This Free App Makes Reading A Computer Screen At Night Much Easier

There's free app called f.lux that softens the light computer screens emit, helping you look at the screen longer.

And it actually works.

F.lux automatically adjusts your screen's color each evening based on the sunset time in your location. It's perfect for dark environments.

Users can tweak the color based on what type of light is present in a room like candlelight, Tungsten, Halogen, Fluorescent, Daylight, and custom lighting. You can even suspend the feature if you need to see true colors.

We've been using f.lux for a few weeks on a Reina MacBook Pro, and can't imagine going back. The transition is subtle and takes a bit getting used to, but if you use it regularly, your eyes will thank you later.

LED computer screens emit a blue light that f.lux's maker Stereopsis says is bad for us and affects our sleep. The blueish light that comes from LCD screens was designed to be used during the day, but at night our computers can't adjust to a more acceptable temperature.

Here's what a screen looks like with and without f.lux:

Stereopsis

F.lux is available for Mac, PC, and jailbroken iOS devices.