My mom and dad both wear glasses for reading and neither of them ever brings their glasses with them. That means that if they end up needing to read anything with smallish print they can’t do it. If you are the same way a new iPhone app called iMagnify is now available that will make print and other images larger using the iPhone.
The app can enlarge things from 1 to 4 times their original size by using a slider on the display and the iPhone camera. The app claims to work in dim environments like restaurants and in bright outdoor environments. The app can also be used to simply enlarge detail.
The app is available now on the iTunes store for $1.99. This could be a great app for hobbyist that wants to see more detail on coins and stamps as well. It can also keep you from having to read everything for the person without their glasses.
I am testing various magnification apps that have hit the market in the last month with the release of iPhone OS 3.1. So far, the best seems to be iGlasses on Demand. It also appears to be the cheapest at only about €0.65 (99 cents USD). Worth the download, but not a complete replacement to reading glasses or magnification – just really helps in a pinch.
Does not work well on the 3G as the camera can’t focus up close.
I’ve been looking over the latest iPhone magnify apps that have been showing up in the past few week.. the interface on some are very plain…I decided to go with iCanSee, it’s magnifying glass feature is a nice twist… I use it to show it off to my friends.. it also works great in full screen…
Downloaded iMagnify onto my 3G last night and it simply does not work. However you distance the camera, type remains too blurry to read.
Great concept but poor execution. Simply doesn’t work because of restrictions imposed by the built-in lens and optics of the iPhone. This is true for ALL of the magnifying apps. How any of them can get 4-star reviews is beyond me. Wait for a couple more generations of camera lens to occur or get reading glasses…
Agree somewhat with Norm, but disagree somewhat too. I went with iGlasses on Demand – they are at least very clear that you need the 3GS (3.0x MPX camera) at a minimum. Per my earlier comment, this is a good app for emergencies and worth the €0.65 (99 cents USD). You just need to understand its practical limits. It will get better as the iPhone camera components improve.
What the … ?? Tried to fry an ant with it and it didn’t work. What a rip off!!
4 2bucks. C’mon man!
Indeed, all these magnifying glass applications work best with the better camera of the iPhone 3GS. And actually, all they provide is a digital zoom on what is displayed on your screen, which makes things bigger but doesn’t improve the resolution.
For what it’s worth, I found that Magnifier! provided the classiest interface: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=330323863&mt=8
Does it work on enlarging their D1cKz or Headz???
Maybe a new App for fellow Kn0Bz could be “Infra Red find A Brain”..
Why buy an app at all, just use teh digital zoom in the camera, that’s all the app is doing anyway.
Christian
The Tennis Emporium
Check out Over 40. In addition to magnification, it let’s you turn on the camera’s light on the iPhone 4 to get an even better view.
Here’s a link to it: http://bit.ly/eDQi9s