arrive

If you thought that Renfe was taking… Germany is spending 100,000 million euros so that its trains arrive on time

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We complain a lot about Renfe (and a good part of those complaints, with reason). But although it may seem otherwise, Germany has been neglecting its railway network for decades at decadent levels. And just as they count According to the Financial Times, only six in ten long-distance trains arrive on time. However, the country already has a plan in mind, a plan that involves investing some 100,000 million euros in solving its punctuality problem. The problem. In 2000, 84% of German long-distance trains arrived on time. Today that figure has fallen to 60%. Already last year, an analysis The Financial Times placed Deutsche Bahn, the German public operator, below even the most late railway operators in the United Kingdom. Just like account The German Transport Minister, Patrick Schnieder, even warned in March that the situation threatened to erode public confidence in the institutions. In his own words, he assured that if the State is not capable of guaranteeing basic services, “democracy is harmed.” How we got here. According to the media, this deterioration has been the result of a series of poorly made decisions over two decades. In the early 2000s, the German government considered taking Deutsche Bahn public. The plan never materialized, but to improve the balance sheet for that hypothetical exit, network maintenance was cut. To this was added that between 2005 and 2010 the budget for railway infrastructure was, adjusted for inflation, 20% lower than in the mid-nineties, according to calculations from the FT itself. The icing on the cake came in 2009, when Germany constitutionalized the so-called “debt brake“, which forced the State to balance the accounts every year. This caused investment spending to systematically lose the battle against social spending. The current state of the network. Just like account According to the FT, 16% of the assets of the German railway network are classified as deficient or directly inadequate. There are bridges dating back to the time of Kaiser Wilhelm II and signal boxes installed in the 1960s that are still in service. In fact, according to DB InfraGo, the Deutsche Bahn division in charge of maintaining the network, 80% of all delays are directly caused by deterioration of the infrastructure. You have to open the tap. In 2025, Chancellor Friedrich Merz took advantage of a constitutional loophole to create a fund of 500 billion euros to renew the country’s infrastructure over the next twelve years. The railway is one of its top priorities since, of that total, Deutsche Bahn has committed 107 billion euros until 2029. However, Philipp Nagl, CEO of DB InfraGo, recognize to the FT that needs at least 130,000 million to cover the accumulated delay. And as he comments, every year, more assets reach the end of their useful life. How it is being executed. The strategy is being extremely drastic, closing entire sections of the network for months to rebuild them from scratch, instead of patching section by section. Furthermore, it is an atypical way of doing things at Deutsche Bahn, which historically had a tradition of keeping lines open while carrying out construction work. “With that method it would take forever,” explains Nagl to the FT. The number of active works on the network has grown by a third since 2024, to exceed 28,000 in 2026. The immediate consequence is more chaos in the short term. And the punctuality goal has been lowered to 70% and postponed until 2029. A real example. In one of the busiest corridors in the country, the one that connects Cologne with the Ruhr Valley, along which up to 280 trains circulate daily, the line has been closed since February. According to account In the middle, the 55,000 regular travelers must resort to more than 200 replacement buses, many of them stuck in traffic jams. In return, 81 kilometers of track, 50 detours and 12 stations are being renewed in five months. The person in charge of the project, Arno Jaeger, defined the medium as “a monumental task” with a budget of 800 million euros. To speed up the work, specialized heavy machinery is used. In fact, one of the machines, colloquially nicknamed Mamut, renews two kilometers of track per shift, four times faster than if they did it through the conventional method. It’s about operators. Beyond Deutsche Bahn, there are private competitors waiting for their chance. And just as account FT, FlixTrain, the railway arm of the Flix group, has reserved 2.4 billion euros to buy up to 65 high-speed trains that it wants to deploy from 2028. The Italian high-speed operator Italo has also announced its intention to enter Germany with an investment of up to 3.6 billion if it gains access to the network for several years. Both point to 2028 as a key year. Cover image | Deutsche Bahn In Xataka | The Spanish west has a forgotten train that it wants to recover. The problem: neither Madrid nor Europe are interested

