Month: November 2025

Cover letters were a treasure for recruiters, until AI turned them into wet paper

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AI promised to speed up the processes of staff recruitmentbut after a period of intensive use of AI by both companies and candidates, it has been shown that It’s more broken than ever. Further proof of this degradation are cover letters which, although before the arrival of AI models were a clear differentiating factor, are currently worthless, as a study by Princeton University and Dartmouth College has shown. Cover letters made a difference. The study ‘Making Talk Cheap: generative AI and Labor Market Signaling‘ carried out by Princeton researchers analyzed more than 2.7 million proposals on the Freelancer.com platform before and after the implementation of the LLM text generation models to create these cover letters. Their conclusion is that, before using AI, attach a well-written and to show interest and knowledge of the position and the company to which one was applying, considerably increased the hiring options because the recruiters perceived that this was a very capable candidate. Now they are wet paper. However, as the use of AI tools to generate these cover letters has spread, the appreciation of quality has improved so that candidates in the top 20% of writing skills were 19% less likely to be hired, while those in the lowest 20% increased their chances by 14%. In other words, employers stopped associating a well-written letter with a competent candidate. This has meant that the differentiating factor that a well-written cover letter previously provided has disappeared, reducing the curve of possibilities between the best-trained candidates and those who are not so well-trained. Letters submitted before the LLM models had a better chance of being hired than those post-LLM AI makes hiring more difficult. The effect observed in cover letters has been extended to other areas of personnel selection, since AI distorts real capabilities of the candidates. It is true that its use increases the perception of quality of the candidates, but as the average quality of the group increased, companies began to trust less in the information provided by the applications. He study ‘Does AI devalue communication? Theory and evidence of entrepreneurship and contracting at a global level’ carried out by researchers at Columbia University and Yeshiva, found a similar pattern in selection and entrepreneurship processes: access to AI reduced the accuracy with which recruiters identified the best profiles to fill a given vacancy by between 4% and 9%. If everything is good, nothing is good. For decades, a letter well tailored to the offer served as proof of interest and commitment on the part of candidates. In labor economics, this is known as “signalling”: the candidate conveys their effort through the quality of the text. Generative models have thrown that signal to the ground. The meta-analysis ‘The role of artificial intelligence in personnel selection’ concluded that the automation of selection processes with AI is eroding the traditional signals of merit that were transmitted through cover letters, emails or applications received by the hiring and human resources departments. In that sense, while it is true that AI has democratized competition in the job search, it has also made genuine talent less visible. Who is behind the algorithm? The current degradation of those “clues” that allowed recruiters to locate the best talent, forces us to look for new ways to evaluate candidates. As and as they pointed From the technological employment platform Manfred, the use of AI has multiplied the number of applications, but the perceived quality has not improved at the same pace. For this reason, many companies are choosing to implement more practical tests and face-to-face interviews in their selection processes. That is, eliminate from the equation the presence of AI for the last stage of the selection process. The unknown of this practice is knowing how much talent has succumbed to AI resume filtering prior to that first face-to-face interview. In Xataka | Jeff Bezos assures that there is a type of employee who can never be replaced by an AI: inventors Image | Unsplash (Vitaly Gariev)

