What began as a few isolated reports of mysterious stains appearing on the wrist rests of Apple Computer’s MacBooks looks to be more widespread and the impetus for a growing Web community of displeased owners. Reports of the discoloration, which seems to take place on the most frequently touched plastic areas of the white MacBooks, first surfaced in early June. A related post on an Apple discussion board got hundreds of replies–including many from MacBook owners experiencing the same problem–before it was locked by the company five days later. Apple spokeswoman Teresa Weaver said the company is aware of the customer complaints and is looking into them. She added that those customers with “technical issues” should contact AppleCare.

A laptop containing personal information from thousands of blood donors–including Social Security numbers and medical information–was stolen from a local office of the American Red Cross, but officials said the information was encrypted. The data included matching names and birth dates of donors from Texas and Oklahoma, as well as donors’ sexual and disease histories. The laptop was one of three stolen from a locked closet in the Farmers Branch office of the American Red Cross in May, but the two others did not contain the personal information. There was no sign of forced entry, said Red Cross spokeswoman Audrey Lundy.

By creating instant-use rechargeable batteries, Uniross has cracked one of the final barriers to greater use of rechargeables. Uniross has launched the Hybrio, the first hybrid battery. Hybrio combines a key feature of throw-away batteries (just take them out of the pack and use immediately) with the advantages of rechargeable batteries–use the rechargeable over 500 times. The Hybrio super battery is sold ready for use in a wide range of electrical gizmos from remote controls, toys, radios and alarm clocks to MP3 and CD players and digital cameras.

This fall, incoming freshmen at Virginia Polytechnic Institute’s engineering school will be given tablet PCs–and will be required to use them in class, the school has announced. As part of a new partnership with Fujitsu Computer Systems and Microsoft, Virginia Tech will be using new Fujitsu LifeBook T4000 computers to change the way its engineering classes are taught, particularly at the introductory level, the school said. It will be among the first engineering schools to institute such a requirement.

BoxWave’s Desktop Cradle is a USB cradle that is specifically designed for your MiTAC Mio A201. It comes with everything you need to synchronize and charge your MiTAC Mio A201 to your computer. The Desktop Cradle supports hi-speed USB 2.0 data transfers and better yet, it includes a USB cable that synchronizes and charges your MiTAC Mio A201 without an A/C adapter cable.

Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine New Products Editor, Diane Dumas, and the 2006 Board of Experts have posted their preliminary selection of nominees for the 2006 Best Software Awards. Ninety Windows Mobile experts from around the world have nominated 602 Windows Mobile products in 87 Pocket PC categories and 27 Smartphone categories from the 4000-product Encyclopedia of Software and Accessories. From June 30 through July 14, the public is invited to nominate their favorites. The final list of nominations will be frozen shortly thereafter and then published on the Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine site. In August the experts will vote and determine finalists and winners.

If your laptop gets swiped, consider this: 97 percent of stolen PCs are never recovered. The rare retrieval of a notebook computer robbed from a Department of Veterans Affairs employee this week just underlines that FBI statistic. Finding the PC was made a priority for the agency, as it contained sensitive details on more than 26 million U.S. military veterans. That outcome is unlikely for the thousands of ordinary people who lose a notebook, even though they, too, may be at risk of identity theft. A few simple things can help reduce some headaches after a laptop is stolen or misplaced, experts say.

People who talk on cell phones while driving, even using “hands-free” devices, are as impaired as drunken drivers, researchers said Thursday. The researchers studied 40 volunteers who used a driving simulator four times–while undistracted, using a handheld cell phone, using a hands-free cell phone and while intoxicated to a 0.08 percent blood-alcohol level–the average legal level of impairment in the United States–after drinking vodka and orange juice. Three study participants rear-ended the simulated car in front of them. All were talking on cell phones and none was drunk, the researchers said.

A laptop computer and external drive containing personal data on more than 26 million veterans and active duty military personnel have been recovered, officials said Thursday. The items were stolen last month from the home of a Veterans Affairs Department analyst. FBI forensic experts conducted initial tests on the computer and external drive that showed nothing had been accessed, but forensic examinations are still under way to ensure the integrity of the data.

Telefonica Moviles Espana, Palm, and Research In Motion announced the availability of BlackBerry Connect software for the Palm Treo 650 smartphone in Spain. With BlackBerry Connect, movistar’s enterprise and multinational customers will benefit from a wider range of devices compatible with BlackBerry services from movistar.