July 2026 - Page 54 of 87

the new Acton IV and Stanmore IV promise a more immersive sound

July 10, 2026 by usatoday24

Marshall has just updated the two fundamental pillars of its home audio catalog. The new ones Acton IV and Stanmore IV They arrive on the market keeping intact that recognizable aesthetic inspired by classic guitar amplifiers, but introducing important acoustic improvements and technologies inside to adapt to current demands. Marshall Acton IV Bluetooth Speaker The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Stereo Speaker – Marshall Stanmore IV The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Optimized acoustics to be placed in any corner The great asset of this fourth generation lies in the redesign of its internal architecture. Marshall has improved the tweeters and the waveguides with the aim of projecting a noticeably wider and more defined sound scene, achieving a homogeneous dispersion of sound throughout the room. Added to this is a very intelligent change in the bass port design (bass-reflex). Airflow has been optimized to deliver cleaner low frequencies. In addition, the cable exit towards the bottom of the base has been modified. This small aesthetic and functional detail is key: it now allows you to place the speakers completely against the wall without affecting the bass performance or causing unpleasant rumble. To guarantee sound balance regardless of volume, both models incorporate the technology Dynamic Loudness. This system subtly adjusts the frequencies automatically so that the music does not lose body or warmth when we listen to low levels, and avoids distortions thanks to improved limiters when we decide to squeeze its power to the maximum. Auracast connectivity and nods to the analog world In the technical section, the great novelty is the integration of the Auracast technology. Thanks to it, it is possible to natively synchronize several Acton IV and Stanmore IV speakers throughout the house to create a multi-room audio system. Even the previous generation models (Acton III and Stanmore III) can add to this experience by Heddonthe brand’s new transmitter device and streaming hub. Despite its wireless aspect and its renewed control app, Marshall does not forget lovers of physical formats. In the back we find RCA analog inputs and a 3.5mm AUX portmaking them perfect companions for plugging in a turntable for a full analog experience in the living room. Sustainable and repairable design True to its identity, the top panels maintain the classic brass analog controls to manage volume, bass and treble intuitively. However, the brand has added a Fully customizable “M” button which allows you to activate quick functions such as Spotify Tap or switch between your favorite equalizations with a single touch. Finally, the firm wanted to take a step towards sustainability. The boxes are made from 100% FSC certified MDF wood and incorporate a percentage of recycled materials in their construction (13% in the Acton IV and 16% in the Stanmore IV). In addition, a modular structure oriented towards repairability has been designed, allowing easily replace wearing parts such as the legs, the physical controls or the front grille itself. Price and availability The new speakers are now available in the brand’s classic colors (Black and Cream) with the following official prices for the European market: Marshall Acton IV: 299 euros (equipped with a woofer 4″ and two tweeters). Marshall Acton IV Bluetooth Speaker The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Marshall Stanmore IV: 399 euros (equipped with a woofer 5″ and two tweeters). Stereo Speaker – Marshall Stanmore IV 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 | Marshall In Xataka | Best sound bars in quality price (2026). Which one to buy and seven recommended models from 99 euros In Xataka | Best wireless over-ear headphones. Which one to buy and five recommended models

TikTok has convinced us that we need 50-minute showers. The WHO has a much stricter limit

