A better flashlight shortcut is needed

[mmcclure0453]

I'm personally not too concerned with the permissions it asks though. Seems reasonable to me:

Camera - Needs this access to turn on the LED of the rear camera.
receive data from Internet - Uses this to display ads when you're configuring the app.
view network connections - This one is what I am not sure of. To check for connectivity?
full network access - again, for ads?
run at startup - It didn't have this before, but then I had to run the app everytime I restarted the phone. This time, it just starts in the background.
draw over other apps - For activating the screen "flashlight"
control vibration - The app gives a vibrate feedback when turning the flashlight on or off.
prevent device from sleeping - Keeps the screen on while the flashlight is active. Doesn't seem to run in the background while the device is asleep.

As to why it needs 11MB, I don't know. It has still been a problem-free app for me these past 2 years so I'm not complaining. Unless there is a better alternative I'm using it.

Thanks. I appreciate the detailed answer. Don't always get that. Helps a lot more than just knocking on the app and then moving on.

I've used it on 3 phones now and had no noticable problems. I just wondered if the mentioned background issues were something to be concerned about. I never really dug into the permissions to check but once I did today, I didn't see anything that seemed too crazy to me. But, I don't normally look into these things so I didn't know what should or shouldn't be a concern.

Again, thanks for your helpful answer.

 

[editguy]

On my Honor 8 I just have to click the finger print sensor once for on and once for off. I agree with the OP that something simple like that is much better than messing with menus.

 

[Aquila]

"ok Google, lumos"

love that this is a thing my wife thought it was hilarious when I showed her that last year

 

[sixty_four]

I'm personally not too concerned with the permissions it asks though. Seems reasonable to me:

Camera - Needs this access to turn on the LED of the rear camera.
receive data from Internet - Uses this to display ads when you're configuring the app.
view network connections - This one is what I am not sure of. To check for connectivity?
full network access - again, for ads?
run at startup - It didn't have this before, but then I had to run the app everytime I restarted the phone. This time, it just starts in the background.
draw over other apps - For activating the screen "flashlight"
control vibration - The app gives a vibrate feedback when turning the flashlight on or off.
prevent device from sleeping - Keeps the screen on while the flashlight is active. Doesn't seem to run in the background while the device is asleep.

As to why it needs 11MB, I don't know. It has still been a problem-free app for me these past 2 years so I'm not complaining. Unless there is a better alternative I'm using it.

I err on the side of caution and battery life. Since I use the flashlight feature once every 2 weeks or so, I have no use for a flashlight app that requires network access or or a background service that starts at system boot. But that's just my preference. If others find value in the features provided by the app and are comfortable with the permissions it requests, good for them.

As for the 11MB...who knows? Maybe there's included art/graphics that account for some of that space. That still seems excessive for a simple flashlight app.

 

[e30ernest]

I err on the side of caution and battery life. Since I use the flashlight feature once every 2 weeks or so, I have no use for a flashlight app that requires network access or or a background service that starts at system boot. But that's just my preference. If others find value in the features provided by the app and are comfortable with the permissions it requests, good for them.

As for the 11MB...who knows? Maybe there's included art/graphics that account for some of that space. That still seems excessive for a simple flashlight app.

Yeah I am one of those that get to use the flashlight a lot. Getting up from bed in a dark room to make milk for 2 toddlers in the middle of the night is a regular thing for me. Having a way to turn on my flashlight in 1 second with a gentle shake is a huge convenience for me. Overall the app takes 1-2% of my daily battery consumption, which is negligible.

If there is a negative, sometimes my flashlight would turn on while my phone is in my pocket whenever someone calls while I am walking. The screen waking up and the vibration of my steps would trigger the flashlight at times.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Swipe down once from the notification menu, press flashlight icon....not very difficult.

To simplify this even more....2 fingers to swipe down goes right to the Quick toggles. This works even on my lockscreen.

Sure, not as fast as a gesture, but everyone remember...that is a Moto thing, and probably patented. Just like a lot of the hand waving gestures by Samsung are probably patented.

 

[Aquila]

Sliding down on the FPS also brings down that shade.

 

[KWKSLVR]

I miss the chop feature too, but I tell my phone to do all sorts of things, and it usually does.

 

[Mike Dee]

Sliding down on the FPS also brings down that shade.

Must be a Jedi mind trick...I can't get that to work

 

[Aquila]

Must be a Jedi mind trick...I can't get that to work

P you may have to turn that on in settings

 

[mmcclure0453]

I do home remodeling so I'm in crawlspaces and attic areas a lot. To be able to "shake" the flashlight on is pretty handy for me.

 

[Mike Dee]

I do home remodeling so I'm in crawlspaces and attic areas a lot. To be able to "shake" the flashlight on is pretty handy for me.

That ok in a pinch and I guess convenient at times but if I were doing work like that I would prefer a dedicated flashlight.
Having said that, in this thread I discovered that we can just squeeze to invoke Google Assistant and say Flashlight....that works for me.

 

[mmcclure0453]

That ok in a pinch and I guess convenient at times but if I were doing work like that I would prefer a dedicated flashlight.
Having said that, in this thread I discovered that we can just squeeze to invoke Google Assistant and say Flashlight....that works for me.

I carry a flashlight on my tool belt. Don't always have it on when I need a flashlight. Phone works when I need it. You do it your way and I'll do it mine. Thanks for the advice though....

 

[Mike Dee]

I carry a flashlight on my tool belt. Don't always have it on when I need a flashlight. Phone works when I need it. You do it your way and I'll do it mine. Thanks for the advice though....

Hey no problem...wasn't suggesting you change it up. Just in mine line of work I need more light. Won't say I've never used the phone in place of a flashlight either.

 

[mmcclure0453]

Hey no problem...wasn't suggesting you change it up. Just in mine line of work I need more light. Won't say I've never used the phone in place of a flashlight either.

No problem.

 

[Mrdouglas]

Thanks. I appreciate the detailed answer. Don't always get that. Helps a lot more than just knocking on the app and then moving on.

I've used it on 3 phones now and had no noticable problems. I just wondered if the mentioned background issues were something to be concerned about. I never really dug into the permissions to check but once I did today, I didn't see anything that seemed too crazy to me. But, I don't normally look into these things so I didn't know what should or shouldn't be a concern.

Again, thanks for your helpful answer.

www.virustotal.com

You could upload the apk to virus total. Not only will it scan for malware but it'll also give you details on what website it's communicating with.

 

[Lilybell2]

Must be a Jedi mind trick...I can't get that to work

Settings > System > Languages, input & Gestures > Advanced > Gestures > Swipe fingerprint for notifications

 

[DesertTwang]

"Lumos?" "Nox?" Wow. How did you figure that out? Are those terms some kind of reference I don't get? By the way, "Turn flashlight on/off" works as well, I just found out.

 

[Mike Dee]

"Lumos?" "Nox?" Wow. How did you figure that out? Are those terms some kind of reference I don't get? By the way, "Turn flashlight on/off" works as well, I just found out.

I just say Flashlight

 

[Almeuit]

"Lumos?" "Nox?" Wow. How did you figure that out? Are those terms some kind of reference I don't get? By the way, "Turn flashlight on/off" works as well, I just found out.

It's from Harry Potter.

Basically just Google being funny. You can use the normal on and off or the Harry Potter version.

.