SNAPPS, a long-time IBM Advanced Business Partner and new Apple Development Partner, identified an opportunity for synergy between the enterprise business software giant IBM and the hip, cool consumer-focused Apple and decided to actively link them together. The first offering, SnappFiles, demonstrated by IBM at MacWorld in San Francisco last week, is a free app available on the Apple App Store that delivers secure access to and collaboration on corporate documents stored in IBM Lotus Quickr or Filenet P8 ECM systems. With work underway to support other IBM ECM systems such as IBM Content Manager and Lotus Connections Files next month, SnappFiles is designed to be a single point of entry into corporate document management systems.

“We’ve designed complex business systems, workflows, and critical customer-facing applications in our tenure working with IBM products,” said Rob Novak, president of SNAPPS. “Bringing these processes outside the corporate firewall and into the hands of Apple customers is a natural progression. We have several applications in development, and plan to bring our years of experience to bear on real business solutions for Apple customers.”

Inspiration for SnappFiles came from the most unlikely place – unless you happen to have a teenager. Novak explains: “I was helping my 14-year-old son set up his new iPod touch six months ago and noticed he had a mesmerizing game called Paper Toss – the objective of which is to toss a crumpled piece of paper into an office trash bin. It occurred to me that if you could throw away paper on this cool device, why couldn’t you retrieve documents securely?” The next day, SNAPPS joined the Apple Developer Program and started work on SnappFiles. Work on an iPad-optimized version is underway, since the form factor of the iPad will, according to Novak, make “corporate document management the killer business app for the iPad.”

“SNAPPS’ work with our open APIs has produced some very timely and astounding results for the iPhone and iPod touch,” said Jeff Schick, Vice President of Social Software, IBM Lotus. “We’re convinced that IBM’s social software solutions and SNAPPS’ innovation will produce some impressive apps for all the Apple devices.”

SnappFiles is available now in the Apple App Store, free of charge. A professional version with enhanced capabilities is in the works, as are several other apps linking IBM’s Lotus software to Apple devices. SNAPPS also develops custom solutions for Lotus Quickr applications and makes free templates available.

For more information about SnappFiles, visithttp://snappfiles.snapps.com, and for information about SNAPPS, visit http://www.snapps.com.

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada – SelfServeApps is announcing the launch of a new web-based iPhone app creation service this week at Macworld Expo 2010. The service is directed at creative professionals and business owners, and allows anyone to build a high-quality iPhone app from their web browser in less than an hour at a fraction of the cost of custom development.

Fees start as low as $99 for setup and $29 per month, and range depending on the package purchased. SelfServeApps enables business owners and their creative service companies to secure their business names in the Apple App Store.

Most iPhone app development companies provide custom production that can take many months and cost tens of thousands of dollars. SelfServeApps makes having an app affordable for small business owners, and gives them equal footing in the mobile market. “One of our motivations is to help local and regional operators compete with large corporations with a low cost, high quality app,” said Doug Pelton, CEO and founder of SelfServeApps.

Those offering web-based services to date, like Mobile Roadie and AppMakr, have focused on the vanity app market where the majority of customers are bands, celebrities or just individuals wanting to mobilize their social networks. SelfServeApps’ primary market is web developers, ad agencies, PR firms and other creative companies who in turn offer it as a service to their customers. This effectively adds iPhone apps to their service mix overnight without the traditional overhead costs and risks.
As partners, creative professionals earn recurring revenue, receiving a 50% discount on all fees.

There is no programming involved and they can reuse the web content and graphics they have already produced for their clients. A dashboard is included to manage multiple projects and a content management system makes updates to applications easy, without having to resubmit to the App Store. Businesses with many locations will appreciate their app’s Store Locator functionality and the bulk upload feature.

Currently the fees range from $99 (USD) for setup and $29 monthly up to $499 for setup and $99 monthly. All packages include the ability to integrate mobile web pages so businesses can offer their customers the convenience of placing orders from their iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.

The company is focusing exclusively on the iPhone platform since Apple was responsible for 99.4% of all mobile app sales up to January of this year.