July 10, 2026 by usatoday24

Social networks from time to time viralize a challenge or habit that for many people was not on their radar. The latest of these is a huge Gen Z self-care trend that has been dubbed “Everything Shower” or in Spanish as the “hygiene Olympics”. The concept is simple, since it focuses on transforming the shower into a mega-beauty ritual that includes exfoliation, hair removal, hair masks, deep cleansing and hydration with showers that last 50 minutes. It’s going more. Under the premise of self-care and mental relaxation, this practice has gone viral as the definitive routine to “reboot” the weekend. However, if we put this trend through the scientific filter, the picture changes drastically. From both a public health and sustainability point of view, 50-minute showers are not a reward for your body, but rather a punishment. A dermatological disaster. It may seem contradictory, but exposing the body to water for almost an hour does not hydrate and, in fact, does the opposite. Here the dermatological consensus suggests that prolonged exposure to water, especially if it is hot, and the continued use of surfactants in gels and shampoos, very negatively affects our skin barrier. Why this damage is caused is well documented, since spending 50 minutes under the jet causes transepidermal water loss. By aggressively removing lipids and natural moisturizing factors from our skin, the outermost layer of our skin becomes dehydrated. But in addition, the excess of this wash alters the pH and destroys our skin microbiome, which are nothing more than bacteria that protect us. Its consequences. With this dehydration of the skin, the only thing that is achieved is having a greater risk of xerosis, which is nothing more than having chronically dry skin, but also a feeling of tightness, peeling and itching. Without going any further, in people with sensitive skin or a tendency to atopic dermatitis, a ritual of this type is the perfect one-way ticket to a severe outbreak. Three minutes. The experts they are clear that the ideal shower should be short, just between 3 and 5 minutes and always with warm and not boiling water. And they go one step further in terms of the use of soap, since they recommend soaping focused exclusively on the areas of greatest sweating, such as the armpits, groin or genitals. In fact, they point out that, for most people, a daily shower with soap all over the body is not even strictly necessary to maintain good health. It is not sustainable. If the impact it has on the skin is worrying, the environmental impact is simply a catastrophe. If we take out the calculator and take into account that a 10-minute shower has an average consumption of 200 liters of water, we can know that spending 50 minutes doing this hygiene ritual can cost 1,000 liters of water per person. It is an exorbitant figure that clashes head-on with any policy to protect the scarce water resource, not to mention the enormous energy cost of heating that amount of water. The referent. To put this waste in perspective, just look at the WHO guidelines through its WASH program, which establishes a shower of 5 minutes or less as a reference for sustainable hygiene. To give us an idea, the average daily consumption goal set by the organization to cover all the basic needs of a person is around 95 liters of water in total. Images | Armin Rimoldi In Xataka | The extreme hygiene of the modern world was supposed to have caused allergies: ancestral DNA has something to say

electric cars that are mobile batteries

July 10, 2026 by usatoday24

I’m going to tell you a little anecdote about what moves behind some texts. For a time, it became fashionable among car brands to put a coffee maker in presentations to show us the advantages of technology. V2L or Vehicle to Loadin English. Most of the cars electric and some plug-in hybrids They already have it. It is the possibility of using the electric car battery as an energy store to charge our devices. To demonstrate this in the presentations, we have seen everything as we said: coffee makers, electric bicycles, lighting systems with small bulbs to decorate some spaces… Honestly, it’s usually something I mentioned in passing in the texts because I didn’t see much use in it. Who makes a capsule coffee on the road or in the middle of the field? Who prefers to eat up the range of their car to recharge the battery of their electric bicycle instead of carrying it already charged from home? But in China they are showing that the system has much more interest than we can think. In fact, we ourselves have been able to see it, still in a limited way, during the general blackout last year. Now, floods in the Asian country are showing us how useful it is. Your cell phone always ready in an emergency situation Last April 2025, when Spain’s general network was off, a lucky few were able to eat hot, keep the refrigerator cool, and keep their mobile phone ready. They were the owners of electric cars. Some of them then saw that this function that the commercial had sold them and to which they had not paid much attention, finally, served something really useful. Luckily, our discomfort lasted only a few hours but it made clear to us some added advantages of having an electric car. But when your country has filled the streets with this type of vehicle and you suffer real problems, the electric car can become a saving rolling battery. In the Guangxi region have suffered historic rains by the action of a typhoon called Mesaak. Many have been left completely stranded in the middle of the water. We have seen how the drones used for food delivery They helped those who fled from the water in the upper part of their homes. Or even those who have used their “floating” cars to rescue those affected. To the point that since BYD they have had to remember that these cars cannot be used as emergency services. But in addition to these uses, having a multitude of NEV cars (as China calls the category that includes plug-in hybrids and electric cars) has proven to be a perfect opportunity for dozens of people to keep in touch with their families and the emergency services. Media like Southern Metropolis Daily either Shanghai Daily They have published some images on Weibo that show how people crowd next to cars because a single vehicle can charge dozens of mobile phones or portable batteries. This is possible because cars that have V2L technology can charge external devices using alternating current. In this case, what they have done is remove the socket from the vehicle and plug it into a multiple-input power strip to increase the number of phones that can be charged. The result is rolling batteries that keep the phones of dozens of people in a risk situation active. Of course, as explained in CarNewsChinait is important to be clear that this is not the most recommended practice and that multiplying the energy output by connecting power strips together can cause damage to them and, therefore, to the devices. The most striking thing is that, in the cars we see in Europe, bidirectional charging is usually limited to about 3.6 kW in many cases. However, in the CNC They point out that this is a rarity in China and is only available on lower-end cars. On the contrary, most cars have much higher charging capacities when they have to power other devices and even mention a Geely pick-up called Riddara RD6 which is capable of charging up to a power of 36 kW because it can carry a drone on its back. Photo | Southern Metropolis Daily and 老兵陈大叔 In Xataka | I have tried the BYD circuit in China: an underwater YangWang, a 29 meter dune and a car that turns by itself

