Daily App Digest – June 3, 2011

Much applauded game Chalk Buster is going free for two weeks before the new update kicks in. Chalk Buster 1.01 is a physics based puzzle game with one touch control. With the new chalk graphics, it brings user’s imaginations to life. 40 Levels of fun and unique gameplay with 20 new levels coming every month, Chalk Buster provides hours of gameplay, challenging physics based puzzle with lots of replay value. Each level requires logic, skill and timed focus to finish the levels, and since the game is updated every month, it is a purchase that only keeps on giving.

We heart our reviewer Playmaker1 who said: "I love stumbling across games that are fun to play without raising your blood pressure or tensing up your arm muscles from racing to win. This one is a pleasure to look at–clean and simple, and the music is even calming without putting you to sleep. The levels are getting increasingly harder as I play, making me anxious to try out a level when I just have a minute to play. I put it in a folder with my angry birds games."

Free/Download here

Red Bull has re-launched their stunning App Break Dance Champion Red Bull BC One for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and for Android. The player has to master 28 levels with easy and hard taplines packed with nearly 650 motion-captured moves that have been realistically transported into the dance choreography – directly from the masters of the scene themselves. 14 locations and 29 licensed B-Boy sound tracks fuel the action and set right vibe. The game comes both as lite and full version.

The target is pretty simple. Become the best of the best – dominate the international breakdance -scene! Are you up for it? If not, stop reading right here. But if you think you have what it takes, continue to read carefully! You will need skills, rhythm and creativity in your moves to become the all-conquering number 1!

To make it into the B-Boy hall of fame you will have to master 28 levels with easy and hard taplines – but keep your rhythm and stay focused, one mistake and your move might not pan out the way you want! Practice makes perfect and it pays off! Nearly 650 motion-captured moves have been realistically transported into the dance choreography – from the masters themselves. Forget about gravity, let your body pulsate to the beat and take the lead with moves from Roxrite, Lilou, Cico, Hong 10, Taisuke, Pelezino and Ronnie. Make the most spectacular moves using the special drag & hold feature on four rhythm channels and take it to the limit.

$0.99/Download here

Mirage Labs announces the release of Video Zoom 2, iPhone’s first video zoom. The lack of a native Video Zoom has long been a source of frustration for iPhone video lovers. Video Zoom 2 now steps into the breach and solves this problem.

Zoom in real time during filming – change zoom anytime during recording at leisure. Also, no more waiting for the export to finish before shooting another video. Shoot any number of videos now and come back later to selectively, preview, export and save.

Features :
* Up to 3x digital zoom of video with no compromise on the frame rate
* Perfect smooth video without jitters just like the one recorded by native iPhone camera
* Shoot as many videos in succession and come back any time later to selectively export and save to camera roll
* Play/Preview the recordings with zoom any time within the app
* Tap to focus/exposure
* Flash support for iPhone 4
* Supports both landscape and portrait orientation mode
* Choose between four recording resolutions(High, 640×480, Medium, Low). High is 1280×720 for iPhone 4/iPod touch 4g and 640×480 for iPhone 3GS

$0.99/Download here

NSC Partners LLC announced today that it has released its 21-Item Neuropsychological Test iPhone App for licensed clinicians and doctors. The iPhone App was created to test for exaggeration of existing problems or poor effort during the course of a patient’s neuropsychological examination by a doctor. The test takes approximately 5 minutes to administer. The App includes the 21-Item Test Research Manual and an initial set of 10 tests. Additional tests may be purchased for as little as $1 each for a set of 50. Patient results are available immediately after completion of the test.

"In the context of a neuropsychological examination, bias refers to a systematic source of variability in test performance that is relatively independent from the individual’s true level of ability. Bias can influence both the reliability (e.g., consistency and stability) and validity of neuropsychological test performance. One form of bias is exaggeration of existing problems or poor effort during the course of neuropsychological testing. The 21-Item Test is designed to detect the latter form of bias," said Dr. Michael Franzen co-author of the 21-Item Test.

The 21-Item Test is not a test for malingering; it is a test for biased responding. Biased responding is sometimes referred to as non-optimal, poor, or incomplete effort. Poor and incomplete effort, technically, are not accurate in that the person may be trying very hard to appear impaired. Non-optimal effort is a more accurate term, implying that optimal effort is more likely to result in an obtained score that is closer to the person’s true level of ability. However, if the person’s objective is to produce scores that do not reflect his or her true level of ability, then the person may not be providing "optimal" effort toward this goal. Therefore, biased responding is probably the most accurate term for describing this test behavior.

