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If you want to buy a very cheap bicycle, it’s easy: go to Portugal

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Spain and Portugal share just over 1,200 kilometers of border, an extensive permeable ‘strip’, full of history, economy and coexistence which in 2023 the bicycle sector began to view with some suspicion from this side of the peninsula. The Association of Brands and Bicycles of Spain warned about this three years ago (AMBE) in a statement resounding statement in which he stated that this proximity and extensive border could become a poisoned gift overnight. The reason: around that time Portugal gave a severe snip the VAT that applies to their bikes. From taxing them at 23%, they went on to apply 6%. The problem is that in Spain (and despite the requests of the sector) the same merchandise bears a VAT of 21%. The other ‘cycle tourism’. The controversy It’s not exactly newbut The Confidential has shaken it again with an interesting article in which he warns of an apparently increasing phenomenon: Spanish cyclists who suddenly decide to take the car, travel dozens or hundreds of kilometers until crossing the border and, once in Portugal, buy a good bicycle. The reason? The savings. Yes, they spend money on fuel and invest hours behind the wheel, but the tax differences on both sides of the border make all of that compensate. After all, in Spanish stores they pay a VAT of 21%, while in those in Portugal that rate is three times less: 6%. And that difference is more than considerable when we talk about models that cost hundreds or even several thousand euros. @kom_rivas How to buy Van Rysel at Decathlon Portugal and save 15% 🚴🏻‍♂️ John Ravine 🎥 Rodi #cycling #cycling #cyclingvideos ♬ original suono – UMC “I have saved 500 euros”. The Confidential echoes several testimonies of two-wheel lovers. And they all point in the same direction: depending on where you live, traveling to Portugal may take more or less time, but it is worth it. “I got up at 4:30 in the morning. I drove five hours and crossed the border to buy a bicycle in Portugal. I spent 70 euros on gasoline, but I saved 500 euros on the bike,” says one. Another fan, an 18-year-old Spaniard who trains at a cycling school, explains how he “tied” his father to cross the border just to get an RCR Pro, a road bike. “We saved almost a thousand euros,” he boasts on TikTok. On the table from 2022. A quick Google search shows that these are not isolated cases. In forums, specialized blogs and social networks there is a good handful of references to the topic: cyclists interested in knowing whether or not it really pays to buy a bicycle in Portugal or what directly counts what has been saved there thanks to the VAT difference between both countries. Not all are new comments. Some date back to the end of 2022, just when AMBE raised his voice and warned the Government of the risks of not following in Portugal’s footsteps: “We put the future of thousands of jobs, stores, brands and Spanish producers at risk,” emphasized. In his day Brussels decided give green light to countries that want to apply a reduced VAT in the sector, a measure that a priori had the endorsement of the PSOE, but which has not caught on in Spain. Is it that common? Good question. Difficult answer. If we search on TikTok we find videos which confirm that the ‘trick’ of buying bikes in Portugal to benefit from its taxation is well known among fans. However, a more diffuse message comes from the sector. In fact, there are those who say that today it is something anecdotal, although things can change in a short time. “We receive messages from cyclists who are going to Portugal to buy a bicycle, but the risk is that this will get worse and affect the industry,” they point out from AMBE. Stock earrings. There would be several factors at play. Not all brands are the same, but if there is something that the sector is waiting for, it is how the market will respond when the stock accumulated after the pandemic is released, when there were a spike in sales (2020 and 2021) that deflated during the following years. To dispose of this post-pandemic surplus, businesses in Spain have not hesitated to resort to discounts, a practice that has softened the blow of the VAT reduction in Portugal. At the end of the day, buying there involves the cost of travel, which is higher the more kilometers the buyer must travel. In the union there are those who believe that as this stock adjusts the shadow of the VAT to 21% will weigh more on sales. In your opinion we will begin to notice it in 2026. The example of Portugal. Portugal has not only managed to stand out at the community level for your VAT reduction to bicycles, which went from 23 to 6% years ago. It also stands out for its producing muscle. It shows it clearly Eurostat. Its latest available data dates from 2023, but does not leave room for many doubts: of the 9.7 million bicycles manufactured in the European Union in 2023, Portugal contributed 1.8 million. In second place is Romania (1.5 million), followed by Italy (1.2) and Poland (800,000). Spain occupies seventh place. In Spain the group has asked from the beginning the reduction of VAT on bicycles, a claim in which he is not alone. A recent report The Institute of Economics of Barcelona points out among its proposals to achieve more sustainable mobility, reducing VAT on the purchase, rental and repair of bicycles, as well as a 50% deduction for businessmen and professionals who integrate them. In April AMBE published a balance which shows that in 2024 the industry recorded a drop in turnover of 6.5%, which distances it from the data it reached in 2021. Images | Martin Magnemyr (Unsplash), Eurostat and AMBE In Xataka | Portugal’s radical proposal to stop touristification: an underwater … Read more

