Mobile Apple Me

Section: iPhone / iPod touch / iPad, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, iDevice Apps, iDevice Accessories, Mac Software

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod/iPad product updates and announcements for March 9, 2010:

• Macintosh
• iPod

Macintosh

• FileMaker, Inc. has announced the immediate availability of FileMaker Pro 11. Packed with new and innovative features led by charting, “on the fly” reporting, a new Quick Find capability, and a host of productivity tools for easier database creation, FileMaker Pro 11 makes using databases easier and quicker than ever. For advanced FileMaker users and developers, FileMaker Pro 11 delivers many new features for creating professional solutions in record time. Also available today with new features is the entire FileMaker 11 product line, which includes FileMaker Pro 11 Advanced, FileMaker Server 11 and FileMaker Server 11.
• Araelium Group has released Querious 1.0, its all-new database management application for Mac OS X. Querious includes the ability to view, edit, and search data, manage table schema, indexes, queries, and users for MSQL 5. Direct, SSH, and SSL connections are all supported. Querious has been built from the ground up for Mac OS X, featuring a well-crafted user experience that is both comfortable and manages to stay out of the way of experienced developers and database administrators.
• Mapdiva has announced Ortelius 1.0.7, the latest update of their map design software for Mac OS X. Ortelius is a vector-based cartography application that helps you create high-quality custom map graphics, plans, and scaled drawings. Ortelius offers a creative solution with superior quality graphics - perfect for reports, presentations, and publications. Ortelius helps you do more than just make maps - it help you communicate visually.
• Jumsoft has announced Pages Clipart 6.0, and continues to increase its collection of add-ons for Apple’s iWork suite. Pages Clipart provides users with vast options for illustrating their presentations, invitations, Web pages, posters, newsletters, and a variety of other documents. Use of the clipart images is not limited to Pages; they are also compatible with Keynote, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and various graphics editors.
• Other World Computing (OWC) has announced today its OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini is the first 2.5” 1TB “Quad Interface” bus powered portable storage solution on the market and available for immediate ordering with 10 models priced from $119.99. Featuring a “Quad Interface” of FireWire 800/400, USB 2.0, and eSATA interface connectivity for data transfer speeds up to 300MB/s, the fanless Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini delivers high performance storage/backup to Mac or PC users in a portable, brushed aluminum, no AC adapter required Plug and Play footprint.
• Digital cameras and flash technology have revolutionized photography. Originally seen simply as a way of illuminating dark scenes with portable light, flash today is used for a host of creative functions, including supplementing daylight and designing complex scenes lit by multiple light sources. Digital cameras with their preview screens make it easy to get instant feedback. But flash photography can still be a difficult artistic and technical challenge. It’s simple to get that harsh deer-in-the-headlights look from built-in automatic flash, yet creating natural-looking images is not as straightforward. Manuals are terse and the terminology is confusing. This is where Mastering Canon EOS Flash Photography comes in.
• Source R&D has announced the availability of the Warpia Easy Dock, which will allow users to wirelessly connect their notebook/netbook/Macbook to any traditional desktop setting.  With the Easy Dock’s straightforward plug-and-play interface, consumers can have both the convenience and portability of a laptop, as well as the comfort of a desktop computer.  Easier on the eyes, ears and hands, users will no longer have to squint at a miniature screen, deal with a below average sound quality, or fumble with a tiny keyboard.
• Elgato has announced the world’s smallest hybrid TV tuner stick. The next generation of EyeTV Hybrid introduces an ultra-compact enclosure in a matte aluminium finish. The TV tuner stick comes with EyeTV 3 software for Mac and a driver for Windows 7 Media Center. The price of the new version of EyeTV Hybrid remains the same at $149.95 USD.

