Apple has updated iAd Producer (http://developer.apple.com/iad/iadproducer/) to version 1.2. Among other things, it improves the handling of TrueType fonts.

Ad Producer automatically manages the HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript behind your iAd. For advanced developers, iAd Producer offers sophisticated JavaScript editing and debugging, along with a powerful extension mechanism that enables them to create and re-use their own page templates and components
iAd Producer is available for download on Apple’s developer web site. It requires Mac OS X 10.6.5, Safari 5 and iOS SDK 4.0.

iAds combine the emotion of TV advertising with the interactivity of Internet advertising, according to Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Apple has iAd commitments for 2010 totaling over US$60 million, which represents almost 50 percent of the total forecasted US mobile ad spending for the second half of 2010, says Jobs.

He adds that iAd, which is built into iOS 4, allows users to stay within their app while engaging with the ad, even while watching a video, playing a game or using in-ad purchase to download an app or buy iTunes content.

Developers who join the iAd Network can incorporate a variety of advertising formats into their apps. Apple will sell and serve the ads, and developers will receive 60% of the iAd Network revenue, which is paid via iTunes Connect. iAds require iOS 4.x.

— Dennis Sellers