Spain wants to bet on rent with an option to buy in the face of the housing crisis. First you must solve your black hole

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The Government has decided to expand its arsenal to alleviate the serious housing crisis that Spain is going through, a crisis marked by the decoupling between housing supply and demand, the rise in prices and a market so inaccessible that more and more young people find that the only way to have a home is to wait for their parents donate it. A few weeks ago, during a speech in Congress, Pedro Sánchez advanced that the Executive wants recover aid for rent with option to buy. The measure is part of a broader plan with more legs, but in recent weeks it has generated as much expectation as skepticism. The reason: although there are still unknowns to clear up, everything indicates that the scope of the new aid will be limited. What will the help consist of? What the Government plans is to offer aid up to 30,000 euros for rent with option to buy homes with permanent protection. The initiative is designed for young people from up to 35 years and its objective is that that amount ended up being discounted of the final price of the property, in case the tenant decides to buy it. “The aid will be used to pay the rent, which will allow the young person to save to own their home,” they need from the ministry. When focusing on VPO, the focus is on properties that must conform to a series of requirements, such as respecting a pre-established price and certain guidelines when changing hands. “This means that if in the future you want to sell that home, you will have to do so at an appraised price and to a person who meets the same requirements as the previous owner,” explains the Government. “In this way we protect the homes paid for with state resources.” Click on the image to go to the tweet. Do we know anything else? Yes. There are still details to be outlined, but we know that the measure is included in the State Housing Plan (PEV) for the period 2026-2030where it is combined with other proposals that aspire to “consolidate a public system of access to housing” and revolve around five major goals: creating more and better supply, reducing the rate of financial effort, focusing on stressed markets and lowering the age at which young people become independent. As? To achieve that ultimate goal the PEV contemplates offer rental aid for the purchase of housing in municipalities of emptied Spain (La Moncloa speaks of 10,800 euros for localities “at demographic risk”), youth guarantees and “aid for renting with the option to buy housing with permanent protection of up to 30,000 euros.” Sanchez too has spoken of non-payment of rent insurance for young people. Support for VPO on a rent-to-own basis is not exactly new. It was already contemplated in the state housing plans 2005-2008 and 2009-2012. How has the idea been received? Sánchez launched his announcement to mid octoberduring the interparliamentary meeting of the Socialist Group, but a quick Google search shows that in recent weeks it has generated some skepticism. Not so much because of the fear that it will end up causing an increase in rents (something that the leader of Sumar, Yolanda DĂ­az, reproached her for) but because of the doubts that exist about the real impact that the aid will have. The reason: in reality in Spain very few VPOs are built for rent with an option to buy. His mark is testimonial. Are there so few? The official data published by Raquel Sánchez’s department speak for themselves. If we talk about protected housing for rent with the option to buy with “definitive qualification” (that is, already completed), the state registry shows only 2,300 over the last decade. There are not many and they are concentrated in just seven autonomous communities. What’s more, there is not a single one between August of last year and June, a period of 11 months during which no home eligible to benefit from the aid announced by the Government was completed. If what we are talking about is “provisional ratings” (still under construction) the balance sheet is not buoyant either (less than 70 in the last 15 months). The data includes both VPOs from state and regional plans. What do the experts say? Not everyone agrees. For Javier BurĂłn, manager of Nasuvinsa, the key lies not so much in what has been built so far but in what is done for the future. That is, the effectiveness of the measure in stimulating supply. “There is an attempt to restart the machine for building protected housing, although focused on rentals, so it makes no sense to look at the past,” he explains in an interview with The Country. In fact 40% of resources of the PEV focus precisely on increasing the supply of protected housing on a permanent basis. For Carolina Roca, president of the Association of Real Estate Developers of Madrid (Asprima), the reading is somewhat different. “The aid announced in the PEV has, once again, a conceptual error: we have a problem of supply of subsidized housing and not demand. The PEV should be aimed at increasing the construction of subsidized housing, so aid should go to supply rather than demand. What sense does it make to provide aid of 30,000 euros for a figure for which only 65 homes are built per year?” Roca asks in statements to the Idealista portal. Images | Ronni Kurtz (Unsplash) In Xataka | The Basque Country wants more homes but does not have much land. Solution: build 2,000 apartments on top of other houses

