France has been determined to rob Spain of its position as a data center power in Europe

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The French country has hit the table in its ambition to become a technological benchmark in Europe. He agreement reached between Emmanuel Macron and Masayoshi Son (CEO of SoftBank) aims to deploy up to 5 GW of computing capacity for AI data centers in northern France. This movement competes with all the projects that are underway in Spain, one of the countries that until now had attracted the greatest interest from hyperscalers. The problem is that neither France nor Spain will gain much from these initiatives. Nuclear counterattack. France has taken advantage your energy network —with a clear prominence of its nuclear power plants— to attract AI supercomputing projects. The SoftBank project will start in the Hauts-de-France region with an initial phase of 45 billion euros to build data centers in regions such as Dunkirk. In this first phase we want to achieve that the total capacity rise to 3.1 GW in 2031followed by a second phase that could reach 5 GW. Spain, data center paradise. Faced with this French movement, Spain has been closing agreements in that same area for months. It totals more than 22,000 million euros in recently announced projects. Giants like AWS (15.7 billion in Aragon), Microsoft (more than 7,000 million) and Blackstone have chosen our country to create these data centers. The Spanish advantage is its renewable energy productionwhich has attracted that type of investment. The harsh reality: Europe (probably) loses. Although both this announcement and those made in Spain are very striking, the reality for the Old Continent is quite stark. The data centers in Spain are not Spanish, and those in France are not French either. Europe is becoming the powerhouse for foreign multinationals that invest here because it suits them strategically. Energy resources are great for Microsoft, Amazon, Meta or Softbank, but the real benefit of this computing does not remain in Europe. The accounts. There is a clear difference between the strategies of Spain and France. Spanish soil is filled with hyperscalers like AWS or Microsoft that build, operate their own clouds and then control the flow completely. In the case of France, the initiative depends on a Japanese conglomerate allied with sovereign funds from the Middle East. SoftBank operates here more like a real estate developer– Create the data center and then rent it to third parties. Source: FT. Sovereignty, little. Emmanuel Macron and Pedro Sánchez can sell the message that these projects promote this ambition to have sovereign AI. The problem is that these data centers are simply delegations of big technology companies taking advantage of the advantages offered by their European partners. There may be options in the French project for the country to boost its AI companies —Mistral is the clear example—, but the truth is that these movements do little to help this objective of avoiding the independence of foreign technology companies. Rather they make the situation worse. The other European rivals. Europe’s traditional technology markets, grouped under the acronym FLAP-D (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin) are giving way to projects in other countries like France or Spain. There are also other protagonists in this new map of decentralized infrastructures: the Nordic countries are also interesting for their cold climates, ideal for helping to cool these centers. The real bottleneck. Beyond the billions of euros that are on the table, the big battle in the coming years will be access to hardware components, especially now that the memory crisis has made everything significantly more expensive. Demand far exceeds supply and it does not seem that this imbalance will be resolved soon, so all of these initiatives could suffer delays and changes in their final costs. In Xataka | Mistral does not generate hype, it is a discreet AI, it does not boost the shares of any company, but it already makes more money than Grok

