Month: December 2025

The first video game made entirely with AI comes to Steam. The players’ rejection has been almost unanimous.

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The video game industry receives a controversial experiment that some already describe as dystopian, although in reality it has much of a privileged look at a reality that is, potentially, around the corner. ‘Codex Mortis‘ is a title that is openly presented as the first video game developed entirely using artificial intelligence, which has released its demo version on Steam and has immediately unleashed a divided (but mostly hostile) response among the gamer community. What did you sew? The project, signed by a developer who signs with the pseudonym Grolaf, has generated controversy for its shameless proposal (a clone of the acclaimed indie hit ‘Vampire Survivors’, one of the great surprises of recent years, but replacing the delicious retropixelated aesthetic with the blurry and rough aesthetic typical of generative systems). But also, as it could not be otherwise, it has reopened the debate about the ethical and creative limits of AI in video game development. It comes at a time when major studios are facing similar accusations and sectors such as voice actors are organizing strikes against these technologies. I don’t like it. In the Steam community reviewsthe demo registers only 60% positive ratings among around thirty reviews, with comments that range between technical curiosity and, above all, outright rejection. The press has not been much more generous, and some means gives it the dubious honor of being “a foundational milestone of poorer AI.” Various websites They have collected opinions from players as strong as “games are ART. They need soul, life, virtue. Something that AI will never be able to capture”, which define the game as “machine-generated garbage.” How it was born. ‘Codex Mortis’ was developed over three months in which Grolaf exclusively used artificial intelligence tools to build all elements of the game. The developer used ChatGPT to generate the images and Claude Code to write the code. As a programming language it used TypeScript, instead of traditional engines such as Unity or Unreal Engine. The technical architecture is supported by libraries such as PIXI.js for graphics and Electron for desktop execution, a decision that apparently makes it difficult to correct errors, since the developer does not fully understand, by his own admission, how the systems generated by the AI ​​interact. The lightning that does not stop. The negative reaction to ‘Codex Mortis’ is not isolated, but the latest episode in a battle that has been shaking the industry for months. In November, for example, ‘Arc Raiders‘, Embark Studios’ extraction shooter, received a score of 2 out of 5 from Eurogamer exclusively due to its use of AI-generated voices. This rating sank the title’s Metacritic from an impressive 94 to 86, sparking a debate on whether the use of AI should be considered in critical assessments. Controversy escalated when the game received a single nomination at the Game Awards, leading many gamers to accuse the awards of deliberately punishing the title for its technology. Another case: ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops 7’ included clearly AI-generated assets (with characters with the typical six fingers, among other visual irregularities characteristic of AI). The scandal forced Activision to issue supporting statements given the disclosure policy on the use of artificial intelligence that Valve requires to include in games sold on Steam. Rejection among professionals. The State of the Game Industry 2025 survey from the Game Developers Conference reveals a drastic change in the perception of AI by professionals: just 13% of developers consider that generative AI will have a positive impact on the industry, falling from 21% the previous year. The percentage of those who see it negatively shot up from 18% to 30%. The most revealing part of the study is who adopts these tools: 50% of the professionals are from Business and Finance, followed by 40% in Production and Marketing. However, among programmers and artists, the true creators, adoption is significantly lower. 87% of developers surveyed expressed concern on the impact of AI on the industry. In Xataka | Someone put ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and other AIs to play a kind of Risk. The results could not be more different.

Netflix decided to kill sending content to the TV. Apple has taken advantage of the gap to score a great goal