Washington, DC – Tales2Go LLC today launched Tales2Go 1.0, a kids’ audio story subscription service for iPhone and iPod Touch users. Tales2Go is the first application to utilize streaming technology to deliver a subscription kids’ audio story service giving moms and dads instant, on-demand access to more than 700 titles from leading audio publishers and award-winning storytellers. The new service offers anywhere, anytime access for on-the-go families – in the car, in the waiting room of the doctor’s office, or even during quiet time at home. The company plans to roll out to other smartphone platforms and app stores (e.g., Blackberry, Palm Pre and Android) in the coming months.

Tales2Go is powered by streaming technology from Stitcher Radio, the leading news/talk audio app on smart phones. Stitcher recently announced a partnership with Ford at CES and unveiled plans to include the Stitcher app alongside Pandora on Ford’s new in-car entertainment system, Sync. Stitcher launched in the Apple App Store in September 2008.

Tales2Go has partnered with major audio publishers, including Recorded Books, Audio Bookshelf, Audio Holdings and August House. Tales2Go has also signed agreements with dozens of award-winning storytellers, including Bill Harley, Connie Reagan-Blake, Lyn Ford, Syd Lieberman, Bil Lepp, Dovie Thomason and Jim Weiss. The Tales2Go library will comprise 800+ stories at launch, and will quickly exceed 1,000 stories in the coming weeks. Story genres include fairytales, myths, classics, folktales, book series, and more.

This innovative new subscription service is both entertaining and beneficial for kids, providing moms with an alternative to “screen-based” media. Audio books have been shown to enrich listening skills, expose kids to new vocabulary and make children more eager to read.
Tales2Go is offering a free 30-day trial for all new customers and is be available in the App Store in the Education category. Tales2Go is $24.99 (USD) for an annual subscription – saving time, effort and money vs. purchasing multiple story CDs or downloads. And with Tales2Go, there are no one-off purchases to get the next story.

Apple Computer, Inc. has updated the iPhone developer SDK to allow VoIP over cellular networks. iCall is the first and only VoIP application that functions on the iPhone and iPod Touch over cellular 3G networks.

iCall is a market leader in desktop and mobile-based desktop calling platforms, including its highly popular version for the Apple iPhone.  Until today, restrictions imposed on developers prohibited VoIP functionality on any 3G network.

VoIP on the iPhone has been the source of many debates with companies such as Google being denied access to the platform and the FCC inquiring as to the restrictions in the Apple App Store; iCall is one of the few VoIP applications that has been permitted by Apple to operate on the iPhone platform.

With the latest revisions Apple has made to the iPhone developer agreement and Software Development Kit, iCall for the iPhone and iPod Touch now enabled unrestricted free local and long distance calling over 3G data networks.  iCall with support for VoIP over 3G networks is now available in the App Store for download.  iCall is the first and only VoIP application available for the iPhone platform that allows use over 3G networks.  iCall for the iPhone and iPod Touch may now be downloaded from the App Store at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/icall-free-voip/id293837001?mt=8&uo=6

iCall CEO Arlo Gilbert is quoted as saying, “I applaud Apple’s decision to allow iCall to extend its functionality beyond Wi-Fi and onto the 3G networks. This heralds a new era for VoIP applications on mobile platforms, especially for iCall and our free calling model. I hope that now more developers will begin using our VoIP as a platform to integrate VoIP into their applications.”

Booyah, a Silicon Valley company founded by former games industry veterans, is excited to announce the release of MyTown 2.0 for the iPhone and iPod touch. MyTown 2.0 is a location-based app built around local shops, restaurants, and hangouts. Users check-in at real-world locations to level up, unlock rewards, and earn cash to buy their favorite real-life places.

Gaining momentum from the initial launch in December 2009, MyTown reached # 7 on the Apple App Store and continues to grow with more than 32 million check-ins from 2.2 million unique real-world locations. Booyah’s popular mobile app recently rocketed past more than 500,000 users. An immersive and addicting experience, users of MyTown spend an average of more than 30 minutes per day on the application.