$24.99/Download here

Smart Box Design has announced the chart-topping highly entertaining game Farkle Dice for iOS and Android has been downloaded more than 500,000 making it one of the most successful dice games available.

Farkle offers players an opportunity to challenge friends or compete against a variety of "intelligent" computer opponents with a wide range of personalities – from cautious to daring – that will determine the level of risk each opponent is willing to take when deciding just how far to push their luck.

Farkle is an enormously popular game throughout the world. Players roll a set of six dice for points and can continue rolling the dice as long as their roll continues to yield points. Any non-scoring roll is called a Farkle and the player forfeits their turn and any points accumulated during that turn. Like most games of chance and skill, Farkle’s attraction stems from players hoping to beat the odds and roll a high scoring combination.

Smart Box Design is known for the attention it places on both the playability and design of its games, and Farkle is no exception. There are very few dice games available for Apple iOS and Android with the quality and attention to detail that went into creating Farkle Dice. The game, which can be customized to accommodate regional rules, is extremely easy for users to pick up and begin playing upon installation. It is beautifully designed with the rich hues of a felt and wooden game-playing surface surrounded by a western theme.

$0.99/Download here

iOS developer eMotion Tales has announced the release and immediate availability of "Cut! It’s a Wrap! The Secret of the Mummy from the Cellar", interactive children’s book for iPad. Designed for kids who can read by themselves, "Cut! It’s a Wrap!" is the best mix of vivid animated illustrations and captivating detective story.

Children can read the book, touch and get fun with wonderful characters and play mini-games. "Cut! It’s a Wrap!" can really make children love to read. "Cut! It’s a Wrap!" is a funny detective story about life at the animal film studios. The Fox, director of the studios is having hard times. A charming actress asks him for help in finding her stolen jewelry.

"After we’ve read the story for the first time, we felt that this book should be surely published on iPad," – developers say. "It’s a new level of fun when you can read the book and every single illustration on the page can move or make different sounds. Who will want to read ordinary books after this?"

$2.99/Download here

PhoneTransact has offered the Universal iOS Credit Card Reader. The new reader attaches to the dock connector on all iOS devices including the current and previous versions of the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

The reader uses 3DES encryption to encrypt the cardholder data in the magnetic read head of the device, thereby enhancing PCI compliance as the cardholder data is kept secured until received by the credit card processor. The compatible iMerchant Pro application shows the first and last four digits of the credit card number along with the cardholder name so that the merchant can verify a good credit card swipe.

The credit card reader is powered by the dock connector, not the headphone jack for even more secure transactions. The reader and iMerchant Pro POS solution work together to enable merchants to accept credit cards using their iPhone, email and print receipts. This device is as an upgrade from headphone jack based solutions and offers premium security for the merchant.

PhoneTransact is offering a reader for free when opening a new merchant account. If you have an existing merchant account then you will need the PhoneTransact payment gateway or another decryption capable gateway in order to use this reader with iMerchant Pro.

$0.99/Download here

Panorama Concepts has launched Find The Coin 3D – Premium Version, an award-winning classic game that sets a new standard for the iPod touch, iPhone and the iPad platform. "Our team has combined simplicity and sophistication when developing this classic game that is suitable for all ages" said Alan Kong, CEO of Panorama Concepts.

A coin is hidden under of the the three cups and you are required to find it after the cups have been shuffled. With this Premium Version, you will immerse yourself in a full 3D experience and put your eyes to the ultimate test with 50 challenging levels! Watch your score climb to the top as you unlock new tables and blow away the competition as you compete with other players around the world.

* Unleash your eye & mind power to its maximum potential
* Improve your attention & memory capabilities
* An entertaining game suitable for all ages

Features:
* Awesome 3D graphics, excellent music, sound effects and superb physics
* 50 original levels with 10 sets of beautifully designed 3D tables to unlock and explore
* Challenge people from all over the world through integrated Game Center service

$0.99/Download here

AlwaysOnMessage, a UK based leading mobile app agency, have seen continued success with their iPhone app Tap & Tell. Tap & Tell, which was released earlier this month, allows users to update any number of their social networks in one tap, all within the same interface. Since its release Tap & Tell has achieved global success: to date the app has been featured on 62 app stores, being placed in the top ten across a multitude of countries.

