What are your thoughts about Conny, the rent reduction service? I'm updating my review to mention the high fees and dubious business practices. I would love to hear your thoughts.
All About Berlin
@allaboutberlin.bsky.social
Plain English guides for Berliners. - https://allaboutberlin.com
A sudden 20% drop in traffic, despite a stable position in search. Google is pushing AI overviews more aggressively, which is pushing the websites it was trained on further down. At this pace, All About Berlin will not survive into 2027.
For the August edition of All About Berlin's newsletter, I chose another drawing by Heinrich Ziller: Berliner Strandleben. This edition takes longer to prepare because it triggered many guide updates. Subscribe to get it when it's out: allaboutberlin.com/newsletter
I'm preparing the August 2026 newsletter. It will be out in just a few days. allaboutberlin.com/newsletter
Berlin monthly newsletter
Berlin news in English, useful tips for living in Berlin, and website updates, delivered straight to your inbox every month.
allaboutberlin.com
I was interviewed for this NPR podcast episode. It explains how Google AI summaries strangle the web. Give it a listen! www.npr.org/2026/07/14/n...
Can the internet survive AI summaries? : The Indicator from Planet Money
AI summaries are gaining traction and making the potential for a “zero click web” increasingly real. What does that mean for the internet as we know it today? Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.Your Next ...
npr.org
I occasionally check every link on the website to make sure they still work. A few things I notice: - Businesses come and go - Federal government websites constantly break their URLs for no reason. - Newspapers - especially RBB - frequently delete old articles
Sick leave: the government proposes to require a doctor's note on day 1, and to ban getting sick notes by video call. www.rbb24.de/wirtschaft/b...
Was es mit der Krankschreibung ab Tag 1 auf sich hat
Nach dem Willen der schwarz-roten Koalition sollen Arbeitnehmer künftig ab dem ersten Krankheitstag eine Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung vorlegen. Telefonisch sollen sie die aber nicht mehr bekommen ...
rbb24.de
New feature: a lawyer telling you if it's sensible to sue the immigration office. The assessment is 100% free.
I am preparing All About Berlin's July newsletter. As always, the curation, the words and the featured art are 100% human-made. For this month's featured image, I chose a painting of Wannsee by Philipp Franck. Subscribe here: allaboutberlin.com/newsletter
The Berlin immigration office has released its yearly report. In 2025, they have processed more applications than ever, especially citizenship applications. Slightly fewer asylum seekers, more deportations. 39% of their employees have a migration background. Link: www.berlin.de/einwanderung...
I still collect 3-7 residence permit data points EVERY DAY. Even the immigration office is now referring to this data. What should we measure next?
I am finishing up the June 2026 newsletter. It will be out on June 1. Subscribe here to get it in your inbox: allaboutberlin.com/newsletter
Newsletter
Berlin news in English, useful tips and website updates, delivered straight to your inbox.
allaboutberlin.com
AI is killing All About Berlin. When you Googled something, you used to get a link to my website. Now you get an AI-generated answer trained on my work. This has a devastating impact on traffic.
This is why I have bike insurance. They tried to steal my bike in broad daylight on a busy intersection. The Späti guy shooed them off just in time.
I'm working with Lucy Hellawell on a graph of immigration office wait times for this page: allaboutberlin.com/guides/immig... The graph updates when you change the filters, and works fine on small screens. There is also an accessible table for screen readers and crawlers.
The All About Berlin May 2026 newsletter is out: Public holidays, hay fever, better maps, cannabis update, government talks and automation. -> allaboutberlin.com/newsletter/m...
What's new in May 2026
Public holidays, hay fever, better maps, cannabis update, government talks and automation.
allaboutberlin.com
The May newsletter is coming in a few days! If you're not subscribed, now is the time. allaboutberlin.com/newsletter
Newsletter
Berlin news in English, useful tips and website updates, delivered straight to your inbox.
allaboutberlin.com
More map updates: area and health insurance filters, and a "suggest a place" form. Next feature: sorting by distance.
I am also on LinkedIn, Reddit and other websites that you hate. www.linkedin.com/in/nicolasbo... www.reddit.com/r/allaboutbe...
Nicolas B. - All About Berlin | LinkedIn
I write guides and build tools to simplify life in Germany. My website is All About… · Experience: All About Berlin · Location: Berlin · 500+ connections on LinkedIn. View Nicolas B.’s profile on Link...
linkedin.com
I maintain a dozen lists of English-speaking businesses. I list a few hundred businesses in total. I use the Google Maps API to spot places that closed or moved. It automatically verifies each place every 6 months, and I just need to approve the changes.
AI on All About Berlin? Yes, but not like that. I am releasing a tool that updates the website when certain facts change. If the minimum wage goes up, it updates it everywhere on the website. (1/2)
The Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge reached out to get my input about an information portal for immigrants. Berlin's SenIntMig also consulted me about a similar project last year. They're announcing it on April 29. It's good to see that people care.
I'm updating my cannabis guide. It's crazy how much has changed in two years. Cannabis clubs barely exist, but the grey market has exploded. How do YOU get weed in 2026?
The April 2026 newsletter is out! Public holidays, cherry blossom, labour rights, ADHD, and a few UX improvements. allaboutberlin.com/newsletter/a...
What's new in April 2026
Public holidays, cherry blossom, labour rights, ADHD, and a few UX improvements.
allaboutberlin.com
I really like how those yes-no lists are turning out. They make the information much easier to read at a glance.
The All About Berlin April newsletter is out in 2 days! Don't forget to subscribe: allaboutberlin.com/newsletter
Newsletter
Berlin news in English, useful tips and website updates, delivered straight to your inbox.
allaboutberlin.com
I'm adding "yes-lists" and "no-lists". It makes the guides a little easier to skim.
Facts about the Fiktionsbescheinigung: 1. It's not a permit, only a confirmation. Your expired residence permit stays valid anyway, even without a Fiktionsbescheinigung. 2. You are entitled to one. The LEA is breaking the law when refusing to issue them. allaboutberlin.com/guides/fikti...
How the German Fiktionsbescheinigung works
This guide explains what a Fiktionsbescheinigung is, how it works, and how to get one. It explains how to travel with a Fiktionsbescheinigung.
allaboutberlin.com