Provides: Photo editing, manipulation and sharing
Format: DVD or digital download
Developer: Adobe Systems, Inc.
Minimum System Requirements: Multicore Intel processor, Mac OS X v10.4.11, 512MB RAM, 64MB VRAM, 1GB available hard disk space, DVD drive, QuickTime 7 (for multimedia features), Internet connection for Internet-based services
Processor Compatibility: Multicore Intel only
Price: $99.99 (currently $79.99 with rebate)
Availability: Now
Version Reviewed: 8.0

Photoshop is work. It’s fun work, quite often, but it’s work nonetheless. There’s a lot to know, more to learn (and relearn), and plenty of trial and error. Quite honestly, I wouldn’t have it any way; I love the program, and I love watching its capabilities grow as my skills grow. But quite often, it’s overkill. And for the many Mac users who out there who have never used it, it’s quite intimidating (and, of course, too expensive).

Thus, Adobe has been bringing us Photoshop Elements. This is a friendlier image manipulation program. Cheaper. You don’t get nearly the amount of power and control you get with Photoshop, but you do get enough to have some fun and produce some very cool images. With this iteration, Adobe has not only added some great new editing tools, by also improved the way you organize and share your photos, as well.

It starts off poorly, however, with no active support for iPhoto. In order to import your iPhoto library (or portions of it) to Elements, you have to drag the photos out of iPhoto to your hard drive, or dig into the archaic iPhoto folder hierarchy from within Elements. It’s a pain, but it’s what you’ve got. The hidden benefit is that your iPhoto images remain unharmed, as all Elements 8 work will be done on the duplicates.

Cumbersome as it is, though, it’s worth it. Because Elements offers some great tools that are fairly simple to use once you get the hang of them. For instance, you can recompose your photos without harming key elements. Let me explain visually. In the original photo below, I have a picture of me and my kids, but we’re fairly separated.

Let’s say I want to put this in a portrait frame, not horizontal. Recomposing allows the user to alter the orientation by simply dragging the frame, keeping the important elements without distorting them, and merging the rest. Sometimes, dragging is enough. More often than not, however, it’s better to tell it what to keep and what to lose. You can see below that I’ve painted over what I want with green what I don’t want with red.

Then, I dragged from right to left, and watched my son and daughter magically slide closer to me, while those in the background disappeared…sort of.

It’s not a perfect science, so there will be some practice involved (note the trails over my left shoulder, and the heads directly behind me didn’t disappear). But the fact that you can complete procedures such as this on software so inexpensive is very, very cool.

Elements 8 gives you other powerful tools as well, such as photo-merge, which allows you take multiple images at various exposures to get a perfectly lit image. The image below from Adobe’s samples shows a before and after.

You can control which elements to carry into your final product, so it would’ve been quite simple to highlight the girl without brightening the fence behind her, for example.

The same basic tool and procedure can be used to remove unwanted elements from an image. Take the same shot multiple times to sample various elements and clean up the background. The image below from Adobe’s samples also shows a before and after, although there were a total of about five images used to produce the clean image on the right.

You certainly would want a tripod to make sure the photos are as similar as possible, but it need not be perfect. Photoshop will make some pretty good blending guesses, and you can guide it along, as well.

Not all of the features in Elements 8 are quite so drastic. Many are simply traditional Photoshop filters to touch up or add interesting effects to your photos. You can correct red eye and brighten teeth with a simple click, or you can add some pop to your photos, as with the samples below.

This picture was taken with my iPhone, so the lighting was not the best and the image was a bit blurry. By running it through the “Poster Edges” filter, I’ve given it a more striking look that hides the deficiencies of the source image.

There’s far more to Elements 8 than I can cover in this review, and you can read about the new features, see video demos (that I recommend you watch so you can see how easy all of this is to learn, if not perform) and compare product versions at Adobe’s website. Many features are purely for fun, but others are there specifically to make your photos look better: bluer skies, more striking black-and-whites, etc. I do, however, want to quickly cover image sharing, as Adobe has gone out of their way in Elements 8 to make sure you can show off your work.

Of course, you can print your images, but you can also create photo books, collages and scrapbook pages, make a PDF slideshow, publish them to a web gallery, share them via iPhone, and more. And as if to spite Apple (the inability to communicate with iWeb and iPhoto apparently wasn’t enough), you can create CD/DVD jackets and labels. Take that, Apple! Adobe actually wants to burn discs!

My only complaint with Elements 8 is that the included Getting Started guide is useless. It mentions only a couple features, and provides no detail on any of them (the last 13 pages of the guide are literally blank). You’re going to need a third-party manual for Elements 8, but should be able to rely on the online video tutorials in the meantime. This is fairly common these days, yes, but considering many Mac users are used to the intuitive interface and capabilities of iPhoto, Adobe is shooting itself in the foot by not providing a smoother transition to Elements 8.

Regardless, Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 is a great program that provides some amazing capabilities. It’ll be a bit frustrating at first when your results aren’t as impressive as those in the samples, but with some practice and the acceptance that every image will require a slightly different approach, you’ll be surprised by what you’re able to accomplish. Just don’t tell anyone how easy it was. This is your chance to use “Photoshop” as a verb, and I suggest you do it.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for November 6, 2009:

Macintosh

• SpeedRunGames has announced that Grappling Hook for Mac OS X and Windows is 50% off this weekend. Grappling Hook is a first-person action puzzle / platform game, where you use a grappling hook to overcome various challenging obstacles by performing incredible moves and fast combinations of daring tricks. The game features 30 dynamic, animated, and unique levels, 30 achievements and 240 challenges.
• Troll Touch has announced touchscreen systems for the new 21.5 inch and 27 inch Apple iMacs and the 13 inch Unibody MacBook laptop. All systems feature analog resistive touchscreen technology and 12 bit touchscreen resolution. Standard warranty is one year, extendable to three years. The iMac systems are available as both a fully integrated, Troll factory installed internal package or a user-Installable, external “SlipCOVER” touchscreen system.
• Macworld has released the Total Snow Leopard Superguide, the latest installment in its popular series of tutorial books. Macworld’s team of experts take you inside Apple’s latest update to the popular Mac OS X operating system: Snow Leopard, Mac OS X 10.6. Snow Leopard is an OS X update unlike any in recent memory. Inside these pages you’ll find all the information you need to install Snow Leopard smoothly and get started with its most important new features.

iPhone/iPod

• Appliya Studio has announced a partnership with the The Art Festival of Street Children, a humanitarian effort supporting poverty-stricken street children worldwide. Appliya has developed an iPhone application that gives users a new way to support this outstanding charity. This app is an innovative donation method, and a sign of the future of charitable donations.
• Riptide Games has announced Gravity Sling 1.0 for iPhone and iPod Touch. Gravity Sling is an inertia based puzzle game where the player must use the gravity of nearby planets to sling the astronaut through space and safely back to the space shuttle. Gravity Sling incorporates the popular OpenFeint platform enabling integrated leaderboards and achievements throughout the game.
• Independent developer Brice Milliorn has announced the sale of JBMJBM, LLC. This is a well established company whose sole purpose is creating consumer applications for the iPhone platform. The business is currently listed for sale on eBay as a 10 day auction. 87 apps in all, some of his best-selling applications are Friday Night Lights, iSpy Game, iReferee, iSexyRef, iSexyRef2, Pro Rodeo Fan, Sit Up Counter, Shake 2 Count & several College oriented apps for sports enthusiasts.
• OutOfTheBit has announced Checkers! 1.2.4, their versatile and highly customizable game app for iPhone and iPod Touch. OutOfTheBit, turns an age old favorite into a versatile, modern gaming experience. Checkers! four different playing rules, drag and drop playing, choice of three languages and varying graphic features makes Checkers! a unique application for gamers everywhere.
• Big Blue Clip has released Gas Log - MPG Fuel Tracker 1.5 for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Gas Log - MPG Fuel Tracker keeps track of gas and mileage for multiple vehicles, all in one convenient spot. You always have your mileage and expenses at hand, which you can view by trip or year, break downs per vehicle or as totals. Via an easy to use interface, individuals enter their data into their iPhone or iPod Touch, rather than stuffing receipts into pockets or something similar.
• Readdle has announced the release of Scanner Pro 1.1, new version of their popular iPhone application that transforms the device into portable scanner. Version 1.1 introduces highly anticipated Evernote integration that lets people convert printed documents, receipts and even handwritten notes into searchable information accessible from anywhere. Scanner Pro is available on the App Store to the new customers and as a free upgrade for existing users.
• Macsoftex has announced iAlcohol 1.1, an update to their blood alcohol content app for iPhone and iPod touch. Intuitively easy to use, iAlcohol determines the level of alcohol in a person’s blood and calculates the required break in driving. The formula calculates the influence of factors on the duration of the phases of alcohol intoxication, providing 90% accuracy. The application will help you choose a suitable drink and the amount you are allowed to consume within this interval of time.
• Independent game developer Glenn Corpes has announced Ground Effect 1.0, developed exclusively for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Ground Effect is a unique 3D, classic arcade-style racer inspired by ekranoplan technology wherein craft fly on a cushion of air at breakneck speeds. Utilizing the platform’s trademark accelerometer as well as touch controls, Ground Effect boasts amazing graphics and incredibly smooth frame-rates as well as a host of gameplay features.
• Use your iPhone or iPod touch to write a message in the air with the magic of POV (persistence of vision). Move the iPhone in front of your friends or your camera and your message magically appears into the air. You can have a message with an unlimited number of characters and in any color. Be creative and make original photos for any occasion or simply to say hello to a friend or family.
• Infinite Labs has announced their winter line-up by releasing Mover 3.0, an update to the critically acclaimed iPhone data transfer app. Version 3.0 adds video transfer support.
• Apple’s gotten the world hooked on portable music, pictures, and videos. One thing they haven’t delivered, though, is an easy guide for getting the most from your sleek little entertainment center. That’s where this book comes in. J.D. Biersdorfer and David Pogue come to the rescue with the latest edition of their chock-full-of-tips, full-color guide: the world’s most popular iPod book. iPod: The Missing Manual (O’Reilly, US $19.99), now in its 8th edition, provides a no-nonsense view of the latest iPod line, including the tiny Shuffle, the video-capable Nano, the high-capacity Classic, and the Wi-Fi-enabled Touch. With crystal-clear explanations and easy-to-follow color graphics, the book provides expert guidance on all of the amazing things you can do.
• Jokemaster and industry pioneer Al Lowe has released an update for his latest venture, Al Lowe’s CyberJoke 3000™, currently available for download on the iTunes App Store. Comedy fans can listen to over 110 of Al’s favorite jokes, with more updates on the way. Experience Al’s unique sense of humor in a collection of gutwrenchers that will entertain you and your friends for hours on end.
• 365 Puzzle Club [iTunes App Store link] is the new number puzzle game App from Connect2Media containing thousands of Sudoku, Tenpenki and Kakuro puzzles, making it the only puzzle game you’ll ever need. Pit your wits against fresh puzzles every day in a variety of modes.
• Zinc Roe Games has released Tickle Tap Apps: three preschool apps for iPhone and iPod Touch. Sound Shaker is a delightful and hilarious sound making game, Sort Slider is a mesmerizing shape matching game and Count Caddy (makes counting rewarding).
• Sunstorm Interactive has announced the launch of their second iPhone and iPod touch game: WW2 Beachhead [iTunes App Store link]. It is a fast-action arcade game with amazing graphics and dynamic war-time sound effects in which players have to defend their position against overwhelming enemies.
• The World’s Hardest Game can now be played on the iPhone and iPod touch. Avoid Impact with Impending Blue Balls. Keep your Red Square away from the Blue Balls, and pick up yellow balls on your way to the Green Zone or you’ll die! And trust us, you’ll die. A lot. As in often. But even if you beat it, how many times did you die? The lowest score wins that battle.
• App Popular, LLC has announced App Popular 1.0, their new all-in-one solution for navigating the application universe for iPhone and iPod touch devices. Users can now share, monitor and track every iPhone application available in any of Apple’s 77 online App Stores. Features include social networking utilities to share apps via email, tracking functionality to monitor price changes, App Store rankings, App Popular rankings, categorization tools and more.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for November 5, 2009:

Macintosh

• Arten Science has announced ContaX, their new CRM for individuals, clubs and small businesses. ContaX will let you store, view, interact and communicate with your contacts, customers, prospects and suppliers more easily and efficiently than ever before. It features an elegant, intuitive user Interface and seamless integration with the other R10Office products. Your database can be stored wherever you like, including hosted and/or synchronized services such as iDisk and DropBox.
• Jumsoft has announced Aperture Themes 2.0. Aperture Themes allows Mac users to explore new ways of communicating their love for photography, and offers an extensive collection of design options for arranging their photos and pictures in Web galleries. All 16 themes were developed by a team of skillful designers with originality and sophistication to evoke a mood of professionalism and excellence. Version 2.0 features ten new styles added to the six designs from the previous version.
• Mariner Software has announced its latest product offering—a software and hardware bundle containing the popular digital documents manager, Paperless, with Fujistu’s ScanSnap S300M mobile scanner or the S1500M sheet-fed scanner. Paperless seamlessly integrates with both ScanSnap scanners, creating efficient and easy-to-navigate organization.
• Maintain has announced Cocktail 4.6 (Snow Leopard Edition), the latest maintenance update of Cocktail for users running Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. This version adds ability to clear data detectors and QuickLook caches, as well as several new QuickTime X and Apple Mail settings. The update is highly recommended for all users of Cocktail (Snow Leopard Edition). Cocktail is an award winning general purpose utility for Mac OS X.
• IntelliScanner Corporation has announced their new IntelliScanner Comic Edition 200 is now shipping worldwide in custom metal lunchbox packaging. IntelliScanner Comic Edition 200 is a smart barcode scanner and software package that automatically organizes comic book collections and other media items. It automatically identifies comic books by issue number, providing full details like the title, date, writer, penciler, inker, and more.

iPhone/iPod

• Traveling around the world to experience exotic foods and local life in different countries, how many language tools you have to bring? The answer is one. You only need PixTalk. One picture is worth a thousand words, and PixTalk carefully selects 100 pictures that could tell almost everything needed when traveling. You simply have to point at the pictures to indicate what you need.
• Matrix Knowledge Management Pty Ltd has announced the launch of V Phone, a new application that lets iPhone users make VoIP calls and send SMS messages over IP. Rather than locking iPhone users into working with a single VoIP provider, it lets users choose between multiple providers of their choice for voice calling. With an intuitive, attractive user interface and simple installation, the V Phone makes it easy for anyone to save money and start getting more out of their mobile or cell phones.
• Rosebrae Technology has released Clocks - Multi Time Zone Alarm Clock 1.0 for the iPhone and iPod Touch.  Clocks is a distinctive fusion between a world clock and a bedside clock which combines all the functionality expected of both types of application in one place. Perfect for business people and other frequent travellers, Clocks allows users to keep track of the time in many places at once, whilst doubling as a gorgeous LCD display for bedside clock use.
• Quapps Interactive has released MagiCam - Augmented Reality - Photographs with props for iPhone devices. MagiCam allows users to take live photographs with added props such as ghosts, UFO’s, Beards and the big fish that got away. Using MagiCam, users are able to scale, rotate, move and blend several props over their camera and take ultra realistic photographs. Version 1.0 has 18 props with 1.1 offering camera roll editing as well as live, many more props and a camera timer mode.
• TapFactory has released Stick It 2.1 for iPhone and iPod touch. Stick It is an iTunes Top 100 Utility App that allows you to quickly and easily take notes, customize their look, and create beautiful wallpapers for your lockscreen to function as quick reminders. Create fully customized notes with over 20 note styles, over 30 backgrounds, and plenty of fonts to choose from. Stick It will automatically save your notes so you can pick up where you left off. Email your notes directly from the app.
• syncRage has released Sorty 1.1, morphing two concepts to create new gaming excitement for iPhone and iPod Touch users. Although it has a basic concept that involves rapid relocation or chaining of colored balls, the speed and split second strategizing involved seems to be very pleasing to syncRage customers. Bejeweled and Tetris may have been the inspiration for Sorty but there’s nothing old school about the app.
• Improve your mental capabilities in a fun way with infeCCt. Enter the mysterious temple ruins and solve the ancient puzzles by connecting all tiles—a challenge made harder by impassable blocks, intersections and tunnels. If you are to solve all the tricky challenges, you will not only have to think ahead, but you will also have to train your brain to apply what you’ve learned to new situations. Want to train your brain? Get infeCCted.
• Shiny Development Ltd. has announced Balloons!, the new iPhone app that lets you launch virtual helium balloons and track their progress around the world. Choose a balloon, attach your photo and message to it, then launch it into the sky. It then drifts around the world where it gets caught by other users. They add their own photo and message and send it on its way again. Where will it go? Who will it meet? How far will it travel? Balloons! the world just got smaller.
• After bringing the Artusi cookbook, Dreams&Lotto, Forex Alert, the Constitution and Italian Law Codes to your iPhone, Intermundia has introduced Project OperaM. Opera-lovers and newcomers alike will have the chance to download 24 applications from iTunes with librettos of the most famous operas.
• Beamer—a community developed, iPhone case with a built in light—has been released. This light can function both as a flash for your iPhone’s camera as well as a light to brighten things up when necessary. Dropped something under the table, squinting to read a menu in candlelight, can’t find your keys, or just frustrated by those dark mobile photos? Beamer is the case that shines.
• The OtterBox Commuter Series interactive case for iPhone incorporates three tough, yet sleek layers of impact-absorbing materials which combine to completely safeguard your device. First, a self-adhering transparent film covers and protects the touch screen. Next, a firm silicone skin completely encases the iPhone’s housing. And finally, a one-piece, molded polycarbonate shell snaps tightly over the whole assembly.
• Chillingo and Tetraedge Games have announced the availability of Jules Verne’s Secrets of The Mysterious Island [iTunes App Store link] for iPhone and iPod touch on the Apple App Store. Secrets of the Mysterious Island is the sequel of Return to Mysterious Island launched earlier this year. For approximately 700MB, the player will find out the end of the adventure of Mina, a sailor who finds herself stranded on the shores of a wild and apparently uninhabited island somewhere in the South Pacific.
• Logos Bible Software has released a free iPhone app designed to help people get more into Bible study than ever before. Unlike most Bible related iPhone apps, which are merely Bible readers, the Logos Bible Software iPhone app delivers tools and resources to help you study the Bible with your iPhone or iPod Touch in ways never before implemented on a mobile device.
• RingtoneFeeder has announced distribution of audiobooks in the same format as its popular ringtones and Dynamic Albums. The first title is The Caffeine Collection, which is a collection of audio short stories covering a wide variety of genres produced by Steve Saylor and is available via RingtoneFeeder. RingtoneFeeder is an innovative approach to ringtones offering a subscription model which automatically installs new original ringtones on the iPhone via iTunes every week.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for November 4, 2009:

Macintosh

• TheMacBundles has announced the release of its November Bundle. TheMacBundles provides users with the best software bargains on the platform while also providing developers with an exceptionally high percentage of the revenue produced from the sale of their software. The November bundle contains 12 outstanding and diverse titles and will be available for 4 weeks. All titles in the November bundle work with OS X 10.6.
• This year, Mac-users can send out their Christmas greetings conveniently via Mail. Following the overwhelming success of our Stationery Pack Greeting Cards, Equinux is pleased to announce the release of Season’s Greetings Vol. 2—a collection of 22 wonderfully festive greeting cards for Mail in Leopard and Snow Leopard.
• Macware has announced MacTuneUp 3.6, a free update to the leading Mac disk utility software. MacTuneUp quickly discovers and fixes problems, restores hard disk space, creates bootable disk backups, and maximizes Internet and network connections to squeeze the best performance from your Mac. Easily prevent system instability and speed up your Mac with a few simple steps. Snow Leopard users can update by downloading the updater from the Macware support center.
• Boinx Software has released iStopMotion 2.1, an update to its wildly popular stop motion animation and time lapse software. iStopMotion 2.1 features markers–a convenient new way to structure the timeline–and improves compatibility with Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. It is the first Boinx Software product to provide a full Japanese localization. The update is free and strongly recommended for all iStopMotion 2.x users.

iPhone/iPod

• 1 pixel. 4 colors. That’s a minimum. Alexandre Minard has announced Minima for iPhone and iPod touch. Change your color to survive in the jungle of pixels? Yellow, pink, violet…make the right choice at the right time. 10 different levels are waiting for you. Would you be able to thwart the trapped pixels? Go and compare your score to the rest of the world in the world web ranking. That’s a Minima.
• Sean Maher has released Dead Panic: Survival 1.1.3, an update to his zombie game for iPhone and iPod touch. The undead are back with a vengeance. The updated game offers more playing modes, a new arsenal of kick-ass weapons, and a new set of twists and challenges to overcome. It also offers players a survival mode with unlimited waves of those persistent, shambling flesh-eaters.
• The Right Bite, Inc. today introduces The Right Bite 1.0, their revolutionary behavior modification & weight loss tool for iPhone/iPod touch. Designed specifically to take advantage of the iPhone’s unique capabilities and interface, The Right Bite achieves weight loss results differently than alternative diet/programs. Based on proven scientific research, the system helps users lose weight by controlling the pace of their eating rather than typically focusing on what they eat.
• Energize Software has announced Christmas Experience 1.2, an update to their multi-game Christmas iPhone app. While listening to holiday music you can decorate a snowman, play Christmas hangman, solve a puzzle, and tilt your device in one of eight directions to hear different holiday sounds. Create your own snowman with 30 pieces that utilize pinch and rotate gestures, as well as save, load and replace up to 9 different snowman creations.
• Fore by Cobra is a pretty special game; it not only looks amazingly detailed, but it plays just so well on the iPhone using the touch and accelerometer control to perfection. On top of that, peer-2-peer multi-player adds a new dimension to the game along with fully integrated Plus+. Oh, and if you pull off a hole in 1 or any other great shots, the game automatically saves these for you to replay your best moments.
• JL Software has announced Edition 1.65 of their popular Handbook of High-Risk Obstetrics for iPhone or iPod touch. Version 1.65 adds ultrasound images of fetal anatomy and H1N1 Flu information. Handbook of High-Risk Obstetrics is a new and original reference source for the medical student or resident physician who needs a comprehensive yet concise guide to perinatal care. The Handbook covers all major areas of high-risk pregnancy, and is cross-referenced and indexed with over 3600 search keywords.
• Ivan Karpan and Evgeniy Lebed have announced GlobeMaster 1.1.1, an update to their popular travel guide for iPhone and iPod Touch. GlobeMaster is an offline world-wide travel guide featuring 1400+ cities in more than 260 countries, including 4100+ photos, tips calculator and adviser, units converter and much more. It offers a wealth of information, such as traditions, rules of behavior, ways of getting in, out and around, how to stay healthy and safe and more.
• Sony Creative Software has announced the availability of 1,000 Ringtones, a DVD containing ringtones grouped into three categories: music, sound effects, and spoken words and phrases. Users can select tones for incoming calls, emails and text messages. Developed for iPhone users, the 1,000 ringtone files are included on the DVD in the popular .m4r and .mp3 formats, and are ready for immediate use without any additional fees, downloads or editing after the initial product purchase.
• Chillingo and MusiGames have announced a deal to publish DJ Nights games for iPhone and iPod touch via Chillingo’s mass-market brand, Clickgamer. The first release in the series—DJ Nights: Global Tour—will showcase world-famous electronic music stars including, Emilio Fernandez, Tom Cloud and Tiësto when it releases later this year.
• A new twitter account—@3WordAppReviews—sums up iPhone and iPod Touch apps in just three words. The service aims to make it quick and fun to learn all you probably need to know about many iPhone apps. Each tweet contains a link to the app, and a link to a full review, when available. The feed will have one new review each day, and might increase the daily number of reviews in the future.
• TimeStream Software has turned the iPod Classic, iPod nano and iPod Video into eReaders with its popular Notescast titles. Installing to the “Notes” feature found on nearly every iPod in use world-wide today, Notescasts are interactive books on the iPod, each containing up to hundreds of pages of digital copy linked to related photos and additional text.
• iSkin Inc. has introduced the latest evolution in its line of its trend-setting solo iPhone 3G/3GS protectors: the glamorously elegant iSkin solo FX Special Edition (SE). The iSkin solo FX SE debuts with a brilliant new look and feel thanks to a luxurious outer surface treatment, which combines an elegantly understated matte finish with a subtle embossed designer pattern. This elite edition of the solo line-up is available in three exclusive color options designed to enhance the iPhone’s natural beauty: Onyx (black), Cosmo (pink) and Ice (white).
• TechPad Productions has announced that an expansion pack based on the video game Overlord II is now available for iMEvil for iPhone and iPod Touch on the Apple iTunes App Store. TechPad Productions worked closely with the team at Codemasters, publisher of Overlord II, to create the expansion pack, which is exclusive to iPhone. The pack is an optional free update for those who already have the iMEvil application on their devices.
• JustPurePics.com, a development studio delivering personalized easy to use photo gallery packages for iPhone and iPod Touch, has recently released a new amazing application: Beauty Unleashed. Beauty Unleashed features selected works by a world famous photographer, Paul Buceta, whose pictures frequently appear on the pages of Glamour, Playboy, Penthouse and a number of other glossy publications.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Sorenson Media has announced the immediate availability of Sorenson Squeeze 6, a significant update to the gold-standard video encoding software application. Sorenson Squeeze 6 provides the first total workflow solution for video professionals, enabling customers to employ innovative tools—such as email and text notifications and a secure review and approval process—that simplify the overall workflow and allow them to more easily encode and publish video files on the Internet. Optimized video codecs and new filters have also been added, significantly improving video quality and encoding speed.

