flashlight

Even with its belt full of powerful tools onboard, Smart Tools is, for the most part, simple. The app opens up to a wall of choices, and if you've used any of Smart Tools' apps before, then all of them should look familiar. Smart Tools combines the powers of all of the developer's individual Pro tool sets.

The first set lets you measure length and angle, using a level, ruler, and two protractors (one which uses the screen, and the other your device's camera).

The second offers a Distance tool, which is a bit more complicated, as … Read more

I need to reprioritize the items in my Hurricane Irene Go Bag. How do I know this? Because this a.m. I found myself struggling to decide which toy my cat would prefer should we be forced to evacuate our home early tomorrow morning.

Before you go planning a disaster movie marathon this weekend, be sure to check out the NYC Hurricane Evacuation Zone map or enter your address in the Zone Finder to see if you live in an evacuation area.

And if you do live in one of the affected areas, you can download apps for both iOS and Android devices that show Doppler radar info, detailed maps, and ongoing weather warnings and satellite images for up-to-date news on the storm. But what should you pack in your emergency "Go Bag"? … Read more

It's not beautiful, but it sure is bright. Brightest Flashlight Free activates your Camera LED (if available) and, of course, your screen, turning your Android into an ultrabright "flashlight."

There's no interface really, and there are no other functions. On one hand, Brightest Flashlight is great because it performs exactly as advertised. On the other hand, however, we wish it had at least some dimming options, or perhaps a blinking S.O.S. feature. One thing it does have, though, is a timer, which can autokill the app after 2 minutes, 10 minutes, or never--your choice.… Read more

If you're like me and you don't like little sharp metal objects jingling around in your pocket, scratching up your phone, and ripping holes in your pants, you may be looking for a way to manage your keychain. The Keyport Slide aims to do just that, replacing your keychain with a slick looking aluminum chassis that sheathes your keys, creating a solid unit that doesn't jingle around and weighs next to nothing--as long as you aren't carrying more than six keys around at a time.

The Slide measures 4 inches long by 1.25 inches wide … Read more

Enter the ArchPort Sandals. They can even enter in the dark as each pair come with flashlights tucked into their soles.

That's this pair of shoes' claim to fame--the "first flip-flops with a flashlight in the sole." We didn't put hours of research into validating that statement as it seems a pretty safe boast. It's like saying you've made the first sport coat tie with a built-in melon baller--or a dress that charges your iPod. Who else was scrambling to wrench that claim away?

The folks at ArchPort say the little hoof-torches pack a slide-out lamp that fits into a small chamber tucked away in the arch of the sole (note: "Arch of the Sole" should not be confused with the little known, incomplete John Steinbeck novel of the same name). The bulbs project a cone of visible light that highlights the ground immediately in front of the owner, making night walking theoretically safer.

But the luminescent slippers beg a question. If the wearer is walking in an area so treacherous that he or she must spot-weld high beams to the feet to keep their pedicure secure, why wear sandals? How bad must your sweaty foot problem be that you can't sport closed-toe shoes when you do your buck and wing across a fire pit studded with broken glass? … Read more

The Joby Gorillatorch Blade is the latest in a line of hands-free flashlights that includes the Gorillatorch Original and the Gorillatorch Flare. While all three 'torches feature Joby's trademark flexible, bendable legs--a feature that originally debuted on the Gorillapod line of tripods--the Blade differentiates itself with an all-new chassis for the lamp and a few new features. It's also the most expensive, which may be a turn-off for casual users.

Starting with the Gorillatorch Blade's flashlight, the unit features an anodized black aluminum tube chassis that's about 6.25 inches long and 1.33 inches thick. The unit is IPX-5 water-resistant, which means you could probably douse it with a hose or rinse it in a sink, but you probably don't want to go submerging it. The unit's design also lends a bit of inherent shock-resistance. Dropping this guy onto concrete may mar the finish, but the functionality probably won't be affected.

Located at the business end of the lamp is the CREE XLamp XP-C LED. When Joby calls this guy ultra-bright, it's not just blowing smoke. Standard output from this LED is 65 lumens, which matches the output of the Gorillatorch Original and proved to be more than bright enough for most of the uses we could think of. However, for users who need even more brightness, the Blade also features a boost mode that doubles the output to 130 lumens for a moment or for up to a three-minute burst. By twisting the head of the flashlight, users are also able to adjust the cone of light emitted by the Blade, widening it to a 160-degree flood or narrowing it to a 30-degree spotlight.… Read more

When I was a kid, holding the light while my father turned wrenches in some dark corner of the family car's engine bay was a sacred duty to be performed seriously and to the best of my ability. I don't have kids of my own, so when I find myself in need of illumination, I often find myself precariously balancing a hot work light into some odd angle or awkwardly holding a pen light between my teeth. For those who have found themselves in similar situations, Joby, creator of the Gorillapod camera mounting system, has just announced the … Read more

I'm happy to announce I received my iPhone 4 in the mail today, five days before it was scheduled to arrive. After quite a bit of time spent transferring purchases, arranging apps, and checking the appropriate boxes in iTunes, I've activated and synced my new iPhone. Frankly, with a few reboots and trying to manage which apps should be synced and which shouldn't, the process hasn't gone as smoothly as I might have hoped. I even had a period of time where none of my apps would launch at all (gasp!). Fortunately, it's all sorted out.

Now that I'm up and running, I'm immediately noticing a significant speed boost, which is not saying much since I came from the iPhone 3G, but it is still a huge relief. Of course, the best part about upgrading is that I get to use apps I could previously test only on our in-house iPhone 4. Though I will continue to cover apps that work on most iPhones, this week I'm going to focus on a couple of apps that are perfect for your (and my) new iPhone 4.

This week's apps include a utility to give you a bit of light and a first person shooter that's probably the best yet in the iTunes app store.… Read more

Looking for energy independence while on the go? Eton, a maker of emergency-preparedness devices, has something for you: the Eton Scorpion, a solar-powered, multifunction device designed to withstand the toughness of outdoor activities.

The device incorporates a digital AM/FM radio tuner, the NOAA Weather Band, a built-in LED flashlight, a digital clock, a bottle opener, and a USB cell phone charger, all in one compact unit.

Apart from solar panels on the side, the unit can also be powered via a Dynamo hand-crank. The Scorpion is housed in a splash-proof rugged exterior, which can withstand spraying water from all … Read more