Wi-Fi 8 will arrive in 2028

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TP-Link needs few presentations to sell its routers: it is one of the largest manufacturers in the world and also one of the best known. Well, the Chinese brand has just announce that its new Archer 8 router will be launched in October this year with the next generation of Wi-Fi, the Wi-Fi 8 (802.11bn). That it arrives with the latest technology is very good, the point is that Wi-Fi as an official standard does not yet exist: at the very least will be ready at the beginning of 2028. TP-Link seems to be clear that whoever hits first, hits twice, but getting so far ahead has fine print. TP-Link lives in the future. In reality, the TP-Link Archer 8 will be the first of a batch of routers with Wi-Fi 8 that the company plans to deploy in the coming months: mesh systems, travel routers and adapters, all of them with this future connectivity standard and all scheduled throughout 2027, that is, before the official deployment of Wi-Fi 8. Bottom line: The Archer 8 will hit the market about a year and a half before a complete, certified standard exists. The explanation that gives its president is that “innovation in Wi-Fi has been measured by maximum theoretical speeds (…). But what really matters to users is consistency. Archer 8 is designed to offer precisely that: lower latency, better performance against interference and more stable connectivity in real environments” and well, yes but no. Why is it important. As usual as we see new standards, Wi-Fi 8 will offer more speed. However, its great novelty is that the nodes of a network can coordinate with each other to better manage the signal, the multi-AP. In practice, it makes the nodes of a mesh network cooperate to reduce interference in the network so that there are fewer outages when you have many devices connected (or your neighbor does). Internal company tests show improvements of up to 33% in performance and better sensitivity in the 5 and 6 GHz bands. Of course, these are data from the manufacturer itself in the laboratory, that is, from the interested party. The problem is that buying hardware based on an unfinished standard usually ends badly, you just have to look back. With 802.11g, the IEEE’s own files documented incompatibilities between pre-standard routers from different manufacturers because each one implemented a different draft. With Wi-Fi 6E, several models presented at CES 2022 They arrived on the market without Wi-Fi Alliance certification and without having passed interoperability tests. With Wi-Fi 8 there is even more room for disaster: if the draft changes before 2028, flagship features such as multi-AP may not be compatible with devices from other manufacturers. Context. We are talking about Wi-Fi 8 when Wi-Fi 7 is not even close to being universal and for example, a button: although it is true that the MacBook Pro M5 Pro They are compatible with Wi-Fi 7, the popular MacBook Neo presented by Apple just a couple of months ago, it arrived with Wi-Fi 6. The same with the advanced Apple Vision Pro with M5. The reality of wireless standards adoption is that it is painfully slow. Furthermore, although the claim of offering Wi-Fi 8 is attractive, if you have a mobile phone or tablet with Wi-Fi 5 and you connect them to a router with Wi-Fi 8 it will not work a miracle: they will connect using only the older protocol. Your joy in a well. Yes, but. Since the Wi-Fi 8 standard won’t be ready until 2028, it’s almost certain that the Archer 8 won’t have all the features of the final standard implemented when it’s available in stores. What does this mean? That whoever buys it in October 2026 will pay for an incomplete product that could be improved by software in the future… or not. And even if it arrived with the complete standard (this is not the case), it will take years for there to be devices with which to take advantage of it. But there is another serious problem for TP-Link: The United States banned the import of routers from outside its borders facing potential use for espionage. If the FCC does not approve the product, the Archer 8 will not be sold in the US. In Europe there is no veto, but with Wi-Fi 7 it’s already blocked half of the 6 GHz band by regulation and with Wi-Fi 8 the same is likely to happen. In Xataka | Best gaming router, streaming and teleworking from home. Which one to buy and recommendations from 60 euros In Xataka | Wi-Fi 8 is already in development. The surprise is that it will not be faster: the advantage will come from another side Cover | TP-Link and Gemini