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Netflix decided to start the month of December by eliminating one of the most basic and useful functions of its mobile application: the ability to send content (cast) from our smartphone to any television with Android TV either Google TV. An essential tool to find content quickly on your mobile and send it to your TV. What we did not expect is that, in less than two weeks, Apple has responded indirectly by bringing its Apple TV for Android the feature that Netflix has decided to kill. Better late. Goodbye to Netflix Cast. It was easy to realize this. At home I have a Google Chromecast with Google TV and a Google Nest. Every time I wanted to send content from my mobile to my television… only the Google Nest appeared. That’s when I read the confirmation of the disaster: Netflix had loaded the Cast without any explanation. The exceptions. In the Netflix support page An exception is specified to continue using the Cast function: having a third-generation or earlier Chromecast device. In other words, versions without remote control. The second, have a plan without ads. If you don’t pay, you can’t send content to TV. Cast icon on Apple TV, make a wish. Given the gap in the squad, great goal. Since yesterday, a couple of weeks after Netflix’s move, the Apple TV application for Android is compatible with Google Cast, a function that was missing since the launch of the app at the beginning of the year on the rival platform. It is necessary to have the app updated to version 2.2 to be able to send our content to the television on any Chromecast. Apple being less Apple. Apple has had to respond to Netflix in the face of an undeniable reality: its service is a minority within the ecosystem of streaming platforms. Netflix is ​​the absolute king, followed by Prime Video and Disney+. And one of the reasons was one that we know quite well: using Apple is using a product tied to its ecosystem. Despite this, Apple TV+ is dangerously close to HBO Max, about to take fourth place in the ranking, according to data from JustWatch. In this context, the introduction of Cast goes beyond a minor function: It is a surrender (more) from Apple towards a more open ecosystem. And this works in your favor Allows Apple TV+ to sneak into homes with Android phones and tablets Reduces friction of use Reduce dependence on Apple’s hardware ecosystem What are you doing to win in Spain. Apple’s strategy to continue growing in Spain is clear: swim against the current with a strategy that does not introduce advertising in the app, a small catalog but with a large presence of proposals (expensive) and own and, now, simplifying the use of its app to reduce friction that had been artificially introduced. It won’t be enough. We told it a year ago and the numbers reaffirm it: there is hardly any war in streamingsince most of the content is converging on Netflix. The post-pandemic stage forced platforms to fight to distinguish themselves, while Netflix went public at the end of December 2024 at pre-pandemic levels. Be that as it may, given the growth of Apple TV in 2025, fight head to head against an HBO focused on quality It is great news for the company. Image | Xataka In Xataka | The best streaming platforms 2025 | Comparison of Disney+, Netflix, HBO Max, Prime Video, Movistar Plus+, Filmin, Apple TV, SkyShowtime and Rakuten TV: catalog, functions and prices

If you buy it you get a camera module. This is the new offer in this mobile with great power and autonomy

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Unlike what we saw a few years ago, Realme has taken a huge leap by betting on high-end mobile phones that, by all accounts, have managed to attract us both visually and technically. He Realme GT 8 Pro It arrived in stores just a few weeks ago and can now be purchased on Amazon for 899 euros. It is available in two colors: es and eye, because it comes with a charger and a camera module. Realme GT 8 Pro (12GB, 256GB) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A mobile phone that can change the camera module At the design level the Realme GT 8 Pro It stands out above all for its camera module: It is quite large and can be exchanged with others sold by the brand. One comes by default, but when you buy it on Amazon the store gives you an additional one valued at 19.99 eurosthus allowing us to customize it. Beyond its design, the truth is that the Realme GT 8 Pro also manages to shine in power and autonomy. Regarding the first, it achieves this thanks to its processor Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 which comes, in this case, along with 12 GB of RAM and also has 256 GB of internal storage. The battery is well served thanks to its 7,000 mAh capacity. It also supports 120W fast charging and 50W wireless charging. In addition, its screen is excellent as it has a good 6.79-inch LTPO AMOLED panel that offers a QHD+ resolution and a 144 Hz refresh rate. You may also be interested realme Buds T200Lite True Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, 32dB Intelligent Active Noise Cancellation, 360° Spatial Sound, Autonomy up to 48 Hours, White The price could vary. We earn commission from these links realme Watch 5 Smart Watch for Women and Men, AMOLED 1.97″ Smartwatch, Bluetooth Calls, Independent GPS, 108+ Sports Modes, Health and Sleep Tracking/IP68/NFC, 14 Day Battery, Silver 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 | Amparo BabiloniRealme In Xataka | The best mobile phones (2025), we have tested them and here are their analyzes In Xataka | The best quality-price mobile phones (2025). Their analyzes and videos are here

Madrid wants to convert its least used Metro line into the “Gran Diagonal”. A 1,000 million project without a clear end