iPhone/iPod/iPad

• The iPhone 3G Flip Case from iKit allows you to enjoy hands-free video viewing at a café, desk, or anywhere with a flat surface. It features a protective polycarbonate body, unique flipstand with a mirror screen protector included with purchase. The fashionable chrome finish makes this item the complete package for your iPhone.
• WaterField Designs has introduced two cases for the Apple iPad: the well-fitted Smart Case and the super-thin iPad Slip Case. Both new cases offer protection for the iPad and come in six colors. They can be matched with the ideal-fitting personal size WaterField Muzetto metro bag. All WaterField’s iPad cases—the Ultimate SleeveCase, the Suede Jacket, the Smart Case and Slip Case—are available for pre-order and will ship shortly after the Apple iPad ship date. The Muzetto is in stock now.
• Tisha Morris has released Feng Shui Bagua Map 1.0 for iPhone and iPod touch users interested in an easier way to improve the flow of their lives. The application is based on westernized Feng Shui, providing a bagua map, along with easy to use and follow instructions for optimizing the energy in a person’s home or office. Users can overlay onto the bagua map existing pictures from their phone’s photo library or snap a new one of their room or floor plan.
• Infomato Inc. today released Forget, a free application for iPhone and iPod touch devices. Forget is a memory aid for people who are frequently stuck in tip-of-the-tongue moments or whose otherwise brilliant trains of thought are stalled, simply because they are forgetful. Forget is built around the psychological principles of memory association and recognition, so that even scatterbrains and disorganized people can quickly enjoy its benefits.
• Spil Games has announced the release of its second game for the iPhone and iPod touch: Uphill Rush 2. Now available at the iTunes App Store, this new version of the 2D, side-scrolling, stunt-racing game lets mobile gamers shake and race their way to bigger stunts and higher scores. The mobile version of Uphill Rush 2 offers players three difficulty levels (Easy, Medium, and Hard), Time Trial and Versus modes, twelve customized stunt vehicles, and twenty different racing outfits. High achievers can win eight different cups spanning three different worlds and can post their scores on Facebook.
• Sweetpea Software has announced Rulette 1.0, its first application for iPhone and iPod touch devices. Rulette is a fun spin on the rules of evidence. With just the flick of the wheel, you can view the rules by spinning the wheel and choosing the rule that you want to read. To view the rule that you have selected, simply press the “Read the Rule” chip. This edition of Rulette includes the North Carolina Rules of Evidence.
• Griffin Technology Inc., has unveiled a new collection of designs from the Griffin + Threadless Co-Op Initiative. Two new case patterns—Permafrost Pollution and Funkalicious—join the already popular line of cases, introducing new artists to the tech community.
• TeamViewer GmbH has just released TeamViewer and TeamViewer Pro, iPhone applications making mobile connectivity more flexible than ever before. Designed for iPhone or iPod touch, from versions 2.2.1 and newer, the innovative TeamViewer applications access or control remote computers located anywhere in the world.
• Today marks the official release of Cloak—a community-developed protective case for the Apple iPad. The Quirky community came together to develop a sleek, sturdy case with a modern design resembling that of an office folder, just in time for the iPad pre-sale launch on March 12. The Cloak is constructed from non-slip rubber with durable plastic hinge mechanisms to enable viewing at different angles.
• Gormaya has announced that their first App, TasteTimer, has been updated and is available exclusively for the iPhone and iPod Touch. TasteTimer is a precise timer with over 600 included timer recipes for tea, coffee, and food. With TasteTimer, there are 19 categories of timer recipes: Black Tea, Botanical, Chai, Coffee, Eggs, Fruit, Grain, Green Tea, Hot Chocolate, Legume, Meat, Oolong Tea, Poultry, Pu-erh Tea, Rooibos, Seafood, Vegetables, White Tea, and Yerba Maté.
• Crazy Mike’s Apps has announced an iPod touch 8GB giveaway tied to March Madness and the release of the new iPhone app, PocketBracket. PocketBracket: College Basketball Tournament is an iPhone app that easily allows people to keep track of their College Basketball Brackets. PocketBracket allows anyone to create unlimited NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament brackets. Full contest details are located online. Winners for the contest will be announced on April 11 on the contest website.
• metaio has released a completely new version of its open augmented reality browser junaio. The version 2.0 is now available in the App Store and offers new unique features. Indoor usage, web- and user-based information channels and an open API for developers are further steps on junaio ́s way to an open browser platform enabling everyone to create and experience mobile augmented reality.

