difficult

Bar terraces have been colonizing the squares of Spain for years. Logroño is proving how difficult it is to change it

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The terraces of the hoteliers have become a huge hot potato for town councils. It’s nothing new. Their coexistence with the neighbors, especially in the most touristic neighborhoods and with the greatest concentration of homes (as happens in many historic centers) led years ago to not a few town halls to take action and declare acoustically saturated areas. However cases like the one from Logroño They remember that the terraces continue to be a focus of debate. And above all, it is not always easy to balance the interests of bars and neighbors. There, in fact, they have generated a thorny controversy. Why Logroño? Because your City Council has proposed updating the terrace ordinance. In fact the document will pass today by the local plenary sessionheaded by Mayor Conrado Escobar and where the PP has a majority. The new standard will bring important changes for the sector and comes preceded by an intense debate. However, if there is something that stands out (or not) it is for having managed to be the target of criticism from both the neighbors of the historic center as well as the hoteliers. Both are suspicious of the rule, although for different reasons. What does the ordinance say? The Town Hall defend that “rearranges” the public space and “reduces” the hours and surface of the terraces. To be more precise, the municipal government highlights three points. The first, a significant cut in the hours of these facilities: from Sunday to Thursday their maximum time will be 00:00 and on Fridays, Saturdays and the eve of holidays, 1:30 a.m. “One daily opening hour is reduced from Sunday to Wednesday, two on Thursdays and a half on weekends with respect to the current norm,” clarify from the Consistory. And the other two objectives? They go through the “reorganization of public space”, restricting the surface that the terraces can ‘colonize’ to give “priority” to pedestrians and increasing the occupancy rate. Another of the guidelines that will appear in the ordinance has to do with the number of tables and chairs that each premises can install to seek “proportionality between the space occupied and the square meters that businesses have granted in their licenses.” The maximum allowable surface area will also suffer a snip: from 120 to 100 m2. What do hoteliers say? Which is a bad idea. And that will have consequences that go beyond the sector. In statements collected by Europa Press, Hostelería Riojana warns that the ordinance “destroys an essential part of the activity of bars, cafes and restaurants in the city” and warns that the terraces are “a hallmark” of Logroño, one that from now on “will be disproportionately limited and restricted.” “It puts Logroño’s tourism at risk and therefore the viability of the hospitality sector in the city, since part of its income comes from these spaces,” they insist. The hoteliers go further and point out that with the new ordinance the City Council “does not ensure the proper balance” in the coexistence between neighbors and businesses and leaves local hoteliers in a delicate position, “increasing legal uncertainty and encouraging arbitrary decisions.” In summary, the sector considers that the rule represents “a real setback” for tourism and demands that the City Council review it. In fact, in June he submitted more than twenty pages of allegations to the draft, although most of them did not materialize. And the neighbors? They’re not much happier. At least those in the historic center. The association Old Town Lawsuit already has shown his discomfort and they accuse the mayor of showing “feeling” toward “the lobby hotelier”, wasting in the process the opportunity to improve the current rule. “It is a cowardly ordinance, which has nothing to do with the one proposed by the municipal technicians a few months ago and which, in practice, means removing four tables and half an hour less than the one that is especially generous with the hospitality industry and anachronistic regulations of 2012, which had turned Logroño into the paradise of drinking and drunk tourism.” Is there any more lake? Yes. One of the keys to their anger is the differences between the draft standard and the final project. As you remember, the first document advanced the closing on weekends at 1:00 a.m., when the tables should have been cleared. The Government ended up incorporating an amendment that raised the limit at 1:30 a.m. the days of greatest demand, such as Fridays, Saturdays and holidays. Another of the most sensitive changes is related to the authorized size for terraces based on the surface area of ​​the premises. If the useful area was taken as a reference, it would have been transferred to the real area, which includes bathrooms, kitchen or warehouse. The Town Hall itself remember that the preliminary project was approved in February and later went through a phase of allegations before receiving a first approval in May. Does it only happen in Logroño? No. A year ago we told you how Seville wanted to review its ordinance to facilitate coexistence between the terraces of candlelights and the neighbors, which also sparked considerable debate there. Other locations, such as Madrid, Vigo, Barcelona either Malagato name just a handful of examples, have seen firsthand how complicated it is to regulate terraces. In the background is the enormous weight they have in the Spanish sector: a 2021 report published by the Madrid City Council estimated that terraces, “a substantial source of income”, provide between 20 and 25% of business billing. The calculation was made in the middle of a pandemic, but it is still revealing. Images | Logroño City Council and Chris Arnold In Xataka | The hoteliers promised themselves happy with the enormous business of the terraces. Until the new anti-smoking law arrived

