Tension Software (http://pomola.com/products_privatecontact/privatecontact.html) has updated Private Contact, a native Cocoa software to manage an address book in an encrypted form in Mac OS X (10.4 and higher), to version 2.3.1. It's a maintenance release with some bug fixes.

With Private Contact informations inside documents, relative to various persons, can be read only by the Mac owner. In case of unauthorized access or theft of the Mac, the data inside Private Contact documents can’t be read without the proper master password.

Private Contact uses the powerful Blowfish algorithm to encrypt data. It's Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs.

Private Contact can be purchased for US$25. Version 2.3.1 is a free update to registered users of version 2.x.

New restrictions that Apple added to its iPhone software developer kit (SDK) have led an independent programmer to cancel a conference devoted to Mac programming and computer science, according to a "CNET" report (http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20004869-264.html).

Jonathan "Wolf" Rentzsch announced Wednesday in an online post (http://rentzsch.tumblr.com/post/592949476/c4-release) that he had canceled the C4 conference after four years organizing it because of new wording in a section of the iPhone OS 4.0 software developer kit.

He wrote: "With resistance to Section 3.3.1 so scattershot and meek, it's become clear that I haven't made the impact I wanted with C4. It's also clear my interests and the Apple programming...

Apple has begun testing a new beta version of its MobileMe email service late by invitation only. MobileMe is the company's US$99-per-year suite of Internet tools.

The beta includes several new features for MobileMe users such as the ability to sort mail with server-based rules, a redesigned interface, and SSL security. It also offers three view options: classic (the familiar layout), compact (which hides folders) and widescreen (which shows more of a message).

The beta is open only to English-language MobileMe users. To participate in the beta, people must log into Mail, then click "request an invitation." Just remember: beta software is unfinished software so use with care.

Wal-Mart may start selling the iPad this in some U.S. stores as it competes with electronics chains for consumers who want to connect their e-mail, movies, games and music, reports "Bloomberg" (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory&tkr=AAPL%3AUS&sid=aFsJKEfbe2g4").

“We anticipate being able to have the iPad later this year,” Gary Severson, senior vice president of entertainment for Wal-Mart’s U.S. stores, said in a telephone interview.

Apple has sold more than one million iPads since they went on sale in the U.S. last month. Apple sells the device in its retail stores, online and at Best Buy.

Lexar Media, a provider of memory products for digital media, has announced high-density 4GB Crucial DDR3-1333MHz (PC3-10600) SODIMM notebook memory. These new 4GB SODIMM modules are targeted to those seeking a desktop replacement option -- including mobile consumers, enthusiasts, and workstation users. Additionally, the notebook modules have been validated for compatibility with Intel’s Core i7, i5, and i3 mobile processors.

"The shift from DDR2 to DDR3 memory in the mobile computing space allowed for higher memory bandwidths while using less power, which resulted in improved system performance and potentially longer battery life," says Jim Jardine, Lexar Media's senior worldwide product manager. "Now, with the availability of high-density 4GB Crucial DDR3-1333MHz SODIMM modules, mobile users will push the limits of notebook system performance and speed even further."

In addition to the new 4GB modules, Crucial DDR3-1333MHz SODIMMs are available in 1GB and 2GB...

Yazsoft has updated ShareTool (http://www.yazsoft.com/st/) for Mac OS X, which lets you access all of your Bonjour services from anywhere in the world, to version 2.0. With the new version you can now connect to multiple home/office networks simultaneously.

Formerly known as Rendezvous, Bonjour lets you create an instant network of computers and smart devices by getting them connected to each other. ShareTool automatically configures routers supporting NAT-PMP or UPnP. Remote services automatically appear in the Finder, iTunes, and other applications.

ShareTool 2.0 costs US$15 for a single-user license, $25 for a two-user license and $45 for a family pack (five licenses). Users that purchased ShareTool 1.x from April 13, 2010 - May 13, 2010 are entitled to a free 2.x upgrade.