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A line that connects the southwest of Madrid with the northeast of the city. A project to quadruple the extension of Madrid’s least used line with the aim of turning it into one of the city’s great arteries. We are talking about the expansion of line 11 of the Madrid Metro. In 1998, Madrid inaugurated a new Metro line. It had been 20 years since new lines had been launched in the capital and the project ended up being the first of the last major investment in the Madrid Metro that the Autonomous Community has made. until the reforms we are experiencing today. The work attracted attention due to its short length (only three stops at the beginning). Then Metrosur (Line 12) and the Light Metro lines (LM1, LM2 and LM3) would arrive. Except for LM1, all the aforementioned lines were longer than the new Line 11 whose 8.5 kilometers and seven stations were dwarfed by Line 12, with its 28 stations and more than 40 kilometers long. Now, Madrid wants to transform that line and make it one of the main axes of the Madrid underground. The numbers point high. From a “forgotten” line to the Great Diagonal Currently, line 11 of the Madrid Metro is, by far, the least used in the city. According to the company’s own report, there are only three lines that are below it but two of them are branches of main lines that far exceed the flow of line 11. Beyond the numbers on lines 7B and 9B, line 11 and its 10.8 million passengers per year they are located just above the Ópera-Príncipe Pío Branch, which moves 10 million passengers despite only having one stop at origin and another at destination, with a train that is round trip. However, Madrid wants the seven stations that currently make up line 11 to be the embryo of a gigantic line that is beginning to be known as the “Gran Diagonal.” The project, of course, has several phases but some of them are still up in the air and others do not have an execution date, although they do have a budget. Map of the expansion of line 11 At the moment, what is underway is the connection of the Plaza Elíptica station in Carabanchel with the Conde de Casal interchange. This link involves excavating more than six and a half kilometers and the creation of two stations: Comillas and Madrid Río. These will join the Plaza Elíptica station to the south and continue north with stops at the already existing Palos de la Frontera and Atocha, before reaching Conde de Casal. 514 million euros will be allocated for this section and although it was expected to be ready in 2026, everything indicates that the works will not finish until a year later and that It won’t be until 2028 when finally the new link will be available. In order to speed up the works, Madrid already has Mayrit readya tunnel boring machine from Germany that can drill 15 meters a day, compared to the two meters that are excavated a day if working only with a pick and shovel. In Xataka we have already talked of this tunnel boring machine that measures 98 meters long and weighs 1,500 tons. After arriving piece by piece, it has taken almost a whole month to be able to operate with it, since assembling it was quite a puzzle. complete at 27 meters depth. This will be the first section that aims to almost double the extension of line 11 and increase the number of people who pass through its trains by up to 75,000 daily passengers. This first section should become the heart of a line that is clear your future in the south. The expansion at this end plans to link the La Fortuna station with Cuatro Vientos, with just over two kilometers of track and an awarded budget of more than 75 million euros. But, at the moment, there are no execution dates for it. Where more doubts are being generated is in the north of the capital. From Conde de Casal to Mar de Cristal, the city will add its main stops to already built stations, specifically in Vinateros, La Elipa, Pueblo Nuevo and Arturo Soria. But it is from Mar de Cristal where the project, for which 600 million euros will be invested, has been changing. As can be seen in the map above, the project contemplated taking the line to the airport and later to a final stop called Valdebebas Norte. In elDiario.es They assure that Metro de Madrid retains the possibility of building a second station to double the latter. The opening, according 20Minutes It would therefore be staggered, coinciding with the three sections already mentioned. Once completed, Madrid line 11 will become one of the main routes to transport passengers. An approximate extension of 33.5 kilometers is expected (from just over eight kilometers currently) and 20 stations from the mere seven it currently has. All this with an expense of more than 1,100 million euros. Photo | Madrid Metro and Community of Madrid In Xataka | Faced with daily collapses, the Madrid Metro could increase frequencies or put in “pushers.” He has chosen the second

