Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup – June 29-30, 2009

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for June 29-30, 2009:

Macintosh

• restoroot.com has announced the release of Letter Opener 2.2, their winmail.dat converter plug-in for Apple Mail. At its basic, Letter Opener processes Microsoft Outlook winmail.dat files without the requirement for a separate, standalone application. Implemented as a plug-in, Letter Opener lives right inside Apple Mac OS X Mail, allowing users to seamlessly convert winmail.dat files to attachments, iCal files, vCards, and more.
• Xeric Design has announced EarthDesk 5.0, a major upgrade to its award-winning, real-time dynamic desktop map for OS X. Version 5.0 has been entirely rewritten in Cocoa, adds many new features and is fully compatible with both Leopard and the upcoming Snow Leopard. EarthDesk replaces your static desktop with an image of the Earth showing current sun, moon and city illumination, as well as real-time global cloud coverage, allowing you to track hurricanes and other weather systems.
• unmarked software has announced the release and immediate availability of TextSoap 6.2.2, an update to its text processing utility for Mac OS X. The TextSoap 6.2.2 update is a maintenance release that fixes a number of reported issues and adds support for using Services on rich text with images. Take total control of text and its style. With a single menu selection TextSoap 6 brings unique processing power to users from within their favorite application.
• Cooliris, the fastest way to browse photos and videos Facebook, Google Images, YouTube, Flickr, and even your desktop, has been updated. Available at cooliris.com, it comes as a free plug-in that transforms your browser into interactive and infinite 3D Wall of content so you can search and browse thousands of images and videos without flipping from page to page.
• Cadent Computing Inc. has announced wineCellar 2.0, a major update to their popular wine collection and organizer for Mac OS X and Windows. Perfect for wine aficionados and connoisseurs alike, Cadent wineCellar is a unique application for storing, viewing and retrieving information about anyone’s wine collection. The application can store up to 2000 wine entries (100 during the free 30-day trial).
• Ergonis Software has released Typinator 3.5, the fastest and most robust version of its highly acclaimed text expansion tool for auto-typing text and auto-correcting typos. Typinator has always shined for its speed and robustness as well as compatibility with arbitrary applications. The new version of Typinator introduces a new technology that makes the expansion and insertion of text even faster than before, reinforcing Typinator 3.5 the fastest and most compatible text expander ever.
• Yazsoft has announced Speed Download 5.2, a major update to their flagship download manager. Speed Download 5 redefines the Mac OS X download manager by combining four amazing products; a turbo-charged download manager with auto-resuming downloads, 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. And now with RSS newsreader integration.
• Dale Webb, Director of The Protocol Centre in Coral Gables, Florida, has announced the debut of Etiquette Avenue 1.0 for iPhone and iPod Touch. Etiquette Avenue puts screens of professional protocol advice in the hands of millions who can use it in ever-more competitive times. It is the first App dedicated to the rules of professional and workplace protocol. Etiquette Avenue’s information is a version of the company’s Best Protocol Practices curriculum updated and adapted to an App.
• If you think computer security has improved in recent years, The Myths of Security (O’Reilly, US $29.99) will shake you out of your complacency. Longtime security professional John Viega, formerly Chief Security Architect at McAfee, reports on the sorry state of the industry and offers concrete suggestions for professionals and individuals confronting the issue.
• QuickerTek has announced Quicky Junior II, a new wireless internet and networking USB device that triples the wireless range. This new Quicky Junior II is compatible with the Apple Extreme Base Station as well as almost every other 2.4GHz wireless equipment users are likely to run into while traveling. Whether using a coffee shop network or tapping into the network in the office, Quicky Jr. II provides increased range while maintaining speed.
• Millard Grubb and Backyard Gazette Publishing have released a free audio CD for Mac owners that will help make their lives a little brighter. 7 Secrets Of Making Cash With Your Mac looks at using a Macintosh specifically to grow an information business right from your home. This CD explains how to use a Macintosh computer to start an information publishing business.

