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Multi-tasking and Flashlights

M

macUser2007

macrumors 68000
Original poster
May 30, 2007
1,506
204
I never thought I had much use for multi-tasking on Android, but have a run into a really annoying problem since trying to switch back to the iPhone.

I go running in the evenings, using Endomondo (unfortunately the much better app CardioTrainer is not available for iOS). It tracks my time and I can see how many times I've exercised at the end of the month.

If using Android normally listen to music or podcasts while the app (Endomondo in this case) is tracking my progress in the background, plus now in the winter, I turn on a flashlight app (on Android I can have the LED shining light, while the screen itself is turned off).

I've been trying to duplicate this with my iPHone 5, but unfortunately I can't run all three at the same time. The available flashlights are the worst offenders, since none of them have multi-tasking capabilities and to add insult to injury, all the ones I've tried keep the phone screen if the LED is on (thus unnecessarily draining the battery).

Are there any solutions to this?

(JB solutions are fine, too, although I was thinking of going back to stock.)
 
I have no idea about a Jailbreak solution, but Apple only allows Apps to run in the background in limited ways.

Apple only allows the following things to work in the background:

-Audio (e.g. a music player of some sort)
-VOIP (e.g. Skype)
-Location (e.g. a sat-nav app)
-"Task Completion" - Apps are able to use this to finish off a task like uploading a photo after you close the App.
-Approved accessories - some approved accessories may be able to interact with an App that is in the background

A Flashlight App would not be able to run in the background, no matter what the App developer did.

Your audio should keep playing fine

I thought that Endomondo could keep track of where you were in the background, but I really don't know for sure.

Note that turning the screen off effectively counts as "being in the background".
 
Daveoc64 said:
...
A Flashlight App would not be able to run in the background, no matter what the App developer did.

Your audio should keep playing fine

I thought that Endomondo could keep track of where you were in the background, but I really don't know for sure.

Note that turning the screen off effectively counts as "being in the background".
Click to expand...

Great explanation, I didn't realize that turning off the screen counts as a "background" operation (although, if Apple really banned multi-tasking is to conserve battery life, this is a rather counter-intuitive way of going about it....)

But this flashlight thing is really marring my experience with the iPhone and I basically leave it in the car now and carry the Galaxy Nexus on my runs.

I love Apple's design sense, but they are truly cheap bastards (I'd imagine the iPhone's limited RAM (128MB in the original, 256MB in the 3GS) played a much larger part in the multi-tasking ban decision than this battery conservation BS).

Does anyone know if there is a "multi-tasking" capable flashlight for JB devices? I have not been able to find anything like that as of yet :(
 
Springflash is exactly what you're looking for. Can be activated via SBSettings or Activator
 
If you're jailbroken, you can use ncsettings to enable the LED while the phone is locked. Just tried it on my phone and am able to have the LED light and music going with the phone locked just fine.
 
Ridicules how hard you want to have your flashlight light up...
I would really buy an external flashlight (to clip on keys) if you use it daily.
But idk what's sexier^^
 
iPusch said:
Ridicules how hard you want to have your flashlight light up...
I would really buy an external flashlight (to clip on keys) if you use it daily.
But idk what's sexier^^
Click to expand...

I agree 100%. I just don't see how it someone can run with an iphone continuously pointed at the ground with the flashlight on. Specially if youre wearing ear phones. Just buy a nice flashlight which will give you more light and let you enjoy the music with your phone in your pocket. Or better yet run somewhere where there is light. It must be really uncomfortable running the dark with just the iphone LED's light. Not trying to question you, just wondering how you do it.
 
iPusch said:
Ridicules how hard you want to have your flashlight light up...
Click to expand...

sohaloh said:
I agree 100%. I just don't see how it someone can run with an iphone continuously pointed at the ground with the flashlight on.
Click to expand...

Yea, I know. This isn't Apple's fault (because let's face it, nothing ever is), this is all the OPs fault for being crazy and trying to get his very expensive iPhone to perform a task which is trivially easy to do on even a $50 android phone.

Why would the OP want one device to perform all these tasks when he could be carrying an extra, otherwise useless device to make up for Apple's flawless design decisions (they are protecting him from trying to do something stupid with his phone... it's for his own good).
 
SlCKB0Y said:
Yea, I know. This isn't Apple's fault (because let's face it, nothing ever is), this is all the OPs fault for being crazy and trying to get his very expensive iPhone to perform a task which is trivially easy to do on even a $50 android phone.

Why would the OP want one device to perform all these tasks when he could be carrying an extra, otherwise useless device to make up for Apple's flawless design decisions (they are protecting him from trying to do something stupid with his phone... it's for his own good).
Click to expand...

My $10 CD player can play CDs yet my sister's $50 Android phone can't. :(
 
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