We have been putting bananas in red fruit smoothies for years. Science says it’s just what we shouldn’t do

July 10, 2026 by usatoday24

Although it will always be a better option to eat whole fruit, smoothies and fruit shakes are a good way to eat healthyespecially in the heat of summer. When preparing them, it is time to experiment and try different mixtures and combinations of flavors. However, according to a study from the University of California Davisthere are combinations that are best avoided. In their case, they refer to bananas and red fruits. The key is in the flavanols. So much the banana like the red fruits They are very healthy. The first is especially rich in potassium, fiber and B vitamins. Forest fruits are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants such as flavanols. Precisely, it is with these that the problem arises. And, as these scientists saw in their study, bananas contain an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase that prevents the flavanols from red fruits from being absorbed. First experiment. These scientists carried out several experiments to reach these conclusions. In the first, 8 volunteers participated, who were given a red fruit smoothie or a capsule with flavanols. In both cases, when blood samples were taken, it was seen that the levels of flavanol metabolites had increased. This indicates that your body was metabolizing them to extract their benefits. However, when the process was repeated by adding banana to the smoothie, the results were very different, as the blood levels of flavanol metabolites were much lower. In search of the culprit. The guilt of polyphenol oxidase is not a suspicion. This was confirmed in a second experiment, in which a banana and red fruit smoothie was left at room temperature. After an hour, flavanol levels had greatly decreased. However, when the process was repeated with bananas that had this enzyme inhibited, they remained intact. Even separately. In another experiment, participants were given a smoothie made only of berries, followed by one made only with berries. banana. Again, the levels of flavanol metabolites decreased. It seems that polyphenol oxidase acts even when both fruits are put together in our stomach instead of in our blender. There are limitations to the study. This research took place in 2023 with only 8 participants. It’s a tiny sample size, so it can’t be considered very conclusive. Furthermore, all participants were men, so it is still not a representative sample of the entire population. The authors themselves indicated at the time that it would be necessary to carry out the study with more participants. At the moment, they have not done so. They have continued researching in the area of flavanols, but not in relation to the drawbacks of mixing banana and red fruits. Although they have focused on the need to properly choose the fruits we consume. For example, recently published an investigation which concluded that eating five pieces of fruit and vegetables is not enough to achieve the adequate dose of these antioxidants in one day. You would have to choose the best options. Don’t despair either. If you love the combination of banana and red fruits, don’t suffer. It’s not dangerous at all. Simply, according to this study, flavanols are not extracted in the best possible way. You can resort to other additional sources and the problem would be solved. In any case, if for you banana is a dispensable complement, it may be better not to consume it with red fruits. Both fruits are very healthy, but the best option, based on this research, would be to eat them at two different times of the day. Image | Magnificent Xataka | The Spanish cherry had been dreaming for years of a scenario that has just come true: opening the doors of China