Scotland has grown tired of tourists on its difficult inland roads. So he put a special plate on them

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Every year hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of British tourists travel to the Canary Islands to enjoy a relaxing holiday on their beaches. It was not the case of Robert Marshall. From his visit to Tenerife he came back with a much less pleasant experience, the “horrible” feeling he had when he sat behind the wheel of a car and wanted to drive around the island without being accustomed to its signs, its roads or something as ‘simple’ as drive on the right side. From that trip Marshall returned home with something more than “stress” of the experience: an idea so that the same thing would not happen to any other tourist. Marshall is neither a politician nor an expert on mobility, but he does know about tourism. After all, he is the owner of a hotel located in the Highlands, the Scottish Highlandsa region that has experienced its particular tourist boom in recent years thanks to its mountains, castles and coast. When Marshall traveled to Tenerife some time ago and drove around the island, he understood much better the difficulties that foreign tourists encounter when traveling on the roads of their homeland. Added to the challenge that driving a new vehicle, in a new country, with unknown roads, customs and perhaps even rules, is the change of driving direction: on the left in the United Kingdom, on the right in most countries (including Spain). In his case, the result was a “horrible” experience that left him “completely stressed”. “When I reached the roundabouts, the intersections, as soon as I started the trip, I was going in the opposite direction to the one I usually drive. All the controls and buttons were in a different place. I kept shouting at my partner: ‘I wish these people knew that I was a tourist,’” remember. The sensation was not entirely unknown. He himself had seen how stressed foreigners get when they have to do the opposite and get behind the wheel of a car on the narrow, winding roads of the Highlands. To solve it, Marshall had an idea: What if drivers could actually recognize tourists? What if there was a simple way to identify the cars of travelers who do not know the area or are not used to the way of driving in a certain place? Would it help the rest of the vehicles you share the road with to be more understanding or even more cautious? The result of those reflections is the Tourist Platea registration for tourists. The idea is similar to that of the plate that identifies new drivers: a sign that warns other drivers that whoever is behind the wheel is not used to the area, something that the Tourist Plate achieves with an adhesive rectangle designed for the back of the car. White background, a large green T for “Tourist” and reflective surface to ensure that the plate is visible also at night. “It’s a simple idea, but it has generated conversation about road safety,” celebrates Marshall. And so much. The proposal has aroused the interest of media such as BBC, cnn, The Telegraph either The Timesamong others. And although a priori the plates have not been approved by any authority, Transport Scotland recently suggested to the cnn and BBC that in his opinion there is no problem in showing them. Stickers are sold by £9.99 on the Tourist Plate and Marshall website assures which already has orders from countries like the US, Pakistan or India. That the idea arose right in the Highlands is no coincidence. The region is experiencing a particular tourist boom thanks in part to the success of the route North Coast 500where visitors circulate who (like what happened to Marshall in Tenerife) are not used to Scottish roads, single-lane roads and driving on the left, which has resulted in a higher accident rate. Official figures show accidents in Scotland caused by drivers traveling on the wrong side they shot up 46% in one year: from 24 collisions attributable to “inexperience of the driver on the left” in 2022, the following year it rose to 35. The balance of recent years also leaves victims and accidents caused by Italian, German or American travelers. The Scottish police have even worked with the US embassy to raise awareness tourists about the importance of being cautious behind the wheel. For now, the Tourist Plate seems to have worked for Laura Hanser, activist of A9 Dual Action Groupa group that calls for improvements to road safety in the A9 road. Hanser recently decided to go from theory to practice and tested the ‘tourist license plate’ by adhering the sticker to his own car. “I drove down a single lane road at 80 km/h. I let different vehicles catch up with me. You could clearly see that it took them a couple of seconds to notice and then they slowed down when they recognized that I had that license plate on the car,” Hanser relateswho trusts that the sticker will help foreigners “acclimatize to your environmentthe car and the environment in which they are. “The infrastructure of the Highlands is under great pressure from the influx of tourists. Anything we can do to help, prevent or raise awareness can only be seen as positive,” he concludes. In Xataka | Ibiza is fed up with the waves of tourists every summer. And it has begun to limit them by leaving them without a car Images | Tourist Plate, Robert Bye (Unsplash) and Bo&Ko (Flickr)

From Europe its “welfare state” was envied. But it is increasingly difficult to pay, and France is the best example

