The MacTrack – iPhone, iPod, iPod Touch and Mac News

Tokyo, Japan and Starnberg, Germany – Vestax, an industry leader in professional DJ equipment, and algoriddim, a leader in next-generation music software for the Mac, today announced the release of Spin, a brand new all-in-one bundle of digital DJ hardware and algoriddim’s djay 3 software. The Spin DJ controller was jointly developed for optimal integration with the award-winning djay software, and delivers Mac users of all levels the experience of mixing, scratching and playing their music like a turntable DJ. djay 3 seamlessly integrates with the user’s iTunes library and transforms the Mac into a complete DJ setup, while Vestax’s hardware replicates the control and physical sensation of mixing and scratching on actual records.

Spin will be available exclusively in Apple Stores in the USA and Canada starting today.

The bundling of Vestax’s DJ MIDI controller and algoriddim’s djay 3 provides a powerful solution for all DJs, from beginner to pro. The Spin DJ controller mimics the classic setup of two turntables and a mixer, and easily connects to any Mac via USB. The user can then control djay 3 using two high resolution touch-sensitive jog wheels for scratching and remixing like on an analog turntable. Using the crossfader and controls for speed, looping, cue points, effects, and EQ, the user can smoothly fade from one song to another and apply professional-grade effects. The Spin controller also includes a built-in audio interface with a microphone input and two stereo outputs for headphones and master.

“Introducing DJing and reaching out to a new generation – the elder to the younger, the never before to the professional and experienced – has been one of our goals since the beginning of the DJ Midi controller movement,” said Charles Akira Ono, Vice President of the Vestax Corporation. “With our know-how and team of engineers dedicated in pro audio, quality and design, we’ve partnered up with software company algoriddim to bring you the perfect mix. Call it the best mash-up for bringing in the New Year, as we assure you will experience DJing at a new level of fun.”

“The Spin controller is a simple, yet powerful solution for all DJs, whether they’re just beginning to experiment with their music or they’ve been mixing for years,” said Karim Morsy, CEO of algoriddim. “We designed djay 3 to bridge the gap between everyday music enthusiasts and professional DJs, so we are thrilled to be able to offer our customers a hardware component that brings them that much closer to the real thing and beyond. It has been a real pleasure to closely work with Vestax on delivering Mac users everything they need to turn their Mac into a full-blown DJ system.”

Feature Highlights:
* Touch Sensor Jog Wheels: High resolution, touch-sensitive jog wheels enable the user to DJ like in analog mode when scratching or mixing;
* Multi Channel Audio System: Spin comes with high quality sound for monitoring, master output and a separate microphone input;
* Compact and Light: Completely travel friendly, the unit is perfect for Mac users on-the-go. A simple USB cable and djay 3 will have the user spinning wherever they please.

Pricing and Availability:
Spin is exclusively available in Apple Stores for $249.95 (USD), including djay 3 in the bundle. djay 3 is also available for a free 15-day trial or for purchase, and is also available for purchase from Apple retail locations for $49.95 or 39.95 Euro (+VAT).

About Vestax
Found in 1977, in Tokyo, Japan by Mr. Hidesato Shiino, Vestax has lead the way in numerous fields in the pro audio and musical instruments industry. The founders sought to create a company that would lead the way for culture, quality and innovation. A company that would satisfy the needs and expectations of consumers. To learn more about Vestax, please visit them online.

Spin
Purchase
Screenshot

algoriddim is a Germany-based software company that specializes in next-generation Mac audio and multimedia applications. Since its inception, algoriddim has pursued sophisticated, intuitive and user-friendly software applications. Its mission is to develop software that is accessible to the average consumer while offering the quality and power of professional tools. algoriddim consistently seeks out innovative methods for accommodating the needs of its customers, and its flagship music software, djay, is now serving a broad international audience of music lovers, professional DJs and world-class musicians. To learn more about algoriddim, please them online.

Indianapolis, Indiana – Sunstorm Interactive today is excited to announce the launch of their second iPhone and iPod touch game, WW2 Beachhead 1.0. 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.

