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The computers of the future have found an unexpected ally to store information: fungi

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Bioelectronics has been studying for some time the possibility of taking advantage of living organisms in order to produce electrical activity and, in some way, take advantage of it to make our machines work. Although at first glance it could be a topic worthy of the Matrix script, the truth is that there is a whole fascinating world in that of the memristors based on organic elements. Some researchers have found the key to demonstrate how the mycelium of mushrooms such as shiitake can function as a memristor, an electrical component with the ability to ‘remember’ past states. This discovery could be the key to a new generation of sustainable and biodegradable electronic devices. What is a memristor and why does it matter? A memristor is an electronic component that combines the functions of memory and resistance, capable of “remembering” previous electrical states. They are currently manufactured with materials such as titanium dioxide between two metal electrodes, but their production requires scarce minerals and polluting and high-cost industrial processes. Hence the importance of looking for more sustainable alternatives through organic materials. How mycelium works as memory. John LaRocco’s team at Ohio State University grew shiitake mushrooms in Petri dishes until complete development. They then dehydrated them in the sun, turning them into rigid disc-shaped structures that can be rehydrated when necessary. By connecting electrodes to these samples and applying different voltages, discovered that the mycelium presents conductive structures similar to conventional ‘memristors’. According to LaRocco, “if we could develop a microchip that mimicked real neural activity, we could dramatically reduce the amount of energy consumed when the machine is not in use.” The results of the experiment. After two months of testing, the shiitake-based memristor demonstrated the ability to change electrical state up to 5,850 times per second with an accuracy close to 90%. When they applied a specific sine wave, the characteristic figure-eight curve of an ideal memristor appeared, confirming that the mycelium indeed remembers electrical flow. Although performance eventually decreased at higher frequencies, connecting multiple samples improved stability, something the researchers compared to the network effect of neural connections in the brain. Vadvantages over traditional semiconductors. The main attraction of these biological memristors is its sustainability. Mushrooms are developed from organic biomass, they are biodegradable and their environmental impact is minimal. Furthermore, growing them is economical and their production can be easily scalable, from small laboratory experiments to industrial manufacturing. Additionally, fungi have exceptional radiation resistance, which could also make them especially valuable for aerospace applications. Potential applications and pending challenges. The flexibility and scalability of these components opens up possibilities in fields from extreme environment computing and space exploration to autonomous systems and wearable devices. However, significant obstacles remain. And just as they count from Wired, current samples are too large and need to be miniaturized to compete with existing microchips. Furthermore, the electrical properties of mycelium vary between samples even grown in the same medium, which makes its stable industrial manufacture difficult. Next steps in the investigation. The team plans to develop techniques to grow mycelium and give it an ideal shape using 3D printing and methods for incorporating electrical contacts during cultivation. They are also exploring the optimal way to preserve it long-term, combining techniques such as freeze-drying and special coatings. “Society is increasingly aware of the need to protect our environment and preserve it for future generations, and that could be one of the driving factors for new biocompatible ideas like these,” pointed out Qudsia Tahmina, co-author of the study. Beyond mushrooms. This is not the only organic material that has demonstrated ‘memristive’ properties. Researchers from other universities They have experimented with honey and human bloodexploring their possibilities as biodegradable electronic components. Honey, for example, can change resistance in just 500 nanoseconds and is completely biodegradable. In the case of blood, scientists in India discovered in 2011 that it could function as a memristor by applying different voltages, keeping the resistance stable for at least 30 minutes. Cover image | Yuval Zukerman In Xataka | In the midst of the RAM memory crisis, Samsung takes a leap with its HBM4 memory. It does not imply good news for the pocket

