Launch virtual helium balloons with Ballons for iPhone

Chester, UK based iPhone developer Shiny Development has released Ballons and Ballons Lite for iPhone.

The application lets you launch virtual helium balloons and track their progress around the world. The launch location is recorded using the iPhone's GPS capabilities.

iPhone users can choose a balloon, attach a photo and message to it, then launch it into the virtual sky. It then drifts around the world where it gets caught by other users.

The application offers a chance to make new friends and acquaintances worldwide, and by labeling balloons with Twitter ids, users can get in touch with each other after their chance balloon encounters.

Available from the Apple iTunes App Store, Ballons costs £1.79 (US$2.96), the ad supported Ballons Lite is free.

Both require the iPhone 3.0 Software Update or later.

The application doesn't work with Apple's iPod touch.

The Lite version allows users to launch and catch balloons but does not have the balloon tracking capability

Shiny Development was co-founded by Dave Verwer and Andrew Thompson in 2006 with the aim to develop smart software that makes a difference to the way users live and work.