Participate in our giveaway on Twitch and get a free HUAWEI WATCH GT 6 Pro

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One more day is one less day for the gala of the Xataka NordVPN Awards 2025. On November 20 we will discover the best technological products of the year, including smart watches. And precisely in this category the protagonist of today’s Xataka Live competes, because yes, today HUAWEI is with us to tell us more about HUAWEI WATCH GT 6 Pro and, incidentally, draw one. The second edition of Xataka Live will take place today, November 5, at 4:00 p.m. Spanish peninsular time on our Twitch channel. And indeed, a lucky xatakero or xatakera will be able to take home one of the best smartwatches of the year. How do you participate? Let’s go over it. How to win a HUAWEI WATCH GT 6 Pro HUAWEI WATCH GT 6 Pro | Image: HUAWEI Following today’s Xataka Live can have a prize: a HUAWEI WATCH GT 6 Pro. It is one of the top smartwatches this year (finalist in the Xataka NordVPN 2025 Awards, keep an eye on the data) and a lucky xatakero or xatakera player will be able to get it completely free. Participating is very easy: you just have to watch today’s broadcast and stay tuned. At some point we will ask a question during the live. The first ten people to answer correctly will get a number from one to ten and move on to the second round. In it, our presenters will draw a random number from a bag and Whoever has that number will win the prize. There will be one winner and two substitutes. If the winner (the first number drawn) does not meet the requirements, the prize will go to the first substitute (the second number), and if this does not meet the requirements, to the second (the third number). The winner will be revealed live and you must contact Xataka by whispering in the Twitch chat. Remember: you must be over 18 years old and resident in Spain to participate. You still have time to get your tickets for the gala Xataka NordVPN Awards 2025 on November 20 in Madrid! Join us and discover the best technological products of the year in a free event full of gadgets, humor and surprises. Advice offered by the brand The legal bases can be consulted at this link. Below, we summarize the dynamics: During today’s program (November 5, 16:00-17:00), we will ask a question. The first ten people who answer correctly in the chat will be assigned a number and will advance to the second round. The presenters will blindly draw a number from a bag. The entry corresponding to that number will win the prize, in this case a HUAWEI WATCH GT 6 Pro. In addition, two more numbers will be drawn corresponding to the two substitutes. The requirements to participate are to be of legal age (18 years) and resident in Spain. If the winner does not meet the requirements, the first alternate will be moved; If he does not comply either, the second substitute will be used. This content is a sponsored collaboration between Xataka and the brand, without agreements on the script or selection of topics. The editorial content is prepared entirely by Xataka. Image | Xataka In Xataka | Xataka NordVPN 2025 Awards: reserve November 20 for the great annual technology festival

LineageOS 23 brings Android 16 to a wave of abandoned mobile phones, with more difficulties than ever. Google put a wall in the way

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There is a feeling of betrayal that runs through the most veteran Android community. The reason is Google’s strategy, which has been closing a system that was born completely free: the development of AOSP (the source code of Android) now it’s more privateand the publication of the source code suffer delays that didn’t happen before. While many feel that “the soul of Android has disappeared”the community responds. And the biggest banner of that Open Source resistance has just been updated. In the image, Murena’s /e/ OS alternative ROM, which is based on the popular LineageOS Lifesaver for an abandoned mobile. The life cycle of an Android smartphone is usually not as long as the competition, although that is changing in recent times. From this premise, alternatives emerged such as LineageOS, which is actually the spiritual heir to the mythical CyanogenMod. For many users, it is the only way to have the latest version of Google’s OS and extend the useful life of their devices. LineageOS 23 expands. The LineageOS team has announced a new batch of devices that receive official support for LineageOS 23, its version based on Android 16. This update not only brings the news of Android 16, but also self-developed improvements. For example, “Catapult” and “Aperture 2.0”. The first is a new launcher for Android TV with a clear objective: replace the Google TV interface with a clean, fast and ad-free one. Instead, Aperture is the ROM’s camera app that has now been rewritten from the ground up with support for Ultra HDR and RAW capture. Google has changed the rules. The LineageOS team has confirmed on their official blog that this has been a complicated launch. As we have been saying, the more closed development of AOSP and the fact that Google no longer publishes the Pixel code with total transparency, has caused Google phones to no longer be as easy to support compared to those of any other manufacturer. Despite the difference with respect to the extinct Nexus, the Pixels have been the reference for Open Source development. That’s over too. Consequences. The change in strategy has materialized in delays to the Android 16 code: Google released Android 16 QPR1 for the Pixel (first quarterly update) but never published the source code on AOSP. For this reason, LineageOS has been forced to launch its version 23.0 based on the initial version of Android 16. In practice, ROM users do not currently receive news as notable as the Material 3 Expressive redesign. There are also uncertainty regarding security. Google has changed the way it releases system security patches. They are no longer monthly and complete; most corrections are now quarterly. For its part, the team behind LineageOS warns that this means that its ROM security patch levels could inevitably be delayed. The basis of Android “resistance” without Google. Despite all these difficulties, LineageOS continues to be one of the pillars of the “degoogleized” community. Not only is it an alternative view for the end user, but its AOSP code serves as the basis for privacy projects like the popular GrapheneOS either the European /e/ OS. Keeping LineageOS alive is keeping alive the possibility of an Android without Google in an increasingly controlled ecosystem. New devices. The latest batch of devices that join the official support of LineageOS 23 focuses, curiously, on the Google family and flagships from OnePlus and Xiaomi. Some of them are the Pixel 6, 7, 8 and 9 series, the OnePlus 13 or the Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G. They add to the long list of those that debuted when LineageOS 23 was released a few weeks ago. Cover image | Composition with LineageOS images and generated by Nano Banana In Xataka | Google believes it has the key to compete with Windows, Linux and macOS in laptops. That key is called Android