that China loses the AI ​​race, but wins the economic war by bleeding them dry

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The AI ​​race has two main players, but their bets are very different. While the United States has already spent $350 billion in AI (and plan to spend much more), China has only invested 100,000 million. Silicon Valley optimists start from the belief that AI will radically change the world and whoever masters AI will dominate the future. And if not? As they say in financial times, The United States could win this battle, but lose the economic war. USA. You have put all your eggs in the same basket. Exorbitant investments are guided by the belief that AI will change the world as we know it, that AGI will make humans finally stop working. It is an epic speech in which AI is presented to us as a kind of messiah that will save the world, one that completely ignores the alternative: that AI is a great technological leap, yes, but neither so revolutionary nor, above all, such a great business. And it’s not just a technology thing, investors are absorbed in the same obsession. China. In 2017, China announced the “Development Plan for a New Generation of Artificial Intelligence” in which they defined AI as a strategic technology. For China, AI is a national priority, but its approach is more pragmatic and much less speculative. You just have to look at their AI models, like DeepSeek, effective but very far from the very expensive ‘frontier models’ in which the US is investing. His vision for AI is not so much to transform the world, but rather to function as a tool to be even more efficient in different processes. a few months ago They announced the “AI+” planwhere they detailed the deployment of AI in six sectors: scientific and technological development, industrial applications, consumer services, public welfare, governance and security, and international collaborations. The AI ​​war. We always hear the idea of ​​this stark battle to dominate AI from the American side. In many cases, the AI ​​war, like AGI, is another point of pressure for Silicon Valley to justify the tremendous expense or achieve its objectives. We have seen it recently with Jensen Huang pushing for the government to let him sell his chips in China and his argument revolved around the idea that China will achieve technological independence and then win the AI ​​war. The paradox for the United States is that its own invention is benefiting its enemy. The AI ​​war also functions as a pressure point for China: forcing the US to mortgage its economy to the technology they consider the future, while they overtake them in everything else. The economic war. The United States is betting everything on a single winning horse, while China has not stopped investing to ensure its dominance in other key sectors, such as electric cars, batteries, robotics and, above all, renewable energy. For China there are many futures, for the US only one. The commitment to diversification is going well. In 2024 China already manufactured 76% of electric cars sold worldwide and 80% of all lithium batteries. They are also the country with more industrial robot installationswhich gives them an advantage to continue being the factory of the world. There is much more, they are also undisputed leaders in other sectors such as the manufacture of drones, solar panels, high-speed trains and graphene. China’s AI is energy. China carries years investing in clean energy. According to Carbon Brief reportIn 2024 alone, China invested $940 billion, and it is not the year it spent the most. The curious thing is that energy is key for many sectors, especially AI. The United States knows this well and has already encountered a wall: They don’t have power for so many chips. Not only is China producing more energy, it is also is subsidizing it. Jensen Huang warned about this situation, ensuring that “China is going to win the AI ​​race” thanks to the government’s energy aid. Trump, for his part, has discouraged renewable energies and the electric car industry. In the end it will turn out that, for the United States, it is AI to win or nothing to win. Image | Gemini In Xataka | China already has an army of 5.8 million engineers. His new plan involves accelerating doctorates

If there is finally peace in Ukraine, Russia has a surprise for the rest of Europe

