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Ambrosia Software employees report layoffs, but company says it's still in business (updated)
Tweets posted in the past couple hours from Ambrosia Software employees reveal that a number of its developers have been laid off. "End of an era, so long and thanks for all the fish, ambrosia. On to the next adventure," Rudy Richter, a software developer for Ambrosia, tweeted. Subsequent tweets from Richter state that his co-workers also are looking for work. Jeremy Knope, also a developer for Ambrosia, tweeted he was looking for work as well "So long @AmbrosiaSW," Jon Gary, another developer, tweeted. "Onward and upward." Ambrosia is the maker of Snapz Pro X iToner, WireTap Studio and more. It produces software for OS X and iOS. Incorporated in August 1993, it became known in the Mac community for Asteroids-remake Maelstrom. We have an email out to Ambrosia president Andrew Welch asking for official confirmation, and will update this post once we hear back. Update (11:35 p.m. ET): A tweet from Ambrosia's official Twitter states "that the company is still in business. "To paraphrase Mr Clemens, the rumors of our demise have been greatly exaggerated. We are still in business, and supporting our products!" However, another tweet from Richter, this one to smartwatch-maker Pebble, says that his employer has closed up shop. With different reports emerging, we hope that things are going OK for everyone at Ambrosia. Update #2 (4/11, 6 p.m. ET): Ambrosia President Andrew Welch acknowledged the layoffs and said the company is scaling back operations. "We are still in business, and will continue to be for years to come. We have a large product line that we will continue to support," Welch said.
Audio tool WireTap Anywhere hits v2.0
Ambrosia Software has released WireTap Anywhere 2.0, an upgrade to the company's professional audio routing and mixing software. Following up on the 2008 release of version 1.0, this upgrade claims that "hardwired is out; softwired is in" and allows users to capture, map, and independently adjust audio channels from any combo of applications or input devices and route it to the audio processor application of your choice. Interested in recording your Skype conversations or sending some real-time QuickTime audio to a friend in iChat? WireTap Anywhere 2.0 can do that, allowing users the ability to mix and match any combinations into a single recording application. I have been a user of Audio Hijack Pro from Rogue Amoeba for years, and this looks like a solid competitor in the audio capture niche. While you can try it out free for 30 days, WireTap Anywhere 2.0 for Mac OS X 10.5 or later is available to new users for US $129 or as a $69 upgrade for registered users of WireTap Anywhere 1.x.
Soundboard is a simple but useful sound board
In the video below I quickly run through the basics of Soundboard, from Ambrosia Software (makers of WireTap Studio and Snapz Pro, but they've made Mac apps and games for years). It's just what you'd think: a series of buttons tied to sounds, just like you'd see at a radio station for live broadcasting. But Soundboard brings the drag-and-drop ease of desktop computing to the table, and adds several small features that add up. Namely: quick editing and loop controls. Plus, you can route your audio using Soundflower, or just play what you want through speakers. Given the number of crank calls I made as a kid, I'm glad this wasn't around. Soundboard normally sells for $29, but there's a free trial and you get 25% off if you're a WireTap owner. Also, Ambrosia is encouraging Sound Byte users to switch over with a $19 deal for registered owners of that application. If you've ever wanted a live radio show like Dingo and the Baby, then Soundboard may be just what you need. Incidentally, the screencast above was made using the excellent site, Screenr.com. If the video won't play on an iPhone, just click here for the Screenr page.