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Europa presumed for decades of having found the perfect formula to combine economic prosperity with social justice: hospitals open to all, affordable universities and worthy retirements after a work life. That pact between generations, envied on the other side of the Atlantic, became the identity mark of the continent. And yet They begin to become visible. And one of its banners wobbles: France. A price too high. I told this week The Washington Post. Europe lives a historical crossroads: the social model that guaranteed universal health, accessible education and decent retirements begins to show cracks that can no longer be hidden. France It is the epicenter of that tension. There, the runaled public debt, political paralysis and succession of Fallen prime ministers In just fifteen months they show deep wear. The State Spend more than any other country rich in social protection, but that expense seems unsustainable in a context of low growth and growing polarization. The recent resignation From Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, unable to agre as inalienable. Model under generational pressure. There are more, since, in France, new generations feel that they inherit a system that they cannot sustain. He Post counted Cases of young people such as Anastasia Blay, who depend on intermittent subsidies to survive, convinced that they should not load with the mistakes of the past or give up a decent life. In front of them, retirees like Christine Boucau-Podorski They defend The pensions achieved after decades of hard work and are willing to limited sacrifices, but not losing acquired rights. This struggle between young and old reflects the intergenerational shock that crosses To all of Europe: Who pays the invoice, what benefits should be preserved and to what extent intergenerational solidarity can continue to be the base of the European social contract. Germany and France Wobm up. Fragility is not limited to France. Germany, the other great Historical support of the European Union, faces industrial recessiondeterioration of infrastructure and a government that admits since “the current system is unassumable.” Political tensions are intense, with the social democratic opposition refusing to accept drastic cuts and the extreme right by capitalizing citizen discomfort. Meanwhile, the Ultras games grow On both sides of the rhine fed by social disenchantment and the feeling of stagnation. The paradox is that Italy or Spainonce considered weak links, they exhibit today greater stability macroeconomic than European locomotives. The center, formerly balancing, has become the area of ​​greatest uncertainty, which weakens the European project at a time of growing external threats. The southern paradox. It is quite striking that countries historically seen as fragile, such as Spain and Italy, today appear (either They seem) as relatively more stable. Italy, after decades of political instability, lives its strongest period with a controversial government that has even achieved An improvement of the credit rating. Spain, meanwhile, has reduced by half unemployment in the last decade and maintains growth above the European average, despite spend less on well -being than France or Germany. This roles investment shows to what extent the clichés of the southern Europe have been exceeded: the Mediterranean nations, previously accused of fiscal laxity, seem to have learned to navigate austerity, while “the rich north” It sinks in its own budgetary rigidity. The perfect storm. The challenge is aggravated by external factors that multiply internal pressures. The Russian Invasion of Ukraine pushes to increase the defense expensejust when public coffers They are already exhausted. China Compete fiercely With European industry, from electric cars to nuclear energy, eroding the international position of German and French manufactures. And the United States, far from offering security, Add uncertainty with a president who changes position in a matter of days and threatens tariffs to his own allies. Europe must decide If prioritize shield Your welfare state, to reorient resources towards military security or find a balance that does not sacrifice either global competitiveness or social cohesion. The great unknown. Experts Like Andreas Eisl They argue that the dilemma is first of all politician: it is not if Europe can maintain its social model, but to what extent it wants to do it and what sacrifices is willing to assume. Attempts to apply cuts, such as 44,000 million euros proposed in the budget that demolished Prime Minister François Bayrou, have caused A massive rejection on the street and fed polarization. However, mathematics is relentless: with a aging populationa Birth in Declive and one Increasing resistance To immigration, the fiscal base narrows while the needs increase. Europe may not be on the verge of a Greek collapse, or it does not seem, but the sustainability of its “way of life” indicates that it has ceased to be An unquestionable dogma. And that is, perhaps, the true battle of the future: if the old continent manages to reinvent his social contract without dynamiting him in the process. Image | Pexels, Martin Greslou In Xataka | Spain has a big problem with the generational relief of the labor market: 3.5 million young workers are missing In Xataka | Birth in Poland is a disaster and hotels have had an idea: money for those who conceive in a stay

In 2007, the Simpson movie could allow you to be a supprepisodium of the series. In 2027 it will have it much more difficult

