Brick breaking arcade action abounds with NewPark Blockers HD for iOS

Barcelona, Spain – Cosmonaut Games, an exciting new mobile application developer focused on games, has today announced the successful recent release of NewPark Blockers HD for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This game app is a modern re-imagining of similar classic brick breaking arcade games from the past with a wide array of new twists and spins up its sleeves. Complete with vibrant graphics, exhilaratingly fast paced gameplay, and featuring seemingly endless levels, power-ups, and varied gameplay NewPark Blockers HD is the mobile block busting arcade experience legions of users will recognize and embrace. NewPark Blockers HD is currently available for download on the Apple App Store for only $0.99.

This game was created specifically to offer users the highest caliber arcade gaming experience possible on their mobile devices while keeping the authentic feel of brick breaking games from the golden age of arcade games which it’s meant to pay homage to. NewPark Blockers HD is structured as a conventional game, including forty eight sequentially more complex and challenging levels for users to play through. The game itself charges players with controlling a moving platform moving left or right on a two dimensional plane at the bottom of the game screen, keeping a game ball bouncing up and down without falling off the screen. As the game ball flies up it will hit and break a variety of structures composed of separate blocks, with the players aim being to destroy all the blocks on every given level in order to move forward through the game.

True to it’s arcade gaming roots players are provided with chances to pick up a series of diverse power-ups to help them in their brick demolishing quests, and are sure to find themselves constantly challenged as they race to save their ball after every hit and strategically guide it’s upward bounces to cause the maximum amount of destruction! NewPark Blockers HD represents a full mobile gaming experience, allowing users to choose amongst three unique background themes during gameplay, and encouraging competition via interactive global online leaderboards and integration with Apple’s innovative Game Center. NewPark Blockers HD isn’t simply the 21st century update of the classic block breaking game, it’s a sure bet for engaging mobile gaming entertainment with high replay value as well, something that’s harder to come by in today’s mobile marketplace than it may seem.

Cosmonaut Games
NewPark Blockers HD 1.1
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Located in Spain, Cosmonaut Games is a burgeoning mobile game developer committed to bringing high quality gaming experiences to mobile gaming enthusiasts around the world. (C) Cosmonaut Games 2011. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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Brosix is a Three-Time Winner in The About IM Awards

New York, New York – Brosix again takes home recognition and the top spots for two categories this year in the About IM awards – Best Business IM and Best IM Feature for Brosix Screen Sharing. In the past two years, Brosix has won Best Feature – once for Brosix Screenshot in 2010 and once for Brosix Whiteboard in 2009.

About Guide to Instant Messaging, Brandon De Hoyos, had this to say about Brosix taking home the 2011 award for Best Business IM: “While Brosix faced the likes of some pretty big and well-known business IM clients, their users flocked to the Readers’ Choice Awards for one reason: They absolutely support the great product they have found in Brosix Enterprise and Brosix Public.” Brosix took home 86% of the vote in this category.

As for the second award, Best Feature for Brosix Screen Sharing, De Hoyos said, “For the third year in a row, About.com readers have chosen Brosix as the IM client with the year’s best IM feature. This year, Brosix’s screen sharing feature takes top honors as 2011′s Best IM feature, an exciting collaboration tool for personal and business use.” Brosix Screen Sharing took home 70% of the votes for this category.

Along with winning in 2 categories, Brosix was top finisher in another instant messenger category as well – Best Mac IM. Brosix received 30% of the vote, placed second and surpassed the old player Adium, the Mac native IM client iChat and the giant Yahoo Messenger. Brosix continues to live up to its award-winning expectations and strives to make its products innovate and easy to use.

Brosix
2011 Readers Choice Awards

Brosix Instant Messenger is a division of D-Bross, a software development company based out of Bulgaria. Brosix strives to combine the best customer service and most innovative secure online communication software on the market today. To learn more visit Brosix online. Copyright (C) 2011 D-Bross. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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Curling3D 1.0 for iOS – Ultra-Realistic, 3D, Curling Simulation Game

Stavropol, Russian Federation – MaxNick today is pleased to introduce Curling3D 1.0 for iOS, their curling simulation game for one or two players. Similar to shuffleboard, the game is played on a flat ice curling sheet, roughly 15×150 feet. Players slide round stones of about 40 pounds towards bull’s eye targets at either end. Two teammates may use brooms to sweep the ice in front of the moving stone. Curling3D is a follow-up to MaxNick’s successful iCurling game, and adds a new dimension of realism with 3D rendering and on-screen players. Many user suggestions have been integrated into this new curling simulation.

