Mobile Tech & Gadgets

Chinese electric cars already have massages, karaoke and even a refrigerator. The next step is an under-seat toilet.

by

If you can’t hold back the urge to urinate while you’re in the car, the normal thing to do is wait until you make a stop at the next gas station to relieve yourself. That’s normal, and then there is Seres, the Chinese manufacturer of Aito cars, which has patented a rather peculiar solution: add a toilet integrated into the cabin that unfolds like a drawer. Exploring other areas. China has one of the most saturated electric car markets and competitive on the planet. Dozens of brands fight for the same type of audience and differentiation has become a race without limits: from massage seats and karaoke systems, even integrated refrigerators, giant screens…If everyone is doing the same thing in infotainment, why not explore the next territory? And this seems to be the conclusion reached by Seres, the Chongqing-based company that manufactures Aito brand vehicles. A portable toilet. According to they count From CarNewsChina, the Intellectual Property Administration of China granted Seres authorization for this patent on April 10. The device consists of a toilet integrated under the passenger seat that is extracted using a system of sliding rails (something similar to a drawer) manually or by voice commands. When not in use, it is completely hidden under the seat, without taking up additional space in the cabin. How it works inside. According to collect The BBC, which had access to the original document presented to the Chinese authorities, the system includes a fan and an extraction tube to evacuate odors to the outside of the vehicle. The waste is collected in a tank that must be emptied manually. In addition, it incorporates a rotating heater that evaporates urine and dries solids. Is for when the car is stopped. Before too vivid mental images arise, it is worth clarifying: the design is designed so that you stop as soon as possible and start with the task. According to CarNewsChinaSeres’ own engineers specify in the patent report that the objective is “to satisfy the needs of users during long journeys, camping or during prolonged stays in the vehicle.” Endless traffic jams, overnight stops or campsites without facilities are the intended use cases. It’s not as crazy as it seems. Toilets in cars are very rare, but it would not be the first time they have been seen in a car. In fact, just as account BBC, in the 1950s, a special version of the Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith already included a toilet under the back seat. There are also those who have modified their car to include one, such as this owner of a Toyota 4Runner. What Seres is proposing now is, in essence, a more technologically sophisticated version of an idea that already existed seventy years ago. Obstacles. Just because the patent exists does not mean that it will reach production. CarNewsChina points out several important technical obstacles, including integrating drainage pipes into compact chassis (especially in electric ones where the battery occupies a large part of the floor), guaranteeing the durability of the rails or achieving an airtight seal that prevents odor leaks. And then there’s the psychological barrier, which is basically convincing passengers that it’s perfectly normal to use the bathroom just inches from where the rest of the family sits. Seres is not going through its best moment. The company is going through a difficult time. According to data of China EV DataTracker, deliveries of Aito M9its high-end SUV, have fallen 44.2% year-on-year for three consecutive months. Seres and Huawei plan to soon launch a renewed version of the model to stop the decline. And in this context, these types of patents can help the brand, not even to make them a reality, but to try to generate conversation around its vehicles. Cover image | Polestones and Aito In Xataka | You buy a second-hand car, you pay for it and the police confiscate it: this is how the ‘twin’ car scam works

Ukraine is bringing its drones dangerously close to Moscow. And he is doing it with an unusual weapon: Grand Theft Auto V

