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Shocker! Apple approves apps for using LED on iPhone 4 as flashlight
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! [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
European Nintendo downloads: Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, Muscle March ... Flashlight
All right, we didn't think there would be anything that could distract us from the release of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood -- but here we are, on the day of its European release, with pretty much all our focus elsewhere. And no, the object of our gaze isn't Muscle March, as amusing as that is. It's ... Flashlight for DSiWare. It's ... a flashlight. You pay 200 DSi Points for something that displays a solid color on your screens. We kind of knew it would arrive someday, since there are a million of these on the iPhone, but still. A flashlight. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (Turbografx CD-ROM, 1 player, 900 Wii Points) Milon's Secret Castle (NES, 1 player, 600 Wii Points) Muscle March (WiiWare, 1-4 players, 500 Wii Points) Car Jack Streets (DSiWare, 1 player, 800 DSi Points) Flashlight (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) Flips: The Enchanted Wood (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Libera Wing (DSiWare, 1 player, 800 DSi Points) Photo Dojo (DSiWare, 1-2 players, 200 DSi Points)
Get a Quirky Beamer for your iPhone (hint: it's not a car)
TUAW has introduced several Quirky projects to you in the past. Quirky is a community of folks who come up with really cool ideas, and then the best of the ideas are fine-tuned by the folks who run the site and readied for manufacturing. Once a minimum number of customers commit to buy the product, it is put into production. While looking at the headline for this post, you might think that we're talking about an oddly-painted BMW, but the Quirky Beamer is actually a case for the iPhone. Not just any case, mind you, but one with a built-in bright LED light that can act as a real flashlight or provide illumination for your nighttime photos. Compatible with the iPhone 3G and 3GS, the Beamer uses replaceable lithium coin cell batteries to provide up to 10 hours of illumination without chewing up your phone's batteries. Pressing the button on the case once turns on the light for 10 seconds, enough to find your keys or take a picture of your buds. To turn the light on for an indefinite amount of time, press the button twice. A third press turns it back off. Quirky won't produce the Beamer until 500 commitments at $32.00 are received on the site. As of 9 PM on Sunday night, 106 people had committed to the product. If you're looking for a way to flash your friends and not get arrested, the Quirky Beamer might just be the answer. [Thanks for the tip, Chris T.]
Sanyo's Eneloop lamp heals your ecological soul
We've been fans of Sanyo's rechargeable Eneloop batteries since they first entered the market in the lazy NiMH and NiCd days of 2005. We remember this because we, like Eneloops, don't suffer from the memory effect of our predecessors. Ok, ok, that date's in the press release but that doesn't change the fact that Eneloops will maintain their charge over time even when stored, ununsed in a drawer now does it? Anywho, Sanyo just announced its rechargeable Eneloop Lamp that serves to light your home when upright or your path when held like a flashlight -- automatically, just as soon as it passes the 90-degree mark. It also features a healing function that waxes a cool blue light into the tragic abyss of your misery and despair. The internal AAs recharge in about 12-hours when set atop the included induction charger. Fully charged, you can expect between 3- and 45-hours of white light, 12- to 16-hours of the blue stuff, and about 6 hours in flashlight mode. No price was given but it'll be on sale in Japan starting September 11th.[Via Akihabara News]
Latest USB gadgets light up your life, fill up your wallet
Intel's Ajay Bhatt indeed deserves rock star status. Without his hard work we might not today have such a wondrous bounty of USB devices, like the hub pictured after the break. It not only sports a light for illuminating your keyboard or helping you find that last Skittle that skittered away into the dark confines of your desk, but it also has a rechargeable battery, meaning you can use it as a rather unwieldy reading light. New, too, is the Lego-themed (though not Lego®-branded) USB hub shown above, which enables you to elegantly add USB devices to your setup in blocks of four. Oh, and then there's the newfangled USB wristwatch ($26) which packs a connector at the end of the strap. Hot stuff, we tell ya.Read - USB Hub with a built-in flashlightRead - USB wristwatchRead - Lego-themed USB hub
PiSAT Solar's K-Light boasts a one-to-one charging ratio
It's pretty rare that a portable solar-based device offers much more utility than impressing your friends, but PiSAT Solar's K-Light won't only make you the coolest kid on your block: it might actually prove useful the next time you take a hike or find yourself hanging out in a developing country. In 10 hours of daylight charging the unit gathers up to 20 hours worth of battery power for use in the low-power 8 LED mode, or 10 hours of life if used in 16 LED mode. It's also switchable between flashlight and lantern modes. That should be great for campers, but where the K-Light really "shines" (so to speak) is in places like Africa, where villagers without electricity often use makeshift kerosene lanterns for light at night. K-Light is designed for up to 10 years of full daily use in such a scenario, and PiSAT is working on an adapter to let the lantern's battery also charge a cellphone. At $50 a pop, the barrier to entry isn't incredibly high, and PiSAT is working with the Koinonia Foundation to provide start-up grants of K-Lights to groups of African women to create local businesses selling the lights. One-off purchases are also available now online for us non-entrepreneurial types.
