Macintosh/iDevice product update roundup – February 1, 2010

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod/iPad product updates and announcements for February 1, 2010:

• Macintosh
• iPod

Macintosh

• TheMacBundles has announced that new weekly specials have been posted to its website. Until 2/7, TheMacBundles is offering the backup utility Parachute for a saving of over 60%. Additionally, Radiologik DJ is being offered for a saving of over 40%. People who order the weekly special also can receive an immediate discount off of the already low price of the January bundle. TheMacBundles has received widespread praise from journalists, Mac users, and software developers.
• Ben Software has announced SecuritySpy 2.0.3, the premier multi-camera video surveillance software on the Macintosh platform. With features such as motion detection, real-time compression of multiple video and audio feeds, and network video and audio streaming, SecuritySpy is designed for demanding video surveillance applications. It supports a wide variety of network cameras and video servers, as well as FireWire, USB, and PCI video input devices.
• The Escapers has announced Flux 2, their web design application for Mac OS X. After a long beta development period, Flux 2 from The Escapers has left it’s beta status behind. To celebrate leaving beta status, The Escapers have relaunched their whole website and created new blogs where future directions of Flux will be discussed. Flux 2 is a WYSIWYG design environment, but you can hand crank code too.
• Keynote Zone has released a CorkBoard Keynote theme. The lively and simple CorkBoard theme gives you a chance to arrange your presentation as if you are simply placing different notes and pictures on a real board. The theme includes 33 layouts, custom designed charts and tables and comes in Standard and HD versions. Keynote Zone is a developer of professionally designed ready-to-use themes for Apple’s Keynote application.
• PlanOn has introduced new pricing that dramatically lowers the list price of its popular DocuPen RC805 full-color, full page, high speed handheld portable scanner from $299 to $159 USD. The price change now makes the DocuPen’s convenient document and image scanning capabilities easily accessible as an affordable personal tool for all consumers. DocuPen scanners have long been popular with mobile business professionals such as “road warrior” executives who travel extensively, real estate agents, lawyers, sales people and others who spend a lot of time away from the office. The DocuPen scanner is small, compact and lightweight, fitting easily into a pocket or purse.
• QuickerTek has announced the new nCard for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacMini’s. This new nCard installs into the internal AirPort card slot. The installation itself is no more complex than upgrading the memory. The new nCard has more power for the same price. The wireless benefits of higher transmit power and higher receiver sensitivity means greater networking performance.
• LaCie has announced a colorful series of sleeves for protecting and carrying compact netbooks and MacBook computers: LaCie Coat and LaCie ForMoa, design by Sam Hecht. For early adopters the new sleeves make a perfect carrying companion for the recently-announced Apple iPad.