your next cell phone will be more expensive. It’s the AI’s fault

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“Prices are going to rise next year,” says Ma Zhiyu, Xiaomi’s marketing director. The reason is that there are components whose price is sky-high, and is expected to continue increasing. We talk about the NAND and DRAM memories, whose cost has skyrocketed due to the huge demand caused by AI data centers. Frightening. This is how Ma Zhiyu has described the storage prices expected for next year, as stated in IThome. The manager took to Weibo to comment on his impressions about the cost projections for next year. According to a recent report by Korea Economic DailySamsung and SK Hynix notified their customers that they would apply increases of up to 30% in NAND and DRAM memories in the fourth quarter of the year. Figures. According to the Taiwanese CTEE mediumthe price of DRAM memories has increased by 171% year-on-year, more than increases in the price of gold. Demand driven by AI boom, especially in DDR5 memory modules. To put it in context, a 16GB DDR5 module used to cost between $7 and $8, but since September it costs $13. As for NAND memories for SSDs and servers, the increase is estimated at 50%. Mobile phones too. The most affected products are those that require more memory, such as PCs and laptops, but Ma warns that it will affect any device that uses memory. This increase will also have an impact on mobile phones, especially those that have more storage such as the 512GB or 1TB versions. More memory, more expensive. In a post on Weibo, Sun Cun, product director at Redmiresponded to users who complained that they couldn’t afford the 12+512GB version. “We cannot change the trend of the global supply chain. Prices are going to rise next year,” he said. Furthermore, recently they announced a discount 300 yuan on the 512GB version of the Redmi K90 and warned that it could be the last chance to get such an offer. The bottomless pit of AI. The AI ​​race is about computing power, which means building many data centersand these data centers need many componentsincluding GPUs which, in turn, require enormous amounts of memory. The result: shortages, customers lining up to get memories and sky-high prices. It will get worse. The worst thing is that this has just begun, or so some experts predict. Tom’s Hardware publishes the statements of Chen Libai, CEO of ADATA, who believes that in 2026 the shortage will be even greater. It will still take a while to see the impact in stores and it will gradually spread, but it is a matter of time before the domino effect reaches us. If you are thinking of buying SSD, expanding the memory of your PC or changing your mobile phone, perhaps it is time to do so. Image | Samsung, Xataka In Xataka | Xiaomi 15 Ultra, analysis: a crazy night between a mobile phone and a compact camera

Someone has said that melatonin damages the heart. The reality, according to science, is that we can be calm