Tactical flashlight records late night jungle excursions
Much like the toaster, the microwave and the sandal, the flashlight hasn't changed an awful lot since being first engineered in the late 1300s. Thankfully, we're finally seeing a little innovation in the space with Hammacher Schlemmer's Infrared Flashlight Video Recorder. Upon first looking it over, it's hard to tell that this thing is different from any other heavy duty tactical flashlight; underneath that matte black finish, however, are 17 infrared LEDs and a video camera capable of capturing footage (with audio!) up to 13 feet away from the device itself. Both video and snapshots are captured in VGA (640 x 480) quality, and while only 15 seconds can be logged on the 128MB of built-in memory, the miniSD expansion slot opens that up immensely. The rub? Nah, it's not the absurd $399.95 price tag, it's the "three C-sized batteries" requirement. Drat.[Via OhGizmo]
Tweetie 1.2 for iPhone adds Instapaper, enhanced functionality and some hilarity
Tweetie, my current favorite Twitter client for the iPhone, has just been updated to version 1.2 [iTunes link]. While the update offers a slew of enhancements, new features and improved functionality, what makes this release memorable and unique is the sly dose of humor developer Loren Brichter inserted in the latest version of the app.Updates and ImprovementsBecause Loren was nice enough to let me into the Tweetie beta, I've had the opportunity to watch some of the new features evolve and improve over the last month or so. What was already a great app is now even better, thanks to new additions and refinements to existing features. Instapaper support. Now if you see a link in a tweet that you want to save for later, you have the option to save it to Instapaper, in addition to e-mailing, tweeting or opening the link in Safari. Block/unblock from the app Remember scroll position on relaunch and refresh Twitpic linking for photos Optional landscape keyboard (note: if you choose this option you will have landscape mode regardless of how your device is held.) Switch account from the "compose" menu (super helpful if you manage accounts that have some overlap in followers) A new "Swipe to reply" shortcut Drafts persist after relaunch Nearby radius control There are even more features and enhancements, and you can see the whole list at the developer's blog.(A note: To access some of these new features, you'll need to go to the Tweetie pane in "Settings" on your iPhone or iPod touch and then select or change your preference.)Popularity EnhancEr = HilarityWe love it when developers have a sense of humor. Not content with having Tweetie become popular just because it is a quality app, Loren Brichter decided to bring a taste of the more popular -- if inane -- App Store apps: farts and flashlights.Enable the Popularity Enhancer and not only do you get a nifty flashlight, the new swipe to reply feature will make a hilarious wet fart sound. Brilliant.Tweetie 1.2 [iTunes link] is availalbe in the App Store for $2.99 US and of course, existing users can download the update directly from the device or from iTunes.
Light for Life UC3.400 flashlight will last a really, really long time
These are tough, dangerous times, so if you're in the market for a flashlight it's probably true that you want it to be rugged enough to get your money's worth, and to hold up under whatever world-ending abuses you and (and your torch) may encounter. Enter 5.11 Tactical's Light for Life UC3.400 -- a flashlight whose three LEDs take 90 seconds to charge and have 90 minutes of uptime. Even more interesting (especially to thrifty health nuts), the LEDs are apparently rated for "more than 50,000 charge cycles," which is... oh... 130 years, assuming you use it once every single day. Sure, the claim is pretty much unprovable and highly suspicious, but let's just say we know what we're getting our vampire friends for the holidays this year. [Via UberReview]
iPhone gains battery life, camera flash, loses sex appeal with FastMac's iV
Why yes, FastMac -- we want 24 hours of talk time, 72 of audio, 20 of video, and 31 days of standby on our iPhones and iPhone 3Gs. Throw in a camera flash that doubles as a flashlight, and the ability to charge a USB device like a Bluetooth headset right off the phone, and you've got a deal on this iV charging kit of yours! Oh, there's a catch? It's a wee bit bulky, with an aesthetic similar to that of mophie's Juice Pack? Hey, it could be worse. This largification -- along with $79.50 -- is apparently the price you pay for digital endurance.[Via Macworld]
Tri-Solar LED Flashlight: because three panels are better than one
Nah, it's no Mag-Lite, but the Tri-Solar LED Flashlight should handle most minor lighting needs. The unit can operate with one LED on, three LEDs on or all three LEDs flashing (you know, in case you realize the car you just hopped in is now making a beeline for the Bates Motel). Because a single solar panel can only catch so much sunlight, this one has a trifecta of cells that fold out and generate juice for the bulbs. Not too bad for $32, particularly when you realize that it doubles as a weapon.[Thanks, Joe]
LED flashlight talks you through basic CPR
Here's a survival product combo we never thought of: an LED flashlight that talks you through the basic steps of CPR. It sort of makes sense, at least: high-efficiency LED in an ultra-compact AAA battery-based design that will talk you through an important emergency skill while the world crumbles around you. The whole flashlight measures 4-inches in length and sports push-button on/off and CPR read-off. Images of armageddon and self-taught nurses abound.
