Does a flashlight app for a smart phone obsolete EDC?

This is a rhetorical question, of course a phablet app such as "flashlight" does not really obsolete a real "EDC" unit and never will but it surely comes close.

I have an extended 10,000 mah battery for my LG Optimus G Pro and the app is surely handy when you have nothing else. It's 100% flood obviously as it uses the camera flash and does not have any punching power but will suffice in a pinch if you are in a real emergency.

There's an app for that?
☺

No, not in my use, I can drop a light accidentally and not sweat, can use it in locations hazardous to cell phones, it's cell is not shared with crap Facebook.
Never mind issue of, flood for three feet, hard to hold if actually doing something or carrying something else and not squish phone or drop it. Can lend a inexpensive light and not go crazy wondering if I'll get it back it, or have my privacy invaded by the light app itself.
Pass thanks.

My 2¢, it's called a smart phone, not a smart flashlight.

Smartphone: The first flashlight in history vulnerable to malware/spyware. Your flashlight is snooping your messages and contacts list!

I did an experiment comparing the iPhone 5 light to the lowly Sipik 68 on eneloopx1.

To level the field, I removed optics from the 68. 68 won. Then with a bit of cardboard and clear tape mounted the optics on the iPhone 5. The emitter is so small, it threw like crazy though it was rather dim. With tightest focus, the stock 68 was a bit more floody and obviously more lux on target.

Overall, I had to hand it to the Sipik 68. Camera-flashling the iPhone was better, but it isn't intended to run that way. Burst only is what is suggested. Phone LED emitters have heat sink issues.

Your $600 lithium ion smartphone is beaten by a $3 chinalumen on Eneloops.

I see we're doing this subject yet again. Community consensus is going to be a solid "no", albeit loaded with enthusiast assumptions of varying relevance.

In my opinion, it depends on why you need an EDC light. If it's to find something you dropped under a restaurant table, the phone app is great. If it's to light your way down a dark path at night, not so much. And I see some logic in the argument that in an emergency, you might want to preserve your phone's battery to keep in touch or make a 911 call.

Of course not. But they are useful.
I carry my TubeVN whenever dressed, but it lacks a strobe mode.
A while ago, I had to signal my location to a AAA tow truck and using my iPhone App's strobe I was able to accomplish this easily while also talking to the driver.
Very convenient.

idleprocess said:

I see we're doing this subject yet again. Community consensus is going to be a solid "no", albeit loaded with enthusiast assumptions of varying relevance.

Click to expand...

...until Vinh is done with the PhoneVN project! One day, maybe!

1DaveN said:

In my opinion, it depends on why you need an EDC light. If it's to find something you dropped under a restaurant table, the phone app is great. If it's to light your way down a dark path at night, not so much. And I see some logic in the argument that in an emergency, you might want to preserve your phone's battery to keep in touch or make a 911 call.

Click to expand...

Smartphones are known to die when dropped, even when in an auxillary case. Stumbling in the dark with a $600 device doesn't seem like a good idea. $3 Sipik 68 wins again.

Also, some larger flashlights also powerbank, so you can emergency charge your phone with a flashlight/powerbank combo...

LedTed said:

My 2¢, it's called a smart phone, not a smart flashlight.

Click to expand...

I am afraid flashlight are already smart-lights, either here and now or just around the corner.

cland72 said:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...hlight-apps-stop-the-need-to-edc-a-flashlight

Click to expand...

That was in 2012. Only about 300 years ago in Internet time.

LEDs in phones, battery sources, etc. have all drastically improved since then.

I never implied a phablet (phone / tablet which is what I have) replaces an EDC but it's an interesting addition. I hardly ever use it. Actually never is the correct term. But if you are ever caught without your EDC, this can save you.

etc said:

That was in 2012. Only about 300 years ago in Internet time.
LEDs in phones, battery sources, etc. have all drastically improved since then.

Click to expand...

One thing that has not improved in smartphones since then: thermal path. It's what is really limiting phone LED emitters right now, afaik.

Throw in the optics limits and there you have it. If we moved to metal chassis and a thicker form factor, we'd probably seeing 500+ lumens from a smartphone with spot to flood. By going light and trying to keep it razor thin, the engineers prevent a smartphone from being a good light.

Too many limits on the design. Try to make a device do everything and it becomes junk at all of them. It's why we don't have tricorders yet, though ironically cell phones (communicators) are pushing for that slot. They contain magnetometers, accelerometers, a software radio, and a partridge in a pear tree (there's an app for that.) Guess there's just no room for a good flashlight. Too bad.

Your phone has a ghetto metal detector in it.

cland72 said:

[h=2]will mobile phone flashlight apps stop the need to edc a flashlight[/h]http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...hlight-apps-stop-the-need-to-edc-a-flashlight

Click to expand...

Good job Chris :thumbsup:

I was forced at gun point by my wife to attend the One direction concert two nights ago. Everyone had their flashlight app on. it looked pretty cool during the night i admit. i was wondering how long that would last.....after 10 minutes it got less and less. 40 thousand screaming girls and soon to be drained phones. i was laughing inside.

Lol! Back in my day, we used lighters and burned our fingers and LIKED IT!

The smart ones of us brought two lighters and allowed one to cool while the other was lit.

Kids these days, cutting themselves off from their facebooks and youtuber selfies, and not even knowing about the $3 Sipik 68.

You kids don't know how good you've got it! :laughing:

etc said:

That was in 2012. Only about 300 years ago in Internet time.

LEDs in phones, battery sources, etc. have all drastically improved since then.

I never implied a phablet (phone / tablet which is what I have) replaces an EDC but it's an interesting addition. I hardly ever use it. Actually never is the correct term. But if you are ever caught without your EDC, this can save you.

Click to expand...

The thread actually lasted until late January 2014 when it was closed. I'll tell you what hasn't changed - the outcome of the discussion.

Phone flashlights are the EDC of the unwashed masses. I'd rather them have their crappy flashlight app than ask to borrow my super duper high speed expensive flashlight that will be producing light long after their phone has gotten wet/been run over/been dropped/runs out of juice.

Following the logic that the best light is the one you have handy when you need it, there are times when the cell phone is the best light. That being said, I do not plan to stop carrying my EDC light simply because I already have the smartphone. No, the smartphone is for when I need and light and don't have my EDC light available (loaned it, already taken it off for the day, ect...)

Eagle

more_vampires said:

Lol! Back in my day, we used lighters and burned our fingers and LIKED IT!

The smart ones of us brought two lighters and allowed one to cool while the other was lit.

Kids these days, cutting themselves off from their facebooks and youtuber selfies, and not even knowing about the $3 Sipik 68.

You kids don't know how good you've got it! :laughing:

Click to expand...

haha yeah. light bulb just popped off in my head....i could have made a butt load of money off of them by just selling those Sipiks to them. just throw some band stickers on it and its good to go.

In an emergency, my smartphone is usually my most important device, and I wouldn't waste it's power on light. Actually, one of the primary "functions" of my flashlight is to be a spare battery container to charge my smartphone.

I have a 12 volt cigarette automotive plug header to hang from auto batteries I have sitting around.

12v cig to USB adapter
12v cig to Lion charger
12v cig output and 12v leads on gas genny

Good to go. The throttle doesn't even kick in on my honda when tapping the 12v with this.

My local comm CO has a 400 gal diesel backup, my cell should stay hot for a while after the lights conk out.