“Why the ‘rebound effect’ has become the surgeon’s best ally against Ozempic

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In the last two years, the GLP-1 receptor agonists like for example Ozempic either wegovy have gone from being drugs for diabetes to becoming the cultural and medical phenomenon of the decade for fight obesity. And such was its impact, that it was thought that surgery for obesity had come to an end, but the reality has been very different. The premise. The idea is quite clear: if I can take medication twice a month to lose weight… Why would I go into an operating room? A logical idea, especially given the risks that one always has when entering surgery, no matter how well controlled they are. But this enthusiasm of abandon the scalpel It is slowly being diluted, since according to the latest research, bariatric surgery is still superior to GLP-1 agonists and achieves much better results. The devastating fact. The study that has shaken the board comes from NYU Langone where researchers compared patients undergoing interventions such as gastric bypass with those who had taken Ozempic. The result was quite clear. Those who had undergone surgery managed to lose between 24 and 26% of their body weight, while patients on drugs lost an average between 5 and 6%. A result that does not agree with what was expected by pharmaceutical companies with their clinical trials in hand. But the problem is that the variable adherence to treatment It is once again a big problem in medicine. More data. The University Clinic of Navarra He also wanted to investigate in this field, doing a large study with 20,000 patients, concluding exactly the same thing: bariatric surgery surpasses GLP-1 agonists in total weight loss, reduction in BMI and body composition. The human factor. The great failure of a pharmacological treatment is undoubtedly the humans who are going to take it. And it is quite common in medicine for patients to forget to take a dose of their medication or even abandon treatment halfway through without any type of control. But luckily, the big difference between a pill (or injection) and surgery is that the second cannot be “forgotten.” The studies are clear in this sense: between 60% and 70% of patients They abandon GLP-1 treatment before the first year. Something that causes a great rebound effect which makes a patient return to their original weight, especially if they return to the same eating habits as before starting treatment with Ozempic or others. The difference. The reasons for reaching this point in treatment are varied: from persistent gastrointestinal side effects to the high monthly cost of treatment or the shortage. But the thing is that while stopping pricking yourself causes a rebound effect, bariatric surgery, although invasive, offers much more stable long-term results. Although logically he has many other problems behind him. Beyond the scale. The superiority of surgery is not measured only in waist centimeters. Science points through a systematic review published in JAMA Network Open This 2025 suggests that surgery is associated with lower overall mortality and a more drastic reduction in major cardiovascular events compared to drugs. And although GLP-1 has shown great benefits, the truth is that science indicates that surgery is still better in remission of type 2 diabetes with a minimal risk of mortality. Furthermore, despite the initial cost of the operation, in the long term surgery is cheaper for health systems than chronic drug treatment that costs hundreds of euros per month for life. A combined therapy. Despite all this, we are not in a war of one against the other, but the future points to an integration of both elements. In this way, strategies are already being explored where GLP-1 is used before surgery to reduce surgical risk in patients with extreme obesity, or after surgery as a rescue tool if the patient begins to regain weight years later. Even the WHO has begun to include these drugs in its comprehensive treatment guidelines, but emphasizing that they are one more piece of the puzzle, not a universal substitute. Images | David Trinks In Xataka | We have more and more research on the effects of Ozempic. And the problem is that we have more and more doubts

A cheese giant is slowly taking shape in Spain thanks to a key ally: Mercadona

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The long list of Spanish companies that grow in the heat of Mercadona adds a new name: Entrepinaresa company dedicated to the production of cheeses and dairy products that started 40 years ago in Valladolid and today manages centers spread throughout Galicia, Castilla and Madrid, in addition to generating employment for something more than 1,500 people. Although the signature presume to be “the largest cheese manufacturer”since more than 20 years has a key alliance with Mercadona. And that is helping it expand. Why is it news? Because their 2024 accounts have just been released, a year during which Entrepinares managed to skyrocket both its turnover and its profits. The first section rose to the 665 million euros8% more than in 2023. As for the second, EBIDTA (earnings before taxes) reached 64 million, which represents an increase of 16%. Both indicators are partly explained by an increase in production: in 2024, 100 million kilos of cheese came out of the Entrepinares factories (8.3% more than in 2023) and around 35 million kilos of dairy products. In addition to being the main supplier of Mercadona cheeses, the company saw how it was reinforced its foreign activity, with exports to more than 50 countries. Is there more data? Yes. We know that the company dedicated 41 million to investments in search of greater efficiency, which raises the mobilization of resources for that purpose above the 140 million in the last four years. Thanks to this commitment, it has managed to gain a prominent place in the sector at a national level. In fact it leads the sectoral ranking of cheese manufacturers (at least based on turnover volume) prepared by elEconomista. Regarding staff and internal resources, the firm has more than 1,500 workers, collaborates stably with more than 700 farms and a large score of cooperatives and manages four production centers spread across Valladolid, Fuenlabrada, Villalba and Los Yébenes. Added to these are a logistics and packaging center in Valladolid and two other plants specialized in whey treatment located in Castrogonzalo (Zamora) and Vilalba (Lugo). Why is it important? Because of the data itself and its context. Entrepinares is not the only Mercadona supplier that has grown in recent years coinciding with the expansion of the Valencian chain, which has managed to strengthen its position in the market with a business share that It is already on its way to 30%. One of the clearest examples is that of the group Martinez Familywhich integrates several business lines and operates as a strategic supplier to Mercadona. It was recently revealed that the company will invest around 150 million euros between this and the next year to reinforce its Traditional Dishes facilities and keep up with Mercadona. Months before it had emerged that last year its billing increased by about 8% and its net profit 16%. Are there more cases? Yes. Another Mercadona supplier that has managed to grow is Ozturk Quebapa firm based in Toleado specialized in the production of kebabs and meat products that has been supplying the Juan Roig chain for years. Last year it invoiced around 63.8 million euros and this year it hopes to exceed 75. For now, in the first semester it reached 37.8 million. Its expansion is prior to the agreement with Juan Roig’s company and the firm exports to other nations, but Ozturk recognizes that “with Mercadona everything changes.” Mercadona’s leverage is also serving Sefood Group. Its subsidiary Leroy Processing Spain hoped in the spring to close this year with a turnover of 160 million euros30% more than last year. The company has been dedicated to the production of Japanese food for a few years and has managed to make Mercadona one of its main clients. The Roig chain also has among its suppliers: Profand and Panamar, Tarradellas House and Summer. Images | Entrepinares e iStock In Xataka | Mercadona has found a vein to grow beyond its white label and prepared food: tourism