refrigerators, washing machines, dryers and much more arrive

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Dreame is one of those Chinese companies whose deployment is worthy of study. In just eight years it has happened from being a Xiaomi supplier to expanding throughout the worldspend a million on a Super Bowl ad and enter every segment possible. It arrived in Spain in 2025 with robot vacuum cleaners and cleaning products, but it was no secret that I wanted to go further, much further. The firm wanted, at some point, to go from small to large appliances, a sector historically American, Korean and Japanese. That moment has arrived and yes, we are going to have Dreame products even in the soup. All the new Dreame products that will arrive in Spain in 2026 The Chinese firm has summoned us to Paris to announce its latest product portfolio in what, without a doubt, has been one of its biggest launches to date. The company has confirmed the prices of the series Dreame X60 Pro announced just a few days ago, the launch of Cyber (the robot vacuum cleaner that climbs stairs) and a whole arsenal of products ranging from a sandbox to a two-door refrigerator. According to Dreame, their goal is to develop “a more connected smart living experience that goes beyond cleaning and integrates into everyday life.” Appliances Dreame FizzFresh | Image: Dreame The most interesting thing is, without a doubt, the arrival of the Dreame FizzFresh. It is a two-door refrigerator that, beyond cooling and freezing, has some tricks up its sleeve. The first is Sparkling Bar, a technology that allows you to offer sparkling water. The second is IceDUO, which generates both cubed and crushed ice. The third is FreshFlex, a system that allows you to set a specific temperature in a drawer to adapt it to the content (fruit, drinks, meats, etc.). It has a capacity of 308 liters in the refrigerator and 203 liters in the freezer. Needless to say, it connects to the mobile. Price and availability: from 1,699 euros from the second half of 2026. Dreame AI Inverter L9 | Image: Dreame Another great appliance that the company has brought is the Dreame AI Inverter L9a washing machine with 11 kilos of capacity, automatic detection of clothes and dirt, automatic dosing depending on the content and a detergent nebulization system whose purpose is, according to the brand, for it to dissolve more and remove stains better. Something interesting is FreshLoop, which is basically a system of rotating clothes in the drum and circulating air designed to prevent odors. The selection of modes falls on a button with a very curious TFT screen. Price and availability: 899 euros and available from the second half of 2026. Dreame AI Twin Inverter Dryer L9 | Image: Dreame The previous model has a brother called AI Twin Inverter Dryer L9. It is the same, but with nine kilos of capacity and an integrated dryer. The most striking thing about this model is, in addition to the obvious intelligent humidity detection systems, the PressFree system. It is a kind of ironing system (for already dried clothes, needless to say) that works thanks to a 480 milliliters of water tank dedicated to generating steam. According to Dreame, a shirt can be ironed in 25 minutes, but we’ll have to see. Price and availability: 1,099 euros and available from the second half of 2026. Home cleaning Dream Pano 10 | Image: Dreame Moving on to the small appliance, the first eye-catching product is the new window cleaner, something Dreame is not new to. In fact, At Xataka we have already tested some of their models with mixed results. The main problem that these devices have is the lack of uniformity and that they do not reach the edges well. In his new Pano 10 rangeDreame has solved this by implementing one of the nicest functions of robot vacuum cleaners: an extendable arm that reaches edges and corners. The Station model also has a base that integrates cleaning, washing and drying the pads, charging, storage and daily maintenance. The price, of course, varies depending on whether we choose the model with or without a station. Price and availability: 399 euros without station and 599 euros with station. Both will launch in July 2026. Dreame T16 Pro Heat | Image: Dreame When it comes to cleaning the floor, and in addition to the already well-known X60 Pro series and the Cyber T seriesa new batch of wet and dry vacuum cleaners (aka electric mops) with ultra-thin profile (9.85 cm thick). All models include an anti-tangle system for hair and a self-cleaning and drying system with hot air at 95ºC. The range is composed in this way: T16 Pro Heat: the flagship, cleans with hot water at 90ºC, has 30,000 Pa of suction power and the arm can be extended towards the edges and corners for better cleaning. 629 euros and available at the end of June. T16 Pro Steam: similar, but with a steam sterilization system at 200ºC and self-cleaning, more designed for homes with pets, for example. 649 euros and available in August. T15 Pro Heat, T14 Pro and T12 Pro: each one simpler and, therefore, more affordable. For example, the T15 Pro Heat (599 euros) cleans with hot water, something that the other two do not do. The T14 Pro (499 euros) has automatic dirt detection, something that the T12 Pro (319 euros) does not have. Dreame Aqua Air | Image: Dreame Closing this section we have the Dreame Aqua Aira cordless vacuum cleaner with 20,000 Pa of suction power, anti-tangle brush, slim profile, waste container, real-time brush cleaning and less than a kilo in weight. Roughly speaking, it is Dreame’s proposal to stand up to the Dyson Pencil Vac. Price and availability: 499 euros and available from July. pet products Moduloo Pure Litter Box | Image: Dreame Finally, the company has announced five pet products. There is a self-leveling sandbox that looks like a sofa (very cool, all things considered); a smart bed and carrying … Read more

In its leap to electric cars, Europe fears total dependence on China. Your solutions arrive (quite) late