Spain launches radio frequency detectors to hunt penguins and AI

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June and July are two months that almost 300,000 students in Spain have marked on their calendars, as they face the University Access Test (PAU). And in some classrooms they also face it with extra surveillance measures for those who copy. We are referring to radio frequency detectors, small devices designed to hunt down hidden devices that some students could use to copy, especially if there is AI involved. What exactly are they? They are not signal inhibitors, but detectors. In this sense, a jammer blocks communications, while these devices only locate them. Héctor Esteban, professor in the area of ​​Signal Theory and Communications at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, counted to El Español that are electromagnetic radiation detectors costing about 10 or 12 euros that track WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G, 4G and 5G networks in a very broad spectrum. When they detect a nearby signal, they warn with a beep or vibration. Stephen himself describes them such as devices as small “as a pen”, that the teacher can carry in his pocket in vibration mode so that the alert goes unnoticed by the rest of the classroom. What are they aiming for? The objective is not so much conventional mobile phones as technology that is difficult to see with the naked eye. The vice-rector of Students of the Complutense University, Rosa de la Fuente, counted that “we are concerned about everything that could be used to commit fraud”, such as micro-earphones and AI glasses generative, since they are devices with which we can easily obtain responses from another person abroad or from any chatbot. Where are they used? The measure does not currently apply throughout Spain. The six public universities of Madrid launched the detectors at the beginning of the month for their more than 42,000 students. Added to these are communities such as Galicia, Murcia, Aragon, Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Andalusia, the Balearic Islands and the Basque Country, among others. The devices are not in all classrooms at the same time. Cristina Moreno, vice-rector of the University of the Balearic Islands assured that the devices rotate through the different locations, but not necessarily during all the tests. What happens if the alert goes off. If the detector vibrates, the exam is “flagged” and the student continues taking the exam as normal. Afterwards, it is the court of headquarters that analyzes the case and decides. However, the sanctions are not identical throughout Spain, because each community sets its own framework. In Madrid, according to counted de la Fuente, three levels are distinguished: a minor fault leaves the exam marked but preserves the grade; a serious one, such as having your cell phone on, can cancel that exam; and a very serious one, such as the active use of a earpiece, can invalidate the entire Selectivity. In other locations the criteria is more severe, as is the case of the Polytechnic of Valencia, where in some cases it is enough for them to find a mobile phone on them, even if it is turned off, to fail the subject. It is not a perfect method. Jesús Alcalde, cybersecurity specialist, counted to The Objective that the scope is limited, because the devices only alert active signals, can give false positives in full classrooms and do not always allow them to prove themselves that there has been copying. Its greatest value, in reality, is as a deterrent. Héctor Esteban illustrated it counting that, in one of the first tests, it was enough to announce that the detector was going to be passed for fifteen students to get up to hand over the cell phone that they should not have brought. Why is it coming just now? The trigger is the emergence of generative AI, which has turned the old problem of copying into something much more complex to deal with. However, the universities themselves recognize that this is a pilot project that they will have to review each course, because at the end of the day the technology for cheating advances as quickly as the tools to detect it. And now what. Radiofrequency covers only part of the problem, and many in the academic field believe that the underlying solution is not in the devices, but in changing the way of evaluating. Stephen himself point towards oral exams, common in countries like Italy, or the in-person defense of papers. Cover image | Ben Mullins and Alberto Ortega (Europa Press) In Xataka | Someone has created the website “is AI profitable anymore?” to answer the question of our time in real time

What is the blue dot at the top of your Android mobile

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Let’s tell you what is the blue dot that will soon start to appear on the screen of your Android mobile. This is a new indicator similar to the green and orange dot which already appears on many devices, a privacy indicator that tells you when an app is accessing specific sensitive data on your mobile. We are going to start the article by explaining what this blue dot on the mobile screen means, and the fact that it can appear or disappear from it. Then, we will tell you what you should do in the event that this point appears for no apparent reason, an indicator that an app could be doing something behind your back. What does the blue dot on your phone’s status bar mean? The blue dot in the status bar that appears at the top right of the screen of an Android mobile means that an app is accessing your location. Every time your phone is sending your location the dot will appear, and then it will disappear when it stops doing so. This is a method with which your mobile phone tells you the exact moment in which the location permission is being used. The goal is that apps do not use your location without you knowing itand that you can detect bad behavior in applications. Therefore, with this three types of colored dots will appear on your mobile screen: green dot: Indicates that an application is using your mobile camera. orange dot: Indicates that an application is using your mobile microphone. blue dot: Indicates that an application is using your mobile location. At the moment, this indicator has already begun to arrive to some Google Pixel phones, such as the Google Pixel 10a. However, it is expected to become a standard indicator that will also soon begin to reach other Android phones from brands such as Samsung, Xiaomi, and others. What to do if this point appears for no apparent reason This blue indicator will appear whenever your phone is using location data. If it appears when you do not have an application open It is because someone is accessing them in the background. If you see that your location is being used but you don’t know what application it may be, it is best to check your location access permissions in the settings of your Android mobile. To do this, go to Settings and go to the section Privacy and security. Once inside, click on Privacy Settingsand inside access the section Permissions manager. This will take you to a list with all the permissions on your mobile, and you must click on the permission Location. By doing this, you will go to a list where you will see all apps that have permission to access your locationboth those that do it at all times and those that can only be accessed while you use them. Here, you can review which applications you are giving this access to, and you can revoke it from any that you consider should not have it. Images | Noelia Hontoria In Xataka Basics | 47 free and open source alternative Android applications that respect your privacy as much as possible