Free/Download here

Black Box Studio has announced the release of iShutdown 1.0, a utility for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad that allow you remotely shutdown or restart your PC or Mac. iShutdown is a Universal app that works on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

iShutdown works with Wi-Fi or 3G. It will automatically scan your local networks to find available hosts. Now you don’t need to stand up from your chair or bed to shutdown or restart your home mediaserver or any other host.

Available features:
* Auto scan your local network for available hosts
* Simple one tap shutdown or restart your hosts
* Highlight running hosts
* Works with both Mac and PC
* Manual hosts addition

$0.99/Download here

smuttlewerk interactive has informed the gamers of the world, that the RPG game Companions 1.0 is finally finished and available for Apples iPad on the App Store. Companions is a roleplaying game for Apple’s iPad, where your party of four heroes (the Companions) set out to fight the evil god Detexx and his minions.

The party consists of a minotaur, a dwarf, an elf lady and a human mage. Every character has different skills and abilities. The dwarf for example, can build structures, such as scythe towers or spike pits while the minotaur is strong in hand to hand combat. The game is presented in top-down 2D view and real time. Through storytelling, consistent artwork and a fun gameplay system, the players are sucked into the world of "Altland".

$4.99/Download here

Retailers, vendors and professionals who provide products and services outside traditional retail or office settings now have a way to be paid more quickly with a secure and easy-to-use application. Swipe, from app developer AppNinjas, has enabled credit and debit card payments to be quickly processed from any location. The app is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and, soon, Android devices.

Originally priced at $29.99 (USD), Swipe is now only $0.99 (USD) on the App Store and comes with a free card reader valued at $79. In addition, Swipe has no monthly minimums, set-up or activation fees. A monthly charge of $24.95 includes access to the Authorize.Net gateway. Swipe keeps costs low for vendors by offering a transaction charge of only 24 cents, plus 1.74 percent of the amount charged to the credit or debit card for qualified transactions, which is less than competing mobile payment systems.

"We have made it as easy as possible for sellers to use Swipe," said John Waldron, CEO of AppNinjas. "Our system is simple, totally mobile, and inexpensive. And sellers and buyers can be assured of financial privacy since Swipe incorporates state-of-the-art security to keep all information safe and secure."

$0.99/Download here

Everyone knows that frustrating feeling of deciding to go out for a meal and then debating where they want to go for ages. This time-wasting problem – and endless other like it – can be solved in seconds with Help Me Decide! Once in the app users simply fill out a list of options, whether they be restaurant names or favorite shirts. Afterwards, users simply have the app decide which option they aught to pick with the click of a button. To keep things fun, users are also free to choose from four uniquely whimsical animations.

Among these is the "Shake" animation, where your list of options will be listed on wooden planks. User shakes the phone until all planks fall except for one. Users can also make their decision by randomly tapping on a card which flip with one of the option written on it, or even via "Parrot", where the tropical bird will fly across the user’s screen, picking up a card with the app’s decision written atop it. Finally users can opt a "spin the Wheel" animation, and watch which option the wheels arrow lands next to! Furthermore, since the app picks amongst users’ options at random there’s no chance an individual entry will be chosen too few or too many times with repeated uses.

$1.99/Download here

Independent development team, Etienne Nguyen Tan Hon and Yong Jie Hu have announced the launch of Calligraphy Art on the App Store. Calligraphy is an art that anyone can practice. If you can write a letter, you can calligraphy it in a really beautiful way with many different styles, dating from 2000 years ago to the modern hands.

All the great painting apps on the App Store provide a calligraphic pen to the user. But their tool is not specialized in calligraphy art. We have created a tool devoted to this full art. You can practice both Western and Chinese styles with accurate calligraphic pens, 7 different pen effects, 1 pointed pen, 4 artbrushes.

Beginners can find pre-drawn guidelines, models of letters in Western and Chinese styles. It’s interesting to know that calligraphy will help you to impressively upgrade your handwriting in a short time. Compared with real life calligraphy, there are a coulpe of more things you can do in digital device:

* Zooming your work in and out (up to 2000%) for more accuracy
* Unlimited undos and redos to keep your drawing clean, or change your ideas
* Erase the ink writing without dirty marks
* Export and share your work with a transparent background. It can be integrated into a larger masterpiece
* Duplicate and share your work without limit
* Pen angles are always kept constant whatever the movements of your hands
* Your fingers and clothes don’t get dirty with the inks and colors
* Pens and brushes are always filled with ink. You don’t need to reload them in the middle of a letter

$2.99/Download here

Meet the real Casey and Bella dogs from the popular children’s book series! Casey and Bella are not just cartoon doggies in a book series, they are real dogs that travel to different cities and schools to meet children and teach children to believe in themselves and to dream big.