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Melatonin is a hormone that now is on many people’s lips being a key element in the regulation of our biological clock, and above all being well known for its relationships with sleep induction. It is precisely for this last reason that in recent years people have been supplementing with melatonin pills to be able to sleep better or regulate their sleep schedules more, but now the alarms have gone off about the possible side effects it may have. The alarm voice. There are many benefits that melatonin has with its continued use as a supplement beyond those related to sleep, such as anti aging thanks to its antioxidant capabilities. But beyond the benefits, a study has raised the alarm: it can cause heart failure. However, there is much to qualify in this statement. Obviously, something like this can generate great unrest in society, precisely because it is a widely used supplement in different countries because it can be purchased without any type of medical prescription (except for the highest doses). And this attraction has been used to create pills, gummies or even infusions that have melatonin inside. But the reality is that nothing we ingest can be harmless to our body, especially if very specific safety guidelines are not followed. Although in the case of melatonin everything indicated that it was completely safe and that everything behind it was something positive. Until now. What the study says. The focus of the controversy centers on a preliminary study (and this is important) that is going to be presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2025. This work analyzed the medical records of more than 130,000 adults with insomnia, comparing 65,414 people who had used melatonin for a year with another group who had not used it. The results of this study they pointed in this case because users who used melatonin chronically were twice as likely to be diagnosed with heart failure. But they went further by showing that there was a 3.5 times greater risk of hospitalization for heart failure. But saying ‘double’, the truth is that it does not provide much information (beyond fear), but what is important here would be to talk about the absolute increase in risk, as the Secretary of State for Health points out in his X account. Tranquillity. But the reality in this case is that there is no need to sound the alarm immediately because of the ‘fault’ of a study that has not yet been reviewed (since it is not even published in a journal). Right now there is a large amount of scientific evidence that proves how safe melatonin isand a single study does not put in check all the scientific literature behind it, although it does open a door to be able to investigate in a more in-depth way. melatonin side effects. For example, in 2022 a systematic review was published on high doses of melatonin in adults found minor adverse events such as drowsiness, headache or dizziness, but no increase in serious adverse events. The same thing happened with the StatPearls article of 2024 which indicated there was no evidence of toxic effects. Specifically in chronic use we have a 2023 study by Givler which confirms that the administration of between 5-6 mg of melatonin per day does not generate serious long-term risks. Although logically it is important to use it above all as an ‘help’ to have more adequate sleep hygiene with the aim of not depending on exogenous melatonin to be able to sleep. And it is necessary to carry out studies that are appropriate to look for this correlation. The study that has highlighted melatonin is not the most appropriate as it is observational and not a randomized clinical trial. This means that it has not been possible to verify exactly whether these differences are due to chance and, above all, there has been no control over the patient groups, since it has been done with their clinical histories. The correct thing to do in these situations is to propose a study with two groups: one where patients take melatonin and another where they do not. But until we reach this point, it is important to calculate the number of patients needed, how they are selected and the baseline characteristics they must have so that there are interchangeable patients in both groups and many other factors. Everything necessary so that the conclusion of the study has great external validity for the entire population. Investigation remains. Logically, any type of supplement, and especially if it is hormonal, can lead to different side effects. The issue in this case is that research is needed to look for side effects and ask ourselves if it is necessary for doctors to start prescribing it in all doses. And, as we have said before, a prescription is only needed for the highest doses, but the lowest doses can even be found in a supermarket. Although whenever you have doubts about the safety of the medication, the important thing is always to consult with your primary care doctor so that the dose can be adjusted based on the particular history of each patient. Images | Isabella Fischer Robina Weermeijer In Xataka | Of course melatonin has side effects. There is nothing special or alarming about it