It is from Samsung and arrives with a discount and Galaxy Buds4 as a gift

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Samsung has new Odyssey monitors. These are oriented towards gaming as usual, although this time we have two that can also be great for us when it comes to working. The best thing is that they are all now available in the company’s official store and they do it with double promo: We have a 10% discount on everyone and, in addition, some Galaxy Buds4 as a gift. Gaming Monitor 27″ Odyssey G8 G80HF 5K 180 Hz Flat The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Taking advantage of this is very simple: all we have to do is use the code ‘NUEVOSIT10’. Right below we are going to see each of the new monitors and, in addition, We will explain how to buy them at the best price. Odyssey G8 G80HS The first of these monitors is the Odyssey G80HS, which is, as you can read in the title of this article, the world’s first 6K gaming monitor. This resolution means that we can play with greater clarity and a more detailed image, although it is also something that will be great for those of us who work with text. All this with a refresh rate of 165 Hz, which is not bad either. The funny thing is that we can go down to 3K resolution (similar to 1440p) and raise the refresh rate to 330 Hz. This Odyssey, which is 32 inches, has DisplayPort 2.1 and is compatible with HDR10+ Gamingas well as with AMD FreeSync Premium and NVIDIA G-Sync, the two most important VRR technologies that allow gaming without tearing (very annoying image jumps). Using the code ‘NEWIT10‘ and ‘Delivery and Premiere‘, Samsung’s renewal plan, remains in 1,119.10 euros (its RRP is 1,299 euros). Gaming Monitor 32″ Odyssey G80HS 6K 165 Hz Flat The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Odyssey G8 G80HF The Odyssey G8 G80HF is a more compact and smaller version of the previous one. It is 27 inches and in this case it has or5K base resolution with a 180 Hz refresh rate. Also like the previous one, it has Dual Mode, so we can lower its resolution to QHD and raise the refresh rate to 360 Hz. Otherwise, It is exactly the same monitor As far as the most important features are concerned: compatibility with both FreeSync Premium and G-Sync, also with HDR10+ Gaming and comes with DisplayPort 2.1 ports. Using the same discount code and using ‘Delivery and Release’ you stay at 624.10 euros (instead of 749 euros). Gaming Monitor 27″ Odyssey G8 G80HF 5K 180 Hz Flat The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Odyssey G8 OLED G80SH We now move on to the Odyssey G8 OLED G80SH. We don’t have Dual Mode here, although it is still a 32-inch 4K monitor. The key point of this Odyssey is that uses OLED technologywhich represents a leap in image quality compared to IPS panels. By not having a backlight layer (their pixels are self-emissive), these types of panels achieve a pure black color and much better contrast, something that we will notice a lot when playing (especially in dark scenes or in horror games, for example). In fact, one of the new features of this QD-OLED panel uses Penta Tandem technology, which means it has a multi-layer structure. This, in practice, means that you have better brightness, efficiency and better resistance to burning that OLED panels tend to suffer in the long run. In addition, it also uses Glare Free technology that helps avoid those annoying reflections on the screen. To all of the above we must add a 98 W USB-C port (ideal for charging a laptop or any device, for example) and a 240 Hz refresh rate, which we have not mentioned above. Using the code ‘NEWIT10‘ and with ‘Entrega y Estrena’ it remains in 1029.10 euros (has a RRP of 1,199 euros). Gaming Monitor 32″ Odyssey OLED G8 G80SH 4K 240Hz Flat The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Odyssey G7 OLED G73SH We only have one Odyssey monitor left to talk about from this new batch from Samsung: the G7 OLED G73SH. It is a cheaper version than the previous G8, although it is still maintaining the 4K resolution and the 32-inch diagonal. It does have certain cuts, such as the absence of Glare Free or Penta Tandem technology. In exchange for this, this Odyssey does have Dual Mode, being able to lower its resolution to FHD, gaining 330 Hz refresh rate. This can be great for, for example, competitive games that require fast and precise movements (it also helps that the monitor has only 0.03 ms response time). Using the same code and with ‘Delivery and Release’, your price remains at 804.10 eurosa discount compared to its RRP of 949 euros. Gaming Monitor 32″ Odyssey OLED G7 G73SH 4K 165Hz Flat The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Bonus Ball: ViewFinity S85TH Although almost all the monitors that Samsung has released, there is one exception: the new ViewFinity S85TH. This monitor, which has a 40-inch curved screenis more oriented to the professional world and to work. It supports Thunderbolt 5 and has a 140W charging port, making it perfect for connecting a laptop. Despite not being an Odyssey, it falls within the same promotion, so it also has some Galaxy Buds4 as a gift and you can use the code ‘NUEVOSIT10’. With this and ‘Delivery and Release’, its price goes from 999 euros to 849.10 euros. ViewFinity 40″ S8 S85TH 5K2K WUHD 144Hz Curved Monitor The price could vary. We earn commission from these links You may also be interested LG 32GX850A-B – Ultragear OLED Gaming Monitor, 32″, 4K (3840 x 2160), 165 Hz, 0.03 ms (GTG), Dual Mode, G-Sync Compatible and FreeSync Premium Pro, Adjustable Tilt and Height, Grayish Purple The price could vary. We earn commission from these links MSI mag 273QP QD-OLED The price could vary. We earn … Read more

