Europe scientists enter final stage of competition that will award up to $1.33 billion

European Union officials are preparing to reveal the two winners of a science / technology contest that have each secured up to €54 million ($72M) in funding, a figure that could balloon to over €1 billion ($1.33 billion) over the next decade. The competition was drawn up as a way to prevent Europe from being eclipsed in modern research and development. 26 entrants took part, with the pool later pared down to just six candidates. From there, four finalists were selected. One of those is the Guardian Angels project; its team is attempting to create health-centric devices that urge wearers to work out, collect environmental data that could be analyzed by their doctors, and "warn them of danger" according to the Associated Press.

Another team is hoping to harness grapheme to a fuller extent than other researchers have managed so far. We've seen the promising material, much stronger than steel while also far lighter, increasingly used in labs across the US, but Europeans are eager to take the lead in this crucial area of research. A third entrant hopes to assemble the most accurate computer model of the human brain yet depicted, with the fourth finalist team aiming to build an ambitious supercomputer that tracks and simulates economic and social growth throughout the world. How much the lucky two winners earn beyond the initial €54 will depend on whether they can meet predetermined milestones during the first few years of their work. Results will be announced January 28th. [TheVerge]

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Apple Care Under Attack in Europe

Apple’s warranty plans have drawn the ire of a Belgian consumer watchdog agency, Test-Aankoop/Test-Achats. The group has filed a complaint against the company over how AppleCare is sold and marketed to customers, who in the EU by default are entitled to a free two-year warranty with any consumer electronics purchase. The complaint says Apple markets its warranties in a manner which doesn’t properly explain consumer rights to Belgian gadget shoppers.

The decision to pursue legal action comes only after Test-Aankoop/Test-Achats decided to join up with 10 other Europe-based entities to make complaints about how Apple operates its warranties, but now the group feels it is time to escalate to a court case after efforts to petition the Mac maker have gone unheard. The move also follows successful action in Italy regarding the same exact issue, a case which the Belgian watchdog cites as a precedent, noting that Apple not only had to pay a €900,000 penalty in that case, but also modified its practices for the Italian market.

Why all the fuss? There is lots of money to be made in value-added warranties, that’s why. It’s not clear exactly how much Apple makes via AppleCare, which offers consumers extended protection on their devices above Apple’s basic one-year warranty, for an additional fee. But it is likely a lot; added warranties are much higher profit than gadgets themselves, since many consumers never take advantage of their services at all, more than compensating for the few who do redeem them for expensive repairs or replacements. That’s why Apple isn’t moving to change its practices in the EU for anything short of a court order to do so, and why we may see others beyond the Belgian group pursue the same kind of action. [TechCrunch]

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