So you want to text someone a private flirty or goofy photo or video of yourself, but you know that images and videos can be shared and circulated on the Internet very quickly. Well it seems that a very popular iPhone and Android app called Snapchat might be a simple solution for texting your kinky photos without them being released to the wider public.

With Snapchat for Android you can send a risqué photo or video to one or more friends. When the capture is received, the recipient has 10 seconds or less (based on the time you set) to view it before it disappears on both the recipient's smartphone and the Snapchat server. But hold on, don't download and start texting sex photos too quickly. Snapchat, as with similar self-destructing emails and text message apps, is not foolproof, although it can still be fun to use.

How It Works

Snapchat includes a built-in camera, with flash, for taking front and back facing photos and videos. You tap the blue button to snap a photo, or tap and hold your finger on the same button to start a video capture of 10 seconds or less (note, as of this review, the Android version does not include video capture).

Snapchat captures can only be sent to other phones using the app, so you will need the Snapchat usernames of recipients. If you allow it, Snapchat can access and scan your address book to see if there are any phone numbers that match the unique usernames on its server.

After you snap a photo or video, you can set the amount of time that it can be viewed - between 1 and 10 seconds. You can also save your capture to your Photo Library if you enable Snapchat to do so. Next, you simply tap the send button and select the recipient(s) you want to send your capture to. You can add additional usernames, not on your list, before you send the capture.

You can also add a typewritten caption and/or drawings by tapping on a capture (including a video) and using the keyboard or the pencil annotation tool.

Viewing Captures

In order for recipients to view your photo or video, they must tap and hold on the received capture. They can view it only for the allotted time you set. After the time expires, the capture disappears from both their phone and Snapchat's server. Captures cannot be viewed by anyone else - including Snapchat employees - except the people you choose to send it to.

Not Foolproof

However, if recipients know how to do so, they can take a screenshot of your photo or video before the time expires. Snapchat tries to address this issue by requiring recipients to keep their finger pressed down on the capture in order to view it. With a three second time limit, it is very difficult for a recipient to keep his or her finger pressed down while also taking a screenshot - which requires pressing both the on/off and Home buttons on the iPhone at the same time.

In several tests, I was only able to successfully take one screenshot of a capture. Though screenshots can be cumbersome to take,  it's a little easier with one person tapping and holding on to capture, while another person quickly grabs a screenshot. A recipient can also use a separate camera to quickly capture the photo or video you send. Snapchat does send you notifications about your received captures; i.e if they were received, opened, or if one or more screenshots were taken.

Nevertheless, while Snapchat for Android can be very fun to use, you will want to use it with discretion. It's one thing to send a goofy picture that others may merely laugh at, but it is much more risky and embarrassing to send an actual naked or scandalous photo especially to someone you barely know.

Snapchat reports that over 60 million snaps are being shared over their server daily, primarily by users from ages 13 to 24. The developers describe the sharing as "a digital version of passing notes in class". Snapchat is so popular that the company has recently raised $13.5 million to take their services to the next level. The app itself is free, but no doubt there will be some premium services coming online in future updates.

Definitely Snapchat can be some cool, exciting fun for risk takers, but let us know what you think of the app.