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In 1995, the first product in eBay history was sold. The only problem is that it was broken

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In 1995 the Internet was not what it is now. Many of the great companies and sites related to the network were born then. AuctionWeb was the first official name of what we now know as eBay. Its creator, Pierre Omidyar, gave that name to a personal project that he wrote from his home in Silicon Valley taking advantage of one of the classic long weekends in the US, Labor Day. How do they count in The Perfect Store: Inside eBayfaced with the need to test whether that personal auction website worked, Omidyar grabbed the first thing he had on hand: a laser pointer. The choice was not random. Two weeks after buying it, it had broken, so he thought that if he managed to sell it, he wouldn’t lose anything if they gave him very little money for it. For a week that laser pointer that had cost him 30 dollars He failed to receive a single offer. Pierre Omidyar had not lied and admitted in the description of the item on AuctionWeb that it was indeed broken. There was no way to make it work. A week after being published on the Internet, that AuctionWeb object received the first offer for it. Pierre Omidyar asked for one dollar but the auction ended up closing at $14.83. What was his surprise that, even though he had already warned it in the advertisement, he preferred to make sure that it was clear to the buyer that the object purchased was broken and wrote him an email. Despite everything, the buyer kept it because it was just what he was looking for. This was eBay in 1995, when it was a personal project called AuctionWeb Mark Fraser I had seen some of those pointers and wanted one. But they were still quite expensive, on the order of $100 in those years, so he relied on his skill as electrical engineer to build yours. And he needed a part that he thought he would get from the broken pointer that was being sold on a new online site that he had found out about through a referral in the forums and information exchange places that he frequented on the Internet. Today, and as he confessed in a funny video that could be seen at eBay’s 20th anniversary party, the pointer still doesn’t work but he still has it. In Xataka |

has a discount and refund of up to 715 for renewing your mobile

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Now that we are fully immersed Black Fridayit is our turn to start looking for that ideal offer for us. If you are looking to renew your mobile phone and, specifically, you are thinking about getting the latest Google Pixel, then you have a mandatory stop at the Google Store. We have a very interesting offer to get the Google Pixel 10 Pro: comes out 999 euros, but we can reduce the price by up to an extra 715 euros for handing over our old cell phone. We will tell you more about this promo. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A bargain if you want to change your old mobile phone for a Google Pixel 10 Pro or Pro XL As we say, it is a very good opportunity to say goodbye to our phone and exchange it for a Google Pixel 10 Pro (or Pro XL, as we will see below). The first thing is that, without having to do anything or apply any coupon, we have applied it in the same a direct discount of 100 euroswhich leaves its price at 999 euros. That’s exactly where the refund of up to 715 euros comes in, which will vary depending on the phone we deliver. This promo, which will last until next December 1it’s very simple. Once we have received our new Google Pixel, we will have a period of 30 days to send our old mobile phone, so we will not be left without a phone at any time. Based on the evaluation of Google experts, we will receive the corresponding refund. What does this Google Pixel 10 Pro offer? It is a very complete device and one of the best phones of the year. It stands out for its 6.3-inch OLED screen, its processor (a Google Tensor G5) and a great triple camera system that achieves very balanced results in almost any scenario, as well as the best Android experience and a lot of artificial intelligence. Taking into account the great refund we can get, the truth is that this is a very juicy offer this Black Friday. Above we told you that this promo also extends to Google Pixel 10 Pro XLa device that is one step above the previous one thanks to a larger 6.8-inch screen and a larger battery that also offers superior 45W fast charging. Its price, which is normally 1,299 euros, is reduced to 1,099 euros. And if, We can also save up to 715 euros with a refund for handing over our old cell phone as with the other model. 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 | Alejandro Alcolea in Xataka, Google In Xataka | The best mobile phones, we have tested them and here are their analyzes In Xataka | The best quality-price mobiles. Their analyzes and videos are here

