Dot Hill Systems Corp. (http://www.dothill.com) has announced its AssuredSAN 3000 Series storage arrays are now available with 3TB disk drives, becoming one of the first to bring customers up to 36TB of data capacity in a 2U entry level system, as well as upgraded AssuredRemote replication features.   Providing an array-to-array remote replication solution, Dot Hill AssuredRemote enables disaster recovery protection and business continuity with support for up to 1,000 snapshots per storage array. With the addition of new wizards and scheduler improvements, AssuredRemote is now even easier to set up and manage, says Jim Jonez, senior director of marketing, Dot Hill Systems. Through centralized, array-level replication, AssuredRemote offloads backup operations from critical application servers, and aids IT managers in complying with regulations such as the HIPAA and Sarbanes-Oxley acts. An OEM (original equipment manufacturer) customization kit is available for OEM customers who wish to...

Vortimac Software has released Dossier 2.6.1, an update to their information management tool for Mac OS X. The upgrade fixes minor issues and offers under-the-hood improvements. Dossier is designed for keeping and organizing notes, to-do lists, passwords, and virtually anything else. Features include multiple documents and multiple simultaneous viewers per document, smart folders, live search, an integrated calendar, encryption, flexible printing of entries, folders, or entire documents, rich text editing, support for export, unlimited undo/redo capability, and more. Dossier requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher. It costs US$24.99 and is also available via the Mac App Store. A full featured, 30-day demo version is available at the Vortimac Software web site (http://www.vortimac.com).

While in San Francisco, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers at Apple's WWDC 2011 about the keynote and how Apple's new technologies will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews. If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special WWDC free trial subscription offer for MacTech Magazine here. This video features Neil Ticktin (Editor-in-Chief, MacTech Magazine and MacNews) and Brian Ulmer of GroupLogic, Inc. at WWDC. Brian was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on the announcements on WWDC, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.

Another day, another lawsuit. In a suit filed yesterday in the US Disctrict Court in Arizona, a company named iCloud Communications claimed trademark infringements against Apple over the use of the name iCloud, reports "The Next Web" (http://macte.ch/hlc6B). The company claims Apple’s heavy promotion of the iCloud product is damaging to its business and has all but removed the branding of the name from itself and placed it onto Apple. "The goods and services with which Apple intends to use the 'iCloud' mark are identical to or closely related to the goods and services that have been offered by iCloud Communications under the iCloud Marks since its formation in 2005," says iCloud Communications. "However, due to the worldwide media coverage given to and generated by Apple’s announcement of its 'iCloud' services and the ensuing saturation advertising campaign pursued by Apple, the media and the general public have quickly come to associate the mark 'iCloud' with Apple, rather than...

Readdle has released PDF Expert 2.5, a new version of its iPad application for editing PDF forms and annotating PDF documents. It costs US$9.99 and is available at the Apple App Store. Version 2.5 is a free update for registered users. With PDF Expert 2.5 anyone can sign agreements and contracts with partners or clients right on the iPad. Since many contracts are interactive PDF documents, the new version adds support for signature fields in PDF forms. Currently used by medical, insurance, manufacturing and realtor companies for their sales staff in the field, PDF Expert 2.5 lets them go paperless even for such activities as signing agreements. Once signed, the document can be submitted to corporate email or web server for further processing. In PDF Expert 2.5 people can choose between "My Signature" or "Customer Signature" when they sign document. "My Signature" is a regular signature of the sales person that is saved within PDF Expert and can be reused later. "Customer Signature" is...

Apple has gone to court to defend its iOS developers against a Lodsys lawsuit. As reported by "Fortune" (http://macte.ch/WuXTA), Apple filed a motion Thursday in the same Texas federal court where Lodsys filed a suit nine days ago. "Apple Inc. hereby respectfully moves to intervene as a defendant and counterclaim plaintiff in the above-captioned action brought by plaintiff Lodsys, LLC against seven software application developers for allegedly infringing U.S. Patent Nos. 7,222,078 and 7,620,565," says the motion. "Apple seeks to intervene because it is expressly licensed to provide to the Developers products and services that embody the patents in suit, free from claims of infringement of those patents." Lodsys is one of several so-called "patent trolls" that have been filing infringement suits against developers too small and poor to pay the legal fees it costs to fight them, notes "Fortune." The patents in the iOS brouhaha were two that Apple claims it had already licensed on behalf...

