Review: Magic Window - Living Pictures
by Staff Writer
May 3, 2010
Overview
Magic Window is a one of a kind app for the iPad in these early stages of the iPad App Store. It gives you beautiful scenes running natively on your iPad in an attempt to transport you to the relaxing scene. These aren’t videos, but rather a sequence of time lapse photos that run together giving you even finer detail. You can customize the speed of the time lapse to have it in real motion of a sunset, or watch one in about three minutes. An ambient soundtrack is also included for each of the scenes. The app is made to provide a window to different locals across the globe all from the comfort of your iPad.
Features
The app has ten different scenes with two fully downloaded, and the rest you can download free of charge if you have the space to store 811 MB. The scenes include Sunset on the Pacific, Haleakala National Park Hawaii Sunset, Mauna Kea Summit Observatories, Black Rock Desert Nevada Sunrise, Nightfall over the San Francisco Bay, San Francisco Night Traffic, New Zealand Glacier, Sunset Above the Clouds in Santa Barbara, Sangre de Cristo Mountain in New Mexico, and a Fire Place. There is a speed bar at the bottom of the screen so you can adjust the speed of the images. Also you can hold your finger on screen, and drag your finger left or right to jump through time quickly.
The Good
When you think of one word to describe Magic Window that word is amazing. The app truly creates an experience like none other. From the first time you launch the app you’ll realize what that big beautiful iPad screen is meant for. The included 10 scenes are all great, and you can spend each day with a different one. Then in ten days you can start all over again completely fresh with a 10 day gap since you last saw a particular one. They all have their own advantages, and you can change them up based on if you want sunrise or sunset.
The time control really improves the app. You can watch them at quick pace or slow pace or somewhere in between, but ultimately the best aspect is that it’s up to you. Also having the ability to move through a scene rapidly with just a drag of your finger gets you to where you want now rather than waiting. Another nice feature is letting you pick and choose the scenes you want rather than giving you one huge app that is nearly 1GB. You can take up space how you see fit.
It’s not an app that you’ll sit and stare at as the only thing you’re doing. It’s great to just have playing in the background. It’s like a digital photo frame, but gives you beautiful animated scenes rather than just stand still photos. It’s an app that you can have playing while your ipad's charging, or to brighten up a drab environment. Even just for a time when you want to relax with the included ambient sounds to go with the visuals.