appears out of nowhere and turns Russia invisible

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At the beginning of November a scene It went viral on networks. The arrival of Russian troops in Pokrovs was more typical of a dystopia, another example that the war in Ukraine seemed to have definitively become a mirror of what the war conflicts of the future will be like. Now we know that that scene was also the prelude to an advantage. The weather in front. Yes, on the eastern lines of Ukraine, the arrival of a winter full of dense fogs has transformed the battlefield in an unpredictable scenario where visibility, which previously determined the pace of drones, has become a strategic resource in itself. The veil of humidity that covers Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and the approaches to Pokrovsk It makes the job of Ukrainian operators who rely on aerial surveillance to track Russian movements, but also offers an opportunity to sneak up, infiltrate and strike at close range. The chaos. In areas like Pokrovskwhere the lines overlap and the front is porous, the fog has caused a kind of calculated chaos that makes war unpredictable, a board where both armies move almost groping between bursts of fire that appear without warning, while the commanders admit that the weather is completely altering the reading of the terrain and the control of the approaches. Exploiting meteorological disorder. The fog has allowed Russian forces to promote specific advances and risky maneuvers. Taking advantage of the lack of aerial surveillance, mechanized units have managed to cross natural obstacles, build improvised bridges and make their way into areas where they were previously stopped by constant reconnaissance from the air. In southern regions, such as Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsklow visibility has coincided with an increase in assaults and intensive bombing that has forced Ukraine to retreat from certain positions in search of more sustainable defensive lines. The accumulation of troops under the cover of fog, the concentration of armored vehicles and the constant infiltrations by small teams seeking to advance without being detected reflect a strategy that combines quantity, continuous pressure and meteorological opportunism. At the same time, the movement of columns towards towns such as Huliaipole and Yablukove confirms that Russia tries to convert each weather window into a territorial advance, aware that controlling logistics nodes at this time of year can set the trend for the entire campaign. Solution: ground robots. Faced with the temporary loss of eyes in the sky, Ukraine has begun to integrate ground robotic systems to replace the surveillance that drones previously guaranteed. The appearance of UGVs In the defense of Pokrovsk it has made it possible to detect enemy movements that would have gone unnoticed in the dense fog and has served to guide subsequent attacks with FPV drones when visibility permitted. These small, discreet and fast platforms have provided an additional layer reconnaissance in areas where even the best aerial optics fail. Its deployment shows that the Ukrainian army is maturing hybrid doctrines where ground robots complete the work of drones that they previously dominated alone. If you will, it’s a preview of how technological warfare could evolve in the coming years: closer integration between autonomous ground sensors and aerial vectors, especially in adverse climates that are becoming more frequent and extreme. Units operating in Pokrovsk describe combat scenes where attacks emerge from the fogguided by machines that detect heat, sound or movement in conditions in which the human eye is practically blind. The pressure on Pokrovsk. The worsening of the weather coincides with a deterioration of the tactical situation in Pokrovska critical point due to its value as a transport hub and link for the defense of the east. Russia has intensified assaults relying both on climate coverage and on a notable numerical imbalance that favors its troops. Ukrainian forces acknowledge that they face waves of infantry in very small groups, teams of two or three soldiers seeking to saturate the defenses through multiple approaches, and that the fog has facilitated the temporary return of mechanized assaultseven using civilian vehicles to advance quickly in the direction of the city. A plan B. This dynamic has forced Ukraine to combine tactical withdrawals, civilian evacuations and robotic ground reconnaissance to avoid surprises. The adverse weather has accelerated the feeling of uncertainty on a front where every meter of ground is contested blindly and where the lack of aerial vision multiplies the risk that an enemy leak becomes an operational rupture. Time changes everything. The combination of persistent fog, limited mobility and low visibility has created a combat ecosystem that rewards both creativity and audacity. In this environment, the infiltration tactics Russians find more room to thrive, but so do quick Ukrainian incursions that seek to disorient the adversary in the chaos of the fog. Climate has become a multiplier of uncertainty: it degrades the precision of drones, distorts sensors, creates gaps in surveillance and pushes both sides to improvise technological and tactical solutions. Ukrainian ground robots represent a popup response to those conditions, while Russian advances under adverse weather show the importance Moscow attaches at any opportunity to break the Ukrainian defense. Image | IDF Spokesperson’s Unit In Xataka | The main problem of Europe’s rearmament is a number. If Russia attacks its borders, it has 45 days to roam freely In Xataka | Ukraine’s “Terminator” against Russian drones: an AI that decides when to shoot has hidden where it is least expected

The clothes you no longer wear have a price. For Vinted that price is 8,000 million euros

