[App] SpyCam - use your Mango phone as a hidden camera!

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N3croman

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2011
90
20
Prague
twitter.com
Hi,
I just want to share my app with community - the app is called SpyCam and it's pretty simple - you can use it for taking pictures using the main camera in predefined interval. The pictures are then saved into Saved pictures folder in Pictures Hub. But what is so unique on this app - it works under lockscreen - that's right, you start the photo shooting, press the on/off button to turn off the screen, plant is somewhere and let it take photos secretly :)
Note the app must be in foreground when locking using the on/off button to take pictures under lockscreen, it can't work in background.

I tried to put it on Marketplace, but it failed two times because "it appears that this application promotes spying". According to the certification guy it's not allowed in certain countries to have such app. Strangely there is lot of similar apps in MP for recording sound under lockscreen, so I don't know where is the problem.
I had big plans with this app, because the idea of taking pictures under lockscreen is quite tempting, but with the fail during cert process I don't have strength to develop it further. (Skyrim is more important right now :) I got even somewhere my technology demo based on SpyCam for storing taken pictures on SkyDrive, so it basically works as a live webcam - you can watch what's going on in front of the phone on Internet, but it's not stable enough for general release.

Feel free to use it under condition you wont try to publish similar app on marketplace ;) Let me know, how it works. Note although it's not 100% stable, it should just work most of the time. I'm using there a bit of thread magic to handle all that PhotoCamera callbacks and async calls for taking photos and storing them, so nothing is guaranteed :rolleyes:

And one more thing, you just need Mango and regular dev unlock. Interop unlock is not necessary :) Tested on HTC HD7

Don't hesitate to share it using Twitter or other media :D
my address: twitter.com/martinsuchan

Edit: uploaded two screenshots :)
Also my second try in MP used different name for the app: 'myCam', but they rejected it with the same message :(

Edit: This app does NOT work on WP8 as I have just discovered, it even causes freeze or random reboot!
 

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Last edited:

nobnut

Senior Member
Feb 27, 2010
6,922
2,693
Good work Sir!

Shame the Marketplace Police have no sense of humour ;)
 

wpxbox

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2011
284
41
Kolkata
Works exactly as you said . I am getting a video done will post it here. Reviewed it on WPXBOX. com However I dont get to understand how to make it work under lock screen. I tried pressing the camera button when locked but nothing happened.

Check out the video here.
 
Last edited:

N3croman

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2011
90
20
Prague
twitter.com
Under lockscreen

You need to check the "run under lockscreen" option in settings and then restart the app (press Back button in the main screen and start is again).
Then start the shooting (optionally wait for the first pic to be sure), and then press the on/off button. Now it should take photos in selected time interval.
Note the app must be in foreground when locking using the on/off button to take pictures under lockscreen, it can't work in background.
If you have selected 5s interval wait about 20s and then press On/Off button again, unlock the screen and if everything worked as expected there should be new 3 or 4 pictures :)
 
Last edited:

znial

Senior Member
Aug 27, 2007
489
33
Bologna
this app is great and cool and has a big potantial
well done (graphics, functionalities...)
ty
but can i wish a request, could you add a feature to enable flash/led on photos? (i know that this make the app less spyfull... but i'd like to keep pics during nighttime, i.e. of my pets while sleeping or to see what i did while dreaming ^^)

fyi
tried on omnia7 interopped latest fw
 
Last edited:

wpxbox

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2011
284
41
Kolkata
Thanks. Yes it took me time to realize on this. But loving your app here.

You might think of integrating it with Dropbox or a cloud service to give option to someone to upload it right there. Just an idea :)

You need to check the "run under lockscreen" option in settings and then restart the app (press Back button in the main screen and start is again).
Then start the shooting (optionally wait for the first pic to be sure), and then press the on/off button. Now it should take photos in selected time interval.
Note the app must be in foreground when locking using the on/off button to take pictures under lockscreen, it can't work in background.
If you have selected 5s interval wait about 20s and then press On/Off button again, unlock the screen and if everything worked as expected there should be new 3 or 4 pictures :)
 

escottjon

New member
Sep 10, 2010
1
0
Awesome app with great potential

As suggested in a previous post I would resubmit as a time-lapse photography app, that's what I have downloaded it for, I will test it while climbing mountains and then relive my route after. What's the chances of of getting a 5 min interval option. Great work don't give up on getting it on the MP pls
 

ldokov

Member
Jan 17, 2012
48
12
Hi,

Your app sounds like a good idea. Will try it.

Don't give up, good luck with the re-submit!
 

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    Hi,
    I just want to share my app with community - the app is called SpyCam and it's pretty simple - you can use it for taking pictures using the main camera in predefined interval. The pictures are then saved into Saved pictures folder in Pictures Hub. But what is so unique on this app - it works under lockscreen - that's right, you start the photo shooting, press the on/off button to turn off the screen, plant is somewhere and let it take photos secretly :)
    Note the app must be in foreground when locking using the on/off button to take pictures under lockscreen, it can't work in background.

    I tried to put it on Marketplace, but it failed two times because "it appears that this application promotes spying". According to the certification guy it's not allowed in certain countries to have such app. Strangely there is lot of similar apps in MP for recording sound under lockscreen, so I don't know where is the problem.
    I had big plans with this app, because the idea of taking pictures under lockscreen is quite tempting, but with the fail during cert process I don't have strength to develop it further. (Skyrim is more important right now :) I got even somewhere my technology demo based on SpyCam for storing taken pictures on SkyDrive, so it basically works as a live webcam - you can watch what's going on in front of the phone on Internet, but it's not stable enough for general release.

    Feel free to use it under condition you wont try to publish similar app on marketplace ;) Let me know, how it works. Note although it's not 100% stable, it should just work most of the time. I'm using there a bit of thread magic to handle all that PhotoCamera callbacks and async calls for taking photos and storing them, so nothing is guaranteed :rolleyes:

    And one more thing, you just need Mango and regular dev unlock. Interop unlock is not necessary :) Tested on HTC HD7

    Don't hesitate to share it using Twitter or other media :D
    my address: twitter.com/martinsuchan

    Edit: uploaded two screenshots :)
    Also my second try in MP used different name for the app: 'myCam', but they rejected it with the same message :(

    Edit: This app does NOT work on WP8 as I have just discovered, it even causes freeze or random reboot!