Having dabbled in previous versions of Squeeze, I participated in an online demo of v6 with the developers a couple weeks ago. I can’t verify the encoding speed and improved video quality yet, as I haven’t tried out a full version, but I can say with certainty that the user interface is greatly improved. The workflow is much more intuitive, making it easier than ever for users to achieve optimal results with their video encoding. The presets are easier to read and offer more logical default options, while still providing full customization for those who want to dig deeper.

Updates in v6 include:

• Video quality and encoding speed have been significantly improved
• New review and approve capabilities and notification features simplify the encoding workflow
• New direct publishing and syndication of professional-quality video to YouTube, Twitter, Limelight, Akamai and Sorenson 360
• The enhanced interface makes encoding and managing video files easy
• A new integrated online preset exchange gives users video encoding “recipes” of experts
• Users will receive a complimentary Sorenson 360 review and approval account

Highlights of the demo I received include the ability to have Squeeze notify you via e-mail and text when a lengthy encoding job is done. Start the job, go to lunch, and hang out until the software lets you know the project is complete. Pretty cool. The videos can be automatically posted to an approval account, and an e-mail with password access can be sent to specified clients for approval. The videos can be previewed via computer or iPhone, and client comments are then automatically sent back to the user…while you’re still at lunch.

Sorenson claims that by incorporating and optimizing the latest On2 VP6 and MainConcept H.264 codecs, Squeeze 6 is up to 500 percent faster than Sorenson Squeeze 5 when encoding in the H.264 and VP6 formats, both of which are standard formats included with every copy of Squeeze 6. New input formats include AVC-Intra and WMV with VC-1 for use in Blu-ray and Microsoft Silverlight, and new output formats include AVI, AIFF, DV Stream, Image Sequence, Wave, and WMV with VC-1.

To coincide with the release of Squeeze 6, Sorenson Media has also launched a new Preset Exchange, an online repository of professional “video encoding recipes,” or presets. This is a great way for those new to video encoding (or who simply don’t want to take the time to optimize their settings via trial and error) to grab the settings used by video professionals. The Preset Exchange is new, so choices are limited for now, and users don’t have the ability to upload their own. As the Exchange grows, that could change.

And finally, Apple users will be happy to know that Sorenson Squeeze 6 also now works seamlessly with Apple’s Final Cut Pro and iMovie. This process eliminates the need for cumbersome exporting and importing between applications by enabling users to tap into the powerful Squeeze feature set directly from within their editing software.

Sorenson Squeeze 6 and Sorenson Squeeze 6 for Flash are available immediately for electronic download or for shipping in CD form. Sorenson Squeeze 6 is $799 and Sorenson Squeeze 6 for Flash is $499. Upgrades from previous versions of Sorenson Squeeze begin at $199. The complimentary one-year Sorenson 360 Review & Approval account includes 5GB of storage, 100 streams per month and a maximum video length of 30 minutes. A free trial is available.

For additional information about purchasing Sorenson Squeeze 6, or to find a reseller, visit www.sorensonmedia.com. Appletell’s full review of Sorenson Squeeze 6 will be posted soon.

Product [Sorenson Squeeze 6]

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for November 3, 2009:

Macintosh

• Apparent Software today is proud to announce Cashculator 1.0, a new kind of personal finance application for Mac OS X. Cashculator is a Mac way to track a cashflow. It is a different kind of personal finance application - instead of focusing on the past and logging previous transactions, it focuses on future by forecasting your financial situation. It allows making better decisions regarding your personal finance or small business. Version 1.0 is first release of the application.
• Macware has announced DiskTools Pro 3.5.1, a free update of its popular Mac utility suite for OS X. Version 3.5.1 supports Mac OS X 10.3.9 and later, including Apple’s new Snow Leopard. DiskTools Pro is a total system utility for the Mac, and the only one that allows you to schedule when to perform important tasks such as file defragmentation, backup and bad sector repair in a single, easy-to-use interface.
• Yazsoft has announced Playback 1.2, an important update to their zero configuration media server for Mac OS X. With a focus on ease-of-use, Playback allows anyone to share their media with any Playstation 3, Xbox 360, or other supported UPnP compatible device. Playback can also share media stored in folders or even make entire disks available to a Playstation 3 or Xbox 360. By default, Playback will share almost any content on the users system. Version 1.2 includes many new improvements.
• SuperMegaUltraGroovy and toastycode have announced the immediate availability of TapeDeck 1.3, an update to their popular audio recorder for Mac OS X. Answering the requests of many professional and hobbyist users, version 1.3 adds the ability to record full-quality audio using lossless compression. Recordings from TapeDeck will preserve their full fidelity when dragged into Garage Band, Logic Pro, or any professional audio application that supports ALAC audio.
• Malkinware has announced Reference Tracker 1.5, an update to their academic reference manager and research tool for Mac OS X. Reference Tracker documents store all the citations and references in an essay, research project, or book and creates reference lists in a variety of formats when needed. Version 1.5 adds support for the newly updated APA 6th edition and MLA 7th edition referencing styles.
• XChange UK has announced a new exclusive PitStop Pro 09 Competitive Upgrade from FlightCheck Pro or FlightCheck Designer. This competitive upgrade gives existing users of FlightCheck Professional or FlightCheck Designer the opportunity to upgrade to the power of PitStop Pro 09 and save. PDF has become the standard for delivering press-ready files and PitStop Professional allows users to make minor edits to a PDF job at any stage.
• Karelia Software has released Karelia iMedia Browser 1.2.1, a free utility that adds the familiar “media browser” experience to just about any Mac application. The new 1.2.1 version provides full compatibility for Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, adds Brazilian Portuguese and Russian Localizations, and fixes several other issues. A stand-alone utility, the Karelia iMedia Browser lets users quickly and easily browse and drag photos, music, movies, and bookmarks into most applications.
• newPCgadgets.com has introduces The Rail, a new cable management product for the iMac. The Rail is a stylish cable organizer designed to match the look of your iMac. Designed from polished steel, The Rail attaches directly below the center slot on the iMac pedestal. The Rail holds up to 8 small cables in the stainless steel wire clips. Larger cables like the power cord are held in the center section. Easily stores cables for future use and fast access on the sides. Excess wires can be wrapped around the posts. The Rail is available for $24.95.
• Emmy Award-winning Toon Boom Animation Inc. today announced the release of Flip Boom All-Star, an easy-to-use animation software for teens and up. Flip Boom All-Star offers exciting features that will engage users and allow them to use animation to communicate with their friends.

iPhone/iPod

• To help promote the ringtone creation software PocketMac RingtoneStudio 2 for iPhone, PocketMac is giving away a legally, factory-unlocked iPhone 3G. In addition, second and third prize winners will win a $50 and $15 iTunes gift card, respectively. The contest is structured so existing fans of PocketMac RingtoneStudio will help talk it up and recommend it to their friends. That is, the more copies of PocketMac RingtoneStudio sold during the month of November, the cooler the prizes get.
• mLab emantras has launched their first paid iphone app called Lucky Me lite. It’s a game which rates your luck and gives a score as well as a Lucky quote which can be shared on Facebook.
• IvySkin has announced the SmartCase, a new iPhone 3G/3GS accessory that brings a premium power and protection experience to iPhone owners. It offers IvySkin’s newest Glass Touch-Thru case called Quattro-T4 bundled with the new Quattro battery. This advanced power distribution system enables the iPhone to receive an additional 200% battery life. The SmartCase includes the SmartPac, Quattro-T4, USB cable and full manufacturer’s warranty.
• RemObjects Software, LLC has introduced Data Abstract for OS X, their new framework for Mac and iPhone developers. Data Abstract allows developers to concentrate on data presentation and business logic without having to worry about the intricate details of dealing with the underlying database. As a fully native OS X framework, Data Abstract was designed from the ground up to fit in with the tools that Mac and iPhone developers use, such as Xcode, Cocoa and Objective-C.
• TimeStream Software has turned the iPod Classic, iPod nano and iPod Video into eReaders with its popular Notescast titles. Installing to the “Notes” feature found on nearly every iPod in use world-wide today, Notescasts are interactive books on the iPod, each containing up to hundreds of pages of digital copy linked to related photos and additional text.
• Independent software developer Eknath Kadam has introduced Grammar Express: Tenses 1.0, his new grammar and course testing application for iPhone and iPod Touch. Designed specifically to leverage the iPhone’s unique capabilities, Grammar Express: Tenses is a complete course in mastering English grammatical tenses. This guide contains over a 100 pages of lessons with several examples, and serves to help improve the understanding of tenses and make use of correct form of verb.
• Extropia Games has released Bar Defender exclusively for the iPhone and the iPod touch. Bar Defender boosts castle defense games to an entire new scene. It’s going to be easy for gamers to identify with the bar fly who is threatened by the system and is struggling to hold on to the only place he feels safe: his favorite bar. Each level achieved, Bar Defender rewards gamers with more powerful weaponry and an even more audacious enemy, inciting them to polish the screen clean and shiny every time the game is afoot.
• MultiEducator has announced the release of Electrical Pro 1.0, their new information calculation tool for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Building on the success of Electrical Formulator, the Electrical Pro program adds 35 essential charts to the 100 electrical formulas in the standard Electrical Formulator. It also includes parts of the National Electric Code. The application has been designed from the ground up to leverage the iPhone’s unique abilities and interface.
• Orb Games has released Kamikaze Race 1.0, an exciting racing/action game for iPhone and iPod touch. The game puts players into a seat of an extremely fast car, amidst the busy road, with jammed accelerator pedal and brakes that refuse to work. Players have to survive as long as possible, challenged to earn achievements and to compete against other players in online leaderboards.
• Halloween has come and gone, but there are still zombies lurking in the dark, ready to eat your brains! Welcome to Zombie Dash, a top-down dungeon crawler where players can defeat the undead using the handy trackball control mechanism, as well as magic spells which can be cast with skill and dexterity via intense multitouch control. Trapped in a tomb infested with ghoulish pursuers, players must search for treasure and most importantly a key to the next level.
• VFSoftware LLC has announced Beat the Swine ‘09, the first iPhone app to raise monetary donations for H1N1 relief. VFSoftware LLC will donate to the CDC Foundation’s H1N1 relief fund for all downloads, increasing donations as a player’s score goes up. Similar to the classic Asteroids, Beat the Swine ‘09 has a medically inspired theme and updated pandemic information, making it the first to target gamers to help combat the spread of Swine Flu.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

No longer content to have relationship and bladder problems at home, The Sims are now set to take their issues around the world. EA’s The Sims Studio has announced that The Sims 3 World Adventures, has gone gold for the PC and Mac and will be available on November 17, 2009. The Sims 3 World Adventures is the first expansion pack to the #1 best-selling PC game of calendar 2009, according to NPD data.

And in what kind of crazy adventures can your Sims engage? Well…

They can run from mummies in Al Simhara, Egypt, fill the sky with fireworks purchased from locals in Shang Simla, China and master the art of nectar-making in France.

Nectar-making France…is that what the kids are calling it these days?

If so, we’ll get photographic evidence, as Sims can now take advantage of the brand new photography skill. They can then bring their treasures home to reminisce and share with other fake people. Players who register their copy of the PC/Mac version of the game online will receive exclusive extra game content with the Explorer’s Loot Set and 1,000 SimPoints to be used in The Sims 3 Store to customize their game with additional in-game items.

And what would an exotic vacation be without the Simlish musical stylings of Nelly Furtado and LeAnn Rimes? Why, it would be an epic fail, I tell you, so The Sims 3 World Adventures Expansion Pack has you covered there. It also features Matt + Kim, Fefe Dobson, Pixie Lott, Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head, Katie Melua, Esmee Denters, Young Punx!, Evan Taubenfeld, Madina Lake, and more. And I’m sure if you look hard enough, you can probably make your Sim characters look like Natalie Portman’s shaved head.

The Sims 3 World Adventures will be available for purchase on November 17 at retail and online through digital distribution. To pre-order the game visit www.thesims3.com. The game is rated T for Teen by the ESRB, and will require the full version of The Sims 3 to play. For complete PC and Mac system requirements, visit the official website.

Product [The Sims 3 World Adventures Expansion Pack]

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for November 2, 2009:

Macintosh

• Ringce has announced Slammer 0.9.6, an update to their designer’s layout and geometry utility for Mac OS X. Suitable for graphic designers, web and application developers alike, Slammer is a universal layout tool which can be used as an overlay on top of any application while tweaking a design. Make blueprints by sectioning a canvas using grid systems, fibonacci series, golden sections or harmonious sections. It features rulers, a magnifier and a color picker to help further refine any layout.
• Mo Media has launched Custom Headers by M, a service to help those who are building template style websites but lack the skills to create an extraordinary header. Experienced Photoshop designer Karen Kaufman of Mo Media considers the design being used, then works with the customer’s image, logo and text to create a look unique to any website. Clients can check out the gallery of customizable designs, or commission their own.
• RemObjects Software, LLC has announced RemObjects SDK 1.1 for OS X, a significant update to their popular networking framework for Mac and iPhone developers. RemObjects SDK makes it easy for developers to create networked applications that communicate with each other. Version 1.1 sports improved APIs and allows for the creation of SOAP clients for both the Mac and iPhone platforms. Developers can easily have their applications talk to virtually any web service that uses SOAP.
• Readdle has announced ReaddleDocs 1.6, a new version of their popular document and file management solution for iPhone and iPod touch. Version 1.6 adds a professional PDF document viewer that supports full text document search, password protected documents, navigation through embedded PDF bookmarks and handling large PDF files. ReaddleDocs combines a number of powerful document viewers, network file server, web storage client, web browser and file manager within a single application.
• Ben Software has announced the release of RemoteSight 1.0, a new product for video and audio streaming over a network. RemoteSight can stream video from a variety of devices, such as the built-in iSight cameras included in many Macintosh computers. Designed to be part of a video surveillance system, RemoteSight integrates seamlessly with SecuritySpy, the premier multi-camera video surveillance software on the Macintosh platform.
• Eltima Software today announces Flash’In’App promo campaign. Starting from today, with each purchase of Flash’In’App you get a license for Flash Optimizer for Mac for free. Flash’In’App is a Cocoa framework for managing Adobe Flash movies in any application on Mac OS X. Flash Optimizer allows compressing SWF files up to 60-70% as it offers total control over each and every optimization algorithm.
• Mac Bundle Box has launched Mac Daily Box, a new sister site to its unique quarterly software promotions bundle. Mac Daily Box is a Deal-A-Day on Mac Software. Every day at midnight, a new application will be posted to Mac Daily Box at a heavily discounted price. It will remain discounted for twenty-four hours until the next promotion is published on the website. Mac Bundle Box will continue to do its discount bundle promotions, but on a less frequent basis.
• Nova media today announces FoneSync, which synchronizes contacts and calendars with Samsung phones. The new synchronisation tool offers relief for those who could not synchronise their contacts and calendars with Mac OS X before. FoneSync supports the most recent Samsung phones and sports a clean and easy to use interface. It is possible to restrict the synchronization to single address book goups and/or calendars as well as to define the time frame of the calendar sync.
• Vinotekasoft has announced Vinoteka 1.5, a major update to their ultimate wine cellar management solution for Mac OS X. In a unique and gorgeous interface showing bottles, cellars and tasting notes, Vinoteka brings the best wine cellar management experience to Mac users. Customizable and user-friendly, straight-to-the point and nevertheless very professional, Vinoteka is the ultimate companion every wine lover needs. The new major version 1.5 sports many new feature improvements.
• Veenix Technologies has announced TypeBook Creator 1.9, its highly acclaimed Macintosh font specimen book and font sample sheet creation software for graphics professionals. The new version has been updated to support Mac OS 10.6. Additionally, specimen layouts were recoded using Apple’s latest font and text imaging technologies, Core Text, several new customization features and options were added, and more.
• Apparent Software has announced Cashculator 1.0, a new kind of personal finance application for Mac OS X. Cashculator is a Mac way to track a cashflow. It is a different kind of personal finance application - instead of focusing on the past and logging previous transactions, it focuses on future by forecasting your financial situation. It allows making better decisions regarding your personal finance or small business. Version 1.0 is first release of the application.

iPhone/iPod

• LukPlus has announced Hyakkiyagyo, a Japanese style 3D shooting game in which the player becomes a shrine maiden. The game features two methods of attack—magic circle and shot—and you won’t die even if you recieved enemy’s attack.
• Hydrix has released Roto, a new and original solitaire game for iPhone and iPod Touch. Roto is a challenging and addictive game developed by international best seller Dr. Reiner Knizia. Roto was designed from the ground up for the iPhone. The rules are simple so anyone can play, but mastering all the challenges and planning ahead to use the best possible combinations is harder than it may seem.
• Hot Chili Apps GmbH has announced C@rds Master 1.1.2, an update to their free mobile eCard utility for iPhone and iPod touch. Designed specifically to take advantage of the iPhone’s unique capabilities and interface, C@rds Master is an easy-to-use yet sophisticated postcard creation and delivery tool. C@rds sets includes 10 topics for nearly every occasion to create and generate individual and fancy digital postcards.
• Technical Made Easy has announced the release of Easy Stitch 1.0 for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Now anyone can learn Embroidery, Knitting and Crochet using their iPhone and iPod Touch. Easy Stitch provides step-by-step instructions with full color illustration for learning Crochet, Embroidery and Knitting. Included with each category are descriptions of various materials, supplies, tools, conversion charts from U.S to Metric and Tips & Tricks.
• Marware Inc has announced the SportShell carrying solution for the iPod touch 2G is now shipping. This low profile, three-piece shell case is made of resilient polycarbonate with a smooth rubberized finish. The sturdy 360-degree ratchet clip ensures that the iPod touch stays securely on a belt or strap. Use the SportShell with or without the clip, or without the back piece for showing off the Apple logo.
• The iTunes App Store has just received a heavyweight addition to its roster of games, as Speed Bag: Urban Gym [iTunes App Store link] is now available for download. Speed Bag: Urban Gym offers the most authentic boxing experience found on the iPhone/iPod touch. Whether you are new to the ring or a boxing professional, Speed Bag: Urban Gym simulates what it is like to hit the bag wherever you go.
• Pong Double is a new take on an old classic. But Pong Double is so much more, and with the extra play modes, it will keep you playing for a very long time. There is an online high score list where you can compete with the rest of the world.
• appsNminded has launched Jonesing Daily 1.0, a coupon app that highlights and promotes exclusive and hip on-line shoppes that were only known to trendy insiders and fashionistas. Jonesing Daily offers not just a coupon but exclusive deals. Hip online shoppes such as Terra Plana, Viv & Ingrid, GoGo Gear, Fuz, Stanton James, Tucker Paisley, Moby Wrap, blabla kids and Josh Jakus are just a few of the featured retailers.
• iLounge has debuted the brand-new 2010 iPod + iPhone Buyers’ Guide, the latest in its multi-million-downloaded series of publications. The 200-page Guide is available immediately as a free, hassle-free download from iLounge, and will be featured at the iLounge Pavilion of the January 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Coinciding with the release of the 2010 iPod + iPhone Buyers’ Guide, iLounge’s sixth annual guide to Apple’s top media players, accessories, and software, the editors of iLounge proudly announce the winners of the prestigious iPod + iPhone Best of the Year Awards. From cases to speakers, games and applications, the Awards spotlight top picks across major Apple hardware and software categories, and were selected by iLounge’s editors without any influence from advertisers, Apple, or other interests. Recipients were selected purely on the basis of merit from thousands of candidates, and represent the outstanding efforts of small and large developers from a variety of different countries.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Provides: Video effects and manipulation
Developer: Adobe
Minimum Requirements: Multicore Intel processor, Mac OSX 10.4.11; 2 GB RAM, 2.9GB free hard-disk space for installation; plus 2GB of space for optional content; additional free space required during installation (cannot install on a volume that uses a case-sensitive file system or on flash-based storage devices), 1280x900 display resolution with OpenGL 2.0-compatible graphics card, DVD-ROM drive, QuickTime 7.4.5 software required for multimedia features,  Broadband Internet connection required for online services
Cost: $999 full version ($299 upgrade)
Availability: Now

To use Adobe After Effects is to stare into the face of madness. And I mean that in the best way possible.

The simplest way to describe it is as Photoshop for video; you can import it, add special effects, or even use it to create video from scratch. One tutorial I followed allowed me to mock up rolling storm clouds like you’d see on a commercial for a storm report.

But the ability to manipulate video is geometrically more complex than manipulating an image; you can control time, speeding up or slowing down the motion (popular in action movies today, where a character’s furious attack slows down to allow the viewer to savor a brutal hit—After Effects lets you do that). If you’re working with 3D objects, you can control both the objects movement through space, and control the “camera” (the point of view) that moves completely independently—think of it as the Death Star moving towards a planet while an X-Wing (the camera) zooms over its surface. In addition to the raw power to manipulate and create video, After Effects CS4 comes with over 250 effects to do everything from alter the hue/saturation, to knocking out color for a green screen effect, to adding lightning.

So wrap your mind around that, then add to it the idea that, like Photoshop, you can work in layers, manipulating several images, effects, and video files independently, and you’ll begin to understand why this program is so mind-bogglingly powerful, and how—and I’m being completely sincere, here—awe-inspiring that it not only exists, but that it works compfortably on something like my Macbook Pro.

Okay, enough with the genuflecting. What can you use it for? Special effects. Fun things like lightsabers and laser blasts, adding muzzle flashes for gunshots. Playing with text, making letters fly in and out, explode. Teleport, throw fireballs. Pretty much anything you’ve ever seen happen in the opening credits to a movie, After Effects can do. If you can think of an effect, AE can do it with enough rendering time.

One thing After Effects isn’t built to be is an off-line film editing. I mean, you could do it that way, since you can layer different movie files and determine where they begin and end; it just isn’t built for that. It’d be like trying to type a term paper in PowerPoint, technically possible, but there are better tools for that job.  After Effects is primarily for manipulating a movie, so if you have a whole scene built around a showdown, you’d edit the scene in Final Cut or Adobe Premiere, edit in an effect where the hero’s gun flashes, then render that small part out and drop it back in to your completed movie.