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The rope tightens. This time it is Europe that pulls to its side. Or, at least, that is what he wants according to what is stated in Financial Timeswhere we read that the European Union wants to force car manufacturers to reduce their level of dependence on China. Now, forcing them to buy fewer components from their suppliers. A new goal. It is, according to Financial Timeswhat the European Union wants to impose on companies in key sectors such as automobiles, industrial machinery or the chemical sector. In the newspaper’s information we read that European institutions are looking for tools to put pressure on their own companies. In the information, which is attributed to two European officials familiar with this project, the objective is to put a limit on the percentage of components that can be supplied to a single country. That is, if a company wants to manufacture a product in Europe, it could not buy all of its components (or the vast majority) from China. To distribute the purchases. If the project goes ahead as we read in the British media, a company could only buy between 30 and 40% of its components from the same country. It is sought that, at least, the origin of the parts that, in this case, make up a car is from three suppliers and from at least three different countries. This would not be much of a problem if it were not for the fact that the 30-40% barrier could not be overcome. “Gradually dependent”. “In many areas we are gradually becoming dependent on China’s exports,” the words are from a senior European Union official consulted by the newspaper. According to Financial Timesthe organizations are very aware of the extent to which a stoppage of Chinese factories or exports can damage the European economy. In fact, last summer some factories had to stop or saw their production compromised after China put greater impediments to export of products in which rare earths are used such as the magnets in electric car motors. Just a few months later, The Nexperia crisis once again set off the alarms of possible interruptions in the supply chain since a good part of the chips used by the European industry uses components from this company. They are not key products for its operation but without them, a car cannot be sold because They are essential for auxiliary but basic functions How to raise and lower the car window. 1 billion. That is what, according to Financial Timesthey calculate in the European Union that we lose to China. 1,000 million euros of deficit in the trade balance. 1,000 million. Diaries. The figure has been floating for two years now. and the automotive industry is one of those that has suffered the most. According to the European Union, they have achieved this with a doped industry, which has led to the lifting of tariffs on electric cars arriving from China. And the Chinese manufacturers have wanted to land abroad on our continent but also the Europeans have wanted to manufacture in China because it was cheaper. Spain? According to Anfac dataIn Spain we have a deficit in our trade balance of 5,000 million euros annually if we talk about components. As the second largest car producer in Europe, our auxiliary fabric is not enough and we need to buy components worth 16,893 million euros when exports exceed 11,525 million euros. There is no data on the origin of these imported components but we do know that The second country that exports the most cars to Spain is China. Last year, 9.2% of cars purchased in our country from outside our borders arrived from China. Very far, yes, from the German 26%. The problem is that despite importing cars worth almost 2.7 billion euros, China does not appear among the 10 countries to which we export the most cars and we barely place 658 million euros in exports to all of Asia. The game of balance. Yet the European Union is discovering that perhaps it has arrived late to the trade battle. Yes, it has lifted tariffs on electric cars sold from China but the country’s tentacles reach deep into vehicles made in Europe, producing all kinds of cheap components but also producing key technology such as semiconductors or batteries of electric cars. China is aware that it can squeeze European industry but it also needs our trade to export all the cars that are already surplus there. It is no coincidence that Europe has not imposed tariffs on cars arrived with combustion engines and? have negotiated with China the possibility of lifting trade barriers to electric cars. The Band-Aid. Until now, a very important part of the components used in European cars had their origin within the borders of the European Union itself. However, China’s weight has skyrocketed in recent years. In 2024, China has already become the main exporter of cars to Europe and the weight of its components within the cars manufactured here is increasingly greater, which reduces the competitiveness of our exports, according to this report BBVA. This imbalance is doubly worrying because the European Union is trying to reduce Chinese dependence now that it is seeking to make the definitive leap to the electric car, a technology where the Asian country dominates the supply chain. In recent months, Europe has tried to curb dependence promoting mineral mining on our soil or battery production but Chinese dependence remains evident. Photo | Michael Fourset and Sou Jest In Xataka | Japan has been charging a 0% tariff on foreign cars for half a century. It will be very difficult for you to find one on the street.

The new Siri will arrive soon in beta phase. It doesn’t matter when you read this

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The new Siri will arrive in beta phase with iOS 27. And yes, you have already read this news… two years ago. Gurman himself failed in his predictions, as he expected the beta version of Siri to land early this year, in one of the iOS 26 betas. With Gemini Intelligence presented and the advanced state of third-party alternatives such as ChatGPT either Claudeit may seem that Apple’s delays are getting more serious. The truth is that it matters little. The new. Gurman has revealed important details about the iOS 27 news and, among them, it seems inevitable that the new Siri will finally arrive. Although it will be an independent application (like any of its rivals), it will be fully integrated into the system and can be invoked as before. To reinforce privacy, Apple will allow you to schedule automatic deletion of conversations. A function that casts certain doubts since, whether we like it or not, the proper functioning of an AI depends on how much it knows us. And if you are going to forget what we talked about for privacy, you will have a difficult time in new conversations. If you can’t beat the enemy… Siri as a direct rival to Gemini, GPT or Claude doesn’t make much sense, so the leak suggests that iOS will not depend exclusively on its model. When she is not able to respond for herself, will continue to use third partiesas it currently does in its integration with OpenAI. After the agreement between Google and AppleGemini will be at the base of much of Siri’s behavior. The question is how much and in what way, since privacy is Apple’s main concern compared to other models. what’s happening. The internal delays in the new Siri are causing chaos that is taking a media toll on Apple, and there is no firm explanation beyond the fact that they will only release it to the public when they are ready. The shipwreck of the new Siri It is a mixture of competing visions, technical errors and an internal war between the Artificial Intelligence and software teams themselves. The obsession with privacy has led to two years of delays in a territory where progress is counted weekly. For years Apple set the pace of the industry. For two years now, for the first time in a long time, he seems to be running after her. In Xataka | Welcome to the AI ​​duopoly: the sector already has a turnover of 80 billion a year, but OpenAI and Anthropic take 89% of the revenue

list with a summary of everything that will arrive in this version of the operating system

