Google's Real Secret Spy Program?  Secure FTP  —  Google does not participate in any government program involving a lockbox or other equipment installed at its facilities to transfer court-ordered data to the government, a company spokesman says, refuting with some finality one of the lingering theories about the NSA's PRISM program.

Google, Facebook & Microsoft Ask US Gov't For Permission To Report FISA Data Requests  —  Google, Facebook and Microsoft have all asked the US government for permission to include data requests made under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), requests that are currently so secret …

StopWatching.Us: Mozilla launches massive campaign on digital surveillance  —  Last week, media reports emerged that the US government is requiring vast amounts of data from Internet and phone companies via top secret surveillance programs.  The revelations, which confirm many of our worst fears …

Fertile Ground  —  One of my favorite patterns in our industry is when the old and established are wiped out by disruption, irrelevance, or changing fashions.  Like a forest fire, clearing out the old is very destructive and shouldn't be taken lightly.  But what's left behind is a clean slate and immense opportunity.

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (2013) Review  —  Pros: Very long battery life; Faster flash memory; Improved graphics performance; Excellent keyboard and touchpad; Relatively loud speakers; Great webcam Cons: Lower-res screen than competition; Fan can get noisy when playing games …