All of this, of course, takes a lot of processing power. A “simple” smoke effect, for example, can require your computer to generate tens of thousands of individual particles, then apply a blur effect to make it look like mist. If you want to see what this looks like as you’re playing with the settings, you’re going to want a fast processor and a lot of RAM, which will pre-render as much of the effect as possible. But the truly great thing about AE is that even if you don’t have the latest and greatest multi-core Intel processor, it’s still functional; you just have to have more patience. Because while you won’t be able to view as many complicated effects “live,” you can still queue up the effects you want, get an idea of what they’ll look like by skipping through the footage, and then render them out as a finished movie file. I did this several times on my older white Macbook, and while the lack of a graphics processor and minimal RAM slowed me down, I was still able to produce amazing, professional-looking effects as I learned to use the program.

Speaking of learning the program, this is definitely one where you’ll want the voice of experience to walk you through the basics. As someone who taught himself to use Photoshop and Quark Xpress, I was completely baffled by the After Effects interface: it’s unlike anything you’ve seen before; even other Adobe programs. Fortunately, I was able to take a beginner’s class at a local film school, as well as buying the Classroom in a Box book from Adobe itself to demystify the program. If I’d tried my usual sink-or-swim process, I’d have drowned. That said, once I got the gist of how AE imported footage, dealt with layers, and manipulated effects, it became really simple to arrange them as I wanted.

After Effects CS4 is an insanely powerful tool for manipulating and altering video. At a suggested retail price of $999 it costs as much as the new Final Cut Studio, but you can find it at significant discounts from places like Amazon, and, for people who need professional-level effects, the amount of power that AE CS4 gives you is quite simply staggering for that price. This is not a tool for the iMovie crowd, but if you see your Mac as a computer built around Final Cut, those with a serious interest in filmmaking will be impressed with the amazing toolkit After Effects gives them… once they figure out how to open it.

Full Story » | Written by Bill Stiteler for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for October 30, 2009:

Macintosh

• ZiggySoft has announced iWeb Valet 2.3.0, the tool to enhance and upload iWeb pages. iWeb Valet widgets give you the power to add new interactive widgets to your web pages. It is both easy to use and incredibly powerful, adding many features to iWeb sites and you don’t have to know anything about programming or web-authoring languages such as HTML or Javascript. Version 2.3.0 includes the ability to have unique meta tags on all pages, a new Falling Snow Effect widget, and more.
• Crunchyroll and Boxee have announced a partnership to provide Anime and Asian drama fans an even easier and convenient way to watch their favorite shows anytime they want from their living room couch. With the largest online collection of legal Anime and Asian entertainment, Crunchyroll has quickly grown to become a fan favorite website with over five million unique registered users. Using Boxee’s free downloadable software, fans will have an even easier way to stream all their favorite anime, k-dramas and more from the Internet onto their televisions. The best part is that Boxee provides users the ability to navigate Crunchyroll’s videos with a simple remote control from the comfort of their couch or bed. Additional bonuses include the ability for fans to share what they are watching with friends and social networks.
• The Mac Sale has announced their latest bundle, containing 10 great Mac apps, interviews with the developers and even a song! The Mac Sale should again provide a great deal for customers and importantly, a fair deal for developers. The apps in this bundle are HoudahGeo, MacJournal, CrossOver Games, Picturesque, Morph Age Regular, Searchlight, Vinoteka, iMaginator, Opacity Express and Stor.
• Anawiki Games has announced the immediate availability of Spooky Runes, the Halloween twist of their bestselling game for Mac OSX. Spooky Runes is a puzzle-driven game offering a polished, addictive game-play. Spooky Runes features exceptional music and superb effects that remain this games hallmark. Avalon invaded by ghosts, ghouls, bats and scary cats is fun and spooky. Spooky Runes takes you to an enchanting world of magic and mystery you won’t want to leave.
• KennettNet Software has announced Clarus 1.5, an update to their pet management solution for Mac OS X, now with a companion iPhone app. Perfect for maintaining insurance and medical records, vet bills, and expense receipts, Clarus was specifically designed to manage a pet’s life and paperwork, all in one convenient, easy-to-use utility. And if Spot just happens to go missing, printing a bold missing poster that includes his photo and basic details with reward only takes seconds.

iPhone/iPod

• IK Multimedia has announced the release of two new applications for the iPhone/iPod touch: GrooveMaker Electro and Drum ’n’ Bass (D’n’B). These complete the range of available GrooveMaker applications with two new style-based apps that allow anyone to create and share non-stop Electro and D’n’B tracks for DJing, remixing, multimedia and movie soundtrack compositions on the go, in real-time, just like a professional DJ or music producer.
• Scholastic Media has the answer for fans of The 39 Clues this month with a limited time promotion for its latest iPhone app - The 39 Clues Madrigal Maze. On November 3rd, in conjunction with the new release of Book #6 of the New York Times bestselling series, the company will offer the iPhone app for just $1.99 on iTunes through November 17th.
• Corduroy Enterprises has announced Portfolio - Local and International Stocks 1.0, their new iPhone app that greatly simplifies the task of tracking a portfolio of stocks. Portfolio takes the clutter and complexity out of stock tracking, and focuses on the information you really need - the total and change in your portfolio’s value. For everyone from professionals to mum & dad investors, Portfolio is an easy to use, uncluttered tool to track their share portfolio and watchlist.
• Pocket Oinko is a virtual pet living inside your iPhone or iPod touch. Instead of having to take care of him like all other virtual pets, Oinko has a mind of his own. You can suggest actions, but ultimately he’ll decide what to do. You can either obsessively stalk him and observe his daily routine, or help him out and receive bonus points in return. Use these to buy food and toys for Oinko to play with.
• BigSprocket, LLC has announced Tourneys 1.1, an update to their popular poker tool for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Designed for the Internet poker player, Tourneys puts the schedules of upcoming tournaments from the most popular Internet poker sites in the palm of your hand. It allows players to quickly find out what games are coming up on each site, without having to log into that site’s software.
• Rapid Turtle Games has announced Mr. Puzzle Genius, a brain challenging and addictive 3D puzzle game. For each level, front, side and top 2D views are given for the goal 3x3x3 cube. The player needs to create a 3D 3x3x3 cube with the basic building pieces; cube and prism in that way to create front, side and top views as in the goal 2D views. Mr. Puzzle Genius comes with 3 difficulty levels ranging from Novice to Expert each with 20 puzzles.
• Marware has announced the SportShell Convertible carrying solution for the iPod touch 2G is now shipping. The SportShell Convertible for iPod touch 2G is 3 cases in 1 and merges versatility with elegant, cross-functional design in a single product. It offers a polycarbonate shell with a smooth rubberized finish. By using interchangeable parts, the SportShell Convertible offers a full range of carrying options.
• LifeFocus Apps has announced LifeFocus 1.2, an update to their popular tasks and goals utility for iPhone and iPod touch. Designed specifically to take advantage of the iPhone’s unique capabilities, LifeFocus gets the information users need quickly so they can focus on getting things done. Whether users desire a basic task list or prescribe to the Getting Things Done methodology, LifeFocus can be personalized to meet any need.
• Ofijo has announced Halloween Mayhem 1.0, their new pumpkin saving Halloween game for iPhone and iPod touch. Halloween Mayhem is a small but very funny and addictive game in which your goal is to crush as many skeletons as you can before they reach the Halloween Pumpkin. Something has awaken and now it’s after your beloved pumpkin! You cannot let anything happen to it!

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Today, Apple announced the launch of the 3.0 software upgrade for its Apple TV, which offers a redesigned user interface and compatibility with Apple’s recently released iTunes LP and iTunes Extras, along with Genius Mixes and Internet radio. Shortly thereafter, Apple also released iTunes 9.0.2, which adds support for Apple TV’s 3.0 software, a new “dark” viewing option for Grid View, and additional accessibility support.

The redesigned main menu in Apple TV’s 3.0 software offers direct access to recently rented and purchased movies, as well as a variety of other content. iTunes LPs and iTunes Extras are available in full-screen viewing for both audio and video titles. The addition of Genius Mixes in Apple TV, a feature which was first introduced by Apple last month with iTunes 9, allows users to listen to automatically generated playlists from their iTunes libraries. Thousands of Internet radio stations are now also accessible within Apple TV with the new software update. Finally, another new feature included is enhancements for viewing photos, as the Apple TV can now make use of the Faces and Events features in Apple’s iPhoto Mac software.

Along with adding support for the Apple TV 3.0 software and the other two new features/additions, iTunes 9.0.2 also once again breaks syncing with the Palm Pre.

Read [Engadget]

Full Story » | Written by Patrick Lutz for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for October 29, 2009:

Macintosh

• Redcort Software has announced Virtual TimeClock ‘09 Release 3, their industry leading time and attendance software for Apple Macintosh and Microsoft Windows computers. Virtual TimeClock is available in both Pro and Network Editions. The new Virtual TimeClock software release brings the ability to add notes to employee timecards, full Snow Leopard and Windows 7 compatibility, and more than two dozen software enhancements.
• St. Clair Software has announced the release of Default Folder X 4.3.2. Default Folder X enhances the file dialogs in all Mac OS X applications. It provides fast navigation to your files, convenient previews, integrated Spotlight tagging, and more. Version 4.3.2 addresses issues with Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard, as well as enhancing Default Folder X’s ability to see which folders you’ve used recently.
• Acapela Group and AssistiveWare have announced the release of Infovox iVox 2.0. Infovox iVox 2.0 offers Snow Leopard compatibility, significantly improves performance and responsiveness and adds a number of new voices for the following languages: Arabic, French, German, Flemish, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and Turkish. These voices work with virtually any Speech Manager compliant Mac OS X application, including VoiceOver, Preview, TextEdit, VisioVoice and ConvenienceWare GhostReader.
• Eternal Storms Software has announced the immediate availability of flickery 1.6. flickery is a unique desktop flickr client for Mac OS X 10.5 which combines the flickr photo-community with the ease-of-use and elegance of Mac OS X. Easily upload photos and videos to your Flickr photostream, organize items in photosets and groups, browse Favorites, and more. flickery 1.6 features trimming options for videos, batch-editing of items and the use of CoreLocation on Mac OS X 10.6.
• TidBITS Publishing Inc. has just released the free Take Control of VMware Fusion 3,” by Joe Kissell. The 142-page ebook, sponsored by VMware Inc., provides real-world advice on the best ways to install, configure, run, and maintain Windows on a Mac with the new virtualization software VMware Fusion 3. Customers may download the ebook for free or order a print copy for $12.99.
• MacUpdate has introduced MacUpdate Desktop 5, a powerful application that enables users to keep all their Mac software up-to-date with unparalleled ease and accuracy. MacUpdate Desktop brings the convenience of automatic software updates to every Application, Widget, Screen Saver, and Preference Pane. Designed from the ground up to take advantage of the newest Mac OS X technologies, MacUpdate Desktop is a class-leading solution packed with features.

iPhone/iPod

• I-play, Oberon Media’s publishing division and the world’s leading multi-platform casual games publisher, today launched Bubble Town 2 for iPhone and iPod touch. Based on the wildly successful online arcade game that has captivated millions of players through Facebook, MySpace, PC download and mobile, the highly-anticipated Bubble Town sequel for iPhone is now available in the Apple App Store.
• Stone Design has released Twittelator Pro 3.3.1, a free upgrade to its top-selling iPhone Twitter client for iPhone and iPod touch. Twittelator Pro packs the most features into a Twitter client, mobile or desktop. Version 3.3.1 includes many new features as well as embraces new Twitter features in October. Twittelator Pro was recently featured at the top of the Summer’s Hottest iPhone Apps in an Apple/AT&T full page ad in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today.
• Off-by-One Mobile has released AutoTrafego 1.1.1, a free special Halloween Edition of their isometric traffic management game for iPhone and iPod touch. This Halloween Edition takes place in a specially crafted scary graveyard while still offering the same quality of professional artwork and polished effects as the original game. An original spooky soundtrack ensures that the immersion is complete.
• Galarina has released PhotoToMac 1.2 for iPhone and iPod Touch. PhotoToMac transfers photos taken with an iPhone and saved photos over WiFi to a Mac shared folder. The photos are transferred in full resolution and multiple photos can be transferred in batch. PhotoToMac requires no cables, no internet connection, no browser and no emails. The only requirement is that the iPhone or iPod Touch is on the same WiFi network as the Mac.
• iLuv has announced the availability of the iMM183 Hi-Fi Dual Dock Alarm Clock with NOA/S.A.M.E Weather Hazard Alert, a CES 2009 Best of Innovations Honoree, to iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G and iPod fans. The digital dual alarm clock brings rich sound combined with dual dock options and a Weather Band Radio with NOAA emergency alert system to your bedside for $149.99 MSRP.
• Super Happy Fun Fun and Play Mechanix have announced the release of Big Buck Hunter Pro for the iPhone and iPod touch. Available just in time for whitetail hunting season, Big Buck Hunter Pro is the latest way to play the phenomenally popular 3D arcade hunting experience anytime, anywhere. Millions of players already flock to the 10,000+ Big Buck Hunter arcade units nationwide each week, and the iPhone platform will enable long-time franchise fans and new players to experience the world’s #1 arcade hunting game on the touch screen for the very first time.
• Scosche Industries has announced the availability of its powerFUZE line of home and car USB charging systems. The powerFUZE Pro is the signature model and is both “Made for iPod” and “Works with iPhone” certified, and allows users to carry just one charger for all their USB based devices when traveling.
• ooPixel has released a new iPhone game called Samegame Gravitized. It’s available on App store for $0.99 during the first week or two. The price will go up to $1.99 afterwards. In Samegame Gravitized the goal is to remove groups of blocks of the same colour. The more you remove, the more points you will gain, just like in all Samegame or Match three variations.
• PlayHaven today launched its innovative platform enabling virtually any iPhone game developer to instantly establish a community presence online and in-game for free. For the first time, developers can now easily claim their game communities to start directly communicating with their fans, while creating word-of-mouth buzz with iPhone gamers everywhere. PlayHaven’s online universe of communities has an aggregated audience across more than 15,000 games in the iPhone App Store.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

War. What is it good for? For hammering online, apparently. Mythic Entertainment and Electronic Arts have announced that the critically acclaimed MMORPG, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR), is now available for the Macintosh. The Mac version is available to new subscribers via digital download at. Current subscribers can download the Mac version free of charge.

Based on the popular tabletop war game from Games Workshop, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning features revolutionary Realm vs. Realm conflict that will provide players with an engaging battleground for years to come.  WAR is available now for PC and Mac and rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB.

“We couldn’t be more excited to officially bring Warhammer Online and our intense Realm vs. Realm combat to Mac gamers,” said Jeff Hickman, Executive Producer of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. “We welcome Mac users to experience the thrill of WAR and take up arms with their PC brethren.”

Key features include:

• Realm vs. Realm (RvR) gameplay means you will never fight alone, but as part of an army of allied players sworn to defend your homeland and conquer enemy Realms. Your every action-every quest completed, every battle fought-contributes to the war effort and can turn the tide of battle, bringing victory to your Realm!
• Experience the camaraderie of fighting side-by-side with allied players against otherwise insurmountable odds in groundbreaking Public Quests. These cooperative PvE encounters unfold across multiple stages and allow solo players to experience the glory of RvR.
• Embark on the endless quest to complete the Tome of Knowledge and unlock Warhammer lore, detailed monster information, new abilities and rewards, and major story plotlines. The Tome is also the story of your life in the game, tracking your achievements to share and compare with others.
• Explore massive Living Cities that become more or less prosperous based on a Realm’s overall performance in the ongoing war. Navigate a maze of twisting streets, visit the local tavern, explore a dark under-city, and meet colorful personalities in a city full of adventure.
• Advanced guild features give unprecedented control to leaders and members, and make guilds an integral part of the war efforts. Guilds can create unique heraldry, capture and claim keeps, and earn Guild Tactics as they grow in power along with their members.

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning is available on GameTreeOnline for $19.95. For more information about Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning and to download the free trial, visit www.warhammeronline.com.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for October 28, 2009:

Macintosh

• IntelliScanner Corporation has announced IntelliScanner Comic Edition 200, the smart barcode scanner and software package that automatically organizes comic book collections and other media items. It automatically identifies comic books by issue number, providing full details like the title, date, writer, penciler, inker, and more. IntelliScanner bundles an award-winning USB barcode reader and comic database software, making it easy to track and inventory collections.
• CTM Development has announced FoxTrot Professional Search 2.5, an update to their popular networked document indexing and retrieval solution for Mac OS X. Developed with law firms, media and mobile professionals in mind, FoxTrot Professional Search helps locate documents and their contents using multiple categorization of search results, ranked by relevance. Utilizing the latest Cocoa technologies, the application works directly with PDF, HTML, word processing, e-mail and rich-media metadata.
• Xeric Design has announced EarthDesk 5.1, an update to its award-winning, real-time dynamic desktop map for Mac OS X. EarthDesk 5 was entirely rewritten in Cocoa, adds many new features and is compatible with both Leopard and Snow Leopard. Version 5.1 adds a new cloud contrast control, fixes minor bugs and has several internal improvements. EarthDesk replaces your static desktop with an image of the Earth showing current sun, moon and city illumination, and more.
• ExactCODE GmbH has released ExactScan 2.8, a major update to their modern and easy-to-use scanning software Mac OS X. ExactCODE continues to provide automated and intelligent document scanning for the Macintosh. Version 2.8 adds support for several portable document scanners, including the all-new Avision AV50F, as well as other popular devices such as the Visioneer RoadWarrior or Xerox Travel Scanner 100. OCR quality, PDF compression and accuracy are further improved as well.
• iPresentee has released iWeb Themes 6.0 for Apple’s popular web site building application. iWeb Themes 6.0 includes five new remarkable themes animated with flash: Personality, Simple, Town, Violet and WildLife. In addition new package of themes includes five ordinary themes with static backgrounds. iWeb Themes with flash is a new outstanding solution combining iWeb and Flash into one great product.
• XChange UK has announced a free Adobe InDesign Server and Automating Adobe Creative Suite 4 seminar. On 23rd November at Adobe offices in Regents Park London, users can learn how implementing InDesign Server can automate the design, layout and typographical abilities of Adobe InDesign CS4. In addition, there will also be demonstrations of Switch solutions from Enfocus that provide configurable automation of Adobe CS4 applications for a variety of publishing environments.
• Karelia Software has announced Sandvox 1.6.5, the award-winning website building application for Mac OS X. This is a maintenance update, free to all registered users. Through the entire month of November, Karelia is offering a promotion where Mac users can get a free license to Sandvox Pro by purchasing one year’s worth of web hosting from either A2 Hosting or Server Logistics via the links on the Karelia Hosting Comparison Chart web page.
• SkypeCap has announced SkypeCap for Mac 3.6, an update to their Skype video and audio session recorder for Mac OS X. With a focus on ease-of-use, SkypeCap for Mac allows recording of audio and video conversation from Skype to video and audio files. SkypeCap for Mac saves your Skype sessions so that you could hear and watch them again later or share them with someone else. It fully integrates the process into the Mac experience by allowing human interaction during recording and conversion.

iPhone/iPod

• Appliya Studio, a provider of customizable template platforms for the creation of iPhone applications, is holding a photo contest for Halloween 2009. Contestants only need to submit their best Halloween photos to Appliya Studio, and the winning photos will become part of free iPhone apps that will be available worldwide.
• Codium Labs, LLC has released Babelshot 1.0 for iPhone and iPod touch. Babelshot allows automatic real-time translation of printed text using the iPhone’s camera. Busy professionals and foreign travelers can use Babelshot to instantly translate items like restaurant menus, hotel booklets, product manuals, or snippets from books and newspapers. Babelshot incorporates innovative image processing algorithms coupled with state-of-the-art Tesseract Optical Character Recognition engine.
• iWater Flow, now available on iPhone and iPod Touch, brings out the child in you. Use the jets of water and tilt the game to place the rings on the spikes. Test your dexterity with this reproduction of the water toys you played with as a child. The controls are the same, and you will soon be reaching your top scores again.
• Fluttr from indieSpring tasks you with saving a butterfly from an explosive end by sweeping aside flowers, poking away bees and pinning up spiders. Easy to pick up and play, with quick, fun gameplay paced gently in a unique artistic setting. Fluttr is built upon the torque iT2D platform from GarageGames, and is also available as a free download for PC & Mac.
• IGG Software has announced iBank Mobile 1.1 for iPhone and iPod touch. iBank Mobile harnesses the power of the desktop version of iBank for Mac to check account balances, enter transactions and categorize expenses, even in foreign currencies. Designed to sync seamlessly with the full edition of iBank, iBank Mobile also works as a separate, stand-alone app for handheld finance management. Version 1.1 adds running balances to transactions, as well as several other enhancements and fixes.
• Graphiclife has announced Tweetspotting 1.0.1, a powerful Twitter client for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Tweetspotting allows you to browse tweets from all over the globe. Explore any location and find out what people are thinking, doing and saying. Tweetspotting also includes a real-time friend tracker that will help you find and follow your friends. Tweetspotting will automatically post your current location to the Twitter servers while you’re on the move.
• Marware has announced the Sport Grip for the iPod nano 5G, their newest lineup of slim silicone cases. The Sport Grip provides smooth, stylish, slip-free silicone protection for the ultimate soft carrying solution. The Sport Grip for iPod nano is slim, comfortable, and is made with an antimicrobial additive. The Sport Grip allows for easy access to all iPod nano buttons and ports, and comes with Marware’s Lifetime Warranty.
• Legacy Effects, one of Hollywood’s most respected special makeup and animatronic effects companies, brings its famed design skills to the small screen of the Apple iPhone and iTouch with the release of its first iPhone App, iMut8r. The new App allows users to take photos of friends and family and transform or “mut8” them into their own custom versions of classic creatures and monsters.
• Gendai Games has announced the introduction of the GameSalad Membership Program and the conclusion of the iPhone Early Access Beta Program. Members of the GameSalad Membership Program now have the ability to publish their GameSalad-made games to the iPhone at the cost of only $99 per year for an Express membership. The GameSalad Membership Program features two tiers of membership: the $99 Express membership intended for casual and prosumers, and the $1999 Pro membership intended for studios and professional developers.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Gruml has been around for a while now, but its first beta was extremely glitchy; too much to make it a very interesting and useful application. However, more recent beta releases have made Gruml a much more stable application. To be specific, an impressive RSS reader that relies on Google Reader for functionality.

Many of you are probably familiar with NetNewsWire—an application I use on both my Mac and iPhone quite often—which has made the switch to syncing with Google Reader back in July. As Gruml advances with new features similar to that of NetNewsWire, it, along with other RSS readers that sync with Google Reader, will have some good competition.

One thing that Gruml is lacking, though, is the AppleScript dictionary, which is quite important in an RSS reader (although that may be implemented in future versions of the app). The keyboard navigation, although quite decent, is also not as good as that within Google Reader’s web interface, which can be navigated entirely with only a keyboard. One cool Gruml feature is the “Send Article to” menu, which uses 12 services, including Delicious, Twitter, Facebok, Ping.fm and Posterous. Other Google Reader features, such as note-taking and starring, are all very well implemented in Gruml, and sync perfectly with the service.

Gruml’s UI has come a long way since the first beta, and the app even allows you to switch between a 2-column or 3-column view. The ability to add feeds is very well done and simplifies the process a lot more than other RSS reader apps. Still, some techinical glitches and bugs remain even in the latest version of Gruml (for example, marking all articles as “read” doesn’t provide any visual feedback), but it is still a very promising Google Reader desktop app for Mac OS X.

As a free download, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t try Gruml.