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Almost two decades have passed since ‘The Simpsons‘They made the jump from television to cinema for the first time with a film that ended up becoming a Authentic global event. Now Disney confirms that a new tape is on its way, but the question is inevitable: do we need another Simpson movie in 2025? The second. The announcement of this new installment has simply made a publication in social networks of the image of a typical Donut Pink of the series, with ornaments in number 2 and the message “Homer’s Coming Back For Seconds”. Although there are no more details, we do have a date: July 23, 2027, which was initially reserved for a Marvel movie without announcing. In this way, there is no marvel movie among the premieres of ‘Avengers: Doomsday‘(December 2026) and’ Avengers: Secret Wars’ (December 2027). The first. Released in 2007, the first film raised more than 500 million dollars at the box office and showed that the yellow family was able to drag the spectators to the rooms. At that time, the series had two decades of life, and although it was already far from the golden age of the 90s, the series continued to enjoy a relevant status and maintained solid follow -up. In fact, it was a symbolic closure of an era of cultural influence, and the film was able to launch images that last among the most notorious of the franchise, such as the enraged mass of Citizens of Springfield or the presence of Spiderrdo. The status of the series. The Simpsons They just started, a couple of days ago, their season 37. His extreme longevity He has been accompanied by a decrease in the quality and cultural impact of his first years. In the 90s’The Simpsons’ They were a total reference in television humor and a satirical mirror of society, but in 2025 it works more as a established mainstream classic, valued more than anything by its legacy. For better. However, although it is far from the ferocity and impact of more independent series (and also successful, such as South Park or Rick and Morty). In The Simpsons They have shown signs of improvement. Yes, its golden age has already passed, but from a while this part tends to coincide in that From season 3 onwardsthe program has recovered narrative quality and characters development. It puts an end to the end, even if it is relative, to the decline that started around season 10, when the scripts began to be more repetitive and lost edge. The key to change. The scriptwriters of the last seasons are already professionals who have been educated with ‘The Simpsons’ within the cultural imaginary. Costumbrismo has given way to surrealism and self -conscious humor, and the characters are seen as icons, even giving way to a target humor of modern series. We have seen type episodes mockumentaryother dreamlike ones … If the new film wants to be more than a nostalgic artifact, we may see it more oriented in this sense, aware of the series category as a pop myth. A more traditional option, more sitcom type, would smell in rancid and outdated. 2007 vs. 2025. The cultural world of 2025 is very different from what it was when we saw the first film: it must be taken into account that at that time a movie of ‘The Simpsons’ could be considered an event, as we now see Marvel or ‘Star Wars’ movies. Now, with the competition of streaming And the cinema mainstream At a very different point of popularity and influence, the film must rethink its strategy. You just have to see how we access ‘the Simpsons’ itself: then it was a weekly premiere event, with repeated episodes daily. Now we have access through a platform to The entire Historical Archive of Seasonssomething that would have been unthinkable then. Without a doubt, they are variables that will influence the same conception of the film. Already then, this could not be allowed to be an elongated episode without more. Now, in addition, it must be aware of the Pop legend category of the mother series. Header | Disney In Xataka | The video game that never existed from ‘The Simpsons’: a technical demo of ‘Bug Squad appears!’ For Dreamcast

It seemed difficult for the Galapagos Islands to be more threatened. And then a watchmaking pump arrived: Airbnb

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This summer, and while Spain declared war to the sector, the holiday rental He reached levels that until recently they would have seemed more typical of a dystopia. In fact, the platforms began to do business to the Pool rental for hours. Meanwhile, in places like New York, who closed the tap to Airbnb in 2023, they had discovered that two years later Hotels are happy. With this scenario, the Galapagos Islands have encountered the problem at home. The arrival of Airbnb. I told the weekend The New York Times. In the Galapagos Islands, one of the most delicate natural environments on the planet, the rise of Airbnb after the pandemic has transformed the tourist panorama. Alicia Ayalaknown as “the queen of Airbnb”, Symbolize This turn: rent apartments at affordable prices that attract backpackers and middle -class families, in contrast to elitist tourism that dominated for decades. Figures? Today there is More than 1,300 accommodations of this type compared to about 300 regulated hotels, which has generated an explosion of low -budget visitors who spend less and, according to critics, contribute to environmental deterioration and the banalization of a declared place World Heritage. Impact and tensions. Criticisms focus on the inability of short rentals to meet the Strict environmental standards that do govern for hotels, forced to pay permits, provide conservation funds and manage waste in a territory without drinking water or sustainable energy. The proliferation of uninformed visitors multiplies harmful behaviors: garbage on beaches, protected fauna or consumption of threatened species. In fact, researchers They warn that uncontrolled tourism threatens to convert the islands into a “Venice of Nature”, where the immediate economy of the preservation of unique ecosystems. Mass tourism and local economy. The archipelago went from receiving 6,000 annual visitors in the seventies to a forecast of 300,000 in 2025driven by commercial flights, social networks and the appearance of cheap excursions replacing the traditional luxury cruises. What is happening is A stage that It is repeated in The entire planet. This massification has left family hotels with empty rooms, while competing against Airbnbs that operate with lower costs and low supervision. At the same time, the tourism sector holds 80% Of the 30,000 inhabitants, so the dilemma between immediate income and sustainability becomes more acute in an isolated environment that depends on expensive imports and limited services. The legal (and political) battle. Although the Ecuadorian Constitution and the special legislation of the Galapagos They recognize rights of nature and limit hotel development, the absence of specific regulation for Airbnb generates a void that the hosts have taken advantage of. The Ministry of Tourism He has declared illegal Many of these accommodations and has ordered closures, but lacks effective control mechanisms, while platforms such as Airbnb claim to comply with current regulations and ask for clear rules. UNESCO He has urged Ecuador to stop growth and regulate digital tourism, although the attempts of hoteliers to achieve changes have been left unworthy. Threats and uncertain future. To tensions for tourism problems are added of illegal fishing, drug trafficking And, more recently, the fusion of the Ministry of Environment with that of Energy and Mines, played by experts such as a turn towards The exploitation of resources above conservation. In this context, the dispute between regulated hotels and hosts of Airbnb reflects a deeper conflict: to what extent Ecuador is willing to sacrifice Ecological integrity of the galapagos to sustain their economy. Among the pressure of tourism growth, the lack of effective regulation and the political signals that prioritize extraction on preservation, the future of the archipelago as a natural sanctuary remains, more than ever, in question. Image | Diego Delso In Xataka | In 2023 New York closed the tap to Airbnb to protect his home. Two years later, only hotels are happy In Xataka | Airbnb has just eliminated 65,000 tourist floors. The problem is that consumption has found another 55,000

