing this for quite some time.
I dunno why I am bothering to post so far down the thread, but anyway.
Back when I was looking at upgrading I only included phones whose LED flash could be easily activated as a flashlight, as that feature came in so amazingly handy on my old Q. I honestly wouldn't have the best-spec'ed phone in the world if I couldn't use the LED as a flashlight (or it didn't have a LED). I sort of think it's a crock that I have to resort to patching to get this functionality on my Pre, but at least it's right there handy in the system menu, can get it turned on in about a second.
So welcome, iPhone faithful, to the wonderful world of being able to answer the ineffable question "Anybody got a flashlight?" Less stubbed toes will result, hopefully.
lol big news huh
I think the Sharp GX20 was the first phone I recall with an LED, multicoloured with "disco" mode.
It was launched in 2003.
...How is this newsworthy?
I though they dont support Flash?
@MiddleFinger Middle Finger
Took them long enough...............
why is this news? oh right, this is engadget...
I wrote FlashLight4x (in review now) because while you can use video to turn on the LED as you stated, a standalone app can use fast app switching to turn on the light and not have to fiddle with all the camera junk. The simple benefit is one icon press or a double tap on the home button gets you instant light. It doesn't sound like much until you actually put one into use.
Originally Apple wasn't going to allow these apps so I wrote FlashLight4x for myself because I wanted a simple and quick way to turn on the light. When Apple began approving them I decided to submit it (there's a paid and free version coming). I don't expect to make a whole heck of a lot of money from it, but having tried a lot of the other ones I found too many included odd junk (like flashers) that I would never use and just got in the way.
@Dafrety
Middle finger used "your" correctly. WTF are you talking about?
Darren Murphy get a fuckin' life, dude. This is not "news".
look what i just found Iphone 4 Free case (i think apple may have something to do with it.
http://www.cases.com/lgaiph4.htm
Check out Astek’s Light Beam for iPhone 4, an elegant LED Flashlight app available now with beam, strobe, and SOS beacon on one simple page. It’s the app that could save your party AND your life!
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/light-beam-for-iphone-4/id380723472?mt=8