Full Story » | Written by Patrick Lutz for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for October 27, 2009:

Macintosh

• There are only three days left to purchase the new MacFriendly Bundle of 12 applications for Mac users. The Bundle represents a savings of over 85% off the list prices. Additionally, two bonus applications will be added to the bundle for all customers when 1000 bundles have been sold. The latest version of each application is included in the bundle.
• Jumsoft has announced Keynote Objects FX 4.0 for Apple iWork. Keynote Objects FX is an excellent collection of 150 high-quality 3D images. The strikingly realistic images can be added to presentations as well as text documents to lend them a touch of authenticity. The subjects in Keynote Objects FX 4.0 range from classic furniture and flowers to gift boxes, and the latest selection includes 50 brand-new objects, including many options for sports enthusiasts and leisure-themed objects.
• Agile Web Solutions today announced 1Password 3 public beta, its award-winning password and identity manager for Mac OS X. Over a year in the making, 1Password 3 is the most significant upgrade in company history, incorporating years of customer feedback and new innovation. Version 3 adds ground-breaking features like 1PasswordAnywhere which allows users to view their 1Password information on any computer with a modern browser.
• St. Clair Software has announced HistoryHound 1.9.7, its fast, efficient multi-browser utility for searching the contents of web pages and RSS feeds. Version 1.9.7 broadens HistoryHound’s capabilities with support for the latest versions of Safari, Opera, and Google Chrome. It also adds the ability to search pages pointed to by webbookmark, webhistory, and webloc files, and improves speed and robustness as well.
• Macvide has announced FlashVideo Converter 3.6, an update to its professional Flash to Video conversion utility for Mac OS X. The FlashVideo Converter is a powerful and versatile program for converting any flash video file to one of many popular video formats including iPhone/iPod mp4, Mobile 3gp and MPEG2. FlashVideo Converter able to convert all FLV and SWF files with ActionScript support.
• Second Gear has released Today 1.8.2, an update to its flagship productivity application Today. Version 1.8.2 wraps up several small bug fixes for existing users on Snow Leopard. Today makes it easy to get a one day snapshot view of your upcoming events and tasks in a compact window. Adding new events and tasks is just as easy. You can quickly schedule next week’s meeting or a quick task in Today. No iCal required.
• Zevrix Solutions has announced Instant Backup 1.6.5, an update to its simple and very affordable solution to securely back up selected data on-line and locally. Instant Backup is designed to back up the most important and sensitive active projects - the ones users don’t want to take any chances with. And FTP backup assures that the data won’t be lost in the case of theft, fire or flood. The new version adds support for Mac OS X 10.6 and addresses some usability and connectivity issues.
• Booq, a leading brand of premium laptop carrying cases for creative professionals, has unveiled the Viper rush work-in laptop case. Viper rush is a hard-sided case designed to keep up with your fast-paced day at work, at home, and everything in between. Available at booqbags.com and retailers throughout the country, booq combines sophisticated design and functionality to deliver high-quality bags and cases for the next generation of ambitious professionals.
• Macgamestore.com has announced the release of Macinarium on its web site. Created by Amanita Design, Machinarium is an award-winng point-and-click adventure game by the team that created the critically acclaimed web games Samorost and Samorost2. Machinarium world is populated only by robots of various forms and functions. One of the most interesting places in this world is old, rusty and legendary city of Machinarium where the game takes place.
• Brothers Ian Gillespie and James Gillespie, developers and partners in IGG Software, will personally present IGG’s finance management applications, iBank and iBank Mobile, in demonstrations at four major Apple retail locations this November. Demonstrations of iBank will focus on ways the app can streamline users’ personal money management, including importing data from other Mac or PC finance apps and more.

iPhone/iPod

• PixTalk is a photo communication tool for all travellers. It is also the only language tool you need for travel. PixTalk carefully selects 100 pictures that could tell almost everything needed when traveling. What you have to do is point at the pictures to show what you need.
• MotionDrum is a drum simulator that lets you drum by simply waving your iPhone or iPod Touch in the air. No tiny buttons to tap; just take your device in hand and air drum in one of four different directions. You can choose from a multitude of drum and percussion sounds, as well as sound effects and beat box samples. Use it at parties, concerts, or anywhere else that serious air drumming is required.
• Zoo Games, Inc. has announced that Groovin’ Blocks—the popular puzzle/rhythm game hybrid first seen on Wii—is now available on the iTunes App Store. Like its console predecessor, the game features addicting puzzle action centered around high-energy original music. The portable version will feature all-new levels and new songs to keep you rockin’ on the go. Presented with a minimalistic style, the gameplay is easy to learn, but to become a Groovin’ master, players will need quick wits and the ability to keep a beat. Luckily, the game’s auto-save feature makes this a perfect title for those small blocks of time that iPhone gamers live for. With a perfect balance of casual action, Groovin’ Blocks will be livening up lunch breaks and dull commutes this fall.
• Geospace and developer RogueSheep today announced the WORD SPIN game for iPhone and iPod touch is available from the App Store. The WORD SPIN App combines the elements of popular word games, crossword puzzles and word searches into a portable game for iPhone and iPod touch. The app is a great way to sharpen language skills by identifying words and anagrams from two to eight letters in length. For decades, the Original WORD SPIN has been both entertaining and challenging for everyone from kids to scholars.
• Creaceed today released Vocalia 2.1 speech recognition on the App Store. In addition to English, French and German, Version 2.1 adds Spanish, Italian and Dutch and updated CeedVocal SDK for iPhone speech recognition. Thanks to Vocalia, people owning an iPhone v1, 3G or a 2nd generation iPod Touch have access to speech recognition features like on iPhone 3GS. Vocalia is based on CeedVocal SDK, the speech recognition technology developed by Creaceed for the iPhone.
• WebIS Inc. has announced a major update to its Calendaring/To Do application for the iPhone, Pocket Informant. This release adds push alarms, calendar filtering, automatic sync, optional mini-text-in-month view, improved performance and stability, and much more.  Pocket Informant offers Calendaring and To do management in one easy to use application and is the premiere Personal Information Manager for iPhone, Windows Mobile, and BlackBerry devices.
• Drinking budget down these days? Got a $5 bill burning a hole in your pocket?  In desperate need of a drink? Well, APPSolute Media and Lush Life Productions have a solution to all of your problems. Step 1: Download Happy Houred from your iPhone or iTouch (for FREE). Step 2: Search for specials near you. Step 3: Find Mr. McPints in Austin, TX offering $2.50 vodka tonics for the next hour. Step 4: Redeem your $5 for 2 tasty beverages.
• Sunstorm Interactive Inc. today announces Real Deer Hunting 1.0, their first hunting game for iPhone and iPod touch. Real Deer Hunting tests players’ skill, patience, and persistence as they find themselves in realistic locations, using all the tools of the trade to bring in and bag that elusive monster buck. Building on the style and knowledge of over 50 value games and hunting simulations, Real Deer Hunting provides the most realistic hunting experience available.
• Just in time for Halloween comes the “iFreak” iPhone and iPod Touch application for Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant. “iFreak” allows fans to join the freak show. Users can take a photo and transform into their favorite freak from the film, including the bearded lady Madame Truska, Loafhead, Gertha Teeth, Mr. Tiny, Wolfman, Rhamus Two-Bellies, Evra Von, and Larten Crepsley. Users can mix and match characters and add endless features until they are completely satisfied, save it, and share it. The “iFreak” application also contains a gallery of photos from the film and the official trailer.
• Bikini-babes, zombies, bombs, music, bloodshed, slingshots; never before has a single game combined all of the essential elements into one unified whole. But now, Smort brings us Bikini Zombie Babes. They come in wave after wave. They are scantily clad. And yes, they are trying to eat your brains. The alien invaders have cloned one of the most beautiful women on the internet—Marina Orlova of hotforwords.com—and they are ready to do battle:

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Recently, I’ve come across a very cool and useful Mac application known as GrandPerspective (yes, the URL is intentionally misspelt), a utility that scans a chosen area of your hard drive and outputs an illustration of how your hard drive space is being used. This can be particularly useful if you’re running low on disk space or have large unused and/or unwanted files hidden away that are taking up a lot of your free space.

To operate GrandPerspective, you simply choose a directory for the app to scan. After a few seconds (or minutes, depending on the size and amount of files and folders within), you’ll be greeted with a nice graphical representation of how your hard drive space within that chosen directory is being used. From there, you can browse through all of the files in that directory. If you find something you’d like to delete, you can click the Reveal button to see it in your Finder and move it to the Trash from there.

The many squares and rectangles you’ll notice after you complete the scan are a visualization of file sizes on your hard drive (yes, bigger squares/rectangles means a larger file size). For those smaller squares and rectangles that seem quite minuscule in comparison to the others, you can use the built-in focus tools to zoom in on them and find out exactly what they are, or you could do the opposite if you’re only interested in files that are eating up the most free space.

Overall, GrandPerspective is a great, simple tool that allows you to monitor how your hard drive space is being used. And with a price tag of free, you can’t go wrong. GrandPerspective is only available for Mac OS X, but Windows users can check out WinDirStat.

Product [GrandPerspectiv]

Full Story » | Written by Patrick Lutz for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for October 26, 2009:

Macintosh

• Regular Rate and Rhythm Software have announced Rowmote Pro 2.2, a major update to their complete remote control solution for Mac OS X and Apple TV. Rowmote Pro emulates the Apple hardware remote control, providing application-specific controls through a consistent interface, while also featuring a multitouch trackpad and keyboard. Version 2.2 adds direct control over Movst, OpenOffice Impress, and PandoraBoy and expands the wireless keyboard to include function and arrow keys.
• Open Door Networks Inc. has announced that it is now shipping a major update to its DoorStop line of Internet security products for Mac OS X. The update focuses on features and information for Apple’s new Snow Leopard (Mac OS X 10.6) operating system as well as the iPhone, and adds a Twitter stream and other customer-requested items.
• app4mac has released SecretBox 2 for Mac OS X, iPhone and iPod touch. SecretBox allows you to keep your secrets in a safe place. It uses the industry standard 256-bit AES encryption to protect your data. The new version bring a new user interface, a major rewrite of the code, an improved security and more options for import/export. Most people will use SecretBox for personal use, but businesses can also use SecretBox for managing software licenses.
• Freeverse announced an update to Sound Studio’s Monbots, free automation tools available for the popular audio editing and sound creation Mac application developed by Felt Tip Software. Monbots are now compatible with Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard). Monbots are a collection of absolutely free automation tools that help you perform complex tasks on multiple sound files. Examples include the Clean & Convert plug-in, which scrubs your audio clean with Noise Gate and Dynamics Compression; Mastering Console, which makes your audio sparkle using Equalization Curves, High and Low Pass Filters, Reverb, Fade and More Cowbell; Bookend Audio, which lets you add an intro and outro; and Stitch, which does the dirty work of combining multiple audio files together with none of the hassle.
• Gracion Software LLC has released Gracion Enclose 1.1 for OS X. Gracion Enclose sends large files without the limitations of email attachments. Files dragged to Enclose are uploaded to the server of your choice (such as MobileMe or your web server) while creating a templated email in one step. To receive a file, recipients don’t need to visit a special web site or install software. They simply click a link in each email to display or download the file through their own web browsers.
• Mac-Chi has announced WhoPaste 3.3 which features flexible multi-user licensing. The new WhoPaste licenses can be installed on any supported Mac, can be transferred to another Mac, and can even be remotely deactivated. All current WhoPaste customers can upgrade their original license to a new license at no charge. WhoPaste is a powerful front-end for Daylite, Google Contacts, Entourage, and Address Book.
• Zevrix Solutions has announced LinkOptimizer 4.1.6, a maintenance update to its popular workflow automation solution for Adobe InDesign. LinkOptimizer allows users to reduce InDesign job size and speed up processing by eliminating excess image data, performing essential image adjustments and converting file formats. The new version addresses several performance and stability issues related to settings presets, user interface and image processing.
• QuickerTek has announced a new Dual USB device which can run at 802.11a which is 5.8GHz and 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz. This USB device adds high speed wireless to any Mac with an open USB port running at least 10.4.x through 10.6. The 802.11a standard is the highest speed wireless available anywhere, working with 5.8GHz provides up to 300Mbps twice as fast as 802.11n which provides up to 130Mbps.

iPhone/iPod

• Ocarina Spirit v2 brings an exciting new feature—the ability to play more than 20 different sounds of instruments, like the guitar, the piano, the Indian sitar, the harmonica, the bass, the violin, etc. It also features a completely revised interface with intuitive icons and the ability to record the song you are playing. Available for the iPhone and iPod touch 2nd gen, Ocarina Spirit v2 is free for a short time only.
• Elements2Dance has announced songvoo 1.1, their updated iPod music player app for iPhone and iPod Touch. This update adds many groundbreaking features including Facebook integration, shape gestures, 15,000 theme combinations, Intro-Outro skipping, and a streamlined interface. songvoo serves as a great iPod companion for both casual user and music professionals alike, or anyone who has a large, constantly changing music collection to stay on top of.
• Nanaimo Studio has introduced Idea Organizer 1.0, their new free-form note taking and organizer utility for iPhone and iPod touch. Developed specifically to take advantage of the iPhone’s unique capabilities and interface, Idea Organizer is a simple yet powerful tool that lets anyone quickly record their ideas, reminders and notes in whatever form that suits them the most. It aims to be the perfect tool to safe-keep clever ideas, gift reminders, school or meeting notes, and more.
• Press Start LLC has announced 4Notes 1.0, their taking application for iPhone and iPod touch. 4Notes offers a combination of features which allow users access to their notes from anywhere, including their iPhone/iPod touch, the internet, and their email. With fast syncing, real-time search, the ability to email notes, and more, 4Notes is an incredible application for anyone wanting a better note taking experience on their iPhone/iPod touch.
• Volutopia has launched SculptMaster 3D 1.1.0, a major update to world’s first digital sculpting and painting application for iPhone and iPod touch. Previously only seen on high-end PCs, SculptMaster 3D brings full volumetric sculpting capabilities to mobile devices, allowing artists to experiment and sketch on the go. Using the export features, work can be easily continued later on a computer, enabling a whole new level of productivity.
• Vocalia, Creaceed’s speech recognition application for the iPhone, is now available in 6 languages: English, French, German, Dutch, Italian and Spanish.
• Independent software developer Steve Glinberg has announced KidCalc 1.6, an update to his popular animated math flash cards and learning game for iPhone and iPod touch. Designed specifically to leverage the iPhone’s peerless interface, KidCalc helps teach math to children, ages 3-8 years, using Halloween themed graphics, engaging animations and voice-overs by a child. KidCalc is now four apps in one, including animated math flash cards, math drills, counting games, and an animated calculator.
• Former NFL player Tony Mandarich has launched BoxScore Babes, the ultimate NFL fan application, providing a live, streaming NFL score feed alongside images of bikini, fitness, and lingerie models. Check out the pictures in gallery mode, with 9 images on the screen, or scroll through the images in full-screen mode. Each image is downloadable to your iPhone or iTouch. Want to find your team’s score fast? Just click on the “score” button to see a full page of current scores.
• Over 1.5 billion iPhone apps were downloaded from Apple’s App Store in just one year. iPhone for Programmers gives you everything you’ll need to start developing great iPhone apps quickly and—once you’ve joined Apple’s fee-based iPhone Developer Program—to get them up and running on the App Store.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Provides: USB audio input
Developer: Blue
Minimum Requirements: Mac OSX; USB 1.0 or 2.0; 64MB RAM
Cost: $99.95
Availability: Now

Microphone maker Blue may have hit on the secret formula for success; create an easy-to-use product with a great design that also works really well. If other companies catch on to this idea…

The first thing you notice about the Snowball is its physical design. It’s fun without being goofy—a white and chrome ball atop a shiny tripod (it’s also available in brush metal and black). It’s professional without being intimidating. In fact, it looks friendly. There’s a small red light that lets you know it’s pulling power, and the tripod legs are thick and support it well; no worries about it sliding around. The physical design is a total winner, making it a microphone that’s interesting enough to have sitting on your desk as a work of abstract art when you’re not using it. If you’re not used to working with a mic, or think you might have “stage fright” when it comes time to speak, the low-key design of the snowball makes it comfortable for amateurs to use. It’s not pointing at you, you see, it’s siting there, waiting for you to play with it.

A single USB cord connects it to your computer (where it gets its power, no batteries required), and on the back is a small switch which controls the mic’s settings: cardioid (records what’s in front of mic), cardioid with -10dB pad (for loud sounds or live music) and omni (picks up sound from 360 degrees around the mic).

Garage Band detects the mic without problem, which figures since it’s designed for podcasting. I found the audio quality to be excellent, but also found myself leaning into the mic to make sure I was getting more volume. When I tried recording in Windows XP (running virtually in VMware) I had to plug the mic in a couple of times for the computer to recognize it, and really boost my speaking voice to get adequate volume, but it was an unusal setup, and I had neither of those problems when running it in Leopard or Snow Leopard.

Once I had a physical setup that I was comforatable with, figured out where the Snowball worked for me, and how loudly I needed to speak, the audio quality was excellent. I’ve used only low-end USB mics before (along with the internal mics on my Mac for Skype and iChat), and the Snowball has none of their problems (tinny sound, static, etc.). The audio is rich and the playback was warm and realistic.

At almost $100 retail, the Snowball isn’t the cheapest microphone you’ll find, nor is it truly a “pro” mic; you can only connect it via USB, and its simple settings make it ideal for home office use. It’s a prosumer item, but for those who need to take their audio seriously (podcasters, people who use audio chat frequently) without having a home studio, the Snowball is a well-designed piece of hardware that delivers great audio and connects simply with Garage Band.

Full Story » | Written by Bill Stiteler for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Leading up to the release of Mac OS X back in 2001, many users were worried about compatibility with Mac OS 9 and below. Mac OS X was completely different from its predecessors, and only some Mac OS 9 applications that were “Carbonized” would run natively in Mac OS X. Users would have lost access to all of their older applications and documents if Apple didn’t create a Classic environment that emulated Mac OS 9 from within Mac OS X. However, Classic reached its end of life in Mac OS X v10.4, and later versions of OS X didn’t include it at all. Also, since Apple had made the switch from PowerPC to Intel-based machines, any new Apple computers that ran on Intel processors couldn’t use Classic, even if they were running Mac OS X 10.4 or earlier.

For those who have legacy applications that need to be used, there are two possible solutions. If you have a relatively old Macintosh lying around that’s capable of running older versions of Mac OS, you could boot it into OS 9 and run the application on that computer. If you don’t own an older Macintosh or don’t find that to be a practical solution, you can try SheepShaver, a PowerPC emulator that runs under Mac OS X. The project began over 10 years ago as a commercial application for BeOS, and is now free and open-source and runs on multiple platforms, including Windows and Linux. The Mac version of SheepShaver is a universal binary that can run natively on any Intel-based Mac.

Before you decide to try SheepShaver though, keep in mind that it is not intended for a typical Mac user, and requires users to obtain a ROM file and perform a variety of steps, which is outlined in this helpful step-by-step tutorial. If you decide to try SheepShaver out for yourself, let us know how it goes in the comments.

For more details on SheepShaver, including the somewhat complicated set up process, read TidBITS.

Product [SheepShaver]

Full Story » | Written by Patrick Lutz for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

This week, Google announced an official version of Google Chrome, a result of the Chromium project, at the Web 2.0 Summit in California. What that means is that outside of nightly developer builds, this version—build 4.0.223.8—is the first official release build of the software. While the Windows version has been official and crushing it for quite some time now, Google certainly took their time on the Mac side. However, if you plan on trying out Chrome for Mac, I would definitely say it’s worth the wait, as I have been using it for quite some time now on my machine even in the earlier builds.

Some of the most interesting features for Chrome lie in the simplistic and minimalistic interface. As you would expect, the normal navigational buttons are near the top of the screen with the address bar. However, unlike most browsers, Chrome places the tabs above the address bar and bookmarks bar instead of below it. To me, this doesn’t really alter how I use the software much, but it is sort of a refreshing change. Furthermore, the way Chrome handles tabs is really great. For instance, you can drag and drop tabs into new windows or from one window to another simply by moving them with the mouse.

Another interface aspect of the Chrome browser is the themes that can be applied. All you need to do is go to the theme page and install one straight from there in order to get a fresh new look. While I haven’t looked through all the themes, though, I have stuck with the default one, as it works very well with the look and feel of my Mac.

As far as features go, there are some things I like about Chrome other than the speed. For one, it will show you the actual URL of a link along the bottom when you hover over it, which is nice. Furthermore, it has a top sites feature much like that of Safari. All this said, there are still some issues that exist with the software. For instance, sometimes I’ll have to revert to Safari to get Java based components of sites, such as Facebook’s photo uploader.

Either way, I strongly suggest you try this piece of software out. It can be downloaded at google.com.

Full Story » | Written by Josh Holat for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for October 23, 2009:

Macintosh

• Calf Trail Software today released Geotagalog 1.4, their innovative tracklog based geotagging utility for Mac OS X. Geotagalog enables precise iPhoto Places support with any digital camera. It automatically combines digital photos with location data from a GPS tracklog. Version 1.4 brings significant performance improvements and better control over which files are imported into iPhoto.
• Arten Science has announced that ooSooM is now available for free of charge for Mac OS X and Windows. ooSooM is a Todo Management and Secure Digital Filing System. The idea behind ooSooM is simple. ooSooM does not attempt to force a predetermined methodology. It features a very free and open format allowing you to use it however you like, but with enough structure to ensure that once logged, information can retrieved easily and readily.
• Independent author Andrei Doubrovski has announced Elements+ 1.0, his new enhancement patch for Adobe Photoshop Elements 8. Elements+ is a handy add-on that unlocks the undocumented advanced functions in Photoshop Elements featured in the latest versions of Photoshop. The unleashed features can be accessed via dedicated dialog boxes. The kit includes smart filters, vector masks, and many more advanced tools normally hidden under the hood.
• MacFriendly has released their new MacFriendly Bundle of 12 applications for Mac users. The Bundle represents a savings of over 85% off the list prices. The bundle includes the latest version of each application. Additionally, two bonus applications will be added to the bundle for all customers when 1000 bundles have been sold. The MacFriendly Bundle provides an unprecedented selection of high quality software at unprecedented low prices.
• Programming in Objective-C 2.0 LiveLessons, Part I is the world’s first complete video training course on the fundamentals of Objective-C, the programming language at the heart of Mac OS X and iPhone development. Bestselling author and trainer Stephen G. Kochan provides the new programmer with a step-by-step, hands-on introduction to the Objective-C language and the fundamentals of object-oriented programming. The course does not assume any previous programming experience, and includes many detailed, practical examples of how to put Objective-C to use in everyday programming tasks.

iPhone/iPod

• Appnoose Ltd has released ITGO, Interval Trainer GO 1.1, an update to their dedicated interval signaling application for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Version 1.1 features a flip function on the ratio setting as requested by some customers. This new feature enables additional workout timings for greater flexibility while performing workouts. ITGO was specifically designed to offer advanced user controlled signaling while playing user-defined fast/slow interval song playlists.
• 99Games has announced the release of its brand new game, Fish Fun, for the iPhone. Fish Fun is an exciting game where the motive is to keep your fish alive by avoiding bigger fish and making your fish grow by eating smaller fish. The player must go through 30 levels, unlocking other characters and gaining power-ups along the way. The game can be played in accelerometer or hot corner mode. It includes three fascinating Mini Games in addition to the main game play for short bursts of play.
• Tunewear has announced today it is now shipping VisualDock, an AV docking station with remote control for iPhone and iPod. Complete with S-video and line outputs, easily set up and enjoy movies, photos and music stored in your iPhone or iPod by simply connecting VisualDock to a television or stereo.
• BeBop Games has announced the first person to solve their What is this App? game for iPhone and iPod touch. As its name suggests, the puzzle challenges users to figure out its identity. Meredith Kenaston became the first person to solve What is this App?, solved 29 days after its release. The puzzle tests trivia, logic, math, and lateral thinking skills as well as the user’s common sense.
• Blue Lightning Labs has announced a sale on their popular iPhone application Mathemagics, an application for learning to mentally calculate math problems at phenomenal speeds. For a limited time Mathemagics is on sale at more than 60% off. Mathemagics 1.1 contains 20 different math tricks for multiplying, dividing and squaring numbers faster than many people can use a calculator.
• Alta Vida LLC has announced a sale on Babelingo, their language translation utility for iPhone and iPod Touch. For a limited time the app is on sale at more than 70% off. Containing 11 languages, with 110 unique language combinations, Babelingo is an easy-to-use phrase book communicator, allowing anyone to show a professionally translated phrase to a foreign language audience. Phrases are displayed in a large and beautifully rendered script, easily read from a distance.
• GameFly, the number one video game rental service, has announced the launch of its GameCenter App on the App Store. Available for free, the GameCenter App gives iPhone and iPod touch users access to information on more than 5,000 video games across all major platforms including up-to-the minute news, videos, screenshots, release dates, user reviews, gameplay controls, cheats, codes and more.
• Old and young, most are aware of the risk that comes with running wild on the streets Halloween night. So, with the sweet, spooky taste of last year’s Halloween Sale still lingering, once again Speck is preparing your gadgets for the big night with 50% off all their clear, white, black, purple and orange-colored cases. That means, starting today, you can start lining your goody bag with any of their cases in these five ghoulish shades.
• The 3rd Annual Virtual Goods Summit, the premier online gaming event for companies and individuals involved in the virtual goods space, today unveiled a lineup of new additions to their program, including an iPhone panel, five new speakers and two new lectures. The updated program comes in the wake of new research that projects the virtual goods market will grow to $1 billion in 2009, making the 3rd Annual Virtual Goods Summit a must-attend event, not only for those in the industry, but for anyone involved in the business of gaming or social networking.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for October 22, 2009:

Macintosh

• BKeeney Software, Inc. has announced Task Timer 4.2, with major changes to its time management software for Mac OS X and Windows. Version 4.2 is a maintenance release for improved performance and increased functionality. There are several bug fixes in version 4.2, including improvements to the events and project/task editors. Task Timer is an easy-to-use project management tool that allows users to track time spent on an unlimited number of projects and tasks.
• Storyist Software is celebrating National Novel Writing Month with some special offers for Mac users who strive to write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. Storyist Software will give everyone who participates in NaNoWriMo’s Night of Writing Dangerously fundraiser a free copy of Storyist 2. NaNoWriMo participants who are unable to attend the write-a-thon can get Storyist 2 for 25% off. Storyist 2 is a powerful story development tool for novelists and screenwriters.
• Blue Crowbar Software has released Impression 1.1, an update to the watermark plugins for iPhoto and Aperture, Apple’s photo editing and management applications. Impression provides a simple way to add a visual watermark to your photos from within iPhoto or Aperture. With a watermark, you can add your company logo, a signature or a copyright statement to the photos that you’re posting on the internet. Version 1.1 adds three frequently requested features and fixes a few smaller issues.
• Yazsoft has announced Speed Download 5.2.7, an important update to their popular download manager for Mac OS X. Speed Download 5 redefines the Mac OS X download manager by combining four amazing products: a turbo-charged download manager, a fully featured secure FTP client, a file sharing utility with full encryption, and complete .Mac/iDisk/WEBDAV connectivity, into one small and easy to use application. Version 5.2.7 sports tighter integration for downloading YouTube videos and more.
• Vemedio has released Snowtape 1.3, a major improvement update to their internet radio recording solution for Mac OS X. Snowtape the easiest and most intuitive software for recording internet radio. Snowtape enables the user to quickly find and record his or her favorite music, add album artwork and export it right into iTunes. Version 1.3 adds Windows Media streaming technology and export to MP3.
• Mac users looking for up-to-date documentation on nearly anything relating to managing user accounts or sharing files from a Mac can now turn to two new ebooks in the Take Control series. In “Take Control of Users & Accounts in Snow Leopard,” author Kirk McElhearn explains why a Mac has user accounts, as well as how to set them up, manage them, and use them within a single Mac in various real-world scenarios. McElhearn particularly looks at configuring accounts for children or in a small computer lab. In “Take Control of Sharing Files in Snow Leopard,” networking guru Glenn Fleishman helps readers decide if they should set up a local Mac as a file server or use an Internet-hosted option. For those interested in setting up a local file server, Fleishman walks them through picking out hardware, setting up file-sharing services, configuring accounts, using accounts, and much more.
• Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning’s Daemon Moon Rising Live Event runs in-game from October 22rd through November 2nd. Damon Moon Rising tells the tale of a fiendish sub-cult of Chaos artificers who have bound savage daemons into innocuous carnival masks and smuggled them into the Empire. The Halloween Live Event will feature the Daemon Mask event quest, a new Daemonball Rally Public Quest, a special Realm vs. Realm scenario, and treats both fair and foul!
• FCP World today announces Blu-ray Templates for Final Cut Studio 2009, its first product for video makers. This is new collection adds 60 additional Blu-ray templates to the Final Cut Studio package, greatly enhancing options for Blu-ray disc production. The templates are fully animated, high-quality looping backgrounds, and work with FCP 7 and Motion 4 and are localized for Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Spanish.
• Third Street Software, Inc. has announced Sente 6.0, the popular academic reference manager for Max OS X. Sente 6.0 introduces a number of important enhancements, including synchronized libraries, hierarchical reference tagging, PDF markup and more. Originally released in 2004, Sente is in use by students, faculty and researchers in most major academic institutions around the world.

iPhone/iPod

• Twisted Technology has announced Travel Games Ultimate Edition 1.0, their new game suite for iPhone and iPod touch. Travel Games Ultimate Edition is five games in one app providing popular titles like Slug Bug, Scavenger Hunt, Rock-Paper-Scissors, License Plates and Hidden Pictures. This unique collection of games has been developed to engage multiple players so everyone can get in on the fun.
• MotionObj has announced SimplyTweet 2.5, an update to their full featured Twitter application for iPhone and iPod touch. SimplyTweet combines a fast, simple user interface with a rich set of features. The update adds support for TextExpander, application-wide landscape support, Mute support, performance improvements and many other tweaks. It supports advanced functionality such as mentions and direct messages push notifications, themes, photo search, and photo and video posting and much more.
• Lucky Me is a series of chance based games/activities that combine luck, intuition, and a wee bit of smartness. Click, shake, tap, pinch, and squish your way into gauging your luck. At the end of the activities, let the karmic software tell you which direction your luck is headed.
• Grantwood Technology, LLC has announced the release of the tuneband for iPod nano, an armband product designed to comfortably secure the iPod nano in place during exercise, including Nike iPod compatibility. The tuneband is compatible with the 5th generation of the iPod nano and is available in six colors. Each tuneband consists of a comfortable and flexible armband strap that can accommodate both large and small arms with a durable silicone skin.
• PRG Consulting has announced My Christmas Gift List 1.0, their new Christmas list organizer for iPhone and iPod Touch devices. My Christmas Gift List was specially designed to help you organize your Christmas shopping. This shopping list manager is the perfect tool to take care of all your shopping for the Holiday season: starting from contacts, budget to ideas and gifts, organize your Christmas shopping in the most efficient and enjoyable way.
• ASD Soft has announced Bikini Lines 1.1, an update to their popular puzzle game for iPhone and iPod Touch. Designed specifically to leverage the iPhone’s unique abilities and interface, Bikini Lines is an extremely addictive challenging game featuring 20 levels with gorgeous girls. The aim of the Bikini Lines is to drag and arrange similarly colored balls in lines to remove them. As they disappear, fabulous photos of sexy models are revealed.
• Abundant Creature and Finger Food Studios have announced Yoga Teacher 1.0, their premiere Yoga App for iPhone and iPod touch. Yoga Teacher features a unique full real-time 3D interface allows students of Yoga to learn how to perfect and optimize their Yoga postures in an interactive, highly visual environment. Yoga Teacher also maintains a log of user progress over time so that you can track your progress and understanding as your studies continue.
• Skyworks has announced another fun and addictive application: Boardwalk Games. Step right up and try your skill at winning prizes at your favorite boardwalk/midway attractions. Boardwalk Games combines 3 of your favorite carnival games on a scrollable nighttime boardwalk so you feel like you’re right there, in the middle of the fun. What’s more exciting is that you can win prizes at each attraction based on your score! The prizes get stored in your Prize Booth, which is like a Trophy Room of how well you did at the carnival.
• Just in time for Halloween, Paramount Digital Entertainment has released Pet Sematary for the iPhone and iPod touch, a top-down, tap-to-kill arcade game inspired by the classic horror film. In Pet Sematary, a grief-stricken father buries his son in an ancient animal burial ground, where it is said everything laid to rest there will come back to life. But the burial ground is for animals only; when the animals and his son rise from the grave, they have a new hunger for human flesh. Players in Pet Sematary take on the role of a lone hero uninterested in becoming cat food. Perched on the rooftops, players will shoot down undead animals by tapping them one to four times as they race across the screen to feast on innocent townspeople.
• iSkin Inc. today launched two new great ways to protect and compliment the recently released iPod nano 5G: the sleek and sophisticated iSkin Duo and the elegantly fashionable iSkin Vibes.
• iSkin has released the iSkin DuoBand: the ideal solution for people with active lifestyles who want to protect and enjoy their iPod nano while on-the-go or during exercise.  Unlike other armband solutions, the iSkin DuoBand allows users to conveniently slip their iSkin-protected iPod nano into the armband accessory—and back out again—without the hassle of having to remove its silicone protector.
• Vuzix Corporation is shipping the Wrap 310 worldwide. The game-changing Wrap 310 challenges the status quo of traditional video viewing devices by looking and feeling like normal sunglasses. The Wrap 310, featuring twin high-resolution video displays and projecting a 55-inch screen at 10-feet is now available through Vuzix.com and a number of other retailers and distribution partners.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for October 21, 2009:

Macintosh

• Ortelius map illustration software for Mac OS X provides a welcomed solution with its introduction of Linear Select. Ortelius is a vector-based drawing program made especially for map design and presentation. It offers a creative solution for floor plans, landscape plans, scaled drawings, and a wide variety of high quality custom map graphics. Linear Select is a new drawing tool for highlighting and selecting portions of linear features and automatically inserting labels, styles, and symbols.
• Code 42 Software Inc. has launched a new version of its CrashPlan backup software. This update offers new controls to enable users to maximize protection for more recent files, while minimizing unnecessary versions for older files. This is in keeping with the Code 42 objectives of making its software “People Friendly, Enterprise Tough.”
• WaterField Designs has announced a new, custom-fitted, protective SleeveCase for the 13.3-inch unibody MacBook. Like a bespoke suit, the WaterField SleeveCase provides a comfortable but snug fit specifically sized for Apple’s newest MacBook edition. WaterField’s new size 13-4 SleeveCase is compatible with the popular, recently-announced Muzetto 13” laptop bag, also from WaterField.
• SimpleLeap Software has announced a new contest on their company blog. They will giving away one Apple Magic Mouse and one copy of their Mac flashcard and testing study app, Cram, to two lucky winners just for commenting on their blog. The contest is easy to enter. Simply leave a comment on the contest blog post and SimpleLeap will select two winners randomly on October 29, 2009. Winners will be announced on on Halloween, October 31, 2009.
• Shiny Frog has announced Delibar 1.0, a full featured Delicious Mac client. Delibar focuses on giving Mac OS X users an easy and quick tool for searching, managing and sharing their Delicious bookmarks. Delibar syncs one or more Delicious accounts with your Mac and let you find, add, edit and modify your bookmark directly from your Mac OS X System bar. Using Delibar is as easy as using Spotlight, all your bookmarks are only a click away.
• Nodhead Software has announced Warranty Hero 1.3, a major update to their product and warranty utility for Mac OS X. Warranty Hero allows anyone to manage receipts quickly and easily keep track of a products life-span and its accompanying warranty guarantee. With a focus on ease-of-use, adding new product information is as simple as entering its name, vendor, purchase dateand a time the warranty expires. Optional information for serial number, price, product image.
• Zevrix Solutions has announced the File Courier 1.0 public beta, a pre-release version of its new automatic digital delivery solution. File Courier delivers files and folders to FTP and local destinations and sends automatic e-mail delivery notifications. The e-mail messages are based on customizable templates and contain the detailed info about the item and its location. The software also lets users attach files to e-mail messages and send them as encrypted disk images.

iPhone/iPod

• Fotozio, LLC has announced the immediate availability of PicTranslator, the first free picture translator iPhone app. They are offering PicTranslator, along with the initial language of choice, as a free app. Additional individual languages can be purchased for $1.99 each or the entire set of 16 languages for $2.99. PicTranslator turns the iPhone camera into a point-and-shoot translator. Foreign road signs, menus, maps, etc., can be translated with the push of a button—no phrasebook lookups or typing of foreign text required to understand and read printed text.
• MaxNick has introduced iChapaev 1.0, their new board game for iPhone and iPod Touch. Developed specifically to leverage the iPhone’s slick interface, iChapaev offers a new twist on the popular game of checkers. The aim of the game is to knock off all the opponent’s checkers in under seven rounds. Players point each piece by dragging it until the right amount of tension is set to increase or decrease the force of impact, and then released in the direction of the opponent’s piece.
• Visuamobile is proud to announce the release of its new application: GeoMaster 2.0. GeoMaster is a geography-based game for iPhone and iPodTouch in which the player has to place, in a limited time frame, cities and countries of the world on a map. This V 2.0 comes with 5 new maps (Asia, Africa, Europe, USA and France) and 8 new challenges.
• Game developer syncRage has released Taxi Drive 1.1 an update to their popular taxi crasher for iPhone and iPod touch. Taxi Drive is one of those games that is brilliantly simple and provides an awesome amount of fun. Make money as a taxi driver on the asphalt of New York or London. You must confront yourself with increasing traffic density and can earn additional lives and unlock licenses for new neighborhoods. Celebrity passengers pay high tips, but don’t waiting long.
• TuneWear has announced it is now shipping updated colors for the popular Tetran cable winder collection. New colors Blue, Purple, Black and White have now been added to the existing color assortment of Green, Yellow, Pink, Orange and Luminous. Tetran is a fun cable winder for your favorite iPhone, iPod or MP3 player’s earbud headphones. Just wind your cable around Tetran’s body and use the cute mouth as a holder for your earbuds. The spikes keep Tetran from running away and there is a removable ball-bearing style chain included for attaching Tetran to your belt look, mobile phone strap or key ring.
• Los Angeles based 24x7digital has announced Aw Craps! 1.5, an update to their popular casino game for iPhone and iPod Touch. With its realistic table layout, game play, stick calls and dice rolling, Aw Craps! takes you onto the casino floor and into the action, allowing seasoned shooters to hone their skills, as well as allowing beginners to learn enough to hit the casino tables. Version 1.5 offers many enhancements, including roll and bet history for the last 500 rolls.
• Finger Arts has announced Guess the News 1.5.1, an update to their word based game for iPhone and iPod touch. Designed specifically to leverage the iPhone’s peerless capabilities and interface, Guess the News is a unique news-based word game where players guess the latest news from major news sources. Choose a news section, read the brief article description, and then guess the article’s title by matching the letters to their right slots.
• Howling Moon Software has announced Twilight Golf for iPhone and iPod touch. Twilight Golf is platformer-esque adventure through the dark reaches of Twilight Temple. Players swipe to move through physics puzzles to reach the goal in as few strokes as possible. Brought to you by the developers of Crayon Ball, the critically acclaimed iPhone Apple Staff Pick, Twilight Golf features Chipmunk Physics and Howling Moon Software’s new SHADE shadowing engine.
• Dangerous Decisions LLC has introduced the NIOSH Pocket Guide 1.0, their new chemical hazards database for iPhone and iPod touch. Designed specifically to take advantage of the iPhone’s interface, the NIOSH Pocket Guide gives safety professionals immediate access to crucial information on all of 677 chemicals in the database including all the resources of the NIOSH Pocket Guide and much more.
• Indie game developer Bryan Mitchell has introduced Geared 1.1, an update to his gear-based strategy game for iPhone and iPod Touch. Designed specifically to leverage the iPhone’s unique capabilities and interface, Geared features a free-form environment unrestrained by the traditional snap-grid experience. Geared features 120 levels of gameplay with varying difficulty, level selection menu, and original sound effects.
• Sarsoft has introduced Rescue Kit 1.0, their new emergency application for iPhone devices. Rescue Kit aims to help in real-life situations. It displays your GPS coordinates on a map, together with town and street names, saving countless minutes in finding the accident’s location. Rescue Kit also features a handy flashlight function which pulses the international SOS signal, so that in places with little mobile coverage, you can get the attention of rescue teams.
• Ian Maskell recently launched iPhone App Freelancer, a website offering the ability to turn great ideas into apps with little or no programming knowledge. iPhone App Freelancer is a service that connects freelancer iPhone application developers with entrepreneurs and businesses that require custom programming, applications, graphics and development projects for the iPhone. Joel Comm developed iFart, which in its first few weeks earned him over $10,000 a day.
• Mobila Interactive has announced their iPhone OS port of Powermanga, an arcade style 2D scrolling shooter. As a member of an elite space unit, code name Powermanga, you blast through the streams of meteorites, pirates and parasites in order to achieve the objective of guaranteeing a safe passage through each region of space. At your disposal is a powerful ship with a sophisticated weapons system. In order to survive, you must earn power-ups and upgrade your ship wisely.
• I-play, Oberon Media’s publishing division and the world’s leading multi-platform casual games publisher, today announced Women’s Murder Club: Death in Scarlet is the first Women’s Murder Club game to be available for iPhone and iPod touch.  Now available in the Apple App Store, the latest release in the wildly successful game series, which has reached more than 15 million downloads since its launch in 2008, puts players in the role of the Women’s Murder Club characters to study murder scenes, perform forensic analysis and find evidence to solve a series of ghastly murders in San Francisco.  Each spine-tingling investigation features beguiling and brain-bending puzzles that will test players’ wits as they chase a moonstruck murderer.
• Sub Hunt from Addictinggames.com brings arcade style action to the iPhone in a way that no other game has. You’re in control of an advanced prototype submarine as you battle your way through scores of enemies. Depth charges, mines, torpedoes and bombs are just some of what awaits you. The fate of the world is in your hands!

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for %B %e, %Y:

Macintosh

• Nisus Software has announced the release of Nisus Writer Pro 1.4, an update to the latest version of their critically acclaimed word processor. This version introduces several built-in menus that provide tighter integration with Sonny Software’s Bookends and a more convenient inter-application workflow.
• KavaSoft has announced iConquer 3, the latest version of the original game of world conquest for Mac OS X. iConquer 3 takes advantage of 64-bit technology in Snow Leopard, and includes an updated interface with new Preferences, Plug-ins, and New Game windows. iConquer lets up to six people play against each other over the internet. iConquer 3 features an improved network engine. Bonjour allows you to easily connect to other iConquer players on your local network.
• iSkysoft Studio has released iSkysoft iPhone Ringtone Maker for Mac which is a professional audio editing software to help you convert various popular audio formats such as MP3, WAV, WMA, M4A, AC3, etc. and video formats including MP4, MPG, MPEG, VOB, AVI and more. It directly connects with iTunes Library, offers easy trim functionality with waveform and fad in/ out effect for the ringtone.
• Jumsoft has released Pages Clipart 5.0, a collection of 500 high-quality images that are designed to illustrate presentations, invitations, web pages, posters, newsletters, and a variety of other documents. In addition, Jumsoft is offering a 10% discount when the package is purchased during its first week of availability. Subjects vary from office stationery and medical appliances to food, with a large selection of leisure and holiday images now included in the latest version.

iPhone/iPod

• Search for “Halloween” in the app store, and you’re going to turn up more results than you know what to do with. Thankfully, the good folks at Appmodo have put together a list of their top 10 to help you separate the tricks from the treats. These apps may not all be scary, but they’re worth the price, and a couple are even free.
• A new community driven website, App of the Day, allows registered users to nominate one application per day to be showcased on the site, including screenshots, descriptions, and comments from community members. Newsstand and Tweetie have been featured so far, with updates to come regularly.
• RadTech has announced the Dock Extender Cable, which allows you to dock your iPod or iPhone from a distance, or while in a case. Small diameter, flexible cable provides connection pathways for power, audio output, USB data sync, play controls, accessory power and composite video. It does not support S-video output or input for recording audio. Compatible with iPhone, iPod (touch, classic, video), & iPod nano (2nd & 3rd Gen).
• Bridging the gap between the online and broadcast worlds, the NPR Radio by Livio is the first internet radio with an exclusive menu dedicated to NPR stations and programs. With one device, NPR fans can now personalize their NPR experience, and easily switch back and forth between the local NPR Member station they know and love, and on-demand content and programs from NPR.org and stations across the US.
• There’s a new way to meet the people you wish you knew with the launch of Loopt’s Loopt Mix app. Loopt is a popular social-mapping app that allows you to discover the world around you on your mobile phone. What started as a popular feature for meeting new people nearby has now grown into its own app: Loopt Mix introduces you to the people you wish you knew. You see a list of people, profiles/interests, their latest status, ranked by their approximate distance to you.
• iBetFootball PRO is an application that downloads statistics from the developer’s website into the app and computes predicted scores for upcoming pro football games. This application is a translation of the successful pro football handicapping system that has been available for the last seven years at www.footballbet.net, and uses the exact same winning formulas. This app is not a game or a simulation, it is a tool to help you pick winners, beat the point spread and win big money.
• Jumboo, developed by Handjoy for iPhone and iPod Touch, is now finished. Jumboo is a fresh arcade game with addictive gameplay for both casual and hardcore players. The main character of this game is a big gorilla living in the jungle. You, as its master, control the gorilla’s moves by simple finger slides. Your goal is to jump as high as possible and not fall from the platforms. You can do short jumps or long jumps, chaining them to get the juicy combos.
• In celebration of the version 1.2 release, TapFactory has announced a 7-day 50% off sale on Contact, their speed dial app for iPhone and iPod touch. Sale begins Tuesday October 20, and ends Tuesday October 27. Contact allows users to create speed dials to their Home screen that support dialing, SMS and email, all built into the same speed dial. The built-in icon library features over gorgeous Apple-worthy icons to use as your speed dial icon.
• Performance Journeys has announced Disney at Work: Epcot Notescast for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Through this new interactive showcase, put the organizational lessons and stories of Disney to work in your own organization. Learn powerful best-in-business insights on how to improve your workplace by benchmarking the new technologies and international cultures of Epcot. Created by J. Jeff Kober of Performance Journeys, it’s loaded with scores of stories and examples and over 250 photos.
• Do you want to feel like a hero saving the world, or maybe you want to taste the vampire life, or you just enjoy 2D cartoon graphics? In any case, Ancient Vampire is now available for the iPhone. In the world of Ancient Vampire, the Earth is devastated by the evil and the only chance of salvation is to drink a magical potion able to transform you into a vampire with supernatural powers. The only way to get back to human is to reach a castle and beat monsters, creatures from the after death, and the strongest demon (aka “the boss”). So what you’re going to do?
• Oniric Games has announced Silent Swords 1.1 an update to their stealth action game for iPhone and iPod touch. Designed exclusively for the iPhone and iPod touch, Silent Swords is inspired by the genre’s classics that takes full advantage the iPhone’s unique control features: tap to move, shake to jump, swipe to attack. Your mission is to help the Little Black Ninja break out of the top secret military base that holds him prisoner. Version 1.1 includes new control options and unlockable levels.
• Just in time for Halloween, UK based Cute Logic has released GhostWriter 1.0. GhostWriter adds spooky messages to pictures users take with the iPhone camera. iPhone owners can use the app to record their Halloween festivities or to play a trick on their friends. Users may select from a range of Halloween themed messages, or let GhostWriter choose one at random. Pictures can be saved to the iPhone Photo Library or shared via email.
• Toughturtle LLC has released FirePlace 3.0, an update to their hit entertainment app iPhone and iPod Touch. FirePlace is the go-to App for an instant romantic setting on that special date, to relax on a cold fall/winter night, or whenever. FirePlace is a virtual fire for your iPhone or iPod touch, but with a whole host of new features to give users a more customized and relaxing experience.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Genre: Arcade/Action
Format: Download
Developer: Charlie’s Games
System Requirements: Mac OS X v10.4 or later, 2GHz Processor, 128MB Dedicated Graphics Card, 512MB RAM, 100MB Disk Space
Review Computer: 2.53GHz Macbook Pro, 4GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM
Network Feature: No
Processor Compatibility: Universal
Price: Any donation greater than $1
ESRB Rating: N/A
Availability: Out now
Demo: 15 levels

Bullet Candy Perfect is a 2D based shooter game with 3D graphics involved in the gameplay. It can be played on either a Windows or Mac machine, and the developer is only asking that you donate anything greater than $1 to help support it. This is pretty generous considering the amount of time I’m sure was put into it. In my experiences with Bullet Candy Perfect, it was extremely stable and reliable while still being easy to navigate and use. However, while the gameplay certainly had a lot of facets to it, it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting.