by

In 2002, during a US military exercise known like Millennium Challengea retired general managed to surprise to a technologically superior fleet using unconventional tactics and unexpected means, and did so to the point of virtually “sinking” several ships in a matter of minutes. That simulation left an uncomfortable conclusion For many strategists: in certain scenarios, it is not always whoever has the most means who wins, but whoever best understands how to adapt to new forms of combat. From video games to the real battlefield. The story They told Insider. Apparently, Ukraine has found a totally unexpected way to accelerate the training of drone pilots and perfect its field of action: video gamesand in particular in the environment achieved by Rockstar in Grand Theft Auto Vwhere operators perfect reflexes, coordination and decision-making in simulated scenarios. This practice does not replace military training, rather it complements it, and reveals the extent to which modern warfare is absorbing skills born outside the traditional sphereincorporating a generation accustomed to controls, screens and virtual environments. What begins as a simulation ends up moving to real operations where there is no margin for error, consolidating a combat model in which the line between game and war turns increasingly diffuse. Drones are approaching Moscow. In parallel to this training with GTAV, the range of the Ukrainian drones has been growing steadily until reaching areas ever closer to the political heart of Russia. They remembered in Forbes that deep attacks inside Russian territory, some a few kilometers away of the Kremlin, are breaking the perception of invulnerability that protected Moscow for years. The campaign does not seek only to destroy objectives, but to demonstrate penetration capacity and generate constant pressure that forces us to redistribute defenses and assume that the conflict is no longer far away, but increasingly closer. Victory Day under a new shadow. Yes, because the proximity of May 9, one of the most symbolic events For the Kremlin, it adds a particularly delicate dimension to this development. The parade is not only a military display, but a key piece in Russia’s narrative of power and control, and any alteration, even indirect, would have a disproportionate impact. The fact that it is being contemplated reduce its scale or modify Its format reflects the extent to which the drone threat has changed the strategic calculus, turning a celebration designed to project force into a potential point of vulnerability. A defense saturated and tested. The truth is that although Moscow remains one of the most protected spaces of the world, the accumulation of attacks is straining your systems defensive. Multiple layers of air defense, designed to intercept threats, now face a constant stream of drones seeking to overwhelm them, identify gaps, and wear them down over time. This approach does not depend on a single decisive blow, but on prolonged pressure that forces Russia to defend more and more points at the same time, progressively eroding its response capacity. Putin, more isolated and more protected. In fact, this week they explained in the Financial Times that, in this context, security around Vladimir Putin has visibly tightened, reflecting growing concern about possible attacks, including those carried out with drones. How much? Apparently, the president has reduced their movements, spend more time in bunkers and operate under stricter security protocols, while their environment is subjected to increasingly rigorous controls. This evolution not only responds to physical risks, but also to the need to preserve an image of control at a time when the conflict begins to feel closer to the center of power. The psychological war that accompanies technological warfare. Beyond the material impact, the Ukrainian drone campaign is having a increasing psychological effectboth in the political elite and in Russian society. Each raid that breaks through defenses reinforces the idea that no place is completely safe, weakening a narrative built on distance and control. If you want too, while drones continue to advance and pilots train even in virtual worlds like GTAVthe war enters a phase where the perception of risk it’s so important as the real damage, and where the pressure on Moscow increases just when it most needs to project stability. Image | Wiki In Xataka | Ukraine has just opened the last Russian missile and is still amazed: the real enemy has a “friendly” face In Xataka | Russia has named Ukraine’s most fearsome drone: they call it Zhduns and it doesn’t need to show itself, just wait

It never grew that much outside of China but it never fell that much inside China.

