NEWS

• European activists meet with Facebook to discuss privacy concerns
  Facebook meets with student activists in Europe regarding concerns over how it handles users' personal information.
• Sony, Billabong team up for special edition Xperia Active
  If you're a fan of the surfwear company Billabong, then you might want to check out this special edition smartphone from Sony.
• Augmented reality could transform Web browsing (video)
  What will Web browsing look like in the future? SmartPlanet's Sumi Das explains how augmented reality will help museum paintings turn into talking art teachers and ordinary billboards play movie trailers.
• Google set to give a little backbone to Kansas City high-speed Net
  It's been two years since Google announced the 1-gigabit-per-second Google Fiber project. Now it's ready to start building it.
• Starbucks' augmented reality app gets all lovey dovey
  Starbucks expands the usefulness--if you can call it that--of its augmented-reality app beyond the holidays to Valentine's Day.
• Andy Rachleff: With Facebook, Valley unearths lost art of IPO
  Too many entrepreneurs start companies with the goal of selling them. Former VC Andy Rachleff is hoping Facebook inspires people in Silicon Valley to think bigger.
• Nissan design regains coherence with Invitation concept
  Nissan's recent vehicles have either been boring or shown off disjointed designs. The Invitation, a small car with a dynamic design, changes all that.
• Brightcove looks to raise $55 million in IPO
  In an SEC filing today, the online video distribution company sets the price range for shares of its upcoming IPO at $10 to $12.
• The 404 987: Where we get nailed for intentional grounding (podcast)
  Twitter reports that football fans sent roughly 10,000 Tweets in the final three minutes of last night's game, but that wasn't enough to overthrow the all time record for tweets-per-second. Guess which film roped in 25,088 tweets per second last December? Hint: it wasn't made in America.
• iLuv's slightly different take on a Kindle Fire case
  iLuv's Portfolio Stand is one of the better Kindle Fire cases we've come across.
• For watching the Super Bowl, my TV beat my iPad
  Streaming the big game was a possibility this year, but I didn't use it. Here's why.
• Bone conduction goggles let you ski and speak
  Trying to connect with friends while hitting the slopes? The Buhel SpeakGoggle G33 lets you do it without the hassle of wires or ambient noise.
• Kissinger: Smooching robot for virtual make-out sessions
  The Kissinger kissing robot concept from Lovotics lets people virtually smooch with each other. Big silicone lips on each animal-shaped device register and replicate lip movements for long-distance affection.
• Samsung flubs its Apple Super Bowl dis
  Samsung's big Super Bowl ad for the Note may have brought on a few chuckles, but it failed in one big way, says CNET's Josh Lowensohn.
• Facebook photos: Deleted today, still there tomorrow
  Facebook photos still exist on the company's servers even after deletion and can apparently still be accessed, Ars Technica reports.
• Apple HDTV to cost $1,499?
  Best Buy appears to be circulating a customer survey that provides specific details about an Apple HDTV. Is this an indication of an impending launch for the elusive Apple display?
• Rdio redesigns Android app
  Rdio, the music subscription service, has redesigned its Android app in a major way.
• JVC nightstand pulls double duty as iPhone dock
  This fancy bedside table packs powerful speakers, so you can blast your tunes while recharging your iPhone or iPod.
• Should HTC blow up Sense?
  HTC's iconic user interface has helped it sell a boatload of Android smartphones and tablets. But it's starting to feel stale.
• Sony PlayStation Vita free to play at select GameStop stores
  More than 3,000 GameStop stores across the United States are now offering playable demo units of the Sony PlayStation Vita, which will be released in the U.S. later this month.