I have a brilliant idea for an app that will not only save lives, but make teenagers happy, parents happy and law enforcement happy. How do I go about getting this thing made? More importantly, how do I do it without giving the idea away?
Brilliant ideas are a dime a dozen. Implementation and execution is the hard part. You need to find a software developer and work out a contract. Have him sign an NDA first. A good job will easily cost thousands of dollars, tens of thousands possibly. If the idea is really good, you may find someone willing to work for a share of the profits.
I would be happy to advise you on the technical merits of your idea. I’ve built several iOS applications. Don’t worry, I have plenty of brilliant ideas of my own and not enough time to pursue them - I don’t need to steal yours.
PM me if you are interested and we can talk by phone or something.
That’s what you said when I came to you with my idea for a game where a bunch of pissed off birds try to free their caged brethren. You told me it was a silly idea that would never work and to just forget about it. Thanks for saving me from wasting my efforts pursuing that idea!
how about something like Stencylworks? are they legit? is it practical for newbies?
Yes, legit. Yes, practical for newbies. It’s a tool for making games, and you’re generally limited to the elements that are pre-packaged if you want to do something without coding. I doubt you could use this to create a game creative enough to generate much money.
For the OP, there are a gazillion app developers available for hire. Check a site like rent-a-coder or elance to find out how to solicit bids for your project.
I’ve used rent-a-coder (now VWorker) for several projects. They have built-in protections and community ratings to use as a guide in getting a project set up. They also have excellent customer service, which may further alleviate concerns.
Um, isn’t there an app for that sort of thing?
Oh, wait. I did some more phrase searching, and I came upon this, which may actually be of some help. 
Angry Birds is actually an excellent example of an idea that needed the right implementation.