one mind now controls everything

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On the Ukrainian front, air supremacy is no longer decided in combat between fighters, but in continuous interaction among swarms of droneshuman operators and jamming systems electronics that transform the contact line into a space of algorithmic warfare. FPVs, initially seen as improvised weapons, have become the main system of death and attrition: around 80% of casualties on land it comes from them. It happens that the conflict has pushed Ukraine towards a change more typical of a science fiction movie. The new war. Yes, the scale of the conflict has pressured Ukrainian forces into a qualitative change: moving from individual missions to structures where a single operator coordinates multiple aircraftconverts previously manual tasks into semi-automated processes and, above all, introduces the ability to pit drones against drones, in a low-cost air defense designed to counter the Russian saturation with Shaheds, decoys and missiles. Squadron Commander. This is where a new name emerges. The Pasika system, developed by Sine Engineering and already operational in Ukrainian units, transforms the figure of the drone operator into something never before seen in a war: a single human being which can plan, launch and monitor multiple FPV platforms from a unified interface. Instead of constant manual piloting, Pasika allows to predefine mission zones, routes and attack points, and switch video between drones without losing control. Its essence is not to replace the human, but extend your capacitylightening the cognitive load under stress and allowing attention to focus on target selection and tactical coordination. The key lies in its architecture resistant to electronic warfare: Sine.Link provides encrypted transmission and alternative navigation when GPS is interfered, while terminal guidance modules They allow you to fix targets and free the operator to manage the next drone. The result is a multiplication of efficiency: three to five times more operational performance with the same human resources, on a front where the shortage of specialists is as critical as that of ammunition. Automation against wear. In addition to precision attacks, Pasika enables functions previously unthinkable in volume: automated delivery of supplies when the ground is too dangerous for vehicles, silent reconnaissance missions in radio-off mode and anti-tank mine placement using predetermined patterns. The logic is always the same: reduce human exposure, increase cadence and sustain tactical pressure. A crucial component is modularity: More than a hundred Ukrainian manufacturers have integrated the systems into their models, indicating an expanding industrial ecosystem and an interoperability doctrine accelerated by the urgency of war. The future vision is clear: logistics boxes that they store dozens or hundreds of drones and launch them automatically when activated, with no personnel present. Drone-based defense. In parallel with this increase in offensive capacity, Ukraine is preparing to scale the production of interceptor drones up to 600–800 units per daywith the explicit goal of fighting swarms with swarms. These fast quadcopters are designed to pursue and destroy Shaheds and other Russian drones in flight, at a cost of between $3,000 and $6,000 per unit, compared to hundreds of thousands or millions it costs a conventional anti-aircraft missile. Russia is trying to overwhelm defenses by launching waves of cheap devices combined with guided missiles, and the only sustainable response is low-cost, distributed air defense. In that sense, Ukraine already has shown results: some models of interceptors managed to shoot down nine out of ninety drones attackers in a single night, and Zelensky claimed that 150 shootdowns had occurred in a context of 810 enemy drones. It is not just about volume, but about the ability to respond in a modular, flexible and continuous way, in a reasonable cost band for a country exhausted by years of total war. Swarms against swarms. The combination of systems like Pasika and the mass production of interceptors changes the very structure of combat. The traditional equation (more soldiers, more artillery, more platforms) is being replaced by the relationship between operators and disposable air units. The question, therefore, is no longer how many weapons each side has, but rather how many platforms each operator can manage and how resistant the communications network is under interference. If Ukraine manages to stabilize the manufacturing and deployment of these systems, the intensity of the drone war will increase, but so will the army’s ability to sustain operations without depending exclusively on human reserves, increasingly more difficult to move. First war where the hand does not shoot. Thus, the war in Ukraine is inaugurating a new military paradigm in which victory depends less on raw power and more on the ability to integrate sensors, links, partial autonomy and efficient operators in flexible structures. Plus, the figure of the solitary pilot disappears: in its place emerges the swarm coordinatorthe distributed node manager, the operator who manages dozens of machines remotely. If you also want, what is at stake is not only the Ukrainian front, but the war model that will define the coming decades: a battlefield where air superiority no longer belongs to whoever has the best planes, but to whoever can put more eyesmore wings and more simultaneous decisions in the air, at the lowest possible cost. A first war where the winning hand is not the one that shoots, but the one that coordinates. Image | Sergei S., Ministry of Defense of Ukraine In Xataka | The latest image of a Russian camouflage can only mean one thing: Ukrainian drones are spreading terror In Xataka | Russia’s latest tactic is the closest thing to a magic trick: By the time Ukraine realizes it, the Russians are already behind it

AI companies promised to be happy with their autonomous agents, until they came across Amazon