Whether or not the Horizontal Property Law allows defaulters to enjoy the pool

July 10, 2026 by usatoday24

Friday in mid-July. Any city in Spain. Five in the afternoon. The thermometer around 35ºC and there is no way to cool off at home, so you decide to put on your swimsuit, throw a towel over your shoulder and go down to the community pool, where some neighbors have been soaking for hours. Everything is going great until suddenly your expression goes wrong. To you and the rest of those present. The first defaulter who has not paid his installments for several months has just crossed the fence. Can it be there? Do you have the right to enjoy the pool despite your debt? Of swimming pools and defaulters. In 2015, the General Council of Associations of Property Administrators surveyed the financial health of the communities of property owners in Spain and found that a percentage more than respectable (42.8%) had at least one neighbor who was not up to date with their payments. Since then it is very likely that the ‘picture’ has changed, but that does not mean that the communities have been freed from the scourge of non-payments. weigh all the resources that neighborhood associations have to combat them, there are still people who do not meet their quotas. And that in summer leaves a thorny question: Can the rest of the owners veto access to the pool for those defaulters? It is not a minor issue. A Google search arrives to verify that it is a doubt that arises frequently in agencies. The ‘bible’ of the communities. When it comes to housing blocks and neighborhood coexistence, there is a ‘bible’ of reference: the Horizontal Property Law (LPH). It contains rights, duties and, in general, the legislative framework to which neighborhood communities must adhere. Also in cases of non-payment. In fact, the standard dedicates an entire section (article 21) to defining the “preventive measures” that property owners can apply to deal with defaulters. “The owners’ meeting may agree on dissuasive measures against late payment for the time in which said situation remains, such as the establishment of interests higher than the legal interest or the temporary deprivation of the use of services or facilities, provided that they cannot be considered abusive or disproportionate or that affect the habitability of the properties,” states the first point of article 21 of the LPH. “These measures may in no case be retroactive and may be included in the statutes.” Doesn’t it say anything about swimming pools? Not specifically. Just as it does not do so with other community facilities that exist in some buildings, such as gyms or tennis and paddle tennis courts. However, in that article the LPH slips a few key ideas. The main one is that it recognizes that neighboring communities can adopt certain “deterrent measures.” The second, that these do not have carte blanche. There are certain limitations that should never be skipped. To begin with, the LPH always talks about “agreements”, not improvised prohibitions. It may seem like an unimportant detail, but it is not. It is not enough for the administrator, president or any other neighbor to decide to punish a defaulter for not being up to date with his payments. Any “deterrent measure” must have the support of the homeowners’ association. The LPH even slips the possibility of addressing the issue directly in the statutes and rules of coexistence. “Abusive and disproportionate”. The law adds another important nuance. The board can vote on “deterrent measures,” true; but these have red lines. They cannot be extended beyond the duration of the debt and must not make the defaulter’s stay in the building unviable, something that could happen if the board insists on prohibiting the use of elevators, stairs and landings. The Horizontal Property Law is very clear in this regard, it explicitly speaks of “temporary deprivation of the use of services or facilities, provided that they cannot be considered abusive or disproportionate or that they affect habitability.” Does that affect swimming pools? Good question. Difficult answer. Can it be considered “disproportionate” to prevent a neighbor who is not up to date with spills from taking a dip? In general, managers recognize that vetoing common areas is “a controversial issue”. In fact, the photo can change from one case to another, depending on whether or not the matter is regulated in the statutes. “If it is not provided for in the statutes, the case must always be studied individually. The deprivation of rights must be interpreted restrictively and the aforementioned LPH only indicates two sanctions for defaulters: deprivation of the vote and the possibility of challenge,” slide from a consultancy in Castellón, which also reminds us how difficult it is to translate such a veto into practice. Who and how can prevent a neighbor from getting into the pool? Are the rest of the owners going to do it? Do you have power a watchman to do something like that? Reviewing the jurisprudence. Although not all judicial pronouncements point in exactly the same direction, there are rulings that support communities in favor of vetoing swimming pools for defaulters. The most cited case is a failure published by the Provincial Court of Valencia in May 2016, which concludes that depriving the temporary enjoyment of “an element of a temporary nature”, such as the sports facilities of the property, “cannot be understood as an agreement contrary to the Law or the statutes, but as an agreement that remains within the scope of the internal regime rules.” Images | Nick Page (Unsplash) and Brandon Hoogenboom (Unsplash) In Xataka | This summer you might find someone shitting in the pool. It has already happened in 300 Spanish swimming pools