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

Section: Rumors, Apple News, Commercials and Ads, iPhone / iPod touch / iPad, iPad, iPhone OS, SDK and hacks, Originals

As reported at Appletell, the first TV ad for Apple’s iPad made it’s TV premiere during the Oscars. And you’re probably not surprised that the story doesn’t stop there. No, we actually gained some real information about the iBookstore, how documents may be stored on the iPhone, and a little more about the rumor that just won’t die, a front facing camera.

Pricing on the iBookstore seems fairly reasonable.  Books appear to be running between $12.95 and $14.95. 9to5Mac points out that True Compass (Ted Kennedy’s memoir) drops at $14.95, whereas it’s hardcover and Kindle equivalents run $23 and $19.25 respectively. That’s not bad…if you like books. I don’t. I still think there should be some books that are free of charge—stuff like Moby Dick, Grimm’s Fairy Tales or the Bible. Texts that can be found online, legally, for free. Perhaps Apple will do something like this; they haven’t exactly outlawed it. We’ll have to wait and see.

Looks like Apple may be adopting some Windows lingo into the iDevice OS…yuck! During the iWork segment of the commercial it shows a button clearly labeled “My Documents.” Now, this could be for various reasons. It could be that you can name your documents folder anything you like. That’s not really in Apple style though. Here’s my theory. Apple wasn’t the first company to release a phone under the name of “iPhone,” they had to fight for it. They also aren’t the first company to release a device called the iPad; they’re fighting for this one as well.  So, there’s reason to wonder how long it’s going to take until Apple fights a legal battle to wrestle the title “My Documents” from Microsoft.  Okay, that’s a bit of a stretch, but sometimes Apple make me wonder with all this name stealing stuff.

Okay, fine, I’ll talk about the front facing camera.  As you can see from the image above, there’s clearly something between the time and the edge of the iPad.  The bezel.  Seriously, I’d be really surprised if there’s actually an iSight hiding behind there, even with this image with a nicely placed color inconsistency.  Could it be an iSight?  Yes, I suppose, but highly unlikely. What’s more likely is that Apple is smudging the devices they use for the commercials just to see what crazy theories we come up with online.  I wish for once it would be perfectly smudged off center so someone could explain why that placement would make more sense for a front facing camera since it has to change orientations blah blah blah. Sorry, maybe next time, but this iPad doesn’t have an iSight. End of story.

Full Story » | Written by Jake Gaecke for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Section: iPhone / iPod touch / iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, iDevice Apps, Reviews

Arachnadoodle

Genre: Arcade Game
Developer: Connect2Media
File Size: 9.8 MB
Version Reviewed: 0.3.5
Requirements: iPhone 2.2 Software
Compatibility: iPhone or iPod touch
Age Rating: 4+
Retail Price: $0.99

Arachnadoodle is a charming throwback to the arcade games of my youth, but with better graphics. It takes a simple premise—a spider building a web to catch flies—and makes it goofy and fun with bright colors, surprisingly difficult gameplay, and heartless rules. If this game had come out in the ‘80s, we’d have seen Arachnadoodle lunchboxes, Trapper Keepers, and a Saturday morning cartoon that hipsters would look back on with ironic fondness.

Boris the spider, in all his googly-eyed glory, must be launched by the player to connect strands of webbing to the pins scattered randomly about a room. You primary goal is to hit all the pins—fail to do that and the game ends—but your secondary goal is to attach strands to as many pins, multiple times, as possible. This makes your web stronger, and you’ll catch more flies during the bonus round that follows each level.

The game starts simply enough, then gets harder as more pins are added, along with later obstacles such as pins that change your trajectory and bombs that explode when touched, destroying the webwork. Connecting all the pins is hard enough (you only have a limited number of jumps), and at later levels figuring out how to get a web strong enough to catch the most flies will leave you puzzling over levels. It’s an odd mix of outright crazy, physics, and colorful cartoon characters.