iPhone/iPod/iPad

• Note to Haiti was developed by MEDL Mobile after they recognized an overwhelming number of prayers for Haiti in their app called Note to God. Faced with immeasurable devastation and difficult trials ahead, they offer this simple app as a means for people to give their wishes to the people and the nation of Haiti. It’s also place for you to be inspired to action. By clicking the How You Can Help Link, you’ll be able to make a $10 donation with 100% of all proceeds going to the Red Cross.
• Spinapse has announced Avatrivia 1.0, a new iPhone game that combines worldwide competition with trivia from Avatar. Set in a jungle environment, Avatrivia features compelling game play, fresh trivia, and beautiful graphics that enhance the experience. Three different scoreboards give players multiple opportunities to compete with friends and other players around the world. And different profile settings allow up to 5 friends to share the same copy of the game.
• Wetapps, LLC has released Playlist-Creator 3.0 for iPhone and iPod Touch users. This fast and flexible app takes playlist organization to a whole new level, giving users the unlimited freedom to create, edit, rename or delete lists without syncing to iTunes. With an easy interface and fast performance, along with offering more than any other playlist app currently on the market, Playlist-Creator is bound to become a quick favorite with music lovers.
• Smart Valley Software has released HappyWakeUp 1.2 for iPhone users. Based on patented technology and medical research, HappyWakeUp helps users to awaken at their optimal time easily, while feeling rested and refreshed. All that is required to reap these benefits is to open the app and place the iPhone in close proximity before falling asleep. HappyWakeUp is the first, genuine smart alarm clock based on medical research of the human sleep and its structure.
• Studio Caterpillar has released ROTATOR 1.0 for iPhone and iPod Touch users. A match-3 puzzle game, ROTATOR makes use of an iDevice’s accelerometer to put a new, highly intriguing spin on the classic game concept. Rotate the device, and swap pieces from circle to circle to create clusters with matching colors to score points, but watch out for challenges. While there is no timer in the ROTATOR, if a player goes beyond a certain number of moves, the game becomes more difficult.
• Mindwarm Incorporated has released SwipEmail 2.2 for iPhone and iPod Touch users looking for a faster, easier way to share contact information. The app is the first of its kind, offering WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) formatting. SwipEmail lets users instantly share all or part of any contact profiles in a very simple and efficient method that requires no interruption of schedules to perform.
• Manufacturing Content has released Tractor Beam 1.0 for iPhone and iPod Touch. The retro arcade title is part of the wave of lo-fi games released for the high tech multitouch platform. Tractor Beam combines the popular “swinging games” style of gameplay with the look of Atari’s Asteroids, adding modern features like a dynamic ambient soundtrack. It is among the new wave of games embracing the latest technology but with a nod to the classic games of eras gone by.
• Apps of All Nations has announced its collection of iCooking Apps for iPhone and iPod touch devices. iCooking is a unique collection of 16 iCookbooks available at your fingertips. Whether you like international or home-style cuisine, a beginner or experienced cook will find their favorite titles among the iCooking collection. Each cookbook offers 50+ delicious recipes, which are carefully handpicked, tested and illustrated by a mouth-watering picture.
• PMChampion has released Revision 1.0 of This is GRE and This is GMAT for iPhone and iPod Touch users. These apps are the first two in a series of fully loaded, complete training packages for students preparing for entrance to graduate school and college. The applications help users take advantage of their spare time and score as high as they possibly can on their Graduate Record Exam and Graduate Management Admission Test.
• Galarina has announced GeoLogTag 3.0, an update to their popular photo geotagging solution for iPhone and iPod touch. Developed specifically to leverage the iPhone’s unique capabilities and touch interface, GeoLogTag offers an all-in-one geotagging solution for photos taken with any digital camera. While photos are taken with a digital camera, GeoLogTag continuously tracks the users location just like a traditional GPS data logger. Version 3.0 now supports geotagging photos in RAW format.
• Independent iPhone developer Jeremy Bassett has announced iGrayCards 1.0 for iPhone and ipod touch, an alternative for the photo enthusiast to carrying physical Gray Cards. iGrayCards digitally generates a neutral 18% gray that can be used to balance white in image processing software. By placing the running App in the frame to be photographed, it can be referenced in most modern image processing software to set the White Balance point for the whole image.
• BossMan Entertainment and Mind Juice Media Inc. have teamed up to release Flight Deck 1.125, an exciting new update to their military-themed line-drawing game for iPhone and iPod touch devices. Many new features have been added, including an all new Desert Level, new Offshore Level, Atmospheric Effects, new Background Music Track as well as 6 new Airplanes, 2 new Helicopters, with new radio calls for more variety, OpenFeint integration and much more.
• MacPractice, Inc., has announced plans for development of several applications for deployment on Apple’s newly announced iPad. MacPractice Interface for iPad is a new version MacPractice Interface for iPhone 2.0 redesigned to take advantage of the iPad’s larger screen. A physician, dentist, chiropractor or optometrist may connect via Wi-Fi or 3G to access their schedule and patient records in MacPractice. Patient photos, alerts, prescription history and appointment history are all available. The patient’s address is linked to Google Maps. Reminders on the iPad create MacPractice Reminders in the office for staff and providers to request an appointment, communicate instructions, or as a way to make a clinical note in MacPractice EMR. A doctor may monitor what is happening in the office from the hospital or golf course by viewing up-to-date daily management reports.
• Ideal Binary Ltd. has announced 3D Bookshelf 1.0, the world’s first fully 3D eBook reader application for iPhone and iPod touch. Unlike most other eBook reader applications, 3D Bookshelf is focused on simulating a fully 3D vintage reading experience. Using a highly specialized rendering engine, 3D Bookshelf recreates an ultra realistic three dimensional book and allows the user to open it to any page in full 3D. The application features fifteen time-honored eBooks.
• ustwo’s infamous cool’ectible series is back. The …™ (the Dot 3™) is the third in the series (3/6) of a suite of forthcoming apps from ustwo™, called 48hApps. Each of the apps is created in a 48 hour time period, and each is about simple, stunning design and simple, addictive game play. Collect all 6 games to complete the set.
• Although playing music to a baby in the womb is nothing new, any expectant mother will tell you that stretching a headset across your belly is clumsy and hard to position. The Lullabelly prenatal music belt can be used whether you are on the go or just relaxing home. It is extremely soft, flexible, lightweight and comfortable. The large pocket is ideal for carrying your portable MP3 player or other small accessories. The Lullabelly speaker comes with a built-in adjustable volume control.
• Human Touch has announced the unveiling of its newest product and wellness solution at the Las Vegas World Market Show. The HT-Connect for iPhone and iPod touch is unlike any other massage or wellness product in the industry to date. The HT-Connect is designed to let users personalize the robotic massage chair to their individual wellness needs, providing an instant and personalized massage experience every time.
• TouchMemoPaper works just like taking a memo on a piece of paper, and is useful for writing down an idea when it comes to you instead of looking for a notebook and a pen.
• right arrow key and ObjectDev Corporation have announced S’mores 1.0, their new app for iPhone and iPod touch users. Enjoy a virtual S’more with S’mores iPhone App. S’mores, a novelty entertainment application simulating the ever-popular campfire snack treat, its creation, it’s problems, and its triumph, roasting a marshmallow to perfection, stacking it in between graham crackers and chocolate, and squishing it.