by

BYD finds itself facing a diatribe unimaginable just a year ago. While its sales skyrocket outside China, it manages to sell fewer and fewer cars in its own country. Whatever its future, we are experiencing a key moment in a company that aspired to be one of the five major car manufacturers worldwide. The data. 455,707 cars. These are how many BYD has sold outside of China so far in 2026. A spectacular growth of 59.8% year-on-year and a solid basis to reach the 1.5 million units that the company wants to sell outside its country this year. 1,003,039 cars. These are the ones that BYD has sold within China so far in 2026. A not inconsiderable drop of 26.4% year-on-year and a solid concern for a company that has already been declining in sales for eight consecutive months in its country, reaching in some cases a decline of up to 42%like last March. Both data are brought CarNewsChinawho collect data from companies inside and outside the Asian country. Why does it fall? That BYD has been falling for more than eight months in a row is no coincidence. The Chinese State has left aside extensive subsidies for the purchase of electric cars or plug-in hybrids, known as “new energy”. That has slowed down the market and, of course, who has hurt the most It is the leading company that, in addition, does not sell other types of cars either under the BYD name or under any other of its brands such as Denza either Yangwang. The company is by no means the only one that falls into the Chinese market. No subsidies, national sales have suffered but the context has been complicated for the company since companies like Geely (which have surpassed him in sales) They have a broader catalog of technologies and some cars like the BYD Dolphin Surf (Seagull in China) are much less competitive without aid since the market rewards large and technological cars at a low price. However, the great advantage of this model is in the price and not so much in what it offers in its infotainment systems. Why does it grow? The positive side for BYD is that its arrival in new countries and sales where it was recently established seem to be going at a very good pace. As we said, outside of China They have already sold more than 400,000 carswhich falls within the roadmap to sell 1.5 million cars outside of China this year. BYD has entered these countries with a formula that lays the foundations for continued growth: contained price (compared to its rivals) for medium and large-sized electric and plug-in hybrids. This is leading them to good numbers in Europe but also in Latin America. In both cases BYD is already working to produce locally and not bring your cars only from China. It must be remembered that their electric vehicles are still punished with tariffs in Europe but their plug-in hybrids do not have that problem. To this we must add that its capacity to update models is very high, as seen with the BYD Atto 2. And how is it going in Spain? Spain is one of the most important countries for BYD outside of China. It is strange because we are not a country with high levels of plug-ins but we are an interesting market because we value price a lot. And, there, the BYD Dolphin Surf It is priced low enough to be a bestseller in countries like Spain. So far this year, it is the third best-selling electric car and the first “non-Tesla.” But, in addition, BYD also has the Signal U and the Atto 2 to the two best-selling plug-in hybrids in our country. Why is it worrying? BYD faces a challenge: needs to continue growing. At least, that’s what they thought themselves. In 2025 they became the company that more electric cars sold worldwide. In 2024 they already touched it but they set a goal that was not met last year and that, barring any surprise, will not be met in 2025: manufacturing 5.5 million cars. Getting into the five million car club would mean positioning BYD as one of the five largest manufacturers in the world. In 2025, that position will be occupied by Stellantis with 5.6 million cars, a conglomerate that has 14 brands under its umbrella. By just 50,000 units, BYD failed to surpass Ford, but the most painful thing for the company is that it remained at 4.6 million cars sold. An insufficient figure for its prospects but unimaginable a few years ago. But it’s not alarming. Although the results within China are not good, the company has demonstrated the ability to adapt to new environments. The company has two great strengths: its businesses go beyond automobiles and its potential growth outside of China is enormous. The brand has the right product for markets where, like the Spanish market, price is valued above other incentives. In Latin America, Chinese cars are making their way for this reason. And in North America, Mexico and, above all, Canada has opened the door to companies arriving from China. In Europe, BYD’s growth continues. In countries like Spain it is obtaining great results but in others it is still establishing itself. But, in addition, they will soon be able to tighten the price of their cars when the assembly lines of Hungary and Türkiye start walking And everything indicates that the brand does not want to stay here, There are already rumors that they want to buy the Dresden Glass Factory for which Volkswagen is looking for a new owner. Photo | BYD and aboodi vesakaran In Xataka | It turns out that the “good, pretty and cheap” electric car does exist and is manufactured in China. So Citroën has stepped up