“Losing weight does not automatically mean improving all aspects of health”

July 10, 2026 by usatoday24

We live in what many consider the golden age of anti-obesity pharmacology, since in recent years, medications based on GLP-1 analogues and other receptors, such as semaglutide or tirzepatide, have revolutionized the medical approach to excess weight, promising almost miraculous results. However, science indicates that losing a lot of weight does not automatically mean living better. A great study published in The BMJ has shaken medical expectations after analyzing mountains of clinical data. With all this, it has been concluded that, despite the drastic weight loss achieved by these drugs, the vast majority of them fail to significantly improve the quality of life of patients or substantially reduce cardiovascular risk after one year of treatment. How they have done it. The published research is not a small study, since we are talking about a mammoth systematic review and a network meta-analysis that has unified the data from 262 clinical trials in which around 100,000 people participated. In total, the effectiveness and risks of 19 currently available anti-obesity drugs, such as Ozempic, were put under scrutiny. The result. Although the effect it has on losing weight is undeniable, the data suggests that those medications that achieve greater weight loss are usually accompanied by a much greater toll in the form of side effects. It is precisely this toll, added to factors such as the loss of lean mass, that explains why, in trial surveys, patients do not report a notable improvement in their daily well-being despite having managed to lose weight. A complex puzzle. This latest macro study is not the only one that has attempted to shed light and shadows on these well-known treatments, since a meta-analysis published in Nature a few months ago specifically evaluated the comparative efficacy and safety between tirzepatide, semaglutide and liraglutide. The results already anticipated that clinical potency should always be weighed against the tolerability of each patient. The experts. José M. Ordovás, senior researcher at the Jean Mayer Research Center, sums it up perfectly in statements to SMC: “The study fits with what we already knew: some drugs cause significant weight loss, but losing weight does not automatically mean improving all aspects of health. The scale tells part of the story, but not the whole story”. For his part, José Pablo Miramontes González, an internist at the Río Hortega Hospital in Valladolid, points out that one year of follow-up is usually a short time to see miraculous improvements in heart attacks or mortality: “Cardiovascular risk does not depend only on weight lost, but also on age, previous diseases, blood pressure and lipids”. Images | freepik In Xataka | We believed that with Ozempic, people who lost weight exercised more. we believed wrong