Sonnet Technologies has announced the availability of the Fusion Fibre-for-4 package, which offers the Fusion RX1600Fibre rackmount 16-drive RAID 6 Fibre Channel (FC) shared storage system with a 4-port 8Gb FC interface, four 1-port 8Gb Fibre Channel PCIe host adapter cards, four fiber optic cables, and a 4-seat Tiger Technology metaSAN software license.

This package is designed for video editors in workgroups of up to four users who want shared access to common data files, have heavy bandwidth requirements, need easy capacity expandability, and require robust data protection, says Robert Farnsworth, CEO of Sonnet Technologies. Everything needed for setting up four users is included in one box, he adds.
Optimized for video editing, the Fusion Fibre-for-4 package provides four users direct high-speed access to stored assets through its 8Gb Fibre Channel ports without the need for a dedicated server. It supports multi-stream, multi-user collaborative workflows, and does...

SMEStorage (http://www.smestorage.com/), a multi-cloud data access provider, has released the second beta of a Mac Cloud Drive that enables up to 10 commercial storage providers to be accessed directly from a virtual drive in Mac Leopard and Snow Leopard Operating Systems.

"We are really pleased to announce the second beta of our virtual cloud drive for the Mac," CEO Ian Osborne says. "This drive enables users to access their cloud storage files directly from their shell or Mac Finder. The drive brings cloud computing directly into the Mac OS with over 10 popular Cloud Storage vendors supported, including Amazon S3, Google Docs, Microsoft SkyDrive and RackSpace Cloud Files."

Having a virtual Cloud Drive on the Mac fits SME's business strategy of providing data access entry points that overlay all storage clouds and include all operating systems, as well the best of breed mobile vendors, he...

At Citrix Synergy 2010 Wyse Technology (http://www.wyse.com) revealed the Wyse Zero engine. It's software designed to simplify the development of cloud connected devices.

Wyse Zero, which connects users to cloud computing services and virtual desktops with communications and protocol technology, is already in use in millions of devices, including thin clients, handheld smart devices, and zero clients. Specifically, the Wyse Zero engine is currently powering all devices that are utilizing Wyse ThinOS, all implementations of Wyse PocketCloud and

For current users of Wyse ThinOS -- the optimized, "management-free" solution for Citrix XenApp, Citrix XenDesktop, Microsoft Terminal Server and VMware View virtual desktop environments, Wyse Zero ensures that every Wyse thin client delivers flexible and secure user access, boots-up in seconds, updates itself automatically, and delivers IT managers with simple,...

Pragmatic Bookshelf has released "Cocoa Programming: A Quick-Start Guide for Developers" (http://oreilly.com/catalog/9781934356302/?utm_content=em-pb-pr-Cocoa+Pro...), an $32.90, 280-page book by Daniel Steinberg that looks at Apple's Cocoa frameworks. The author shows readers the shortcuts, best resources, and places to avoid. He presents best practices and insider tips for finding more information.

Readers will finish the book as Cocoa programmers, primarily for desktop Mac OS X but with portability to the iPhone, iPad, and mobile...

Extending the use of its 3D content and toolsets toward game developers, DAZ 3D-Gizmoz (http://developer.daz3d.com/) has released the Digimi Game Developer Kit, which allows users of DAZ Studio to create and customize 3D characters and directly export them into a game engine.

DAZ 3D-Gizmoz has additionally instated a brand new content catalog, dedicated specifically to game developers, which further enhances game development possibilities by providing fully licensed content and models for distribution within any project or pipeline, says DAZ 3D-Gizmoz President Eyal Gever. The developer kit includes the following tools:

° Decimator for DAZ Studio -- enabling drastic polygon reduction to complete models or selected objects by either a percentage or fixed number of polygons, users may utilize the decimator to create any number of Levels of Detail to accommodate any game engine.


° ...