In which communities it can be done and how to do it in the 2026 declaration

by

Let’s explain to you how and where you can have a deduction for celiac disease in your Income 2025, which is the declaration we make in 2026 to account for the last fiscal year. You can now request and submit your draft online and from the mobilebut if you have celiac disease it is important to pay attention to this deduction, because you can save a few euros. We have already told you what they are the most important boxes that should be reviewed in the income. And we also have guides on how to deduct you home insurance, gym fee, vet expenses, glasses and contact lenses, school supplies either the rent of your habitual residence. Now, it is the turn of the expenses derived from celiac disease. The deduction is designed to compensate for the extra costs of following a gluten-free diet. But it is important that you know that The deduction depends on the autonomous community in which you live. First because it is only available in three of them, and second because in each one there are different conditions and quantities. Requirements in addition to the community where you live Although each autonomous community establishes its own conditions, there are a series of common requirements that are repeated in practically all of them. These are the requirements that you should know about how to request the deduction or if you can do so. Official medical diagnosis: It is not enough to follow a gluten-free diet by your own decision. To be able to access this deduction you must have a medical report or certificate that confirms that you have celiac disease, in accordance with the criteria recognized by the scientific community. You do not need to justify the specific expenditure on food: You don’t have to keep purchase receipts or invoices for gluten-free products. This deduction is a fixed amount that will be applied just for having this diagnosis. Of course, you will always have to have the medical document. The deduction does not appear in the draft: This is one of those deductions that the Treasury does not automatically fill out. Therefore, it is recommended that you review the draft and add it manually. It is cumulative per family member: If there are several people in your home with diagnosed celiac disease, you can apply the deduction for each of them, not just for you. Deductions for each autonomous community We start with this table where we summarize the autonomous communities where you will be able to receive the deduction for celiac disease, as well as the amount. This way, you will have everything clear at a glance. Community Deduction Rent limit Andalusia €100 for each member of the family unit diagnosed No limit Asturias €100 for each member of the family unit diagnosed €35,000 (individual) / €45,000 (joint) Rioja €250 for each member of the family unit diagnosed No limit Deduction for celiac disease in Andalusia In Andalusia it is established a deduction of 100 euros for each person in the family nucleus with diagnosed celiac disease. This is the only one of the three communities that does not require any tax base limitso any taxpayer residing there can access it regardless of their income. The taxpayer himself, his spouse or partner registered in the registry of de facto couples, and the people who give the right to family minimums through ascendants or descendants are considered part of the family nucleus. Come on, it can be you, your partner if you have married or are a de facto couple, and the children, parents or grandparents who live with you. If two taxpayers are entitled to the deduction for the same person, such as separated people or people with shared custody of a celiac child, the amount is divided equally, 50 euros for each one. Deduction for celiac disease in Asturias In Asturias the deduction is also 100 euros for each member of the family nucleus with a confirmed diagnosis of celiac disease. However, there are three aspects in which it is different from the other two communities. For a start, yes there is an income limit To be able to benefit from the deduction: do not exceed 35,000 euros in individual taxation or 45,000 euros in joint declaration. In addition to this, Asturias It does require that you have expenses derived from the illness. You will not have to provide purchase invoices, but you may have a way to prove that you have actually had these extra expenses in the event that the Treasury requests it. Asturias also has a more restrictive definition of family nucleus. It includes the taxpayer, spouse only when there are joint returns, and ascendants and descendants. If two taxpayers are entitled to the deduction for the same person, such as separated people or people with shared custody of a celiac child, the amount is divided equally, 50 euros for each one. Deduction for celiac disease in La Rioja La Rioja is the most generous community, since it gives you 250 euros for each person in the family nucleus who have a diagnosis of celiac disease, more than twice as many as the others. Furthermore, there are no limits on the tax base either. The family nucleus includes the taxpayer, his or her spouse and the people who give the right to family minimums through ascendants or descendants: children, parents, grandparents. Yes indeed, La Rioja is also more demanding in documentation. Unlike the other two communities, this one does expressly mention the need to have a medical certificate that includes the complete identification of the active doctor who issues it, his or her membership number and specialty, and the date of issue and diagnosis. If two taxpayers are entitled to the deduction for the same person, such as separated people or people with shared custody of a celiac child, the amount is divided equally, 125 euros for each one. How to declare it in Renta Web To add this deduction … Read more

the Mediterranean reaches 20 degrees and today a DANA is going to show us what it means

by

Let’s start at the beginning: what is going to happen today in Castellón is something completely ordinary. A DANA coming down from the Cantabrian Sea and discharging water over the interior and coast of Castellón, perhaps some hail and intense gusts of wind. The extraordinary thing is everything else, everything that surrounds it: the warmest April in decades, the Mediterranean with a ‘heat wave’ at the beginning of May and the uncertainty of not knowing what will happen in the coming years. What we do know is what is going to happen now. Because, as I said, the DANA was located on the Cantabrian Sea and has been moving towards the east. The point is that the most unstable sector of this DANA spreads today over the north of Castellón. Once there, the DANA, the surface winds and a steep orography facing southeast force the rise of humid air from the Mediterranean. That is the recipe for potentially very intense convective nuclei in inland regions. By Wednesday or Thursday the situation will improve. As I say, a priori, it is nothing exceptional… Although we normally associate DANAs with autumn, the truth is that spring is also a time when they are abundant. What makes this event worth studying is the context that surrounds it. …except for one thing. At the end of April, anomalies of 2 to 3 degrees were recorded in the Gulf of Valencia, the area around the Balearic Islands and Catalonia. A fact that summarizes all this: the Sa Dragonera buoy It touched 20 degrees on April 26while the average for the Balearic Sea in April is 14.9. A warmer Mediterranean in spring is equivalent to more moisture available in the lower troposphere. When there is a contribution of cold air at altitude, that moisture becomes fuel: greater convective instability and more intense rains in less time. This is the problem. While AEMET maintains the yellow noticethere is no reason to assume more danger than expected. However, it is true that it is increasingly difficult to rule out torrential accumulations in any month of the year. The question is not whether it will rain a lot or not, the question is that DANAs arise on a Mediterranean different from the one that served as a reference to build our infrastructures and our warning thresholds. Image | BenBaso In Xataka | There are meteorologists who are already comparing El Niño of 2027 with that of 1877, a catastrophic event that wiped out 4% of the population