iPhone/iPod

• Atom Software has announced the release of Boat Mania 1.0, a new boating game for iPhone and iPod Touch. You’ve played traffic control games in the air. Now it’s time to have some addictive fun at the marina. Gameplay is simple yet challenging which is great game for beginners and pros alike. Trace a path for each boat to land at the correctly colored pier. But don’t let them crash into each other or you’ll lose a life. Boat Mania includes two exciting modes of game play.
• Freeverse, Inc., has announced the release of the new game Warpack: Grunts from UK partner company Strange Flavour. This pick-up-and-play squad based shooter springs to life on iPhone and iPod touch with colorful art, addictive gameplay, extensive content and iPhone OS 3.0 exclusive features! Players control a squad of four soldiers as they seek to complete 40 levels of explosive missions, from grenade-bombing the enemy, sniping the main antagonist Evil Dude, to commandeering tanks and helicopters.
• eCOMPOSITE has released 321Run Lite 1.0, a free version of their health based running app for iPhone and iPod touch. 321Run Lite is the free version made for users of 321Run, a GPS-enabled version that also records the distance, calories and tells you and your friends what distance you ran. 321Run Lite is your coach on our iPhone. Plug your earphones and listen to it tell you when to change rythm, and how long you’ve run.
• Mobila Interactive has announced release of its Tyrian port of iPhone OS. Tyrian is an arcade-style vertical scrolling shooter which was originally developed by Eclipse Productions and published by Epic MegaGames on the PC platform in 1995.
• About Objects has announced a new public schedule for iPhone Programming Workshop, a hands-on developer training course on the iPhone SDK. The course has been updated to reflect Apple’s recent release of the latest 3.0 version of the SDK. Classes will be conducted July 27 – July 31, and August 10 – August 14, at the About Objects headquarters in Reston, VA, and August 24 – August 28 near the Apple campus in Cupertino, CA.
• Robosoft, in collaboration with Virtual Programming, is bringing the classic game Pipe Mania to the iPhone. In this game, the player is provided with pipes of different shapes, which he/she must lay onto a grid to form a connection between a tap and a drain. He/she must do this before the time runs out and a slimy green liquid called Flooze oozes out of the pipes.
• Joystick Ninjas has released myMotivator for iPhone and iPod touch. myMotivator is a unique application with the purpose to boost morale of users, and give them motivational and inspirational lift. The main feature is a clip, consisting of affirmative text and synchronized with music, specifically written for myMotivator. It also features over 100 related quotes. Joystick Ninjas is planning an update to bring the quotes to over 300.
• Sonic Boom, a leading publisher and creator of mobile games and applications, today announced its partnership with Bight Games and the release of its stellar line-up. Big Top 10 is available now for iPhone and iPod Touch. The highly anticipated Kill All Bugs and Puzzlings are expected to launch in the App Store in the coming week, and will be published on major wireless carriers throughout North America this fall.
• Contest winners and concertgoers at the July 18 San Francisco Symphony Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy concert will participate in the first ever Ocarina Master Class and an Ocarina Orchestra post-concert performance, to be led from the Davies Hall stage by the iPhone app developer, Smule.
• Loopt has announced that its service is available on the iPod touch—offering all the core Loopt social mapping features, including the ability see where your friends are via interactive maps, explore places recommended by services like Yelp, and meet new people nearby on Loopt Mix
• Universal Electronic Accessories (Uniea) is set to unveil updates of four classic Uniea cases that will work with the newly-released iPhone 3Gs from Apple. The collection of cases includes the U-Suit Premium, U-Skin, U-Motion, and the U–Suit Folio Premium, all popular Uniea cases offered for previous generations of the iPhone that will now join Uniea’s new U-Glance iPhone hard case. A classic hip-case with leather-clip on the back will also be available as an alternative option.
• Universal Electronic Accessories (Uniea) has announced the unveiling of a brand-new hard case to protect and hold the new iPhone that debuted on June 19th. Uniea’s new U-Glance promises to deliver an innovative list of new features to complement the buzz surrounding the iPhone 3Gs, both in styling and function. The release of the case will follow soon after the new iPhone.
• Edovia has announced Rocket Taxi 2.0 iPhone and iPod touch. Rocket Taxi uses the device’s Location Services to find nearby taxi companies. Search has been extended to taxi companies and the biggest new feature is the new map system that is powered by Apple’s MapKit. This new version represents a much more mature product and includes a lot of improvements that users will enjoy.