Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup – July 27, 2009

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

Macintosh

• CampSoftware has released FMSmallBusiness 1.4.1, which includes thirty one updates. The majority of the updates were items requested by users including the “Copy to Clipboard” items and “Common Documents” features, making referring to text and documents simple. Videos and Screenshots are available including screenshots of the updated iPhone interface. FMSmallBusiness is a FileMaker based database great for managing the contacts, calendars, invoice, and more for small businesses.
• IGG Software, has announced its “Why Wait Another Day?” rebate offer to all Quicken users. Frustrated Quicken users still searching for an alternate, Mac-based program to manage their personal finances now have 20 more reasons to switch to iBank. Paid iBank downloads from the IGG Software online store are qualified for this rebate offer, as are all registered purchases of iBank made after July 10, 2009.
• This month, Mariner celebrates 19 years of being in business. While they would like to thank you personally for your support over the past year, they thought a better way might be to have a one-of-a-kind blowout in our online store. For the next few days, receive 40% off any of their products! To order, just visit their eStore, enter the promo code “HB19,” click the Go button, and continue on with your order.
• Livescribe, Inc., and Vision Objects announced today the availability of a handwriting-to-text transcription service for Mac users, bringing handwriting-recognition software to a larger community of Pulse smartpen users. Mac users can download a 30-day free trial or buy MyScript for Livescribe online from Vision Objects, an expert in ergonomic, easy-to-use alternatives for text input.

iPhone/iPod

• Alex Jordan at Mactropolis wants Apple to fix the App Store, and he’s got the whole earth behind him.
• Have you ever wanted a simple “Yes” or “No” answer to life’s many questions, served with a dose of advice and a splash of wit? Then this is the app for you! Ask Happy Buddha is designed to simplify your life with a sense of humor. His answers may not always be what you seek but they will surely amuse you.
• Potis Productions has released iToss (iTunes App Store link), its newest app for the iPhone and the iPod Touch. iToss is a ridiculously fun App that turns any iPhone or iPod Touch into a virtual Frisbee. iToss has two different games built into one: Target Practice and City Smack. Target Practice is a fun and easy way to get comfortable throwing the virtual Frisbee. It has three increasingly hard levels. City Smack takes users on a tour of major cities around the world and puts their target practice to the true test of their skills: hitting stuff!
• Independent developer Assyria Game Studio has revealed its debut mobile title due for release on iPhone and iPod Touch. The incredibly slick Future Racer is a high speed, anti-gravity racer boasting fully 3D environments and a wide range of fiendish tracks set to test your reflexes to the limit.
• Tiki Labs has announced Tikitic, a mix of Tetris, Boggle and Memory. The purpose is to shoot the letters that fall down the screen, making words before they hit the ground and pile up as in Tetris. The distinctive feature of Tikitic is that the game plays with a brand new keyboard that allows you to slide and reach an astonishing speed rate.
• dPompa has introduced Matalot 1.0, their new intelligent task manager for iPhone and iPod Touch. Developed specifically to take advantage of the iPhone’s unique capabilities, Matalot offers a unique yet fresh perspective on ToDo management. All relevant tasks are exactly one touch away, and intelligently organized in real time based on various task properties, including priority, schedule and real time filtering by the users physical location.
• eCOMPOSITE has announced 321run 1.1, an update for the running coach app on the iPhone. 321run builds on its success and adds exporting your runs to other applications, such as Trailrunner, or web applications, such as TrailMapping. Of course you still get the coach and trainings that makes 321run so special. Having a coach to track your progress allows you to plan when you want to run, and listening to the coach helps you start easily and get in better shape day after day.
• Sauce Digital has announced Nano Rally for iPhone and iPod touch. Nano Rally is a top-down driving game in which you drive miniaturized cars around various tracks, all based on different household environments, to see what time you post. One minute you could find yourself power-sliding around the end of a spring onion, then falling off a precariously balanced ruler the next.
• Bulkypix and Motion Twin have announce an 80% promotional price drop on My Brute iPhone iPod Touch. My Brute is a crazy, off-the-wall game of combat that gives you the chance to challenge fighters from all over the world. You simply take on a series of challenges, gain experience, unlock new skills, and crush your enemies with ever-greater speed.
• SlotZ Racer from Freeverse and Strange Flavour has been updated. Now fully compatible with iPhone OS 3.0, SlotZ Racer’s Music Playback and gameplay are now perfected for the most exhilarating iPhone and iPod Touch racing experience possible. Players can now step up their game with new Snow and Dirt scenery objects. Slippery tracks and dirt traction make SlotZ Racer an unbeatable thrill for the slot car enthusiast and speed demon alike! To celebrate, the price is being dropped to 99c for a limited time.
• Sunset Lake Software has released a free version of their Pi Cubed visual math application for iPhone and iPod touch. Pi Cubed Lite shares the same animated equation typesetting and evaluation engine as the full version of the application. Students, scientists, and engineers can use this application to perform calculations just as they would on a chalkboard. The free Lite version lacks the advanced equation storage, organization, and export features of the full version.
• Phonex Communication Inc., a Japanese software publisher, has introduced a series of three talking aids running on Apple’s iPhone for English speakers traveling abroad, entitled “YUBISASHI JAPAN”, “YUBISASHI CHINA” and “YUBISASHI SPAIN” respectively.
• Geppetto, Inc., has announced the release of iYamato Lite for iPhone and iPod touch. iYamato is a shooting game that allows you to operate the Yamato, the largest and strongest battleship that was said to be unsinkable. This application reproduces a vicious attack against your enemies. The unsinkable battleship Yamato won’t be damaged by some of the enemies attacks, so anyone (even those not good at shooting games) can enjoy the heat of battle.
• Rock Ridge Games has announced the release of Solution Zero for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Designed by a Mensa member and noted video game AI author, Solution Zero offers 4 levels of difficulty, providing age-appropriate challenges for everyone from elementary students to math geniuses. Future game updates will feature an online leaderboard, where players can compute and compete against other puzzlers worldwide.