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At the beginning of the year We marveled at Vinted’s trajectory. They closed 2024 with more than 800 million euros in revenue and a valuation of 5,000 million euros. 2025 looks even better and they are also planning a share sale that will skyrocket its valuation even more. What is happening. They tell it in Financial Times. The Lithuanian second-hand sales company is exploring a share sale that will increase its valuation up to 8,000 million euros. It is a ‘cash out’ operation, very common in cases like Vinted in which a company has grown a lot in a short time. The objective is for investors to sell their part and recover their initial investment. At the moment the operation is not closed, although there is talk that it could be completed at the beginning of 2026. Why it is important. The second-hand items market has been transformed with the appearance of platforms such as Wallapop, Milanuncios or Percentil. However, none can boast Vinted’s figures. The company has managed to stand out with a clear strategy focused on clothing and the promotion of its own payment system, Vinted Pay. Benefits. Vinted reached 813 million euros of revenue in 2024. According to Thomas Plantega, CEO of the company, they expect to close 2025 with record revenues that will exceed 1,000 million. The gross sales value of items on the platform could exceed 10 billion euros. As for net profits, they have not given forecasts, but in 2024 they have already tripled compared to the previous year, reaching almost 77 million euros. Diversification. Vinted was born with a clear focus on the buying and selling of second-hand clothing, that is where it made a name for itself and managed to differentiate itself from other more general second-hand platforms such as Wallapop. Recently the company has begun to open its categories and today we can now find electronic devices, video games and home furnishings, among others. The plan is to continue expanding. Target: USA. Vinted already operates in a total of fifteen countries, although not all of them are connected. Specifically, the United Kingdom is not connected to the rest of Europe, so they can only buy and sell within their borders. The next step will be to jump into the US market and the idea is to connect it precisely with the United Kingdom. Speaking to Bloomberg TVthe company’s CEO assured that the second-hand market is very underdeveloped in the United States, which represents a great opportunity for Vinted. Image | Vinted In Xataka | The second-hand luxury watch market was in crisis. US tariffs are reviving it

Black Friday 2025 | Best offers and discounts on Amazon, MediaMarkt, El Corte Inglés, Pc Componentes

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The association of the term with sales began in Philadelphia during the 1960s, and at first it was not positive. Local police began calling the day after Thanksgiving “Black Friday” because they had to deal with bad traffic and other miseries connected with the Crowds of shoppers heading to the stores that day. The term was not popular and local retailers tried to change it to Big Friday. But the idea failed to catch on, although over time the Minorites of Philadelphia and other cities gave it another connotation: their accounts went from being in red to being in black from that day on. Today, more than Black Friday we should call it Black Weekend, Week of the Black Friday or even Black November, since Black Friday offers usually run from Friday to Sunday in most stores, but there are also many that have pre-Black Friday offers all month, both online stores as well as in physical stores on the streets of your city. Be that as it may, this campaign opens the shopping season for christmas gifts since the promotions and discounts offered are always an opportunity to find something to give as a gift. Black Friday in Spain As Black Friday grew in the United States, with the arrival of the Internet, many users began to pay attention to these sales to try to buy online. Spanish businesses realized this and, as happens with many other sales periods that are imported, they began to adopt it to take economic advantage of it. Black Friday did not arrive in Spain until 2012. Until that year, sales periods were regulated by law, meaning that stores were prohibited from offering sales outside of the stipulated periods. It was therefore when this rule disappeared in the summer of 2012 when Black Friday arrived for the first time in Spain that same month of November. Confirmed Online Stores Amazon is one of the online stores that is most famous for its Black Friday offers, although other electronic stores such as PC Componentes, El Corte Inglés or Fnac are not far behind. But come on, as we have told you, practically any online store that comes to mind will have something to offer you at least on Friday.