A patch updates the debate on difficult games

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The high difficulty of ‘Hollow Knight: Silksong‘One of the issues that to those of the players has once again put in the arena: The very high difficulty. Is it necessary? Should titles such as SOULIKE or this same ‘Silksong’ your demands to be more accessible, or if it is a design decision, the right thing is that they remain as its creators have decided? In any case, Team Cherry has heard the complaints of the players and will be predicted to the desperate difficulty of its successful Metroidvania. Difficult that you spend. Many players, even experienced adventurers who were already tanned from the original and quite demanding ‘Hollow Knight’ have noticed that ‘Silksong‘proposes a considerably higher challenge: from fighting (already overcome the first Boss final It is a challenge that has given to speak) to the platform mechanics, through more lethal enemies, a more complex combat system and, above all, a structure that does not forgive failures and that can force the painful player to repeat paths that he has already traveled. But why. It is no longer that enemies do more damage with their blows or have more resistance to the player’s envies. It is rather that ‘Silksong’ demands to be very cautious since the same start of the game, where they are already on the advanced mechanical table of the genre Metroidvaniaand above all, that there is a combat design that hinders things. As Polygon saidfor example, the protagonist hits down diagonally, which makes it more difficult to control her blows in this direction. It is not a matter of skill: we have to relear mechanics that we take for grasses in the genre. Team Cherry recognizes it. However, the creators of the game recognize that The game could be more balancedespecially at the first levels. Therefore Team Cherry announces that will launch an update of the game that will arrive in the mid -week and that will adjust the difficulty of the start. Of course, the game is not going to become a walk, something that would make him lose his personality, but the Australians pretend that no one despairs in those first measures. The players will see the rewards of rosaries and reduced the damage inflicted by some enemies. Difficulty and damage to the Moorwing and Sister Splinter (a key enemy, since it provides the ability to jump bouncing on the wall, essential to advance) will also be moderated. PC users already have the patch available in Steam and GOG. If you like to suffer. Do not worry if you have masochistic trends: Silksong includes a secret mode, ‘Steel of steel‘, which is played to the highest level of difficulty and with permanent death. This mode is unlocked at the end of the game, but the wasp community has discovered a combination of buttons (legendary and easy to guess, everything must be said) that allows you to activate it from the beginning, offering an extreme challenge for the most skilled. Neither patch nor parcha. The eternal debate. He debate about high difficulty in video games It is recurring: on the one hand, there are those who defend the unique difficulty that the creator sets so that the game is a challenge, looking for the satisfaction that generates overcoming difficult obstacles. On the other hand, there are accessibility apologettes that demand adjustable modes for all audiences to enjoy the game, regardless of their level of skill. This debate also involves how difficulty peaks affect the experience: some players consider them a bad design that frustrates, while others look for these peaks as treasures that create memorable challenges. In Xataka | This game dared to go on sale the same day as ‘Silksong’. All he got was attracting 12 players in his debut

Dyson goes for Roborock with a robot that aspires, fiega and uses AI to remove difficult stains

