What's going on with Google Reader?

  I don't follow Google Reader. Basically I think it's great that there's an RSS tool that people like so much. But it's scary, because so much of RSS use is in that one app.
  Google seems to have the power to either seriously injure RSS, or perhaps set it free. Not sure which would happen if they radically changed course. I just know that users have made the other RSS reading tools be dependent on it. And that's not a great way to do things. What makes RSS useful is its power to de-centralize. To re-centralize it for a little convenience is to miss out on the variety that's possible if you're willing to suffer a bit. Software is full of tradeoffs. :-)
  Anyway, I've been hearing little snippets of conversation here and there that things have changed, or are going to change, in Google ReaderLand? I don't know. So if you don't mind -- could you all tell me the story. What just happened? What are your thoughts?
  Perhaps now we can start working on a variety of tools from independent developers that don't depend on a central mother ship to coordinate. That's really taking too big a risk with something as important as RSS.
  So I'm all ears. Tell me what happened, please. :-)
  PS: As Google Reader is to news, iTunes is to podcasting. Major dependence there, for a lot of users. Not good, imho.
  PPS: Please don't tell me how futile it is to use RSS independent of Google and Apple. I do it, and I think I have a better system than you do. Not only do I refuse to be dependent on those companies, I've done something about it.