Archive for the ‘German’ Category

It's official: "There's an app for that" has become the most annoying catchphrase of 2009 (on par with 2001's "You are the weakest link"). And yet, we have to admit that there are beaucoup apps out there -- some of them quite good. For example, developers at Appirion UG have developed a program that turns the iPhone into a remote control for a specially rigged Dodge minivan. "The Spirit of Berlin", as the vehicle is known, may not be as flashy as the iPhone-controlled Rinspeed iChange we profiled back in February, but as the clip below demonstrates, it seems like way more fun:

[BoingBoing]

In the current global economy, things are hard all over -- even in Berlin's red-light district. With fewer travelers coming to town for conferences and business meetings, sales at local bordellos have gone limp, but the owners of Maison d'Envie in trendy Prenzlauer Berg are hoping to give things a lift by offering a 5 € ($7.50) discount to any customer who arrives on a bike. Not only is that good for the environment, but all that cardio exercise guarantees healthy return customers. Sounds like a big score in our book. Somebody give those folks a hand. [NYTimes]

As we mentioned a couple of weeks ago, new fuel efficiency and emissions regulations issued by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation could have a serious impact on gas-guzzling luxury vehicles. If approved as they stand in draft form, the regulations provide very little room for deviation, which could result in some very uncomfortable mergers and partnerships among brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche.

Current regulations allow manufacturers to pay fines on vehicles that fail to meet U.S. efficiency and emissions standards. Those fines are fairly small, and they're passed on to luxury consumers, who...