On Tuesday, shareware publisher Math Game House announced a new game, rendezvousPong 1.0, as well as version 3.0 of its Rendezvous-enabled iStorm and iChalk applications.
rendezvousPong is the latest in a long line of Pong clones that hasn’t abated since the game’s inception in the early 1970s. You can take on the computer or play against a human opponent over a LAN, and the game offers a unique twist in the form of an optional math question that pops up every so often. If you answer it correctly, your opponent loses control of his paddle for a few seconds. rendezvousPong also features a chat function for some smack talk between games.
iStorm 3.0 also utilizes Rendezvous to enable collaboration between users over a network. The latest version introduces synchronized PDF navigation and annotation of shared PDF files, including a shared laser pointer. It also features simultaneous text editing, a Net-enabled chalkboard complete with a calculator, built-in voice chat, and the ability to snap and send pictures via Webcam.
iChalk 3.0 allows users to collaborate on a shared chalkboard, where they can trace over imported images or create original work and export the results into JPEG files or even QuickTime movies. The latest version introduces a flexible chalkboard size and improved transparency control for tracing drawings and exporting them into such applications as Keynote.
All three programs work only with Mac OS X version 10.2 or higher. rendezvousPong is $4.95 and iChalk is $9.95, which includes rendezvousPong for free. A $19.95 single-user license includes all three applications. Discounts are available for multiple seat licenses.