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The talks in Berlin have revived the idea of ​​an agreement to end the war in Ukraine like never before, to the point that Donald Trump has assured that peace is “closer than ever” after prolonged contacts with both European leaders and Vladimir Putin. If this horizon occurs, Finland has just sounded the alarm. The peace that appears. The United States has put on the table a plan that, according to its own negotiators, would solve around 90% of friction points and that includes a ceasefire supervised by Washington, security guarantees powerful and a central role for Europe in the stabilization of the country. kyiv admits real progressalthough he emphasizes that the territorial issue remains the most painful core of the negotiation, with Russia demanding concessions in the Donbas that Ukraine is reluctant to accept. Still, the general tone is contained optimismwith the feeling that, for the first time since 2022, there is a minimally viable political architecture to stop the fighting. Security guarantees. The key element of the plan is a package of security guarantees described by US officials as the most robust ever offered to Ukraine, with explicit parallels to NATO’s Article 5. Europe is ready to lead a multinational force on the ground, a “coalition of the willing” that would help regenerate the Ukrainian armed forces, protect its airspace and guarantee maritime security, always with political and operational support from the United States, although no US troops deployed in Ukraine. Furthermore, Washington would assume supervision of a ceasefire and an early warning system for possible violations, while European countries would legally commit to act in the event of new aggression. For kyiv, these guarantees are the essential condition to accept any freezing of the conflict, even leaving aspirations such as membership in NATO on hold, something that Zelenskiy has come to openly raise. The hidden price of peace. However, beneath this apparent diplomatic advance lies growing unrest on Europe’s eastern flank. Finland has issued a warning as clear as it is uncomfortable: peace in Ukraine will not mean the end of the Russian threat, but very likely its geographical displacement. According to Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Moscow would take advantage of the end of hostilities to redeploy forces towards NATO’s borders, especially in the Baltic and northern Europe, strengthening its posture vis-à-vis the Alliance in a period of just three to five years. From Helsinki, it is insisted that Russia would continue to be a revisionist power and that interpreting peace as a general de-escalation would be a strategic error of the first order. The eastern flank prepares. The most exposed countries already act accordingly. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland are on track to spend more than 5% of its GDP in defense, well above the traditional objectives of NATO, while coordinate common capabilities in air defense, drones and ground forces, and are working to accelerate the movement of troops and weapons across the continent. Finland, with its historical culture of preparation against Russia, maintains bunkers, strategic reserves and training programs civil, despite going through a serious economic crisis. These countries fear that a peace agreement will lead some European partners, further away from the front, to relax their attention and their military spending just when, in their opinion, the threat would be reconfiguring and not disappearing. Europe and a decision. The debate comes in a critical week for the European Union, forced to decide whether to support financially to Ukraine in the long term, unlocks the use of frozen Russian assets and assumes that your future security It depends less on Washington and more on its own deterrence capabilities. Orpo has been explicit by warning that Europe cannot afford to just talk about peace, but must act quickly and resourcefully, because there is no credible alternative plan if support for kyiv fails. Thus, the paradox is strongly imposed: the advance towards peace in Ukrainefar from closing the chapter on European security, could open another equally delicatein which Russia, freed from the Ukrainian front, once again strains the continental chessboard and forces Europe to finally face the strategic consequences of a conflict that never was only from Ukraine. Image | Ministry of Defense of Ukraine In Xataka | Something unprecedented has happened in North Korea: a video has revealed that they are sending their soldiers in Ukraine to the “slaughterhouse” In Xataka | The drone war in Ukraine is complete nonsense: the manuals that were useful two weeks ago are a death trap today

SpaceX is not only breaking records in space

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The Bloomberg Millionaires Index has moved its figures on great fortunes with a fact that is difficult to ignore: Elon Musk has become the first millionaire to exceed $600,000 million in estimated assets. According to he Bloomberg Billionaires IndexMusk’s fortune now amounts to about $638 billion, an unprecedented figure that places him in a completely new league within technological capitalism. The leap has been neither minor nor gradual. In a few weeks, the estimate of his assets has skyrocketed by more than $205 billion, driven, above all, by the expectation generated around the SpaceX IPO. SpaceX: Musk’s new gem. With a Tesla that seeks its place to define itself between an automotive or robotics company, the main engine of Musk’s fortune has moved towards the aerospace industry. SpaceX, majority controlled by Musk, has been one of the most valuable private companies in the world for years. The information about a possible IPO have revived investor appetite and valuations have skyrocketed internal of the company taking it up to 800,000 million dollars. With this, the valuation of Musk’s fortune has also increased. Bloomberg estimates that the company is already worth several hundred billion dollars, and Musk owns around 42% of capital, in addition to reinforced voting rights. Tesla, xAI and the rest of the Musk ecosystem. Although SpaceX makes headlines, It is not the only asset that supports Musk’s fortune. Tesla continues to be the other major pillar and, despite moving in a more complex context for the electric car and increasing pressure from Chinese manufacturers, the company maintains a stock market capitalization that is progressively recovering from reputational disaster What did the participation of its CEO in the cuts that DOGE carried out at the beginning of the year. Added to this are other less visible but relevant participations: xAI, the artificial intelligence company promoted by Musk, is consolidating itself as a business ecosystem highly concentrated in its figure, which amplifies any market movement, both up and down. Fortunes are not exact figures, but estimates. It is worth, however, putting the numbers about Musk’s fortune in context. Great fortunes are not balances in a checking account, but estimates based on the combined value of each millionaire’s business interests, properties and financial assets. And those estimates They vary depending on who calculates them and with what methodology. This is where the differences between indices appear. While the Bloomberg Index locates Musk’s fortune around $638 billion, Forbes offers a figure substantially lower: about 509,000 million. The gap is explained by several factors, including how SpaceX is valued. In other words, neither figure is “correct” in absolute terms. Both are reasonable approximations to an extremely complex heritage, but they serve to determine trends and a comparative value between great fortunes. One step closer to the first billion. Beyond the specific figure, this new record reinforces an idea that has been circulating for some time: Elon Musk is one of the clearest candidates to become the first billionaire in historythat is, being the first person to accumulate a fortune of one million million dollars. Yes SpaceX completes its IPO With the valuations that are being used today and Tesla manages to sustain its weight in the market, the jump to the billion is no longer an extravagant hypothesis and has become a plausible scenario in the near future. Musk’s milestone not only redefines the ranking of the richest in the world. It also underlines the extent to which economic concentration is occurring around a single person or company. In Xataka | Carnegie built libraries, Gates sold them on CD-ROM, Musk locked them in an AI: the history of knowledge control Image | SpaceXFlickr (Gage Skidmore)