Switch 2 will have replaceable battery in 2027

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nintendo has confirmed on its consumer information website that prepares a revised version of the Switch 2 for the European market, one in which the battery can be easily replaced. It is not really a traditional revision as we might expect, but a new version born as a result of complying with European regulations that will come into force in 2027. What is this about? The key is in the Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 on batteries, which as of February 18, 2027 requires that cells and batteries integrated in certain devices sold in the EU can be removed and replaced by the user himself easily and at any time during the product’s useful life. Portable consoles fall into that category, so the Switch 2 is fully affected. What Nintendo says. In the official publication On its website, the company assures that it is “implementing measures to comply with these requirements by preparing versions of products that comply with the Regulation.” To differentiate those models from the current ones, Nintendo says the new ones will carry different model numbers and the additional “OSM” code visible on the packaging, identifying them as “standalone products for regulatory purposes.” How affected models are recognized. Nintendo doesn’t mention the Switch 2 by name, instead talking about “current products whose model numbers start with ‘BEE’.” That is precisely the case of Switch 2, whose model number is BEE-001, as collects VGC. The Joy-Con 2 (BEE-012 and BEE-014) and the Switch 2 Pro controller (BEE-008) also have integrated batteries and share that same prefix, so they could also receive a review if the regulations apply to them. At the moment, Nintendo has not confirmed it. Details yet to be confirmed. Nintendo does not explain what will change at the design level to facilitate replacement. And it will require a major change, because nowadays replacing the Switch 2 battery is no small feat. According to the repair guide from iFixit, the battery is not accessible even after removing the back cover, and requires disassembling a large part of the device and then reassembling it. The one with the Joy-Con 2 is somewhat simpler, but it’s not easy either. Only for the EU, for now. Nintendo has not yet committed to selling these models outside of Europe, nor is it under any obligation to do so. However, as they point From Tom’s Guide, making a completely different version of hardware for a single region ends up making little economic sense. And the usual thing is that regional variants are limited to specific components, not to redesigns as important as this one. That’s why it wouldn’t be strange if, over time, the “OSM” models also end up reaching other markets, although for now it’s just a guess. When. The only certainty is that Nintendo will have these adapted consoles in European stores before February 18, 2027. What is not clear is the exact schedule or whether the original version will coexist with the new one or will end up disappearing. Nor should we lose sight of the fact that these models will arrive, presumably, after the price increase planned for Septemberwhich places the console at 500 euros here in Europe. We will have to wait to find out more information about it. In Xataka | A CD Projekt developer: “Do you know what we’re doing for ‘The Witcher 4’? People aren’t ready”

A scientist wants to build a space shield against solar storms. Your secret weapon: lithium and barium