When first launched, the game takes about 10 seconds to load, which isn’t bad. It comes in a folder with various types of media that the game uses, so the actual .app file can’t be moved out of that folder, otherwise it crashes upon loading. From there, the user is greeted with a screen much like below. This screen allows the user to start a new game, check the scores of previous games (which are based on the name you enter once you get a game over), or change settings. The game does support joysticks (which I wasn’t able to test), but the default controls use the arrows or WASD on the keyboard to move and the mouse or trackpad to aim and fire.

When you start a game, you have three options from which to choose: normal, hard, or insane. Before you begin, though, I would recommend taking part in the tutorial. It does a great job of explaining the gameplay as well as how various power ups and weapon upgrades affect what you can do to the enemy and yourself. It has some helpful tips, too, and only takes about five minutes to complete.

The gameplay begins with the user as a ship in the middle of the screen (see the blue ship in the image below). You move the ship with the keyboard and aim/shoot with the mouse. The game consists of different “waves” of enemies which are basically just another name for levels as each wave brings on more enemies with more difficult weapons. In order to remain alive, the user must dodge the enemies’ weapons while at the same time killing them and gaining points. It is based off amount of lives, and these can be gained through points as well as items that can be collected during the play.

As explained in the tutorial, various power ups come on the screen through the gameplay. They are collected by simply maneuvering your ship over them. Some of them give your ship the ability to shoot three bullets at once, while others simply give you another life or invincibility for a set amount of time. There are also some collectable items that will give you hundreds of points, and if all are collected in a level, it will kill all the enemies present on the screen.

As far as enemies go, they come in all shapes and sizes. As expected, the earlier waves of enemies are more primitive and easier to battle. However, as the game progresses, they become more deadly and intelligent. Yet, this lead to one of my major gripes about the game. As I mentioned earlier, more enemies come with each wave. Therefore, once I got to some of the higher waves, there was quite a bit going on in the game. Between me trying to shoot the enemies and them trying to shoot me, there were bullets and explosions everywhere. At times, this made it very difficult to see what was going on. To see what I mean, look at the image below.

Lastly, the game records your game results based on the name you enter at the end. It then takes your gameplay data—such as number of points scored—and makes an interesting little graph to see your performance in the game over time. As you can see in the screenshot below, you can also collect achievements throughout the play of the game. Furthermore, you are able to share your scores online with users from around the world.

Another thing I didn’t like about the game is how it is managed as an application in OS X. When launched, the application can only be played fullscreen, covering up all the other windows. While I’m sure the developer did this on purpose to make the graphics work correctly, it would be nice to be able to play it a little less than fullscreen. This would allow the user to perhaps check an email between levels or something instead of having to exit the entire game. Furthermore, I found the game a little hard to play if you are using a laptop with a trackpad. Over time you can grow used to the controls this way, but it surely isn’t an easy as using a gamepad would be.

That said, there were some parts of the interface/gameplay that I did like. For instance, the soundtrack that goes along with the gameplay is rather well put together. Furthermore, although I mentioned all the graphics and explosions can be overwhelming earlier, they fit the futuristic style and appearance of the game very well. Also, I didn’t run into any bugs or errors during my use of the game.

Full Story » | Written by Josh Holat for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Provides: Secure USB file storage and transfer
Developer: Verbatim
Minimum Requirements: Mac OS X v10.4.11 or v10.5 and above, PowerPC or Intel based Mac, USB port
Price: Around $29.99
Availability: Out now

At a recent meeting with my colleagues, some of the guys were showing off USB drives that were barely larger than an iPhone SIM card. These things were tiny, almost not even there, and they still held 8GB worth of content. My colleagues were impressed, I was not. How small does a USB drive really have to be? Can something that size be safe from breaking? From being lost? From being eaten by my cat. Not likely, so give me the Verbatim Store ‘n’ Go USB Drive for Mac OS X any day.

It’s important to highlight the “for Mac OS X” part, because this USB drive actually does contain features only for Mac users. Specifically, software included with the drive allows you to set up a security zone. This is a separate area, hidden away from view when you plug in the drive. To access it, you have to first set up your private zone. You can individually determine the format of the public and private zones, then assign how much of the 8GBs you want to give to each.

Once your drive is formatted, you have immediate access to the public zone. You don’t see both drives when you plug in the Store ‘n’ Go, you only see public. This prevents from you accidentally dumping files into the wrong zone, and it also completely hides the private zone from view; people you hand the drive to won’t even know it’s there.

Instead, to access the private zone, you have to launch V-Safe software that you install on your Mac. The installer for the software is always accessible on the flash drive, of course, so you can install it on another computer if you need access to your private files.

Upon launching the software, you click the drive icon to log into your private zone, then enter the password you assigned at set-up. V-Safe then unmounts the public zone and makes the private zone available to you. When done, you can log out of the private zone to go back to public, or you can simply eject the drive. When you plug it back in, public will return by default.

It’s also worth nothing that public zone data can be accessed on any Windows 2000, XP, or Vista equipped PC when using the FAT format option.

So, that’s all pretty good, but the construction of the drive itself deserves some accolades, too. It’s about the size of a pack of chewing gum with a piece or two missing. It’s designed to match the aluminum styling of the MacBook and iMac, and is beveled near the USB dongle. Unfortunately, it’s too wide to fit in a MacBook USB port of if there’s anything else plugged in near it, so keep that in mind when travelling. The top contains a clip that can be affixed to a lanyard or keychain, but it’s oddly wide and work with the clip in my laptop bag.

Compensating for these shortcomings is a retractable USB dongle. There are no caps to lose here, but the dongle isn’t left unprotected, either. When you’re not using the drive, simply slide the dongle back inside the case, and there you go.

The combination of the software and the hardware makes the Verbatim Store ‘n’ Go the most useful and reliable USB flash drive I’ve used. It may not be as fancy as some, and it’s certainly not the smallest, but with everything you get for under $30 (including 8GB of storage, in case I haven’t made that clear), it could be the best value.

And I’ll never need to worry about the cat mistaking it for a bug.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for October 15, 2009:

Macintosh

• AquaFold, Inc. has released Aqua Data Studio 8.0, a major upgrade to its universal database administration software. Aqua Data Studio makes it simple to visualize and manipulate multiple relational databases from within a single interface. Version 8.0 of Aqua Data Studio extends native support for the leading data warehousing and high-performance relational databases, including: Teradata, DB2 for z/OS, Sybase IQ 15 and nCluster from Aster Data Systems.
• InfoLogic today announced MathMagic Personal Edition 6.8, their award-winning multi-purpose equation editor for Mac OS X. With a focus on the equation quality and ease-of-use, MathMagic Personal Edition is a standalone equation editor for mathematical equations and symbols. MathMagic reads and writes various industry standard mathematical expressions including LaTeX and MathML. Version 6.8 adds support for Google Docs and Zoho Writer, MathType, OmniOutliner, and other enhanced features.
• Disk Doctor Labs, Inc. has released Disk Doctors Photo Recovery, an upgrade to its photo recovery software for Mac OS X. The latest version of the software now supports recovery of Real Media player files, which include RA, RM and AMR. Apart from the addition of these file types, some enhancements have been added to the product. This version now improves the overall accuracy and scanning speed when recovering lost photo, audio and video files.
• Recosoft Corporation, the developer of the PDF2Office family of products, PDF2ID tool for InDesign, cross platform file format conversion solutions and PDF converters unveils PDF2Office for iWork; a new tool to convert PDF documents into fully editable iWork ‘08/‘09 files for the Macintosh.
• Tropical Software has announced TopXNotes 1.4.2, an update to its popular note manager for Macintosh. TopXNotes allows people to create, collect, store, and retrieve all the bits and pieces of information they find themselves inundated with on a daily basis. All existing customers should download this important version with several small but important fixes to Find, Check for Update, and some minor cosmetic fixes.
• Yabdab Software and YourHead Software have announced PayLoom 2.0 public beta, an update to the popular ecommerce plugin for RapidWeaver. PayLoom offers drag and drop catalog creation and seamless integration with PayPal Shopping Cart. Version 2.0 offers the same reliability and ease of use with many new features, including a new customizable on-page javascript cart, full WYSIWYG editor for product descriptions, and much more.
• Ambrosia Software, Inc. today announced the release of Snapz Pro X 2.2.1. Snapz Pro X is a quantum leap in video capture technology, adroitly capturing full motion video of anything on your screen at a blistering pace, complete with digital audio, and an optional microphone voiceover. Think of it as a digital video camera for your screen. Snapz Pro X makes short work of making training videos, producing product demos, creating tutorials, archiving streaming video, and anything else you can think of.
• Indev Software has announced it has acquired MiniMail, the popular plugin for Apple Mail, from Olive Toast Software Ltd. The acquisition assures the future development of MiniMail, including Snow Leopard compatibility. MiniMail provides a convenient mini-window for viewing unread messages, allowing users to quickly check incoming messages and action them. Immediate plans for MiniMail are to release a Snow Leopard compatibility upgrade before the end of October.
• Mythic Entertainment has announced that the critically acclaimed MMORPG, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR), will host a special live event, Daemon Moon Rising, for a limited time during the 2009 Halloween season. Daemon Moon Rising, will run in-game from October 23rd through November 2nd, and will feature the Daemon Mask event quest, a new Daemonball Rally Public Quest, a special Realm vs. Realm scenario, and treats both fair and foul.

iPhone/iPod

• The Leonard Maltin Movie Guide for iPhone places consistent capsule reviews and facts for 24,000 films at your fingertips, including hyperlinks to cast and director filmographies. Key features include: search by title, cast member, director; direct link to NetFlix Queue / Instant Queue; automatically updated Current Pick reviews; custom lists; and complete review, rating, cast, movie length, MPAA rating.
• Software Ops has announced Ding 1.0, its fun entertainment application for iPhone and iPod Touch. Ding is designed to be interactive and fun to play with. It was built with the intention of giving a service bell it’s own personality. The user taps the top of the service bell and hears a actual bell ring along with a smart aleck remark by the bell. It has actual voice sound as well as written text, for situations where the user is in a noisy environment and can’t hear the voice.
• Syndicated Puzzles has released several versions of Str8ts, their challenging, logic and addicting number puzzle designed for iPhone and the iPod Touch. With over 800 puzzles of increasing difficulty, and a single solution to each puzzle, you are guaranteed endless hours of enjoyment. The puzzle was specifically invented to follow directly the highly successful pathway of Sudoku. If you have been waiting for the next puzzle craze, you will have to try out Str8ts.
• Gedgers Ltd has announced Kids Allowance and Rewards 1.4, a major update for the popular allowance tracking app for iPhone and iPod touch. Version 1.4 is a complete re-write of the user interface, new and improved features. Kids Allowance and Rewards combines allowance tracking with a rewards system for good behaviour. This makes it a versatile and unique application as well as adding extra appeal for motivating and educating your kids.
• A new version of the hidden object detective quest The Stone of Destiny is now available. To celebrate, the game will be available in App Store at a 30% discount. Version 1.3 adds French localization, zooming capabilities and improved controls.
• Bulkypix, the successful developer of games for the iPhone and iPod Touch, has announced its new role as a video games publisher. Vincent Dondaine, COO, said, “The iPhone and App Store have marked a new direction in terms of market and business model, whereby hundreds of applications and games are available every day. You need to know how to operate within this system; something that Bulkypix has gained real expertise in and which it is now offering for the benefit of its partners.” 5 development studios have already chosen Bulkypix to publish their games and applications on the App Store.
• Ein Entertainment has announced Fish Watching Guide, supervised by underwater photographer Koji Nakamura. The guide holds precious photos of over 235 types of deep sea fish, such as the blackmouth goosefish, the extremely-hard-to-photograph red tail, and the diver’s dream mirror basslet, as well as the sea devil and tropical fish such as the clownfish. In addition to photos, photo locations, sizes, English/Latin names and Koji Nakamura’s comments are included in the guide.
• Purkee has released Tap Grocer 1.3, an update to its grocery app for the iPhone and the iPod touch. New features in this release include a more streamlined user interface, the ability to sort items and grocery sections alphabetically and the option to customize the grocery list font. Tap Grocer is designed to take the work out of building grocery lists. It eliminates the need to retype a user’s list each time.
• Indie iPhone developer Orangefish.inc has announced that Shark’s Treasure is now updated to version 1.3 and they’re celebrating with a temporary price cut. The update adds a variety of new features to the hit iPhone game, which has been applauded for its intuitive use of accelerometer controls. The game has a simple premise, but with pick-up-and-play appeal and addicting gameplay, Shark’s Treasure will have you navigating the murky depths in search of just one more elusive treasure chest.
• Turner Broadcasting has teamed up with digital design studio ustwo to launch its first branded iPhone app in the UK, a Ben 10 MouthOff iPhone App available to buy now. Ben 10 MouthOff is ustwo’s first foray into branding around their unique MouthOff app, which received more than 40,000 downloads when initially launched.  Using original animation throughout and sound effects taken directly from the series, the app is an exciting new development in the apps market.
• iMia, a new take on an old classic, is a great partygame to play with your friends. Rely on bluffing or luck to win. iMia features life-like graphics, accelerometer controls (shake your iPhone to shake the cup), and simple, quick, and to-the-point gaming.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Category: Strategy/Sim
Developer: 2k Games
Mac Port by: Aspyr Studios
Publisher: Aspyr
System Requirements: Mac OS X v10.4.11 or v10.5.6, 1.8GHz PowerPC G5 or Intel, 512MB memory, 2.5GB disk space, Radeon 9600 or GeForce FX 6600 with 128MB VRAM, DVD-ROM Drive, full version of Civilization 4
Review Computer: 2.2GHz 13” Macbook Pro, 2GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM
Network Feature: LAN or Internet
Processor Compatibility: Universal
Price: $34.99
Availability: Out now

If you’re a Civilization addict (like me), you’ll be happy to know that the Beyond the Sword (BTS) expansion gives you exactly what you want: more of Civ 4. There are new civs, new leaders, and new technologies (most of which are just refinements of previous techs). In fact, refinements is a good word for what BTS brings to Civ 4, most of them focused in the post-gunpowder era.

There are a lot of subtle changes in game play: forts now function as mini-cities, able to base aircraft and harvest resources. There are mini-events scattered throughout the game, and how you’re able to handle them will affect your territory and how you interact with other civs. Do you empty your coffers to send aid to another city after a hurricane (and improve your relationship)? Do you execute the traitor who’s been providing info, or use it to embarrass your opponent?

One of the larger changes is the addition of Corporations, which are handled like modern-day religions. After your civ has discovered the Corporation tech, you can consume resources to found a Corporation of the appropriate type (the Jewelry corp requires gems, the Oil corporation requires oil, etc.). Each corporation also requires a Great Person of the appropriate type (Engineers for mechanical-based corps, Merchants for the grain based corp). Once you’ve built the corporation’s headquarters, you can start franchises in other cities, which will bring your civ more gold as a “maintenance fee.” It’s an interesting tactic, draining your opponent’s gold reserves while providing additional benefits, but when I first heard of it I was expecting something more along the lines of the Economic Victory from Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri (a game desperately in need of revival). As it is, the Corporation comes into play so late in the game that it makes little difference in terms of the balance of power.

Another big change is the addition of the Apostolic Palace as a Great Wonder. It’s sort of a proto-United Nations that’s tied to the religion that builds it. Everyone who’s part of that religion gets to vote on its edicts (stop wars, cut off trade, etc.) but it only binds civs with that religion, and even then, rather than simply vote yes or no, you can vow to defy the resolution, effectively vetoing it (though be prepared to face the consequences).

If you’re not interested in building a civ from scratch, BTS has a new Advanced Start where you choose an era and then buy cities and techs. So if your favorite part of the game is the discovery of artillery, you can start then.

I’ve never been a big fan of mods, but BTS contains a wide array of alternate realities, fantasy scenarios, and real-world-what-if’s that impressed me. Situations like a failed Soviet state where the only route to nuclear power is to capture them and hope to crack their launch codes before the other factions wipe you out. Or a world where the god of eternal winter sends waves of attackers as you try to find the three pieces of a sword that can kill him. The most familiar is the Next War mod, which expands the end game of Civilization into the near future of Mecha, super tanks, and armies of cloned soldiers fighting their way to domed cities. Perhaps the most unusual mod (and one I enjoyed the most) was the Afterworld mod—a mission based game of cyborg tanks fighting zombies, it featured almost nothing of the Civ 4 mechanics (other than unit upgrades), but was still an engaging turn-based strategy game in and of itself.

If you’re a Civ addict, this is a no-brainer. You want, crave, need more Civ, with expanded technologies and new nations to conquer. Plus you get a slew of mods that amount to new games in and of themselves. If you’re not a Civ addict, the $35 price tag for a set of mods (some of which can be downloaded for free) and techs that are refinements of familiar ones might seem daunting.

But then, I’ve never met anyone who played Civilization who wasn’t an addict.

Full Story » | Written by Bill Stiteler for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

If you use a Mac or own any of Apple’s iDevices, chances are that you use iTunes on a regular basis. The reason behind this is that iTunes had been dominating the digital media market on personal computers for a while now. Apple intelligently bundled iTunes with OS X and ensured little competition by designing all of its iDevices to sync and work perfectly with iTunes. However, iTunes’ dominance may soon be coming to an end, and doubleTwist just may be the spark that is needed for that to happen.

Many people dislike iTunes for many different reasons, such as excessive memory usage, complexity, and countless others. Yet, for people with iDevices in which certain features are only available within iTunes (such as the iPhone), there is no other choice but to download and use it, which again is an excellent strategy used by Apple to market their products. However, iTunes will undoubtedly be gaining some competition from doubleTwist, a great new iTunes alternative that will likely be converting a decent amount of current iTunes users.

The main feature that caught my attention with doubleTwist is its simplicity, something that iTunes is definitely lacking. Computer illiterate people will definitely find doubleTwist more attractive than iTunes, as performing simple tasks with it is, well, simple. doubleTwist’s UI is also very eye-pleasing and native-looking, with an obvious similarity to iTunes’. However, just because doubleTwist is much easier to navigate through than iTunes doesn’t make it inferior. Managing your digital media within doubleTwist is very efficient, as it should be.

doubleTwist’s collection of purchasable music is also quite impressive, thanks to its use of Amazon’s DRM-free MP3 store, which I definitely prefer to the iTunes Store, particularly because of the lower prices and greater selection. However, the lack of purchasable television shows, movies, ringtones, and iPhone/iPod touch applications is definitely a major downfall for doubleTwist, as all of Apple’s iDevices were designed for much more than just music. doubleTwist would definitely not be the best choice of software to use for iPhone and iPod touch owners, due to its lack of support for syncing applications, a major component of the devices.

Also, a consequence of doubleTwist’s simplicity is the lack of features many users find to be essential in a digital media managing application. Features such as smart playlists, music rating, and the ability to edit ID3 tags are nowhere to be found in doubleTwist, and may be enough of a reason for many users to remain with iTunes. One thing I also disliked about doubleTwist was its requirement to create an account before you can even use the application, which many users may find to be unnecessary and bothersome, as I did. While I cannot say that iTunes is exempt from this, they were more apparent in doubleTwist.

Below, I have broken down the categories of competition between iTunes and doubleTwist in regards to major issues and features:

Simplicity - doubleTwist is undoubtedly the winner here; its clean and easy-to-use interface and navigation is definitely a major selling point for the app.
Purchases - doubleTwist would win this category if it were only based on music, but due to iTunes’ availability of movies, TV shows, and iPhone/iPod touch applications, iTunes is the clear winner.
User Interface - In my opinion, both applications have a decent, native and surprisingly similar UI, so I’ll call this a tie.
Productivity - iTunes definitely wins this category due to doubleTwist’s lack of many important, complex features.
Media Management - This is another close one, since iTunes has support for more media types and has a much cleaner organization than doubleTwist, but doubleTwist supports many devices other than Apple’s iDevices, so I’ll have to call this one another tie.

In general, I would not consider doubleTwist to be a replacement for iTunes due to its lack of many important features, but rather an alternative digital media manager for the user who enjoys simplicity over functionality. I, for one, am in need of the functionality that iTunes provides, so I won’t be switching over any time soon. Which app do you prefer more? Let us know in the comments!