Maxablaster mega-flashlight is a step away from lightsaber
You thought the goggles did nothing before? Shine the 38-million-candle Maxablaster (which, we hear, has been bumped up to 52m in a recent build) and watch as faces melt Raiders of the Lost Ark style under its concentrated mercury arc plasma bulb powered by a 54 battery pack. Right now it's just the pet project of a Dutch engineer by the name of Ralf Ottow, which is probably for the best, since this would be far more effective at boring holes in concrete than lighting any scene.[Thanks, Trev]
The Torch flashlight: why illuminate when you can incinerate?
Sure, there's always the pukelight for good times around the house, but sometimes you've just got to do some damage -- which is where The Torch from Wicked Lasers comes in. The 4100-lumen flashlight is being considered for the Guinness Book of World Records, and can ignite paper, light cigarettes, melt plastic, and even fry an egg -- but only has a fifteen minute battery life. Check a video of The Torch taking out a pile of plastic bags after the break, and hit the read link for even more high-candlepower destruction.[Via I4U News]
HammerHead Tac-Strobe Flashlight: for police, military, and emergency raves
It's not every day you see a company lead off a product feature list with "Intrinsically Safe = No," but that's just what the folks at FoxFury have done with their new HammerHead Tac-Strobe Flashlight, and that just about makes it impossible for us to ignore. If that's not enough to sell you on it, however, you can rest assured that the flashlight also boasts a "highly stylized design," to say nothing of 320 lumens of brightness (or 4,019 candle power) and a "Turbo-Strobe" feature that promises to be "very disturbing" for anyone looking into the light. All that can be yours right now just under $300, with a weapon mount set to follow for an unspecified price in June.
LAPD's new LED flashlights now available to the public
Those of you jealous of the LAPD's new blinding yet less weapon-like flashlights don't have to settle for weaker substitutes any longer, as all 130 lumens of Pelican's 7060 model flashlight are now available to the general public. For those not up to speed on the flashlight industry, this particular model weighs in at just 10 ounces, and promises to throw a beam for a full 90 minutes straight without losing intensity. According to Pelican, the LAPD isn't the only police force keen on the flashlight, with 1,500 other police departments already on a waiting list to evaluate the flashlight. Those looking to get the jump on them, however, should now be able to pick up a 7060 at a Pelican distributor near you.
DVD laser retrofitted into Mini Mag flashlight
If you've ever been memorized by the eerie glow of a laser diode (that would be everybody, no?), and don't mind hacking up a spare DVD drive in order to craft your own laser-based flashlight, this here project is all you. By extracting the laser diode from an unused DVD optical drive and obtaining an AixiZ Laser Module, a Mini Mag, and an assortment of fairly common tools, the laser that formerly read your flicks can now light your way. Of course, you should realize that beaming any living thing in the eyes with such a device is unsafe (and frankly, downright unkind), but feel free to hit the read link below, check the vid after the jump, and get to work if your trusty flashlight just isn't brightening your day nights the way it used to.
Homeland Security's latest non-lethal weapon: the pukelight
Someone in Homeland Security's R&D department must have a sense of humor, because the agency is hoping to soon deploy an LED flashlight that causes uncontrollable vomiting. The light, which is being developed for DHS at Intelligent Optical Systems, first shines a high-intensity beam to stun the target and then begins flashing a series of pulses that change color and duration -- inducing "psychophysical" effects that that include nausea, vertigo, and vomiting. While the concept isn't that far-fetched -- similar symptoms have been seen in helicopter pilots affected by sunlight strobing through spinning blades -- you've got to wonder how many thousands of dollars have been spent developing a weapon that can be defeated by simply looking away.[Via ABC News]
Conceptual media player resembles a flashlight
We've seen flashlights lose their way and get mixed up in all sorts of unrelated gadgetry over the years, but this conceptual multimedia player from Can-Hong Huang breaks new ground for flashlight-inspired gizmos worldwide. This curious creation reportedly boasts the ability to play back audio to a set of wireless earbuds or speaker dock, and even projects videos onto your pull-down screen (or spare wall, if you roll like that). The stick itself can be twisted and manipulated in order to change tracks and adjust the volume, but we're still not buying into this without some sort of remote to complete the package.
Counterfeit flashlight batteries recalled due to fire hazard
Unfortunately for those 4,400 or so owners of the Xenon Aluminum flashlight sold at Sportsman's Warehouse, the recall wagon has come your way, and unless you have no fear of exploding batteries, we'd suggest you power it off at your earliest convenience. Interestingly enough, this case involves more than just a faulty design, as the Panasonic CR123A Industrial Lithium batteries packed within are believed to be counterfeits, and it comes as no surprise that these knockoffs "can overheat and rupture, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers." So, if you happen to own the six-, nine-, or twelve-volt version of these here devices, it looks like you'll be making an unwanted trip out to Sportsman's Warehouse before long.