Russia has found an old ally from other wars to bring down Ukraine’s most impenetrable defense: snowfall

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Winter has once again established itself as a decisive actor in the Ukrainian war. To the mud and fog A new enemy has been added to the Ukrainian defenses. Heavy snowfall and freezing rain are degrading the tool that has allowed kyiv to make up for its numerical inferiority for two years: the swarms of light, agile and deadly FPV drones that form the backbone of their “death zones” defensive. Winter as a weapon. The meteorology, which in other winters had shaped the strategy, this year is dismantling a defensive system which Ukraine had perfected into a nearly impenetrable barrier. Russia understood this before anyone else and launched large scale assaults taking advantage of the climate vulnerability of drones, opening gaps around Kharkiv, Huliaipole and especially Pokrovsk. For the first time in months, Moscow is advancing not because it has decisively improved its military, but because nature has given it a window that it is exploiting. with brutal determination. The unexpected weakness. It turns out that FPV drones, so effective in summer, are extremely fragile in winter. Their lack of inertia makes them victims of the wind, which pushes them and makes their trajectory falter with each gust, humidity and ice fog the cameras, snow reduces contrasts, fog blurs the depth of the visual field and the lenses become covered with drops that distort the image at the most critical moment. The pilot, who needs perfect vision to hit with surgical precision, encounters a blurry screenwithout references, unable to distinguish trenches, obstacles or even the final objective. The slightest loss of clarity turns an attack in a crash against the terrain or in an erratic missile. The result is devastating for the Ukrainian defensive strategy: when the drones do not fly, the death zones they cease to existRussian columns can advance under dark clouds and motorcycles and pickup trucks carrying troops take advantage of the fog to infiltrate towns like Pokrovsk, where urban fighting is already fierce. A dangerous opportunity. The adverse weather has created for Russia an opportunity that it has not enjoyed since the beginning of the war. With Ukrainian drones forced to remain on the ground, Russian forces have managed to maneuver with greater freedom of movement, something that drone warfare had made nearly impossible for months. They have crossed rivers in fog, entered towns with light vehicles without being detected and pushed through Ukrainian lines while the defense was reorganized while waiting for the weather to improve. Moscow’s advance, although limited in territorial terms, is having an impact psychological and tactical significant: it exposes the fragility of the Ukrainian defensive model when it is left without its star tool and shows that Moscow has learned to detect weather patterns to time attacks precisely. The November Fog already allowed its troops to deepen positions in Pokrovsk, a critical point whose control has become a symbol both for the Kremlin (which seeks to show progress to Washington) and for Kyiv, which is struggling to resist on a front where pressure is constant. Innovation against the clock. But the climate does not act in a unidirectional way. Just as quickly as drones became inoperable, atmospheric improvements allowed Ukraine to recover part of their kill zones and launch counterattacks with your FPV. The brigades, such as the 28th Mechanized, have taken advantage of the clear weather to hit Russian units newly deployed in Kostiantynivka, trapping them in exposed positions. This dynamic confirms that Ukraine is not defeated: is forced to adapt faster. Its industry, extremely flexible since 2022, is already developing a new generation of drones with more wind-resistant fuselages, low-light cameras, simplified thermal systems and control algorithms capable of stabilizing flight in adverse conditions. The arrival of these drones, scheduled for the coming months, will be key to reverse the advantage temporary that Russia has obtained. If Ukraine manages to deploy a winter-hardy FPV force, the balance on the front could tip again. The other winter war. While the drones fight in the white sky ahead, winter hits the cities otherwise: with blackouts of up to 16 hours, failed heating, stopped elevators and parents who go to the shelter with their children in their arms between explosions. The BBC told cases like that of Oksana, in her apartment in kyiv, who lives with a 2,000 euro battery that only extends normality by a few hours. Her daughter plays by candlelight and her husband works in the dark when bombing cuts off supplies. Millions of Ukrainians are preparing for what the authorities describe how “the worst winter in our history.” Moscow has intensified its attacks against transmission networks, not only to leave the population without electricity and heat, but to close bakeries, paralyze factories, stop transportation and suffocate the economy until causing social discouragement. According to the Ukrainian government itself, the Russian objective is not only to defeat the country militarily, but to destroy its internal cohesion. human wear and tear. After almost four years of war, fatigue has become widespread. He insomnia affects three times as many Ukrainians as people in countries at peace, and the nights are marked by sirens, Shahed drones and waves of missiles that have reached record numbers. Moral fatigue is mixed with the physical: the front is far away, but the war is in every hallway, in every staircase, in every unlit light bulb. And yet, surprisingly, the surveys show a rebound in optimism: more than half of Ukrainians believe in a better future, even if it is a fragile, oscillating one that depends on the evolution of blocked negotiations, the arrival of foreign aid or the result of a Russian offensive that is still far from a decisive victory. Frozen diplomacy. Plus: international negotiations are going through their most uncertain moment. A possible Trump-Putin summit is on pause. The EU is still discussing how to use 180,000 million on frozen Russian assets, and kyiv sees with concern how Washington sends mixed signals and how some European governments could change with elections less … Read more

