Macintosh/iDevice product update roundup – January 28, 2010

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod/iPad product updates and announcements for January 28, 2010:

• Macintosh
• iPod

Macintosh

• Jumsoft has augmented Pages Templates Pro, its collection of business-oriented Apple iWork templates with eight new packs. Pages Templates Pro offers an assortment of stylish, ready-made templates for brochures, letters, envelopes, business cards, and invoices. Every pack of Pages Templates Pro includes five different templates in matching styles that correspond with the category of each document.
• Stairways Software Pty Ltd has announced Keyboard Maestro 4.0.2, the new version of their powerful productivity enhancer for Mac OS X. Version 4.0.2 resolves a number of minor issues, including issues related to command-Tab and command-shift-Tab, the hot key selection, parsing of ICUDateTime tokens, Dvorak keyboards, and 10.5 in 64-bit mode.

iPhone/iPod/iPad

• Zagat Survey has announced the release of ZAGAT TO GO 3.0 for iPhone and iPod touch users. Developed with Handmark, a global leader in the development and distribution of mobile applications and services, the new application incorporates the latest in mobile application technology, including augmented reality. Zagat’s succinct reviews help diners make quick informed decisions on the go based on the professionally edited, collective opinions of thousands of avid diners.
• InnoPocket has launched the CF Formula series Genuine Carbon Fiber case for iPhone 3GS / 3G. CF Formula is targeting those race car enthusiasts dreaming of one day owning everything in carbon fiber. Not only is this a supreme quality product, but it definitely attracts attention from all direction to you. Innopocket believes this is a case to stand out in the crowd of boring and flimsy plastic accessories, and is a must-have product for any car enthusiast or carbon fiber lover.
• Sega has announced the official release of Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games for iPhone and iPod Touch. Featuring Sonic and friends (including Tails, Vector, Metal Sonic, Eggman, Knuckles and Shadow), this addictive game takes players on a journey to the slopes as they compete in some of the most challenging winter sports, including curling, figure skating, snowboard cross, and skeleton. Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is available on the iTunes app store for $4.99 USD for the first week only (after Feb 2nd, the price goes up to $6.99).
• Firemint has announced that they will bring an optimised and re-imagined version of Flight Control to iPad. Like almost 140,000 other apps on the App Store, Flight Control will work perfectly on iPad without any changes, but they want to ensure a delightful experience on iPad that feels just right.
• TOM BIHN has introduced the Cache sleeve and Ristretto vertical messenger bag for the Apple iPad. The Cache is available in Size iPad, and designed specifically for the Apple iPad. The Cache fits the iPad on its own or encased in its Apple iPad Case. The Ristretto for Apple iPad is a vertical messenger bag with a built-in interior padded compartment that protects the iPad inside of the bag. The Ristretto for Apple iPad fits the iPad on its own or encased in its Apple iPad Case.
• Griffin Technology, Inc., has responded to Apple’s new product announcement with a line of accessories to complement the new iPad. Griffin’s announcement includes: Elan Passport, Elan Sleeve, FlexGrip, Jumper and Screen Care Kit for iPad, the first offerings in a line of Griffin devices designed to enhance the iPad user experience.
• Frozen Giant has announced Firefly Night, a simple, relaxing and artful experience for gamers young and old. The premise is simple: collect multicolored fireflies by dragging them to the correct jars. As you progress in the standard game mode, you’ll need to combine different colored flies—a red and a blue bug to make a purple one, for instance—in a race against the clock.
• Cogs just hit the App Store. Cogs is a groundbreaking puzzle game, where players build increasingly complex machines using sliding tiles in 2D and 3D environments. Multiple gameplay modes and difficulty levels are available. New puzzles are unlocked by building contraptions against the clock with as few moves as possible. This visually stunning and fantastic sounding game is perfect for puzzle fans of any age and ability.
• Vitaliy Pronkin has announced WikiPlaces 2.0 for iPhone and iPod Touch. WikiPlaces provides access to Wikimapia, the great community project with the aim to describe every location in the world. It currently has over 11,000,000 places marked. You will be amazed how much interesting and surprising information you will find about places near you and all over the world. We listened to users’ suggestions and updated WikiPlaces to be the best application to find out more about places around you.
• Ten One Design, LLC, has announced that its Pogo Sketch and Pogo Stylus—the world’s first stylus compatible with the iPhone, iPod touch and MacBook trackpads—are fully compatible with the 9.7 inch capacitive touch screen display of iPad, the new Apple tablet. The aluminum base and advanced material used on the tip of the Pogo Stylus and Pogo Sketch are what make them extraordinary and revolutionary for multi-touch displays. The touch screen tool acts as a bridge by transferring the signal from the display to the user’s hand, allowing the user to more accurately and efficiently control the capacitive touch sensitive screen of iPad.
• Momocat Studios has introduced Cogitate, a 2D puzzle game for the iPhone 3G/3GS and iPod Touch. Inspired by the 1980s puzzle sensation Rubik’s Cube, Cogitate features an intuitive interface with dozens of unique patterns to challenge a player’s logic and speed.
• SachManya has launched a unique but free iPhone app called 360News and a companion website 360newslive.com for citizen journalists to report on the spot news with auto location/date/time insertion and multimedia (both photo and video)! Uniquesness of 360News doesn’t stop here; the user reported news then gets uploaded to our website 360newslive.com and automatically gets distributed to twitter, facebook, CNN iReport, Youtube, MSNBC, Yahoo Witness News and several othet top Internet destinations in a single upload.
• iLuv has announced a new line of creative graphic designed cases and a line of sleeves for Apple’s new iPad that offer a world of color and style with protection. Ranging from casual fabric cases to leather cases to silicone cases, this series of Apple iPad inspired cases presents a great protective solution for any new iPad owners. iLuv will also offer a line of protective water resistant neoprene sleeves for new iPad owners starting in February. The sleeves will feature two front cover pockets for accessories and a secure lip that will keep your iPad protected while on the go. The entire line of new Apple iPad accessories will be available starting in February.
• FastMall is the first and only downloadable iPhone app that provides turn-by-turn directions for finding your way at shopping malls and around shopping districts. Similar to Google Maps, but designed for indoor structures (no cell service required once map is installed and your logged in), FastMall on your iPhone means you’ll never be lost at the mall again. Great for shoppers, FastMall is also an interactive system that allows retailers to deliver news of exclusive promotions, discounts and deals directly to FastMall users, right inside the app. And the best part, it’s all free.