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Predict the arrival of very strong solar storms It is important for many reasons. Not only to keep an eye out and not get lost the most beautiful auroras. Also because these could affect satellites or terrestrial communications systems, so it is important to take precautions. The problem is that, no matter how much prevention methods have improved, we cannot do much more than be prepared for what is coming. Today there are no ways to stop these solar storms. However, a scientist from Boston University has announced that it is working on a method to strengthen the Earth’s natural shield against this type of phenomena. A stronger shield. The scientist in question is called Brian Walsh and is working in what he himself has called a wall against solar storms. Its objective is to send six ships to strategic points in a geostationary orbit, so that they release chemical elements capable of strengthening the magnetic field. These should be elements such as lithium or barium, since they are easily converted into positively charged ions when solar ultraviolet radiation hits them. At that point, the cargo released by the ships is converted to plasma. Precisely, what reaches Earth with solar storms is also plasma. However, there is a big difference. The one that comes from the sun consists of charged particles that move at very high speed, with great energy. On the other hand, what would be released into the magnetosphere would be cold, static plasma, which acts as a kind of wall, preventing this high-speed plasma from passing through the magnetosphere. A good shield when the activity is not too intense. The Earth has a great shield against solar storms. Generally, our magnetic field prevents these charged particles from the Sun from crossing into our atmosphere. This is because the magnetic field generally acts as a kind of rail on which the plasma circulates. The electrically charged particles are retained on these rails, but do not cross to the other side. They can only reach the atmosphere at the poles, where the inclination of the magnetic field lines acts as a kind of funnel. Even so, the charged particles that come from the surface of the Sun may already arrive somewhat weakened there. They interact with the gases in the atmosphere, exciting the atoms and causing the release of the light that makes up the auroras. But there are usually not very detrimental effects on communications. On the other hand, if the solar storm is very intense, the particles may be able to deform the rails of the magnetic field, filtering at the poles, but also in other places in the magnetosphere. Historical consequences. The consequences of these types of events have been seen numerous times throughout history. The most dramatic case was possibly that of Carrington eventwhich took place in 1859. It is considered the most powerful solar storm that has been recorded in history with consequences on Earth. Because of this large release of plasma from the Sun, auroras were seen in places as far from the poles as Hawaii and Cuba, but there were also less noticeable consequences, such as the burning of telegraph lines in many parts of the world. Another very notorious and dangerous case took place during the Vietnam War, in 1972, when a solar storm caused the accidental detonation of several magnetic underwater mines. And much more recent is the Gannon Storm, which in 2024 affected the GPS systems of planting tractors in several locations in the United Statescausing losses of 500 million dollars among farmers. But the situation could be worse. It is estimated that a major storm like Carrington’s could occur once a century. There hasn’t been one this big since then, so it could happen in the not too distant future. And today we depend much more on technologies than then. It is estimated that the losses could be more than 2 billion dollars. A natural process. This artificial wall that Walsh wants to create is inspired by a process that occurs naturally. And the thing is that, from time to time, small fragments of the Earth’s atmosphere break off and join the magnetic field, reinforcing it before the arrival of charged particles from the Sun. Lithium and barium would do something similar, artificially. Simulations only: For now, Brian Walsh has only made simulations of his invention, he has not tested it in space by any means. He himself recognizes that it is a complex process, so it must be done perfectly so that it causes more benefits than problems. Releasing ionizable elements at random could be harmful if not done in the right place. In addition, ways must be found to put ships in the correct place in their orbit before the storm arrives, so it is important to speed up the process while improving prediction methods. Handicaps. Although it may seem like a lot of mass is required to carry out this procedure, Walsh insists that the payload needs fall within current launch capabilities. However, he recognizes that it is an expensive process. Therefore, it would be necessary to look for ways to optimize it so that the necessary investment is not so large. For example, you want to work on pulsed release so that ionizable material is not wasted. In short, this method of controlling space weather is not at all something that will be used imminently, but it is clear that in the future we will need something like this. If not this method, another, but we greatly need something that protects us from the harshest elements of the Sun. Image | NASA | Walsh et al. In Xataka | A sunspot 17 times larger than Earth caused red auroras across half the world. It is a very rare event