A year ago, Warner wanted to sink Suno’s AI to generate songs. Today he has decided to ally with her

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From chaos to order: when AI burst onto the music scene it seemed like everything was going to fall apart. And some of the latest news in that field seems to go in that direction: uncontrolled multiplication of false groups created with AI on streaming platforms, accelerated sophistication of AIs that allow the creation of music indistinguishable from that created by humans… however, the majors of the industry have taken action on the matter to turn the situation in their favor. And no, it is not that they have won the multiple lawsuits they filed against the AI ​​companies. It is, perhaps, something much more disturbing: they have reached agreements. What has happened? In just eighteen months, Warner Music Group has completed a radical strategic pivot regarding its relationship with AI. In June 2024the record company sued Suno along with Sony and Universal for massive copyright infringement, accusing the platform of training its models with millions of songs it owned and without authorization. But now he announces an alliance with that same company to license its complete catalog. What is Suno? A music generator through artificial intelligence that has attracted almost 100 million users in two years, and allows complete songs to be created from simple textual descriptions. Users can specify genre, mood, instrumentation and tempo, and the system generates two versions of the requested song in about 15 seconds. To achieve this, Suno combines its own musical model with ChatGPT, and from there come both the music and the lyrics, creating pieces that can include voices and instrumentation or be purely instrumental. What the agreement consists of. The pact establishes that Suno will launch in 2026 new advanced and licensed models that will completely replace your current systems. Artists in Warner’s catalog (Lady Gaga, Coldplay or Ed Sheeran, among many others) will have control over whether or not they allow their names, images, voices and compositions to be used in that AI-generated music. Neither Warner nor Suno disclosed the financial terms of the deal, although Warner CEO Robert Kyncl stated that the goal is to “compensate and protect artists, songwriters and the creative community.” As part of the deal, Suno acquired SongkickWarner’s concert discovery platform. Besides, from now on Song downloads generated by Suno will require a paid account, with download limits and options to purchase additional downloads, a bit like the usage limits established by the level free of other AI models. The original demand. The complaint of 2024 accused Suno and Udio of massive infringement of protected recordings. The record companies they requested damages up to $150,000 per infringed song. Suno admitted that he had trained his model with tens of millions of protected recordings but defended that it was “fair use” (the famous fair use Anglo-Saxon) And what is the reason for the change in Warner and company’s strategy? Suno closed a $250 million financing round at a valuation of $2.45 billion just a week ago, according to The Hollywood Reporter. They are not the first. This is not a desperate deal major allying himself with someone who just a year ago he considered an enemy. It is an industry trend: in June 2024, for example Universal Music reached an agreement with SoundLabs to offer its artists vocal cloning tools through the plugin MicroDrop. In November of this same year, Universal, Sony and Warner themselves closed separate agreements with the brand new startup KLAY to train your “Large Music Model” with licensed music Without a doubt, they are significant agreements, especially because, unlike the cinema wave pressto mention other leisure and communication sectors strongly impacted by AI, majors of music are the first to bury the hatchet. With what it may mean for hostilities to soften in other fields. A doubtful future. For a startSony and Warner maintain active lawsuits against Udio and Suno. And there are multiple doubts about the scope of the contract: supposedly the artists have the right to veto, but As Irving Azoff saysfounder of the Music Artists Coalition, “artists end up on the margins with crumbs.” Other analysts like Frankie Pizá They are even more pessimistic: “What some of us see as a collapse in what we understood as artistry/authorship is quietly becoming a new order regulated by the major record labels themselves” Pizá adds: “The music industry has been perfecting its ability to absorb any technological disruption for decades. It did so with Napster, with YouTube, with the streaming and now with generative AI. The pattern repeats itself: first moral resistance, then demands, then agreement and finally implementation.” Header | Amin Asbaghipour in Unsplash

