The worlds most popular EDC

Hi all

I was thinking today about how much I use my torches and What ones I use most and I figured yes my phones torch! I have an iPhone and the torch is very good on i. I use it every day multiple times as I wake up in the dark.

So I figured that most smart phones have very good LEDs in them now and almost everyone has one so this must be the worlds most popular EDC.

I think as batteries improve and LEDs improve we will see much more refined phone torches that can be used for all activities that require a torch. Maybe a selling point?

Does anyone know any specs on the LEDs of the current smart phones?


Sent from my iPhone using Candlepowerforums

Batteries will continue to improve slowly for the next ten years. Most of these gains will be offset by more-power-intensive features like bigger, brighter screens, touchless touchscreens, 2-d haptic feedback, GPS, super wifi, big cameras, more active standby features (Ding! You walked past a Subway! Eat fresh!) self-texturing touchscreens. About the only reason phone battery life has slightly increased is that bigger screens allow bigger batteries.

If you use the boring SKU category, the iPhone 4 or 5 would be "the most common" illuminated widget in someone's hands. Most of my coworkers use a work phone as a flashlight - The pitiful floody flash doesn't work well for seeing into machinery though. It's a lot better than nothing, but it's not as safe or effective as a flashlight.

Phone camera flashes will be floody until small-enough adaptive optics are made for them, AND users demand the ability to shoot a tiny bit further. Then they could shape their beam somewhat. The light output right now is about 100 floody lumens, or 200 with extra-bright phones. Given the limits of battery tech now and for the next decade, it's a better trade-off to crank up the camera gain (ISO) than to increase the light output. There just isn't much reward for the phone company to use an LED capable of 500 lumens, or heatsink for 3-5W+ of LED power, or make a good flashlight beam instead of a camera flash. Until the money talks, the phone makers will not change what they do.

It is interesting how the phones are taking over for other devices, but batteries will continue to be the limiting factor. When a phone is also a notepad, game system, camera, flashlight, alarm clock, etc. it gets used a lot and the battery doesn't last long. Then you are out of luck unless you are somewhere you can charge up, or are carrying a portable power bank or spare battery. I would rather carry a flashlight than a portable power bank .

In addition, if you use your phone for everything you are really out of luck if it gets lost or dies.

That said, I still don't have a smart phone, so I shouldn't be commenting on this topic .

DQD said:

It is interesting how the phones are taking over for other devices, but batteries will continue to be the limiting factor. When a phone is also a notepad, game system, camera, flashlight, alarm clock, etc. it gets used a lot and the battery doesn't last long. Then you are out of luck unless you are somewhere you can charge up, or are carrying a portable power bank or spare battery. I would rather carry a flashlight than a portable power bank .

In addition, if you use your phone for everything you are really out of luck if it gets lost or dies.

That said, I still don't have a smart phone, so I shouldn't be commenting on this topic .

Click to expand...

I'm happily using an LG flip phone and this one doesn't even have a camera flash, lol.

My GF has a 4s and uses her light often times, but I'm content to EDC one of the smaller RCR123 type lights in my stable, or the button cell on my keychain.

Even if I did have a smart phone, I don't know if I'd be comfortable burning through my battery doing the things that I do with my typical flashlights.

Chris

caleb_v said:

Hi all

I was thinking today about how much I use my torches and What ones I use most and I figured yes my phones torch! I have an iPhone and the torch is very good on i. I use it every day multiple times as I wake up in the dark.

So I figured that most smart phones have very good LEDs in them now and almost everyone has one so this must be the worlds most popular EDC.

I think as batteries improve and LEDs improve we will see much more refined phone torches that can be used for all activities that require a torch. Maybe a selling point?

Does anyone know any specs on the LEDs of the current smart phones?


Sent from my iPhone using Candlepowerforums

Click to expand...

I just had a thought: the government "arranged" with cell phone companies to have a "kill" switch to prevent its use to film/record (when they so designate). What if the same kill switch affects the flashlight feature? It probably does not affect it, but what if it did? I imagine you have a backup EDC.

DQD said:

It is interesting how the phones are taking over for other devices, but batteries will continue to be the limiting factor. When a phone is also a notepad, game system, camera, flashlight, alarm clock, etc. it gets used a lot and the battery doesn't last long. Then you are out of luck unless you are somewhere you can charge up, or are carrying a portable power bank or spare battery. I would rather carry a flashlight than a portable power bank .

In addition, if you use your phone for everything you are really out of luck if it gets lost or dies.

That said, I still don't have a smart phone, so I shouldn't be commenting on this topic .

Click to expand...

Lol i carry both every day.
4x18650 power bank
And whatever flashlight I feel necessary. Plus a couple knives and a backup cell .

I used to use my phone light often. But I then started religiously carrying a flashlight.

The flash on my phone never gets used for the purpose of seeing into the dark. I ALWAYS have a light on me, and I wouldn't waste the occasion on my phone flash. Wouldn't want to use anything else BUT my EDC light. I'm always looking for an exuse to use my flashlight.

My smartphone provides far too many other important functions to waste its battery providing illumination - and it's not very good at it either. Actually, one of my flashlight's primary functions while off-grid is to be a spare battery container from which to cannibalize power for my other devices, esp. my smartphone.

It's not the flash, but until recently I would use the screen as a low low flood light. I have since added a 4 mode L10c that has a firefly low to my EDC. Most people don't think to carry a flashlight, my mom and sister only have them in their cars because I gave them to them, so while most here will agree a phones flash is a poor replacement for a flashlight it is better than nothing.

AnAppleSnail said:

If you use the boring SKU category, the iPhone 4 or 5 would be "the most common" illuminated widget in someone's hands. Most of my coworkers use a work phone as a flashlight - The pitiful floody flash doesn't work well for seeing into machinery though. It's a lot better than nothing, but it's not as safe or effective as a flashlight.