If you have to buy your V16 beacon, Leroy Merlin has them for less than 40 euros

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From the DGT, they have been reporting for some time that, starting January 1, 2026, we will have to have a V16 beacon connected. If you don’t have yours yet, at Leroy Merlin we have found some models that can come in handy and that, now, you can get a better price than when the rule comes into force. V16 emergency beacon Daewoo by 37.90 euros: with magnetic base and autonomy of six hours. V16 beacon RAYKONG by 39.99 euros: with Orange data plan until 2038. RACC Emergency Light V16 by 54.90 euros: with up to 10 hours of autonomy. V16 beacon LEDONE by 49.95 euros: with integrated eSIM and magnetic base. Pack of two V16 beacons RAYKONG by 77.99 euros: with three LED indicators. Daewoo V16 emergency beacon This one from Daewoo is one of the cheapest V16 emergency beacons that we have found at Leroy Merlin. Before it cost more than 40 euros, but now you can get it for 37.90 euros. Works with three batteries AA (which are included), which offer a maximum autonomy of six houryes. Comes with SIM card included and magnetic base. In addition, it has IP54 certification. Daewoo V16 emergency beacon The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Another of the cheapest V16 beacons that we find at Leroy Merlin is this one from the RAYKONG company. Its price is 39.99 euros and you should know that it is not sold over the phone or in a physical store, but exclusively through its website. This model has a design similar to that of all devices of this type. It has DGT 3.0 geolocation and emits visible light over a kilometer in 360Âş. Comes with suction cup and includes a paid data plan of Orange with more than 12 years of validity, until 2038 specifically. RAYKONG Beacon V16 Geolocation DGT 3.0 The price could vary. We earn commission from these links RACC Emergency Light V16 It could not be missing from our compilation about V16 emergency beaconsa RACC model. You can get this at Leroy Merlin for 54.90 eurosobtaining a discount of 25 euros compared to its usual RRP (79.90 euros). Like any beacon model that you must have in the car from January 1, 2026, it has a geolocation and V16 certification. This model comes with a magnetic mount and offers a autonomy of up to 10 hours. It can also be highlighted that it is resistant to water and impacts. RACC Car Emergency Light V16 The price could vary. We earn commission from these links V16 LEDONE Beacon Another of the V16 beacons that you can take into account to have in your car from next January 1, 2026, is this one from the firm Ledone. Its price at Leroy Merlin is 49.95 euroswith free shipping. This V16 beacon integrates a eSIM anonymous and geolocation DGT 3.0, which will send your position (automatically and without costs) until the year 2038. It is visible more than 1 km away and installs easily and safely thanks to its magnetic/adhesive base. LEDONE Connected – DGT Approved V16 Beacon with Geolocator The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Pack of two V16 RAYKONG beacons If you have two cars at home and want to save by buying a V16 beacon for each one, at Leroy Merlin you have a discount on this pack of two from the RAYKONG brand and that you can get for 77.99 euros compared to the usual price of almost 120 euros. Like most models, this one emits visible light over 1 km in 360Âş. Presents IP54 certificationso it resists water and also wind. Comes with three LED indicators and runs on three AA batteries. In addition, it includes a paid data plan from TelefĂłnica Tech valid until 2038. Pack of two V16 RAYKONG beacons The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | RACC, RAYKONG, LEDONE and Daewoo In Xataka | Android Auto or wireless Apple Carplay: what you need to connect your mobile phone to your car without cables In Xataka | Safety, organization and entertainment gadgets and accessories for cars on long trips

