Appletell | Apple, Mac, iPhone, iPod | News, Rumors, Reviews, How-Tos

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for November 20, 2009:

Macintosh

• Cloud Engines, Inc. has unveiled the second generation of the award winning Pogoplug multimedia sharing device today, giving consumers more flexibility to store personal content safely in the home and access, manage, and share it from anywhere on the Internet. The new Pogoplug hardware sports a new design boasting multiple USB ports supporting up to 4 external drives for expanded data capacity. The new Pogoplug also gives users improved sharing capabilities, an easy drag-and-drop interface to create engaging multi-media slide shows, seamless media playback, and enhanced sharing with friends on Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.
• Celmaro has announced Minco 1.0, a innovative, minimalist lightweight time tracking solution for Mac OS X Snow Leopard. It fully integrates with iCal and allows to write time logs in self specified formats to the file system. Minco can also visualize the daily spend time in iCal and hereby allows sharing with others. Minco comes with four standard preconfigured and customizable adapter for iCal, the file system, iChat and Adium.
• Maintain has announced Cocktail 4.5 (Leopard Edition), the latest maintenance update of Cocktail for users running Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. This version adds ability to clear data detectors and QuickLook caches as well as contains many other important improvements and bug fixes. The update is highly recommended for all users of Cocktail (Leopard Edition). Cocktail is an award winning general purpose utility for Mac OS X.
• Macintosh users have been able to store “managed information”—calendars, contacts, podcasts, and so on—on their Macs for years. Today’s challenge is to sync that information to other devices and locations so that its owner can access the data anytime, anywhere. The latest addition to the Take Control series, Michael E. Cohen’s “Take Control of Syncing Data in Snow Leopard,” explains how to sync data to and from a Mac, with advice for readers who have never tried syncing before and for those who need to solve syncing problems or work in complex environments.

iPhone/iPod

• SWIMMAN, Inc., known for waterproofing the Apple iPod Shuffle, has done it again! Now SWIMMAN has waterproofed the in-line controls on Apple’s earphones for the 3rd generation iPod Shuffle, Nano, iPhone and iTouch. By waterproofing the control capsule from the inside out, SWIMMAN has taken the impressive concept of Apple Earphones with in-line controls and turned them into the ultimate all-environment accessory.
• Adamcode has released Christmas Gifts List 1.0 for iPhone and iPod touch. The Gifts app allows consumers to input the wish lists for everyone on their holiday shopping list, and each person can be assigned a target budget amount as well. As gifts are purchased and prices stored in the application, the easy to use interface lets you see how much money is left in the budget for each individual. Turn on the locking feature and your lists are kept secure behind a unique PIN number.
• StuckPixel, Inc. has introduced Monster Bash 1.0, their new arcade game for iPhone and iPod touch. Designed specifically to take advantage of the iPhone’s unique abilities and interface, Monster Bash is a fun, challenging, and addicting game based on the classic whack-a-mole genre but adds a fresh new twist. It features both Arcade and Freeplay gaming modes, and sure to keep children and adults alike entertained for hours on end.
• IconsBerlin today released a 300 set of icons suitable for iPhone app developers. This royalty-free icon collection is similar to the App Store’s categories, and covers 24 different categories, including such genre as books, business, education, finance, games and 19 others. The right iconography prevents the app from being rejected during the app review process. Customers receive free updates of every collection extension for the period of one year after purchase.
• GoWare today released Grandma’s Remedies from Italy 1.0 for iPhone and iPod Touch users. The app is favored by people looking for a cheaper, more natural way of doing everyday things. Each home remedy offers a time-honored solution to a problem, using ingredients and items that most people have on hand. Although Grandma’s Remedies may be Old World, every one of them can still be easily and successfully used today.
• Marware has announced free, personalized engraving is now available for the iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 2G, iPod nano 5G, and other Apple accessories purchased from the Marware Website. Marware is now offering customized case options on select products and free shipping. Custom engraving is perfect for personalizing a gift, recognizing the value of an important business relationship, or as a great corporate promotional giveaway.
• Francis Dierick has announced Reject for iPhone and iPod touch. Reject helps to stop dead-end meetings in their tracks. By violently shaking the application the user can make his opinion abundantly clear and crack up any meeting. Reject uses the power of irony to help the user make a statement. The App is mostly intended to be used in high-pressure team environments whenever the mood needs a little lightening up.
• Coladia has announced Secret of the Lost Cavern Episode 1 for iPhone and iPod touch. Secret of the Lost Cavern is an episodic adventure game that plunges the player into an inspiring journey that takes place during the Paleolithic period in prehistoric time, 15,000 years B.C. The gameplay and each puzzle were redesigned to take unique advantage of the touch capabilities of the iPhone. 3D graphics and videos were also optimized for an unparalleled visual quality on mobile devices.
• Ever wanted to step into the DJ booth and get the party started right? Then “Bust a Move”, do the “Wild Thing” and pour the “Funky Cold Medina”, as Delicious Vinyl DJ puts you in control of the dance floor.  Delicious Vinyl and Ten23 Software are proud to announce that Delicious Vinyl DJ, a new music rhythm game for the iPhone and iPod touch is now available for download exclusively on iTunes.
• In preparation for the 2010 Winter Games, Sunshine Maps Inc. has designed SeeWhistler App, an intelligent mobile map for athletes and visitors. SeeWhistler for iPhone and iPod Touch gives you interactive, fully searchable mobile access to the best that Whistler has to offer…with up-to-the-minute discounts.