Now with the New Free Casey and Bella Interactive App for all ages:
* Tap to play Free Casey and Bella Games, Casey Surfs Game & Recycle Factory
* Tap to watch silly dog videos
* Tap Free Book previews to learn Casey and Bella’s many adventures
* Tap Writing Contest to learn how you can submit your own Casey and Bella story idea for a chance to become a published author

Features:
* Casey and Bella Video Games
* Casey Surf Game & The Magical Recycle Factory Game
* Multiple Read to Me pages with Tap a word feature
* Free Preview of all 5 books in the series
* Links to Casey and Bella’s Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube Pages

Free/Download here

Jireh Studio, a Vancouver based game studio, has released a new update for App game Raging Birds! The full version of Raging Birds 1.0.1 is now available on App Store for only $0.99. The free Lite Version is also available on App Store. This beautiful addictive game has a simple plot: Play as the Raging Birds and try to save your precious unborn eggs from the attacks of the little boy.

Ever want to teach your neighbor’s naughty little boy a lesson? Make sure he gets his act deserves with Raging Birds 1.0.1, the new fun iPhone game for all ages. Stop the nasty boy from firing rocks at your unborn baby birds by "pooping" on his head to chase him away. Players must also dodge the boy’s flying rocks and collect falling leaves to accumulate points to unlock different helping birds to assist and defeat the boy. Try a special way to stop the prankster temporarily from his unruly act by tapping on the "Grandma" icon to have her appear, but 10 points be taken away every time you call upon Grandma.

$0.99/Download here

Mirage Labs has announced Video Email 1.0.0 for the iPhone, the first app that truly extends Email Sharing capability of the default Photos app. iPhone users are often frustrated with the message Video Is Too Long when trying to attach video larger than 54 seconds because of the native Photos app’s own limitations. There was thus an keenly felt need to share longer videos privately through email in response to which this app was developed.

The app gives a lot more flexibility for attaching videos and photos to email. Using various compression profiles, users have an option to share videos varying from HD to lower 480×270 resolution. Similarly, Photos can be attached in Full resolution or compressed to lower resolutions. The user therefore has the flexibility to share videos and photos in full HD resolution, or compress them to desired level and attach as many as possible. More so, the app also gives users flexibility in renaming attachments to file names of choice.

$1.99/Click here

Mind cafe has released Agmethod 1.0 for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. This is not a simple brain waves application, it is a revolutionary new technology that works for resonance and uses sonic induction to quickly and easily treat everyday pain. It has been completely tested and verified as safe, efficacious and effective.

Now everybody can use this sonic technology to relieve your headache, toothache, insomnia, minor muscle aches and other pains. Once download in just press play, strictly follow the instructions, find the exact location of the pain and place the device speaker there. It’s very easy to use, you will realize that simply listening to this App produces an analgesic effect that will ease and balance your body. Can you imagine transforming your iPhone into a tool that could help you and people around you to alleviate everyday pains?

That headache just won’t let up. You’ve had it all day, nothing is helping. You took a pain reliever, you’ve tried relaxing and getting some fresh air but it’s just not working. You’d scream in frustration but that would only make your head hurt more. A friend recommended AGMethod to stop the pain but you thought it sounded too easy to be effective. Now, you’ll try anything to get your head to finally stop hurting.

AGMethod is a simple, proven way to alleviate your everyday pain fast! Use this sonic technology to get rid of your headache, toothache, insomnia, small muscle aches and other pains, just by pressing play on your device. Opening the AGMethod application on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad, you follow the instructions, find the exact location of the pain and place your device speaker there. Sitting back, you close your eyes, relax and let the app work its magic. Twenty minutes later, that headache that’s been plaguing you all day is gone. If only you’d used AGMethod hours ago!

$1.99/Download here

OstinGames announces the release of Zepi Music 1.0 for iOS. The aim of the game is to score as many points as possible by quickly tapping the skins (bubbles/bugs) of the same color. The bubbles are different in size and as you touch them, a flashing chain will be formed. All bubbles in a chain will burst giving you a specific number of points that are added to the total score of the current session.

