Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for November 6, 2009:

Macintosh

• SpeedRunGames has announced that Grappling Hook for Mac OS X and Windows is 50% off this weekend. Grappling Hook is a first-person action puzzle / platform game, where you use a grappling hook to overcome various challenging obstacles by performing incredible moves and fast combinations of daring tricks. The game features 30 dynamic, animated, and unique levels, 30 achievements and 240 challenges.
• Troll Touch has announced touchscreen systems for the new 21.5 inch and 27 inch Apple iMacs and the 13 inch Unibody MacBook laptop. All systems feature analog resistive touchscreen technology and 12 bit touchscreen resolution. Standard warranty is one year, extendable to three years. The iMac systems are available as both a fully integrated, Troll factory installed internal package or a user-Installable, external “SlipCOVER” touchscreen system.
• Macworld has released the Total Snow Leopard Superguide, the latest installment in its popular series of tutorial books. Macworld’s team of experts take you inside Apple’s latest update to the popular Mac OS X operating system: Snow Leopard, Mac OS X 10.6. Snow Leopard is an OS X update unlike any in recent memory. Inside these pages you’ll find all the information you need to install Snow Leopard smoothly and get started with its most important new features.

iPhone/iPod

• Appliya Studio has announced a partnership with the The Art Festival of Street Children, a humanitarian effort supporting poverty-stricken street children worldwide. Appliya has developed an iPhone application that gives users a new way to support this outstanding charity. This app is an innovative donation method, and a sign of the future of charitable donations.
• Riptide Games has announced Gravity Sling 1.0 for iPhone and iPod Touch. Gravity Sling is an inertia based puzzle game where the player must use the gravity of nearby planets to sling the astronaut through space and safely back to the space shuttle. Gravity Sling incorporates the popular OpenFeint platform enabling integrated leaderboards and achievements throughout the game.
• Independent developer Brice Milliorn has announced the sale of JBMJBM, LLC. This is a well established company whose sole purpose is creating consumer applications for the iPhone platform. The business is currently listed for sale on eBay as a 10 day auction. 87 apps in all, some of his best-selling applications are Friday Night Lights, iSpy Game, iReferee, iSexyRef, iSexyRef2, Pro Rodeo Fan, Sit Up Counter, Shake 2 Count & several College oriented apps for sports enthusiasts.
• OutOfTheBit has announced Checkers! 1.2.4, their versatile and highly customizable game app for iPhone and iPod Touch. OutOfTheBit, turns an age old favorite into a versatile, modern gaming experience. Checkers! four different playing rules, drag and drop playing, choice of three languages and varying graphic features makes Checkers! a unique application for gamers everywhere.
• Big Blue Clip has released Gas Log - MPG Fuel Tracker 1.5 for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Gas Log - MPG Fuel Tracker keeps track of gas and mileage for multiple vehicles, all in one convenient spot. You always have your mileage and expenses at hand, which you can view by trip or year, break downs per vehicle or as totals. Via an easy to use interface, individuals enter their data into their iPhone or iPod Touch, rather than stuffing receipts into pockets or something similar.
• Readdle has announced the release of Scanner Pro 1.1, new version of their popular iPhone application that transforms the device into portable scanner. Version 1.1 introduces highly anticipated Evernote integration that lets people convert printed documents, receipts and even handwritten notes into searchable information accessible from anywhere. Scanner Pro is available on the App Store to the new customers and as a free upgrade for existing users.
• Macsoftex has announced iAlcohol 1.1, an update to their blood alcohol content app for iPhone and iPod touch. Intuitively easy to use, iAlcohol determines the level of alcohol in a person’s blood and calculates the required break in driving. The formula calculates the influence of factors on the duration of the phases of alcohol intoxication, providing 90% accuracy. The application will help you choose a suitable drink and the amount you are allowed to consume within this interval of time.
• Independent game developer Glenn Corpes has announced Ground Effect 1.0, developed exclusively for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Ground Effect is a unique 3D, classic arcade-style racer inspired by ekranoplan technology wherein craft fly on a cushion of air at breakneck speeds. Utilizing the platform’s trademark accelerometer as well as touch controls, Ground Effect boasts amazing graphics and incredibly smooth frame-rates as well as a host of gameplay features.
• Use your iPhone or iPod touch to write a message in the air with the magic of POV (persistence of vision). Move the iPhone in front of your friends or your camera and your message magically appears into the air. You can have a message with an unlimited number of characters and in any color. Be creative and make original photos for any occasion or simply to say hello to a friend or family.
• Infinite Labs has announced their winter line-up by releasing Mover 3.0, an update to the critically acclaimed iPhone data transfer app. Version 3.0 adds video transfer support.
• Apple’s gotten the world hooked on portable music, pictures, and videos. One thing they haven’t delivered, though, is an easy guide for getting the most from your sleek little entertainment center. That’s where this book comes in. J.D. Biersdorfer and David Pogue come to the rescue with the latest edition of their chock-full-of-tips, full-color guide: the world’s most popular iPod book. iPod: The Missing Manual (O’Reilly, US $19.99), now in its 8th edition, provides a no-nonsense view of the latest iPod line, including the tiny Shuffle, the video-capable Nano, the high-capacity Classic, and the Wi-Fi-enabled Touch. With crystal-clear explanations and easy-to-follow color graphics, the book provides expert guidance on all of the amazing things you can do.
• Jokemaster and industry pioneer Al Lowe has released an update for his latest venture, Al Lowe’s CyberJoke 3000™, currently available for download on the iTunes App Store. Comedy fans can listen to over 110 of Al’s favorite jokes, with more updates on the way. Experience Al’s unique sense of humor in a collection of gutwrenchers that will entertain you and your friends for hours on end.
• 365 Puzzle Club [iTunes App Store link] is the new number puzzle game App from Connect2Media containing thousands of Sudoku, Tenpenki and Kakuro puzzles, making it the only puzzle game you’ll ever need. Pit your wits against fresh puzzles every day in a variety of modes.
• Zinc Roe Games has released Tickle Tap Apps: three preschool apps for iPhone and iPod Touch. Sound Shaker is a delightful and hilarious sound making game, Sort Slider is a mesmerizing shape matching game and Count Caddy (makes counting rewarding).
• Sunstorm Interactive has announced the launch of their second iPhone and iPod touch game: WW2 Beachhead [iTunes App Store link]. It is a fast-action arcade game with amazing graphics and dynamic war-time sound effects in which players have to defend their position against overwhelming enemies.
• The World’s Hardest Game can now be played on the iPhone and iPod touch. Avoid Impact with Impending Blue Balls. Keep your Red Square away from the Blue Balls, and pick up yellow balls on your way to the Green Zone or you’ll die! And trust us, you’ll die. A lot. As in often. But even if you beat it, how many times did you die? The lowest score wins that battle.
• App Popular, LLC has announced App Popular 1.0, their new all-in-one solution for navigating the application universe for iPhone and iPod touch devices. Users can now share, monitor and track every iPhone application available in any of Apple’s 77 online App Stores. Features include social networking utilities to share apps via email, tracking functionality to monitor price changes, App Store rankings, App Popular rankings, categorization tools and more.