Everyone who uses Instagram, EyeEm, or other photo-sharing apps knows how easy it can be to add effects to photos and make them look even better than the original. But there's another group of apps at the iTunes App Store that add something more to your images, taking a mostly mundane photo and turning it into a work of art.

This week's collection of iOS apps turns your photos into hand-drawn works of art. The first offers one-of-a-kind effects to make your photos look like sketches. The second is an old favorite of mine for the incredibly realistic line drawings you can create. The third takes a different tack, turning your photos into super-realistic paintings in the style of some of the greatest painters ever.

PowerSketch has some interesting effects not found in other apps.

PowerSketch (99 cents) has excellent options for turning your photos into sketches, but the interface can be so confusing at times that you'll need patience to appreciate what's good about the app. Like most photo-editing apps, you can start with PowerSketch by se... [Read more]

Tired of switching between apps to talk to friends while using other apps or surfing the Web on your Android tablet? LilyPad HD seeks to solve that problem by making your instant message windows float above your other apps.

Instead of getting an alert for a new message in the notification area, you will see new messages as they appear in the IM window. It works just like GTalk or AIM would on your computer, except the windows are always on top unless you minimize or close them. At the present time, LilyPad HD only supports GTalk and Facebook Messenger, but they plan to add support for MSN, Skype, Yahoo, and AIM. Here's how to get started:

Step 1: Grab a copy of LilyPad HD for your Android tablet; the app is $1.99 for a limited time.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET)

Step 2: Open the app and choose the type of account you'd like to add. GTalk and FB Messenger are your only choices at the moment.

Step 3: Enter your credentials and wait for the app to load your friend list.

LilyPad HD in action! Floating IM windows are awesome on Android.

(Credit: Screenshot by... [Read more]

Coin-ops are few and rare these days, but that doesn't mean that the memories and quarters spent are gone forever...well, maybe the quarters. In either case, this week's Freeware Friday involves dodging speeding tickets, pulling off 99-hit air combos, and dancing like it's a revolution. Sorry folks; accessories/fight sticks/steering wheels/dance pads not included.

I can only imagine the gas prices in this world...

Need for Speed World The Need for Speed series has been around for as long as I can remember. It's tackled just about every car racing scenario I could think of. You've run from cops, pursued criminals AS cops, hit up legal/illegal street races on and off the tracks, and even gone underground at one point. What's left? Freedom. Need for Speed World is the same tried and true racing formula set in an open world. Race other players, upgrade your car, and take over the leaderboards.

It's like watching artwork from deviantArt beat the crap out of each other.

Rumble Pack Rumble Pack is an indie-developed fighter... [Read more]

The Weather Channel 5.0 for iPhone.

On the short list of must-haves for every iPhone owner: a good weather app. And the one that's bundled into iOS? Not so good.

If you ever checked out The Weather Channel for iOS and promptly turned your nose up at its cluttered, clunky interface, it's time for another look. The Weather Channel 5.0 for iPhone features a gorgeous new UI and some fun new sharing options.

Sharing? TWC has added a photo button to its Home screen; you can take a snapshot of the skies (or anything else) and share it via e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, or TWC's iWitness photo-sharing network. (Privacy buffs, take note: the app "may even share your weather photos on The Weather Channel or weather.com.")

Of course, the new interface is the real star here. The lovely, elegant Home screen, adorned with wallpaper that matches the current conditions (blue skies, rain, snow, etc.), lets you swipe between locations, search for other cities, and toggle a drop-down box filled with details like wind, humidity, visibility, and the UV index.

One tap away: hourly, 36-hour, and 10-day forecasts. And using the newly simplified five-button toolbar, ... [Read more]