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We bring you the list with all the news that will come to Android 17which Google has announced in its official presentation. Almost all the focus of the news Gemini Intelligence takes itbut there are also many that are worth knowing, and that will improve the Android experience, although there is also bad news. We are going to make this text summarized so that you have a complete and easy-to-read list. We will show you one by one all the news summarizing what each one of them is about. Remember that these are the basic new features of Android 17, and that later each manufacturer will be able to implement their own. What’s new in Android 17 Gemini Intelligence: Google wants to turn its AI into a proactive agent, and it does so with this function that will arrive first on Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones. It will allow Gemini to interact with your apps to perform complex, multi-step tasks in the background, such as organizing an itinerary or managing orders. All this without you having to do anything manually through the menus. Gemini will also integrate into Chrome to help you research, summarize information, share content, or even book appointments or parking spaces, as well as fill out more fields in apps and web pages. Task automation: Another Gemini Intelligence brick to use with food delivery apps, transportation, and more. Can you imagine being able to order your purchase online from a shopping list saved in your notes or a photograph? Well this will be possible. rambler: Another Gemini Intelligence feature, this time for the Gboard keyboard. It is a function that allows you to convert voice messages into text, being able to transcribe, eliminate repetitions, hesitations and organize sentences. AirDrop support– Quick Share becomes AirDrop compatible for everyone. This is something that the Pixel and Galaxy could already do, and now it will be expanded to everyone this year. You can make your Android phone send files to iPhone or Mac with AirDroid and vice versa. Less freedom to install APKs: Android is going to be less free, and you won’t be able to install any apps outside of the app store. Google will require developers to verify their identity so that their APK files can be installed, even if you download them from outside the app store. This is very bad news for third-party free app stores where you can install alternative apps. Pause Point: This is an option that tries to help you avoid opening apps almost automatically. Do not block access, but rather place a short pause before entering applications that you mark as distracting, such as Instagram, other social networks, or whatever you choose. Material 3 Expressive: The design language that debuted with Android 16 evolves with semi-transparency and blur effects, visible in elements such as the volume bar or the quick settings center. System icons are also improved for more cohesion with background accent colors, and more customization. WiFi and data controls: Another change is that the WiFi and mobile data controls are finally separated again in the quick settings. Custom widgets: You will be able to create custom widgets without having to design them by hand. Android will use Gemini Intelligence to build widgets for your home screen from natural language instructions. Android optimization: The Android kernel will be able to learn from the execution profiles of apps to reduce interface jerks and improve opening speed. More security: The security of the system is also reinforced, with small improvements to avoid fraudulent calls and bank scams, or detect applications that behave suspiciously. Malware detection is also improved. On-screen reactions: A wink for those who record themselves commenting on what appears on your screen. You can record a video in which what you see on your screen and your face appear at the same time with the front camera. Gaming improvements: Added support for remapping Xbox or PlayStation controller buttons. A new virtual controller function is also added that translates touches on the screen into physical signals. With this, you will be able to use controllers designed only for touch controls in your games. Universal clipboard: Finally you will be able to copy and paste content between mobile, PC and vice versa, just as Apple allows you to do it between its devices. RAM limits per app: Android will set memory caps based on device RAM. If an application tries to consume too much, Android will close it to avoid crashes and the fluidity of the operating system from being affected. OTP Security: This new security measure is added to avoid banking scams. With it, there will be a three-hour delay in accessing SMS with verification codes for third-party applications. Android Auto: Total redesign of Android Auto to completely move to the Material 3 Expressive design language. Migration from iPhone: Migration from an iPhone to Android is improved, with support for migrating messages, contacts, eSIM or the home screen. New emojis: Google has redesigned the 4,000 Android emojis to give them a slightly more three-dimensional look, with more depth and detail than the flatter, more cartoonish versions they replace. Android 17 availability Google has not specified a specific release date for Android 17. However, It is expected to arrive during next June on Pixel 6 onwards. And from there, it will be up to each manufacturer to implement it in their respective customization layers. Another thing to keep in mind is that some of the features may come later. Google has presented Android 17 as an update with many pieces, and some will have staggered rollouts. Screen reactions will arrive in summer, new emojis later, widget creation functions in summer, and others such as migration from iPhone or AirDrop compatibility later this year. In Xataka | Google wants to leave behind the greatest limit of Chromebooks: its recipe mixes Android, Gemini and premium design