requirements and how to check if the one you have or want to buy works for you

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January 1, 2026 is approaching, the date on which V16 beacons are going to become mandatory. V16 lights the substitutes for the classic triangles of a lifetime when it comes to informing other cars that yours has a breakdown or accident, and from 2026 if you do not have one in the glove compartment you are exposed to a possible fine. And as always happens before a new rule like this is implemented, there is a bit of confusion. The point is that not all V16 beacons will work for youso it is advisable to know the characteristics they need to have to be legal and so that you can use them. V16 beacon requirements The DGT has an official list of more than 200 models of beacons in this database. But if you don’t have access to it, there are several requirements that you have to make sure that the one you are going to buy or have meets. For example, you must ensure that have a certificate code to ensure that it is properly approved. This code is usually a combination of alphanumeric preceded by the letters LCOE or IDAE. The other key point is that the beacon must be connected. This means that you must have a non-removable eSIM with which to connect to the DGT to indicate your location. This point is very important because it is less known. Connectivity is mandatory for at least 12 years, and It should be free for you.. Come on, you don’t have to pay any type of fee, subscription or need an additional app. This beacon must provide automatic geolocation when used, and direct communication with the DGT 3.0 platform the moment it is turned on. The first V16s that came onto the market did not have this requirement, which will be mandatory, so if you already have one, it is a good idea to check it to make sure that it meets this essential requirement. In addition to these two essentials, beacons must also have a minimum autonomy of 30 minutesalthough there is no maximum. Come on, the longer it lasts the better, but its battery should last at least half an hour. Additionally, they should be easy to replace or replace, and should be powered by a USB rechargeable battery or AA battery. Its useful life must be at least 18 months. Another important point is that they must offer 360Âş visibility at 1 kilometer away At the very least, although again, the further away you can see the better. This will ensure that there is better visibility both at night and on very foggy days. These beacons must be able stay stable on flat surfaces. But if due to height you cannot access the roof of the vehicle, they should be equipped with a magnet or other means of attachment. Here, it is best that they have a magnet so that you can simply lower the window and place them on the roof before opening the door, or so that they can be fixed to the driver’s door itself. If your beacon does not meet these requirements you can have sanctions. For example, a fine of 80 euros without loss of points when your V16 beacon is not approved. And if you use it correctly to report an accident or incident, if you do not place it in its place or if you travel without a vest, the fine can rise to 200 euros. In Xataka | Clarifying all the mess that the DGT has on its hands: the V-16 light, the V-27 signal and the emergency triangles

The Xiaomi 15T stars in a new offer of the day. You can now buy it cheaper or with a gift watch

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He Xiaomi 15T It is one of the most interesting high-end phones, especially if what we are looking for is a good price that is as tight as possible and without sacrificing certain specifications. After a few months since its launch, it can now be purchased at a discount or with a promotion: Xiaomi 15T (256GB) by 489 euros on Powerplanet. Xiaomi 15T (512GB) + Xiaomi Watch S4 (41mm) by 649.99 euros in the official store. Xiaomi 15T (512GB) + Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro + Xiaomi Smart Band 10 for 649.99 euros in the official store. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A high-end that has a good price He Xiaomi 15T It is one of the latest high-end mobile phones launched by the brand that stands out, just as its previous generation did, for its excellent quality-price ratio. It is a big mobile (8.3 inches) which is accompanied by a panel with 1.5K resolution which is compatible with Dolby Vision and HDR10+. As if that were not enough, internally we find the processor MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultra along with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal storage. It also comes with a generous battery that supports 67W fast charging and its operating system is HyperOS. But without a doubt, the icing on the cake is found in its photographic section: once again, this generation comes with cameras signed by Leica. In addition, it is worth mentioning that the Xiaomi 15T has a rear camera module that consists of a 50 MP main sensor, a 50 MP telephoto sensor and a 12 MP wide-angle sensor. You may also be interested Fitudoos for Xiaomi 15T/15T Pro Tempered Glass Screen Protector (2 Pieces) + Camera Lens Protector (2 Pieces), (9H Hardness) (Scratch Resistant). The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Xiaomi Redmi Buds 6 Pro – Wireless headphones, noise cancellation, lightweight, up to 36 hours of autonomy, Bluetooth 5.3, Black (ES version) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Xiaomi In Xataka | The best mobile phones (2025), we have tested them and here are their analyzes In Xataka | The best Xiaomi mobile in quality price: purchasing and comparison guide

The new iPad Pro and MacBook Pro with M5 chip are now on sale and you can buy them in these stores