Star*Burst

Genre: Arcade
Developer: Super Happy Fun Fun
File Size: 21.5 MB
Version Reviewed: 1.0.5
Requirements: iPhone 2.2.1 Software
Compatibility: iPhone or iPod touch
Age Rating: 4+
Retail Price: $1.99 (Free Lite version available)

Speaking of arcade throwbacks, Star*Burst was developed by the creator of KLAX, and it shows. You have to catch an endless progression of colored tiles sliding down a conveyor belt and arrange them in rows, columns, and diagonals. You get more points for more difficult arrangements (like The Big X), and must complete a certain number of stacks and, later, certain shapes to continue to the next level.

Your paddle can catch, stack, and flip the tiles (oh noooo!), giving you some strategic control, you can hold a tile to use later, flip it back to the beginning of the conveyor belt, or toss them up to the top of the screen for arrangements. Drop too many tiles and the game ends.

Simple, quick gameplay; you control the paddle by dragging to grab the tiles, touching it to toss them, or dragging it down to flip tiles. It’s frenetic gameplay in the classic old school mold.

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

Section: iPhone / iPod touch / iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, iDevice Apps, Mac Software

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod/iPad product updates and announcements for March 8, 2010:

• Macintosh
• iPod

Macintosh

• Zevrix Solutions is offering BatchOutput Server—its output workflow automation solution for InDesign—at 50% off on maczot on Tuesday March 9th. BatchOutput Server offloads printing and exporting to PDF and PostScript to a central system by processing InDesign files from hotfolders. Originally developed for a major magazine publisher in the United States, the software saves companies countless hours that are lost each year because operators have to wait for InDesign to output files.
• Macgamestore.com has announced Murder, She Wrote. The game was developed by leading casual games developer and publisher, Legacy Interactive. Murder, She Wrote is an interactive seek and find who-dun-it mystery adventure with unique minigames in every scene. Play as the lovable murder novelist Jessica Fletcher and solve each of the five cases by carefully and methodically investigating murders using an innovative new style of hidden object and light adventure gameplay.
• Eternal Storms Software has announced the immediate availability of flickery 1.8 for Mac OS X. flickery is a unique desktop flickr client 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 1.8 adds Google Maps to the search functionality to bring more powerful searches to flickery users.
• Badia Software has announced the public beta release of Exportools Professional 3.0, its flagship software for high-end exporting and printing of multiple Adobe InDesign and QuarkXPress documents. Exportools Professional 3.0 has been entirely rewritten in Cocoa, and it’s the first add-on for InDesign and QuarkXPress built with 64-bit code, boosting overall performance and stability. Almost every aspect of Exportools Professional’s functionality has been refined and improved.

