May 4, 2011 – San Francisco, CA – StarMaker, the popular recordable karaoke iPhone app, got a major update today with the addition of genuine Auto-Tune pitch correction technology. Singers of all skill levels can now harness the power of one of the music industry’s most prevalent and controversial tools to create and share their own recordings with professional polish.

“We’ve leveled the playing field for casual singers,” says Nathan Sedlander, President and Co-founder of StarMaker Interactive. “Our voice is the one instrument we’re all born with and it’s a shame that even the most enthusiastic shower-singers can be too embarrassed to let others hear them. We hope that little a support from Auto-Tune will give them the confidence they need.”

Once only available in professional recording studios, Auto-Tune is included with every free download of StarMaker and can be used in two settings: “Hip-Hop” to create that iconic Auto-Tune sound popular in pop and hip-hop songs and “Magic Tune,” which subtly corrects a singer’s pitch. StarMaker’s team of professional musicians painstakingly engineered each song in the app to keep singers on pitch through every key change and accidental note.

StarMaker Features:

– Compatible with any iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch running iOS version 4.0 or later.
– The Genuine Auto-Tune from Antares can be used in two settings: “Hip-Hop” and “Magic Tune.” It can also be switched off.
– Singers choose from a catalog of more than 350 popular and classic karaoke-style songs offered for $0.99 within the app.
– Available for free in the iTunes App Store.

The app’s release comes amidst cries from music fans and industry insiders alike that the rampant use of Auto-Tune is diluting the value of true talent. “We understand that sentiment,” says Sedlander. “But hearing an Auto-Tuned recording of yourself singing your favorite song is a lot of fun. What’s wrong with that?”

See a demo of StarMaker with Auto-Tune in action here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQd7YebUpfQ

Download the free app from iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/starmaker-karaoke-auto-tune/id342138881?mt=8

About StarMaker Interactive

StarMaker Interactive is a leading developer of karaoke-style social music apps for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Their flagship app, StarMaker Karaoke, features recordable songs by top artists such as Justin Bieber, Alicia Keys, Elton John and Coldplay, that users can share with friends via Facebook, Twitter, and Email. Their other apps include Auto-Tune Birthday and KIDZ Star USA. StarMaker Interactive was founded in 2010 by a pair of music industry veterans and is headquartered in San Francisco.

Connect with StarMaker on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/starmakerstudios
Follow StarMaker on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/starmakerapp

May 4, 2011 – Sunnyvale, CA – IPEVO, Inc., a designer and maker of products for emerging Internet-driven behaviors, has released its newest product, the Cushi Body Pillow for iPad. The IPEVO Store (http://www.ipevo.com) will offer the product for purchase starting May 04, 2011, at a price of $34.95.

Cushi is composed of a soft foam covered in a blue, stonewashed denim fabric that is made from 100% cotton. Its pillow-like softness is combined with a unique triangular shape, which allows Cushi to adapt to the contours of the body and conform to a variety of body postures and positions. The result is a pillow designed for the user as well as the iPad. Cushi is intended to be comfortably placed on the body, specifically the stomach and lap, for hands-free device use. Cushi can be used for extended periods in sitting, lounging, and lying positions on a couch, chair, bed, or floor. The iPad can be placed in either landscape or portrait orientation while on Cushi, which supports the device at the optimum viewing angle for multimedia applications.

Cushi has two triangular sections connected with a soft hinge, allowing for multiple configurations based upon personal preference and need. Cushi can be extended by folding out the sections. This configuration is intended for the floor or bed, and can accommodate a Bluetooth keyboard, which is placed on the smaller section. The shape of the smaller section doubles as a wrist support. Folded together, the sections form a compact triangle ideal for narrower areas, such as the lap, an arm chair, or couch cushion. In either case, the user can change his or her body position to change the viewing angle of the iPad by altering the position of Cushi’s triangle.

Royce Hong, CEO and big head of design of IPEVO, provided some background on the origins of Cushi Pillow. “The idea for Cushi came from using the iPad at home—the sofa, the lounge chair, the bed,” said Hong. “We found there was no comfortable and relaxed way to hold the iPad up or place the device on your body for extended periods. We created Cushi to provide the sturdy, hands-free support of a stand, but with the contoured comfort of a pillow. Cushi was designed for the user’s own body as much as it was designed for the iPad.”