What makes Zepi Music an outstanding application is its music flavor and the opportunity to create musical improvisations! In Simple Sound, each touched piece sounds the same as the rest. In Instruments or Themes, any object you tap produces a note. As soon as you string together a full musical phrase from a recognizable tune, you score good points that might multiply several times if you are lucky to build bonus chains; Good, Great, Excellent, Brilliantly. Remarkably, it is for you to decide which instruments will sound in your session as well as which melodies you will have to play!

The length, number of bubbles, of a chain accounts for the number of points you earn! Generally speaking, the more bubbles you tap to make a chain the more points you score for the Leaderboard. Along with bonuses, each sound mode of Zepi Music offers unique achievements (there are 23 of them in total) and feature different challenges. Those who enjoy improvisations are sure to love the game.

$0.99/Download here

KenigArt announces the release of iPizza HD 1.0.1 for iOS. Are you fond of pizza and can not live a single day without it, but wish to stay healthy and look fit? In our iPizza – Healthy Pizza Recipes application you will find recipes of healthy and low-caloric pizzas. For a long time we were choosing hundreds of recipes of the tastiest and most popular pizzas in the world, and we have selected pizzas of less than 300 calories for you. Now you can combine definitions of useful and tasty, cooking a pizza on our recipes.

Each recipe is provided with a detailed description of cooking a pizza, a picture of the pizza, and a list of necessary ingredients. Recipes are very simple, and even if you cook a pizza for the first time, you will be able to cook it not worse than ordered in pizzeria with the help of our app. And cooking a pizza at home will cost considerably cheaper. Buy our application for only $0.99 and save a few hundreds dollars on pizzas’ orders in the restaurants – your pizza will be tastier and healthier.
Stop eating in pizzerias and gaining weight. Use our app and cook pizzas on your own. Now you are able to eat pizza and don’t worry of getting fat!

$1.99/Download here

A new era started in computer-assisted time management with Oops I’m Late in 2007, covered in international press from Engadget to CNET’s "Web App of the Week" to Popular Science on one of 5 things to Make Meetings Efficient. Using a calendar application, users no longer have to place Oops I’m late! calls to peers and/or bosses. The software does it for you by calculating the distance between your location and destination, and notifying designated contacts if you are running late. Now available for the first time on the iPhone, iPad and other devices running iOS 4.3 or above.

Oops I’m Late is a unique application that does not require entering coordinates. The program does it for you, integrating GPS into existing event information. The result: no more frantic "I’m late" emails or text messages for the user, and an appreciated status report for the waiting parties.

Oops I’m Late solves the age-old problem of keep in touch with someone while traveling. Up until the last 100 years, communication based upon arrival was dependent upon ship communications that could took months or years if the boat ever arrived at all. In the last 30 years, cell phone advances have caused many people to talk while driving and eating, sometimes all three at once. Oops I’m Late makes the notifications you want instantly, effortlessly and transparently.

$0.99/Download here

JustKidsApps, an innovative mobile e-book developer, has today announced a recent update of Heidi Part I for the iPad. Running on iOS 4.2 or later, this dynamic interactive e-book was created specifically for young children still developing their reading skills. Sporting vibrant illustrations, interactive touch-controlled story elements, and bilingual narration options, it comes as little wonder that Heidi Part I has been embraced by App savvy parents. This popularity has pushed the app into iTunes’ coveted "What’s Hot" Book categories in both the US and Swiss markets. Improved for ease of use, Heidi Part I Version 1.1 is currently available for download on the Apple App Store for $3.99 (USD). Heidi Part II will follow shortly, the planned release date is June, 24th.

Recently updated to include German Localization features and an increased ‘Tap Region’ to ensure even the youngest of users can use the app without trouble, Heidi Part I brings the magical first entry in Johanna Spyri’s Heidi series brilliantly to life on the iPad. In Heidi Part I, Heidi lives happily with her grandfather in the quiet mountains, until one day her Aunt Dete takes her to Frankfurt. Heidi Part I was designed to bring this classic tale to young readers in a way that stays true to the essence of the story, while simultaneously utilizing clear and simple language together with vivid illustrations to ensure kids will be able to read through and understand the app’s narrative with ease.

$3.99/Download here