Curling 3D attempts to simulate the excitement of the game by incorporating many aspects of the actual sport. Fundamentally, curling is about force, mass, friction, momentum, rotation, and collision. The app exploits the sophisticated physics engine built into the iPhone OS to generate a convincing simulation of all these elements as they interact. In the terminology of curling, the weight is the velocity of the stone; the turn is the rotation of the stone (which affects its trajectory); and the line is the direction of the throw or delivery. Curling3D allows the player to continuously and independently control all three, permitting advanced tactics such as the guard, takeout, and tap. In addition, the app allows the player to sweep the ice while their stone is moving, adjusting trajectory after the delivery.

Feature Highlights:
* Realistic, hi-res, 3D simulation of Curling
* Complete control of force, direction, and rotation of the stone
* Advanced features permit tactics used in actual play of game called “chess on ice”
* Detailed instructions for gameplay
* Can be played by one player against the computer, or two players against each other
* Exploits advanced physics engine of iPhone OS to simulate realistic motion
* Easy and intuitive controls
* Incorporates the true rules of Curling
* Player vs. computer (artificial intelligence) with three levels of difficulty
* Multiplayer gameplay for two players
* A variety of character models
* Choice of player sex and 12 countries for teams
* Scoring of intermediate and total results
* FaceBook & Twitter Integration
* Support for the Retina display
* Detailed graphics and animation
* Excellent sound design

The purpose of the game is to throw as many stones (rocks) as close as possible to the center of the house (the target), while at the same time trying to keep the other team from doing the same. A game may consist of ten independent periods, so-called ends. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones across the ice curling sheet towards the house, with each team throwing eight stones. The goal is to accumulate the highest score for a game. Points are scored depending on stones resting closest to the centre of the house at the conclusion of each end, which is completed when both teams have thrown all of their sixteen stones. The curler tries to make a stone stop in a certain place, or knock the opponent’s stones out of the house, depending on the stick tactics. Curling 3D features realistic, 3D, hi-res graphics, which include an innovative representation of the stone’s momentum as it slows. Sounds of music, crowd reaction, stone travel, and collision are all present.

“Curling is a surprisingly exciting game, because it is a game of inches,” commented developer Nikolay Verevkin. “Curling3D captures the excitement of competition Curling, as you watch your stone sliding down the ice.”

Language Support:
* US English, French, German and Russian

System Requirements:
* iPhone3GS or later, iPod touch 3rd generation or later, or iPad
* iOS 4.0 or later
* 15 MB

Pricing/Availability:
Curling3D 1.0 for iPhone and iPod touch is $1.99 (USD), and Curling3D HD 1.0 for iPad is $3.99 at the App Store in the Games category. Review copies available on request.

MaxNick
Curling3D 1.0
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Located in Stavropol, Russian Federation, and founded in 2009 by independent developers, MaxNick has grown to a studio consisting of qualified 2D & 3D game developers and skilled designers, whose quality illustration, artwork, animation and 3D assets are marked by specialists and users. Committed to providing the highest quality solutions, MaxNick specializes in game and software development for the Apple iOS and Windows Phone 7 platforms, with a major emphasis on customer satisfaction. Copyright (C) 2009-2011 MaxNick. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod, and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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Instagallery 1.1 adds landscape and iPhone support to Instagram viewer

Saint Paul, Minnesota – InfinitApps improves on the recent 1.0 release of Instagallery, which has quickly become a highly-ranked photography app for iPad. Instagallery is the first native app for iPad dedicated to viewing photos on the popular Instagram service (via their recently released API). The new 1.1 version adds a landscape view which is especially useful on iPad 2 when using a Smart Cover. 1.1 also provides a miniature version of its elegant gallery interface for iPhone and iPod touch users.