Astronomical RAM prices are bad news for everyone, but especially for Apple

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RAM memory prices have skyrocketed between 100% and 400% in just six months. 32 GB kits that cost $95 in the summer now cost $400. There are stores in the United States that They have removed the prices from the shelves and communicate them at the checkout, as if it were lobster on Christmas Eve. Why is it important. RAM prices have skyrocketed between 100% and 400% in just a few months. Samsung and SK Hynix have committed 40% of all global production to Stargate, OpenAI’s infrastructure. The three manufacturers that control 93% of the market prioritize servers over consumption. TrendForce has predicted that Entry-level smartphones will return to 4 GB of RAM in 2026. Budget laptops will stay stuck at 8 GB. For the first time in decades, specifications are not improving but going backwards. The paradox. The scarcity is caused by AI, but that same scarcity is going to undermine our ability to use local AI. Data centers take up all the memory to train huge models, but users won’t be able to run those models on their computers because much-needed RAM has exploded, so we’ll have the same, or less. Main loser. Apple has the most to lose in this scenario. Meta, Google and Microsoft can use the cloud for their models as they have been doing until now, but Apple has been betting heavily on local AI for two years as a great differentiator: models that run on your device, privacy by design and processing without depending on servers. The entire narrative of Apple Intelligence It is built on having enough RAM and local computing power. The iPhones They have been increasing their RAM precisely to run Apple Intelligence smoothly, closing the RAM gap between base and Pro models. Macs with Apple Silicon They have normalized 16 GB, after many years stuck at 8 GB, as the base in all models. The impossible dilemma. Apple has financial muscle and preferential contracts that allow it to get memory when others cannot. But that doesn’t solve your fundamental problem: you have two options and neither are good. You can maintain specifications and raise prices, but there is a limit to what the market will tolerate. Or you can start cutting RAM, but that means compromising just the competitive advantage you’ve been selling for two years. Between the lines. Other manufacturers can adapt by lowering specifications without breaking their value proposition too much. Samsung can put 6 GB in a mid-range Galaxy and still function the same: its AI depends on the Google cloud. But Apple has committed to an architecture that requires powerful devices in the user’s hands. And those devices are now much more expensive to manufacture. Private Cloud Computing It is a help, but it does not change the local narrative. The unexpected turn. Apple Intelligence may end up being much more expensive than Apple had planned. Not because the technology is expensive, but because the raw materials to execute it have become a scarce commodity. Apple is probably the company best positioned to weather this crisis due to its purchasing power (as we already saw with the semiconductor crisis due to the pandemic), but it is also the one that has the most to lose strategically. Apple chose a different path than its competitors precisely when that path was about to become prohibitively expensive. Cloud AI scales with servers you can rent or expand. Local AI scales only if each user has powerful hardware, and that hardware just got wildly expensive. In summary. For the first time in years, Apple does not control the key variables of its strategy. You can pay more than anyone else for memory, but you can’t change the fact that only three companies manufacture it or that those companies prefer to sell to OpenAI and company rather than to mobile and laptop manufacturers for the consumer market. The era of cheap memory is over, and among its many consequences is also the economic viability of Apple’s great differentiating bet. In Xataka | The RAM crisis is so extreme that it has achieved what seemed unthinkable: Apple’s memories are “cheap” Featured image | Georgiy Lyamin