This week TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers at Apple's WWDC 2011 about the keynote and how Apple's new technologies will help them and their customers. Over the next couple of weeks we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and on MacNews. Also, check out the special WWDC free trial subscription offer for MacTech Magazine here. This video features Victor Agreda, Jr. (editor-in-chief of TUAW) and Brian Greenstone of Pangea Software at WWDC, and he was kind enough to tell us about some new stuff Pangea is working on, plus the reason Cro-Mag Rally (US$2.99) was once featured in an iPhone ad. Pangea Software was an early entrant on the App Store and has had a string of successes. It's interesting to hear what the Mac App Store and Lion mean to their plans going forward, considering many of their apps predate OS X!

Marware (http://www.marware.com) is shipping the US$69.99 MicroShell Folio case for the iPad 2, an ultra-thin protective shell case that protects the entire device via a hard shell case coupled with a functional and protective sleep/wake lid. The MicroShell Folio iPad 2 case is the thinnest and lightest case of its kind on the market and comes in three different colors (black, white, and silver), according to Stephen Heaven, Marware's director of Product Development. The rubberized coating on the back case offers a soft touch and feel, while also protecting against nicks and scratches. The front protective lid doesn't cover or block any of the display screen, enabling device navigation when folded back.

Intego (http://www.intego.com), a Mac security specialist, has released Backup Express (http://www.intego.com/bex/), a backup and synchronization tool available exclusively from the Mac App Store. For a limited time, it's available for $9.99, a 33% reduction from the regular price of $14.99. Backup Express -- which requires Mac OS X 10.6 or higher -- backs up important files to every type of media, and «Unclear reference to antecedent:  A pronoun agrees with the near of two antecedents. » that synchronizes selected folders or volumes across Macs. It allows users to back up their files to external hard drives, DVDs, network volumes and more.   Users can back up any or all files in their home folder, or on disks or volumes for which they have permissions, and do so at the time and/or frequency of their choice. Users can create backup scripts and set schedules so backups run automatically, even in the background, or run their scripts with a single click.   They can run incremental...

Native Instruments has introduced Vintage Compressors (http://macte.ch/H4gNC), a set of modeled classic dynamic processors for use in Guitar Rig 4 and in the free Guitar Rig Player. Produced in collaboration with DSP experts, Softube, the collection comprises three high-end studio compressors and can be used to creatively treat a range of instruments and sounds. Vintage Compressors is the first release in a new range of professional studio effects based on the Guitar Rig effects framework. It comprises three different models designated as the VC 76, VC 2A and VC 160. While the VC 76 excels at drums and vocals, the VC 2A is popular for vocals, bass and guitar, with the VC 160 being a common choice for string instruments and individual drum sounds as well. Vintage Compressors is available as a download in the NI Online Shop for US$229. Individual models cost $119 each.

Graphic Node (http://www.graphicnode.com) has announced another addition to its assortment of themes for Keynote, the presentation component of Apple's US$79 iWork suite. Ten new themes have been added to the 10 designs from the previous version of Still Themes. There are now 20 themes. Among the newly added themes are Natural, Edgy Carmine and Airy Fairy. The themes include up to 21 master slides. They're available in the five standard slide sizes supported by Keynote. The themes require iWork '08 or later. Still, Themes costs US$19 and is available at the Graphic Node website.

Here are the latest iPhone/iPod touch/iPod/iPad apps. You can find 'em at the Apple App Store (http://www.itunes.com/appstore/). EmirBytes has released Label Dispenser 1.0, its new photo labeling solution for iOS devices. The US$0.99 app was developed specifically for photographers and hobbyists to label their photos. It offers controls for manipulating the label's position, size and angle. Users can customize the label, in terms of the background "tape" designs, font face and font colors. GoalMine has announced Text Master for iPhone and iPod touch, a typing tutor. The $0.99 app is designed for those "who feel that their typing skills could use some help but who are bored with regular typing teacher apps." Intersog has introduced Get Directions Pro for the iPad in addition to its recent launch for the iPhone and iPod touch. Th $1.99 app allows users to share their personal Google Maps and directions with their friends and family. It lets you share your route information and visual...

