App Creation #25 – App Inspiration – Torch

Oh no I can see a bright light! Ahh but don’t panic, this is actually one of the most useful applications on any mobile device and yet it is also the simplest. I promise you that above this block of text is a screenshot of the wonderment in action. It may appear to be just a white screen, however the shocking revelation is… Well it is just a white screen!

The Scientific Part

One thing that displays do very well is to push out an intense light. You can clearly see the information no matter how dark or bright the levels of light are – depending on whether you are indoors or outdoors, in daytime or night time. This is known as the ‘backlight’, which illuminates the screen to cope with these different conditions.

Simple Solutions

You can guarantee that as soon as you need a light source to locate that all important something in the middle of the night, you are out of luck – yet developers have been quick to recognise the possibilities of our phone displays and utilising it in a way that appeals to me.

Relax, It’s All White

This app is far from complex, but that is the clever part as I will explain.

Upon loading ‘Torch’, an image appears of a flashlight. Nothing complicated so far I hear you cry and you would be right, however tapping the screen sends a burst of extreme white light – rivalling many of my small torches.

So essentially the screen turns white with the brightness set to a high level and ‘voila’ – you have managed to illuminate your path.

It really does work and when you are struggling for a light source – the last thing people expect is for you to pull out your phone and begin tinkering. When this spectacle saves the day, even the most anti-tech individuals will show a sign of respect and indeed relief that your phone is far more than just a simple device to make and receive calls.

Practical Solutions

This app proves and many others aside that you don’t need to travel through the scary route of terrifying complexity to create a useful tool. In this case – it is an image and a bright white screen and that is all there is to it.

This kind of app isn’t going to turn you into a millionaire, but it is a fine example of creating something wonderful, without the need to go overboard. It is what it is and even with this most basic of designs, the crucial part is it works.

iTunes Store Link: Torch

App Creation Series

There are literally hundreds of thousands of applications and games available to download using the digital marketplace. These range from basic clocks to fully fledged 3D gaming experiences rivalling even the leading portable devices that usually only specialise in this field.

Your challenge is competing with this vast library of already impressive offerings which, although a daunting prospect to the fledgling traveller, can be navigated successfully with the right ideas and implementation. Whether you want to create an income generator or simply desire recognition for your efforts, this book will aim to show you the path and inspire your imagination to overflow with possibilities.

Allow James Woodcock to guide you through the wilderness and raise your chances of realising your development dreams by detailing different routes with this light hearted tour of the Apps terrain. Featuring a myriad of exciting and surprising examples, you can glean important suggestions for your own creation.

App Creation Series Index:
App Creation – Beginners Guide to App Design, Development and Marketing

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