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Last week Apple presented two new MacBook Pro and iPad modelswhose main novelty, compared to previous generations, is the integration of M5 chip. Although they could already be reserved, both devices officially go on sale today. We tell you the stores where you can get them and the prices at which they are available. Apple Macbook Pro 14” M5 Cpu 10, Gpu 10, 16gb Ram, 512gb SSD Silver The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Apple iPad Pro 11″ (M5) 256 GB The price could vary. We earn commission from these links MacBook Pro M5 He MacBook Pro M5 is available at an official price of 1,829 euros in its 14-inch version and with 512 GB and from 2,829 euros in its 16-inch version, although it is only for sale in the official Apple store. At MediaMarkt, you can get it even 100 euros cheaper, if you take advantage of the “-€100 buyback” promotion with which they give you that amount for your old MacBook. This new high-end laptop from Apple, the MacBook Pro M5 It has a 14-inch Liquid Retina macOS 26 operating system and its battery offers up to 16 hours of navigation. Comes with WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm jack, MagSafe 3 charging port, HDMI, card slot and three ports Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C). Apple Macbook Pro 14” M5 Cpu 10, Gpu 10, 16gb Ram, 512gb SSD Silver The price could vary. We earn commission from these links iPad Pro The other Apple device that can be purchased from today is the iPad Pro M5. It is available from 1,039 euros at PcComponentes, in its 11-inch and 256 GB version or from 1,449 euros (on MediaMarkt), in its 13-inch version with 256 GB. In both versions (11 and 13 inches), this iPad Pro M5 has a Super Retina XDR OLED display with resolution of 2,420 x 1,668 pixels. Both its rear and front cameras are 12 MP and its battery offers up to 10 hours of navigation. It works under the iPadOS 26 operating system. In the connectivity section, it comes with WiFi 7, Bluetooth 6USB-C 4 Thunderbolt and also integrates four studio-quality speakers. Apple iPad Pro 11″ (M5) 256 GB The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Apple iPad Pro 13″ (M5) 256 GB The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some accessories that may interest you for these two devices tomtoc 360° Briefcase Case for New 14″ MacBook Pro M5 The price could vary. We earn commission from these links ESR iPad Pro 11 Inch Case (M5/M4) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Fran LeĂłn and Apple In Xataka | MacBook Air Vs MacBook Pro: we explain which one to choose In Xataka | Which iPad to buy. Analysis of Apple’s tablet catalog with recommendations based on use and budget

give you money to buy a house

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In a context in which the housing is one of the main actors of territorial inequality In Spain, some rural municipalities have decided to intervene by directly offering money to whoever is willing to move and buy. We are not facing a “return to the countryside”, but rather public programs with specific amounts designed to reverse decades of population loss and to reactivate areas where the demographic decline has already had visible consequences in services, economic activity and social structure. National panorama. It is estimated that more than 3,400 municipalities Spaniards have been at structural demographic risk for years. They occupy almost the entire interior territory, but they barely concentrate the 10% of the population. The cumulative output of inhabitants deteriorated schools, commerce and employment, which in turn accelerated emigration to large cities. That loop has been difficult to reverse with soft incentives. Hence, the novelty of the current moment is the leap to material incentives to try to generate real population movement in the opposite direction for the first time in decades. Urban crisis and opportunity. While the rental and purchase markets in capitals such as Madrid, Barcelona or Malaga have become directly prohibitive For average incomes, much of inland Spain has a inverse problem: abundance of empty houses, low demand and shrinking economic bases. Urban pressure and rural emptying are not separate phenomena, but rather two sides of the same territorial asymmetry. And that is where the logic of pay to move: displace population where there is idle capacity and alleviate, at least on the margin, the residential saturation of metropolitan areas. An idea that already we had seen beforenot only in Spain, also in Italy. The DIVA program. He DIVA plan in the north of Cáceres it is possibly the clearest and most quantified initiative. Offers up to 15,000 euros to people who move to the towns in the region and telework from there, yes, with a minimum registration obligation of 24 months (and 36 for full payment) and accredited continuity of remote work activity. The overall endowment amounts to 200 million and its stated goal is to attract about 200 new stable residents. It does not finance residential tourism or second homes: it requires effective permanence and sustained employment relationships over time. Castilla y León. Here the Board grants up to 2,000 euros to families who move to small municipalities and acquire housing there. The amount starts at 1,000 euros for units without children and goes up to 2,000. for families with minors. The aid is processed after registering and requires establishing residence effective in the municipality. The objective is to induce purchase and roots in localities that have been losing density for decades, reinforcing stable tenure as a mechanism of permanence. Valladolid. The Provincial Council guide the program to young people from 18 to 36 years old in towns with less than 20,000 inhabitants, with income limits of up to 33,600 euros per year. For purchase with a mortgage it covers up to 10 installments (maximum €4,000), and for rehabilitation it covers up to 80% of the technical fees also with a limit of €4,000. The design seeks to lower the initial financial entry barrier to rural property among profiles that, without incentive, would choose to remain in stressed metropolitan areas. Rioja. He Revive Plan grants between 20,000 and 40,000 euros to those who buy housing in municipalities with less than 5,000 inhabitants and occupy it as their habitual residence. The maximum amount is reserved for towns of up to 500 inhabitants where depopulation is more acute. The property cannot exceed 180,000 euros and it must be inhabited within a maximum period of time after the purchase, maintaining a minimum residence of five years. The incentive does not finance rotation: it requires roots measurable in time. Navarre. Navarre guide the help to those under 35 years of age who buy housing in towns with less than 5,000 inhabitants or in non-urban areas up to 20,000. The subsidy is calculated as a percentage of the price with limits per square meter, so that an 80 m² apartment below 153,827 euros can be partially subsidized. The final requirement is habitual residence. The program is not about subsidized rent, but rather about establishing ownership as a mechanism for demographic return. Conditions, intention and limits. All programs share or repeat two traits: They seek continuous residence, not opportunistic mobility, and subordinate the aid to documentary proof of real roots (registration, habitual use, periods of permanence and, in the case of Ambroz, effective teleworking). The design, as we said at the beginning, seeks to induce functional repopulationnot symbolic. Of course, its scope is limited in scale, but it represents a phase change: for the first time there is competition for population with direct incentives. In a country where the cities seem to be expelling the citizens for the cost, and the interior collapses due to vacuumpaying to move stops being an anecdote and becomes an instrument of territorial policy. Image | Diego Delso In Xataka | The pistachio has worked an unexpected wonder: generating thousands of jobs in the fields of Castilla-La Mancha In Xataka | In rural Salamanca someone has had an idea to revitalize the towns: give you the bar

