Based on Google results it looks like it came out mid to late last year. A few posts from other forums come up, but at a glance I didn't see anything too revealing.
Yeah, I like the time saving aspect too. Store warm in the garage, soak the top in some StarSan or Iosophor and pour away.
One thing that's odd is that they're a big sponsor of the Brewing Network and I haven't heard anything about it on there. Some people are obviously reluctant to change their ways, but it seems like something worth talking about. I'd gladly pay $2.50 per starter to save that time.