This is the 3I/ATLAS photo that NASA was accused of hijacking. Of course it doesn’t change anything

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They are the most controversial astronomical photos of the last two months. And to no one’s surprise, speculation as to why NASA had not published them was exaggerated. This is what the space agency has seen. A little context. Since the ATLAS system detected a new interstellar object crossing our neighborhood, a very specific part of the scientific community has been carefully monitoring its trajectory to detect any anomalies. Especially since cosmologist Avi Loeb suggested it could be an artificial alien object. That NASA took a month and a half to release 3I/ATLAS images taken during its approach to Mars has not helped control such speculation. But the administrative silence, caused by the US government shutdown, has come to an end. NASA is back this week with a huge amount of data under the arm. “It’s a comet.” NASA has mobilized 12 of its spacecraft to observe the visitor from outside the solar system. And the official message is forceful, almost designed to nip any exotic speculation in the bud: “it looks like a comet and behaves like a comet, and all the evidence points to it being a comet,” said Amit Kshatriya, the agency’s highest-ranking official, in a press conference. Of course, it is a different comet from those in the solar system, which suggests that it was born in an environment with a different chemistry than ours, perhaps around a star much older than the Sun, because it is unusually rich in nickel and, instead of expelling water, it expels carbon dioxide. What’s new. What makes this new observation campaign special is the geometry. When 3I/ATLAS passed its closest point to the Sun in late October, Earth was on the “wrong side,” with the Sun blocking our direct view. Taking advantage of the fact that Mars had a privileged view, NASA forced the instruments of its ships beyond their original design. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured high-resolution images from 30 million kilometers away. The MAVEN mission analyzed its ultraviolet composition and the Perseverance rover, from the Martian surface, managed to capture a faint flash of the comet. Meanwhile, the Psyche and Lucy spacecraft, traveling to distant asteroids, managed to capture the comet against the light, revealing details of its tail and coma that would be invisible from Earth. And the SOHO and STEREO solar observatories followed suit when it was too close to the Sun for other telescopes. What does Loeb say? The controversial Harvard astrophysicist and techno-signature hunter has published an immediate response showing his disappointment. For Loeb, the NASA press conference has been an exercise in bureaucracy to confirm the “expected and boring.” His main arguments for maintaining skepticism are: The striking thing about the mass: 3I/ATLAS is a million times more massive than ‘Oumuamua. Statistically, we should have seen millions of small objects before seeing one this big, unless it was intentionally “sent”, according to the cosmologist. The camouflage theory: Loeb argues that an interstellar probe that has traveled through the cold interstellar medium could have accumulated a layer of ice and dust on its surface. As it approaches the Sun, this layer would sublimate, making it look like a natural comet. The resolution of the images: The photos shown by NASA are blurry (due to the limitations of the probes), so Loeb is pinning his hopes on images taken by amateur astronomers as the comet approaches Earth. And now what. NASA has not found any technosignatures: no radio signals, no impossible maneuvers outside of gravity, nothing that indicates intelligence on this comet. However, the show is not over. On December 19, 2025, 3I/ATLAS will have its closest approach to Earth (about 270 million kilometers). It will be then when the James Webb space telescope and the large terrestrial observatories will be able to perform the definitive autopsy. Image | POT In Xataka | 3I/ATLAS shows signs of non-gravitational acceleration: something has pushed it, and we think we know what

The only thing that Europe’s AI Law has achieved is to leave us lame. The question is whether turning back will do any good.

