This was one of the least-scheduled workweeks I’ve had in months–my calendar informs me that I had no work-related appointments at all on four of those five days. I really should have gotten more work done with all that spare time.

7/9/2013: Facebook’s new graph search is rolling out. What is it and what can you do to alleviate privacy concerns?, WTOP

Washington’s news radio station asked for my input on the newly-widened availability of Facebook’s natural-language search. As you’ll hear at the above link, I emphasized that it doesn’t make anything public that isn’t already visible on the social network, but there is the risk of things being taken out of context when seen in a long list of Graph Search results.

7/10/2013: Price Fixing Won’t Open the E-Books Market, But Dumping DRM Just Might, Disruptive Competition Project

Have you read earlier posts from me excoriating book publishers for cementing Amazon’s influence by insisting on DRM, even as they whine about Amazon’s ever-increasing influence? Yes, in 2011 and again in 2012. Look, it’s not my fault the publishers refuse to learn.

7/14/2013: With a TV Guide gone from the air, look online, USA Today

I’d meant to cover the shutdown of Rovi’s over-the-air program guide service soon after it had been announced; instead, a reader’s question gave me an excuse to recap the story and note Rovi’s remarkably poor handling of the situation. There’s also a tip about a new standard called MHL that may make it easier to play media from mobile devices on HDTVs.

Sulia highlights: observing the continued weakness of Facebook Graph Search, applauding Twitter’s overdue delivery of Direct Message sync across its site and apps, digging into an epic GPS fail at a location I know quite well, noting how many computer magazines are still around even as PC World bids goodbye to print, critiquing the interface of the Android camera app