We knew that coffee was good for health, but now we have discovered that it is a great ally of our microbiota

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For years, coffee has not been too well considered. It depends on the place and the historical momentbut the culprit was not so much coffee itself … as caffeine. Although the evidence has managed to deny them, there is still A lot of myths about caffeine and its effects. But something that is also making clear research is beneficial effect of coffee on the body. It depends on the type of tan, of course. And one of the studies More recent links coffee with the intestinal microbiota. Directly, it favors the Bacteria growth in our body. And it is something that fulfills a vital function. The community Microbial of coffee. As we say, different studies on coffee allow you to have discovered your beneficial effects on cardiovascular diseasesthe diabetes or your Effect on the kidneys. In parallel, a relationship between coffee intake had been observed with the increase of certain intestinal bacteria, but the studies were on a small scale. Now, in Nature Microbiology he has Posted a study in which the genomic sequence of the intestinal microorganisms of more than 22,000 people in the United Kingdom and the United States was investigated. They have discovered that coffee drinkers had a different microbiota, with intestinal bacteria such as Lawsonibacter asaccharolyticus Eight times more abundant in the microbiota of coffee drinkers than in those who do not ingest this food. And what does that imply. It is not limited to that bacteria, since increases in irmicutes, actinobacteria, actinobacteria were also observed, PREVETELLA, Faecalibacterium and Bifidobacterium, All of them linked to beneficial metabolic effects, such as greater production of short chain fatty acids. What this means is that, thanks to its polyphenols and the soluble fiber it contains, coffee produces some Prebiotic effects that have a direct influence on beneficial bacterial growth. Before I said that it is something that fulfills a vital function, and in this case it is not an exaggeration. Intestinal microbiome bacteria They fulfill functions such as facilitating digestion, strengthening the immune system, regulating inflammation or protecting against pathogens and diseases. Very direct effects of this includes the production of vitamins and enzymes that are not obtained from food, facilitating Digestion of compounds as fiber and starch or Immune system regulation to distinguish between harmful and benign organisms. Four cups. Tim Spector is one of the experts who has supervised the article and, as my colleagues from Straight to the palatethe amount of optimal coffee would be between two and four cups a day. It all depends on the organism of each one and tolerance, but something interesting is that we not only obtain those benefits for the microbiota, but also a a large amount of fiber. Specifically, 1.5 grams of fiber for each cup of Filtrated coffee (There are many ways to prepare it, but filtered or infused is one of those that allows to extract more nutrients), and it is an amount similar to what would be obtained when eating a tangerine And the caffeine, what. And this of the tolerance that each one has to coffee is important because there is a “Limit” in the amount of caffeine That we can take up to be in the healthy segment, but it depends a lot on each person. The good thing is that these positive effects on microbiota have been reported both in the ‘normal’ coffee and in the decaffeinated. If milk is addedIn addition, the amount of polyphenols may slightly decrease, but the balance is still positive. What should not be added is sugarsince there we would be doing more bad than good. But if decaffeinated coffee is consumed, you should have an eye on how the process has been performed. Not all decaffeinated coffees are the same because there are several ways to eliminate (which is not completely eliminated, but is considerably reduced) caffeine, and Not all are equally healthy. To the point that some methods They are under the radar of organizations such as the US FDA. Image | Justin Bhalla In Xataka | There are more and more studies that link coffee with living more. And it is very easy to put the leg when preparing that ‘philosopher’ coffee