Buried in a beachhead bunker, players must demonstrate courage, quick reflexes and decision-making ability to stand their ground against the attacking enemy. They play as the last units remaining at the critical line of defense where they fight against ever growing hordes of soldiers, shattering tank fire, and strafing gunfire from fast moving fighter planes. Bonus crates parachute in bringing extra health or more ammo. Players must use precise aim and fast reflexes to suppress the attacking waves and win the chance to fight another day.

Players can choose among three weapons of destruction:
* AA Machine Gun – the primary gun for taking out the enemy. This gun has unlimited ammo and is easy to master.
* Artillery Cannon – firing explosive shells this gun is most effective against troops. One well-placed shot can wipe out a dozens soldiers.
* Rocket Propelled Grenade – the definitive tank killer but also effective on planes or hordes of soldiers.

“We wanted to capture the thrill and action of a war game in a way that was suitable for our mass market customer. WW2 Beachhead does this in a way that will seriously get your blood pumping!” – said Anthony Campiti, president and founder of Sunstorm Interactive Inc.

Device Requirements:
* iPhone or iPod touch 3.0 or later

Pricing and Availability:
WW2 Beachhead 1.0 is available on the the App Store at a special introductory 50% discount ($0.99).

Sunstorm Interactive
WW2 Beachhead 1.0
Purchase and Download
Press Kit
Screenshot
Video Trailer

Sunstorm Interactive, founded in May of 1995 by Anthony Campiti as a software development studio focused on game development, is best known as the developer of the run away hit Deer Hunter. Deer Hunter was the number one game in the country for three months in 1997, shocking industry experts, and spawning a new gaming genre – the hunting simulation. Sunstorm continued with its success, developing over 50 different games which have sold in excess of 6 million units worldwide. In 2009 Sunstorm returned to game development business with a series of amazing iPhone and iPod Touch games. For more information, please visit Sunstorm Interactive online. Copyright (C) 1995-2009 Sunstorm Interactive. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone and iPod are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Maintain today announced Cocktail 4.6.1 (Snow Leopard Edition), the latest maintenance update of Cocktail for users running Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. This version addresses an issue in which Cocktail may unexpectedly quit while clearing Mac OS X 10.6.2 system caches. The update is highly recommended for all users of Cocktail (Snow Leopard Edition).

Cocktail 4.6.1 (Snow Leopard Edition) requires Mac OS X / Mac OS X Server 10.6 or later and is tested for compatibility with Mac OS X / Mac OS X Server 10.6.2. Cocktail (Leopard Edition) for Mac OS X 10.5 and Cocktail (Tiger Edition) for Mac OS X 10.4 are available for download from our website.

Cocktail is an award winning general purpose utility for Mac OS X. It is a smooth and powerful digital toolset with a variety of practical features that simplifies the use of advanced UNIX functions and helps hundreds of thousands of Mac users around the world to get the most out of their computers.

The application serves up a scrumptious mix of maintenance tools and interface tweaks, all accessible via a comprehensive graphical interface. Most of Cocktail’s major features are arranged in five basic categories. In addition, a Pilot lets you clean, repair and optimize your system with one click of the button.

Maintain
Cocktail 4.6.1 (Snow Leopard Edition)
Download Cocktail 4.6.1
Purchase Cocktail
Screenshot
App Icon

Maintain develops tailored applications for Mac users. We work towards creating technical solutions which maintain your computer and make it as efficient and easy to use as possible. In addition, we offer comprehensive consultancy and support services which cover everything from operation of existing systems to purchase and implementation of new technical solutions. Among our clients are: Puma, The New York Times, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Ericsson, Fortum, The City Of Calgary, Peak Performance, Loreal, Harvard University, Los Angeles Times, Tribune Company, Swedish Film Institute, Weber, ESPN, Midway, Business Week, Swedish National Police Board, Pinnacle Systems, Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, Stockbyte, University of Texas, South Park Studios.

