This simple but effective app is designed for people who need to use the phone in extra-dark surroundings – and don’t want to be dazzled in the process.
Sunset is an Android ‘screen filter’ that works much like sticking a darkened piece of glass over your screen, dimming the brightness to a level much lower than the default settings on the phone will allow.
This is a great thing for astronomers who don’t want their night vision blasted out by a beam of crisp white screen, and it also works for late night smartphone users and perhaps those trying to do a sneaky bit of texting in a theatre or cinema.
Some research has suggested that viewing a bright screen before you go to bed can do strange things to your noggin and cut off production of the sleep hormone melanin, so being able to dim the screen right down should help you nod off in peace.
The app works by letting you select one of four themes and the choosing its its maximum intensity:
Dark — the standard gray filter dims light without adding any color.
Midnight — a slight tinge of midnight blue keeps the screen cooler during red sunsets or sunrises.
Sunset — designed to limit the amount of blue light that goes into your eyes to help you sleep.
Red — designed for star gazers, astronomers, and telescope enthusiasts to help maintain your night vision.
The Sunset app can be downloaded from Google Play for $1/£0.65.
The good folks at Lifehacker also recommend Twilight for Android, which automatically provides a red tint as the day progresses.