Ambrosia releases WireTap Anywhere audio capture tool
In the Mac audio software market, Ambrosia's WireTap Studio made a splash last year when it launched, offering lossless capture and audio editing with a fresh interface (and competing with incumbent heavyweight Audio Hijack Pro from Rogue Amoeba). Although it aimed at being an end-to-end solution for basic podcasting and audio production needs, the limitations of the built-in editor meant that high-end and pro users still needed to export from WTS to complete a project elsewhere. Since most pros end up in another editing environment anyway, why not have the underlying capture engine from WTS available to any recording application, and turn your Mac into a virtual patch bay?That's the concept behind Ambrosia's new pro-level (and pro-priced at $129US) capture tool, WireTap Anywhere. Rather than the two-channel recording options of WTS, with the WireTap Anywhere preference pane you can route and mix multiple audio sources and deliver them to the recording application of your choice. Want Skype, iTunes and QuickTime sources all to end up in Peak or GarageBand? WTA has your back. You can check out several demo movies at Ambrosia's site or download the 13MB demo.I've experimented with several combinations of recording software and application audio capture tools (Soundflower, Übercaster, Call Recorder, Audacity and AHP among them) and I've yet to find the perfect setup that allows me to combine live audio chat from Skype with music or sound effects played in QuickTime or iTunes, all audible to the remote call participants while being recorded cleanly and latency-free on my end; Übercaster comes awfully close, but the current 1.5.5 version still has issues with Skype dropouts. I'm looking forward to giving WTA a test run to see if it can meet the challenge.
iToner 1.0.8 ready for iPhone 2.0
iToner is Ambrosia's application that makes it easy to put free ringtones on your iPhone. Because really -- paying for ringtones is ridiculous.It works without hacks or tricks. Simply drop any MP3, AAC, WAVE, or AIFF audio file onto the application's window and boom! You're done.Ambrosia released version 1.0.8 this week, which offers compatibility with the iPhone 2.0 software. Other changes include Support for iTunes 7.7 Japanese localizaton A single license will cost you $15US and requires Mac OS X 10.4.10 or later. Of course, you can always make your own rigntones for free with GarageBand.[Via Ars Technica]
iToner 1.0.7 is available
iToner by Ambrosia Software lets iPhone owners put an unlimited number of custom ringtones onto their phones with no hacks and no per-ringtone fees. We've written about iToner several times, and interviewed Ambrosia's president Andrew Welch about the future of the product.This week, iToner 1.0.7 was made available. Changes include: Fixes with iTunes compatibility. iToner should no longer prevent iTunes from removing iTMS ringtones. Fixed crash when syncing with iPod touch from iTunes Various fixes and enhancements iToner allows for drag-and-drop ringtone sync, support for MP3, AAC, WAVE, and AIFF files and the ability to assign specific ringtones to certain contacts.This is a free upgrade to registered users. iToner costs $15US, requires Mac OS X 10.4.10 or later, and is a Universal Binary application.
Ambrosia teases new iPhone game
Are we the only ones unnaturally excited for the iPhone App Store? We don't know how distribution will work, but imagine great applications available from top-notch OS X developers at the touch of a finger. Bored in a waiting room? Try out a new game, buy it and play it right then and there. You know it's not a piece of junk because it's been approved for the store. We can't wait.Ambrosia is teasing one of their future offerings this week with Aki Mobile Mahjong. It's a take on the ancient Chinese game that features cool graphics and nifty sound effects (check out the screenshots and game play video). Ambrosia notes that their aim is to create games that can be launched and quit quickly and easily (for instance, when that important call arrives).Also interesting is this little tidbit: "Download additional custom levels via EDGE/Wi-Fi...." Cool!
Ambrosia's Uplink goes universal
Who among us didn't want to start a career in illegal computer hacking after watching the movie Wargames (and who actually did)? You can fulfill your cyber crime fantasies with Uplink, Ambrosia Software's corporate hacking game. You play as a covert agent hired to gain information from rival companies' computers. As you go, you earn money to upgrade your own equipment, gain deeper access and more. I only played briefly, but I had fun. Ambrosia released verison 1.6.0 earlier this week, which is a Universal Binary. Other changes include Updated game content Toggle fullscreen and change resolutions in-game without restarting Uplink Various bug fixes and enhancements If you like DEFCON, another Ambrosia title (we took a look at DEFCON here), you'll probably enjoy Uplink. A single license costs $25US. Uplink requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later.