control who sells and where you buy, all in ChatGPT

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A few days ago we talked about how OpenAI is turning ChatGPT into the Windows of AI. It’s not really about whether OpenAI is building an operating system. It’s about what kind of power you’re looking for. And the answer lies in two models that define exactly what OpenAI pursues: Apple’s App Store and WeChat in China. The App Store controls distribution. Decide what apps exist, how they are promoted, what commissions are charged. WeChat centralizes functionality. Within a single app you do absolutely everything: you call, you shop, you order taxis, you pay bills, you reserve restaurants. OpenAI wants both things at the same time. And so far no one has achieved it. The moment. Apple actively blocked superapps on iOS. The documents from the Epic v. Apple trial made it very clear: allowing one app to do everything “would threaten the monopoly” because “adherence to the system would decrease.” Apple called it “letting in the barbarians.” Meta tried it with Facebook. Musk, in his own way, tries with X. They failed because Apple didn’t let them and because they didn’t have the right platform. The play. Ben Thompson, of Stratecheryhe sees it clearly: OpenAI follows Microsoft’s original strategy with Windows. Apple integrates hardware and software, controls everything, but leaves room for competitors because it cannot serve all markets. Microsoft dominated without having to sell hardware. He only controlled the platform. OpenAI does exactly that: Control the interface. Control who users reach. And let others build on top. The difference with 2023-2024 is enormous. So They launched the GPT Store. Failure. Our own GPTs were and are very useful, but those of others were isolated in a store that no one visited. Now the Spotify, Canva, Zillow, Uber or Booking apps are not in a separate store. They are integrated into the core of the experience. They appear when they are relevant. They work within the chat. Who is this good for?: For developers, they receive immediate access to 800 million weekly users without going through Apple or Google. Without building an audience from scratch. But in exchange, they have absolute dependence on an OpenAI that decides which apps are approved, which ones stand out, or how they are monetized. If your app competes with something OpenAI wants to do, you’re out. It is the classic dilemma of platforms. Rapid growth in exchange for zero control. For companies that sell products, the rules of the game change completely. Before you would type “hotels in Valencia” in Google and browse through ten results. Now you have to explicitly say “search on Booking” or “search on Airbnb”. Strong brands in people’s minds will survive. Those that lived off organic traffic from Google will disappear. There are entire businesses that prospered thanks to SEO in the Google era. Those businesses were never really strong because they were optimizations for a specific technological era. The wave of snippets several of those businesses were loaded in the search results. The next wave will sweep away a few more. The problem. Microsoft is OpenAI’s largest investor and infrastructure partner. But now they compete directly. Microsoft launched Copilot Studioits own platform for businesses to create custom agents. And that competes head-on with what OpenAI has just launched. If OpenAI had remained a simple model provider, Microsoft would have turned it into commodity. This app platform is a declaration of independence. It is pure coopetition: partners who must compete for the dominant role. What’s at stake. Sam Altman summed it up this week: “Most people will want to have a single AI service, and that service has to be useful throughout their lives.” Your entire life not understood as “from today until you die”, but rather as “all areas of your life.” Work and pleasure, leisure and business. What OpenAI pursues is not to be one platform among many. It is to be the platform: The place where everything happens. Where users spend their time. Where companies have to be to exist. Apple without the hardware. WeChat without regulatory restrictions. The App Store without the bottleneck of manual approval. Everything at once. Maybe they will get it. Maybe not. But they are executing the perfect play at the perfect time. And that, in technology, is sometimes enough. Another thing is that Excel resists. In Xataka | The more money they lose, the more they are worth: ten AI startups have skyrocketed their valuation by $1 trillion in 12 months Featured image | Xataka with Mockuuups Studio