Heat was always the enemy of solar energy. A new study says it will be your best ally

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For decades, heat has been considered the Achilles heel of solar energy. When the sun squeezes and the temperature rises, the solar panels They begin to lose efficiency. In sunny places, from Madrid to Sydney, the paradox is known: a lot of sun to achieve a lot of energy, but also a lot of heat that plays against. However, where some see problems, a new study has found a possible solution. An unexpected ally. A study by the University of Laughborough, Posted in The Journal of Chemical Physicsturn this logic. Researchers have tried some photoelectrochimic flow cells (PEC), an emerging technology that captures light and stores it. The most striking thing about this research is that the more heat they receive, the faster they store energy. The team has even identified an “optimal point” around 45 ° C, where performance reaches its maximum before stabilizing. More in depth. But to understand the importance of this finding, it should be remembered why heat is a problem in conventional photovoltaic panels. The increase in temperature causes an increase in internal electrical resistance. This means that electrons lose energy in the form of heat instead of contributing to electric current, which reduces voltage and efficiency. As we have explained in Xatakafor each additional degree above 25 ºC, the plates lose between 0.05 % and 0.34 % yield, which can translate into falls from 10 to 25 % in very hot days. Instead, PEC cells behave totally the other way around: heat energizes liquid electrolyte, accelerating the ion movement. In this way, internal conductivity is improved and reduces losses, achieving a faster and more efficient load. The benefit of heat. The project led by the University of Laughborough by not needing active refrigeration systems, installation and maintenance costs are reduced. For their part, the most benefited regions would be those with abundant sun and high temperatures. As Dr. Bae has highlighted in Interesting Engineering: “This revolutionizes popular belief and gives us a new way of designing solar storage systems that prosper in heat conditions.” Other ways. Beyond the PEC cells, there are also initiatives that seek to take advantage of heat in solar energy. The Australian startup Coolsheet has designed a passive water cooling system that is installed in the rear of the solar panels. This reduces the temperature of the plate and, at the same time, water is heated that can be used in industrial or domestic processes. As we have explained in Xatakaevery 10 ºC less on the plate can translate into an increase of 4 % in electrical efficiency. From enemy to ally. Solar energy crosses an intense innovation phase. From technologies such as PECs, which make heat into an ally, to hybrid solutions such as Coolsheet, which reuse leftover heat, the future seems to get away from the traditional vision that heat is a problem to fight. What is clear is that, As the University of Laughborough concludeswe are one step closer to a scenario in which the sun not only generates electricity, but also enhance the efficiency and reliability of our energy systems. Image | Freepik Xataka | The window that does not seem solar panel, but is: China seeks that each glass facade produces clean energy

The Rog Xbox Ally already has a release date and a novelty to Steam Deck. The price is still the hot potato