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December 8 was a fateful day for the European Union, but not many realized it. And it was because that day the AI ​​Act was passedthe European regulation on artificial intelligence. Thierry Breton, European commissioner, he was pleased with a tweet that automatically became a meme. I was bragging about how Europe had tripped itself up. The responses to that tweet They made it clear that the reception of the regulations was very different from what the EU would have expected. The criticism was forceful and very clear: with these regulations the only thing the EU was achieving was to slow down innovation and make it even more difficult to compete in a segment that was defining the world. While the US and China joined the party without asking permission and without asking for forgiveness, Europe stayed at home happily crocheting. That regulation, which came into force in August 2024instantly caused the AI ​​segment out at two speeds: that of Europe, almost at a standstill, and that of the rest of the world, which stepped on the accelerator (without looking too closely at the consequences). We have seen the consequences of that in the last two years. Europe has been relegated to the second (or third) plane, and with honorable exceptions like the Spanish Freepik or the French Mistral, we have very little to talk about in this area. Meanwhile, the US dominates the commercial plane and China is a steamroller both at a training level as in your open model development. Europe wants to turn back: the question is whether it is too late Yesterday the European Commission presented a project for simplify various digital regulationsand the most important modifications actually affect the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPRor GRPD for its acronym in English). The changes proposed by the Commission will make it easier for companies to share sets of anonymised and pseudo-anonymised personal data. That will have a direct impact on the capacity of AI companies, which They will be able to legally use personal data to train their data models as long as that process meets the rest of the GDPR requirements. The proposal also softens one of the key elements of the AI ​​Act, which, as we say, came into force in August 2024 but included several elements that would come into force some time later. Thus, now the “grace period” for the regulations that regulate the high risk AI systems —those that pose a “serious risk” to health, safety or fundamental rights—is widespread. It was supposed to be activated in summer 2016, but now that regulation will only apply when it is confirmed that “the necessary standards and supporting tools are available” for AI companies… whatever those standards and tools are, yet to be defined. Other amendments in that new Digital Omnibus include simplified requirements for the documentation required of SMEsin addition to a unified interface so that companies can report cybersecurity incidents. Henna Virkkunen, vice president of technological sovereignty at the European Commission, explained that: “In the EU we have all the ingredients to be successful. However, our businesses, especially startups and small businesses, are often held back by a set of rigid rules. By reducing bureaucracy, simplifying EU legislation, opening access to data and introducing a common European business portfolio, we are creating space for innovation to be produced and commercialized in Europe. This is being done the European way: by ensuring that users’ fundamental rights remain fully protected.” These amendments to current digital regulations will now have to be approved by the European Parliament and the 27 member states of the European Union — which will need a qualified majority— to approve it. That process could last months, and during it the proposals themselves could see notable changes before being applied. As indicated in The Guardianthis “massive setback” of this regulation has caused concern among groups fighting to continue protecting privacy of European citizens. The European Digital Rights (EDRi), a pan-European network of NGOs, Indian that if the changes to the regulation are accepted, it will become easier for technology companies to collect and use personal data to train AI models without asking for consent. The European agenda seemed to change when former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi warned last fall of how Europe had fallen worryingly behind in the technology race. That speech was a breath of fresh air for Europeand European business groups have welcomed the proposal with optimism, but believe that they still fall short. A representative of the Computer and Communications Industry Association of which Amazon, Apple, Google and Meta are members indicated that “efforts to simplify digital and technology regulations should not stop there.” One click for cookies This simplification of regulation that affects all types of digital scenarios can have a positive effect. Accepting or rejecting cookies has become a daily torture for millions of Europeansbut the user experience may improve significantly in the coming months. And it may get better because the EU has proposed a modernization of policies related to cookies. To try to improve the browsing experience, it will limit the number of times cookie warning banners appear, but also will make it possible for us to accept or reject cookies with a single click. In fact, the future may be even more promising, because what is intended is that said consent (or denial) of cookies is integrated into our browser so that once we configure it, the websites are not constantly asking us if we accept cookies or not: the browser will know what we want and will answer for us at all times. In that “digital package” it is specified that once we accept or reject cookies with that “single-click“, websites must respect that choice of citizens for six months. Image | Christian Lue In Xataka | For the EU, our privacy has always been more important than AI. Until he understood that he was left behind