The latest condemnation of LG TVs is that they install Microsoft Copilot by default and cannot be uninstalled

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LG Smart TV users have noticed something in recent days. Some of them have seen a new “tile” appear on their televisions in the main interface. And it corresponded to an application that they had not installed or requested: Microsoft Copilot. The criticism has been enormous, and rightly so. Why is it important. The appearance of this new application is the latest example of the loss of control that users end up having over the devices they buy. You pay for it, but you don’t actually own it. It is a condemnation that we are seeing everywhere in digital products and services, and what LG and Microsoft have done is the latest example of this. What does Copilot do on my TV?. There are several Reddit users who have denounced how the latest software update for its LG televisions includes a new tile that is displayed on the main screen of the webOS interface and that corresponds to Microsoft Copilot. And you won’t be able to uninstall it. The worst thing is not even that LG and Microsoft have agreed to offer this app for good. The worst thing is that users can’t even uninstall it. The only thing you can do is hide the icon so that it is not visible in the main interface, but Copilot will still be available and installed even if you never use it. Microsoft, enough is enough. The movement is one more drop in a glass that has long exceeded the patience of users. Microsoft has not stopped flooding all its products with co-pilots even though It seems clear that almost no one uses their AI. What they are getting is not brand recognition, but an almost frontal rejection of Copilot. Not because it is necessarily better or worse, but it is everywhere, even if we have not asked for it. This isn’t a “do you want to try it?” It is an imposition. LG already (half) warned. At CES 2025 the company confirmed its plans to integrate Microsoft Copilot into webOS as part of its “AI TV” strategy. In their presentation they highlighted that Copilot was an extension of that AI experience on TV that was designed to answer questions and offer content recommendations. The current integration looks more like a shortcut to Copilot’s web interface, not a native app built into the TV. In reality, at that CES we already saw the same intentions announced by Samsung or Google… that he kept his word few months ago. TYour TV spies on you (again). Other Reddit users talked about a setting for LG Smart TVs called “Live Plus.” If one activates this tool, the content shown on TV can be recognized and that information can be used to offer personalized services such as recommendations and — of course — advertisements. In LG’s documentation they describe Live Plus as an “enhanced viewing experience.” Fortunately, this option can be disabled from Settings -> All settings -> General -> Additional options. From there just deactivate the Live Plus service. One more time, TVs try to know everything we do with the excuse of improving the experience. TV, you are left without internet. Faced with this avalanche of invasive options, the solution is clear: disconnect the Smart TV from the Wi-Fi network and/or the cable network (Ethernet) and do not use that main interface except in specific cases of image or sound adjustment, for example. The Google TV Streamer/Fire TV are the option (more or less). For everything else, the recommendation is clear: buy a streaming device like a Fire TV or a Google TV Streamer (or similar)… although the latter have also become advertising showcases. There are alternatives in those cases: we can use alternative launchers like Projectivy on those devices to avoid that advertising and regain control over what we see and how we see it. And we can also opt for other “TV Boxes” which also give the option to regain that control. In Xataka | Google has killed the Chromecast. Goodbye to a friendly and affordable product that helped us enjoy television more than ever