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We have passed years sailing between rumors of one Portable xbox And, finally, the launch of the Rog Xbox Ally. Xbox did not have a traditional laptop, but they have demonstrated consoles such as Nintendo Switch 2 either Steam Deck It is that technology has been prepared to offer desktop experiences in the palm of the hand. With machines like Lenovo Legion Go either Asus Rog Ally being Consolidated PCXbox saw his opportunity and, in June of this year, he closed his conference showing the Rog Xbox Ally. We have had to wait until Gamescom To know some more detail of this portable Xbox, such as the launch date and a set of games to Steam Deck. Of the price … We are talking another day. Rog Xbox Ally is close If you are interested in the machine, points the date: October 16. It will be then when we can get both with Rob Xbox Ally and with a more powerful version, the Rog Xbox Ally X. Xbox has updated its page of product to offer this data, and it is also where we can see the most important details of a machine that, in essence, is a consolidated PC manufactured by Rog -asus-, but with a system that, to vary, is not Windows 11. It is a more optimized system thinking about video games and that does not consume as many background resources as the Windows that competition has. Is very similar to launcher PC Xbox, giving access to the Xbox bar that allows you to record item, put customizable widgets and other tools. It also has the possibility of play cloud titles Beyond PC natives, as well as progress in the cloud to continue games regardless of what ‘Xbox’ system we play. AND, how is a PCallows to join Xbox games libraries and other platforms such as Steam or GOG. The optimized games tab The most interesting thing is that, as in Steam Deck, the Rog Xbox Ally will have a section in the interface that allows us to see what games are optimized for this game in portable format. It is something similar to what Steam Deck proposes with the verification of the games To know at a glance if the games will go without problems, either with some adjustments or if they are not compatible. How our partners say 3DJUGOSthe function (baptized ‘Handheld Compatibility’) will have two levels: Optimized for portable devices. “This indicates that the games are ready to work, with Inputs Standard of the controls, an intuitive text income method, precise iconography, clear readability of the texts and an appropriate resolution in full screen mode, so you can invest less time adjusting the configuration, and more in defeating the next great boss. “ Mostly compatible. “This indicates that games may require minor configurations changes In-game for optimal experience on portable devices. “ We can see it in action here: And, apart from arriving under the arm of Xbox itself, the console has its own arguments to be taken into account when executing games. The hardware of the two versions promisesand a lot: Rog Xbox Ally X Rog Xbox Ally System Windows 11 custom Windows 11 custom Processor AMD Ryzen Ai Z2 Extreme AMD Ryzen Z2 Memory 24 GB LPDDR5X at 8000 MHz 16 GB LPDDR5X at 6400 MHz Storage 1 TB M.2 2280 What can we change 512 GB M.2 2280 What can we change Screen IPS 7 -inch Panel FullHD resolution Relationship 16: 9 120 Hz of refresh and vrr GORILLA GLASS VICTUS protection Anti -reflex screen IPS 7 -inch Panel FullHD resolution Relationship 16: 9 120 Hz of refresh and vrr GORILLA GLASS VICTUS protection Anti -reflex screen Ports USB 4 Type-C USB 3.2 Type-C MicroSD UHS-II Jack of headphones 2 x USB 3.2 Type-C MicroSD UHS-II Jack of headphones Connectivity Wi-Fi 6e Bluetooth 5.4 Wi-Fi 6e Bluetooth 5.4 Dimensions and weight 290.8 x 121.5 x 50.07 mm 715 grams 290.8 x 121.5 x 50.07 mm 670 grams Burden 80 Wh 60 Wh Now, regardless of knowing the release date, there is another fact that Microsoft has not given and that was expected for this Gamescom: the price of the Xbox Ally Rog. Rumors have been pointing at 900 euros for a while for the most powerful version and gave the nail with the date, but From the price we still know nothing. Officially, of course. It is a fact that is stored for later and that dependsseg the company itself, of the “macroeconomic conditions”. Surely the same ones that have led Nintendo to Upload the price of Nintendo Switch 1 In several markets eight years after their original launch or those that are pushing Sony and Microsoft to Upload the PS5 price every little time and Xbox Series xsomething that had not happened before in the console segment. We will have to continue waiting, but there are less than two months left to make it official. In Xataka | I’ve been playing video games for years and now the first thing I do before buying them is simple: look what they are in the cloud

Duolingo believed that AI was his ally. GPT-5 has just demonstrated that it can be its mortal competition