discounts of up to 60% on televisions, cell phones, laptops and more

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The days go by, but we are still in the middle Black Friday. We have practically all the stores with their active promotion, so it is easier for us to find what we are looking for. One of the ones with the most offers is PcComponentswith offers that have up to 60% discountfree shipping for purchases of 50 euros or more and the possibility of making returns until January 15. We have a lot to choose from in its product catalog, all without forgetting the different flash offers that they launch every day. To give some examples, below we leave you a selection of very interesting products if we take into account characteristics and discount: Acer Nitro V laptop by 1,059 eurosa very balanced gaming device with a powerful CPU. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra by 999 euroscandidate to be one of the best mobile phones of 2025. OPPO A5 Pro 5G by 199 eurosan interesting option in terms of quality-price. Samsung Jet 75E Pet by 205.99 eurosan upright vacuum cleaner that now costs less than ever. Xiaomi 15T by 499 eurosa phone with very good autonomy and a Leica camera. Acer Nitro V laptop We start with an Acer gaming laptop, model Nitro V 15 ANV15-52. It is a device that is designed to be able to play any current game with very good performance, although it will also be a great fit for us if we are looking for something to work on and need good power. Its RRP is 1,499 euros, but right now we have it available, once we put it in the cart, for 1,059 euros. The team mounts an RTX 5060, one of the new NVIDIA graphics that will allow us to enjoy the DLSS 4. In addition, it has an Intel Core i9-13900H, so we will not have performance or power problems for a long time. To this pair of components we must add 32 GB of RAM, a 1 TB SSD and a 15.6-inch screen with a refresh rate of 165 Hz. Laptop Acer Nitro V 15 ANV15-52 15.6″ Intel Core i9-13900H 32GB 1TB RTX 5060 The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Now let’s go with a mobile phone, one that is in fact one of the best of this year that is close to ending. We refer to the Galaxy S25 Ultraa complete device and one of the best that Samsung has today. Black Friday allows us to take it home at a very good price: it goes for 999 euros in its 256 GB version. It is a mobile phone that comes with 12 GB of RAM and the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, one of the most powerful there is. In addition, its 6.9-inch screen has QHD+ resolution, 120 Hz and one of the best anti-reflective treatments on the market. Its camera system will allow us to take great photographs in any setting, it comes with a lot of AI and has seven years of guaranteed updates. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Smartphone with AI Storage 256GB Battery 5,000mAh Titanium Black The price could vary. We earn commission from these links OPPO A5 Pro 5G If we are looking for a new mobile phone, but we want something affordable, we have a great option with the OPPO A5 Pro 5G. Quality-price is a phone that has been very interesting since its launch, but Black Friday makes it even more appealing: it comes out 199 euros. And be careful, because it comes with a gift case. Taking into account that it does not reach 200 euros, it is a very complete mobile. It offers a 6.67-inch screen with a 120 Hz refresh rate and a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits. It comes with a Dimensity 6300 processor and 8 GB of RAM, as well as 256 GB of storage. One of the things that stands out the most about it is its battery, a 5,800 mAh battery compatible with 45 W fast charging. OPPO A5 Pro 5G Smartphone with AI 6.67″ 120Hz 8GB/256GB 50MP IP69 5800mAh 45W Case Included Green The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Samsung Jet 75E Pet To keep our house clean, any help we can have is always welcome. If we search a good upright vacuum cleanerwe have a great option right now with this Samsung Jet 75E Pet. Its price is also quite balanced outside of offers (it is 299 euros), although right now is the best time to get it: it costs 205.99 eurosits historical minimum to date. It is a device with very good suction power, even for the smallest particles and for those pet hairs that seem very persistent. Its autonomy offers up to 60 minutes of non-stop vacuuming, although its battery is removable. That means that we can buy an extra one if we have a large house and thus not end up halfway. In addition, it should be noted that it comes with several accessories and weighs very little, which makes it manageable. Samsung jet 75 pet 200 aw broom vacuum cleaner The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Xiaomi 15T As an alternative to the two previous phones, we have an intermediate option in terms of features and price. It is about the Xiaomi 15Ta device that we could consider perfectly high-end, but that, with this Black Friday offer from PcComponentes, remains at a mid-range price: it costs 499 euros. It stands out for its 6.83-inch AMOLED screen, one that has a peak brightness of 3,200 nits, a refresh rate of 120 Hz and 1.5K resolution. It has a good processor such as the Dimensity 8400 Ultra and a 5,500 mAh battery that is also compatible with 67W fast charging. All rounded off with a camera system with the help of Leica that is difficult to fault. Xiaomi 15T 12GB 512GB 6.83″ AMOLED 5G Dual SIM Leica Camera 50MP Android 16 Black The price could vary. … Read more