We finally know when their 1.2 and 1.3 nm chips will arrive

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TSMC has revealed which photolithography will be ready for large-scale chip manufacturing over the next three years. The largest producer of semiconductors of the planet has made its itinerary official just a few hours ago during its North American Technology Symposium, which was held yesterday in Santa Clara (USA). And the technologies it has presented put an unappealable reality on the table: this Taiwanese company is determined to continue leading the integrated circuit manufacturing industry. To achieve this in 2029, it will have the A12 and A13 integration technologies ready for large-scale production, which are nothing more than derivatives of its A14 photolithography. From a commercial point of view these will be TSMC’s first 1.2 and 1.3 nm technologies, although it is important that users do not overlook that nanometers no longer faithfully reflect the length of the logic gates or another physical parameter, such as the distance between the transistors. Each chip manufacturer handles them very freely, which prevents users from directly comparing the lithographs they try to “sell” us. The disconnection between the nomenclature and the physical reality of integrated circuits is now almost absolute, but nanometers are still useful to identify the degree of development of each photolithography within the portfolio of each semiconductor manufacturer. Having said this, it is worth investigating what TSMC is preparing. A technical feat: A12 and A13 without using ASML’s High-NA machines Kevin Zhang, TSMC’s deputy chief operating officer, has clarified something very important: “I am amazed by our R&D team. They continue to find ways to drive technological development without using ASML UVE High-NA equipment. Someday we may have to use them, but right now we can continue to reap the benefits of current EUV technology without moving to High-NA which, as we all know, is extremely expensive.” That’s impressive. TSMC is going to continue developing very competitive lithography over the next three years without resorting to High-NA machines. The A13 lithography will be the result of the refinement of the A14 In the slide that we publish below these lines we can see that in 2028 TSMC’s most advanced lithographic node for the consumer market will be the A14, which will use GAA transistors (Gate-All-Around) second generation. Mass production of consumer chips with A13 lithography will start in 2029 and will take A14 integration technology as its base platform. This simply means that the A13 lithography will be the result of the refinement of the A14. According to TSMC, the A13 integration technology is an optical optimization of the A14, which in practice will allow it to achieve a 6% higher transistor density while maintaining compatibility between the two. On the other hand, N2U lithography will arrive in 2028, which is also aimed at the consumer market. It will be an extension of the N2 platform (2 nm) and will deliver performance, again according to TSMC forecasts, between 3% and 4% higher than N2P, as well as consumption between 8% and 10% lower. Finally, A12 lithography will arrive in 2029 with the A13, although it will be mainly intended for chips for data centers. It will use, like A13, second generation GAA transistors and NanoFlex Pro technology. The latter will allow IC designers to use fast cells for the critical parts of the GPU that need speed, and dense or efficient cells for the rest, thus optimizing the chip area down to the last millimeter. NanoFlex Pro is one of the innovations with which TSMC seeks to protect its technological leadership with the purpose that its chip customers for artificial intelligence (AI), such as Nvidia, AMD or Cerebras, continue to turn to it and not to Samsung or Intel. Image | TSMC More information | TSMC | Tom’s Hardware In Xataka | Japan wants to end the Netherlands’ leadership in lithography equipment. This is your plan to get it

MG reveals the secrets of MG SolidCore Battery, the first semi-solid batteries for electric cars that will arrive in Europe

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Without the light effects that precede a big announcement but with the security of someone who knows they have something good on their hands. MG met us in Frankfurt, met us on the outskirts of the city and put it before our eyes. The car and its tools. The weapons to continue gaining ground in a battle that seems long. Because with a quick presentation and a talk with its managers, the Chinese company revealed the two great advances with which it intends to continue gaining ground in the European automobile market: a new hybrid system and, above all, its semi-solid state batteries that will arrive with the new MG4 Urban EVa kind of evolution of the current MG4 Electric with which it will coexist in the market. In 2025, MG was the brand with Chinese capital that achieved the best results in Europe. Also in our country, where it reached 45,163 registered units. The formula for success has been based on the launch of vehicles for the access range. Cars at low prices, very spacious and equipped. But, above all, very competitive if we compare them with the competition. The strategy is paying off. Both in vehicles with combustion engines, where the brand does not have to pay tariffs, and with the MG4 Electric, which became among the best sellers in many European countries. The recipe at that time was simple: attractive price, good interior space and versions with a lot of power. Now, MG seeks to take a qualitative leap. Continue convincing and gaining ground in those who are undecided. But, above all, they bring technology that is currently not available to any other brand. Some semi-solid batteries to capture the market Our gazes, therefore, were pointed at the stage where the brand representatives were passing, but what was truly important was behind us. There, behind a curtain, the new MG4 EV Urban, a compact electric car that wants to position itself as the most advanced electric car of the moment. At least if we pay attention to its battery. At 4.44 meters long, the new MG electric car is a canonical compactor, of those that continue to triumph in the European market. To test it we will have to wait a few months but we were able to sit in it for the first time and see first-hand that we are facing a qualitative leap in quality in the interior. The car does not represent an aesthetic revolution on the outside and, of course, is less striking than the current MG4 Electric. But packaging does win. Inside, materials have improved and the perception of quality has risen. The screens are accompanied by physical buttons to control the climate and volume with wheels and controls that offer good touch. The sound of the speakers surprised me with their good quality (yes, I have to say that I don’t have the best ear among the staff). Xataka). And it has interesting details such as the controls that we already saw in the MGS6 EV on the steering wheel or a slightly rough mobile phone wireless charging surface so that the phone does not move. The new MG4 We will talk about all this in greater detail when we can get our hands on it to taste it in motion. Until then we will delve into the technology with which they want to hit the table with batteries that they already mass-produce. They are called “MG SolidCore Battery”. Because the MG4 EV Urban will be the first electric car in Europe to use semi-solid state batteries. With the promise that the car will not face a superlative extra cost. On the contrary, they told us that it will move in figures similar to the current ones. At the moment, the MG bestseller is around 38,000 euros but with the brand’s aid and discounts it is currently below 28,000 euros. What are these semi-solid batteries? It is the first step before jumping to solid batteries, the great promise of the electric car. They are energy accumulators that improve each and every one of the current aspects of LFP or NCM batteries, the most common on the market. Currently, these batteries use electrolytes that use liquid electrolytes to move lithium ions between the electrodes and thus generate electricity. With each discharge, lithium ions travel from the anode to the cathode through the liquid electrolyte. There the electricity is produced that is used by the motors. With recharging, the electrolyte takes the opposite path. Solid state batteries promise to forget about this liquid. This will allow, if the technique advances sufficiently, to have batteries with very ambitious ranges (more than 1,000 kilometers are targeted), in a reduced size and with more powerful charging and discharging capacity. And maintaining their security. The semi-solid state battery is the intermediate step. MG claims that the electrolyte liquid takes up around 20% of a conventional battery right now. With its new batteries, that liquid barely reaches 5%. Solidifying that space allows them to increase the nominal voltage of the battery and therefore also improve energy density. MG points out that these new batteries reach a density of 400 Wh/kg. Part of the secret is that the mobility of lithium ions increases their possibilities, they go from moving in a one-dimensional (LFP) or two-dimensional (NCM) to three-dimensional movement using the solid electrolyte. What does this translate into? The batteries of the new MG4 Urban EV will be smaller but will be able to travel the same number of kilometers as the current model. Although no specific figures have been confirmed, the leap forward should be qualitative because It is an evolution that feeds on itself.. If the battery is denser, it can be smaller to travel the same number of kilometers. At the same time, the weight of this accumulator is lower and the car is more efficient, resulting in better consumption data and, therefore, autonomy. But it also has other types of advantages such as less … Read more