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Dyson has made his appliances become objects of desire. Your hand vacuners are your flagship, but there is a category in which Chinese brands advanced them on the right: that of the vacuum robots. Dyson wants to change the narrative with the NEW SPOT+SCRUB AI. Let’s see what it offers. A little history Dyson marked a trend with his hand vacuners. It has also become strong in other categories such as air purifiers or hair care. However, as far as vacuuming robots, it is enough to make a brief review of its history to see that They were not among their priorities. In 2014 they presented the Dyson 360 Eye And it was not until 2020 that they launched their successor, the Dyson 360 Heurist. Finally, last year, the Dyson 360 Vis Christmas. Although with differences between them, in essence, the three proposals that Dyson has presented us so far are vacuum robots quite traditional. They have no deposit at the base and only aspire. Meanwhile, competition has been adding functionalities and today we have the most complete robots. The bases that self -life and autolimpian are already the norm, But it is also the most crazy proposals as the robotic arm of the Roborock Saros either east of dreame capable of climbing stairs. Dyson Spot+Scrub AI: aspires, fiery and eliminates spots thanks to AI The base has a clean water tank, another for dirty water and another to collect the dirt that it aspires. The Dyson Spot+Scrub AI is the first vacuum robot that has a base that makes us forget to empty or recharge the water. We talked about an advantage that the competition has already offered for years, specifically since 2018 when Irobot presented the Roba i7+. Of course, Dyson’s proposal has something interesting: The dust deposit does not need a bag, It simply opens and throws all the content, very in the style of its hand vacuners. It is also the first Dyson robot with scrubber function. Instead of having a mop system as usual, in this case it is A roller that is self -limpia while fiery Thanks to its 12 -point hydration system. Again, scrubbing is a function that He arrived at the vacuum robots a long time agoAt first it was quite rudimentary, but it has currently improved a lot and there are already robots to which we can delegate that task without fear of leaving the ground worse. Dyson’s most prominent argument to sell us his new robot is artificial intelligence. Has an AI system that Identify the type of spot and thus decide how many past do it to eliminate it completely. Dyson presumes that he can give up to 15 passes and check the ground to make sure there are no remains. If you have used a robot with scrubbing function, you probably have proven that difficult spots are not exactly their strong; For that, it better resorts to the lifetime or an electric. If Dyson achieves a good result in dirty soils that makes us forget about the mop, his robot You can get a hole in the competitive robot showcase. However, although on paper it is its most complete proposal to date, it is still something that its competitors already offer. Another factor is the price. At the moment Dyson has not confirmed it, but knowing his career, he does not look like it will be precisely economic. It will be Available at the end of the year. Images | Dyson In Xataka | The latest Roborock does not aspire to the ground. It is a 1,500 euros washing machine and the confirmation that China goes for appliances

Breaking a bad habit is difficult, but not impossible. The key is to make your brain hate it

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Habits have a very important role in daily life. In fact, as indicated in the book ‘Emotional Intelligence: Good habits‘ Harvard Business Review, approximately half of our daily actions are based on habits that we repeat without just realizing. However, the same mechanism that anchors good habits, also explains why changing a bad habit may seem like a task almost impossible. It is not only willpower, but to understand how our brain works and how habits are anchored in it. Why do we adopt bad habits? We know that leading a sedentary life is not healthy, that navigating Tiktok video video until many in the morning Take takes the next day and that smoking seriously harms our health. However, such and As explained to Harvard Business Review Judson Brewer, neuroscientist and author of the book ‘Undo the anxiety‘, we cannot avoid falling into any of these negative habits, and eliminating them is very uphill. According to Brewer, the environment in which we live is designed to bombard us with stimuli that reinforce those habits, especially negatives. The rewards that our brain receives when performing certain behaviors alter our Reward -based learning systemso a pattern difficult to break is created. “Every time we try to disconnect from an exhausting task (with social networks), we reinforce the reward, to the point that harmful distractions can become habits.” However, although it is not a simple process, research carried out by Brewer demonstrate that it is possible to change the bad habits definitively. Understanding the response mechanism that articulates them gives us the tools to achieve it. Bad habits have their origin in the way our brain learns through an immediate rewards system (yes, as in Animal training). These behavioral patterns arise because they reinforce the feeling of pleasure or relief quickly. This rewards system implies a trigger (hunger sensation), followed by behavior (eating) and a reward (feel satiated). “These three components (trigger, behavior and reward) appear every time we smoke a cigarette or eat a cake,” says the neuroscientist. Detect the origin of bad habit Bad habits are not eliminated, they are only replaced by good habits. Therefore, one of the important steps of the process to get rid of them is to find the trigger that generates the action to seek the reward. “Once you know your triggers, try to identify the behaviors you make when these bad habits occur. Do you look at social networks instead of working? Do you eat sweets during difficult tasks? You should be able to identify the actions to which you resort to feel comfortable or quiet before you can evaluate your reward value.” For this reason, the neuroscientist ensures that knowing the scenario in which activation occurs and what action is carried out to obtain the reward is one of the key points so that it is easier to eliminate bad habits. For example, eating sweets would be the search for reward that is activated by a situation of stress or anxiety, and sugar rush reward. Avoid or learn to manage the stress situation It is the first step to subtract weight from sugar reward. The key: break the reward chain According to studies of the University of Utrecht (Netherlands), self -control alone is not enough to eliminate a habit, since the brain associates that behavior with a reward that temporarily cancels rational thinking. No smoker will tell you that tobacco It is beneficial for healthbut even so smokes. A fundamental step to break with a bad habit is to reduce or eliminate the reward that the brain receives. That implies not only changing the behavior itself, but also the context that activates it and the associated sensations. Modifying those three elements: detonating, behavior and reward, it is basic for the brain to stop finding satisfaction in that behavior and abandons the need to carry it out. Brewer’s investigations have revealed that an effective way to face bad habits is to replace them with behaviors that offer similar, but positive health or well -being rewards. One of the techniques that Brewer has used with his patients full care training to teach the brain that this behavior is not only benefits, but also represents something unpleasant or even harmfulcausing him to hate him and not look for him anymore. The neuroscientist said that, when someone joined his program to quit smoking, the first thing he asked is to pay attention while smokeing: to the smell, the environment, to the sensation when smoking, etc. The objective of this exercise is that patients become aware of the “value of the reward” and if this value, which probably had positive connotations (social acceptance, etc.), still remains. Studies From the University of Bethesda they have shown that if that reward is no longer appreciated as it used to be, it is less likely that the brain will claim it and, with it, it will be easier to get rid of that bad habit. This can be applied to any other habit that the past may have a positive connotation, but has already been diluted. According to Brewer, an important factor is in question what gives you that bad habit before consuming it and analyzing how you feel before, during and after the process from a critical point of view, instead of simply having a reactive behavior of repentance after having obtained the reward. “Your behaviors may not change immediately, but persevere. If you manage to control your mind with our methods, over time you can free yourself from unwanted habits and see how your cravings disappear with peace of mind,” said the neuroscientist. In Xataka | Creating new habits is difficult. The author of “atomic habits” believes that there is something even more complicated: keep them Image | Unspash (Oskar Kadaksoo, Lilartsy)

