Want to be eligible for an Apple Design Award? There are two App Stores for that

Last year's Apple Design Awards were met with a minor brouhaha, as Apple restricted eligibility to apps in the iOS App Store. This year Mac apps are eligible, with a caveat.

The WWDC FAQ states that "Apps must be available on the App Store by May 23, 2011, to be considered for an Apple Design Award." Which App Store is Apple talking about? Both, actually. The ADA home page states, "This year's Apple Design Awards will be awarded to developers whose iPhone, iPad, and Mac apps are currently on the App Store and demonstrate excellence..."

Of course, if your Mac apps are ineligible for inclusion in the Mac App Store (by design or by circumstance), you can't enter the ADAs this year. Hardly sporting, Apple.

Good luck to all entrants, and to those of you who'd like to be considered but aren't yet in the store, you have until May 23.