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AI agents promise us to perform complex tasks autonomously, such as book trips either make the purchase. Although is improvingagentic AI still it’s quite greenbut it has just come across an obstacle that we had not counted on and that could change everything: that there are companies that do not want AI agents roaming their stores. This is what just happened between Amazon and Perplexity. What has happened? They tell it in Bloomberg. Amazon is suing Perplexity to stop the agent built into its Comet browser from purchasing items from Amazon. According to Amazon, Perplexity has committed computer fraud by allowing its agent to browse and make purchases as if they were a real person, which violates its terms of service on transparency. They also claim that the use of automated agents can negatively affect the shopping experience on their platform. Why is it important. The case could set limits for autonomous AI agents in real-world tasks that require using third-party services, such as in this case Amazon. If stores or travel platforms close the door to AI agents, the promise of autonomy is compromised. On the other hand, leaving all doors open could influence e-commerce. It is something that has already happened before, such as cases of bots buying tickets to shows. Bullies. Perplexity has responded with a post on your blog in which they describe the move as “corporate bullying” and affirm that it is “a threat to all Internet users.” They also highlight that Comet users love the agentic AI features and that Amazon should too because it translates into more purchases and happy customers. For the company, an AI agent should have the same rights and responsibilities as a real human user since the agent is acting on behalf of the user. “It’s not Amazon’s job to oversee that,” Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity, said in an interview. Agents on Amazon. Amazon already has its own assistant Rufus and is developing its own agents, so there are more reasons behind this movement against Perplexity. It is not about protecting the experience, or at least not only about that, but that Perplexity is a direct competitor. Perplexity champions choice. “I don’t think it’s customer-centric to force people to only use their assistant, who may not even be the best shopping assistant,” Srinivas said. AI Ecosystems. The dispute between Amazon and Perplexity is the first example that the AI ​​war is also about ecosystems. It presents a scenario in which service providers decide whether an AI agent can enter their stores or travel platforms, or if they prefer to develop their own and force users to use that. The truth is that Amazon had already blocked the Perplexity agent a few months ago, but the company released an update that circumvented the blocking. We’ll see how everything turns out. Image | Pxhere In Xataka | CAPTCHAs had become an excellent tool to fight bots. Until ChatGPT Agent arrived

what it is, how to install it and what you can do with the messaging app on your watch

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Let’s tell you what it is and what functions it offers the version of WhatsApp for the Apple Watch. After years of waitingone of the best-selling smart watches on the market finally receives a version of the messaging app, but to what extent is it useful to use it from your wrist? We are going to start the article by telling you what the version of WhatsApp for the Apple Watch is, and we will also tell you how can you install it on the watch in case you don’t feel like it. Then, we will give you a list of the functions it offers. What is WhatsApp for Apple Watch WhatsApp for Apple Watch is exactly what the name suggests, a version for Apple watches from the Meta messaging app. This way, you can read the messages that come to you from your wrist, and also respond to them. This is a version adapted to the dimensions and interface of the Apple Watch, although It only has the basic functions to read and reply to messages. This way, if something important comes to you, you can respond immediately without even having to take out your cell phone. The app is basically for that, only to read and reply to messagesand other types of interactions are simply not available. It is also not compatible with all the types of file formats you can use, such as GIFs or stickers. Text and audio only. The WhatsApp application for the Apple Watch has dependence on the iPhone. This means you’ll need the iPhone your Apple Watch is paired to to be nearby and the watch to be paired to it. It won’t work if you leave your phone at home to exercise with just the watch, at the moment not even if it’s an Apple Watch with LTE. How to install the application To install WhatsApp on your Apple Watch, you only need have WhatsApp installed and updated on the iPhone. Once you have it, it should automatically appear in the list of applications on your watch. If it doesn’t appear, open the application watch on your mobile. On the main screen, go down to the bottom, and below the installed apps you will have a section Available Appswhich are those that you have on your mobile and have a compatible version for the Apple Watch that you have not installed. Here, simply click on the button Install beside WhatsApp. WhatsApp features for Apple Watch The WhatsApp app for the Apple Watch will allow you view text and voice messages that they send you in individual chats and groups. You will also be able to browse your list of chats, which, as in the app, will be ordered according to the pinned ones and those where you have received the latest messages. You will not be able to see the photos they send youand not GIFs either, although yes you will be able to see stickers. If they send you files, they will not appear either. With all this that you can’t see, what you will see is an indicator that the message format is not supported. You will also be able to respond to messages going to a keyboard screen or dictating what you want to say. Besides, you can also send voice messagessomething much more comfortable to do from the wrist than writing. Come on, you will be able to respond, and the fastest thing will be to send audios. In Xataka Basics | Send WhatsApp messages to yourself: How to do it and 11 uses for the function