women have taken it and filled it with pearls, crystals and glitter

by

Technology promised to be the glue that would connect us to everything and everyone. The reality is that there are more and more people who feel that technology makes them feel more isolatedwith algorithms that catch in a doomscrolling loop endless. Furthermore, the devices are monotonous, gray and without personality. In this context, a creative scene of women who create their own personalized gadgets, with designs that leave no one indifferent, is emerging. What is a cyberdeck. The concept was coined by William Gibson in his novel ‘Neuromancer‘. This idea ended up becoming a stream ‘maker‘ with users creating mini laptops from loose parts such as screens, keyboards from other gadgets and generally with a Raspberry as the brain. They are devices that do not connect to the internet and are usually designed for hacking or programming. Traditionally they were built by men and the aesthetics were more futuristic cyberpunk style or tactical style. The cyberdecks of the girlies. Recently a new trend has emerged in cyberdecks in which women are the protagonists and they print that hyperfemininity with the most striking designs. It was popularized by the tiktoker and youtuber UbeBoobey when he created his cyberdeck with “mermaid” stylewhich is built inside a shell-type bag and decorated with pearls, crystals, moss and even has makeup inside. Since she published her video in March of this year, many more creators have jumped on the trend of hyperfeminine cyberdecks in media as curious as ‘Polly Pocket’ cases, jewelers, ring boxes and even Hello Kitty toys. Limited features. As we said, a cyberdeck is not designed to connect to the internet, so its functionalities are limited. UbeBoobey loaded movies, music, books, photos and even Wikipedia articles on its cyberdeck, all so as not to depend so much on Internet access. He also installed Doom and can play with a custom mouse as well. In statements to Wiredthe creator admits “I’m a hypocrite, because I use my phone every day. I wouldn’t prefer my Cyberdeck to my phone.” The pleasure of building. But this movement is not about completely replacing the laptop or smartphone, it is about building something with your own hands and then imprinting your personality on the design. In addition, the creator states that it is a way to learn the ins and outs of how current technology works. “We are very disconnected from the manufacturing process, the origin and the inner workings of everything we use and interact with on a daily basis. Cyberdecks are a great starting point to become a little more familiar with technology,” he told Wired. Rejection. There are people who have been building cyberdecks for years, but this new trend emerges at a time when there are a feeling of rejection towards big technologygreatly facilitated by the rise of AI tools, and an evident homogenization of technology, with increasingly minimalist devices and hardly any possibilities for customization. In this context, building a cyberdeck is a response to this discomfort, a way to regain control over technology with open, repairable and personalized devices. Nretro ostalgia. It is a trend that we already talked about in its day in the thread of revival of digicams. Generation Z is falling in love with decades-old technologies, such as the first digital cameras, wired headphones, retro consoles or music players. Young people find charm in the imperfection of these technologies, such as less defined photos or the less clean sound of a player. In the midst of the wave of generative AI, these types of devices are perceived as more human and authentic. It is also a way of reusing technology that was already practically forgotten, compared to the idea of ​​constant renewal to be up to date. Image | Xataka In Xataka |

We believed that the secret to rest was sleeping eight hours. A study has shown that we forget a big element