Xiaomi launches its first wireless mouse with TOG omnidirectional sensor

July 10, 2026 by usatoday24

If you are one of those who telework in cafes, travel often or simply have a glass desk at home, you will know how annoying it is to always depend on a mouse pad to make the mouse respond. Xiaomi wants to end this problem at its roots. The Asian firm has just presented its new Xiaomi Wireless Mouse Pro 4a device that stands out for incorporating an advanced sensor capable of sliding anywhere and a combination of premium technologies at a ridiculous price: 199 yuan, about 29 euros to change. Thanks to its TOG sensor you can forget about difficult surfaces The great jewel in the crown of this mouse is its TOG sensor (Track-On-Glass). Unlike traditional optical sensors that go crazy when placed on reflective materials, Xiaomi’s technology allows you to track movements with complete precision even on transparent glass surfaces (as long as they are at least 4 mm thick). To adapt to all types of tasks, from standard office automation to photo editing, it has a top LED indicator and three factory presets to regulate sensitivity levels at 1,000, 1,600 and 2,400 DPI. A mouse with intelligent scrolling and silent clicks Beyond its all-terrain sensor, Xiaomi has borrowed a function from high-end mice from brands like Logitech: a dynamic electromagnetic scroll wheel. If you move your finger slowly, the scroll behaves gradually (line by line) to read documents calmly; But if you give it a quick touch, the mechanism automatically releases, entering free spin mode to go down at full speed along kilometer-long webs. Thinking of those who work in libraries or shared offices, the main left and right clicks mount TTC silent switches. They have a slightly longer key travel to maintain that physical tactile sensation when pressing, but without making almost any noise. Triple connectivity and easy setup In the connectivity section, the Xiaomi Wireless Mouse 4 Pro is a versatile device. It allows you to pair and switch between up to three devices simultaneously: one through its 2.4 GHz USB receiver (which stores magnetically under the top cover) and another two through Bluetooth 5.0. Switching between your computer, tablet or laptop is as easy as pressing a dedicated button on the base. Finally, Xiaomi forgets about heavy and intrusive configuration software. This model debuts a drivers web basedwhich means that you only need to open your Internet browser to remap its metal side buttons or adjust the device’s performance, without having to install anything in the operating system at all. ⚡ IN SUMMARY: Xiaomi Wireless Mouse Pro 4 wireless mouse ✅ THE BEST Goodbye to limitations: Being able to use it on glass tables without a mat is a joy for mobile productivity. Web control: It is a huge success to be able to customize the side buttons directly from the browser, ideal if you use it on work computers where they do not allow you to install programs. ❌ THE WORST It runs on batteries… Unlike other models that recharge via USB-C, this one maintains the traditional battery compartment, so you will depend on external batteries. Small size… With dimensions of 115.5 x 62 x 36.5 mm and a weight of only 66 grams (without battery), it is very focused on small or medium-sized hands. If you have large hands or are looking for a purely ergonomic palm grip (palm grip), you will fall short. 💡 BUY IT IF… You are a mobile user, student or professional who works with a laptop in different locations and is looking for a light, silent and all-terrain mouse that never fails, regardless of the surface of the table where you rest it. ⛔ DON’T BUY IT IF… Are you looking for minimal latencies and high polling rates for competitive gaming or are someone who suffers from wrist pain and needs a large ergonomic mouse with thumb support. And while this model arrives in Spain, we recommend these other mice Logitech Signature M650 L wireless mouse The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Rapoo MT760L Wireless Mouse The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Logitech Pebble Mouse 2 M350s 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 | Gizmo China In Xataka | Five things to keep in mind before buying a computer mouse In Xataka | Best gaming mice: which one to buy and 11 recommended models

Microsoft set a climate goal for 2030. Becoming an AI company has blown up the plan

July 10, 2026 by usatoday24

Microsoft is one of the companies that, a few years ago, set out to be less polluting. There were two goals, the first being to become a company.”carbon negative” by 2030. They began to investigate to create more sustainable buildings and to make better use of water and heat from the Azure hubs to pollute less, but then came the final boss of climate goals. Artificial intelligence. The figures. In it last environmental report, the American company indicates that its total emissions went from about 16 million tons of CO2 to about 20 million net tons in the last fiscal year. As we see in The Vergethat implies that, during 2025, they were 25% more than in the previous period. That “net” thing is explained because they really emitted 34 million, but then you have to subtract the carbon that they paid to remove from the atmosphere, which gives us those 20 million tons. As we see in GeekWirethat places Microsoft emitting as much CO2 as Panama or Lithuania. According to Melanie Nakagawa, director of sustainability at the company, Microsoft continues to focus on the 2030 goal. And what has caused this situation is the push for data centers and artificial intelligence. Scope 3. The report itself points out that the main cause of the increase is investments in new data centers for AI and cloud computing, including integrated OpenAI systems in Microsoft products. And where this carbon footprint accumulates the most is in what they qualify as Scope 3, which encompasses the construction materials of data centers (steel and cement, which we already know are highly polluting), as well as the purchased goods and services, which skyrocket with the massive deployment of AI infrastructure. That Scope 3 concentrates around 96% of Microsoft’s entire footprint, far above the direct emissions from its operations. Electricity. But it is not only due to the construction of the buildings, since these facilities must be maintained. Emissions linked to electricity have increased almost ten times between 2024 and 2025 and, although they pride themselves on reducing direct emissions, they recognize that electricity demand has skyrocketed and it is difficult to cover everything with renewable energy alone. There are already independent analyzes that highlight that Microsoft’s electricity consumption went from 23.6 TWh to 29.8 TWh, 26%, in 2024, and we have to wait to see the independent figures for 2025. If with emissions we have that they are higher than those of Panama, with consumption Microsoft ‘swallows’ the same as Ireland. and it is expected that AI consumption will skyrocket by 2030. braking. Due to this boom and fever for artificial intelligence, Microsoft is deviating from the goal set in 2020, exemplifying the tension between being an AI company and being a company with environmental objectives. But let’s not think that it is the only one because the carbon footprint of amazon increased by 16% last year and that of Google 18%. They remain committed, of course, but right now we are talking about non-terrestrial computing, space but. And for that, many rockets have to be sent into space, with their corresponding emissions. Although the end is good, according to Jeff Bezos: sending all pollution away from Earth to return to the state prior to the Industrial Revolution. Something is something. In Xataka | There is a thing called “Ornn price index”, it is out of control and it is bad news for everyone