Let’s say goodbye to Google Assistant a decade later. Google has begun to delete its code to leave only one option: Gemini

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It’s not official but as if it were: the end of Google Assistant or the classic Google Assistant, is scheduled. An analysis of the latest version of the Google app for Android carried out by Android Authority has revealed his almost definitive goodbye. The Mountain View company is eliminating the code that, for the moment, allows us to choose between Gemini and the old assistant. It is the chronicle of a death foretold that ends an era within the company. Where before we saw the Assistant icon and dialog window, we now have the Gemini one. Image by Iván Linares for Xataka Android failed promise. Launched in May 2016, the Google Assistant was going to be a revolution. On paper, it promised full voice control of your cell phone, car and home. In practice, like many users have experiencedits use ended up being “despairing” although the “Okay, Google” It became popular in smartphones and speakers. Your inability to understand the context or natural language and the rise of AI models, has finished burying it. The future belongs to Gemini. With the rise of generative AI, Google has bet everything on Gemini, but it has had a rather confusing rollout. For months, the American company maintained a curious mess with several duplicate names, apps and services… Bard, Assistant with Bard, Project Astra… In practice, two assistants live on the same mobile phone. In February 2024, its “transmutation” began: that was when Google launched the dedicated Gemini app (Bard was left behind) on Android, which when installed was offered as a replacement for Assistant. As we tested in its day, the new AI took over of the invocation with the famous “Hey Google” command. A more mature replacement. The problem with the Gemini assistant is that, at first, it was quite green. It was a powerful chatbot, but a not so useful assistant: it could not execute the basic tasks that the previous one could do, such as routines or orders for home automation. However, Google has spent the last year making Gemini absorb the features of its predecessor. The turning point came at the end of last year, when Gemini Live – the conversational voice mode – finally landed in Spain and in Spanish. Already approaching 2025, Gemini learned a basic function that it was missing: making calls and sending messages without having to unlock the mobile. The last big feature inherited from Assistant, the «Scheduled actions»arrived in June of this year. Google’s plan. At the same time that Gemini was learning the old Assistant tricks, Google has been dismantling the latter, removing useful functions. The objective is more than clear: Gemini is the future and will be everywhere. Now you can act like the “all-seeing” assistant thanks to Project Astra (integrated in Live mode), it is coming to Google Home speakers and its landing on Android Auto is imminent. The last step remains. And that is eliminating the escape route: Google has already consolidated the transition. Gemini is the default assistant on new mobile phones and can be installed on old ones without major impediments. The analysis of the APK of the specialized Android media only confirms that the last step is very simple: eliminate the option to go back. The king is dead, long live the king. Cover image | Composition with Google images and generated with Nano Banana by Pepu Ricca In Xataka | How to create Gemini Gems to have your personalized version of artificial intelligence

After a love-hate relationship with cinemas that has lasted for years, Netflix has finally decided what it wants them for

