Would you use this object if it came with restrictions? Photo — of a hacked Moleskin, ironically — (CC-BY-SA) Alexandre Dulaunoy.

Apple’s iPad is here. It starts at $499. It’s a gorgeous, brilliantly-designed device that has the benefits of Apple’s cleverly-engineered, best-in-class developer tools for mobile. A lot are likely to sell. And unfortunately, to me that means bad news for the kind of creative computing we talk about on this site.

To put it briefly, I think the new, mobile Apple is doing immense harm to the computing legacy the company has forged. We could have had a Mac tablet today. Instead, we have a giant iPhone – and that’s a decision that has some serious repercussions. It’s a blow to open source alternatives, but also to open development in general: the power of interchangeable hardware and software, on which everything we do with music and visuals on computers is based.

For years, the Mac community railed against the perceived closed nature of Microsoft. Now, many are rallying behind an Apple with a vision more closed than Redmond’s.

This is important to both CDMs, because it’s on both these sites that I, along with readers and contributors, have advocated open computing as a creative outlet, for creation, sharing, and distribution of music, visuals, and knowledge.

For more information click here

Coconut Island Studio is announcing the launch of Finger Balance app for iPhone, iPod and iPad touch. Coconut Island Studio is an indie game studio best known for it’s iDragPaper app that has over 6,700,000 players worldwide.
Finger Balance is a new kind of gameplay among already existing ones in the App Store. This addictive and unique game offers also a simple concept. During the gameply you have to use two fingers to move a metal rod balancing a ball towards target. Finger Balance include fantastic graphics and pleasing background music as well.
Moreover, the app gives you ability to compare your scores with other competitors all around the world. The company is planing to add more levels monthly for the players to have a new task to conquer.

Features:
 * The unique gameplay you have never experienced before
 * InGame Replay, which enables you to review your 6 best plays
* 30 Levels devided in 3 difficulties
 * Retro style graphics
 * Original background music and sound effect
 * OpenFeint online leader board
 * Community integrated(which you don't need to leave the game to access)
 * More levels will be added every month

Supported Languages:
 * US English, Chinese, French, German and Japanese

Device Requirements:
 * iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
 * Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later
 * 8.1 MB

Pricing and Availability:
 Finger Balance 1.01 is only $0.99 USD and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Games category.

For more information click here

LEARN2MAKE LLC has just released their new app for iPhone and iPod touch called "LEARN2MAKE Balloon Animals". LEARN2MAKE LLC that is specializing in 3D instructional software applications today is offering to the users app that teaches how to make balloon animals with computer rendered 3D animations. To interact with 3D balloon animals is able by touching and tilting iPhone and iPod touch.  Additionally, you can interact with the balloon shapes at any time during the instructions.
LEARN2MAKE Balloon Animals offers 10 balloon animal instructions including a dog, a monkey, a motorcycle and a flower.
Besides, the app includes 5 basic balloon twisting instructions with the names: Sausage Twist, Tulip Twist and Lock Pop Twist. The basic twist instructions include animated hands to help the user understand how to successfully twist the balloons without popping them or having them come undone.
Note that, the app has been featured as "New & Noteworthy" in the Reference, Entertainment, and Games categories of the App Store and all above only in 5 days after the release.

Device Requirements:
 * iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
 * Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later (iOS 4.0 Tested)
 * 21.8 MB

Pricing and Availability:
 To celebrate the Launch of LEARN2MAKE Balloon Animals 1.0, for a limited time the app is being offered at a discounted price of $.99 USD and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Reference category.


For more information click here

Outfit7 Ltd is offering a new addition to their successful 3D animation iPhone app series called Talking Friends. Just released app, called Talking Larry the Bird is the company's third 3D character, among the Talking Friends series, after amazing Talking Tom Cat and Talking Baby Hippo.
Besides, Talking Larry the Bird is available for both iPad and iPhone users.
The app offers entertaining animations, speech detection, piano keyboard playing, video recording and video sharing. According to piano keyboard playing Talking Larry is able to whistle.
The Larry bird can repeat speech with funny voice and allows users to poke him, feed him, strike him with lighting and even make him bow and accept applause.