Products [iTunes] & [doubleTwist]

Full Story » | Written by Patrick Lutz for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for October 14, 2009:

Macintosh

• Orbicule has released Macnification 1.6, a major update to its award winning microscopy application. Macnification is a workflow solution for digital microscopy. It has been written for Mac OS X, supporting many Mac-only technologies such as Core Animation, Core Image and ImageKit. With the latest update, Macnification is now fully 64-bit. In addition, it is one of the first scientific applications to leverage Grand Central Dispatch to efficiently use all available processor cores.
• Fanurio Time Tracking SRL has released Fanurio 2.2, their time tracking and billing software application. Fanurio is highly appreciated by freelancers for its intuitive interface, flexible timer and ability to produce detailed invoices. Fanurio has lots of features for billing contracted work. It can record services and expenses, round time, apply discounts, handle subcontracted work, use multiple currencies, apply taxes, record partial payments and many more.
• atPurpose Technologies has announced atPeek 1.0, their new iPhone developer tool for Mac OS X Snow Leopard. Perfect for developers and casual users alike, atPeek was specifically designed to explore and display resources found in iPhone applications. By leveraging the OS X QuickLook plugin architecture, atPeek allows anyone to see normally unaccessible application details, and can export individual assets or entire folders for later viewing.
• DataMind Srl has introduced Beryl Plugin 1.0, their new, professional level digital image processing plugin for Adobe Photoshop and Elements. Leveraging DataMind’s proprietary state-of-the-art algorithms, Beryl is a Photoshop plugin that automatically removes the red-eye effect from digital photos. With a focus on ease-of-use, choose to have Beryl process images automatically, or manually select the threshold amount of removal required.
• The Enterprise Desktop Alliance today announced that Web Help Desk has joined its collaboration of software vendors dedicated to making it easy to deploy, integrate and manage Macs in Windows-based IT environments. Web Help Desk’s IT Service Management software brings web-based accessibility to IT service fulfillment and self-service for both Mac and PC users. Web Help Desk joins EDA founding members Atempo, Centrify, Group Logic, LANrev and Parallels.
• iPresentee has extended the finest iWeb Intros collection to be used with Apple’s Web site building application. Visitors will like the web site more if they will get a nice welcome message. iWeb Intros design uses short flash animations and sounds to give visitor a delightful first impression of the web site. iWeb Intros 2.0 includes five new welcome intros: Aboard, Old Film, Flora, Bouncy and Disco Party.
• Computer Docking Systems, LLC has announced the Dock-a-Mac, their new vertical dockng station for Apple’s MacBook. Perfect for desktop use or in the living room, this high-gloss black acrylic docking station works with any black or white MacBook. Easily and quickly convert any MacBook into a media center, and more. Manufactured, and assembled in the USA, the Dock-a-Mac is made of sturdy 1/2” thick acrylic to withstand years of everyday business or home use.
• Softpress Systems has released Freeway 5.4.2, its award-winning website design software. This latest update includes native support for Intaglio files to allow easy editing of drawings and illustrations. For a limited period, Softpress is offering a free copy of Intaglio for every full-priced purchase of Freeway Pro. Famous for its ease of use and clean standards-compliant code generation, Freeway is the tool of choice for professionals and home Mac users who want total design freedom.
• The Mac Sale has launched its second Mac software bundle. Imaginatively titled “The Mac Sale 2,” it again promises to provide quality Mac titles at a fraction of street price. Repeating the aim of the first bundle, The Mac Sale pays a fair percentage to all developers and participants, and again partners up with the good people at MacZOT to reach out to dedicated Mac users. MacZOT provides great Mac software deals daily.
• iSkin, the first company to create the silicone keyboard protector for Macintosh computer keyboards, has released the next generation of its ProTouch keyboard protectors. The new line-up—which includes ProTouch Classic, FX and Vibes—provides enhanced typing comfort, protection against food spills, dust, key wear and more, while embedded Microban antimicrobial product protection helps inhibit the growth of odor and stain causing bacteria on the product. Additionally, a newly re-engineered design optimizes the way each key is protected, allowing a comfortable, non-obtrusive typing experience that will appeal to slow and fast typists alike.

iPhone/iPod

• Swap It lets users share text, web links (URLs) and pictures between iPhones and iPod touches. It builds on the advent of “copy” and “paste” in the iPhone OS 3.0, and adds needed utility to the iPhone OS platform. Swap It can transfer text, URLs, images, web archives and anything else your clipboard can hold. The app works in a bidirectional manner, it will “swap” your clipboard with that of your peer’s, and gives you the final say on whether your clipboard is overridden.
• Appnoose Ltd has released ITGO, Interval Trainer GO 1.0, a dedicated interval signaling application for the iPhone and iPod Touch. ITGO was specifically designed to offer advanced user controlled signaling in the form of vibration, sound and visual alerts while playing user-defined fast/slow interval song playlists. Interval Trainer GO feature set make it a worthy contender for the best designed interval trainer for the iPhone or iPod Touch.
• Glass House Games is offering its highly-rated iPhone arcade puzzle game Bugsy for free for a limited time. Bugsy is their challenging, fast-paced, fun and addicting arcade puzzle game designed for the iPhone and the iPod Touch. With unique gameplay, 125 levels of increasing difficulty, and 3 different types of Rogue Enemies, you are guaranteed hours of enjoyment. If you like challenging, mind-bending puzzle games, you will enjoy Bugsy.
• French developer DotEmu has announced a second update for his last retro iPhone game Golvellius: Valley of Doom [iTunes App Store link]. In order to offer the best gameplay experience to the community, Golvellius benefits of a tweaked interface and a faster animation. To celebrate the launch of this update, the game is on sale for a limited time at half the original price.
• JL Software has announced edition 1.5 of their popular Handbook of High-Risk Obstetrics for iPhone or iPod touch. Version 1.5 adds dozens of high-resolution ultrasound images of fetal anatomy. Handbook of High-Risk Obstetrics is a new and original reference source for the medical student or resident physician who needs a comprehensive yet concise guide to perinatal care. The Handbook covers all major areas of high-risk pregnancy, and is cross-referenced and indexed with over 3600 search keywords.
• iPhone publisher, Clickgamer, has announced the new brain-training game, Genius Defense Force, for iPhone and iPod touch. Genius Defense Force offers gameplay where players must add, subtract, multiply and divide their way to victory. The full campaign offers 30 action-packed levels appealing to contestants of any age and skill level, with players receiving a performance grade after every stage.
• Rev out of the gate and into the action with the release of 2XL ATV Offroad, the latest offroad racing game from the makers of 2XL Supercross. Featuring 18 one-of-a-kind ATV race tracks, 2XL ATV Offroad raises the bar for gameplay and graphics on the iPhone and iPod Touch. This new addition to the App Store includes an advanced career mode and achievement system that allows the rider to work their way to the pinnacle of the ATV world. After getting the basics down and building riding skills, race against your friends with the multiplayer mode and see how your times stack up with other players on the online leader boards.
• Technocel has announced their latest innovation, the Technocel PowerPak, a portable battery and home charger combined into one unit. This patent pending technology will replace all your chargers with a single universal solution that will safely power your USB devices at home, in the car, at the airport, or anywhere else. If your device is running low on juice, the PowerPak built-in battery reserve will refuel it, whether there is a wall outlet available or not. The PowerPak will be available starting November 1, 2009 for MSRP of $49.99.
• Monsoon Multimedia has announced the availability of the HAVA Mobile Player application for iPhone and iPod Touch users. The HAVA Mobile Player app allows HAVA customers to view and control their home television service, including cable, satellite and TiVo, from anywhere in the world on their iPhone. The HAVA Mobile Player for iPhone was designed for seamless integration with Apple’s unique smartphone allowing viewers to control their home television service (whether it’s cable or satellite, receiver or DVR, standard or high definition) via the touch screen interface.
• Freeverse has released the first update to the popular iPhone and iPod Touch game, Skee-Ball, which features user-requested additions and new items. The official Skee-Ball game, developed by Graveck, now has optional accelerometer control and tutorial tips to explain the Star ranking system. New prizes include the awesome Brewskee-Ball ball featuring the Brewskee-Ball logo and the ever popular Taco!

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Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for October 13, 2009:

Macintosh

• Emmy Award-winning Toon Boom Animation Inc. has announced that its entire line of products is compatible with Snow Leopard, Apple’s latest operating system for Mac. All software for kids, home users and professionals were thoroughly tested and proved to be running smoothly on the new operating system. Only Toon Boom Studio and its plug-in required a new build which is available to all Studio 5 customers.
• Severn Software Limited has released That Tune 1.1 for Mac OSX. That Tune is a customizable way of showing what song iTunes is playing. Unique to That Tune is that it can make any screen saver show iTunes songs. In addition, That Tune will play iTunes songs as Alarm. That Tune will pop up a configurable notification window on the screen. There is no need to CMD-TAB back to iTunes to see what is playing.
• Yummy Software has announced Yummy FTP 1.8, their popular FTP client for Mac OS X. Version 1.8 gains over 30 new features and enhancements as well as full Snow Leopard compatibility. Built as native Mac OS X software from the ground up, Yummy FTP was designed with the goal of providing a reliable, powerful, yet easy to use file transfer utility. Since its release, Yummy FTP has gained a reputation for being the fastest, most reliable, and most flexible FTP client available.
• Maintain has announced Cocktail 4.5.2 (Snow Leopard Edition), the latest maintenance update of Cocktail for users running Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. This version fixes a bug causing high CPU usage on 32-bit Macs, addresses compatibility issues with QuickTime X and latest versions of supported web browsers. It also addresses an issue in which Cocktail may report problems with diskutil and fixes many other bugs discovered in the previous release.
• Zoom, makers of award-winning professional audio recording devices, have announced the much anticipated availability of the Q3 Handy Video Recorder. Unlike other handheld video camcorders, the Q3 records stereo sound with two condenser microphones, which allow users to capture crystal clear HD audio with their movies.  The ability to capture audio at 24-bit/48 kHz is especially important for users planning to upload their footage to video share sites like YouTube, which compress video but now allow files with stereo audio at 44.1 kHz, which is CD quality.
• Dingo Games has announced the Mac release of their swashbuckling epic The Three Musketeers: The Game. Available exclusively online, the game closely follows the plot of the original Three Musketeers novel. The classic adventure story and the rarely used setting of 17th century France make this game a unique experience.

iPhone/iPod

• Obvious Matter has announced Camera Level 1.0, an app for shooting photos that guides you in keeping your iPhone camera level at all times. When you are photographing landscapes and buildings you want to make sure the photos you shoot are straight and nicely leveled. No need to straighten your photos with external tools any more. Camera Level lets you keep your iPhone camera level at all times. Never shoot photos again with a tilted horizon.
• Imaginatr has released Cubimon Lite, the free version of their challenging, fast-paced, fun and addicting puzzle game designed for the iPhone and the iPod Touch. With unique gameplay, 3 fully playable levels of increasing difficulty, and 4 different types of Cubimons, you are guaranteed hours of enjoyment.
• Toy Kite Software today has announced iSamurai 2.0: Critical Strike, the new tactical version of their “sword fight anywhere” game for the iPhone and iPod Touch. In celebration of this release, Toy Kite is announcing the iSamurai video competition with 10 prizes including a new iPod Touch. iSamurai is a two-player sword fighting game where players swing their iPhones or iPod Touches like swords.
• Sonos, Inc., has introduced the Sonos ZonePlayer S5, an all-in-one wireless music system that can be controlled with an iPhone, iPod touch or any Sonos Controller.  The S5 delivers crystal-clear, room-filling sound that rivals much larger, more complicated audio equipment.  Plus, the S5 provides instant access to unlimited music with control from the palm of your hand.  Now music lovers can find and play any song from an iTunes library, plus, a world of music and radio on the Internet, in any room of the house. The S5 will be available for $399 on October 27.
• Readdle has announced Scanner Pro 1.0, an iPhone application that transforms the device into portable scanner. It lets iPhone owners scan multi page documents into PDF files, send them by email, access over Wi-Fi and even upload to MobileMe iDisk or any other WebDAV enabled server. Scanner Pro is designed to scan multi page documents and transform them into industry standard PDF files. It allows people to set password on PDF document to protect data with 40-bit RC4 level encryption.
• Chess Elite gives online game play a whole new meaning. Being the first ever Chess App to use Push Notification, the game lets the player know when a Challenge is received or a move is made in an online game. The game has a strong chess engine with adjustable engine strength so that the player can set the game depending on his level of proficiency.
• Warm up your sleight of hand for Texas Wuggle [iTunes App Store link], the new fast-paced poker app from the hustlers at 4J Studios. Hitting the App Store today at £0.59/$0.99/€0.79, this is poker, but not as you know it; blending traditional poker rules with Scrabble, players must make as many winning hands as possible with the available cards on screen then rack ‘em up using the touch screen.
• Orbital Worlds has announced the arrival of their debut iPhone title Armoured Shift in the App Store. The groundbreaking open-world space shooter challenges players to shoot down hordes of asteroids, enemy ships and bosses using a spaceship largely controlled by the iPhone/iPod Touch’s accelerometer. The unique tilt-based control scheme offered by Armoured Shift sets it apart from the more traditional dual-analog joystick format utilized by the majority of open-world shooters.
• Stick-Fu [iTunes App Store link]—from Mobigames—is a new beat-‘em-up game with sticks as heroes and enemies. Players should prepare to face stick-thin enemies, using punch and kick actions to defeat them and build combo points which can be used to unleash devastating attacks on your enemies. At the end of each level, the Stick-Fu hero will face a fearsome Stick-Boss - real skill is needed to defeat such strong, fast foes.
• Vizros Software has announced the release of OutColor 1.2, the world’s first Out-of-Bounds image editor for the iPhone and iPod Touch. OutColor lets users easily and quickly produce compelling, depth-rich images from single, conventional 2D photographs. By touching and moving on the iPhone screen, users can turn ordinary photos into impressive “Out of Bounds” (OOB) images. OOB images are wildly seen on internet and in magazine in which some contents of the image are taken outside of virtual boundaries and presented in a creative 3D perspective.
• Speck has launched its completely redesigned one-piece polycarbonate SeeThru hard shell case for the iPhone 3G and 3GS. Expanding upon the already immensely popular SeeThru designs, these stylishly sleek patent-pending cases offer iPhone 3G and 3GS owners the ultimate defensive buffer from the abuse of the normal daily hectic lifestyle.
• Disney is appealing to digital savvy fans of the Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy franchise by launching the official e-book version of Eoin Colfer’s 6th installment of the series: And Another Thing from Hyperion Books. Available exclusively through the Apple App Store for a special price of $14.99 through December 2, the Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy: And Another Thing by Eoin Colfer App [iTunes App Store link] from Hyperion contains both digital and audio versions, in addition to a host of special features.
• comiXology continues pushing forward digital comics revolution with their first original comic, Box 13, created by Harvey Award and zuda.com winning team of David Gallaher and Steve Ellis. Available for free exclusively on Comics by comiXology, Box 13 is a re-imagining of the popular radio serial of the same name.

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At first glance, iTunes LP seems like an interesting new way to revive some of the sales of records. They offer the same songs available as single/album downloads on other stores, but also provide their own visual twist on the content, making them different (and more expensive) than simply purchasing the list of songs. They are, in a way, trying to give the consumer a look and feel lost by not purchasing the physical media from a store with a 21st century digital twist. That said, new restrictions discovered about this type of media may show this isn’t going to be quite as successful as previously thought.

According to Gizmodo, a man running a small music label company outside of Chicago has recently contacted Apple about creating an iTunes LP album. He was told that 1.) iTunes LP albums aren’t being offered to indie labels yet, and 2.) they cost a nice $10,000 to produce and put onto the iTunes Store. This alone is kind of depressing for people looking to create an LP album to potentially boost their sales as they may not even be able to afford that if Apple were to even allow them to have the chance to create one.

The iTunes LP idea could work, Apple, but only with creative indies behind it pushing the limits.

Via [Gizmodo]

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Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for October 9, 2009:

Macintosh

• Reggie Ashworth has announced AppDelete 2.2.3, an update to his popular application deletion utility for Mac OS X. With a simple Drag & Drop, AppDelete will delete any chosen app with all of its associated items that belong to that application. Mac users will no longer have to hunt through their system to find and delete these items manually. AppDelete is a must-have utility for beta testers and the perfect companion to any Mac fanatic’s toolbox.
• algoriddim, a leader in next-generation music software for the Mac, today announced the release of djay 3, the completely revamped version of its fun and innovative music software application for Mac and iTunes. A host of unprecedented new features, including an Automatic Tempo & Beat Detection, Auto-Cut Scratching and extensive MIDI Support, combined with the program’s redesigned user interface, make djay 3 the perfect tool for beginners and pros alike.

iPhone/iPod

• Radiance house has announced Love Therapy 1.0 for iPhone and iPod Touch. Love Therapy is a self help tool that allows couples and individuals to identify their roles in relationship and grow the potential of their own relationships. The application describes twenty roles that people play in relationships, and it helps you profile and improve your love-life.
• List Logic Software has announced List Maker 1.0 for iPhone and iPod touch. List Maker uses revolutionary techniques to allow you to create any type of list, and then view and sort those lists with a simple tap or a swipe. When viewing your lists, you control how much or how little of your information you want to see. Simply tap the bottom middle button to increase or decrease the number of visible columns.
• CVZ Productions has released Daily Tracker 3.0, an update to their personal organizer for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Designed specifically to take advantage of the iPhone’s unique capabilities and interface, Daily Tracker allows users to track virtually anything. Users can quickly choose from an existing category, or easily create a custom one that suits their needs. Version 3.0 features Google Docs integration and numerous usability improvements.
• Glass House Games has announced that its iPhone arcade puzzle game Bugsy will be on sale for a limited time. Designed for the iPhone and the iPod Touch, Bugsy is a challenging, fast-paced, fun and addicting arcade puzzle game. With unique gameplay, 125 levels of increasing difficulty, and 3 different types of Rogue Enemies, you are guaranteed hours of enjoyment. If you like challenging, mind-bending puzzle games, you will enjoy Bugsy.
• There are many things we’re encouraged not to do as children, such as don’t play with your food, don’t play with the worms in the garden, and so on. If there’s one thing the creative types at 4J Studios do want you playing with, it’s your words. The innovative studio recently announced Texas Wuggle for iPhone and iPod Touch consoles, launching late Octover. Now, see where the series started with the original version of Wuggle, available now on iTunes for £0.59/$0.99/€0.79.
• Blue Lightning Labs has announced that their popular iPhone application Mathemagics has been selected as an App Classic. Dubbed as “The AppStore’s missing Hall of Fame,” App Classics calculates and selects the all-time most popular high quality apps available on the AppStore. Mathemagics, an application for learning to mentally calculate math problems at phenomenal speeds, has garnered outstanding reviews and continues to amaze users.
• The Pilates for Pregnancy exercise iphone app is based on the top rated Prenatal Pilates DVD and the “Pilates and Pregnancy Workbook.” This not only gives modified Pilates exercises for every trimester of your pregnancy but it is also a complete pregnancy planner. It includes checklists for a healthy pregnancy, notes pages with questions to help you keep track of everything going on during this exciting time as well as a pregnancy photo album! Store your sonogram pictures as well as pictures of your growing belly and anything else related to your pregnancy as you create your own digital photo album.
• Chillingo has announced that its groundbreaking shoot-‘em-up game, Arcade Reality, has released to Apple’s App Store. In Arcade Reality, videogame invaders from outer space are attacking the real world. These alien enemies fly around the player’s body in real-time, with laser beams and missiles attacking from every angle. The attackers are invisible to the human eye, but unbelievably they are now visible via the iPhone camera.
• Raizlabs has released Tip Calculator 1.2, their top selling tip calculator application for iPhone and iPod touch. Tip Calculator allows people to split the bill any way they want. Using a simple slider you can adjust how much each person will pay on any bill. The application automatically computes and splits the remainder. The application does this and calculates a tip in one step. It can even subtract out tax if you don’t like to tip on the tax portion of a meal.
• Obvious Matter has announced Camera Level 1.0, an app for shooting photos that guides you in keeping your iPhone camera level at all times. When you are photographing landscapes and buildings you want to make sure the photos you shoot are straight and nicely leveled. No need to straighten your photos with external tools any more. Camera Level lets you keep your iPhone camera level at all times. Never shoot photos again with a tilted horizon.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

It’s been a fairly encouraging week for Mac gamers. Yesterday, we saw the release of Bullet Candy Perfect and The Secrets of Da Vinci: The Forbidden Manuscript. Today, Virtual Programming has announced X3: Terran Conflict for Mac OS X, the final chapter in the X Universe story. Although X2: The Threat and X3: Reunion are available for the Mac (X2 is PPC only), X3: Terran Conflict can be played as a standalone game. It features “stunning graphics and spine-tingling audio that make players feel as if they’re really exploring deep space. They’ll undertake dangerous missions, become economic powerhouses, and engage in conflicts ranging from dogfights between small spacecraft to massive battles involving fleets of ships.”

From the press release:

X3: Terran Conflict continues the X Universe’s story of human, alien, and machine races vying for power—players choose between several different characters, with their selection slightly altering the plot. The X Universe has made contact with the Solar System, but Earth is a much different place than it was centuries ago, when a calamity cut the planet off from a small group of humans.

While exploring the newly rediscovered Solar System and investigating the robotic Xenon race’s odd behavior, players undertake a wide variety of missions or simply chart their own course. They can trade resources with some races, while others may attack players on sight. As they accumulate wealth, players can not only upgrade their spacecraft and buy new ones but also build factories, trading stations, weapon platforms, and a headquarter. The game’s persistent universe spins around them the entire time, creating an open-ended experience that continues after the story ends.

Mark Hinton, Virtual Programming CEO, said of the expansive game, “Its rich storyline, immersive graphics, and dynamic audio create a compelling experience that draws players in and won’t let them go. We recommend reserving a healthy block of time to experience all it has to offer.”

X3: Terran Conflict is available now as a digital download, with retail availability today. The game retails for US$39.95, €34.95, and £29.95.

System requirements call for:

• Mac OS X: 10.5.7 or higher
• Intel CPU, 2.16 GHz or faster
• 1GB RAM
• GeForce 8600, Radeon X1600 or newer 256MB
• 7GB Hard Disk space
• Internet connection for product registration

Product [X3: Terran Conflict]

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Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for October 8, 2009:

Macintosh

• Martin Wengenmayer has announced Cheetah3D 5.0, a major update to his 3D modeling solution for Mac OS X. Developed from the ground up utilizing the latest Cocoa technologies, Cheetah3D is a lean, fast, and elegant 3D modeling, rendering, and animation package with an easy learning curve. Version 5.0 adds a completely new node based material system, optimized render engine, extended modeling tools, and many small UI enhancements.
• Flying Mac has announced that FarFinder went on sale for two weeks until October 22nd. FarFinder allows users to browse, search, view and download their Mac’s files from anywhere on the internet at any time, using any Mac, PC or iPhone. No special software is required on the client side, and a Mac can be accessed from any platform. All communication between browser/iPhone and Mac is encrypted using secure http, the same technology used for secure web sites like banks and online retailers.
• iFunia Corp. has updated iFunia Video Converter Pro to help users convert MTS/MOD and other HD/SD video to iMovie and Final Cut Pro compatible format for editing.
• Charlie’s Games has announced Bullet Candy Perfect for Mac OS X. Bullet Candy Perfect is a fun shoot-em-up game, with sharp, super smooth 3D graphics, and a cool techno soundtrack. The game is all about honing your skills to perfection as you attempt the perfect run. Along with a host of score and power-up techniques, the game uses a tactical suicide mechanic that allows you to cheat an unpleasant death at the hands of your enemies and keep your bonus weapons and score multipliers intact.
• The Secrets of Da Vinci: The Forbidden Manuscript is the first ever game created about the life and work of Leonardo Da Vinci. Players come to discover and delve inside the mysteries surrounding the hidden enigmas of the works of the great genius. “The Secrets of Da Vinci: The Forbidden Manuscript” is a major investigation and adventure game, a thrilling mystical quest into the heart of the Renaissance. It is now available for Mac OS X.
• Commence Corporation, a leading provider of customer relationship management (CRM) software solutions designed specifically for small- to mid-size businesses, has announced details of the new cloud computing edition of its award-winning CRM software. The new offering, planned for January 2010, will initially be deployed for the Amazon Web Service’s Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) environment.
• Jumsoft has announced updates for Money, its most popular business and finance tool. This week sees the release of improved desktop and iPhone versions of Money. Enhancements to the new desktop version, 3.4.3, feature improved Snow Leopard compatibility, while Money 1.1 for iPhone includes automatic bill payment, comment capability, and several interface improvements.
• Minder Softworks has released MYStuff 1.0, designed to be the first “stuff manager” for OS X. MYStuff solves two common problems: eliminate paperwork clutter associated with the things people own, and take advantage of manufacturer’s warranties. It accomplishes this by storing information about the things you own as images, PDFs, and as manually-entered data. MYStuff allows you to back up your data, print lists for insurance claims, and view your records as lists or as images.
• Since its release in September 2007, Mac OS X Leopard: The Missing Manual has been the bestselling computer book in America. And now, the beast is back. The new Snow Leopard edition offers a wealth of detail on Apple’s newest operating system. Snow Leopard is faster and more reliable than earlier Mac OSX versions, and no one is more reliable at bringing you up to speed than David Pogue.
• Mythic Entertainment, the developer of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR), will be descending upon GameX 2009 from October 23rd - 25th to meet fans and showcase the latest and greatest new content and updates to WAR. Located at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania, the event will provide the opportunity for local players to meet with members of the development team and check out the latest Halloween Live Event, Daemon Moon Rising, which includes the Daemonball Rally Public Quest and the Daemon Mask Event Quest.
• Power Technology has announced iDFX. iDFX installs as an accessory for iTunes and uses patent-pending technology to re-encode the users MP3 and AAC files for much higher sound quality. It does this by compensating for fidelity and harmonic content loss that occurred during the original encoding process. The result is much better playback quality on your iPod; many users feel the quality is as good as the original CD recordings.
• Long-time Mac users and industry experts Larry Pollock and Kevin Burns have announced the launch of MacSupportCasts, a new online video tutorial web site designed to provide affordable online Mac training to users ranging in expertise from novice to intermediate. Easy-to-use video tutorials begin with the fundamentals of using a Mac computer and then move into more detailed training on each application that is included with a Mac.