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Netflix finally seems to have assumed what its relationship with cinemas is: using theaters as promotion and as a way to create community with specific and very striking releases, which includes the theatrical release of the sumptuous ‘Frankenstein’ from Guillermo del Toro to the latest and highly anticipated episodes of ‘Stranger Things’. But although now there is complete calm, this relationship has gone through notable ups and downs: from the initial devotion and wanting to become a major of Hollywood to confront the old guard head-on, reaching this current middle ground that benefits both cinemas and the platform. Many moves. For more than a decade, Netflix has radically transformed the audiovisual industryfirst revolutionizing the home consumption model and then challenging traditional film distribution and exhibition systems. Currently, Netflix is ​​a giant available in more than 190 countries, with its own production that competes directly with the majors from Hollywood. And until reaching that point, Netflix has gone through very diverse stages: it tried to position itself as a conventional super-producer, there were controversies, triumphs at the Oscars, a certain cold phase of disagreement and, finally, a more pragmatic adoption of the theatrical space. Devotion and confrontation. In its first years of original production, Netflix wanted to play an important role within the conventional film industry. One of its first early milestones was the 2015 release of the film ‘Beasts of No Nation‘, both in selected rooms and on the platform itself. streaming. A bold move, since it involved challenging the traditional model of release windows that until then gave up an exclusive period of time in theaters before reaching other formats: Traditionally, this window could last between 90 and 180 days. The conflict begins. The powerful North American cinema chains and the most prestigious festivals began to openly reject Netflix moviessince they considered that the absence of a long theatrical window affected the overall profitability of the releases, and would end up damaging the theatrical experience. This situation led to public tensions given that Netflix excluded from some major film festivals for several years. Netflix he defended himself saying that their model prioritized the viewer’s experience at home and that they understood the theaters as a complement and not the core of their business. At the same time, it was generating more and more original production, of increasingly higher quality and budget. And COVID arrived. Netflix’s position backed by traveling companions like HBO (paradoxically, property of a majorWarner, which was beginning to see a clearer benefit in the streaming that in the rooms) had as its fruit a crisis of the film distribution model. The situation became particularly acute during the COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated the decline in viewers, completely settled the streaming experience and gave rise to decisions that were, in a certain sense, the final straw for classic distribution: majors traditional companies such as Disney and Warner releasing blockbusters of the caliber of ‘Mulan’, ‘Black Widow’ or ‘Kong vs. Godzilla’ at the same time on their newborn platforms. streaming and the cinemas. Have a mania Significantly, in May of this same yearTed Sarandos, executive director of the platform, criticized the theatrical experience, which he defined as “outdated” and “restricted.” He stated that the long-running theatrical window, traditionally defended by cinema chains, is not compatible with their business model. And although Netflix recognizes the cultural value of theatrical cinema, for many of its releases, “streaming first” is what drives success and the construction of fandoms. Already then he stated that each film has a “tailored” strategy regarding its relationship with theaters, and that is what we are seeing now. Of course, without passing up the opportunity to say that Netflix is ​​not destroying Hollywood, but “saving” it. Change of strategy. In recent years, Netflix has begun to show an evolution in its strategy regarding movie theaters, adopting a more pragmatic approach. One of the milestones that mark this change, and which was already mentioned in the aforementioned interview with Sarandos, is the decision to make outstanding theatrical premieres for productions with a high potential for cultural and popular impact. Significant example: the premiere of the final season of “Stranger Things” in select theaters, a move that combines the platform’s drawing power with the community and promotional effect of the theatrical experience. Netflix knows well that the theaters are remnants of the past, but they still have an indisputable communal power of attraction: there are films that appeal to specific audiences and very juicy areas of the fandom, as was the case with ‘The K-pop Warriors’. This film was a milestone: the first Netflix title to reach number one at the US box office, which makes clear the company’s ability to use theaters not only as a traditional distribution channel, but as a space to amplify platform phenomena. Hybrid model. Netflix’s current strategy is a hybrid model: it combines the strength of streaming with the cultural and promotional value of the cinema experience. Instead of seeing the rooms as a distribution channel, Netflix uses them as a speaker. Not as competition, but as strategic promotion allies. It is clear that Netflix has discovered what it can get out of traditional exhibition: Now it remains to be seen if the theaters understand what they can get out of a hypothetical (and much-needed) symbiotic relationship. In Xataka | 13 premiere movies and series to watch in November 2025 on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max and streaming

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