In addition to the iPad, Cushi can be used with other brands of tablet computers, ebook readers such as Amazon’s Kindle or Barnes & Noble’s Nook, and traditional print media such as books, newspapers, and magazines. Cushi’s denim cover is removable and machine-washable as necessary.

The Cushi Body Pillow for iPad will be available beginning May 04, 2011 exclusively through IPEVO’s online store at http://www.ipevo.com.

About IPEVO

IPEVO is the online source for innovative and well-designed products that enhance the experience of using computers, smartphones and the Internet. IPEVO makes new experiences for today’s connected lifestyle available, accessible and affordable by designing and offering products that best reflect the most current Internet behaviors and emergent technologies.

For more information, visit http://www.ipevo.com

May 4, 2011 – Sunnyvale, CA – IPEVO, Inc., a designer and maker of products for emerging Internet-driven behaviors, has introduced its newest product, Bendi 3.5 mm Audio Connector Mounts. The product will be available for purchase starting May 04, 2011 at a price of $14.95, and will be sold through IPEVO’s online store (http://www.ipevo.com).

Bendi is a flexible mounting device designed specifically for Apple’s sixth-generation iPod Nano. Bendi connects the Nano to newer model cars and aftermarket car stereos featuring an auxiliary line-in input. Unlike traditional 3.5mm audio connection cables, the stiffer Bendi supports the Nano in a position convenient to view and operate the device while driving. Bendi suspends the Nano near the gear shift and above the center console of the vehicle, though position varies depending on car and stereo models.

Each package of Bendi comes with two connector mounts, one with a standard length of 5.12” (130mm) and a longer one measuring 6.7” (160mm). According to IPEVO, two connector mounts are included so that the user has two options depending on stereo input placement and personal preference. The other connector can then be used for another car or home stereo system.

Other features of Bendi include a shape and coloring intended to visually complement both the Nano device and a typical car interior. Each end of Bendi has an inverted cone-shaped grip to facilitate insertion and removal of Bendi. Connectors themselves are gold-plated for optimum electrical conductivity and audio quality.

“The idea for Bendi came about from our own frustrations in using Nano in the car with conventional cables,” explained Royce Hong, CEO and big head of design of IPEVO. “These cables clutter your car and they offer no support for your Nano, meaning you’re usually scrambling to locate the player while driving. With Bendi, your Nano is mounted in the perfect position to view and use, near your right hand above the center console. We feel Bendi is the best way to connect up your Nano on the road.”

Though Bendi was designed for iPod Nano 6G, the company reports that the connectors will work with iPod Shuffle, older generations of Nano, and most all digital music players featuring the standard 3.5mm audio input.

Bendi 3.5mm Audio Connector Mounts will be available beginning May 04, 2011 exclusively through IPEVO’s online store at http://www.ipevo.com.

About IPEVO

IPEVO is the online source for innovative and well-designed products that enhance the experience of using computers, smartphones and the Internet. IPEVO makes new experiences for today’s connected lifestyle available, accessible and affordable by designing and offering products that best reflect the most current Internet behaviors and emergent technologies.

For more information, visit http://www.ipevo.com

May 3, 2011 – Carlsbad, CA – TouCoul (http://toucoul.com), a manufacturer of car mounts for the iPad, announces that it has released it’s popular CoulVue headrest mount built specifically for the iPad 2.

CoulVue for iPad 2 installs to the backseat headrest of a vehicle and allows passengers to watch movies and interact with the iPad while on the road. Because of the flexibility of the mount, passengers can twist, tilt, rotate, and extend the iPad 2 to suit their needs.

The new mount maintains the same standards in strength and flexibility as the original CoulVue, while taking into account several key feature updates that are unique to the new version of Apple’s popular tablet.

First and foremost, the iPad holder has been slimmed down to the exact width of the iPad 2, allowing for a perfect fit inside the mount. To add to that, the shape of CoulVue has been adjusted to accommodate the new back-facing camera so passengers can shoot HD video right from the backseat. Finally, CoulVue for iPad 2 is compatible with Apple’s new Smart Cover, which can be locked in and either placed over the iPad 2 as a protective screen or rolled back for safe storage.