iPhone/iPod

• LatteArt (iTunes App Store link) is an entertainment application that allows the user to create art with a pattern or design of milk foam. Spread milk foam with your finger on the screen. Drag the milk foam by etching. Brush up your design with a melted chocolate line that enables ranges of patterns. You can also take a photograph in as a rough sketch, and start a design based on it.
• From the makers of the most popular Sudoku games on iPhone comes a new whirl on word games! How many words can you discover from six letters? Solve the puzzle instantly by finding the six-letter word or step up to the challenge of finding all possible words with the letters given. Whirly Word comes with over 5,000 puzzles, multiple color schemes, score tracking, and background music and sound effects that can be turned off so you can listen to your iPod while you play.
• Game Era Studio has announced Underwater 2, a new sequel to their match3 puzzle game for iPhone and iPod Touch. Designed specifically to leverage the iPhone’s unique gesturing abilities and peerless interface, Underwater 2 distinguishes itself from alternative Tetris-like games in that it is completely gesture based. Underwater features 3 gaming modes with a total of 29 compelling levels, beautifully rendered graphics, and a soothing, aquatic sound environment.
• Directed Graph Software LLC has announced iLEVELi 2.1, an update to their versatile inclinometer utility for iPhone and iPod Touch. Designed specifically for the iPhone’s delightful user experience, iLEVELi simulates a spirit level allowing the user to focus on the measurement of slopes and angles referenced to gravity. Version 2.1 uses more refined digital signal processing techniques for faster measurements and calibration, and improved sensitivity to perturbations.
• TapFactory has introduced Contact 1.2, their new iPhone app. Contact is the only Home screen speed dial app that supports dialing, SMS and emailing. Contact allows users to generate any number of speed dials on their Home screen, each with their own unique icon that can be a custom photo or selected from the built in icon library. Create any number of custom speed dials that when tapped can either dial a number, open an SMS, open an email, or prompt you with all three.
• MotionObj has announced SimplyTweet 2.4, an update to their full featured Twitter application for iPhone and iPod touch. SimplyTweet combines a fast, simple user interface with a rich set of features. The update adds support for multiple drafts, a customizable swipe menu, option to disable landscape mode and bug fixes. It supports advanced functionality such as mentions and direct messages push notifications, themes, photo search, and photo and video posting and much more.
• Ian Maskell has announced the launch of iPhone App Freelancer, a website offering the ability to turn great ideas into apps with little or no programming knowledge. iPhone App Freelancer is a service that connects freelancer iPhone application developers with entrepreneurs and businesses that require custom programming, applications, graphics and development projects for the iPhone.
• This coming weekend (that’s October 10th & 11th 2009) Chilli X is going to give all their apps away for free. That’s right—all 16 apps will be free. That’s enough to fill a whole screen on your iPhone. They know it’s crazy but they wanted to say thank you to everybody who has supported them over the last year, and simultaneously boost awareness of their apps.
• SintraWorks has released Metron 1.2, an update to their professional digital metronome for iPhone and iPod Touch. Featuring an intuitive front panel, Metron offers a high-precision playback engine and a bar based sequencer to provide detailed control over tempo settings & time signatures, including mixed meters, accelerandos and ritardandos. Metron incorporates a tuner that can be calibrated to cent level. Version 1.2 includes playback during screen-lock, pitch-pipe adjustment per Hertz, more.
• Silver Lining Ideas has announced the start of their month long contest to name the panda in their soon to be released Lucky Day application. The first place prize will be a stuffed Panda with the newly announced name stitched onto it, a iTunes gift card and the winners name listed in the credits of the game design. The contest starts October 8, 2009 and will be open for entries until October 30, 2009. The winner will be announced on October 31, 2009.
• DVDxDV has released Photo Sweets 1.0, a new photography application for iPhone devices. Photo Sweets features a new photo skin smoothing filter that can soften wrinkles and smooth out skin. Additionally, the app contains three other high quality filters for setting White Point, Color Burst and Noise Reduction. Photo Sweets works on any picture taken with the iPhone Camera or stored in its Photo Library. It processes images at full resolution making them suitable for printing.
• IK Multimedia has announced the release of two new applications for the iPhone/iPod Touch: GrooveMaker Techno and GrooveMaker Trance. Both versions based on the recently released GrooveMaker remixing application, these style-based apps allow everyone to create and share non-stop techno and trance tracks for DJing, remixing, multimedia and movie soundtrack compositions on the go, in real-time, just like a professional DJ or music producer.
• Weight Watchers has announced the Weight Watchers Mobile iPhone app. Now Weight Watchers gives you even more freedom and flexibility. Access your plan info from wherever you are: at a restaurant, the grocery store, on vacation or just out and about. Track the POINTS values of food and activities and find the best options for what to eat. Everything you do on your mobile device will be seamlessly reflected on your account on the website. It’s included with your subscription. And it’s just one more way that Weight Watchers fits with your life.
• Pet Acoustics Inc, a company dedicated to bringing products to market that bring joy and peace to the animals that share their lives with us, releases the Pet Acoustics Application for iPhone and iPod Touch. The first App of its kind, Pet Acoustics provides soothing music that enhances the lives of dogs, cats, horses, and their people to maintain balance and well being in their living environment.

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Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for October 7, 2009:

Macintosh

• Can all the classic games in Mac history be compiled into a 3:30 minute video? Of course they can! Now with appropriately funky music.
• Zeroonetwenty has announced Jar 1.1 an update to its automated cookie management software for Mac OS X. Implemented as a Preference Panel for OS X, Jar ensures that the only cookies kept on your Mac are from sites in your browsers bookmarks or history. Version 1.1 extends its browser support to now include Mozilla Firefox in addition to Safari. By using browser history and bookmarks as the heart of cookie management Jar is able to make cookie management trivial.
• Norbert M. Doerner has released MP3-Info 2.0. MP3-Info is a companion designed to integrate with Apples Finder and iTunes, helping to view and organize music libraries. Version 2.0 now runs as an application in Snow Leopard, and displays all relevant audio tags, such as cover art, lyrics, album, artist, or comments. It now offers a fast connection to search for similar songs in the popular media cataloger CDFinder, and can rename song files based on their tags.
• Jumsoft has released Keynote Animations FX 7.0, an update to its selection of products for Apple’s Keynote. This set presents 100 exciting animated images suitable for any occasion, including 30 brand-new additions that feature superb animation quality and spectacular creativity. The animations can easily be applied to any slide, as well as effortlessly positioned, blended, mixed, overlaid, underlaid, and much more.
• Zevrix Solutions has announced InPreflight 2.6.12, a compatibility update to its quality control, packaging automation and file info reporting solution for Adobe InDesign. InPreflight goes well beyond the InDesign basics helping graphics and print professionals uncover hidden problems, save disk space through smart auto-packaging, save and print graphic reports, and reduce production time and costs. The new version introduces compatibility with Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.
• Indev Software has released three updates for its Mail plugins: MailTags and Mail Act-On. Mail Act-On 2.1.4 is a maintenance release for all Mail Act-On 2 users. It remedies minor issues and add Dutch localization. MailTags 2.3.1 is a maintenance release for all MailTags 2 users who work on Leopard Mail. It remedies several issues, particularly with keyword management. MailTags Snow Leopard Compatibility Release 3 is a critical release, fixing numerous stability and functionality problems.
• Zelda Rubinstein, the eccentric medium from Poltergeist, wants to help you rid your house of the fright-inducing ancient technology that may be haunting your home—just in time for Halloween. Frightening gadgets, like tape-eating VCRs, TVs that send a shock through fingers when touched and 10lb laptops that take a toll on the shoulder are prime suspects of Scary Technology and should not be brushed aside. Beginning October 5 through October 26, 2009, consumers can submit photos of their most fear-inducing technology to www.ScaryTechnology.com, accompanied by a 140-character caption to help bring their photo to life.
• In Mastering Digital Panoramic Photography (Rocky Nook, $34.95 USD) you will find everything you need to know to create amazing panoramic images. Author Harald Woeste takes the reader on a tour from the basics of capturing panoramas, all the way through stitching, editing, and printing panoramic images. He provides a detailed description of the necessary equipment and materials, as well as the various software tools that can be used in the workflow. The latter half of the book illustrates the making of panoramas through a number of example projects.
• REALbasic Developer Magazine is reprinting the last year’s issues into a convenient perfect-bound book which will be shipping in November 2009. Through October 19th, pre-order RBD Archive Volume 7, a perfect-bound 334-page book containing the full contents of Year 7 of REALbasic Developer Magazine, for 25% off the normal price for a limited time. Current subscribers can save even more with an additional subscriber discount.

iPhone/iPod

• To celebrate the International week of Cosmos, Vito Technology is making Star Walk available at a discounted rate $2.99 for the next few days. Have a look at the new way of selecting locations on Star Walk with the 3D image of the globe. This way you can observe stars, planets, constellations, meteor showers and all sky objects from your favorite place on earth. No matter where you are or where you would like to be, with the new earth view feature in Star Walk you can spin the globe with your finger and choose and change at your leisure your stars spotting points.
• ASD Soft Company has published Bikini Lines, a version of a popular logical game Lines. The aim of the game is to set out balls of the same color in lines. After this, they disappear, opening fabulous photos of sexy models to the eyes of a gamer! They also offer a free version Bikini Lines Lite, which gives you the opportunity to play the game’s first three levels before buying the full version.
• Popular trivia game QuizQuizQuiz is now available in a limited period sale with the price reduced by 80%. The game—which takes quizzes on the iPhone to a whole new level features over 28,000 questions in total across English (UK/US/NZ/OZ), French, German, Italian and Spanish—is available for gamers world-wide to play and enjoy.
• Trilibis Mobile, an innovative developer of mobile search and social networking applications, today announced Orbit, the first cross-platform, cross-network, cross-device mobile social phonebook that cleverly organizes all of your communication channels: voice, text, e-mail and social networking.
• eNcipient, creator of the world’s first iPhone case featuring a Drop-Catch Tether, is pleased to introduce the new VOi! Lorem for iPhone 3G and 3GS. VOi! Lorem is a durable snap-fit case that features full access to all ports. VOi! offers a one of a kind Drop-Catch Tether providing a safety feature you won’t find on any other iPhone accessory.
• Mophie has unveiled a new lineup of innovative charging solutions for the iPhone, iPod, and other USB compatible devices. Highlighting the new series is a hybrid Wall & Car International USB Charger ($24.95) that combines a car charger along with a 270º rotating AC adaptor arm that ensures a secure connection at almost any angle. The International Adaptor Travel Kit ($14.95) enables the Wall & Car USB Charger to be used virtually anywhere while traveling abroad and comes with a convenient carrying bag. The Dual USB Wall Charger($19.95) allows users to charge two USB devices at once and its fold up design makes it an ideal solution for traveling with multiple gadgets. Mophie also now has a Low-Profile USB Car Charger ($14.95) with a sleek, minimalist design that seamlessly blends in with your car’s interior.
• San Francisco based indie developer 2n Productions announced today that QuitIt! Episode 2 - Shock and Oww is now available from the iTunes App Store. EP2 brings a variety of new fun features to the episodic sandbox entertainment app starring Lumpy Hrudkovity, an alien entertainer from planet Zgrunturos.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for October 6, 2009:

Macintosh

• Zevrix Solutions has announced PDF Checkpoint 1.1, an update to its new powerful PDF workflow automation solution. PDF Checkpoint quickly preflights, exports as images, splits and reduces size of multiple PDF files. The program is equally suitable to process hundreds of files as well as single PDF documents. The new version introduces the ability to downsample and compress images inside PDF documents which allows to reduce PDF file size dramatically.
• DataMind Srl has announced Jade 1.4, their highly acclaimed digital image processing application for Mac OS X Snow Leopard. Implementing state-of-the-art algorithms to enhance color, contrast and dynamic range, Jade is an easy-to-use image enhancement and batch processing tool that will automatically improve digital images. As DataMind’s main product of a series of image processing and computer vision tools, Version 1.4 is a staff pick on Apple’s download website.
• Bartas Technologies has announced XTabulator 2, an update to its tabular data file editor tool for Mac OS X. XTabulator is an inexpensive, lightweight, fast, flexible, and powerful delimited tabular file editor. It is perfectly suited for working with tabular files, such as comma-sparated-value or tab-delimited formats. XTabulator is a hand-crafted tool focused on the task of manipulating data extracted from one application so that it can be imported into another.
• Eltima Software has released SyncMate 2.4. SyncMate enables Mac users to synchronize their Mac with Windows PC, Sony PlayStation Portable and USB flash drives, as well as with other supported devices. SyncMate Expert Edition provides all users with a full access to all synchronization features. Sync iTunes, Video, iPhoto, Safari and Firefox Bookmarks, Entourage and mail Notes, ToDo’s, Mail and even separate folders between your Mac and Windows Mobile devices, and more.
• Bohemian Coding has announced DrawIt 3.10, the latest version of their easy-to-use, powerful vector-drawing application for Mac OS X. DrawIt is unique in that it presents the user with a simple and clean interface, yet packs an impressive assortment of useful, professional features. Version 3.10 introduces essential new effects and significantly increases its performance. DrawIt 3.10 now provides support for multi-stop gradients and also adds a gradient stroke effect to the mix.
• Yazsoft has announced Speed Download 5.2.6, an important update to their popular download manager for Mac OS X. Speed Download 5 redefines the Mac OS X download manager by combining four amazing products: a turbo-charged download manager, a fully featured secure FTP client, a file sharing utility with full encryption, and complete .Mac/iDisk/WEBDAV connectivity, into one small and easy to use application.
• Group Logic has announced a partnership with Symantec to market a joint solution for file system archiving for Mac-based organizations. The solution is based on Symantec’s market leading Enterprise Vault software and Group Logic’s newly released ArchiveConnect software. With the combined solution, Mac-based enterprises and departments can take full advantage of file system archiving to reduce storage costs by up to 60 percent and increase both IT and user productivity.
• LaCie, in collaboration with world-famous designer Philippe Starck, has announced the LaCie Starck Desktop Hard Drive and the LaCie Starck Mobile Hard Drive. The new products showcase more than just Starck’s iconic signature; there is an intellect revealed throughout each component of the design.
• RadTech has announced the ClearCal anti-glare film for glossy 17” MacBook Pro and 20” iMac displays. ClearCal AG (anti-glare) films greatly improve the viewability of glossy glass displays when used in brightly lit or outdoor environments. ClearCal films combine a tempered 2-mil matte finished, anti-reflection layer, permanently laminated to a 3-mil flexible transparent base. A blemish-healing siliconized adhesive provides an optically-correct, yet easily removable bond that conceals existing surface defects like abrasions and scratches. The siliconized adhesive is permanently bonded to the base layer and will never leave any residue behind if later removed.

iPhone/iPod

• PressOK Entertainment has announced the release of their new game Finger Physics. Finger Physics is an action-packed puzzle game of balance, where fingers take charge of building stable structures with varied objects. PressOK points to the polling of over 5000 actual fingers as the key to the success of Finger Physics; fingers everywhere rejoice!
• Bitnotic today released Octavian 1.0 for iPhone and iPod Touch. Perfect for the studio, Octavian presents a slick interface for quickly exploring scales and chords on a piano keyboard. It is an essential musical reference tool for any musician, student, composer, songwriter, pianist, keyboard player, or hobbyist of all skill levels. Quickly find scales and chords and transpose them to any root note, view any mode of any scale, view chords in root position and first, and much more.
• Fonerola has announced the debut of its first mobile application, FonerCall. This communication app allows mobile phone users to save money on International and Long Distance calls by routing calls over the Internet via the device’s built-in Wi-Fi service. Whether you are at home, the office or at a coffee shop, you can now make long distance calls anywhere there is a Wi-Fi spot. It is simple to use and as easy as making regular calls.
• Matteo Rossi has released WiFiPhoto 1.1 for iPhone and iPod Touch. With a simple and elegant interface, WiFiPhoto makes it easy to download photos from iPhone and iPod Touch to any computer over a wifi network without USB cables. The application works as a web server to which any computer over the LAN can connect via browser. It’s possible to download multiple pictures in a single compressed file with any desired compression quality at full resolution.
• Etherfield Games has announced their first iPhone app: Pitz. Pitz is an addictive platform game, with simpe controls, unique graphics and original music. You control a rubber ball through the mystic temples of an ancient empire.
• Mad Finger Games has announced Samurai: Way of the Warrior 1.1, an eagerly-anticipated update to their unique hack-and-slash action game for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Samurai: Way of the Warrior is a unique action game inspired by the grace and visceral power of Japanese samurai classics. This major update features three new difficulty levels, improved enemy AI, a new survival mode, global leaderboards with Facebook and Twitter integration, and much more.
• Vela Design Group has released MagicHour 1.4.7 for iPhone and iPod touch. MagicHour is a world clock with unique features and an easily configurable user interface. Users can quickly display the time of sunrise, sunset, dawn and dusk for three kinds of twilight, moon phase and tilt, and much more. MagicHour is invaluable to iPhone and iPod touch users who travel or communicate with friends and colleagues around the world.
• Until now, iPhone users have been stuck with a very bland incoming email tone. With the launch of Electric Pocket’s new MailTones, iPhone users will for the first time be able to change the email alert tone and set a different tone for each and every friend, family member or colleague in their Address Book. MailTones will help users to distinguish high priority emails from their boss or spouse from lower priority emails from college buddies or email lists.
• Ultrasone Inc., has announced the release of its flagship HFI Series headphone: the HFI-2400. With the debut of the HFI-2400, Ultrasone has designed an eye-catching black and silver, open-backed headphone that satisfies the highest of listening demands.
• Marc Ecko Entertainment has announced that the critically acclaimed Dexter the Game will be available on the App Store for $3.99 through October 12. Two bucks has been sliced off the regular price, for a limited time only. Also don’t forget to enter the Dexter The Game Sweepstakes to win a walk on role in Season 5 of the TV show or lunch with one of the show’s writers. To get a code, purchase Dexter the Game from the iTunes App Store, load it, then tap the EXTRAS button in the Main Menu. See www.dexterthegame.com for official rules and entry page. No purchase necessary.
• PocketSherpa is a new, free iPhone app that connects tourists to locals. You tap on your destination/location; enter a question and locals respond with their tips. PocketSherpa already has over 30,000 locals in 7,000 locations registered.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for October 5, 2009:

Macintosh

• Nisus Software has announced the release of Nisus Writer Pro 1.3.1 and Nisus Writer Express 3.3.1, their critically acclaimed word processors for Mac OS X. The Nisus Writer Pro 1.3.1 beta contains fixes for Snow Leopard compatibility issues. There have also been some bug fixes since the release of Pro 1.3. Nisus Writer Express 3.3.1 adds new features and includes Snow Leopard compatibility fixes.
• Edovia has announced TouchPad 2.0, the latest version of the utility app. TouchPad is a remote trackpad, keyboard and media remote package that lets you control any Mac remotely. Use your iPhone or your iPod touch to control you computer through WiFi. With TouchPad’s intuitive use, you’ll feel right at home if you have already used a track pad on a Unibody MacBook. It’s almost like having a micro laptop in your hands.
• QuickerTek has released the Auto and Airline Charging Adapter for all Apple MacBook Air laptops. Users can now travel by land and air longer by using the Auto/Airline Charging Adapter. This simple-to-use device features automobile and airline power adapters to run your Apple MacBook Air. Unlike the Apple charger, QuickerTek’s charging adapter recharges the internal battery while you are using the laptop.

iPhone/iPod

• Moving from the virtual links to a real-life golf course near you, Electronic Arts, Inc., has announced the launch of Tee Shot Live, an interactive application for the iPhone that allows users to track their real-life golf performance, attain round-changing golf course information and share information with fellow golf enthusiasts and friends from around the world. Tee Shot Live will be available for a special introductory price of only 99 cents during the first week that the product is in the marketplace, and following the promotional period can be purchased for $9.99 from Apple’s App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/.
• Opus isn’t your average touch and gesture based music player, it’s much more. Most let you tap and flick to skip tracks or adjust the volume. But does any other let you fully customize what each tap and flick does? Are you able to save different gesture profiles for different activities? Can you auto-rotate or lock the display to a landscape or portrait orientation so you aren’t trying to read something that’s upside down? Opus can do all of the above, and much more.
• SimpleLeap Software has released Cram Lite 1.5, a free version of their flashcard and multiple choice study app for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Through Cram’s simplified and easy-to-use interface, users can quickly create tests and flashcards, share them with friends, download tests and flashcards from the Cram test portal. Cram Lite allows users to test with all the features of the full version of Cram iPhone, with limited test data.
• Steve Glinberg has announced KidCalc 1.5, an update to his popular animated math flash cards and learning game for iPhone and iPod touch. Designed specifically to leverage the iPhone’s peerless interface, KidCalc helps teach math to children, ages 3-9 years, using Halloween themed graphics, engaging animations and voice-overs by a child. KidCalc is now four apps in one, including animated math flash cards, math drills, counting games, and an animated calculator.
• Happymagenta has introduced Net Scan 1.1, an update to their popular ports and networks scanner for iPhone and iPod touch. Developed specifically to leverage the iPhone’s peerless capabilities, Net Scan will effortlessly scan hosts or network ranges on the Internet or LAN for running services as well as dig for other useful information. The utility can scan by either IP address or any network range for hosts and services and run in several different modes. Version 1.1 sports many new features.
• Codengineer has introduced Sparkz 1.0, a remake of the vintage Mac game for iPhone and iPod touch. Focused on a unique gameplay experience, Sparkz is a tribute to classic arcade games of the eighties. Using gentle swipes or the devices accelerometer, players control diamond shaped Stix, moving safely along the Arena borderlines. Conquer a super-majority of the Arena to progress through 50 unique stages of game play revealing 50 nature pictures along the way.
• iPhone developers Nor Eagle are planning to use Twitter to give away promo-codes for their game Ben’s somewhat spiffy-looking but ultimately craptastic rock-paper-scissors game. Users simply following Nor Eagle on Twitter and we will give away codes at random times the next few days.
• Random Ideas has announced the release of Edibles 2.5, which includes the ability to search a food database containing over 500,000 food items. This food database was contributed primarily by users of Edibles over the last nine months. To show their gratitude to these users, they’re going to be giving away a brand new, 3rd Generation, 32GB iPod Touch to one of them.
• App City has announced Refresh Me 1.0.1 for iPhone and iPod touch. Refresh Me is a 5 minute guided meditation app designed to relax and energize the user. It uses voice over narration and nature sound effects to immerse the user in a more peaceful and tranquil environment. Refresh Me offers people time out from a busy world and can also help to revitalize the mind, body and spirit.
• Media Atelier has introduced Retina 1.0, their new color blindness helper for iPhone devices. Designed specifically to take advantage of the iPhone’s unique capabilities and peerless interface, Retina helps color-blind users recognize colors by using the device’s camera preview. By simply pointing the camera preview on any object, Retina provides a simple method to differentiate colors in a fast, efficient way.
• Shifting Mind has announced Amazed 3D 1.0, its fun and addictive maze game for iPhone and iPod touch. Amazed 3D takes the “ball in a maze” experience to the extreme. Navigate the maze by tilting the device to reach the target in the shortest time possible. Obtain any of three trophies to collect points and advance to the next level. Amazed 3D offers a polished experience combining high quality 3D graphics along with 33 levels with different skins.
• CAZE has released its Halloween themed Swarovski Crystal Cases for iPhone 3G/3GS. The Halloween collection consists of 8 handmade crystal cases and each features a Halloween motif on an ultra-thin transparent case. The slim cases used in the collection are the thinnest and durable to date at just 0.5mm thickness. These cases are not only chic and stylish but also protective. The cases cover back and the corners of the iPhone for maximum protection.
• Vonage has launched Vonage Mobile, its first mobile calling application for smartphones. Vonage Mobile is a free downloadable application that provides seamless, low-cost international calling while on Wi-Fi or cellular networks. Once downloaded, the service saves customers more than 50% on calls to dozens of countries versus the rates charged by wireless carriers while providing far more convenience than calling cards.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Remember about a month ago when the team over at Dropbox submitted their iPhone application to Apple for review for the App Store? Yea, we know it’s been a while. Well that application has now been accepted and is available as a free download through the App Store! You can get it via their website or straight through iTunes. The application allows you to download Dropbox files locally to your iPhone, view them over the internet, and sync files.

Well, as any geek would, I have already downloaded and checked out the application, and my first impressions are great. The application is extremely simple and quick and does exactly what you would expect. You can easily browse your files over the internet using the iPhone’s style of navigation. Furthermore, if you want to save a file for quick viewing offline later, you are able to favorite it very easily. It does have support for emailing links to files and viewing PDFs, too, which is nice. I highly suggest you check it out if you are a Dropbox user!

Full Story » | Written by Josh Holat for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »