Switzerland
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Into the heart of CERN: an underground tour of the Large Hadron Collider (video)
"Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." ― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland I've been to see ALICE -- though there was no looking glass to jump through, just a retina scanner and one very long elevator ride down into the earth. I've toured a CMS that has nothing to do with online publishing. I've even gently laid my body on the most powerful particle accelerator in the world and raised the ire of surrounding engineers in the interest of a good shot. I did all of this at CERN, the international particle physics laboratory located near Geneva, Switzerland. But you probably know it best as the birthplace of the world wide web and home of the Large Hadron Collider. And, yes, it was all exactly like a walking fever dream. %Gallery-192868% %Gallery-192867% %Gallery-192869% %Gallery-192870%
Swiss scientists create catbot: a robot that runs like a cat (video)
Someone call MIT's researchers and tell them their terrifying cheetah robot has a long-lost teensy sibling in Switzerland. Developed in the laboratories of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, the "cheetah-cub robot" is a four-legged metallic critter modeled after a house cat. The scientists focused on designing legs that can move like our feline friends', paying particular attention to their stability while moving on uneven surfaces. While it has a long way to go before it becomes a graceful daredevil, it's a fast little bugger that can run seven times its body length in one second. The researchers hope their creation gives rise to more robots for exploration and search-and-rescue missions in the future -- a far more noble goal than some cat-owners' dream to have their pets' pictures land on the front page of Reddit.
Apple retail store coming to Basel, Switzerland
According to listings posted on Apple's job site, the people of Switzerland will soon have their fourth Apple retail store. The available job openings are currently for a manager, inventory specialist, and an Apple Creative, Genius, and Customer Adviser. The listings were first spotted by Swiss Apple site MacPrime. The site had previously speculated that Apple was building a store at Freie Strasse 47 in the city center. The old building that had lived at that location was recently demolished and construction had begun on a new, Apple-esque structure. Today's job posting seems to confirm that the site was correct. The Basel store will be the forth in the country, after stores in Zurich, Geneva, and Wallisellen. Basel is the third-largest city in Switzerland with a population of around 166,000. It is one of the country's cultural centers with numerous museums and theaters, including the Museum of Fine Arts, which offers the world's oldest art collection that is accessible to the public, according to Wikipedia.
Spotify signs deal with Orange Switzerland to bundle music with youth plans
Spotify has been getting comfortable with providers to various degrees, whether it's just carrier billing or direct deals. Today, however, it's getting extra-cozy. Orange Switzerland has started bundling Spotify Premium with its Orange Young plans: those 27 and younger can pay between 29 to 79 francs ($31 to $85) per month and, on top of the usual service, get a year's worth of streaming music access that won't count against their bandwidth caps. Older customers aren't left out, either, as they can pay 13 francs ($14) a month with the same data exemption. There's no word of whether or not the Orange pact will spread to other countries, but we hope it does -- having unlimited streaming access could easily make up for Spotify's retreat from downloads.
Swisscom rolls out first LTE in Switzerland on November 29th
The European LTE landscape is unfortunately a fragmented one that favors large countries with large carriers. We can chalk up at least one victory for the smaller nation states, however: Switzerland is getting its first LTE network on November 29th. The country's main provider, Swisscom, is launching initial 4G coverage in 26 cities and regions using the LTE-equipped HTC One X (One XL abroad), quickly following up with the early December availability of the Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note II and Nokia Lumia 920. A Huawei USB stick and a ZTE hotspot will also be on tap. Customers won't need to spring for a new plan to use the new network on a basic level, although Swisscom's uncommon speed-based phone plans mean they'll be paying a stiff 169 francs ($181) per month to max out the 4G network. We imagine at least some will bite if it means speedy data in Zurich. [Thanks, Joël]
Did Apple pay more than $20 million for Swiss clock design?
Apple's iPad has a gorgeous Swiss-inspired clock that may have cost the company millions. According to a report in the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger, Apple paid the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) 20 million Swiss francs (US$21 million) for the rights to use the iconic clock face in iOS 6. The brouhaha over the clock emerged in September when the SBB criticized Apple for using the railway clock, which was designed by Hans Hilfiker for the SBB and has become a symbol of Swiss innovation and reliability. The SBB met with Apple, which signed a licensing deal to use the clock face. Details of the agreement were not disclosed, and the SBB has refused to comment on this latest report. [Via AllThingsD]
Apple agrees to licensing terms over Swiss clock design
The Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and Apple have reached a licensing agreement that'll let Apple use the SBB's iconic clock design in iOS 6. Last month, the Swiss national railway criticized Apple for copying the look of the classic clock face without permission in the clock app on the iPad. Engineer and designer Hans Hilfiker designed the railway station clock in 1944. It has since become an icon for Swiss innovation and reliability, and its design is present in train stations throughout Europe. Rather than ban Apple from using the clock, the SBB decided to seek "an amicable agreement and compensation" with the Cupertino company. Details on the amount of money Apple had to pay to continue using the design were not revealed. [Via The Verge]
Apple agrees to license for Swiss railway clock in iOS 6, knows what time it is
When Swiss federal railway organization SBB and the Mondaine Group pointed out that the iOS 6 clock face looked remarkably like theirs, they weren't so much upset as clearing their throat politely -- it would be nice to get credit, if you don't mind. That kindness has been met with some reciprocity, as SBB has confirmed a licensing deal with Apple that gives the iPad builder rights to use the iconic timepiece in its mobile OS. Exact terms aren't forthcoming, although it's likely not a princely sum when SBB is better known for punctuality than wheeling and dealing. All we know is that Apple can at last live with a good conscience when it checks the time in Geneva.
PSA: iPhone 5 available in 22 more countries, on Cricket and US regional carriers galore
Disappointed that your country or favorite carrier missed the initial cut for the iPhone 5 launch? Odds are that you're all good now. Worldwide, 22 more countries have joined the mix as of today, including wide swaths of Europe as well as New Zealand; you'll find the full list in the release here. Americans also don't have to turn to the big carriers, as they can now opt for prepaid carrier Cricket in addition to a slew of extra providers that include C Spire as well as regionals like GCI and nTelos. In some cases, you'll even snag a discount by going with one of the smaller networks. If you bagged an iPhone in Barcelona, or caught one on Cellcom, let others know how it's going in the comments. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Swiss Federal Railways accuses Apple of copying its clock
Switzerland's Schweizerische Bundesbahnen (Swiss Federal Railway service) has accused Apple of copying its iconic clock in the new Clock app for iPad [Google translation], introduced with iOS 6. The Hans Hilfiker-designed clock has become a symbol of Switzerland itself. The newspaper article notes that Apple Switzerland declined to comment. The clock face has been licensed elsewhere. [Via MacRumors]
Uros' Goodspeed hotspot packs 10 SIM cards, says roaming is for chumps (update: fee differences)
Snagging international data service usually involves either special agreements or steep roaming costs. Not Uros and its new Goodspeed hotspot. The pocketable, 21Mbps HSPA+ router carries a staggering 10 SIM cards and simply uses a local SIM for whichever destination country you visit. The brute force strategy helps Uros offer a relatively low flat rate for 1GB of data per day, no matter where you are on the coverage map: while the Goodspeed itself costs €273 ($352), Uros asks just €5.90 ($8) a day for occasional visits and €9.90 ($13) a month for frequent fliers. It's a very sizable bargain for the jetset, even with a current scope limited to Finland, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the UK. A number of "important" countries are due before Christmas, which could make Uros' hotspot a go-to choice for those who just can't stay settled in one place. [Thanks, Antti] Update: Uros has gotten in touch with us to clarify the pricing beyond what we've seen so far. The €9.90 fee covers account details and doesn't "yet" reflect data -- you'll still need to pay €5.90 per day . There's also a chance the rate could go up in future countries, although all the existing countries abide by that rate.
Google Maps for Android adds turn-by-turn biking navigation, helps pedal-pushers in 10 more countries
Google's cycling directions have been slowly expanding their reach to the mobile world and other countries, but the only option for navigation so far has been to memorize the route. As of today, you won't have to stop every five minutes to get your bearings. Google Maps for Android has received a low-key update that adds spoken, turn-by-turn Google Maps Navigation for riders in every country where biking directions exist -- if you can clamp your phone to your handlebars, you can find your way. Many more riders are just seeing mobile support of any kind in the process. Both navigation and regular directions should now be live in the Android app for 10 more countries, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. Cyclists just need to swing by Google Play to keep their two-wheeled adventures on track.
Prototype heart monitor collar could let sheep text their shepherd, tattle on creeping wolves
It's easy to imagine the lonely Swiss shepherd casually texting his pals during a long day in the field, but reading an SMS from his flock? More possible then you might think. A recent trial in Switzerland outfitted 10 sheep with heart monitoring collars and submitted them to a simulated wolf attack, causing their heart rate to jump from 60 / 80 BPM to 225. The team behind the experiment hope to pair the significant change in heart rate with a future device that releases a predator deterrent while simultaneously sending a text message to the local shepherd. Complete prototypes are being prepped for a 2013 trial in Switzerland and France, where wolf attacks are on the rise. The devices hopes to offer owners of smaller flocks an affordable alternative to keeping a sheepdog. [Image credit: Shutterstock]
Drone-maker Parrot invests $7.5 million in two EPFL spin-offs, sets sights beyond toys
Switzerland's EPFL has managed to catch our attention with its various UAV-related activities, and it looks like it's also been the radar of Parrot, maker of the AR.Drones. EPFL announced today that the French company is investing 7.4 million Swiss Francs (or about $7.5 million) in two companies that have been spun out of the institution: senseFly and Pix4D. As you may recall, those two have collaborated in the past, with senseFly providing the camera-equipped UAVs necessary for Pix4D's 3D mapping software. Broken down, the investment works out to 2.4 million Francs put into Pix4D and five million invested in senseFly, the latter of which is enough for Parrot to claim a majority stake company. As for the future, senseFly's CEO says that the deal will give Parrot "access to the expertise and the technology for specialized drones," while Pix4D's CEO says that the investment "reinforces our position as a leader in software for professional drones" and opens up new business opportunities. It also makes it clear, if it wasn't already, that Parrot is getting pretty serious about drones. You can find the official announcement after the break, along with a video from EPFL explaining the deal.
