Handmark / Astraware Tries the Sale Angle

Handmark / Astraware have put a few of their applications on sale for a limited time. They are the latest in a long line of developers trying to use limited time price drops to increase sales. It’s an interesting promotion. But one that some developers have strong argument against it working.

No matter the impact, it’s the easiest way for developers to get a little promotion for their apps. They appear all over the internet on the price drops pages, like our price drops list.

Highlights from the Handmark / Astraware sale include the recently release Westward, a real time strategy game, Astraware Sudoku, and also the recently released helicopter shooter, Hellfire.

Hellfire - Exciting Helicopter Combat

Category: Games / Simulation
Released: 2009-01-22
Price: $4.99

Westward® - wild west frontier simulation

Our Rating: :: RECOMMENDED

Category: Games / Strategy
Released: 2009-02-03
Price: $4.99

Astraware Board Games

Category: Games / Family
Released: 2008-12-09
Price: $2.99

100sounds Developer Tries $1,000 Giveaway

Todd Bernhard from No Tie Software wrote us to let us know about an interesting contest they are running to promote their app 100sounds. We’re always interested in new methods app developers use to help raise awareness of their apps. With $10 prizes to 100 video producers, this one should help raise the hype behind the app.

The contest works like this — the first 100 people to produce and send in a video of how they use 100sounds will get a $10 iTunes Gift Certificate. This offer is good for 100 days or until 100 videos are received. In addition, particularly creative video producer can also win additional prizes such as cases and headphones.

It’s an interesting promotion, and we wish them all the best! For more information on the contest and info on how to enter, head on over to http://www.notiesoftware.com/

100sounds +RINGTONES! 100's of Sound FX >> 100 SOUNDS & RING

Category: Entertainment
Released: 2009-04-09
Price: $0.99

App Cubby Trying $0.99 + Donation App Pricing

App Cubby developer David Barnard contacted us today to let us know he’s a little frustrated with the pricing in the app store. As prices trend toward $0.99, many developers are feeling the crunch. And while he thinks the app store itself is pretty sound, he wants to try a different pricing option.

On the subject app store pricing, and $0.99 apps in particular, David had this to say:

We’re not complaining at the existence of $0.99 apps. We’re frustrated that artificial market forces are driving down the price of apps, which in turn drives down the perceived value of the products we have invested significant time and money to create. Marketing can help, but it’s throwing good money after bad if the market discourages charging a fair price for an app.

The new method he’s going to try is to price all of his apps at $0.99 — and if you think they are worth more, head on over to his donation page and tip him what you think they are worth.

It’s in interesting direction to take. All of the App Cubby apps are fantastic and worth well more than $0.99. But will people pay more? I hope so. Will Apple kick him out of the iTunes App Store for doing this? Doubtful — really not that much different than e-book sellers or other apps with extra costs or subscriptions after the app sale.

If you are interested in iTunes App Store pricing, the blog over at App Cubby has some great thoughts on the matter. Highly recommended reading. [ AppCubby Blog ]

We wish David luck with this experiment. I hope it goes well. Take a look at the AppCubby apps, they are all very easy to recommend at $0.99. And maybe, if you like them, head on over and donate something extra.

Health Cubby • Social Fitness & Weight Loss

Category: Healthcare & Fitness
Released: 2009-06-27
Price: $6.99

Gas Cubby • MPG & Car Maintenance

Our Rating: :: Excellent

Category: Utilities
Released: 2008-11-11
Price: $6.99

Trip Cubby • Mileage Log

Category: Finance
Released: 2009-06-16
Price: $6.99

United Lemur Announce $30,000 Cash Promotion Tied to First App Release

United Lemur’s first iPhone app, Puzzllotto will officially be available Wednesday. The details of the huge promotion tied to the release that Mike Lee of United Lemur can be announced now. The first person to finish the game could win up to $30,000 USD if they finish it in the first 30 days.

The app, Puzzllotto, available in the app store starting Wednesday at $4.99 is a puzzle game with the game play and the goal being unknown at the start. Discovery of that is all part of the exploration aspect of the game. Similar to Myst in that aspect, it’s all up to the player to figure out.

The huge announcement today has to do with the prize that goes to the player that finishes the game first. The winner gets a progressive prize pool that could reach as high as $30,000 US.

The contest prize starts out at $0 on the first day of the app’s release (10/22). From there it goes up by $1,000 per day, each day at noon pacific time with a max of $30,000. The first person to beat it gets all of the money, a trophy, and the title of Puzzllotto Champion. If no one beats the game by the 31st day (11/19 at noon), then the contest will end and the money will be donated to United Lemur’s charity of choice, Madagascar Fauna Group.

Prize progression:
Date :: Prize amount
10/22 :: App available
10/23 :: $1,000 USD
10/24 :: $2,000 USD
10/25 :: $3,000 USD
10/26 :: $4,000 USD
10/27 :: $5,000 USD
…
10/31 :: $9,000 USD
11/01 :: $10,000 USD
…
11/20 :: $29,000 USD
11/21 :: $30,000 USD
11/22 :: Prize donated to Madagascar Fauna Group

This promotion marks the first large scale prize-based promotion we’ve seen for an iPhone app. While other companies have tried smaller cash prizes, this promotion has the possibility to be very large. Good luck everyone — let us know how you are doing in the comments below or via Twitter.

We’ve included the full press release and some pictures of the app after the break.

Continue reading United Lemur Announce $30,000 Cash Promotion Tied to First App Release »

Puzzllotto, First Release From United Lemer Due Monday

Puzzllotto the first release from United Lemur is due to be released Monday with a huge promotion attached. While the game briefly showed up in the App Store tonight, it quickly disappeared. The game itself is puzzle based set in an amazingly lush jungle. The actual method of game play and the goal is unknown at the start — it’s all part of the exploration aspect of the game. Similar to Myst in that aspect, it’s all up to the player to figure out. What is known is that the first person to finish the game is in for a big surprise.

We got a chance to play with a pre-release version of this game and the graphics and sounds are fantastic. The sounds have been provided by the amazing Dr. Douglas Quin — who also did the sounds for EA’s Spore. While the graphics have been done by Louie Mantia who made many of the Tapulous apps look so goodDavid Lanham. While we’d like to say that we don’t want to ruin the surprise on how the game is played, the truth is we haven’t spent enough time with it yet to figure it out.

While we can’t tell you everything we know about the promotion that’s backing this game’s release — well not until the embargo is lifted, hopefully Monday, United Lemur has set up an amazingly huge promotion lined up for this first release. The name of the app may give you some clue as to the direction, but you will be amazed at the details.

One small clue from the description of the game in the App Store:

Be the first to uncover its secrets and claim the title and trophy of the Puzzllotto Champion. The malevolent spirits are all in your head, but the fun—and the treasure—are real.

United Lemur, you may remember, is the group of veteran developers many of whom were most recently at Tapulous. After a few of them left the company, Mike Lee formed United Lemur as a socially conscious indie development house.

Check back Monday for more on the game and the promotion. Until then, keep hitting this URL as you might be able to get it early and get a head start.