Arlington, VA – Group Logic, the leading provider of enterprise-class connectivity solutions, announced today the general availability of MassTransit 6.1. This major new release includes a new, easy-to-use web portal for occasional users, a completely redesigned user interface for power users and a number of new enterprise infrastructure features. This release has something for everyone in the organization. It makes it incredibly easy for new or occasional users to begin securely sending files without training and does not require a desktop client or browser plug-in. Power users can increase their productivity with a browser plug-in that provides advanced encryption, compression and bulk file-sending features. Finally, IT professionals can use advanced features to automate file transfers and workflows.

A Single Solution for Every Organization
Many organizations today have a massive hole in their IT security strategies: the inability to control and monitor file transfers. Because of the automatic enforcement of polices that limit the size of email attachments with Microsoft Outlook(R)/Exchange(R) and Lotus Notes(R), staff members are forced to look for alternatives when they need to send large files. Whether it’s Gmail(R), YouSendIt(R) or an FTP client, these users regularly send sensitive, confidential information out of the organization, without any record of the transmission. More advanced file transfer systems are good at tracking and managing system-to-system file transfers, but are too complex for the occasional user.

Only MassTransit provides a solution for everyone: an easy-to-use file transfer solution for infrequent file transfers, a powerful tool for high volume, high frequency transfers and automated tools for system-to-system file transfers. MassTransit provides your organization with a single tool for defining and enforcing file transfer access rights and for monitoring all file transmissions.

“Easy-to-use managed file transfer solutions are a ‘must have’ in any organization,” said T. Reid Lewis, CEO of Group Logic, Inc. “Most organizations limit email attachments to 5-10MBs and expect employees to use a cumbersome FTP client for larger file transfers. Instead, employees turn to consumer websites to get their jobs done. Obviously, this practice creates security and compliance issues. With MassTransit 6.1, organizations can give their staff the same ease-of-use as these consumer solutions and give the IT staff the visibility and control that they need.”

File Transfers Made Easy – A Completely Re-designed User Interface
For new or occasional users, MassTransit file transfers couldn’t be easier. Users can log into their MassTransit-powered corporate file transfer website and within 3 clicks begin sending files as large as many gigabytes securely over HTTPS. The user interface is as easy to use as Facebook(R) or Google(R). There is no browser plug-in or FTP client to install and typing a few characters of the recipient’s name brings up a pre-loaded contact directory. To send files to someone not in the directory, users simply type in that person’s email address and MassTransit does the rest.

Power users have the option of downloading a browser plug-in that provides many additional performance, ease-of-use, security and tracking features. The plug-in allows users to quickly select and send hundreds of files and complex folder structures with file transfers of over 50 GB. The plug-in also includes the MassTransit Advanced Protocol(TM) (MTAP) which features automatic compression and encryption and it even protects the special attributes of Macintosh files.

Enterprise Class Infrastructure
MassTransit is trusted by many thousands of users in organizations around the world that range from small businesses to some of the best known companies in the world, including Christie’s Auction House and International Greetings. As a result, MassTransit has been designed to be easy to install and maintain, while providing a feature set capable of supporting the largest organizations in the world.

MassTransit 6.1 is now “Cloud Ready” so that customers have the option of installing MassTransit locally on their own systems or onto a virtual server at a cloud provider such as Amazon Web Services(R). While many organizations prefer to install software locally, deploying MassTransit in the cloud can accelerate deployments, reduce upfront hardware costs and increase flexibility.

MassTransit 6.1 includes many other infrastructure enhancements including Linux web client support, automated Active Directory(R) driven account provisioning and management, full support for international file and folder/directory names with advanced Unicode double-byte character set (DBCS) capabilities, and new reports for optimizing file transfer performance. Together these features make it even easier to administer and maintain MassTransit, whether it’s deployed on a single server or globally to tens of thousands of users.

Group Logic
MassTransit
MassTransit Features
MassTransit Automated Supply Chain

Group Logic is the leading provider of network software solutions that enable customers to increase productivity and leverage existing infrastructure investments through enterprise file transfer and Mac/Windows connectivity solutions. With more than 21 years of unmatched experience, Group Logic’s emphasis on customer success is the very core of its business. More than 4,000 customers trust Group Logic every day to securely move and share their files around the world. Group Logic offers three complementary product lines: MassTransit, ExtremeZ-IP and ArchiveConnect. Group Logic can also be reached at 800.476.8781/1.703.528.1555. Group Logic, ArchiveConnect, ExtremeZ-IP, and MassTransit are trademarks of Group Logic, Inc. All other names or marks may be registered trademarks or trademarks of Group Logic, Inc., or their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged.