Red Eléctrica asked for calm. Immediately afterwards, thousands of Spaniards flocked to buy generators and camping gas.

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“The ghost of the great blackout has once again haunted Spain,” This is how my partner summed it up after learning that Red ElĂ©ctrica Española had detected new “sudden voltage variations” in the peninsular network. The news was enough to reactivate a recent fear: being left in the dark again. And with that fear, the fever for forecasts also ignited. In search of forecasts. Demand for products related to energy supply and survival has increased by 76%, according to data from the European price comparator Idealo. Among which stand out stoves and camping gas, with an increase of 253%, followed by power stations at 87%, radios at 56% and portable batteries at 49%. Interest in products such as water purification tablets has also skyrocketed by 20% and flashlights by 14%. An alert that set off the alarms. The alert issued by Red ElĂ©ctrica Española October 7 was enough to put the population on guard. Although the company assured that the voltage fluctuations “do not pose an imminent risk of a blackout,” the population reacted quickly. Many households, still with fresh memories of the April 28 blackout, began to reinforce their domestic emergency kits, as recommended the European Commission at the beginning of the year. The great precedent. The current prudence is not accidental. Half a year ago, the peninsula suffered a blackout that left the entire country without power for more than twelve hours. During that day, the chaos moved to the stores: endless lines and empty shelves in hardware stores and large stores. Servimedia data they confirm it: The demand for electric generators shot up by 639% and that for gas camping stoves by 547% in just 24 hours. Mass hysteria or rational prevention? The figures may suggest an emotional reaction, but the data rather points to a new culture of foresight. Before the blackout, only 5% of Spaniards had an emergency kit prepared. After the event, the figure doubled to 10%, and the intention to prepare for it went from 32% to 58%. as detailed on YouGov. The CIS adds that 78% of citizens did not feel afraid during the blackout, although 53.5% acknowledged that they remembered the kit recommended by the EU. Furthermore, 88.2% positively valued the civic and supportive behavior of their neighbors during those hours of darkness. The phenomenon has revived the debate: are we facing a “collective energy hysteria” or a modern form of domestic resilience? The business of self-supply. In a matter of months, concern about a possible power outage has created a new market niche: that of energy self-sufficiency. Sales of generators, solar panels and stoves they multiplied by five after the blackout in April. Large chains such as Leroy Merlin or Decathlon sold out their stocks in hours, while neighborhood hardware stores had their own special August selling flashlights, radios and batteries. The trend has not stopped. From Idealo confirm that the searches of these products continue to rise. In parallel, interest has grown in so-called portable power stations, small devices capable of charging everything from mobile phones to basic appliances, and which are already among the most consulted articles on the internet. “Prepper” culture is normalized. Added to this fever of prevention is the rise of the so-called prepperspeople who prepare for emergencies. In fact, two of them described how the blackout tested their preparedness: Their kits allowed them to cook and stay informed when most people lost power. A phenomenon that, far from eccentricity, reflects a growing search for domestic autonomy. A new energy consciousness? Electrical Network insists that “There is no imminent risk of a blackout,” but citizens—and the market—think differently. The culture of self-sufficiency is no longer a rarity and has become established in the collective mentality. There is no blackout in sight, but there is a change: many prefer to rely on their generator before the electrical system. In times of uncertainty, energy is no longer only measured in kilowatts, but also in peace of mind. Image | FreePik and FreePik Xataka | A ghost haunts Spain: the ghost of another massive blackout caused by network tension problems