The app makes available to record your own videos of Talking Larry and share them on YouTube, Facebook or send them to your friends by email.

Application highlights:
 * Playing on the piano keyboard will cause Larry to whistle accordingly
 * Talking to Larry will cause him to repeat the speech with a funny voice
 * Poking him in the head will cause him to spin
* Pressing buttons in the app will make Larry react in different ways
* Users are able to record videos of Talking Larry and share them on YouTube and Facebook or send them by email

Device requirements:
 * Compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch (earphones with a microphone are necessary)
 * iOS 3.0 or higher
 * 9.8 MB (iPhone app), 13.4 MB (iPad app)

Pricing and Availability:
 Talking Larry the Bird 1.0 for iPhone is $1.99 USD. The iPad version is $4.99. Both are available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Entertainment category.



For more information click here

Announcing the launch of another fitness application for iPhone or iPod touch. The app called Fitaide Pro 1.0 has been developed by Poscitech. Fitaide Pro offers to the users help, support and training to achieve their fitness goals and find motivation.
It is proved that the main trouble for fitness is lack of motivation. With this app the problem is solved. Here you can see your early results which will be a motivator for your future better results.
Fitaide Pro's cutting-edge technology creates a personalized cardio or interval training plan and uses the in-built 3D motion sensor to track users and cues them to change pace - ensuring they get to their goal.
The app provides you with intuitive user interface, rich graphical displays and 3D Motion Sensor technology that automatically tracks calories, steps, distance, speed or pace, at any level of fitness.

Device requirements:
 * iPhone and iPod touch
 * Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later
 * Tested for iOS 4.0
 * 8.3 MB

Pricing and Availability:
 Fitaide Pro 1.0 is priced at $4.99 in the US or equivalent in other markets and is available exclusively through the App Store in the Healthcare & Fitness category.


For more information click here

Today Catamount Software has launched a new iPhone app called Today! The app is perfect for those who need more efficiency, facility and power then Apple’s Calender provides. Today! attaches Calendar to add missing features sought out by busy professionals.
With Today on your iPhone is easy to manage your schedule, all the information about appointment time, location and other notes are easily shown without additional tap on the screen. Besides, the app integrates with map and with just one tap on the location you’re able to view the route to your next appointment.
If Mail and Messages show a sign on the screen when you have to do in them the Calendar doesn’t- it’s missing, that makes you to view quickly what you have left to do for today without opening the Calendar.
Stop missing meetings with Today on your iPhone!


Feature Highlights:
 * Red badge on icon shows you at a glance how many appointments you still have.
* See your important appointment information at a glance – Today! shows all information you need about appointment time, location, and notes for the appointment without needing extra taps.
* Integrates with Maps so you can tap on location to open the route to your next appointment.
* If you sync multiple calendars you probably have important calendars and not-so-important calendars. With Today! you can decide which calendars are your important ones to show in Today!.
* Stop wasting time your setting the alarm for every appointment you create in Calendar. Today! lets you set a default alarm time to save you time when you create new appointments from within Today!.

Device Requirements:
 * iPhone and iPod touch
 * Requires iOS 4.0 or later

Pricing and Availability:
Today! 1.0.1 is $2.99 (USD) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Productivity category. Today! is also available in a free, fully functional, ad supported version.



For more information click here

MASAKA Soft has launched new app called Disguised Cam version 1.5 for iPhone and iPod touch. With Disguised Cam you’re able to take photos and videos without attracting others attention as the app has disguising feature as a web browser app, an email app, an ebook reader app, a SMS app, or any other app.
You can pretend that you were browsing web, reading email, text SMS or reading ebook while having Custom Disguise mode on as it take photos and captures videos without any view finder shown.
Disguised Cam works with a simple and intuitive control, you have to tap on the screen once to take a photo or start a video recording. With sliding one finger down you’re able to reveal the viewfinder and double-tap to open Settings. Here you can select preferred Disguise mode or choose between still photo and video mode.