Click to expand...

Would you rather drop a $100 flashlight into a piece of machinery or a $750 iPhone? Which one would be more likely to survive? Which one could you stand to lose? I know what my answers are.

18650 said:

Would you rather drop a $100 flashlight into a piece of machinery or a $750 iPhone? Which one would be more likely to survive? Which one could you stand to lose? I know what my answers are.

Click to expand...

Yep - and furthermore, which one are you more likely to drop in the first place? I find a light more comfortable in hand, by a long way. Cylinder is a MUCH better fit for the hand, compared a a wide, flat phone. I use my lights every day, and hardly ever drop them simply because they are so easy to hold.

What a load of nonsense,the Smartphone in its current form and i imagine in future form will never be any use as an edc and the app although useful it is no more than that.The next generation of mobile phones i would imagine will become larger in general possibly with a 5" screen as standard and the tablet as we know it at present will also be different.

I use my phone light quite frequently. While it's not practical for many applications, the screen light app is fantastic for reading such as unnoticed menu reading in dark restaurants. I can place the screen flat against the menu then gently tilt it up toward me for a very subdued glow. I also use the led light function for times when I don't have a flashlight handy. That said, I'm not a slave to carrying around everything but the kitchen sink, and this includes my cellphone; often leaving it in the car when I'm at appointments, in meetings, even when eating out. It's one less thing to worry about. I don't carry a purse, after all. For those times it's great to have an edc on your keyring, because I generally do have my keys handy upon leaving the house.

caleb_v said:

Hi all

I was thinking today about how much I use my torches and What ones I use most and I figured yes my phones torch! I have an iPhone and the torch is very good on i. I use it every day multiple times as I wake up in the dark.

So I figured that most smart phones have very good LEDs in them now and almost everyone has one so this must be the worlds most popular EDC.

I think as batteries improve and LEDs improve we will see much more refined phone torches that can be used for all activities that require a torch. Maybe a selling point?

Does anyone know any specs on the LEDs of the current smart phones?


Sent from my iPhone using Candlepowerforums

Click to expand...

Since EDC stands for Every Day Carry, and the proliferation of cell phones, I have to agree with you that THEY are THE most common EDC. Since they can be used as an artificial light source, some may choose to use them instead of carry a flashlight. Undoubtedly, many who do carry a phone, and use it as a light, would not EDC a flashlight if the phone did not have that function. Certainly there are MANY who use the phone as a light.

Last month, we went to a dance recital, and despite the fact that people should have known that it was going to be dark, many were using their phone to light their way.

My son will soon be trading in his phone, if he hadn't already done so, for an upgrade, primarily because his is not holding a charge very well anymore. I gave him a power bank to EDC with his phone, should he need it.

It's my understanding that lithium cells can be made in a variety of shapes. Perhaps in the future we'll see some made the size of the phone but only 3/16ths of an inch thick that can strap onto the back of the phone as an auxiliary power bank that is made for the phone. A four cell 18650 power bank is a little big to hold to one's ear.

Poppy said:

It's my understanding that lithium cells can be made in a variety of shapes. Perhaps in the future we'll see some made the size of the phone but only 3/16ths of an inch thick that can strap onto the back of the phone as an auxiliary power bank that is made for the phone. A four cell 18650 power bank is a little big to hold to one's ear.

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Do you recall those bricks people used to hold against their ears in the late 80's and 90's? LOL Makes me wonder what would happen if there were ever an issue with those lithiums!

Yeah... I had one!
They were probably NiCads

Like some of the other responders to this thread, I still carry a flip phone. I also have a couple of extra batteries, that I have used in a pinch when charging the phone was not an option.

It is my understanding that some, if not all smart-phones don't have removable batteries. Or at least they are not USER removable.

Poppy said:

It's my understanding that lithium cells can be made in a variety of shapes. Perhaps in the future we'll see some made the size of the phone but only 3/16ths of an inch thick that can strap onto the back of the phone as an auxiliary power bank that is made for the phone....

Click to expand...

Been in the market for many years already - Here's One

Poppy said:

It's my understanding that lithium cells can be made in a variety of shapes. Perhaps in the future we'll see some made the size of the phone but only 3/16ths of an inch thick that can strap onto the back of the phone as an auxiliary power bank that is made for the phone. A four cell 18650 power bank is a little big to hold to one's ear.

Click to expand...

reppans said:

Been in the market for many years already - Here's One

Click to expand...

Wow! Time Travel really does work!
Minutes later and the future is already here!

reppans.... good job pulling that picture from some date in the past. :thumbsup:

Peace Train said:

I use my phone light quite frequently. While it's not practical for many applications, the screen light app is fantastic for reading such as unnoticed menu reading in dark restaurants. I can place the screen flat against the menu then gently tilt it up toward me for a very subdued glow. I also use the led light function for times when I don't have a flashlight handy. That said, I'm not a slave to carrying around everything but the kitchen sink, and this includes my cellphone; often leaving it in the car when I'm at appointments, in meetings, even when eating out. It's one less thing to worry about. I don't carry a purse, after all. For those times it's great to have an edc on your keyring, because I generally do have my keys handy upon leaving the house.

Click to expand...

Well written and exactly how i use mine if my edc is not to hand.

Peace Train said:

Do you recall those bricks people used to hold against their ears in the late 80's and 90's? LOL Makes me wonder what would happen if there were ever an issue with those lithiums!

Click to expand...

Go back before the brick phone and my first cell phone(late 70,s) was inside a briefcase and in those days you talked via an operator and i remember it cost an an absolute load of money to rent it as if i remember correctly you did not buy them.