iLounge

Google has released a major update to its Google+ app for the iPhone and iPod touch with an almost completely redesigned user interface that provides a greater emphasis on photos and videos within posts while also providing a more attractive and immersive stream view. The stream is now presented in a new dark gradient style with crisper fonts, larger profile pictures and more fluid visual transitions when scrolling; the stream now appears front and centre when opening the app with the previous personal profile options now accessible from a button in the top-left corner. Photos and video thumbnails appear more naturally in the stream with a full-bleed effect with captions and other descriptive text overlaid on top of the photo. Notably, despite this major redesign for the iPhone and iPod touch, a native version for iPad users remains conspicuously absent. Google+ 2.0 is available from the App Store as a free download.

Marco Arment has released an update to Instapaper, his popular offline reading app for iOS. Instapaper 4.2 adds several new user interface improvements including a new redesigned Fast Pagination mode that improves accuracy and performance when turning pages and adds new page turning animations and gestures similar to iBooks. A new draggable dot bar can also now be used in place of the scroll bar in pagination mode. A new two-finger swipe gesture has been added for closing an article view, an option is also now available to automatically switch to full screen reading view after a few seconds. The new version also allows users to manually select the Twilight Sepia colour theme; previously it only appeared during twilight hours when automatic day/night mode was enabled. Instapaper 4.2 now requires iOS 5.0 or later and is available from the App Store for $5.

Gameloft has released the third instalment in its popular sci-fi FPS series, Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance. N.O.V.A. 3 puts players back in the role of Kal Wardin, four months after the climactic events of the prior game; Wardin, who has been keeping a low profile in the aftermath of the assassination of President Folsom, suddenly receives a desperate message from Yelena to travel to Earth where he must again rise to save mankind.

This latest title expands upon the epic storyline of the series with the return of humanity to Earth after years of exile, taking the player across the galaxy through ten immersive levels. Players are given multiple weapons and power ups to master including driving vehicles and piloting mechs and can also engage in multiplayer games with up to 11 other players. Six different game modes and six maps are available for multiplayer games, and multiple allies can now share a vehicle on the battlefield. N.O.V.A. 3 also takes advantage of the latest iPhone and iPad hardware to deliver high-resolution, console-quality graphics with features such as real-time dynamic lighting and shadows, ragdoll physics and more. N.O.V.A. 3 is a universal app requiring an iPhone 3GS/4/4S, third- or fourth-generation iPod touch or iPad with iOS 4.0 or later and is available from the App Store for $7.

Alfons Schmid has released a major update to his Notebooks app for the iPhone and iPod touch adding a multitude of new features and enhancements. Notebooks 5.0 now sports a completely new interface designed to be more modern and intuitive. New features include support for formatting documents in iOS 5 with WYSIWYG editing, document styles, paragraph formats, embedded images and lists, text styles, font colours, highlighting and more. Users can also now convert documents to PDF from directly within the app, setting page orientation and optionally including password protection on the resulting PDF. Voice Memos can also now be recorded while typing and copied and pasted between notes. Additional improvements have been made to areas such as tasks, searching, and Dropbox/WebDAV sync, and new advanced touchscreen gestures have been added to offer more intuitive editing controls. Notebooks 5.0 requires iOS 4.0 or later, with iOS 5.0 required for some features, and is available from the App Store for $6.

Naan Studio has updated its Echofon Twitter clients for iOS adding support for more configurable push notifications and fixing several other small issues. In Echofon 5.2 users can now choose to receive push notifications only for mentions from users that they follow; users will also now receive silent notifications even during “Quiet” periods. The update also fixes issues with notifications continuing to be received for deleted accounts, muting apps and hashtags on List timelines, and several crash issues. Echofon is available from the App Store in two versions, both universal: Echofon for Twitter, a free ad-supported version, and Echofon Pro for Twitter, a $5 ad-free version; users can also upgrade to Echofon Pro via an in-app purchase from the free version.