Vilnius, Lithuania – Jumsoft, a developer of high-quality applications for Mac OS X, today boosted the assortment offered by its Web store with a new product that is likely to be a treat for fans of Apple Keynote. This week, the company launched Keynote Backgrounds FX 4.0, a collection of 35 skillfully crafted motion backgrounds for Apple’s presentation software, which are devised to enhance presentations and set a desirable mood.

Keynote Backgrounds FX 4.0 subjects vary from futuristic imagery and lab utensils to flashes of lights and splashes of color, all of them swirling and swaying to guarantee undivided attention from the audience, whether it is a study group, participants of a Monday meeting in the office, or future clients.

Keynote Backgrounds FX 4.0 provides great flexibility of expression and a real opportunity to escalate presentations’ appeal via its wide-ranging themes and superb animation. Moreover, the Keynote Backgrounds FX 4.0 movies are prepared for looping to allow infinite playback for all backgrounds. Users need only choose the QuickTime Inspector in Keynote and select Loop under the Repeat pop-up.

“It is a truly brilliant product for …[those] keen on giving their audience a bit more than the standard bullet-pointing with a few photos,” said Algirdas Unguvaitis, the general manager of Jumsoft. “These backgrounds are actually captivating, and there is a total of 35 for a variety of occasions – 10 brand-new pieces and 25 classic backgrounds from the previous version of Keynote Backgrounds FX.”

Jumsoft Keynote Backgrounds FX 4.0 can be downloaded directly from Jumsoft. Once downloaded, the package can be immediately opened to select and apply backgrounds to presentation slides for an unexpected and impressive result.

System Requirements:
* Apple Keynote 3.0.2 or later
* Faster Mac is recommended

Pricing and Availability:
Keynote Backgrounds FX 4.0 is only $49 (USD), and version 3.0 users can upgrade for only $19 (USD).

Jumsoft
Keynote Backgrounds FX 4.0
Samples

Based in scenic Vilnius, Lithuania, Jumsoft is a privately funded company founded in 2002. Committed to providing the highest quality software, Jumsoft is a dedicated group of Apple Macintosh experts whose goal is creating and marketing exciting, easy-to-use and powerful applications for the Mac Platform. Jumsoft most recently focused its attention on maximizing the potential of Apple’s iWork, quickly becoming the leading provider of Keynote themes and objects. Copyright 2002-2009 Jumsoft. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, are registered trademarks of Apple Computer in the U.S. and/or other countries.

San Jose, California – Today Outside Ventures LLC, a Park City, UT developer of lifestyle iPhone and iPod Touch Applications, announced immediate availability of Beauty Minder 1.0 on the iTunes Store. Beauty Minder is the world’s first and only beauty organizer, enabling you to take complete control of all your beauty events.

With Beauty Minder, you will never miss an appointment, while maintaining all key contacts in one beautiful place! Key features include Google maps, direct dial and email, expense tracking, reminders, and calendar function. In addition, Beauty Minder is fully customizable to enable you to track other events, including health, wellness, and fitness.

Beauty Minder was designed for today’s busy, active woman. With Beauty Minder, you can immediately enter in appointments by category; the Home screen icons represent Hair, Nails, Waxing, Massage, Skincare, Massage, and Dermatology. The Home screen also provides a one touch “Add an Appointment” feature. But why stop stop there? Make it yours! We have also provided the Add an Icon feature which allows you to pick from a wide variety of images (Doctor, Makeup, Weight Management, etc.) so that you can easily customize your Beauty Minder experience. Choose photography as your theme, or choose nature if you prefer. Beauty Minder is your one stop destination for living your beautiful life.