an old trick to know what time of night wild boars appear

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In the Middle Ages, tracking a wild boar was such a valuable skill that some nobles they spent whole days to interpret footprints, disturbed mud and almost invisible signs to find out where the animal had spent the night. In fact, the great wild boar hunts depended much more than reading the terrain than force or weapons, a tradition that survived for centuries even after the emergence of more advanced technologies. The trick that hunters of yesteryear used. Long before camera traps or drones existed, hunters resorted to simple and ingenious solutions to find out what time wild boars appeared. One of the most curious methods consisted of connect an alarm clock to a fishing line placed next to a bait station. When the animal moved a stone or touched the line while eating, the battery jumped and the clock stopped, recording the exact time of visit. The system had limitations and could fail due to rain, other animals or simple mechanical errors, but it reflects the extent to which knowing the habits of the wild boar has always been valuable information for those who lived with this species. A very adaptable animal. The obsession with understanding the wild boar has a simple explanation: it is one of the mammals most adaptable in Europe. Its varied diet, intelligence and high reproductive capacity allow it to thrive in forests, crops, marshes and even environments close to cities. This ease of taking advantage of any available resource has driven the growth of their populations during the last decades and has turned the species into a constant challenge for wildlife managers, farmers, conservationists and hunters. When population control disappears. The increase in specimens is especially visible in some protected areas where hunting activity was eliminated or significantly reduced. The ban on hunting in national parks was presented as a victory for conservation, but the passage of time has revealed that the absence of regulatory mechanisms also can cause problems. The debate, therefore, no longer revolves solely around the protection of animals, but about how to prevent a particularly successful species from altering the balance of the ecosystem. The alarm in Doñana. He most striking case is occurring in the Doñana National Park in Spain. Organizations such as Ecologistas en Acción and SEO/BirdLife have alerted that nest predation by wild boars is affecting the reproductive success of protected species such as the common blackbird and purple heron. The situation is especially striking because some of the groups that defended the elimination of hunting in these spaces are now those who warn of the effects of an increasingly abundant wild boar population. No nests and threatened species. The damage does not only affect those birds. In various areas of the marsh, wild boars have entered colonies of breeding and have destroyed eggs and chicks of species such as the slender-billed gull, the black-winged stilt, the white-faced vent or the pratincole. The ability of the wild boar to locate food and taking advantage of any opportunity makes these nesting areas especially vulnerable targets. Images of severely damaged colonies have reopened a debate that seemed closed about how to manage certain wildlife populations. Nature does not understand ideologies. Beyond the crossed accusations between conservationists and representatives of the hunting world, the Doñana episode has put an uncomfortable question on the table: managing wildlife requires practical decisions in addition to conservation principles. Hence the old alarm clock connected to a fishing line symbolized the effort to understand an animal that is difficult to observe. Today the tools are much more sophisticatedbut the challenge remains the same. The better we know the wild boar, the more evident it becomes that its extraordinary ability to thrive can become a problem when the mechanisms capable of maintaining balance with the rest of the ecosystem disappear. Image | PXHereRichard Bartz In Xataka | Neither drones nor snipers: wild boar hunters in Barcelona have a simpler natural and home remedy In Xataka | The technological war that we see in Ukraine has an unexpected replica in Barcelona: this time the enemy is thousands of wild boars

So few babies have not been born since the Civil War

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Barcelona is a dynamic city, destination for thousands of foreigners looking for a new life in Europe and a territory that takes years seeing how its census grows almost uninterruptedly. Still, that doesn’t mean its demographic engine is well-oiled. On the contrary. The latest data published by the City Council show that, after almost a decade of decline, in 2025 its birth rate marked the second lowest level since 1900. Since the beginning of the 20th century there was only one year in which fewer babies were born in Barcelona: 1939, when the Civil War ended. In fact, if the Barcelona census remains more or less afloat it is basically thanks to the flow of immigrants. What has happened? That the Barcelona City Council has published their official demographic data as of January 1, 2026 and the general ‘photo’ they leave is full of chiaroscuros. The city’s population remains more or less stable, with 1,729,963 registered0.1% less than the previous year. It is not a bad figure if you take into account that Barcelona has been gaining residents from 2022 and that at the beginning of the century the census barely exceeded 1.5 million. What’s more, the local government relates this slight decline of 0.1% to a simple administrative issue. In his opinion they are explained (at least in part) because there are people who were still registered in Barcelona without living there and have now “regularized” their situation. “Barcelona is the administrative and physical gateway to the territory,” clarify the deputy mayor, Jordi Valls. Resident population in Barcelona (1900-2026) Perfect, right? Not quite. It is true that the loss of population has been minimal, almost negligible, and that Barcelona has been gaining population practically since the beginning of the century; But that doesn’t mean the city’s demographic engine is working well. On the contrary. Its vegetative balance (the difference between births and deaths) is in the red. To be more precise, last year Barcelona saw how they died 3,549 neighbors more than those who were born. This data is explained because, although in general the number of deaths was reduced, the number of births decreased even more. The statistics of the City Council also reveal that this imbalance occurs in practically the entire city. “The negative natural balance is spread across all districts with the exception of Ciutat Vella, where for the third consecutive year there are more births than deaths,” clarify from the Consistory. This is an interesting note because of what it reveals to us about the birth rate in Barcelona. Are so few children born? Yes. The Barcelona statistical office counted last year 11,012 birthsa bad fact no matter how you look at it. Not only does it represent a decline of 1.3% compared to 2024. If we broaden the focus we see that this decrease aggravates the negative trend that the municipality has suffered since 2017 and, above all, distances it (even further) from the peaks in birth rates that it registered during the ‘baby boom’. For reference, the 11,012 births in 2025 are almost three times lower than those recorded in 1973, when the city saw 31,689 cradle Barcelonans born. The 2025 figure is in fact the second lowest in the entire historical series of the Barcelona Department of Statistics and Data Dissemination, which dates back to 1900. Since then there has only been one year in which fewer babies were born: 1939. That year they came into the world in Barcelona. 8,992 people. It is not surprising if we take into account that it was the last of the war and in 1938 the municipality had registered a record number of deaths (almost 28,200). At that time the total registry was also very inferiorit barely exceeded a million. Births and deaths (1900-2025) Immigrants, emigrants and administrative movements (1971-2025) How is the census maintained? Thanks to immigration, basically. “During 2025 the natural balance between births and deaths was -3,549 people, but it was offset by a positive migration balance of +11,383 people,” recognize the City Council, which confirms that the flow of foreigners “continues to be the essential component of demographic dynamics.” This is not an isolated fact or something temporary. From the Town Hall confirm that the population arriving from other countries has been “the protagonist of demographic growth” in Barcelona so far in the 21st century. Last year, in fact, the number of those registered with foreign nationality rose another slight 0.7%. Can we go further? That immigration has become the great demographic driver of Barcelona is something that can already be felt in its social structure. The “native population” was no longer the majority in 2019 and today in the city it is easier to meet people born in other places than in a Barcelona hospital. To be more precise, the City Council calculates that on January 1 the native population barely represented 44.6% of the total. In Barcelona there are 626,924 people registered who were born outside of Spain, the vast majority (53.2%) from America, although there are also many residents born in Pakistan, Morocco, Italy and China. And that among a long list of 181 different nationalities. Almost a third (30%) of those born abroad have already acquired Spanish nationality and today they represent 11% of the registry. What happens with age? The municipal statistics They also allow us to understand how the Barcelona population pyramid evolves. Another interesting indicator, since, although the immigrants who come to the city tend to be young, the average age of the general population has risen to 44.6 years. Nothing surprising if we take into account that the pyramid is clearly widening at the summit. As of January 1, there were 1,196 people residing in Barcelona who had already blown out the 100 candles, an all-time high. Meanwhile, the number of homes in which children and adolescents live is decreasing, and they do not even represent a quarter. What does increase is the education of the population: 37.4% of those registered over … Read more