Moredays has released Moredays HD, a unique new graphical time management tool for iPad users that focuses on images rather than text. Combining the features of a digital planner and a scrapbook, Moredays uses pictures, doodles and sketches to help users organize information in the style of a traditional paper planner. Users can record events, tasks, notes and contacts within the app or simply save an item to the inbox and decide on its type later; a quick entry mode also allows new items to be easily added from any screen. Pictures can be inserted from the iPad photo library or the user can choose from over 60 included sketches to enhance and distinguish items; in addition to a photo or sketch, stamps can also be applied to help categorize items visually. Users can also add notes and location to any item and Moredays automatically synchronizes with its own web application for access from a computer. Moredays HD requires iOS 5.0 or later and is available from the App Store as a free download; an iPhone/iPod version is also currently under development.

GetSpotOn has released an update to its Fondu social networking app for foodies introducing a new user intro, guest access features and an improved sharing and friend-finding process. Fondu is designed to allow users to share short, “bite-sized” reviews about restaurants, bars, cafes and other eating establishments in a small, focused social network where users can easily filter reviews to only friends and other trusted people in order to attempt to provide more relevant ratings and information.

The latest update allows users to more easily recommend or share any review with friends via Facebook, Twitter, e-mail or text message; users can also find and invite friends from directly within the app with the ability to see which friends are already using Fondu and easily send out an invite to those who aren’t. Guest access now also allows users of the app to browse Fondu and search through reviews without having to log in or sign up for an account and a new “on-boarding experience” has been added to help get new users started. Fondu requires iOS 4.2 or later and is available from the App Store as a free download.

Evernote has released an update to its iOS application with major enhancements to the note editing features. Evernote 4.2 now provides iPhone users with some of the editing improvements recently added for the iPad in the last udpate, including an upgrade and redesign of the note editor   and improvements to checkbox functionality. Users can now more easily access attachment features, text styling and formatting options when editing notes; a redesigned note information screen and more advanced note editing capabilities have also been added. Checkboxes can now be indented in the editor and continued simply by adding new lines after the first box.

The new version also adds support for importing images from the iOS Photo Stream and a redesigned audio recorder. New options are also available to disable automatic saving of new photos to the Camera Roll and the automatic note titling feature that was introduced in the prior update. Evernote 4.2 is a universal app requiring iOS 3.0 or later and is available from the App Store as a free download; some of the newer features and editing enhancements require iOS 5.0 or later.

Evernote announced today that it has acquired Cocoa Box, developer of Penultimate, the highly acclaimed digital ink notebook app for the iPad. In a post on the company’s blog, Evernote CEO Phil Libin noted that the handwriting app has been one of the company’s favourites since it was first released two years ago and goes on to announce that Penultimate creator Ben Zotto will be joining Evernote to head up future development on the app; Penultimate is expected to remain a separate application but will gain new Evernote integration features such as full search and synchronization. Zotto will also work with Evernote to bring handwriting and digital ink functionality into the company’s other products and platforms. Penultimate remains available on the App Store for $1.

Fishlabs has released an update to Sports Car Challenge for iOS adding the Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 to its fleet lineup. A joint project with Volkswagen China, Sports Car Challenge is a 3D racing simulator that allows users to race a collection of high-performance sports cars from Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche and Volkswagen. The game provides realistic driving physics, handling and performance modelling for each sports car along with high-quality graphics for both the exterior and interior details. Players can compete in time trial, slalom and braking game challenges across a number of different race courses and more regular content updates are expected to add additional new cars and tracks in the future. Sports Car Challenge is a universal app and is available from the App Store as a free download.