Features:
* Instantly Add Appointments including Date, Time, Place, Cost, and Notes
* View all upcoming appointments; review past appointments
* Access complete contact information, organized by service (i.e. Hair, Nails) or category
* Dedicated Beauty Minder Calendar
* Set Reminders prior to appointments
* View Spending by Event, Month, Year
* Instant Dial and Email
* Google Maps Feature
* Customizable icons and category settings to make it yours!

“The concept for Beauty Minder came to me one day when I was frantically trying to remember when to make an appointment at my local beauty salon,” stated Sharon Cantwell, Founder of Outside Ventures LLC. “I thought it was probably time to make the appointment, but due to my packed calendar, I could not locate when my last appointment was. I wondered – what if I had a way to manage all of my beauty-related appointments, so that I would not have to search through my calendar, credit card statements, and checkbook? As I thought about it I realized that there was nothing available in the market to manage not only beauty but other health, fitness, and personal appointments that are so important to me. With Beauty Minder, I can finally focus on other tasks and leave the work to Beauty Minder.”

Device Requirements:
* iPhone 3G and 3Gs, iPod Touch 2.2.1 or later

Pricing and Availability:
Beauty Minder is only $3.99 (USD) and available worldwide, exclusively through the Apple iTunes App Store in the Lifestyle category. Review copies are available upon request.

Beauty Minder 1.0
Purchase and Download
Outside Ventures

Outside Ventures, founded in 2009, is a privately held company based in Park City, UT. Our mission is to provide consumers with a variety of fun, informative, and helpful products to enhance your lifestyle. From Beauty Minder to www.bikini-reviews.com, Outside Ventures strives to inform you, while simplifying your favorite leisure activities. Copyright (C)2009 Outside Ventures LLC. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone and iPod are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the USA and/or other countries.

Sunnyvale, California – In response to demand from enterprise IT managers, the Enterprise Desktop Alliance today launched a series of technical webinars focusing on specific issues that IT professionals confront as they integrate Macs into their organizations. The webcasts cover Mac integration topics at a level that is useful for administrators and managers and helps them to set strategy and to implement tactical solutions.

The first webcast in the series “Centralized Mac Home Directories with ExtremeZ-IP and Centrify DirectControl” provided configuration insights for alternative configurations of Mac home directories on Windows servers and for leveraging Microsoft’s Distributed File System (DFS). This webinar and its companion tech note are currently available on-demand in the Enterprise Desktop Alliance Resource Center.

An upcoming webcast on Tuesday November 10, 2009 – “Your Mac Users Deserve Quality Support Too” shows the additional benefits of using a cross-platform client management solution from LANrev in conjunction with a cross-platform helpdesk and knowledge base solution from Web Help Desk to deliver the same support for Macs as PCs without having to maintain separate management infrastructures and administrative expertise. People can register for this event at the Enterprise Desktop Alliance web site.

Subsequent webcasts will address topics that were identified by the IT community as important issues in Mac integration. These include:
* Security & Data Protection in a Heterogeneous Organization – Securing systems and data centrally and in a uniform way regardless of whether the platform is a Mac or a PC
* Snow Leopard in The Enterprise – Enterprise integration and management solutions for Snow Leopard Macs and Windows 7 PCs and Windows Server 2008

Enterprise Desktop Alliance
Resource Center
Webinar Registration

Solutions from Enterprise Desktop Alliance member companies enable IT departments to deploy, integrate and manage Macs throughout their organizations by applying the same standard Windows-based management tools to support Macs as they do Windows. By leveraging a centralized, uniform, management platform, administrators can deliver identical services and exercise the same controls for both Macs and Windows. Enterprise Desktop Alliance cross-platform solutions address: identity and access management, systems lifecycle management, file and print services, virtualization, data protection and service desk management.

Montreal, Canada – Indev software today releases MiniMail 2.0 with Snow Leopard support and new flexible miniature windows features. Since acquiring MiniMail from Olive Toast Software in October, we at Indev have worked hard to prepare MiniMail for Snow Leopard and implement new features. We are excited about developing MiniMail further and are certain that our current and future improvements will make MiniMail an even more essential part of streamlining your time managing email with Apple’s Mail.app.