Features new to MyTown 2.0 include:

• Additional 60+ hours of gameplay
• 20 Additional Levels, 15 Additional Property Slots, and 10 Building Upgrades
• 50+ New Items and Unique Collectibles
• Enhanced Strategic Gameplay with a Deeper Market Economy
• Dynamic Cityscape that Grows as you Level Up Your Town
• Real-World Offers, Deals, and Freebies at your Favorite Shops and Restaurants
• In-App Store to Buy Limited-Time Items and Abilities

“We are very excited to provide the community with the latest evolution of the MyTown experience,” Keith Lee, CEO, Booyah, said. “MyTown continues to grow at such a rapid pace in large part to the amazing feedback and support of our fans.”

MyTown uses GPS features to check-in at real-world locations to unlock rewards. Players can buy and upgrade shops, enjoying MyTown ownership of their favorite real-life places. Users can also collect rent when other people check-in to their shops. The more a place is frequented, the more it raises your shops’ value and rent. In MyTown, players can also use power-ups to unlock more locations to buy.

Booyah’s company vision is to create new forms of entertainment to the masses by bringing together elements of the real world and the digital world.

“MyTown is really starting to define Real-World Gaming, with its rich virtual overlay on real-life activities,” Lee noted.

http://www.booyah.com

rtificial Life, Inc., (OTC BB: ALIF), (http://www.artificial-life.com ) and Starz Digital Media, today announced the launch of the official mobile game for the Starz Entertainment TV series “Spartacus: Blood and Sand”, which premieres on Jan. 22, 2010. The Artificial Life game, for the iPhone and iPod touch platform, will retail at USD 4.99 on the Apple App Store. This is the second iPhone game collaboration between Artificial Life and Starz Media following PANDORUM, the official movie mobile game first released in September 2009.

Based on the new original series “Spartacus: Blood and Sand” produced by Starz Media, the game takes players into the world of gladiators where blood and brutality bring honor. Players embark on a journey of intense battles and fight for the freedom and survival of the Thracian hero. Characters, weapons and locations are realistically modeled after items and events from the original TV series along with special scenes produced by Starz Media that are featured in the game. The game offers various game modes to cater to different playing styles: Story Mode, Quick Fight, Challenge Mode, and Head-to-Head Mode.

For more details about “Spartacus: Blood and Sand”, please visit: http://www.botme.com. The game is now live on the Apple App Store and is available for purchase at: http://itunes.com/app/spartacusbloodandsand
“‘With Spartacus: Blood and Sand’ enjoying its place as the most highly anticipated original series in the history of Starz, the timing could not be be better for this mobile game to come to market, said Marc DeBevoise, senior vice president, digital media, business development and strategy for Starz Media, and the lead executive for Starz Digital Media. “The look of this series is like nothing else that has ever been seen on television and the mobile game translates the excitement and passion of the show.”
“Spartacus is an iconic hero who has been recreated on many platforms. We are happy to work with Starz Media once again to transform their upcoming TV series, ‘Spartacus: Blood and Sand’, into a thrilling experience for iPhone gamers. We would like to thank our partner, Starz Media, for their kind support throughout the production process. We hope to thrill gamers with its sharp graphics and full-on action-packed battles!” said Eberhard Schoneburg, CEO of Artificial Life, Inc.

Nuance Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN) today announced that due to popular demand, its successful Dragon Dictation and Dragon Search Apps are now available for the iPod Touch.

iPod Touch users can now experience the power of Dragon Dictation’s incredibly fast and accurate speech capabilities to dictate emails and update any text field (like Facebook and Twitter) using the Clipboard function. And with Dragon Search, people can speak searches that are returned from a variety of sources including Google, Yahoo! or Bing, plus Wikipedia, iTunes, YouTube and Twitter via the Dragon Search Carousel. Both apps are free on the Apple App Store for a limited time.

Dragon Dictation can now also automatically determine when you are finished dictating. Just adjust the settings to have the app automatically process spoken text without having to hit the “Done” button on the interface.

