Combing through hundreds of blog posts and news articles daily, Dirk Klingner, our technology-trend watcher, sifts through the noise to bring you the tech news most important to consumers. If you have a tip on a story you want to share, leave a comment below.

Finding places "Near me now" is easier and faster than ever on Google.com (Google Mobile Blog)

Last month, Vic Gundotra, VP of Engineering, demonstrated at the Computer History Museum the ability to search by using your location as the query. Starting today, you can try this yourself by going to Google.com in your iPhone or Android browser and clicking on "Near me now" once your location has been provided by your phone.

Facebook iPhone app gets address sync, push (Cnet)

…Rather, it examines the contacts that you already have on your iPhone, trying to match it to a Facebook user. If it finds a match, it pulls down that person's profile picture, making it that his or her photo on your iPhone. It also adds other information, such as a link that takes you to that person's profile in Facebook's app.

Bathroom Mirror Shows Water Consumption in LEDs As You Wash Your Face (Treehugger)

This intriguing - and somewhat complex - concept design for a bathroom mirror brings the water crisis right in front of your face. The mirror is lit with LEDs powered by the flow of water in the pipes. As you use the mirror throughout the year, the patterns of water use and supply create a frame, and you can see how your habits affect the planet.

Mobile phone radiation 'protects' against Alzheimer's (BBC)

…Florida scientists found that phone radiation actually protected the memories of mice programmed to get Alzheimer's disease.

U.S. Census Bureau Counts on Facebook (WebNewser)

The U.S. Census Bureau launched a Facebook page, which chief of customer research and marketing Joanne Dickinson told Inside Facebook is aimed at the social-networking site's 20-something and minority-group users.

When Daddy goes deaf: How men really DON'T hear babies crying while asleep (MailOnline)

…While a baby's sobbing is the number one sound most likely to wake up a woman, it doesn't even figure in the male top ten.

Operation Chihuahua: Virgin America's Red Carpet Pups! (Healthy. Happy. Life.)

…So in an effort to help aid a basic economics problem of supply and demand, Virgin America volunteered to fly a gaggle of chihuahuas to NYC. Because tiny dogs are the perfect fit for new york mini-sized apartments.

Lighter Side: The Ross Sisters singing, dancing and performing acrobatics in a 1940's clip is making the rounds. (YouTube)

The acrobatics begin about a minute in and leave many viewers speechless.

Google this week announced the Nexus One, its highly anticipated new HTC smart phone.  Mike Gikas was able to get his hands on one and showcases some of its cooler features (like voice-to-text) in the video at right.

For more Consumer Reports videos from CES 2010, check out our video hub.

Related: Google debuts the Nexus One

Now that the Blu-ray specification for 3D has been completed, the Blu-ray Disc Association has rolled out its new 3D logo, which will be displayed on Blu-ray players and home-theater systems that conform to the standard.

Here at the show, more than 20 Blu-ray products have been announced, including at least five models that will be 3D-capable. Stay tuned for our full 3D Blu-ray report in the next few days.

—James K. Willcox