make 90% of your rivals at 20% of your price

July 10, 2026 by usatoday24

we carry a pretty crazy week regarding AI model releases. The spotlight may have gone to the long-awaited GPT-5.6 family (with its Sol, Terra, Luna variants), but we have also seen how SpaceXAI Grok 4.5 was released and Meta too was renewed with Muse Spark 1.1. In both cases we are facing a promising qualitative leap, and according to internal and independent benchmarks the performance of both models is already remarkably close to that of the frontier models from OpenAI and Anthropic. Grok and Muse Spark get going That was unthinkable a few months ago. Both Meta and xAI (now fully merged with SpaceX in the new SpaceXAI) seemed to play in the second (or third) division in the AI segment. SpaceXAI has barely shared results from Grok 4.5, but the table with Muse Spark 1.1 would look like this. Source: Meta (AI modified to include Grok). In fact, Meta had been working on a mysterious new model called Muse Spark that we finally met in Aprilbut the result was lukewarm: it stood out in practically nothing and it seemed that the firm had not fully met expectations. Something different happened with Grok. Musk’s ambition in this area has always been enormous, but from the beginning Grok’s approach was strange. That first version seemed to want to laugh at itself (and at all of us) with his sarcastic tonebut its evolution showed that we were facing a model with remarkable potential that I couldn’t quite find the key. However, Both companies have given a more than promising push to these models. At SpaceXAI they have probably benefited from the recent acquisition of Cursor, which had its own background with Composer 2.5 and which has undoubtedly influenced the creation of a much more competent Grok 4.5 when it comes to programming. With Meta and its Muse Spark 1.1 the same has been seen: it is much closer to the great rivals, Fable 5 and GPT 5.6. But the striking thing is not that they have come closer, but that they have done so by cutting the price significantly. And that is its great asset. It’s not more for less, it’s almost the same for much less. What is really relevant about these models is not only that the leap in quality has been significant: it is that Its cost is really competitive. In SpaceXAI’s announcement it is in fact something they especially highlight by saying that “Overall, Grok 4.5 offers the greatest intelligence per unit of time and cost.” At the launch of Meta there are no direct statements about this, but there is no need: it is the cheapest frontier model among its rivals, as can be seen in this table: The question is, of course, whether those prices really pay off. If we get “enough intelligence” per dollar, to understand each other. And that is precisely what the Artificial Analysis ranking which evaluates the cost of completing predefined tasks in its benchmarks. At the moment Muse Spark 1.1 is not included in that ranking, but for now there are two clear winners: on the one hand, GPT-5.6 Luna. On the other hand, even better, Grok 4.5. Look at the green quadrant at the top left: the only models that fit are GPT-5.6 Luna and Grok 4.5. Muse Spark 1.1 is still untested. Source: Artificial Analysis. That conclusion seems to make it clear that those specific SpaceXAI and OpenAI models are fantastic for intensive tasks where token consumption skyrockets. They may not be ideal If you are looking to solve very complex mathematical conjecturesbut for agentic tasks we have at least those two clear candidates. Muse Spark 1.1 probably meets those premises as well, judging by the benchmarks and cost. We are therefore facing an interesting turn of events. One that also poses a real alternative to what was until now the great asset of Chinese open models: its cost was much lower than the frontier models of OpenAI or Anthropic, but performance was also lagging behind. What Grok 4.5 and Muse Spark 1.1 (and GPT-5.6 Luna) offer is something like the best of both worlds: they manage to “give us” 90% of what the best models in the world do, but they do it at 10 or 20% of their price. Good, pretty and cheap. Not a bad bet, of course. In Xataka | A teacher suspected that his students had cheated with AI. He took the exam in person and his grades dropped by half.