Snow Leopard Compatibility:
MiniMail 2.0 is compatible with OS X 10.5 and OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard up to version 10.6.2. As maintenance releases for OS X 10.6 are released, MiniMail will need free updates for continued compatibility.

More Window Flexibility:
MiniMail keeps the Single Mini Window Mode that is familiar to version 1.X users and it introduces the new Multiple Window Mode. In this new mode, the zoom button will miniaturize each Message Viewer, showing just the selected Mailboxes letting you maintain different mini windows for a focused view on different Mailboxes.

Sparkle Support:
MiniMail now uses Sparkle for updating so that the update process should be the familiar and the same as numerous other applications that use Sparkle.

More Localizations:
MiniMail is now localized into French, German, Danish, and Norwegian. We expect more localizations soon.

Pricing and Availability:
MiniMail 2.0 is available immediately for $12.95 (USD) from the indev website.

Upgrades for MiniMail 1 Users:
MiniMail 1 customers can upgrade for $4.95 (USD). Earlier customers will receive a upgrade coupon in their email in the next 24 hours. Customers who don’t receive a coupon should contact Indev Software for assistance.

Special offer for MailTags/Mail Act-On customers:
Previous Indev customers who have purchased MailTags or Mail Act-On are invited to take advantage of special MiniMail pricing of $8.95 (USD) until Dec, 31, 2009. These customers will receive a special discount coupon in their email in the next 24 hours. Those who don’t receivea coupon should contact Indev Software for assistance.

Indev Software
MiniMail 2.0
Download MiniMail
Purchase MiniMail
Screenshot
App Icon

Since 2005 Indev Software has been the leading developer of plugins for Apple’s Mail Application. Its highly rated plugins have been featured in MacWorld Gems and other prominent Mac news magazines and web sites. MailTags and Mail Act-On are used daily by Mail.app users who want to more effectively and efficiently manage their inbox. Copyright (C) 2005-2009 Indev Software. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, and Mail are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

San Francisco, California – WaterField Designs, an innovative leader in custom laptop sleeves and designer bags and cases for consumer electronics, announces a new, custom-fitted Suede Jacket case for the Motorola Droid. The minimalist WaterField Suede Jacket made from scratch-free Ultrasuede(TM), provides a snug but comfortable fit specifically sized for Motorola’s newest smartphone.

WaterField’s Suede Jacket cases are form-fitted to a particular mobile device so each stays snug for better protection. The simple, smart-looking Suede Jacket for the Droid is made from soft, 100% scratch-free Ultrasuede(TM), which absorbs a bit of shock and protects the phone from scrapes and small, accidental bumps. Simply slide in the Droid when not in use, and pinch the bottom of the case to easily retrieve it when it is needed again. When necessary, the Suede Jacket can double as a screen cleaner.

“If you want a case to protect your new phone without adding bulk, you’ll find our Suede Jackets may do the trick” explained owner, Gary Waterfield. “Slip your phone into the jacket and it stays secure so it doesn’t easily fall out, yet you can quickly take the phone out by pushing the bottom so it glides out of the case. You can also put your Droid in its Suede Jacket into our newest man bag, the Muzetto – a favorite of Mad Men actor Rich Sommer – or in any other bag you may have.”

The Motorola Droid in its Suede Jacket fits into WaterField’s Travel Case – a case to hold the Droid or other device, a charger and other accessories – or into any one of WaterField’s trendy larger bags: the new Muzetto, or the Cargo, Cozmo, Hardcase, Racer-X, Sling or VertiGo.

Pricing and Availability:
Suede Jacket for the Motorola Droid Size 52: $9 / $13 (USD) with optional stretch pocket. Color: Black. Travel Case: $35-$39. Three sizes: Small, Medium, Large. Six colors: black, blue, brown, green, red, silver. Available now from WaterField Designs.

WaterField Designs
Suede Jacket case for the Motorola Droid
The Muzetto Laptop / Man Bag

WaterField Designs manufactures custom-fitted, high-quality cases and bags for a full-range of laptop computers, cameras, and other digital gear. All products are manufactured to exacting standards in San Francisco. More information is available at the company website in the About Us section.