when they arrive they find a field

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The Basque Country has encountered a problem curious: urban planners who move to the countryside attracted by its lifestyle and end up desperate because of that, because of how people live in the countryside. It sounds like gibberish, but it is a reality so present in the community that the regional government has come to denounce it. “People come to towns thinking that they are a haven of peace where you can only hear birds and everything is green, they come with the wrong idea,” warns Iker Aguitrre, from the Union of Farmers and Ranchers of Álava (UAGA). The problem is that these clashes add (even) more pressure to rural areas. What has happened? That Euskadi is proving to what extent it is difficult to repopulate rural areas with people from the cities. Does a few daysduring a parliamentary intervention, counselor Amaia Barredo acknowledged her concern about how the arrival of urban populations seeking bucolic environments, havens of peace and silence are affecting some rural areas, and in reality they find something different: farms with tractors, cattle ranchers and cattle. “Agrarian activity has become residual in many rural areas, even annoying, and we are beginning to have other problems derived from the expectations of the urban population that is looking in the countryside for other externalities of the landscape, of air quality, which are seriously altering the future of rural areas,” lament the regional leader in statements collected by the SER network. Click on the image to go to the tweet. What is it referring to? Barredo has not limited himself to pointing out the problem. Also has gone into detailsciting cases in which the false expectations of people who arrive in the field collide with the realities found there. “We will have to focus on why a livestock farm or poultry activity bothers a town or why sheep pass through the town and stain, we already have a council to talk about it,” lamented the Basque councilor. “It’s funny, but that’s how it is.” Curiously, and despite the concern that the matter arouses in the Government, the issue is not included in the Rural Development Strategy of Euskadi, which just presented Barredo herself. The document outlines a series of measures (12 lines of action and 38 specific actions) to transform the Basque countryside in the remainder of the decade, focusing on issues such as housing, mobility or health. Is she the only one to report it? No. Barredo’s words have had repercussions due to her position, but she has not been the only one to publicly warn of how the arrival of city residents can “seriously alter the future of rural areas.” Iker Aguirre, director of UAGA, launched a similar message these days: “People come thinking that this is a haven of peace where only the birds can be heard. They come with the wrong idea of ​​what the countryside is.” Although “the majority” of people who arrive from urban areas end up “integrating”, the problem comes from those neighbors who move with a wrong image of what life is like in rural areas. “Here you get up early, the tractors go from one place to another, there are smells, noises…”. And in case there were any doubts about the importance of integrating, Aguirre give an example in the opposite direction: “I may feel uncomfortable in the center of Vitoria because of the traffic, and those who come from the city have assimilated those noises; but those from the countryside saturate them.” Are they specific frictions? It doesn’t seem like it. And not only because the issue is serious enough for the industry advisor to recognize it. In an interview With the SER, Aguirre explains that complaints have reached the UAGA and does not rule out that there are “many more” of which the association is not aware. The reason for the lawsuits? The leader speaks of clashes caused by issues such as loose dogs that scare cattle or complaints caused by the presence of livestock excrement on rural roads or even the noise made by cowbells. “We all try to adapt, but there are limits,” he says. Is it a problem? Yes. And not only because of the discomfort it generates or the extra pressure it adds to agricultural operations. Frictions can also complicate the transfer of population from cities to rural areas, one of the lifelines of ’emptied Spain’. It is not a minor issue if we remember that in the country there are more than 1,200 locations that risk “disappearing” from the map, with just over a hundred residents registered, a reality to which the Basque Country is not foreign. Precisely the strategic plan that the Basque Country has just launched seeks that settling and working in rural areas “continues to be a real and attractive option.” In statements to The Country Aguirre warns that friction between farms and newly arrived rural residents has already translated into real problems for some Spanish ranchers. “There have been towns where years ago there was an influx of many people from outside and the sheep farms had a lot of problems because the sheep shit on the roads,” he recalls. “It has to be protected and perhaps we have to educate that the countryside is not idyllic.” Does it only happen in the Basque Country? No. A few years ago a town in León it was news because it was proposed that ranchers had to collect the dung from their cows. The proposal generated such controversy that the authorities backed down, but at its core there was the same problem: the tensions between livestock activity and other uses of the territory, such as residential or even tourism. It is something they know well in France, where they have even promoted a specific law to protect the countryside from urbanites. A similar idea was raised a few months ago in Asturias: approve a standard that safeguards the rural environment and its traditional activities (including issues such as the mooing … Read more

