What to do about Snowden: The NY Times gets it right | Internet & Media - CNET News

"I think Edward Snowden deserves a medal -- but even if you disagree, there's no longer a good argument why he ought to remain a fugitive."

Samsung Got A Bigger Tablet Boost For Christmas Than Apple, According To Onswipe | TechCrunch

iPad addiction and withdrawal - why Apple's tablet dominatesAppleTell

“What I probably miss most about the iPad is that I’ve gotten used to computing in a variety of locations around my house that are more comfortable (and, at this time of year, warmer) than sitting in a task chair at my office workstation. I also miss the no-hassle spontaneity of iPad use, even though my new MacBook Air represents a substantial step in that direction thanks to its speedy flash storage drive, Haswell processor, and OS X Mavericks’ efficiency,” Moore writes. “I think it is that quality that explains the massive impact on the IT sector the iPad has had in such a short time. Functionality-wise, I still much prefer using a laptop or desktop personal computer, but even a thin and light unit like the MacBook Air can’t match the ease and simplicity of using an iPad, and why it would be hard to turn back the clock to where we were before Steve Jobs unleashed the iPad on the world not quite four years ago.”
Read more at http://macdailynews.com/2013/12/30/ipad-addiction-and-withdrawal-syndrome-why-apples-tablet-continues-to-dominate/#mS6hWXfOOd3eiy5m.99

Why Chromebooks Are Beating MacBooks

"According to a report from research firm NPD Group, Google's low-cost Chromebook computers soared past Apple's MacBook line in terms of commercial sales, thanks largely due to growth in the education sector."

Google in 2014: The World Is (Almost) Its Oyster

"As we enter 2014, the problem with that mission isn't that it's grandiose. It's that it's redundant. It doesn't even begin to encompass what Google is doing already, let alone where the company plans to be. Driverless cars everywhere, a voice-activated smartphone on every eye: These are now commonplace notions, road-tested reality at the Googleplex. The really out-there thing is to be part of the Calico project that is attempting to conquer death, or build artificial intelligence, or the newly-acquired subsidiary that builds robots that run faster than the fastest human alive."

Why Google Glass is the most personal tech you'll never own | Tech Culture - CNET News

"In fact, Glass has deep Google Now integration that throws up "cards" whenever it may help. On the morning I wrote this, I knew I had my flight, but like magic a message appears with terminal information and live departure status. I walked around the terminal and, behold: a place to grab a coffee and somewhere to buy a slice of cake. It's not beyond the realms of just walking around and killing time, but a week with Glass makes a smartphone feel somewhat archaic.

The fact that this wearable technology sits within plain sight makes interfacing with it feel closer and more interactive. By that, the reality that your data is visual, it's always there, and it's available as and when you want it."

iOS vs. Android: The psychology that fuels the phone wars (video) | Adventures in Tech - CNET

NSA reportedly planted spyware on electronics equipment | Security & Privacy - CNET News

"Based on internal NSA documents, Der Spiegel reveals that the spy agency planted backdoors to access computers, hard drives, routers, and other devices from companies such as Cisco, Dell, Western Digital, Seagate, Maxtor and Samsung."

U.S. Struggles to Keep Pace in Delivering Broadband Service - NYTimes.com

"San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States, a progressive and economically vibrant metropolis of 1.4 million people sprawled across south-central Texas. But the speed of its Internet service is no match for the Latvian capital, Riga, a city of 700,000 on the Baltic Sea."

What We Learned About Human Origins In 2013

Review - Apple’s New Mac Pro Computer - NYTimes.com

"It’s Apple’s top-of-the-line desktop computer, aimed at, as the name implies, the creative professionals who have always relied on Macs for video, graphics, music and photo manipulation. It makes everything around it look vaguely slower. It also makes me want to increase my homeowner’s insurance, in case of a break-in. The Mac Pro is daring, extravagant and elite — or maybe it’s just for the elite."

Climate change by the numbers: The worst is yet to come - Salon.com

iPad takes top spot in 2013 tablet market, but MacBooks lose out to Google-powered Chromebooks

User Upgradeable Everything: The New Mac Pro Is The Most Future Proof Mac Ever | Cult of Mac

"There was a time when one of the few parts of your Mac that you could upgrade was the CPU, but recently, Apple has phased out CPU upgradeability in favor of slimmer form factors with soldered-in silicon chips.
One surprising exception to Apple’s stance against user upgradeability, however, is the 2013 Mac Pro, which is now confirmed to have a processor that can be upgraded by the user."

Read more at http://www.cultofmac.com/260048/user-upgradeable-everything-new-mac-pro-future-proof-mac-ever/#SiFxgusqGXyXGM7k.99