Ambrosia Macworld swag giveaway
We're kicking off a few weeks of giveaways with a little bit of Macworld swag from Ambrosia Software. If you didn't attend Macworld, now's your chance to pretend you stopped by the Ambrosia booth anyway (for the full experience be sure to watch our interview with founder Andrew Welch too).What's in the box? A WireTap Studio t-shirt (XL), a WireTap Studio pin, and a DVD with trial versions of all Ambrosia apps. Basically what you see in the image to the right. Not bad, considering all you have to do is leave a comment on this post (be sure to check your email and validate the comment so it appears). We'll leave comments and the giveaway open from now until Friday just before midnight (11:59 Eastern). Oh, this one is still just in the US, you gotta be 18, etc. Full rules after the jump.Recap: Ambrosia Macworld swag giveaway, prizes are a t-shirt, pin and DVD. To enter, leave a comment on this post. If you're really cool you'll tell us your favorite Ambrosia app. Comment must be left before January 25, 11:59PM Eastern time. Three winners will be chosen, and their prizes shipped directly from Ambrosia. Complete Official Rules click here.
Show floor video: Ambrosia Software talks apps and games
Mike spoke to Ambrosia Software founder Andrew Welch about their newest app, WireTap Studio. Andrew gave us a few clues as to what to expect in the next version of Snapz Pro, and had a little criticism for Apple regarding games on the Mac.Also available on: YouTube, Metacafe, DailyMotion, Blip.tv and Crackle
Ambrosia updates apps but pulls iToner 1.0.5
Update: Despite the presence of the iToner 1.0.5 press release on Ambrosia's news page, the download page is currently offering up 1.0.4. Ambrosia's press rep has contacted us and says, "Sorry for the confusion and also the inconvenience. We are aware of an issue with iToner 1.0.5 and are currently working on it. For now, please revert back to using 1.0.4 -- we'll release another update in the near future. Thanks for your understanding and support."The busy bees at Ambrosia Software have cranked out several updates this week, including the $15 iPhone ringtone tool iToner 1.0.5. (improved support for iPhone OS 1.1.1 + bug fixes); the free envelope printing utility EasyEnvelopes 1.0.6 (unspecified fixes and enhancements); the $15 menubar search enhancement iSeek (Leopard compatibility); and the $19 file transfer streamliner Dragster 1.0.5 (Leopard fixes). All can be demoloaded from Ambrosia directly.Now that there's a blessed method for using GarageBand (not free, but bundled with new Macs) to create custom ringtones, it will be interesting to see how iToner continues to evolve and extend.
TUAW Interview: Andrew Welch on WireTap Studio
After our interview about iToner last week, Ambrosia Software president Andrew Welch sat down with us again to talk about his company's newest product, WireTap Studio, which was released yesterday. WireTap Studio will supercede WireTap Pro allowing users not only to record any audio source on their Macs, but also to edit that recording in a lossless manner. As you can probably tell from the interview, Andrew is clearly excited about the product and expects it to make a big splash in the market.
TUAW Interview: Ambrosia's Andrew Welch on the iPhone update and iToner
As we reported yesterday, Ambrosia Software is working hard to get their iPhone ringtone maker iToner working again after it was broken by the iPhone 1.1.1 update. Last evening the president of Ambrosia Software, Andrew Welch, was kind enough to sit down with us (virtually, anyway) to comment on the iPhone update and iToner, as well as to share some of his outlook as a third-party developer more or less beholden to Apple's business decisions. I think he draws an important distinction between the sort of hacking that went into the actual third-party iPhone applications and what iToner does. Speaking as he does from long experience, I think he has an interesting perspective on the development of third-party applications in the Apple ecosystem.
iToner 1.0.2 is available
In the world of iPhone ringtones, there's the Apple way, and there's the way everyone else does it. For the latter, Ambrosia has released iToner which lets you use any MP3 or AAC as a ringtone for your iPhone (we first looked at iToner a couple of weeks ago). Changes in version 1.0.2 include: Improved iTunes 7.4.x support Fixes an issue where iTunes ringtones might not properly sync Improved handling of playlists GUI improvements You already paid for you music, why pay for it again just to use it as a "ringtone?" iToner costs $15US and requires Mac OS 10.4.10 (and and iPhone. But you knew that).[Via MacMinute]
Ambrosia releases pop-pop 1.0.5
I'm cleaning out the TUAW tipline, and I notice that we accidentally glossed over the fact that Ambrosia Software recently released version 1.0.5 of their game pop-pop, a fun little Breakout clone with a bunch of extras, and a pretty wacky art style. The latest release is a Universal Binary, is also compatible with Leopard, and contains other bug fixes and enhancements.pop-pop is available from their website as a free trial, with the full game costing $25. And yes, the fact that you call it that tells me that you are, in fact, ready for a little pop-pop in the attic.
iPhone 101: Adding custom ringtones to your contacts
As Mat posted, Michael Simmons of Ambrosia SW dropped us a note yesterday to give a heads up about their new iToner product. $15 gets you a universal binary application that allows you to install new ringtones and easily assign them to your contacts. I thought I'd follow up his post with a quick trick to assign custom ringtones to individual contacts. To do this, choose Phone > Contacts and select any of your contact names. Tap Edit and scroll down the contact information page to tap Assign Ringtone. Select a ringtone and tap Info (top-left) to select that sound or select None to use the default ringtone for this contact.
TUAW Back-to-School Giveaway Day 11: TUAW t-shirt
Welcome to Monday, first day of the work week for those of us with such desk-chaining schedules. Today's prize is a way to brighten your Monday: a t-shirt! No, not a cool "Somebody's Got a Case of the Mondays" tee, like this one. It's our limited-edition TUAW shirt, the first of its kind, with supplies running pretty low at this point (we're hoping the winner wears a small, but we'll accommodate as we can). To sweeten the deal, today's winner also gets an Ambrosia pack, complete with t-shirt, cap, mug and neat-o pack of playing cards.To enter, leave a comment on this post between 5AM and 11:59PM EST on August 27. Validate the comment for it to qualify, and only one per person please. Full rules on our TUAW Back-to-School Giveaway page. Good luck and thanks for reading!UPDATE: Yes, we have tees in sizes S, M, L and XL! Also, this is the week we'll have the iPhone giveaway post-- stay tuned.
Snapz Pro X 2.1.1 is available
Earlier today, Ambrosia released version 2.1.1 of their popular screen capture tool (we've written about Snapz Pro X several times). For the unfamiliar: Snapz Pro X lets you capture what you're doing on your Mac's screen - or just a portion thereof - as a Quicktime movie. It's a fantastic way to make screencasts, and also snags audio and still images.Version 2.1.1 brings a number of changes, including: Improved registration experience Several squashed bugs, including the blank frames at the end of some movies and garbled video capture on older, nVidia-equipped Macs Improved performance for audio captures We like Snapz Pro X quite a bit. Try it out. A single license will cost you $69US. It's universal and requires Mac OS 10.3.9 or later.
Shall we play a game?
Earlier today, Ambrosia Software released an update to DEFCON, the online, global thermonuclear war simulator (we first posted about DEFCON in April). It's quite fun - think of a high-tech game of "Risk." You must defend your territory and conquer even more. Changes to version 1.4.3 include: Improvements when creating games on a LAN Other game play bugs squashed Defon costs $25US, is universal and requires Mac OS 10.3.9 or later. A free demo is available for download.[Via MacMinute]*I'd like to note that I got the quote in the title correct this time. Thanks, adam.
Would you like to play a game?
Who among us hasn't seen the geeky "Wargames" from 1983? More to the point, who didn't want to play Global Thermonuclear War with Joshua, the lovable hunk of circuitry that teaches us that, "The only winning move is not to play." So true, Joshua. So true.To learn the lesson for yourself, check out Defcon. It's an online, multiplayer game (you can play solo if you wish as well) that challenges you to outwit your opponents and blow them all to smithereens. After all, what's a little mutually assured destruction among friends?Defon costs $25US and is available from Ambrosia's website.