Now the “therians” arrive, people who walk on all fours

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They wear animal masks, move on all fours and publish tutorials on networks to perfect the gallop or feline jump. Therians are not a new phenomenon, but social media has catapulted them into the digital conversation. Who are they, where do they come from, what differentiates them from the fashion of the furriesDo they have the right to their own veterinarian? What is a therian? Perhaps the easiest way to understand it is by going to the community’s own definition: “species dysphoria”, a discomfort analogous (in structure, although certainly not in clinical recognition) to gender dysphoria. A therian does not wear a disguise: the term (which abbreviates therianthropefrom Greek therion -wild beast- and anthropos -human-) designates people who identify themselves psychologically or spiritually as a non-human animal. The Therian Society He assures that it is not a cosplay or costume, but rather a lifelong identity. The animal with which each therian identifies is called theriotypeand canids and felines are the most common, although videos of reptiles and extinct species have already been seen. There is a whole vocabulary around the phenomenon: shifts or changes of state are the moments in which the person experiences instincts, thought patterns or sensations typical of their animal nature. and the phantom shift It is the perception of non-existent limbs or appendages (tail, ears, claws) that have a clear correlation with the well-proven phenomenon of phantom limbs. Therians: Origins. In the infinite Usenet groups (the first forums) of the nineties is where the topic began to be talked about. The forum alt.horror.werewolvesoriginally created for fans of fictional werewolves, led to debates about what it meant. be a werewolf, not just consume fiction on the subject. Soon the therians were separated from otherkin, a term that grouped those who identified themselves as non-human beings (elves, dragons, vampires). Therians limit their identification to animals that exist or have existed and Its symbol is Theta-Delta (ΘΔ): Theta represents the first letter of therian and delta symbolizes change or transformation. Does it have a scientific basis? Let’s just leave it at that academic psychology has not recognized species dysphoria. But there are attempts at recognition: a Lake Forest College thesis He spoke of it as a transversal theme between therians who manifested themselves in very different ways. In ScienceDirect was distinguished between therianthropy clinical (delusional disorder in which the person believes they are transformed into an animal, and which is historically linked to psychosis) and therianthropy as a non-clinical identity, which is not included as a disorder in the DSM-5. One thing is clear, and also investigated: Therian identity acts as a protective factor for those with higher levels of autism or schizotypy, suggesting that the community plays a real psychological support role for certain profiles. TikTok, engine of subcultures. This seemingly specific group has found a meeting point and expansion on TikTok, which has the prepared algorithm to connect statistical neighborhoods of people grouped by common behavior and interests. The result is a unprecedented acceleration of the visibility of subcultures previously confined to forums and Discord servers. For example, in the case of the therians, they are interested in quadrobicsa discipline that makes it possible to move, trot, jump and gallop on all fours (and about which there was already videos on YouTube in 2015) : its practitioners publish tutorials that the algorithm triggers because it is visually striking content that generates polarized reactions. Furry precedent. To understand therians, you have to go back at least four decades, to a fandom that went through a very similar cycle: it emerged on the margins, was distorted by the mainstream media, and ended up being the subject of academic research. The furry fandom took shape at a science fiction convention in 1980, when a drawing from Steve Gallacci’s ‘Albedo Anthropomorphics’ comic sparked a discussion about anthropomorphic characters in speculative fiction. In 1986 the first “furry party” took place and in 1989 they had specific conventions. Although both communities overlap in many aspects (approximately 15% of furries They also identify as therians), a furry relates to anthropomorphic animals, building a fursona that works as a character or avatar; a therian, on the other hand, identifies with a real, non-anthropomorphic animal. However, the media stigma that the furry fandom suffered in the late ’90s is comparable to the scrutiny that the therian community faces today. The furries were identified (mainly due to an unfortunate episode of CSI 2003) with sexual deviants, but the community ended up denying itdemonstrating that the main attraction for fandom was belonging to a community, not any fetish component. llegacy to Spain. There have been no defining moments of the arrival of the therians to Spain, beyond descriptions in the media, simultaneously with what has happened in Mexico or Argentina, of hangouts in parks such as the Retiro in Madrid or the Ciutadella in Barcelona, ​​or groups practicing quadrobics in public places. Many of these media go into topics such as liquid identity in digital times and also in the aggressiveness that they awaken in their detractors, who begin to organize far-right attackspossibly because of the parallels with gender dysphoria. In Xataka | What are urban tribes and how have they evolved until today?

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