What it is, how it works and what channels this free service offers

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Let’s explain to you What is Samsung TV Plus and how does it work?the free content service that you will find integrated into the Korean manufacturer’s smart televisions. Since it comes already included, you will not need to download anything or register, you will simply have access to its channels from the beginning. Let’s start by explaining what exactly this service is and some of its features. You will see that it is very easy to understand. Then, we will briefly explain part of how it works, and we will finish with a list of channels that it currently offers. What is Samsung TV Plus Samsung TV Plus is a free entertainment service created by Samsung, which is integrated into the manufacturer’s Smart TVs. You do not need to have any type of external device, since you will find it installed directly on the television, something that means you do not have to download anything either. Being a free service, you get the benefits by displaying ads in your content. Does not require any type of registrationso you will not have to create an account or enter your bank details. Instead of having a user account, the content is linked directly to your TV. Another thing you should keep in mind is that you cannot remove this service from the TVit will always be installed. But you will not have any obligation to use it either, it will simply be there for you to access whenever you want or need it. Samsung TV Plus will be shown to you when you turn on the TV, but you can also access directly from the app bar that is in the interface of your television. It’s like one more application in addition to the ones you may decide to install. As we will tell you at the end, the service offers a series of free channels so you have access to hours of content. This number of channels increases over time, so it is advisable to check it from time to time to see if they have added any with themes that you like. And finally, you must remember that Samsung TV Plus It is also available on mobile phones and tablets. Specifically, you will find it on the manufacturer’s Galaxy devices with an Android 11 operating system or higher. How to install/set up Samsung TV Plus Samsung TV Plus no need to installsince it comes installed as standard on all the manufacturer’s compatible televisions. This means that as soon as you connect it you will find it already available. Of course, to be able to use it normally you will need an internet connection on your television. This is an online channel service, so connection is essential to be able to see all its channels. If you want to configure the channel list To rearrange them, you have to press the list or CH List button on the controller. This will open a column with the channels, and on the top right you have a button with a pencil icon called Edit. Within this option, search and select a channel, and you can block it, change its number, delete it or change its name. You will also have another option such as reordering channels, or mark the ones you want as favorites and then access a list where only these appear. How to use Samsung TV Plus To access Samsung TV Plus you just have to turn on the television and press the button Home of your remote control. This will open an application bar at the bottom, and you can click on the icon TV Plus to access it. What channels does Samsung TV Plus offer? Now we are going to give you Samsung TV Plus channel list as of December 16, 2025, which totals more than 70. In it we highlight that Xataka TV is availablewith tests and comparisons, tips and tricks, reports, purchase recommendations and much more. In this list of channels we will include the dial and channel nameso you can access the one you want directly. Entertainment Channels 4001 Canal Sur Andalusia 4004 Style and Life – Rakuten TV 4007 The 1 4035 The 2 4064 MTV Cribs 4066 MTV Originals 4106 RTVE Know and Win 4157 Dhar Mann TV 4186 Yu-Gi-Oh! 4188 Beyblade 4190 Anime Vision 4191 Anime Vision Classics 4200 Pretty Girls TV 4201 Hello! play 4202 Mark Rober TV 4203 Ideas in 5 Minutes 4205 Xataka 4211 Aztec International 4213 Dog Whisperer 4215 Teen Vee 4216 H2O & Friends 4219 2M 4220 The Furniture 4222 Korean by CJ ENM 4223 Fireplace Vibes Series Channels 4002 Tell me how it happened 4235 RTVE The Promise 4236 RTVE La Moderna 4237 Baywatch – Baywatch 4241 FreeTV Stellar 4242 Red Eagle 4243 Heart 4246 BBC Series 4248 Vive Kanal D Drama 4255 The Gipsy Kings – Rakuten TV 4257 K-Drama+ 4260 Mr Bean Animated News Channels 4005 Euronews LIVE 4551 24H 4552 News 360 4553 Business TV 4555 The Country 4557 The Confidential 4561 CNN Headlines 4563 CNBC 4564 Al Jazeera 4565 NBC News NOW 4569 CNN in Spanish 4571 Sky News International 4573 FRANCE 24 FAST 4575 DW 4577 Bloomberg TV+ Crime Channels 4293 The Commissioner 4295 The Midsomer Murders 4297 Forensic Files 4298 All Crime 4299 Crime & History 4301 DATELINE 24/7 4303 True Crimes 4305 Crime – Rakuten TV 4307 Cobra Alert Sports Channels 4603 Tennis Channel 4605 MyPadel TV 4606 Tennis+ 4609 Red Bull TV 4631 Telesport 4633 The League Inside 4635 DFB Play TV 4641 FIFA+ 4658 Motorvision 4663 Rally.TV FAST+ 4671 Surf Channel 4673 World Poker Tour 4675 Conscious Television Children’s Channels 4771 Clan 4772 LooLoo Kids 4774 BABY SHARK TV 4775 Caillou 4777 Pocoyo 4779 duckTV 4781 Cry Babies 4797 SuperToons TV 4803 Maya the Bee 4805 Video Game Heroes 4807 Rabbids: The Invasion 4809 Rugrats 4811 SpongeBob 4815 Rantaro, The Ninja Boy 4821 Pluto TV Kids 4823 iCarly movie channels 4003 Runtime Christmas 4852 100% Christmas – … Read more

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