You Can Call It Modern, But It Will Always Be Metro To Me

I received a nice surprise yesterday. Microsoft finally got around to updating its OneNote app for the iPad and iPhone…and boy is it gorgeous! Finally it looks almost like the desktop version. And it does practically everything that the desktop version does. A small event, no doubt, in the grand scheme of things, but it made me happy as OneNote is probably my most used program.

The Southwest summer monsoon season kicked off with a bang. While I was on the other side of town, high winds came down not far from my home and blew over power lines, knocking out electricity for 13,000 homes here on the west side. The power outage lasted some 13 hours for me, but all has returned to normal. Thank God as I was dreading sitting around my home in 100+ degree weather today without A/C.

Just in case you forgot, Google Reader died yesterday. But, they are keeping your data safe, until July 15. So if you did forget to get a new RSS Reader, you have a little time to save your links.

We’ve got more information on PRISM in this edition, plus a host of other useful news, tips, and information. So let’s get started! -JRC

Latest NSA leak details PRISM's bigger picture

Another leaked batch of top secret slides relating to the U.S. National Security Agency's PRISM data collection program sheds further light on how non-U.S. data is collected from various tech firms, and how under law, U.S. data is filtered out — albeit not always.

Off with their heads: Yahoo issues list of nixed projects

A dozen projects -- including blast from the past Alta Vista -- are getting tossed aside as the company says it needs to make choices to create "beautiful products that are essential" to users.

Sorry, Microsoft, the Experts Have Spoken: Windows 8′s Interface Is Called Metro

Trademark dispute or no trademark dispute, the original name isn't going away.

Flying Southwest with your iPad? Watch Dish for free

The satellite pay-TV provider will bring live and on-demand TV to Southwest Wi-Fi enabled planes, and it pulls an Oprah, giving all passengers on one flight a free iPad 2 to promote the partnership.

Here's what an eavesdropper sees when you use an unsecured Wi-Fi hotspot

Nothing gets the point across as effectively as seeing snooping in action. So I parked myself at my local coffee shop the other day to soak up the airwaves and see what I could see.

How (and why) to set up a VPN today

VPNs can be helpful tools for protecting online privacy, and you need not be an office drone to enjoy their benefits.

7 Adobe Photoshop CC Alternatives

Adobe's recent jump to a cloud/subscription model with Adobe Photoshop CC has made many users hopping, frothing, foaming mad. Fear not: Photoshop isn't the only game in town.

How To Make News Readers Work For You

News readers played a key role in making online media of all types accessible to a broader audience. And they're still useful today, at least for a certain type of dedicated online reader.

Best Android tablets (July 2013 edition)

Don't want to get locked into Apple's ecosystem by buying an iPad or iPad mini? No problem! Here are my top 7 Android tablets for July 2013. And if you're looking for budget Android tablets, there are two here you might be interested in.

The 100 Best Android Apps of 2013

With over 700,000 apps to choose from, finding which will work best for you can be a daunting task.