Microsoft and Nokia bring enhanced traffic data to Windows Phone, announce international plans
Cross-pollination is a beautiful thing. In the natural world, it brings bountiful harvests and pretty flowers. In the mobile world, we benefit from the sharing of ideas and technologies. Case in point is Windows Phone, as Microsoft has just announced that it's adopted traffic information from Nokia into the Maps app of its mobile OS. In addition to providing Windows Phone users in the US with more detailed overviews of traffic flows and congestion, the functionality will soon become available for many cities across the globe. Perhaps the move shouldn't come as a total surprise, as just last month, Microsoft revealed the inclusion of Nokia's "Where" platform within Bing Maps. As for future availability, citizens of Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom will benefit from the sharing of technologies within the next few weeks. For the moment, however, just hop the break, where you can see the before / after traffic data that's now available to Los Angeles residents.
Swiss court eases up on Street View privacy concerns, Google says it's pleased with the ruling
It's no secret Google's been involved in a few privacy-related kerfuffles around the globe, but some would say those are just the burdens attached to being one of the big-guns in the industry. Still, Big G can go home to Mountain View a happy camper today, as the Swiss Federal Tribunal has decided to ease up on the company's usage of its Street View technology in the country. Per the ruling, however, Google will have to make adjustments to its viewing methods, things like making it easier for folks to manually blur images available on Street View, and full anonymity around hospitals, schools, prisons and courts. Naturally, Google says it's quite pleased with the outcome and that it plans to "look at the ruling closely, discuss it with the federal data protection commissioner and examine what options are available."
CloudOn launching its iOS, Android tablet apps in 16 more countries, Office hounds rejoice
Surprise, surprise, CloudOn has just opened a fresh can of tablet-friendly Office and is getting ready to deliver it outside of the US, UK and Canada for the first time in its relatively short history. The cloud-based service announced it's now launching its iOS and Android applications in 16 more countries, making it a total of 19 with the addition of the aforementioned trio. Some of the lucky nations include: Spain, Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, Israel as well as the Netherlands -- and, in case you had any concerns, the app is keeping its free-of-charge status, so no need to worry. In addition to the beefy global expansion, CloudOn also released a few productivity-focused tidbits, giving users the ability to open links straight from the browser, copy and paste between the different built-in apps, plus a drag-and-drop feature to move around files and folders within the application -- unfortunately, this last one's only available to those with a Cupertino device (at least for the time being). All that's left to do now is grab yourself a copy from one of the links below, and be sure to check the presser after the break to see if your country made the cut.
Sony to sell downloadable content at GameStops in Europe and Australia
Sony isn't about to let Nintendo and PC games get a leg up on it in the downloadable content (DLC) arena. That's why the company's European arm (which also runs the show in Australia and New Zealand) is taking its digital wares to GameStop, where customers will be able to use cash, gift cards or trade credits to purchase activation codes for PlayStation Network games and add-ons. All told, some 1,600 stores in Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria and Switzerland will soon be offering the ability to purchase content usually ordered from the comfort of your couch and Crash Bandicoot boxer shorts. The complete PR awaits you after the break.
HTC reveals Central Europe release date, pricing for One X, One S and One V
HTC's One series inches closer to expectant customers, with Central Europe apparently set to get the device next Monday. According to The Unwired, shoppers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland will all be able to pick up any device from HTC's 2012 catalogue, including the quad-cored One X (€599, around $800), the micro-arc oxidized One S (€499, around $670) and the somehow retro One V (€299, around $400). German carrier O2 has also backed up these claims, announcing that it expects to stock both the One X and One S next week. You'd best grab that passport and a wad of euros.
EPFL's CleanSpace One: clearing up cosmic clutter (video)
Where are Lone Starr and Barf when you need'em? Would that those two (fictional) interstellar handymen-for-hire were real, space agencies like Switzerland's own, could outsource the tricky and costly intergalactic housekeeping that's fast becoming a high-priority. Instead, the famously neutral country is investing 10 million Swiss francs (about $10.8 million USD) into the production of a new breed of satellites dedicated to the collection and destruction of orbital debris. The project, dubbed CleanSpace One, will tackle one of two Swiss-borne, celestial objects -- the SwissCube or Tiasat -- for its initial mission, slated for some time within the next three to five years. While our very own NASA has proposed the use of a laser to redirect these non-operational and potentially hazardous craft, the brains over at EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute for Technology) are in the process of developing a micro-electric propulsion system, in addition to a retrieval mechanism for the unit. So, what'll happen to both this outer space Rosie and her doomed cargo? Well, rather unfortunately, it's a suicide mission, as both are destined for burn-up on re-entry. Yes, it's a rather grim end to an otherwise noble voyage, but such is the price of our scientific spring cleaning.