Instagallery 1.1 also includes a more attractive icon, improves handling of users who have marked their photos as private, and fixes some small bugs.

New Features in 1.1:
* Support for iPad in landscape orientation
* Support for iPhone and iPod touch
* New, improved app icon
* Improved handling of users with photos marked as private

Instagallery Features:
* View Instagram photos taken by friends
* See an assortment of popular photos
* View all of the photos you’ve posted
* Easily jump to photos by the same person, taken in the same location, or with a tag from the photo being viewed
* Quickly “like” photos and see who else has
* Post comments to a photo’s photographer
* Show any set of photos as a slideshow
* Use an auto-repeat slideshow to keep a running display when your iPad is docked at your desk

Device Requirements:
* iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
* Requires iOS 4.1 or later
* 0.5 MB

Pricing and Availability:
Instagallery 1.1 is $1.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Photography category.

InfinitApps
Instagallery 1.1
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Located in St. Paul, Minnesota, InfinitApps is an indie software company founded in 2010 by Troy Gaul, former lead engineer of Adobe Lightroom. InfinitApps designs and develops software for mobile devices – including iPhone, iPod touch and iPad – and Macintosh which delight while entertaining or providing utility. All material and software (C) 2011 InfinitApps LLC / All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPad, and iPod are registered trademarks of Apple Computer in the U.S. and/or other countries. Adobe and Lightroom are registered trademarks of Adobe System Incorporated in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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Alien Booth app for iOS by Rocket 5 Studios

San Francisco, California – Rocket 5 Studios, an emerging independent game developer, announces the release of Alien Booth 1.0, their latest app for iOS. Alien Booth features the ability to easily transform pictures of friends, family, coworkers and even pets into amazing looking aliens. It is available on the iTunes App Store today for $0.99.

Using simple on-screen controls, create fun and realistic looking aliens from pictures taken with the iPhone camera or that are already stored in the iPhone, iPad or Touch photo library. Easily share aliens on Facebook, Twitter or email from within the app. Save aliens to the photo library and then send them via MMS. Shake the device to see before/after versions of the alien or toggle between before/after portrait and side-by-side views.

Alien Booth features a cool, interactive interface that includes a fingerprint scanner, animated laser image scanner, sound effects, detailed help screens with tips and more. Alien Booth is fun at parties – it’s a great way to meet new people and share contact information. There’s virtually no limit to the wild alien effects that can be created with Alien Booth. And the aliens make great avatars for use on social networking sites.

How it works:
1. Take a picture or choose one from the photo library
2. Position the markers over the eyes and mouth
3. Press “GO” to see the face magically transformed
4. Adjust the color of the alien
5. Share with friends and family

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

Pricing and Availability:
Alien Booth 1.0 is only $0.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Entertainment category. Be sure to watch the Alien Booth promo video on YouTube.

Alien Booth 1.0
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Rocket 5 Studios is an independent game developer with over 14 years of video game industry experience. Rocket 5 was founded in 2009 by Tim Miller and Catherine Feraday Miller. Rocket 5 currently has six games and apps on the iPhone and iPad. Five of their games have been Featured by Apple on the iTunes App Store. “We love the work we do at Rocket 5 – everything we do here is hand crafted by us for your enjoyment.” Copyright (C) 2011 Rocket 5 Studios. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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Alan Heim to appear at LAFCPUG – March 23, 2011

Los Angeles, California – The Los Angeles Final Cut Pro User Group (lafcpug) will welcome Academy Award winning film editor Alan Heim to the stage, Wednesday, March 23, 2011 beginning at 6:45PM at the Gallery Theater in Hollywood California. Alan will speak about his extraordinary career, the craft of editing, show clips from some of his movies such as Network, All That Jazz, American History X, Lenny and The Notebook. He will also take questions from the audience.

“Alan Heim is one of cinema’s great editors and lafcpug is honored to have him come and share his stories as well as his craft,” says Michael Horton, founder of lafcpug.

“He has worked with some of the greatest directors in modern film history. He’s been nominated for an Academy Award for Sidney Lumet’s NETWORK and won for Bob Fosse’s ALL THAT JAZZ. Most editors would be happy to have one great film on their resume. Alan Heim has at least a half dozen,” added Horton.