Garmin has released an update to its fitness training app for the iPhone adding a new feature that allows users to share their favourite fitness pursuits with their friends. Garmin Fit allows users to track walking, running or cycling stats using their iPhone for viewing on their device or uploading to the online GarminConnect service, providing basic GPS-based tracking in the app itself as well as integration with Garmin’s ANT+ fitness sensors for monitoring advanced workout data. With the new LiveTrack feature in version 1.5 users can now easily setup online real-time tracking sessions and share a link via e-mail, Facebook and/or Twitter to allow friends and family to follow their event or training session. Tracking sessions are private and only available to users with the link.

LiveTrack displays the user’s pace/speed in real time as well as distance and elevation; users with a Garmin ANT+ accessory and the ANT+ Adapter for the iPhone can also share additional stats tracked by their particularly monitoring accessory such as heart rate and cadence. The LiveTrack feature also provides a mobile-optimized version of the web site to allow friends and family to follow along using a smartphone or tablet instead of a traditional computer browser. Garmin Fit is available from the App Store for $1; the LiveTrack feature is available via in-app subscription for $2/month or $20/year.

Facebook has updated its Facebook Messenger app with several enhancements to the instant messaging service. Facebook Messenger 1.7 now includes the user’s location by default when sending messages with the option to disable location status on a per-message basis. A new typing indicator has also been added allowing users to see when another person in the conversation is typing a reply. The update also now adds “Seen by” read receipts allowing users to see who else in the conversation has seen a given message. Facebook Messenger 1.7 is available from the App Store as a free download.

Thursby Software Systems has released PKard Reader, the world’s first smart card authentication solution for logging into secure web sites on iOS devices. Consisting of a free universal iOS app and a $150 card reader accessory, the PKard solution allows iPad, iPhone and iPod touch users to access secure sites requiring two-factor smart card authentication, such as corporate and government web portals and collaboration sites. The PKard Reader accessory supports industry standard CAC, PIV, PIV-I and CIV smart cards and the solution is designed to operate in the background to maintain the secure connection once authenticated, allowing the user to switch apps without compromising security or needing to re-authenticate.

Using the PKard Reader, corporate and government employees who require access to secure smart card protected sites can now more effectively do so while on the go without needing to be tied to a desktop or laptop, with the same smart card and PIN that they already use. Further, no changes need to be made on back-end servers to support the PKard Reader solution, allowing users to easily transition to accessing the same secure sites on their iOS device as on their computer. ALmost five million Federal workers at hundreds of U.S. government agencies and the Department of Defense are issued smart cards for secure web access and it is estimated that almost one third of large corporations worldwide are now issuing smart cards to their employees, particularly in the healthcare and financial sectors. The PKard Reader accessory is available directly from the company’s web site; the iOS application is available from the U.S. App Store as a free download.

Light Room has released a major update to GoDocs, its application for working with Google Docs on the iPhone and iPad. GoDocs for Google Docs 3.0 adds a redesigned user interface focused on provide a more user-friendly experience and adds a new, professional-quality PDF viewing engine. Users can now open links in PDF files and read PDF files in two dimensions. A new search feature provides the ability to locate specific content in a document and users can create new documents, spreadsheets and folders directly from within the app as well as moving files into folders. Support for both “Mobile” and “Desktop” editors is also now included along with Google Drive support and the ability to switch between multiple Google accounts. Push Notifications have also been implemented to provide alerts when documents are shared or changed by other users, and users can also now view and manage separate document revisions. The update also adds Retina Display support for the third-generation iPad and addresses a number of other bug fixes and UI tweaks. GoDocs for Google Docs 3.0 is a universal app requiring iOS 4.3 or later and is available from the App Store for $5.

Popular online music service Spotify has released an update to its iOS app adding native iPad support. Spotify 0.5 is now a universal app providing a new user interface designed specifically for the iPad, including Retina Display graphics with high-definition album art and a single, unified view for searching, browsing and exploring music. A full-screen view has also been added which along with AirPlay integration allows the app to more effectively be used in a living room stereo environment. The update also adds gapless playback and cross-fading support and fixes issues with offline synced playlists and crashes related to updating playlists and starring tracks. Spotify requires iOS 5.0 or later and is available from the App Store as a free download.

