Unless you have been living in a bunker for the last decade, it would be impossible to not know of a rapscallion of a wizard by the name of Harry Potter.  After first launching an invasion via the printed work, J.K. Rowling’s creation has managed to find its way to both the silver-screen and the small screen via a successful series of films and video games, respectively.  But that wasn’t enough for the citizens of Hogwarts, as the brains over at Traveler’s Tales decided to give the brand one more successful reboot, taking the route of the other successful Lego branded games such as the popular LucasArts Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises.

The game landed on consoles at the end of June, but what does this have to do with iOS, you say?  Today, a little birdy over at Warner Bros. let slip of an upcoming port of the game to all current iOS based devices.  This lines up perfectly with next week’s launch of the first part of the “Deathly Hallows” conclusion to the Harry Potter story.  Here is what you can look forward to in the iOS iterations:

“LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 will bring the world of LEGO Harry Potter to life on the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, giving gamers the power to play with LEGO characters and models in a brand new way.  Based on the first four Harry Potter books and movies, LEGO Harry Potter builds on the foundations of previous LEGO videogames by offering a mix of fun, accessible gameplay and light-hearted humour – which appeals to all ages. Players will explore and feel as though they are ‘at Hogwarts’”

We could not be more thrilled at this news.  Seeing as how the game clocks in at a thirty dollar or more pricetag on consoles and PSP/Nintendo DS, this could very well be the last nail in the proverbial coffin of the aforementioned versions.  So pull up a broom, because you are going to be in for one heck of a ride! According to our source, the price is still yet to be decided, and the release date is “soon.”

What do kids want Santa to bring them this year? According to battery-maker Duracell, iOS machines sit atop the list. Fourteen percent of tykes want an iPhone 4, while 13 percent are wishing for an iPod Touch and 12 percent opine for an iPad. As a point of comparison, Microsoft’s Kinect, the new “controller free” controller, comes in at only six percent.

The survey was conducted with over 2,000 children ages 5-16, and we’re hoping that it was the upper tier of ages which tilted the numbers in favor of the iOS devices. While there’s plenty of reason for a 16 year-old who wishes nothing more than to be cool to want an iPhone or iPad, the machines should really hold little sway over a kindergartner. Then again, Apple’s ubiquitous iOS ads may have made demand transcend age, in which case we can only say kudos to the evil-yet-effective marketing team. Here’s the full top-ten list for those who are curious:

01) iPhone 4 (14%)
02) iPod touch (13%)
03) iPad (12%)
04) Kinect (6%)
05) Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters (5%)
06) Flip Video Camera (4%)
07) Toy Story 3 Jet Pack Buzz Lightyear (4%)
08) PlayStation Move (4%)
09) Lego Harry Potter Years 1-4: The Video Game (3%)
10) Barbie Video Girl (3%)

For those of our readers with kids, how closely does this list align with what your youngsters have been asking for? More importantly, how many of you are thinking about getting your children an iOS machine and how many believe that these are devices really more aimed at adults and should be kept out of the hands of kids? Maybe instead you buy yourself the iPad and let your kids play with it when you put it down — which is never.

[via CVG]

Potter fans, rejoice: the first official Harry Potter app has been released to the App Store. iDevice-owning Muggles can grab the app and be Sorted by the Sorting Hat, receive a wand at Olivander’s, and then be instructed in the basics of dueling whilst earning points for their House. If this sounds familiar…then, yes, it’s because it is similar to previous online offerings from Warner Bros. What makes this app so intriguing, however, is its focus on dueling…specifically, multiplayer duels over both Bluetooth and WiFi.

Yes, that’s right; dueling. While the app will allow you to challenge an AI opponent, whipping your friend in a digital duel is undoubtedly better, and I can’t wait to test this one out. Fledgling wizards can currently learn up to 14 spells, and the examples given are old favorites: Stupefy!, Expecto Patronum!, Expelliarmus!, and so on. Spells are unleashed with hand gestures and sent between devices. I can’t think of a better platform for a handheld duel, especially given the iPhone’s accelerometer.

Rounding out the offering are a slew of appreciated extras: Facebook Connect, player stats pages, House rankings, and Hogwarts-wide leaderboards. Warner Bros. is obviously attempting to foster some competitive spirit between friends.

It’s worth noting that Harry Potter: Spells isn’t targeted at the 99-cent crowd; the app is selling for $4.99. We’ll have a review up in a few days with our recommendation, but for now, more information can be found at http://harrypotterspellsapp.com/.