tedster - 3:55 pm on Jan 10, 2012 (gmt 0)

This certainly does explain Google's move to use all SSL connections for logged in users.

It is, on first appearance, a bit unsettling. I reserve judgment for now, because a lot of times my first reaction to any change is resistance and suspicion - and then over time I can appreciate it.

There is also some gentler news to take in here - an easier way to opt-out:

We're also introducing a prominent new toggle on the upper right of the results page where you can see what your search results look like without personal content. With a single click, you can see an unpersonalized view of search results.