Oxygen Software announced the release of a Forensic edition of Oxygen Phone Manager II for Vertu handsets. The same expert team that engineered forensic software for the Metropolitan Police of London now offers their experience and knowledge in the new masterpiece of software development. Oxygen Phone Manager II has become the first product that serves the dual purpose of interactive inspecting and exporting the contents of Vertu handsets. For those who demand the best in everything and does not compromise on quality Oxygen Software introduces the ultimate experience of comfort combining with the maximum of available cell phone information to inspect.

Palm said its profit for its fiscal first quarter slipped as it accounted for stock option expenses for the first time and grappled with slow sales growth amid tougher competition. For the three months ended Sept. 1, Palm said it earned $16.5 million, or 16 cents per share, compared to $18.2 million, or 18 cents per share, a year ago.

Palm announced that its board of directors has approved a stock buyback program of up to $250 million of its common stock. The share repurchase will be funded using the company’s existing cash balance and future cash flows. The share repurchases will occur through open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions and/or transactions structured through investment banking institutions as permitted by securities laws and other legal requirements. The program allows the company to repurchase its shares at its discretion. Market conditions will influence the timing of the buyback and the number of shares repurchased.

RhinoSkin announced new protective cases for the latest iPod Nano and Video players that add style and functionality along with security. Designed to serve as accessories as well as protective cases, the Rhinoskin leather cases and aluminum cases maintain the iPod’s sleek, compact form while allowing access to iPods’ click wheels and ports.

Sony’s latest effort to capture the hearts, minds, and money of teens and twentysomethings is a Web browser, messaging program, wireless phone, and digital music player all rolled into a handheld gadget that goes by the name Mylo. The features can be found on just about any midrange cell phone these days, but there’s one key difference: The Mylo works on any Wi-Fi wireless Internet connection, so you can surf the Web or chat on campus, at the coffee shop, in the bookstore or wherever there’s an 802.11b hotspot. Mylo–short for “my life online”–is a bit pricey at $350, but it could be a money-saver if you count how much cellular carriers charge for data services.

Corgi recently introduced a unique approach to iPod speakers. Their iCar is a Cadillac Escalade that “flashes, jumps, dances, and pumps up the volume” in tune to the iPod’s music. Just how good or bad is this thing? You’ll have to read our review to find out.

Read this Computing Unplugged article.

Okay, so this isn’t “tech” news, it’s more “news of the weird.” But here at ZATZ, we like news of the weird. So… why wait in line when you can just eat a cockroach? That’s the question Six Flags Great America is asking its thrill seekers during its Halloween-themed FrightFest. The amusement park is daring customers to eat a live Madagascar hissing cockroach in exchange for unlimited line-jumping privileges. Anyone who chows down the entire 2- to 3-inch horned cockroach will get a pass for four people to cut to the front of ride lines through Oct. 29. The bug buffet continues with a cooked roach eating contest Oct. 13–Friday, Oct. 13.

In hopes of fighting Internet fraud, some online banking sites make customers use “virtual keypads”–a method of entering passwords on the screen, generally with a mouse. The system is designed to thwart keystroke-logging programs that capture everything a user types. Now those virtual keypads appear just as vulnerable to snoops.

Disney is jumping on the portable-video bandwagon, expanding its line of media players and offering movies on memory cards. On Tuesday it announced an upgraded version of the Disney Mix Stick music player, which features more memory; a mini version called the Disney Mix Micro; and a multimedia version, the Disney Mix Max Player, which plays music and movies and displays photos. Disney has taken SanDisk’s approach to media players by offering expansion slots for memory cards to increase device capacity rather than equipping the devices with large internal memories. And the company is selling postage-stamp-size cards with Disney content already on them.

Belkin has introduced a new line of cases for the new iPod nano and iPod with video, ranging from a Sport Armband to Canvas Flip Cases. Designed to fit every lifestyle, the cases reflect a more contemporary feel with colors, designs, and materials that complement current fashions. The cases will be shipping in September in North America.