PhatWare announced the release of PhatPad 3.0, the next generation of its note-taking software for Windows Mobile-based Pocket and Tablet PCs. PhatPad now allows users to create notes with text, drawings, animation, and audio. Voice notes are among PhatPad’s newest features, as well as a Today Screen add-on, a new file manager, a new search dialogue box, and two customizable tool bars.

Seagate has started shipping a notebook PC hard drive that overcomes an obstacle many feared would be a major roadblock to the further expansion of disk capacity–and the overall growth of the storage industry. The new approach that aligns bits of data vertically rather than horizontally enables Seagate–and other drive vendors–to further boost the density of drives without increasing the risk of scrambling data.

Cyber-security and computer experts from the government and law enforcement are increasingly concerned with malicious code that runs on Linux and Apple Computer’s Mac OS X operating systems and threats posed by devices such as iPods and Xboxes. Intensive courses on the Mac OS X and Linux operating systems, as well as iPods, were just a few of the offerings at a recent cyber-security conference sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense. Network administrators and cyber-investigators say they are increasingly being called on to investigate compromises of non-Windows operating systems and to analyze portable devices such as iPods.

BoxWave announced the Armor Case for Samsung i730. The Armor Case for Samsung i730 is a form-fitting, trendy aluminum case that is designed to fit your handheld perfectly. Its exterior is made of anodized aluminum that is strong yet lightweight while the interior is padded with a layer of foam for optimal security. While Armor Case for Samsung i730 works to protect your handheld, its accessible openings give quick access to your display, headphone jack, and button functions.

Unwiredtec has released the second version of a free online ringtone converter. The free system is targeted at individuals and companies that need to convert ringtones for their mobile phones occasionally, on a one-to-one basis. Convert-Ringtones utilizes the Ringtone Creator 2.4 transcoding engine and allows performing a number of operations on ringtones like cropping, limiting file size, reducing polyphony, fading, trimming, adding vibration. The online service supports 24 ringtone formats and modifications and more than a hundred configurable options–enough to support 99% of all cell phones available in all parts of the world.

What do consumers really want in a mobile email solution? Is it the same as what professionals need when they’re trying to stay in touch with the office on the go? In this important article, messaging expert Mike Serbinis takes a long, hard look at the issues and helps us understand what consumers really want.

Read this Computing Unplugged article.

New West Technologies announced the release of a new mobility software application for retail point-of-sale. Designed as a mobile credit card terminal, Mobile Ranger runs on any Pocket PC platform, including PDAs and cell phones. Mobile Ranger offers a variety of features designed to improve operational workflow across all retail vertical markets. Digital signature capture, receipt printing, shortcut keys, hospitality/tips, manual authorizations, and returns top the feature set of this software offering. Credit card authorizations are wirelessly transmitted through secure internet connections and payment processing is handled through eight major credit card processing platforms.

Research In Motion and Information Appliance Associates announced a licensing agreement whereby RIM will offer PocketMac for BlackBerry to Mac users, free of charge. PocketMac for BlackBerry is a desktop application that enables Mac users to synchronize data between their BlackBerry devices and Macintosh applications including core OS X version 10.4 “Tiger” applications and Microsoft Entourage.

Research In Motion announced that Google Talk instant messaging and Google Local for mobile will be supported on the BlackBerry wireless platform. Google Talk for BlackBerry, a version of the instant messaging application specifically designed for BlackBerry handsets, will allow users to send and receive instant text messages with other members of the Google Talk community, while on the go.

Researchers at Cambridge University and Toshiba have announced a new quantum device that produces entangled photons, a promising technology for quantum encryption. Consisting of pairs of photons of light whose fundamental properties are inextricably linked, the technology has attracted increasing interest over the past 10 years. It has many possible uses in addition to encryption, including communications, quantum computing, medical imaging, and chip production.