Alan Heim was born in Bronx, New York. He was elected as a member of the American Cinema Editors, and served as the president of the organization from 2006 until recently. Among his over 30 feature film credits are:

* Doc (Frank Perry-1971)
* Lenny (Bob Fosse-1974)
* Network (Sidney Lumet-1976)
* All That Jazz (Bob Fosse-1979)
* Hair (Milos Forman-1979)
* Star 80 (Bob Fosse-1983)
* Valmont (Milos Forman-1989)
* Billy Bathgate (Robert Benton-1991)
* American History X (Tony Kaye-1998)
* The Notebook (Nick Cassavates-2004)
* Alpha Dog (Nick Cassavetes-2006)
* My Sister’s Keeper (Nick Cassavetes-2009)
* Grey Gardens (Michael Sucsy-2009)

Horton will moderate the discussion with Mr. Heim during the first half of the show. The audience will then be able to ask questions during the 2nd half. In addition to Alan Heim, the agenda will include another round of “Stump the Gurus,” “Show and Tells,” and the always fun and popular “World Famous Raffle.”

You must register to attend this event. Registration is free, but you will be asked to make a donation of $5.00 at the door. For complete details on the agenda as well as directions to the Gallery Theatre in Hollywood, visit the lafcpug web site.

LAFCPUG Schedule
Alan Heim

Founded in 2000, the Los Angeles Final Cut Pro User Group (lafcpug) is the largest User Group in the world dedicated to the education and use of Apple Inc’s Pro Applications. In addition, lafcpug co-produces the Annual FCPUG SuperMeets in San Francisco, Las Vegas, London and Amsterdam. Copyright 2000-2011 Los Angeles Final Cut Pro User Group. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, and Final Cut are registered trademarks of Apple Computer in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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Fax Reader 1.6.7 for iOS – Easily View TIFF/TIF Fax Machine Files

Sidney, BC, Canada – Corporate Smalltalk Consulting, Ltd. today is pleased to announce Fax Reader 1.6.7 for iOS, an update to their document viewer/handler app that allows the user to view the TIF files generated by standard office fax machines. As faxes are increasingly emailed to save on paper costs, Fax Reader works by circumventing the existing document display logic found in iOS, which will display the first page of a fax but not allow access to subsequent pages. The app includes Dropbox connectivity, and functions as a document handler with “Open in…” functionality.

Fax Reader enables viewing of multi-page faxes by first importing the entire file into its storage area. Once imported, the file undergoes one-time pre-rendering that ensures the fax is re-scaled to be optically correct and to provide the fastest possible rendering when viewing a multi-page document. The user can copy documents into Fax Reader by using iTunes to copy files into, delete, or copy them out of the app. Users can also ask Fax Reader to open documents from other apps, like Mail. Fax Reader does not need to be running to open documents from other apps. The app launches with the following file import locations displayed: Local Storage, Dropbox Storage, iOS Photo Library, iOS Clipboard.

Feature Highlights:
* Accelerated multi-page TIFF/TIF fax file reading
* Uses proprietary Can Opener technology to import, store, and pre-render documents
* Pre-rendering allows smooth scrolling and display
* This update features a re-written TIFF Handler
* Dropbox file download compatibility
* App can never alter or delete user files from Dropbox
* Responsive H/V scrolling and zooming through large documents
* Sophisticated Cache Manager
* Supports multi-tasking, allowing pre-processing to be done in the background

“Fax machines are a legacy technology, straddling the 20th and 21st centuries,” stated company President John McIntosh. “Until they become extinct, Fax Reader offers an easy, integrated solution for easily viewing multi-page, and highly-detailed faxes on any iOS device.”

Device Requirements:
* iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
* iOS 4.0 or later
* 7.9 MB

Pricing and Availability:
Fax Reader 1.6.7 is $5.99 (USD) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Utilities category. Review copies are available upon request.

Corporate Smalltalk Consulting
Fax Reader 1.6.7
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Corporate Smalltalk Consulting, Ltd in British Columbia, Canada, is a company known for its Smalltalk expertise, but is now also becoming expert in the field of building large, complex, iOS-based applications. Copyright (C) 2009-2011. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPad and iPod are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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