Disguised Cam features include:
 * Both still photo and video supported
 * Fully disguise camera screen. 100% concealment
 * Tap anywhere on screen. The whole screen is a shutter. No need to aim where you tap
 * To show and dismiss viewfinder on the fly, simply slide one finger up or down
 * Choose from 4 preset Disguise modes, or create one of your own
 * Vibration alert when photo is successfully saved
 * Automatically disable flash for iPhone 4

Device Requirements:
 * iPhone and iPod touch
 * Requires iOS 4.0 or later
 * 2.2 MB

Pricing and Availability:
Disguised Cam 1.5 is only $0.99 USDand available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Photography category.


For more information click here

MASAKA Soft has launched new app called Disguised Cam version 1.5 for iPhone and iPod touch. With Disguised Cam you’re able to take photos and videos without attracting others attention as the app has disguising feature as a web browser app, an email app, an ebook reader app, a SMS app, or any other app.
You can pretend that you were browsing web, reading email, text SMS or reading ebook while having Custom Disguise mode on as it take photos and captures videos without any view finder shown.
Disguised Cam works with a simple and intuitive control, you have to tap on the screen once to take a photo or start a video recording. With sliding one finger down you’re able to reveal the viewfinder and double-tap to open Settings. Here you can select preferred Disguise mode or choose between still photo and video mode.

Disguised Cam features include:
 * Both still photo and video supported
 * Fully disguise camera screen. 100% concealment
 * Tap anywhere on screen. The whole screen is a shutter. No need to aim where you tap
 * To show and dismiss viewfinder on the fly, simply slide one finger up or down
 * Choose from 4 preset Disguise modes, or create one of your own
 * Vibration alert when photo is successfully saved
 * Automatically disable flash for iPhone 4

Device Requirements:
 * iPhone and iPod touch
 * Requires iOS 4.0 or later
 * 2.2 MB

Pricing and Availability:
Disguised Cam 1.5 is only $0.99 USDand available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Photography category.


For more information click here

Announcing the release of new app called “Evil Quiz" for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users. "Evil Quiz" appeared on the iTunes app store this week and had already rose to the top 100 app in the entertainment category and the sales are still rising. The developers of the app are surprised with such results so the future release of updated version with additional levels has already been scheduled.
“Evil Quiz" is kind of test, it consists of questions and riddles and 101 levels. All you have to do is to pass this devilish test but it is too hard to handle. No one is able to pass it over 100 levels. These unique questions make you fail over and over easily.
But you can try to play if you dare! Maybe you are the one that can do what no one else can!
But watch out, don’t throw your iPhone suddenly at the closest brick wall, as the company won’t be responsible for your loss.


This Evil Quiz includes:
 * Fun graphics and sound effects
 * Shocking failures
 * Addicting gameplay
 * Original, creative questions
 * A strange hooded guy with red eyes

 Requirements:
 * iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
 * Requires iOS 3.0 or later
 * 4.3 MB

Pricing and Availability:
 Evil Quiz 1.1 is only $0.99 USD and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Entertainment category.




For more information click here

No Tie Software is offering a new service for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users. Their just released app Ringtones Uncensored Pro 6.1 you’re able to know who is calling and without needing to remember which song corresponds to which contact. Every caller can be assigned a unique Talking CallerID ringtone using Ringtones Uncensored. Talking Text-to-Speech Ringtones can be as professional as fun.
Using the app you will be able to select speaking voice you like and the choice is big: British Man, Woman, Valley Girl, Jersey Girl, Old Man, as well as funny voices like Devil, Space Alien, Synthesizer and Whisper.
Another notable fact is that after buying the app for $0.99 you have unlimited and uncensored access to the AutoRingtone.com service. AutoRingtone also developed by No Tie Software powers the app.
Create a great number of ringtones without any additional payment with Ringtones Uncensored Pro on your iPhone.


For more information click here