five destroyers a day are getting closer every day

July 10, 2026 by usatoday24

In the midst of the Korean War, American General Douglas MacArthur came to define Taiwan as an “unsinkable aircraft carrier”. It was not a metaphor about his army, but about his geographical position: whoever controls the island controls one of the main accesses between the China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. More than seventy years later, that location continues to condition the strategy of the great powers. Five destroyers a day. Just a few years ago, seeing several Chinese warships surrounding Taiwan was synonymous with a diplomatic crisis or extraordinary military maneuvers. Today it happens practically every day. Beijing has managed to transform the exceptional in routine and, with this, it has taken a decisive step towards a much more ambitious objective: to progressively isolate the island without having to fire a single shot. The fence is no longer prepared, it is practiced. I was counting a few days ago the wall street journal that the Chinese Navy maintains permanently between five and six ships of war around Taiwan, a figure that increases when other units are incorporated occasionally. The ships remain in the area for approximately two weeks before being relieved by others, allowing a growing number of crews to accumulate experience in a scenario that could become a future battlefield. More than a show of force, the deployment constitutes continuous training for an eventual blockade or invasion. Each patrol serves to learn and wear out. The constant presence of these ships forces Taiwan to answer over and over again with its own naval and coast guard units. Each incursion involves hours of monitoring, fuel, maintenance and crews on permanent alert. While the island consumes resources to react, China collects information on how Taiwanese ships move, how long they take to respond, what communications they use and what their movements would be in the event of conflict. Control the waters. The new step consists of extend the pressure towards the east of Taiwan through patrols of its Coast Guard. This area concentrates intense maritime traffic and would have enormous strategic value in a hypothetical blockade of the island. Beijing no longer limits its activity to the strait that separates it from the continent, but rather projects its presence towards the western Pacific to reinforce its message that it also considers those waters under its jurisdiction. Beyond surveillance. I remembered the new york times in a report that the Chinese coast guard does not act solely as a maritime police force. In recent months they have gone so far as to require information from merchant ships about their destination, crew or cargo, trying to exercise an authority that Taiwan completely rejects. This type of action allows Beijing to rehearse control mechanisms of maritime traffic using armed civilian organizations, a strategy much more difficult to respond militarily than an exclusively naval deployment. The real objective. Because China does not need to completely close access to Taiwan overnight to upset the balance in the region. It is enough to gradually increase the intensity of their patrolsexpand the areas where it operates and accustom shipping companies, fishermen, governments and armed forces to coexist with that constant presence. If that situation ends up being perceived as the new normal, Beijing will have advanced an important part of its strategy without having formally initiated a blockade. The blockade before the war begins. Be that as it may, current operations show that a blockade no longer has to consist of suddenly closing all access to the island. can be built gradually through permanent patrols, inspections, military exercises, coast guard presence and psychological pressure on maritime traffic. From that perspective, China seems to have understood that the isolation of Taiwan does not begin the day a war is declared, but much earlier, when the siege becomes a part of the everyday landscape and each new step is less surprising than the previous one. Image | Coast Guard News In Xataka | The US moved its aircraft carriers away from Asia to protect them: China has just published a manual to hunt them from 3,000 km In Xataka | Taiwan has been inspired by Ukraine by giving its citizens a weapon against China: “It’s like acquiring a new skill”

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