On the Web this week, Andy Ihnatko switches from the iPhone to an Android phone, but unlike many sensationalistic “I converted” stories of late, this one is reasoned and well argued. Also this week, Nick Bilton and Douglas Rushkoff share more criticisms of Facebook’s business practices, and Joe Kissell talks password security on MacBreak Weekly.

Notable software releases this week include Scrivener 2.4, CrashPlan 3.5.2, DEVONthink and DEVONnote 2.5, and PDFpen and PDFpenPro 5.9.5 — all apps that, coincidentally, we’ve covered in Take Control books.

We have lots of great outside articles for you to read this week, starting with a 4-minute interview with Adam Engst on Southern California’s KCRW radio station and a New Republic article that keys off a recent TidBITS staff roundtable. In other pieces, Rob Griffiths compares Siri and Google’s voice input technology, Dan Moren and Lex Friedman look into how iCloud silently drops some email on the floor, and the folks at Panic discover (with the help of a hacksaw) that a tiny computer resides inside Apple’s Lightning Digital AV Adapter. Apple also announced one billion downloads at iTunes U, and former Mac evangelist Guy Kawasaki joins Google’s Motorola group to advise on the future of smartphones.

Notable software releases this week include TextWrangler 4.5, Adobe Acrobat XI and Reader XI 11.0.02, Transmit 4.3.2, KeyCue 6.4, Java for OS X 2013-001 and Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 13, iTunes 11.0.2, Firefox 19, and BusyCal 2.0.3.

New hardware from Google monopolizes this week’s ExtraBITS, with an eyes-on report on Google Glass and an overview of Google’s new high-end Chromebook Pixel.

Notable software releases this week include Fission 2.1.2, Mailplane 2.5.11, Skype 6.2.73.1117, MacBook Pro SMC Firmware Update 1.7, Mellel 3.1.3, BBEdit 10.5.2, Microsoft Office 2011 14.3.1, and BusyCal 2.0.3.

Topics we find interesting this week include two pieces by David Sparks and Lloyd Chambers touching on how Apple’s quality control is slipping, along with Adam’s thoughts on the subject on the Tech Night Owl Live podcast. Then there’s an article by security expert Jeremiah Grossman about recovering a key password, plus Lex Friedman’s Macworld story about fishing for the Starfish smartwatch at Macworld/iWorld and coming up empty.

Notable software releases this week include Sandvox 2.7.6, AirPort Utility 6.2 for Mac and OS X Server 2.2.1.

A quarter of a million Twitter users were affected by a data breach at the company, leading to password resets and no doubt a few headaches. In a better headspace, Adam and Tonya Engst appeared on Glenn Fleishman’s podcast The New Disruptors, which talks about ways creative people reach audiences. And if you’re feeling vindictive toward an app, we have a string of eight characters that will likely cause it to crash.

Notable software releases this week include Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 12; SMC Firmware Updates for MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air; and Microsoft Office 2011 14.30.

Notable software releases this week include Things 2.1.1, Evernote 5.0.5, and Fantastical 1.3.6.

Two quick bits for you to ponder this week: scientists encoding data in DNA (but it’s not cheap!) and an independent designer’s mockup of what a future Mac Pro could (but probably won’t) look like.

Notable software releases this week include Quicksilver β71, Sandvox 2.7.4, LaunchBar 5.4.1, and PDFpen and PDFpenPro 5.9.4.

On the Web and in the news this week, Adam Engst is interviewed about publishing on the Generational podcast, Rene Ritchie at iMore argues that Apple is ready to fend off attacks from competitors in a unique way, and Dell CEO Michael Dell, who once famously advocated Apple shut itself down, is reportedly looking to push for a buyout of his company to private equity firms.

Notable software releases this week include MacBook Air EFI Firmware Update 2.6, Firefox 18, and Fission 2.1.1.

Notable software releases include Carbon Copy Cloner 3.5.2, Airfoil 4.7.5, SpamSieve 2.9.6, BusyCal 2.0.2, Typinator 5.4, and BBEdit 10.5.1.

Notable software releases this week include Dropbox 1.6.5, Lightroom 4.3, iTunes 11.0.1, Sandvox 2.7.3, TextExpander 4.0.4, TinkerTool 4.95, and Mac mini EFI Firmware Update 1.7.

We focus on past, present, and future with this week’s collection of ExtraBITS links. In the near future, those attending CES can sign up for the MacTech Insight event to get a full day of Apple-related sessions, and Glenn Fleishman writes about how the City of Seattle has partnered with a private firm to provide gigabit Internet. In the present, listen to Adam Engst talking with host Gene Steinberg of the Tech Night Owl Live about Apple’s rumored TV set, and read about how iTunes 11.0.1 solves searching problems in 11.0. And for those who like to reminisce, a clever art project puts an old-style interface on Google — we’re talking punch cards and line printers!

Notable software releases this week include SOHO Organizer 9.3.1, OmniFocus 1.10.4, PopChar X 6.1, ChronoSync 4.3.6 and ChronoAgent 1.3.7, Final Cut Pro X 10.0.7, Mactracker 7.0, and iWork 9.3.

Just one quick bit this week — an extended interview that Bloomberg Business did with Tim Cook.