Germany

Can Motorola now block iPhone, iPad sales in Germany? Nope

The spat between Motorola Mobility and Apple in Germany just got a little more interesting, with a regional court granting Motorola an injunction against the iPhone and Mac maker.

The judgment does not mean that Apple can be kept from selling its products in the country, since the suit takes aim at Apple Inc. and not the company's local subsidiary in the region.

Intellectual property tracking blog FOSS Patents today posted the default judgment by the Mannheim Regional Court in Germany, which granted Motorola Mobility an injunction against the Mac and iOS device maker for infringing on two of … Read more

Hackers say German officials used backdoor

A German hacker group says it has found a Trojan program designed for spying on Skype communications that it alleges was used for surveillance by German law enforcement officials but which also has flaws that put the infected computer at risk of serious attack by others.

"The largest European hacker club, 'Chaos Computer Club' (CCC), has reverse-engineered and analyzed a 'lawful interception' malware program used by German police forces," the CCC wrote in a post on its Web site today. "The malware can not only siphon away intimate data but also offers a remote control or backdoor … Read more

See Germany's nuclear plant turned family playground

In Germany, nothing says fun for all ages like an abandoned nuclear power plant cooling tower! That's the sentiment behind Wunderland Kalkar amusement park--formerly known as the Schneller Bruter cooperative energy project--where you're more likely to encounter cotton candy and motion sickness than Geiger counters and radiation poisoning.

Before you let those fashionably hip Cold War-meets-Steampunk visions in your head take hold, I should note that the nuclear facility was, for political reasons, never completed, so there's actually no danger of coming in contact with any radiation while taking a ride on the mechanical swings that have … Read more

The 404 896: Where 'tis a far far better thing doing stuff for other people (podcast)

We have big announcement to make today! At the end of this month, CNET will begin a daily block of live podcasts, starting with The 404! You asked for longer episodes, so we're extending the show to fit in all the news headlines of the day, plus Calls From The Public, more weekly segments, including the return of Tang that Tune, and more!

On today's extracasual episode, we jump into a few stories we weren't able to discuss yesterday, like Apple losing yet another unreleased iPhone prototype, Germany lifting a 17-year ban on Doom 1 and 2, and a Tang That Tune with a surprise ending!

The 404 Digest for Episode 896

Apple loses another unreleased iPhone (exclusive). Doom finally unbanned in Germany. Apple customer accidentally given store hard drive.

Episode 896 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Facebook's 'Like' button illegal in German state

A German state would very much like for its residents to keep their fingers--and other assorted pointers or cursors--away from Facebook's "Like" button.

The state of Schleswig-Holstein has ordered all government offices to remove the button from their Web presence and shut down any Facebook "fan" pages, on the grounds that these things violate German and European data privacy laws. A release from the Independent Centre for Privacy Protection in the German state claims that information collected from German users' "liking" and other activities is sent back to the United States where Facebook … Read more

Audi's RS 5, A6 are treat on European roads

ZURICH, Switzerland--There's something about a German sports car that makes even the hairiest road seem like something you want to keep driving.

A few days ago, that feeling was reinforced as I (carefully) wound my way up and over some of the most amazing passes in the Swiss Alps. With barely enough room for one car, let alone two abreast, with drops of thousands of feet just off the side of the cliffs, and guardrails pretty much an afterthought, I knew that I was being tested. But I was driving Audi's terrific RS 5, and I wasn't … Read more

Where Zeppelins are born

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany--The thunder and lightning outside are fierce, so there are no flights today. That's disappointing for anyone who had been scheduled to fly, but for me it's a blessing: I get to see Europe's only Zeppelin NT in its home hangar.

As part of Road Trip 2011 I'd come to this Germany city on Lake Constance to visit the Zeppelin Museum, but as a bonus, I was now headed out for a meeting with Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik (ZLT), the only company in the world that makes the internal-structure airships. And with buckets of water coming down … Read more

Outfitting Porsches for Arabian kings, American ostrich farmers

STUTTGART, Germany--Let's say you're an ostrich farmer, and you've just bought a Porsche. And that you want to outfit the interior of your new car in the leather from some of your precious birds. Could you get your wish?

Yes, is the answer, thanks to Porsche Exclusive, a 25-year-old program through which buyers of the luxury cars can, for a price, have them customized in some very unusual ways.

Are you an Arabian king wanting to get a new Porsche in your country's national colors for each of your ministers? No problem. An American rancher wanting … Read more

At the BMW Museum, 82 years of carmaking shines

MUNICH, Germany--I might have thought I was in Frank Lloyd Wright's famous Guggenheim Museum, but that was just a visual trick brought on by the spiral ramp.

Actually, I was at the BMW Museum, the car-maker's homage to its eight decades of making automobiles, motorcycles, and engines. And with 125 of its most beloved machines displayed for its biggest fans and most loyal customers, it was hard not to be taken in by the history of what the company long called the "ultimate driving machine."

As part of Road Trip 2011, I took some time to … Read more