Apple has reversed its on the pricing of in-app subscriptions on the Apple App Store, according to "MacRumors" (http://www.macrumors.com). There are no longer any requirements that a subscription be the "same price or less than it is offered outside the app". There are no longer any guidelines about price at all. Apple also removed the requirement that external subscriptions must be also offered as an in-app purchase, says "MacRumors." Content providers may offer in-app subscriptions at whatever price they wish and aren't required to offer an in-app subscription just because they sell a subscription outside the Apple App Store as well, the article adds. Earlier this year Apple introduced a new subscription service available to all publishers of content-based apps on the Apple App Store, including magazines, newspapers, video, music, etc. Apple said subscriptions purchased from within the App Store were to be sold using the same App Store billing system that has been used to buy...

This week TUAW and MacTechMagazine teamed up to speak to developers at Apple's WWDC 2011 about the keynote and how Apple's new technologies will help them and their customers. Over the next couple of weeks we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and on MacNews. Also, check out the special WWDC free trial subscription offer for MacTech Magazine here. Our first video features Victor Agreda, Jr. (editor-in-chief of TUAW) and Neil Ticktin (publisher/editor-in-chief of MacTech and MacNews) talking about the keynote and what we've seen so far of Apple's next operating systems and iCloud. Enjoy!

Apple and Google share the top spot in a study of the world's most reputable companies conducted by the Reputation Institute (http://www.reputationinstitute.com), an international organization "devoted to advancing knowledge about corporate reputations and to providing professional assistance to companies interested in measuring and managing their reputations proactively." Disney, BMW and LEGO round out the top five in the 2011 Global RepTrak 100, a consumer study developed by Reputation Institute to assess the reputations of 100 of the world's most prominent companies.  The study provides an assessment of the global reputation landscape -- the companies that are most liked, trusted, and respected by over 48,000 consumers across 15 countries. Data collection was powered by Survey Sampling International.  Five other companies round out the Top Ten: Sony, Daimler, Canon, Intel and Volkswagen. A major finding of this study is that most companies have stronger reputations in their home...

In conjunction with this week's Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple has updated its App Store Review Guidelines, and part of the new approval process includes a section that prohibits the inclusion of DUI checkpoints in iOS apps, notes "Autoblog" (http://macte.ch/WIfFF). Section 22.8 states: "Apps which contain DUI checkpoints that are not published by law enforcement agencies, or encourage and enable drunk driving, will be rejected." In March, a group of Democratic U.S. Senators -- Harry Reid, Charles Schumer, Frank Lautenberg and Tom Udall -- banded together to send letters to Apple, Google and Research in Motion, requesting that they remove applications from their respective digital stores that notify users of police checkpoints, notes "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com). The senators argued that the applications in question are "harmful to public safety" because they could allow drunk drivers to evade police detection.

TheKeptPromise has released PhotoDazzle: Beautifier (http://thekeptpromise.com/PhotoDazzle.html) for Mac OS X. It's available at the Mac App Store at an introductory price of US$9.99. The goal with PhotoDazzle is to go away from the technical steps necessary with Photoshop or Pixelmator and approach the editing directly from the aim of the user, according to the folks at TheKeptPromise. With Beautifier TheKeptPromise has gone the first step offering dozens of photo editing effects around correction human visuals like removing wrinkles, tanning, eye enhancement, dyeing hair, etc. PhotoDazzle's interface allows accessing and changing any step at any time. Effects are applied with an intelligent brush that already incorporates the knowledge of the surface, e.g. a tanning brush cuts of when the edges leave the current skin shade, so that lips or eyes aren't painted over.

Logitech (http://www.logitech.com) has unveiled the Logitech Touch Lapdesk N600, featuring a large touchpad designed to make it easy than ever to point, scroll and swipe your way through the Web.

 The Logitech Touch Lapdesk N600 features a five-inch, retractable touchpad with multi-touch navigation. You can move the pointer with one finger, scroll using two, and swipe through pages or pictures with three. 
The multi-layer, heat-shielding design of the lapdesk protects you from laptop heat so you can browse in cool comfort, and the anti-slip surface helps keep your laptop in place, according to Denis Pavillard, vice president of product marketing for laptop accessories. To get started, you just plug the tiny Logitech Unifying receiver into the USB port and start navigating. Logitech’s newest lapdesk offers up to six months of battery life.

 The Logitech Touch Lapdesk N600 is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe beginning in June,. It will have a suggested retail price of...

