Sneaking candid shots of yourself and sharing them with the world has become a staple of the iOS ownership experience. There was always the issue of security when it came to apps like instagram.  Under most circumstances your photos were essentially being broadcast into the ether, for everyone with an internet connection to consume.  Who would you expect to come to the aid of users who wanted to share their images in a more discrete manner?  If you guessed Warner Bros. you may want to consider getting your head checked, but oddly enough that is actually the correct answer.

Despite coming from a completely unlikely source, outmywindow is a hybrid of social networking and photo storage that allows you full control of who can see your photos.  Users can even import images from their iOS libraries and create albums to once again share with only those that are worthy of permission.  The app is free and looks to be a solid alternative to other providers on the market. Plus, when they are offering 5GB of free storage, there is always an added incentive.

FREE!

outmywindow

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-07-18 :: Category: Photography

A good many people have been enjoying collecting starites since Scribblenauts Remix first hit the App Store. It’s a pretty nifty game, after all. The down-side to games like this is that they eventually end once each level has been completed. There’s always the fun of revisiting completed stages in order to see what other bizarre ways its puzzles can be solved, but once it’s done it’s pretty much done. Until the developers release more levels for it, that is.

5th Cell has just made a new batch of 20 levels available for purchase, on top of the preexisting 50. I’m sure there are at least a few players out there who’ve been wishing there was more for them to do since they ran out of content, and an announcement like this should certainly brighten their day. Now they’ve got 20 more levels to bombard with adjectives and nouns as they attempt to grab that starite and have a good laugh in the process.

The level pack is available right now via in-app purchase, and will only set players back $0.99

$0.99

Scribblenauts Remix

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-10-12 :: Category: Games

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/.