by

One of the mantras most repeated ad nauseum in the field of health is related to the need to sleep at least eight hours nightly. A goal that has been widely studied with the repercussions that failure to meet it may have. But now we have seen how the regularity in sleep is a much more powerful preacher of long-term health than mere duration. It’s when you sleep. Although we had very ‘glorified’ how much sleep we have to, trying to make up for lost hours on the weekendthe reality is that the important thing is to have good consistency, as is the case with many other processes. The regularity. The scientific consensus on this paradigm shift is gaining strength, and the last major proof is published by the National Sleep Foundation with an article that points to this regularity as one of the most forgotten components of our nocturnal habits. The key here lies in the internal clock, since we must remember that the time of waking up and early exposure to natural light is what activates our internal system with the cortisol release. In this way, by maintaining a constant reference, we ensure that critical biological processes, from hormonal secretion to body temperature, are regularized. When we don’t respect it. Just like when we travel to another country and we follow schedules very different from ours, the same thing happens here. We have the classic situation on the weekend, where we go to bed late and get up two or three hours later than usual, and surely the feeling when we get up is exhaustion. This is what is now known as ‘social jet lag’ or ‘Monday jet lag’, responsible for that mental fog, lack of alertness and low cognitive function with which we start the week. A shield. Unlike total sleep duration, regularity is a direct marker of the integrity of our circadian system, since when the internal clock and the demands of the environment become out of sync, known as chronodisruption, the body suffers. Just like when we travel between countries or experience time change. Here, a study published in Health Data Science HE dedicated analyzed more than 88,000 adults in the United Kingdom and found that irregular sleep patterns are associated with a greater predisposition to suffer from up to 172 different diseases. In fact, actigraphy studies have shown that intra-individual variability in our sleep hours is a direct marker of all-cause mortality, so trying to accumulate hours on Saturdays and Sundays not only does not save the furniture, but it puts us at risk. The impact of irregularity. In this sense, a linear relationship can be seen between sleep instability and the risk of suffering a cardiac event. But trying to “compensate” for tiredness on the weekend also results in worse insulin sensitivity and ends up altering glucose metabolism, which causes the bill to be quite expensive in the long run. Furthermore, the lack of a clear sleep routine causes a chronic pro-inflammatory state. This alteration compromises our immune response to pathogens, worsens the regulation of autoimmune diseases, and decreases the ability of our cells to repair themselves and eliminate metabolic waste. In summary, following set hours of sleep is essential if we really want to have optimal results in our daily lives. Images | diana.grytsku in Magnific In Xataka | We have accepted that “deep sleep” is the standard for sleep quality: science points in another direction

that Intel and Samsung manufacture their advanced chips in the US

by

Apple is no longer TSMC’s largest customer. It has been since 2014 and has maintained this position for just over a decade, but in 2025 Nvidia established itself as the main customer of this Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturer. Until December 31, 2025, Nvidia generated 19% of TSMC’s revenuecompared to 17% for Apple. Even so, there is no doubt that the Cupertino company continues to be a priority customer for TSMCalthough this scenario could change in the short or medium term. And, according to BloombergApple is exploring the possibility of Intel and Samsung manufacturing the advanced chips for their devices in the US. In all likelihood, the loss of influence and priority in the TSMC production chain that it has maintained for more than a decade has led to this decision. Now Nvidia has these privileges. However, to understand why Apple is considering leaning on Intel and Samsung, we also need to look in another direction. Betting on Intel or Samsung makes sense, although it involves risks There are several compelling reasons why Apple may be interested in Intel manufacturing its integrated circuits in the US. Or Samsung in its state-of-the-art plant in Texas. Or you could even work with both companies simultaneously and not completely sever your business relationship with TSMC. Either way, this diversification strategy would allow Apple to effectively protect itself from supply chain disruptions triggered by geopolitical instability. And also the shortage of some components caused by the massive construction of data centers to artificial intelligence (AI). Apple is a candy for Intel and Samsung. There is no doubt about that In fact, last week Apple recognized during the presentation of its economic results that its current supply chain is not very flexible. And in the current situation of instability, having Intel and Samsung as partners is a very attractive option. Furthermore, for these two companies it is very important get Apple as a client. In 2024 this last company represented approximately 25.2% of annual income from TSMC. And in 2025 this figure dropped to 17%, allowing Nvidia to overtake Apple with 19% of income generated for TSMC. Still, Apple is a candy for Intel and Samsung. There is no doubt about that. For Intel, having Apple as a client would represent a definitive boost for its integrated circuit manufacturing division for third parties. And for Samsung to manufacture a part of Apple’s SoCs would be a very important boost that would probably allow it to attract other clients in the fight it has had with TSMC for years to dominate the cutting-edge chip manufacturing market. Whatever Apple executives decide, it is highly unlikely that this company will abandon TSMC. This Taiwanese chipmaker has proven for years that it is perfectly capable of manufacturing cutting-edge semiconductors on a large scale and with indisputable consistency. You don’t have to prove anything, but Intel and Samsung do because it’s currently unclear whether they can reliably deliver the kind of production and scale that has made them TSMC in the dominant custom chip maker. Apple may end up outsourcing part of the manufacturing of its SoCs to Intel or Samsung, but nothing indicates that it will break its already long-standing commercial alliance with TSMC in the medium term. Image | Apple More information | Bloomberg In Xataka | Apple had been able to maintain prices despite the crazy rise in RAM. That’s over