Cynapse has released an update to Localscope adding support for new location information sources and refinements to existing Google Places integration. Localscope is a location browser for the iPhone that allows users to explore the area around them for people, places, photos and other information collected from multiple search engines and social networks. Localscope allows users to search manually or look up information for what is around them, including geo-tagged photos and videos and points of interest, view results on a map, share that information with their friends and even integrate with many third-party navigation apps to get directions. Information is aggregated from a variety of sources including Google Local and Places, Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Panoramio, Flickr, Picasa, Bing and several others.

The latest update adds Wikipedia and CitySearch to the list of information sources, allowing users to discover landmarks, historical locations and other points of interest from Wikipedia and find restaurants, local business and services using the Citigrid yellow pages info base. The new version also brings back Google Local search in tandem with the Google Places introduces in the last update, allowing users to choose the best of the two Google services for their own particular needs. Three new pre-defined search terms have also been added for Lawyers, Plumbers and Bakeries along with new and improved icons and updated Facebook API integration. Localscope requires iOS 4.3 or later and is available from the App Store for $2.

Electronic Arts has updated Flight Control Rocket with new levels, a new game mode and four new power-ups. An evolution of the popular hit Flight Control game, Flight Control Rocket takes players into outer space where they must direct and dock space craft by tracing paths on the touchscreen. The new update adds ten new motherships for expanded game play that can be used in all game modes and adds a new “Rescue” mode where players are challenged to guide similarly-coloured ships to save floating astronauts. Four new “Bot” power ups have also been added: Swift Swarm, Resurrection, Dopper and Personal Trainer to help players achieve higher scores. The update also limits continues to 3 per game, offers additional game modes unlocked by landing ships and includes a number of other small fixes and performance improvements. Flight Control Rocket is a universal app and is available from the App Store for $1.

Apple has announced that it has added support for 10 new languages to iTunes Connect. “We have expanded language support in iTunes Connect, so you can localize app metadata, keywords, and screenshots in 10 new languages: Traditional Chinese, Norwegian, Turkish, Finnish, Danish, Indonesian, Malay, Thai, Vietnamese, and Greek,” reads a notice on Apple’s Developer site. iTunes Connect, the suite of web-based tools developers use to submit and manage apps on the App Store, now offers support for more than 25 languages.

Chillingo has released an update to its highly-acclaimed physics puzzler Contre Jour HD (iLounge Rating: A) adding support for the iPad Retina Display along with 20 new levels. Contre Jour HD challenges players to move a small creature through a variety of levels consisting of resculptable platforms, ropes and slingshots to collect glowing lights and reach the exit while avoiding various obstacles and pitfalls. The latest update adds 20 new levels set in a jungle environment along with new movable tentacles and platforms; a bonus ending sequence is also now available for players who manage to collect all 300 lights in the game. In addition, players can now purchase the Contre Jour Soundtrack, produced by David Ari Leon, from directly within the game. Contre Jour HD is a universal app and is available from the App Store for $3.

Ilium Software has added iCloud support in an update to its eWallet secure information management application. eWallet allows users to securely store information such as passwords, account info and credit card numbers on their iPhone, iPod touch or iPad with strong 256-bit AES encryption and integration for launching web URLs from directly within the app. The application provides a rich graphical user interface with the ability to layout information as virtual cards with pre-defined or custom backgrounds and photos and organization into categories and subcategories. With eWallet 7.3 users can now automatically keep their data in sync between multiple iOS devices using iCloud, making it much easier to use the universal app between an iPad and iPhone without needing to sync via a desktop application. iCloud sync is presently available only in the iOS version; synchronization with the Windows or Mac version of eWallet still requires a local Wi-Fi connection. eWallet 7.3 is available from the App Store for $10.