Today it has become the dream of many young people

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The data suggests that salaries have increased in 2025 compared to 2024, largely driven by staff shortages and the imposition of a minimum wage that has raised salaries lower. However, these global figures hide important differences depending on age and type of contract, with young people being the ones who suffer the most. economic difficulties. Despite this general improvement, almost two million workers earn less than 1,070 euros per month, a figure that shows that the salary insecurity continues to be present in a considerable sector of the population. Salaries are rising, but not all the same. Data from the 2024 Labor Force Survey (EPA) that have just been publishedreveal that in Spain the average salary has experienced some changes in recent years, reaching an average of 2,385.6 euros gross per month in 2024, which represents an increase of 113 euros compared to 2,273 euros in 2023. According to INE data, the average salary rose by 5%, increasing to 110 euros more per month, while the median salary stood at 2,001.4 euros, which represents an increase of 65.9 euros per month (3.4%). This increase in salaries even exceeds the inflation rate, which was 3%, and reflects the highest increase recorded since 2006, when these data began to be collected. Young people: hopefully mileurista. However, this increase is not transferred to the same extent to the salaries of young people who have just entered the labor market. For the first time since 2016, the average salary of young people between 16 and 24 years old has been reduced by 14.6 euros per month compared to the average salary in 2023. This leaves young people with an average annual salary of 16,700 euros gross, which is equivalent to the Minimum Interprofessional Wage. According to the INE, those under 24 years of age earn an average of 1,372 euros gross per month, which represents a decrease compared to 2023 and a real loss in purchasing power. This situation is worrying because it accentuates the historical gap with respect to the generation of more experienced workers, whose average salary exceeds 2,680 euros. This difference generates a intergenerational wage gap of more than 40%, a figure that confirms the difficulties for young people to achieve economic stability comparable to that of their elders. Stable and precarious work. The data show that the wage gap among different age groups has been expanding in recent years. In 2024, the amount of average salaries will almost double among young people who have just entered the labor market, with the aforementioned 1,372 euros gross per month, and those who face the final stretch of their professional career with an average salary of 2,680.7 euros gross per month. The INE explains this difference by highlighting that many young people are in a situation of multiple employment or with temporary contracts, seeking to combine several jobs to be able to make ends meet. For their part, workers with more experience “have a greater relative weight in the highest salaries, since they have a greater proportion of indefinite contracts, greater seniority and more work experience.” 30% collect the SMI. The rise in the SMI has pushed up the lowest salaries creating a greater mass of active population concentrated in the range of 16,600 euros. Specifically, some 5.5 million workers (30% of the total) earn salaries below 1,582.2 gross euros per month. Among them, 1.84 million receive 1,068 euros gross per month for having part-time contracts in their main job. It is not all bad news, 40% of employees (about 7,375,900 people) earn between 1,582 and 2,659 euros. The remaining 30%, some 5,531,900 employees, are in the three highest deciles, with gross monthly salaries of 2,659.8 or more euros. In Xataka | Finding a job had always been a good way to escape poverty: in Spain it is no longer true Image | Unsplash (ThisisEngineering)

Half of Spain is on alert due to snow and yet AEMET has not issued a single red notice: what is happening here?

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“Historical Polar Beast“, “New Philomena“, “the polar storm that threatens Spain“: Much has been written about the intrusion of cold air that is causing drops in temperatures, snowfall and trouble throughout the north of the country. And not always without reason. In fact, the Junta de Castilla y León has declared the alert for snowfall in the provinces of Burgos, León, Palencia and Soria. And yet, AEMET has not issued a red weather warning. What is happening here? QTo start: everything is working normally. And we must not forget that AEMET and Civil Protection do not do the same work. The State Meteorological Agency is limited to issuing weather warnings that are based on physical and objective thresholds. Civil Protection, on the other hand, declares the alert based on the expected impact (on the population and/or infrastructure). In this sense, they are not things that can be linked directly. And what is happening these days is a textbook example. AEMET has not activated red warnings, simply because snowfall exceeding the highest thresholds is not expected. Yes, the snow level had dropped a lot… but in reality, no one expected a lot of snow to fall. This does not mean, as is evident, that it is not an important episode; Only it is not an extreme episode in purely meteorological terms. In social terms, it is different. Because as Víctor Gonzalez explained There are a series of factors that make this relatively small winter storm something to take into account. To begin with, it is the first episode of snowfall at low levels of the season. As with heat waves in summer, the first ‘episodes’ are always more dangerous because they ‘catch’ the population unprepared. Especially when (as is happening now) that episode comes earlier than usual, when winter hasn’t even started yet. In addition, it coincides with very busy days (because we are talking about a very busy weekend). An important lesson: When we talk about meteorology, it doesn’t just matter how much snow falls, how hot it is going to be, or how much water a storm will dump. What really matters is when, where and on whom it falls. As Víctor González said“If this same episode occurred on a Tuesday in February, perhaps the alert would not have been declared.” Image | ECMWF | Alev Takil In Xataka | AEMET is clear about what we can expect from the polar storm that threatens Spain: the question is whether we are prepared

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