iPhone/iPod/iPad

• With MLQuote, you may be motivated by some of the wisest folks who have ever lived on our planet. Simply select one of our eight key categories and you will be presented with a random piece of wisdom. If it’s not what you are looking for, just press the “Next” key, to try again. So, whether you are struggling to find the motivation to finish an important piece of work, need to calm down in a stressful situation, or you’d like to feel happier, MLQuote will try to help.
• SpinThought has announced the launch of StoryPages 2 for the Apple iPhone. StoryPages borrows from the storyboarding format used in film and animation production, allowing users to rapidly layout drawings and associated text, including anything they need to describe in a photo, sketch or text, and deliver their custom StoryPages via email as a PDF, export to the iPhone Gallery as PNG, or deliver via MMS.  For example, StoryPages 2 can send entire stories as PDF files via email in WYSIWYG format so you can use the illustrations and text in other products. It can be used for any projects that use images with associated text such as comics, children’s books, architecture, landscape and interior designs, renovations, and help manuals, to name a few.
• Motivational content developer Bienestar LLC has released Dream Planner Lite 1.0 for iPhone, a new and intuitive, all-audience, goal-setting App tool. Dream Planner Lite is a free and unique goal setting and life balance App for the iPhone. It consists of an intuitive, all-audience tool, featuring a Wheel of Life in which users can enter their dreams in important life areas such as finance, career, relationships, physical well-being, community service and life’s “maintenance” activities.
• Kitty Code has announced Traveler’s Quest 1.4 worldwide through the Apple iTunes App Store. Made just for the iPhone and iPad 3G, Traveler’s Quest gets you off the couch and out of the house in search of virtual treasure in the real world. Treasure hunting adventures have never been more fun, or more social now that you can not only pilfer your friend’s treasures, but now you can brag about it on their Facebook wall.
• Kabuki Vision has solved the problem of shaky iPhone videos with the release of Smooth Movie 1.0 for the iPhone 3GS. Smooth Movie analyzes shaky videos and applies an image stabilization algorithm to the frames, resulting in a much smoother movie. After processing, the smoothed movie can be saved to the iPhone’s photo album for future viewing, emailing, or uploading. The app features a streamlined interface and allows anyone to get started right away.
• Izatt has announced that MatchTunes, its 41st app for iPhone and iPod touch, is now 66% OFF for a limited time. New free updates will bring more levels. MatchTunes is the game of matching song clips from the user’s own iTunes library. Choose to match on music clip, song, album, or artist. Select the genre of music to play with or select to use all genres. Use 2-player mode to challenge others. Players can submit their best scores via OpenFeint to prove to the world they know their music.
• If you like puzzlers but are looking for a little more excitement, check out Babo Crash for iPhone. It’s a fast-paced match-3 puzzle game with more depth than you’d expect from this tried-and-true genre.It’s like a fast-action Bejeweled built specially for the iPhone, where the occasional tilt-controls actually add to the experience.
• GP Imports has introduced App Genie Lite 1.1, their new suite of applications and utilities for iPhone and iPod touch devices. Designed specifically to take advantage of the iPhone’s unique capabilities and touch interface, App Genie Lite allows its users to unlock up to three applications from a selection of more than 30. The application includes a Barcode Scanner, Facebook Tools, Currency Converter, GPS Locator, Sound Meter, Voice Compass, and others.
• Sunstorm Interactive Inc. has announced Real Trophy Hunting 1.0 for iPhone and iPod touch devices. iPhone and iPod touch users can now experience the thrill of hunting the most prized big game animals of North America. Real Trophy Hunting is an ultra-realistic hunting experience developed by the founders of the hunting game genre. Building on the knowledge of over 50+ value games and hunting simulations, Real Trophy Hunting takes big game hunting to a new level of realism.
• MusicSkins LLC, has announced a licensing deal with Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE), the licensing and merchandising arm of Adult Swim, that grants MusicSkins rights to offer skins featuring the artwork from Adult Swim’s portfolio of highly-popular, original, animated programs.
• Pawn Software has released Elemental Dusk 1.2.2, their strategy card game for iPhone and iPod touch devices. Elemental Dusk is inpired by Triple Triad, a famous minigame of Final Fantasy VIII around which different communities were born on the web. Elemental Dusk offers simple rules, yet it can be very strategic and addictive in nature. It already has been covered by some online iPhone dedicated sites and received good reviews on the App Store.
• iKit has made their first introduction into the car accessory world with the new Auto USB car charger. This sleak little device allows you to charge on the move and is compatible with the iPhone and iPod. It features a high performance USB port which provides rapid charge convenience and is complimented with a ring LED charging indicator. The high gloss finish is an added bonus giving this product a slick and stylish look fit for any car.
• The sports accessory world will be introduced to something new with the iKit Audio Waist Pack. This unique product is made of special sports fabric, to help prevent sweat while you exercise. It also has an adjustable waist strap to fit any size. The waist pack has two zip pockets in the front allowing you to keep your keys, music and small items moving right along with you. The interior contains a fitted media player pocket, with a convenient cord managment solution which makes this product stand out.

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