review with features, price and specifications

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I think that, as a reader in general and a manga lover in particular, I have found the gift that I will put this year in the letter to the Three Wise Men. Each and every one of the gadgets that I have tried to read digitally They have given me some problems: either they are small, or their screens tire my eyes, or they distract me with notifications or they do not easily accept the most common formats. He Boox Go 10.3 (Gen II) Lumi It’s quite the opposite. It is what, as a reader, I would definitely want to have on my nightstand and in my backpack. The only thing I’m missing is the 450 euros that, unfortunately for my pocket, it costs. ✅ Buy it if… You read a lot in digital. You want a comfortable, large e-book reader with a good battery. You don’t like the idea of ​​having to buy all the books on Amazon Kindle. ❌ Don’t buy it if… You tend to read unusually or sporadically. You don’t want to spend a lot of money. You want a color screen. The essentials in 30 seconds The Boox Go 10.3 (Gen II) Lumi is a book reader with a 10.3-inch black and white e-ink display. Everything is normal, except for the operating system, which is Android 15. What does that mean? That you have access to Google Play and, therefore, to the entire ecosystem of reading apps (and non-readable) available for Android. It doesn’t tie you to a platform (like Kindles), but rather gives you total freedom. It works sensationally, it supports all home formats (PDF, EPUB, CBR, MOBI, doc, docx…), it has a backlight (it’s the difference between the Lumi model and the standard one) and the pen is very useful. Your main problem? That it does not have a color screen, that it has little capacity and that the price to pay for it is quite high. Now, if you do not intend to read color documents and are looking for a good black and white reading device for books and manga, this is, without a doubt, one of the options to consider. BOOX Go 10.3 Gen2 Lumi Epapel Tablet 10.3″ Monochrome Front Light 300 DPI 64 GB Android 15 E-Ink The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Our experience with the Boox Go 10.3 (Gen II) Lumi Boox Go 10.3 (Gen II) Lumi | Image: Xataka E-ink display: pros. If we talk about reading for a long time, electronic ink screens have no rival: they tire the eyes much lessthey have less reflections and do not suffer when placed in broad daylight. This device features a 10.3-inch eInk panel with 300 pixels per inch resolution and, simply put, it looks great. Not only is the text crisp, but the manga drawings and fine panel details look spectacular. I have not had the slightest problem when reading books, manga, websites and even working with PDFs. A note about qualities: the device offers us several screen configurations, so we can choose if we want a faster refresh at the cost of losing sharpness, or more sharpness at the expense of losing transition speed. Here to taste. I have used it most of the time with the second configuration. Big, but comfortable. It is a large device, but very thin and weighs 300 grams. This means that we can carry it in our backpack without it getting in the way (it came with me to Poland, in fact) or that we can use it in bed without our arms getting tired. In fact, it’s funny that the pencil, which we’ll talk about shortly, is thicker than the reader itself. The weight seems more than it is, in practice it doesn’t feel like it weighs a third of a kilo. Boox Go 10.3 (Gen II) Lumi | Image: Xataka Moves in fear. Although its specifications may seem modest, the truth is that Android 15 works well with the four gigabytes of RAM and the Snapdragon 750G processor that it has. The 64 GB of storage, however, seems somewhat scarce to me and, furthermore, they are not expandable. By default, there is certain ghosting when we turn the page, but it is neither very exaggerated nor is it something that cannot be fixed by adjusting the refresh rate. I have it configured so that the screen refreshes completely when turning five pages, but if having the shadow of the page is a nuisance it can be adjusted so that it refreshes when turning one. This, needless to say, will slow down loading. Android is always a good idea. The interface is well adapted and has everything necessary to work, namely a reading app compatible with all formats, a browser, an AI assistant whose presence is testimonial, and Google Play. The advantage, of course, is the compatibility with Android apps, so you can install Google Play Books, Kindle, Moon Reader, Notion or Manga Plus to stay up to date with One Piece. It supports all popular formats, so you can use any EPUB, MOBI or PDFs you buy on any platform. About the pencil: the device includes a stylus to take notes, write, make annotations on files, etc. It works quite well and responds to pressure, but there is minimal latency that makes typing feel a bit clunky. It makes more sense to make specific annotations on a PDF or a drawing than to take quick notes in a class, for example. Boox Go 10.3 (Gen II) Lumi | Image: Xataka Charger? The device arrived charged at 80% 16 days ago and today, after using it literally every day for at least an hour-hour and a half, I put it on charge with 28% battery remaining. This is the advantage of these devices: they barely consume anything. Loading is a little slow, but nothing to worry about considering that we will do it every so often. Boox Go 10.3 (Gen II) Lumi technical … Read more