“The response to the Dragon Apps from the iPhone consumer base and press community has been tremendous. We’ve heard the demands loud and clear to share that experience with iPod Touch users, and have worked hard over the last few weeks to deliver,” said Michael Thompson, senior vice president and general manager, Nuance Mobile. “iPhone users have clearly demonstrated a strong demand for fast accurate dictation capabilities and a desire to search beyond just Google. The downloads and usage of both apps have exceeded all of our expectations.”

Agence France-Presse announced today the launch of its iPhone application “AFP Mobile” on the Apple App Store. The application for iPhone and iPod Touch enables users to read the latest news from all over the world, delivered with accuracy, speed and in-depth by AFP’s worldwide network of journalists. It gives access to the global news agency’s multimedia content in English, Spanish, Portuguese and German, including breaking world news from wars and conflicts to politics, sport and entertainment, as well as the latest major developments in health, science and technology.

he application can also be adapted for AFP’s clients to integrate their own content and distributed under their brand, for example La Dépêche du Midi, an AFP client in France, have already done this and released their iPhone application January 5^th.

This development is part of AFP’s ongoing mobile strategy to cover all mobile news content needs and to enable its clients to reach their audience across multiple devices and platforms. “Mobile is a key development for media companies. We believe that it is our mission to offer our clients mobile-ready content and technological solutions, so they can expand their visibility and reach new audiences”, says Erik Monjalous, AFP Group Sales and Marketing Director.

AFP Mobile for iPhone and iPod Touch offers a unique user-experience, thanks to original features, such as browsing the news by photos, the customization of the navigation bar to access favourite categories anytime and the possibility to change the language of the content inside the application. AFP news is also available on the mobile browser http://afpmobile.com.

The application can be downloaded from Apple’s AppStore on iPhone and iPod Touch.

Magellan GPS today announced availability of an upgraded version of its Magellan® RoadMate® App for iPhone®. The new App can be purchased for $59.99 (a $40.00 savings off of the regular price – Now, until January 3, 2010).

New version includes the following upgrades:

• Compatible with iPod touch 2nd Generation
• Customizable speed warnings
• Interactive POI on map; show POI detail with option to route-to or call the POI
• Customizable, multi-destination routing
• Use the improved music player without leaving the map screen
• Address entry improves routing to contacts in address book and sorts city options by distance
• Ability to plan a trip in simulation mode with up to 16X FF, Rewind, Pause and Next
• Find My Car now also in OneTouch menu
• Overall UI enhancements tailored to the phone navigation environment:
  • Larger back button
  • Larger vehicle indicator
  • Direct map access button
  • Larger placement of music button
  • Tap car icon to save “current location”
  • Improvement on the panning experience

The new version of the Magellan® RoadMate® App for iPhone® is available now. Users who purchased the original app can download a free update at the Apple App store automatically.

Dave Taylor, a recognized technology expert, national speaker and creator of the popular AskDaveTaylor.com Web site, has launched the “Ask Dave Taylor” application for the Apple iPhone, available in the Apple App Store for 99 cents.

The app includes more than 2,200 entries from the popular AskDaveTaylor.com blog, with more than 1 million unique visitors each month who come to find solutions to their tech support problems or learn tips and tricks to improve the functionality of the technology in their lives.

“Millions of people will get new tech gadgets and programs this holiday season, but it’s no fun to be stumped trying to figure them out,” said Taylor. “This app provides thousands of articles to help anyone — from a beginner to a power user — fix problems and get the most from their new devices or programs.”

The “Ask Dave Taylor” app includes thousands of illustrated Q&A articles, including:

• 350 articles on Macs and Mac OS X
• 300 articles on computer and technology basics
• 250 articles on Windows troubleshooting and customization
• 190 articles on Web site design and development
• 175 articles on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and other social networks
• 150 articles on blogging best practices
• 140 articles on business and management
• 120 articles on iPhones and other cell phones
• 150 articles on search engine optimization (SEO)
• 100 Linux and Unix programming and help articles