I have tried the new Magic V5 honor and it seems difficult for Apple to overcome it in design with its folding

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It has cost, but I can finally recommend them to anyone. The new folding have nothing to do with what we had a few years ago. And the new Magic V5 honor is the best example. They still have the same format, but Hand experience has finally equated to use a traditional mobile. A point that has not been easy to achievebut that in the middle of 2025 we can already say that it has been achieved. In my case it was with the OPPO FIND N5 When I had this feeling for the first time. That of a folding that did not seem heavy or uncomfortable. With the Magic V3 We experience it, with the Samsung Galaxy Z fold7 We have proven that it is the new norm and with the Magic V5 honor we ask ourselves directly to what extent the folding can improve even more in their external design. There is no finer folding In a presentation event in London, Honor has presumed to launch the thinner folding smartphone in the world, with Only 8.8 millimeters thick. This figure does not include the high part of its generous camera, but it doesn’t matter. The sensation in hand when we fold it is the same as when we use a traditional high range. It is not an ultralight mobile, because it weighs 217 grams, but it is not a figure that differs from many flagships. If we compare it with the iPhone 16 Pro Max (227 grams), we have a lighter mobile. Using it folded is practice to use a normal mobile. And we do not say it to say, the truth is that we have seen the majority of colleagues Use it for a large part of the folded time. Literally forgetting that we are facing a folding mobile. Only when it is needed is when we consider opening it and taking advantage of its 7.95 -inch interior screen. When opening it and putting it on the table on the table we realize how really fine it is: 4.1 mm thick in its white model. Fortunately it does not feel at any time fragile. Honor explains that he has also added an anti -raying shield and the inner panel is reinforced with carbon fiber. But If you transmit security despite how thin it is, it is mainly for the hingewhere this year there have been improvements. In the absence of an analysis with more time of use, the feeling that I have to open and close it is excellent, although I would not say that very different from what we have with the Z FOLD7. The Magic V5 honor has IP58 classification of dust and water resistance, a level of security that exemplifies how well integrated and sealed the hinge is. It is ahead of the IP48 of the Z Fold 7, although at this honor point behind Google with its new Pixel 10 Pro foldthat although it is considerably thicker, it does reach the IP68 certification. Neither one nor two, until three If the folding ones have so much potential, it is for all the possibilities that it allows for such a large screen. In addition to improving their design and hardware, these devices are also taking great steps in terms of software. The Magic V5 honor comes with much AI, how could it be otherwise in 2025. Honor has allied with Google To offer presinstalized Gemini. This allows access to functions such as Gemini Live to ask things that you see through the camera or the creation of videos through images with I see. I liked that honor will create a Quick shortcut to access Gemini, simply touching the back twice. Long life to gestures, both tactile and physicists in different parts of the device. Artificial intelligence also makes an appearance in photo editing, call translation and conversations translation. As well as in the portrait mode and the zoom, with that triple camera with a 50MP main sensor, ultra wide angle of another 50MP and 64 MP teleobjective. But the function that we will probably use is improved multi-flex mode. We can Use up to three applications simultaneouslywhich is a more step with respect to the multipant that we usually have in Android and one of the strengths of the folding book type. Honor and its magic layer 9.0 are taking steps in the good direction to take advantage of the format. In the case of the three applications, with a button we can change your address and the screen is divided into three zones. Unfortunately, as is the case with the multipant of two, not all applications or settings menus are compatible. Samsung has put the batteries, but honor is still at the forefront Samsung is an undisputed leader in Europe in folding. His Galaxy Fold He was the main pioneer and has earned his own right to be the reference. However, for many years Samsung has gone behind the competition. It was honor with his First Magic v The one who highlighted the importance of thinness in the folding and not leave hole when closing. Since then with its successive models it has been the manufacturer who has held the record of thinness. He Magic V2 Honor He was the first to get off the 10 mm folded and Magic V3 last year already marked a record with 9.9mm. The difference with Samsung was huge, because the Z fold6 It stayed above 12 mm folded thick. Fortunately Samsung has made a huge leap with its new Z Fold7 and the difference has been reduced to the minimum. In fact, it was Samsung’s goal to boast of having the thinnest folding, but Honor wanted to steal this position. The important thing although it is not the one who has the lowest data, but the fact that both have finally reached a pleasant point for the user. Millimeter to millimeter We have finally reached the state we all asked. In fact, the Galaxy Z … Read more