Amazon sells off this iPhone with the best price we have seen to date: it costs 504 euros

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Except the iPhone AirApple’s current generation mobile phones have changed very little in price since their respective launches. On the other hand, we do usually find those from the previous generation on sale, and quite frequently. The best one we can find right now has fallen into the iPhone 16ea mobile phone that, although it is true that it is not the most recent, is perfect for making the leap into the Apple ecosystem. Its price on Amazon is 504 euros. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A new minimum price With Amazon’s new offer, we are talking about a new historical minimum price. He iPhone 16e It will not be Apple’s most complete mobile because it has certain shortcomings, but it is quite attractive. Starting with its design, we are talking about a compact mobile with 6.1 inch screenthe smallest of all considering that, except for the iPhone 17eApple mobile phones are starting from 6.3 inches. It is also a mobile phone that offers good power thanks to the A18 chipthe same one that integrates the iPhone 16. This chip, in addition to offering good performance, adds compatibility with Apple Intelligence. And your software will also be updated for many years. On the other hand, it is worth mentioning that its battery offers one of the best autonomy that we have seen in iPhone with this size, reaching the day without any problem with very demanding use. ⚡ IN SUMMARY: iPhone 16e offer today ✅ THE BEST Yesu format and power: We are talking about a small mobile phone, but also powerful. Your battery: whether you use it a lot or little, the battery will last you at least a day without any problem. ❌ THE WORST los 128 GB… They remain very tight today. With wireless charging, but… no MagSafe support. To use these accessories it is necessary to have a compatible case. 💡 BUY IT IF… You are looking for the first iPhone, especially if you don’t want to spend too much money and are looking to prioritize the battery. ⛔ DON’T BUY IT IF… You are going to take a lot of photographs and you do not have cloud services, since 128 GB is enough for what it gives, which is not much. You may also be interested ESR Case for iPhone 17e/ iPhone 16e, MagSafe Compatible, Military Grade Shockproof Protection, Magnetic Case for iPhone 17e/ iPhone 16e, Classic Hybrid Case (HaloLock), Transparent The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit Screen Protector for iPhone 17e, iPhone 16e, iPhone 14, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, 2 Units, High Definition, 9H Hardness The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Ricardo AguilarApple In Xataka | Best iPhones. Which one to buy in 2026 and recommended models based on budget, tastes and quality-price In Xataka | After testing them, Xataka experts agree: these are the best mobile phones of 2026

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