Code by Kevin has released PortAuthority 4.0, an update of the GUI (graphical user interface) for the MacPorts Unix software management system for Mac OS X.   MacPorts is a command-line tool for installing and updating a variety of Unix-based applications for the Mac. Its power, though, comes at the cost of some complexity; in the past the only way to utilize MacPorts was to type in various commands into the Mac's Terminal application, which can be intimidating for those users without a Unix background.   PortAuthority aims to bring the power of MacPorts to the traditional Mac user by providing a user-friendly graphical interface to MacPorts. Using a familiar combination of windows, icons, and menus, PortAuthority users can search, install, update, and remove MacPorts programs and the MacPorts infrastructure itself.   Among the features and improvements in PortAuthority 4.0 are: a fully native user interface appearance with Cocoa toolbars; improvements in the print engine; and...

According to a new report from IHS iSuppli (http://www.isuppli.com), Apple, spurred by demand for the iPhone and iPad, became the world's largest semiconductor buyer among original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in 2010. Apple bought US$17.5 billion worth of semiconductors, a 79.6% increase from $9.7 billion in 2009. This represented the highest rate of increase among the world’s Top 10 OEM semiconductor buyers, allowing Apple to rise up two positions to take the No. 1 rank in 2010. Apple in 2009 was the third-largest semiconductor purchaser, behind Hewlett-Packard of the United States and Samsung Electronics of South Korea; it was sixth in 2008. “Apple’s surge to leadership in semiconductor spending in 2010 was driven by the overwhelming success of its wireless products, namely the iPhone and the iPad,” says Wenlie Ye, analyst for IHS. “These products consume enormous quantities of NAND flash memory, which is also found in the Apple iPod. Because of this, Apple in 2010 was the world’...

A Michigan company named ForeSee Results has filed a declaratory judgment suit against Lodsys's four patents with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, reports "FOSS Patents" (http://macte.ch/K5asG). However, there's no news related to Lodsys's lawsuit against app developers from Apple and Google at this point, the article adds. On Tuesday, ForeSee Results filed a proactive declaratory judgment action against all four Lodsys patents. In that complaint, ForeSee Results said that Lodsys had "threatened assertion" of one or more of its four patents against ForeSee's customers. "By suing in another district first, ForeSee has greatly reduced the likelihood of any infringement assertions against its customers being decided in the Eastern District of Texas," says "FOSS Patents." "If Lodsys filed any such lawsuits there, ForeSee could request transfer to the Northern District of Illinois on a first-to-file basis and would be reasonably likely to succeed. Apple was...

On Tuesday Apple CEO Steve Jobs presented his idea for a new Apple campus at the Cupertino (California) City Council. Located on a former HP property, Apple wants to build a spaceship-looking headquarters that will hold 12,000 employeees. According to "TechCrunch" (http://techcrunch.com/2011/06/07/steve-jobs-cupertino/) -- which has a video of Jobs' presentation -- key facts about the new Apple campus are: ° The design will include a courtyard in the middle and curved glass all the way around. ° Apple will transform an area that’s 20% landscaping to 80% landscaping by putting most of the building’s parking underground. ° There are 3,700 trees in the area at the moment, Jobs has hired an arborist from Stanford to take the area up to 6,000 trees. ° The plan is to build a four-story high building and four-story parking structure. ° The campus will include an energy center, and natural gas will be the primary source of power, using the grid as backup. ° There will be an auditorium,...

Apple has released iTunes 10.3.1. There's no release notes, so I'm not sure what changes there are. You can obtain iTunes 10.3.1 via the Software Updates component of the Mac OS X Systems Preferences app.

Appmania has released Farm it! 1.0 (http://farmitgame.com) for Mac OS X (10.6.6 or higher) in the Mac App Store. It costs US$2.99 and is available in the Games category. Here's how the game is described: "The idea of the game dramatically differs from traditional farm versions. The main character won't have to grow potatoes or cabbage, there is the solution of more global stock-raising problem among his tasks. "Performing the task is not as easy as it may appear at the first sight, since the main hero on his way toward the glory will have to face the stern ordeals, meetings with more experienced rival -- The Old Rooster and ill-disposed unbidden guests; the angry Dog, the mean Polecat, the malicious Skunk, or the sly Fox, and also various traps and puzzles. "You'll be able to try your hand at four different locations. The developers represented them as four countries: USA, China, Russia, and Germany, that is easily discerned by the showy animations."