Experience leaves difficult answers to ignore

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He Free Freestyle 2 It is designed for those who need to control their glucose daily. But what if someone proves it In medical terms you do not need it? On this new 24/7 of the Xataka YouTube channel We have used it for more than a week to understand what it contains to live with that level of continuous control … even when there is no diagnosis behind. Mario Arroyo He has used it for more than seven days in a row, in all kinds of situations: from a copious meal to a paddle game or a night with unexpected dances. “O oysters! Eh, nothing hurts, nothing hurts.” The reaction was spontaneous and marked the tone of a test that did not intend to issue medical trials, but observe how such a device behaves outside the usual context. Freestyle Libre 2, Live with a 24 -hour glucose sensor The first thing that impresses with free freestyle 2 is its appearance. When opening the package and seeing the applicator, our partner’s reaction was clear: “God, what a piece of needle”But that feeling vanished to put it on. The process is fast, without pain. For a full week, it has even unnoticed when sleeping, exercising or showering. What seemed invasive, turned out to be comfortable. The sport also left its mark. After playing the paddle for two hours, the glucose level collapsed: from a normal value to only 57 mg/dl. Something similar happened at night, where several declines were detected without apparent cause. Three hypotheses were afloat: the soft diet for being sick, possible imprecise readings of the sensor or, ultimately, a body notice. At that point, the tool ceases to be just a curiosity. To what extent can we trust your alerts? Synchronizing the sensor with the mobile is as simple as approaching it for a few seconds. The app is updated every minute, showing the current value and its evolution with arrows. In addition, keep the record and allows you to consult the maximum and minimum daily. It is a tool designed for those who need to monitor their glucose, but its clarity makes any user interpret it. Does that constant information provide if you don’t depend on it. After eating a “normal” dish of about 70 grams of turkey rice, the glucose reached its highest peak of the day: 168 mg/dl. The fact, although within the expected, caught the attention for how fast it went up and how much it varied against the previous value. Measure before, just after and after two hours it allowed to visualize how the body responds. With the sensor, what was previously invisible is now drawn in real time. The sensor has an error margin of approximately 9.2%, according to the company that manufactures it. A reasonable fact for a system that does not require medical intervention. But the cost is another story. There are cheaper optionsand its price can be a real barrier. The question, then, is not only if it works, but for who works. Is it a useful tool for anyone or only for very specific profiles? After more than seven days with the sensor, the experience has been positive, although nuanced. He adds: “It seems to me a very comfortable device” and acknowledges: “I think that if you do not have a real problem of diabetes, its usefulness is somewhat limited.” Technology works, and works well. The complete analysis, with all the details, is in the last video of our YouTube channel. Images | Xataka In Xataka | I have used Ultrahuman glucometer for two weeks without being diabetic. I learned something about my body, but it’s not for anyone

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