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Duolingo sinks in the stock market. In early June its action was around $ 525, but now its value It has collapsed Up to 325 dollars, 38%. It is not entirely clear what this debacle has caused, but we have a clear suspect: AI. Be careful what you say. Three months ago Luis Von Ahn, CEO of Duolingo, made very controversial statements and indicated that he would replace part of his network of external (human) collaborators by generative AI systems. Although he stressed that they would continue to be a company that took great care to its employees, it also stressed that IA would take an increasingly notable role in the entire operation of the company, especially to “eliminate bottlenecks so we can do more” with the employees they already had. The value of Duolingo’s action has suffered important ups and downs in what we have been, but the last trend is clearly negative. Source: Google Finance. Boom and drop in actions. These statements were produced at the end of April. The initial impact for shares seemed to be positive, which went from $ 400 to $ 530 (32.5% growth) in a few days. But shortly after that optimism for the role of AI in the company vanished among investors: the action fell even below those initial levels, and now is around year principle levels. It seemed that Duolingo traced. The company presented financial results and corroborated the success of its business model. The feeling of progress when learning a language – gamification is a powerful (and as we will see, dangerous) tool— sold more than learning itself. That allowed to momentarily stop the fall of the actions a few days ago, but then something happened. GPT-5. During the presentation of the new OpenAI model there was a demonstration in which one of the company’s engineers launched a dart poisoned to Duolingo. That demo was to create a custom web application in just three minutes with which the user could learn French. With a simple prompt an app that competed directly with Duolingo, and that of course avoided paying for that application to learn languages. That PROMPT single made GPT-5 capable of creating an interactive website to teach you to speak in French. Source: OpenAi. Be careful with gamifying everything. Although that demo of GPT-5 becoming a personalized teacher is striking, the value of value of Duolingo’s action may also have been motivated by other causes. Especially, for that clear focus on the gamification of the learning process. Converting this process into a game is attractive and encourages many users to take that task in a more fun way, but criticism of excessive focus In Duolingo’s gamification they are frequent. As A user said In Reddit, “for me the reward to learn a language is to learn the language.” Other explained That Duolingo is not a learning application, but that it must be taken as something else: a game. The condemnation of advertising. Other criticisms are aimed at Excessive appearance of ads advertising when one uses duolingo to learn a language. Advertising occurs in the free version, because the premium version has the advantage of not showing it. The model is reasonable – study, after all, is a company and is there to earn money – but as with streaming, the presence of ads is increasing and is increasingly annoying for those users of the free version. Of betting on AI to be threatened by her. The truth is that although all these factors may have influenced that assessment, volatility may have been influenced by those expectations that are constantly lived with AI. The companies that are most committed to this technology are the ones that are going up in the stock market –to tell the “Trinity of the AI”-, although the real impact of this technology is for the very discreet moment. AI as a private teacher. What is unquestionable is that The potential of AI as a teacher of any discipline “Not only about languages,” is undeniable. It is something that GPT-4o already pointed out, whose demonstrations were in the same direction. For example, the boy’s video Learning to solve a mathematical issue —Hahere included – it was especially striking, and hunting a future in which whoever wants to get a lot of these “private teachers” that we can create with a prompt single in chatgpt (and other chatbots, of course). It is early to know, of course, but Duolingo, like many others, seems to be suffering the consequences of that future potential. In Xataka | We do not know if the AI is going to eat your work, but the CEO of some startups are determined to convince you of it

The US government suspects that its general director is an ally of China

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Lip-bu Tan, the general director of Intel, is in a very compromised position. His background plays against him. Before arriving at the company currently leading Cadence Design Systems directedan American company specialized in the development of software and hardware tools for Design and verify integrated circuits. Nothing suspicious here. The problem is that just a month ago, in July, the US Department of Justice condemned her to pay A fine of more than 140 million dollars for selling commercial secrets to China. However, there is a fact that complicates this scenario even more: According to this US institutionCadence Design Systems delivered this critical information to the National University of Defense Technology, a Chinese teaching and research center that is supervised by the Chinese army. In fact, the US Department of Commerce has included this university in its “blacklist” because presumably is involved in the development of the super -taders used by the Chinese army to simulate nuclear explosions. Intel’s general director has just given explanations at the White House Lip Bu-Tan Intel leads since March 2025but there is a crucial fact that we should not overlook: although this conflict has taken it out of Cadence Design Systems directed this company between 2009 and 2021. And this was the period in which according to the US Department of Justice there were the violations of export control by which this company has recently been condemned. In addition, the panorama is further complicated for the Director General of Intel if we are in mind that it seems to have invested in some 600 Chinese companies, and some of them are presumably linked to the Chinese army. According to The Wall Street Journal, Donald Trump and Intel’s general director have had a “face to face” just a few hours ago This last accusation It has been formulated by the American senator Tom Cotton in a letter addressed to the Board of Directors of Intel. According to CottonLip-Bu has used its risk capital company Walden International to “get participations in more than 600 Chinese companies, including Startups of chips that They supply the Chinese army“It is a very serious accusation. So much, in fact, that Bu has been forced to go to the White House to give explanations. According to The Wall Street JournalDonald Trump and the general director of Intel have had a “face to face” just a few hours ago. This meeting has had a double purpose. On the one hand he has given Lip-Bu so the opportunity to explain and clarify his involvement in the sale of commercial secrets to China for which Cadence Design Systems has been convicted. And, in addition, presumably Donald Trump has questioned him about his personal commitment and that of Intel with a priority objective for the US: the achievement of total independence in the manufacture of semiconductors. Intel is the biggest manufacturer of American chips, and, therefore, it is the best US option when competing in the production of integrated circuits with the Taiwanese company TSMC and the South Korean Samsung. Image | Intel More information | The Wall Street Journal In Xataka | Intel’s plan in front of an unattainable TSMC: beat Samsung and consolidate as the second largest chips manufacturer

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