Tete Sedalo, founder of TouCoul, said, “Instead of just changing the width to be slimmer, we also wanted CoulVue for iPad 2 to work alongside the new features of the iPad 2. That’s why we made room for the new back-facing camera and Smart Cover.”

He continued, “We believe that iPad 2 owners want accessories that are completely customized for their product. We put a lot of time and resources into making sure CoulVue for iPad 2 offers the same strength and flexibility as the original CoulVue, while allowing full access to the new features and capabilities of the iPad 2.”

CoulVue for iPad and CoulVue for iPad 2 are currently available for order at http://toucoul.com

May 3, 2011 – Acala DVD Ripper Professional convert DVDs to AVI, MPEG, MP4, WMV, Flv, or 3GP format video files, copy DVDs to iPod/PSP/iPhone/ZUNE/Mobile Phone/PS3/Apple TV, also can shrink DVD main movie to be DVD D-5 or DVD D-9.

Acala Software today is happy to announce the release of free and full copy Acala DVD Ripper Professional based on the third generation DVD player and transcoder core which can record any playable DVDs and transcode to AVI, MPEG, MP4, WMV, Flv, or 3GP format video files, copy DVDs to iPod/PSP/iPhone/ZUNE/Mobile Phone/PS3/Apple TV, shrink DVD main movie to be DVD D-5 or DVD D-9.

Acala DVD Ripper Professional gives the user the possibility of copying and backup any DVDs to be popular video format files. With Acala DVD Ripper Professional, it is easy to backup DVDs onto hard disk and copy DVDs to portable multimedia device, such as iPod, iPhone, PSP, Zune, Pocket PC, Mobile Phone, PS3, Zune.

“This program has a comprehensive list of features and encoding profiles for ripping DVDs to various formats and devices, including iPods. It’s fairly simple and straight-forward, easy to use, and produces good results.

“Acala DVD Ripper professional has a much higher rate of success than many other DVD rippers I’ve tried, probably because of it’s approach; it starts playing the movie, and you hit the record button; effectively, it transcodes the signal in real time. This has the advantage of it being able to transcode most DVDs that others cannot,” says Kiril Kanev, one of the software users.

“Upon first launch of the application, you are greeted by a well-stylized and decently laid-out design. In the style of a tabbed interface, switching between Convert, Settings and Help is at the click of a tab icon. On the Convert screen is where most of the functionality occurs; On the left is a series of buttons for the different formats available. In the middle is the large preview window with the playback controls, output settings and destination, and to the right is a status information window. The Settings page brings you the ability to customize the settings for the output format, as well as settings for controlling the record functionality which you definitely want to change before you proceed. By default, you have to start the playback of the movie and then quickly click record to start the process. You can change it to start recording from the beginning of the current title (the common playback feature).

“There are plenty of playback formats available with this application, including many portable formats as well as AVI, MPEG and FLV. While they are all controlled by drop-down boxes for their settings, overall the setting selections is quite good as well.,” says Bladed Thoth, the other one of the software users.

April 22, 2011 – Los Angeles, CA – The latest version of ezCheckPersonal, the personal-use check-writing software from Halfpricesoft.com, contains several new features that make check writing and tax reporting easier and faster.

New features included with the current version of the software include:

User-defined payment categories — Users can now classify payments using ezCheckPersonal’s suggested categories or categories they define and assign themselves. This feature lets customers assign payment categories that make more organizational sense to them or that align with their tax reporting needs. Users spend less time searching for the right category for a payment and less time going through reports for tax-deductible payments at tax time.

Expanded Memo and Note fields — Halfpricesoft.com has doubled the space available for both memos (on the check) and note (not seen on check) fields. Customers can now add more information in each field (total of 40 characters in the memo field and 100 characters in the note field) to help them remember what the payment was for and any special actions that need to be taken regarding the payment.

“Simple, easy, fast. That’s what computer software should be,” said Halfpricesoft.com founder Dr. Ge. “Tax forms are enough hassle without having to sort through a ton of paper records and trying to remember which expenses are deductible. ezCheck Personal lets users record a transaction once and find the data quickly and easily anytime they need it — a real benefit when tax time comes.”

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