punish those who buy a Seat Arona

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There is a way to fill your streets with electric cars. And it does not have to go through aid to those who buy it. Or, at least, it doesn’t just have to go through aid to those who buy it… In Denmark they have another idea: punish those who opt for a combustion car. And that is a slab for cheap gasoline. 65%. So far this year, 15.8% of electric cars sold in Europe are electric. In our country, although we have been growing little by little, we remain in a bare 8%. For now, the European market survives on markets that buy a very high volume of electric cars like germany and countries with a very high penetration of this type of vehicles. Germany and France, which are the countries where, by volume, the most electric cars are purchased, are on the border of 18%, slightly improving the European data. But there are countries where these figures explode. In the Netherlands and Sweden they are close to 35%. Let’s not talk about Norway, with 95%. Let’s talk, instead, about Denmark. Do you help?. Although in most of Europe we have sought success in purchasing aid, perhaps we should start to change our approach. In Spain, the system created for MOVES III Plan is cumbersome and not very transparent for the consumer. Whoever approaches the dealership for an electric car has to take advantage of a 0% loan from the company (if it advances the aid) or wait for more than a year for the money to arrive. If it reaches you. Germany now has one of the Higher electric car purchase rates in Europe and by volume it is the first market. However, it has gone through its ups and downs. At the end of 2023 they withdrew aid for electric cars and immediately afterwards crashed in the market. Manufacturers published huge discounts hoping for a return of subsidies that have never arrived. Why have the tables turned? Taxes. For attacking the market in a way similar to that of Denmark. In both countries, those who buy an electric car are rewarded but, above all, those who buy a gasoline car are punished by pushing them to opt for the cleaner option. In Germany, as in Belgiumthe State is subsidizing the purchase of electric company cars, an economic incentive that is usually common in its companies. In Denmark, anyone who opts for a combustion car is harshly punished. The registration tax is calculated taking into account the volume of emissions of each car. And that increases the cost of having a gasoline car. How does it work? In Denmark, in addition to a 25% VAT, you have to pay a progressive registration tax that varies with respect to its cost. First tranche (cars up to 65,000 DKK, about 8,700 euros): 25% the value of the car Second tranche (cars between 65,000-202,200 DKK, from 8,700 euros to 27,000 euros): 85% the value of the car Third tranche (cars over 202,200 DKK, over 27,000 euros): 150% of the car’s value But this registration tax has some asterisks. If the car is for private use and is electric, 40% of the tax is paid. But, in addition, the State subsidizes up to DKK 165,000 of this tax. That is, you only start paying when the tax exceeds more than 20,000 euros and only 40% of it. And the gasoline ones? Here is the great incentive to go electric. The gasoline car not only pays the expected registration tax. In addition, an additional surcharge must be paid for vehicle emissions. The sections are the following: 0-109 grams of CO2: 280 DKK (37.49 euros) per gram of CO2 109-139 grams of CO2: 560 DKK (74.99 euros) per gram of CO2 more than 139 grams of CO2: 1,064 DKK (142.47 euros) per gram of CO2 In Motorpassion They give the case of a Seat Arona as an example. The car will have to pay 85% of its value but, in addition, it has an extra cost of 5,211 euros. Emitting 124 grams/km of CO2 with its 95 HP 1.0 TSI engine, you will pay 30,520 DKK for the first 109 grams/km of CO2 and another 15 grams/km of Co2 at a cost of 560 DKK, which adds up to 8,400 DKK. That is, the punishment is 38,920 DKK, about 5,211 euros. hateful comparisons. Taking all of the above into account, we can think of an electric car for 50,000 euros (373,475 DKK). In that case, we will have to count on two taxes. The first is the VAT which, as we have seen, is progressive and we would pay the following: First tranche: 25% of DKK 65,000, which is DKK 16,250 Second tranche: 85% from 65,000 DKK to 202,200 DKK, which is 116,620 DKK. Third tranche: 150% from 202,200 to 373,475, which is 256,912 DKK In total, 389,782 DKK (about 52,193 euros). From that money we must subtract 165,000 DKK that the State puts out of its own pocket, which leaves us with 234,782 DKK. But, in addition, electric ones have a 40% reduction. That is, another 93,891 DKK. The fee is therefore reduced to 140,837 DKK (18,850 euros tax) It is also free from the penalty of the emissions tax. A gasoline car with a base price of 25,000 euros, a bracket similar to that found in a Seat Arona, will have to pay the tax equivalent to 186,708 DKK. That is, the 16,250 DKK of the first tranche and 85% of 121,708 DKK of the second tranche. That is, 103,452 DKK. The total is therefore 119,702 DKK. Or, what is the same, just over 16,000 euros. In this case, however, the State does not cover any of the registration tax and the CO2 penalty must be added, which amounts to another 38,920 DKK. That is, 5,211 euros more to make a total of more than 21,000 euros for registering a Seat Arona, almost the same as the cost of the vehicle. … Read more

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