a cardboard kamikaze drone for $2,000

by

Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, drones have become a centerpiece of modern warfare, one marked by the massive use of cheap drones for saturate air defenses. However, even if they are much cheaper than other types of weapons, Its use as loitering ammunition makes the destruction rate very high. In this context of skyrocketing volume and costs, a Japanese startup has a radical solution: disposable drones literally made of cardboard. Disposable drones. The Japanese Minister of Defense, Shinjirō Koizumi, met with the heads of the AirKamuy company and posed with his star invention: a drone made of cardboard, designed for destruction on the battlefield. Its use is intended for countermeasures, launching swarms of drones to absorb attacks from other drones or anti-aircraft defenses. Its strong point is the cost: about $2,000 per unit. To put it in context, an Iranian Shahed drone (one of the most used by Russia) costs around $35,000, 50,000 if it is an improved model. Details. The AirKamuy 150 is made of cardboard with a finish that makes it resistant to rain. It has an electric motor and an autonomy that allows it to fly for 80 minutes. Regarding the weight it can carry, it can only carry 3 pounds (a little over one kg), so it can only move small loads of supplies or ammunition. It is not a heavy combat drone, but a saturation tool: its value is not in what one can do, but in what many can do at the same time. Why it is important. In a context where cost and scale are everything, AirKamuy’s bet has an overwhelming logic: if the enemy launches hundreds of cheap drones, then we launch even cheaper drones. Few materials are as cheap and easy to mass produce as cardboard, and in fact its creators claim that nothing special is needed to produce them, but that any cardboard production plant could do it. That a packaging company can become a military production line is a solution as ingenious as it is disturbing. IKEA-style logistics. Not only is it cheaper to produce but it can also be transported in large quantities and taking up very little space. The AirKamuy 150 comes in a completely flat package, allowing 500 units to fit into a standard cargo container. Once at the destination, assembly takes just ten minutes, without the need for special tools or qualified technical personnel. Image | Shinjiro Koizumi in X In Xataka | Ukraine has just reinvented aerial combat with a piece from the Soviet era: a plane that fires drones

While the hantavirus from the MV Hondius cruise makes headlines, the closest health risk is 10 km from any Mediterranean city

by

When the MV Hondius left Ushuaia heading to Antarctica on March 20, no one could imagine the hell they were about to live: 150 people of 23 different nationalities, a relatively small ship and a virus that has already caused the death of three passengers. The Dutch shipping company Oceanwide Expeditions consider now docking in the Canary Islandswhich guarantees extra media attention. And yet, the health risk is minimal. In fact, the true health risk for Spain lies elsewhere: much closer. “Risk”? Yes, ‘risk’ is the word and the best example is Andalusia. March 2, 2026 the Board announced that its Strategic Plan for Surveillance and Comprehensive Vector Control until now limited to the West Nile virus will incorporate (for the first time) the monitoring of dengue, chikungunya and Zika. It seems somewhat anecdotal, but what it hides is a profound epidemiological change: not only Andalusia, but the entire Spanish Mediterranean is becoming the perfect ‘breeding ground’ for the mosquitoes that spread all these diseases. What’s more, all this coincides temporally not only with the largest dengue epidemic ever recorded in the Americas (12.6 million cases)but with the historical record of indigenous chikungunya in continental Europe. Dengue in Spain. It is worth stopping at this because, according to data from the National Center for EpidemiologySpain reported 1,119 cases of dengue in 2024 (compared to 615 in 2023, 503 in 2022 and 50 in 2021). It is true that the majority are imported, but indigenous cases are growing. It is not a minor issue: before 2018 We had gone almost a century without indigenous cases in Spain. What changes for someone who lives in Spain? Today, 66% of the Spanish population already lives in municipalities with confirmed presence of tiger mosquitoes. This means that the individual risk of contracting diseases such as dengue, chikungunya or Zika remains low and localized (without having left the country), but it is certainly on the table. As Pamela Rendi-Wagner, director of the ECDC, pointed out last year, we have entered a new normal. And we have to learn that this situation is not fought with headlines but by eliminating stagnant water in patios and terraces. It is worth remembering that the (immense) majority of epidemics in the last 40 years have not been due to unknown diseasesbut to known diseases that went beyond their usual niche. That’s what we’re about to see: a bunch of diseases moving across a continent that has no recent experience managing them. Image | Mithil Girish In Xataka | Mosquitoes attack me in summer and I tried these TikTok tricks to get rid of them

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.