expensive

Data centers have made the electricity bill more expensive in the US. And the Government has said enough

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Every time you ask a generative AI to solve a problem for you, a server on the other side of the world needs power to process it and cooling to keep from melting down. The problem is that this electricity meter that spins at full speed is not just that of the large technology companies: it is that of the entire community. The AI ​​revolution has a real physical and economic cost that has already begun to hit the pockets of families, unleashing a crisis that has forced the United States Government itself to hit the table. The US government has said enough. According to federal dataresidential electricity prices will increase a national average of 6% in 2025. Citizens, stifled by the cost of living, have begun to connect the dots and point to the huge data centers that are proliferating in their neighborhoods. As detailed Politicalthere are currently some 680 data centers planned in the country, gigantic infrastructures that will require energy equivalent to that of 186 large nuclear power plants. This brutal demand has provoked strong citizen opposition, how to explain Guardiannumerous communities have begun to reject and block these projects for fear that their bills will skyrocket. The pressure has been so strong that the rebellion has penetrated traditionally conservative fiefdoms. According to Financial TimesRepublican legislators in states such as Missouri, Ohio and Oklahoma have suggested halting the construction of data centers, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has pushed laws to regulate them and protect families from price increases. Faced with this scenario, Donald Trump’s administration has been forced to intervene. Washington’s “historical pact.” As reported The New York Timesexecutives from Google, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, OpenAI, Oracle and xAI made the pilgrimage to Washington to meet with President Trump and sign the so-called “Taxpayer Protection Pledge” (Ratepayer Protection Pledge). The objective of the agreement is to shield consumers from rising electricity costs. Technology companies have committed to “build, provide or buy” the new electricity generation resources they need, assuming 100% of the costs of infrastructure and improvements to the transmission network. During the meeting, Trump left a phrase that perfectly summarizes the sector’s reputation crisis: “They need help with public relations, because people think that if a data center is installed, the price of electricity will go up.” The president assured that, thanks to the pact, that “will no longer happen.” For their part, managers such as Ruth Porat (Google) or Dina Powell McCormick (Meta) confirmed their commitment to pay for the infrastructure “whether or not they end up using that energy.” according to statements published by the New York media. We cannot understand this move by Washington without looking at the electoral calendar. Politically, as they point out Financial TimesRepublican strategists alerted the White House that energy inflation was an imminent risk ahead of the midterm congressional elections (midterms). The Democrats, like Senator Mark Kellywere already using citizen anger as a political weapon, calling Trump’s pact a simple “handshake agreement” that was insufficient. And the clash with reality: a network to the limit. On paper, the promise sounds perfect. As the specialized media ironically says Engadget“big tech agrees not to ruin your electricity bill.” However, journalism and energy sector experts agree that there is a gigantic distance from words to actions. As he warns Political, The agreement is, in essence, a voluntary “handshake”, without binding legal force. Rob Gramlich, former economic advisor cited by CNBCremember that the White House has no direct jurisdiction over this matter: the rules of the electric grid are decentralized and depend on the public service commissions of the 50 states. It is they, and not the federal government, who approve how costs are distributed. The damage in some areas has already been done. Argus Media reports that on the PJM network —the largest in the US, covering 13 states and including the world’s largest data center cluster in Virginia—capacity costs have skyrocketed by $23 billion, record rates that are locked in until 2028, making it “virtually impossible” to lower prices for consumers in the short term. An independent watchdog came to describe this situation as a “massive transfer of wealth” from citizens to corporations. Competition for resources is fierce. Abe Silverman, researcher at Johns Hopkins University cited by Politicalcompares the situation to “a bidding war for a ticket to a Taylor Swift concert.” There is a five-year waiting list for gas turbines, and their prices have doubled. This technological urgency not only makes the network more expensive, but is stopping the green transition in its tracks. As they explain Argus Mediathe immense demand for servers cannot be covered quickly enough with renewable sources. This is forcing power companies to delay the closure of polluting coal plants and invest heavily in natural gas generation, perpetuating dependence on fossil fuels. The greatest risk, Silverman warnsis what happens if Silicon Valley is wrong in its growth calculations: “You spend 3 billion to improve the network, and then the data center does not materialize (…) Who is left with the problem? Grandma.” Should Europe demand the same? If we cross the pond, the situation is no less worrying, and the regulatory approach is drastically different. According to data from the European Commissiondata centers currently consume 415 Terawatt-hours (TWh) globally (1.5% of the world total), a figure that, driven by AI, will double to 945 TWh in 2030. In the European Union, consumption was around 70 TWh in 2024 and will jump to 115 TWh by the end of the decade. Europe has launched a mandatory monitoring system under the Energy Efficiency Directive to demand transparency about this consumption and its water and carbon footprint. But in Spain, the problem is already a physical jam in the networks. As we have described in Xataka, The Spanish electrical grid is like a saturated highway to which, suddenly, “a convoy of trucks of industrial tonnage” has arrived. The technical regulations of the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) caused a “cascade effect” that blocked connection permits. The … Read more

The first great Atlantic submarine cable that connected us to the internet says goodbye for a simple reason: it was too expensive to repair it

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It has been at the bottom of the sea for more than two decades, forgotten. But now, finally, the TAT-8, the first fiber optic cable that crossed the Atlantic and connected us to the Internet, is being removed from its place. And to understand the importance of this, it is worth telling its story, since perhaps the Internet would not be as we know it without this cable. The cable that started it all. On December 14, 1988, AT&T, British Telecom and France Telecom developed TAT-8, the acronym for Trans-Atlantic Telephone 8. It was the eighth transoceanic cable system between Europe and the United States, but the first to use optical fiber. Before him, transatlantic cables ran on copper, with very limited capacity. With the TAT-8, voices and data traveled converted into pulses of light through glass threads thinner than a hair. Just like account Wired in its report, at the inaugural event, writer Isaac Asimov connected by video call from New York with audiences in Paris and London to celebrate, in his own words, “this inaugural voyage across the sea on a ray of light.” Why was it so important? When it came into operation, the Internet was still too technical a concept for the general public. But the TAT-8 literally built the highway on which everything later circulated. The curious thing is that in just 18 months it already reached its maximum capacity, so this forced new cables to be laid as soon as possible, especially after the outbreak of the world Wide Webelectronic commerce and in a context in which the Internet became increasingly relevant. By 2001 the TAT series had already reached 14. Disconnection. Just like account In the middle, in 2002, the TAT-8 suffered a breakdown, and repairing it was not worth it, it was that simple. With more modern and higher capacity cables already operational, it made no sense to invest in their recovery. It went offline and was abandoned at the bottom of the Atlantic, where it has remained for more than two decades. Now they are taking it out of the sea. According to collect Wired, a specialist company called Subsea Environmental Services is physically recovering the cable with its vessel MV Maasvliet. It is one of the few companies in the world whose entire business consists of recovering and recycling retired submarine cables. The operation involves dragging a flat hook across the seabed, waiting hours until tension is felt in the cable, and then hoisting it aboard meter by meter. The workers they explain As the ocean floor is an increasingly crowded space, and recovering old cables frees up routes for new ones. What is done with the remains. The TAT-8 is not thrown away. Fiber optic cables contain high purity copper, steel and polyethylene, all recyclable materials with market value. Copper, especially, is a valuable resource and may become scarce in a few years. And according to the International Energy Agency, in less than a decade could be scarce if the industry does not find new sources. On the other hand, the steel of the cable will end up being converted into fences, and the plastic, processed in the Netherlands, will be transformed into pellets to manufacture non-food packaging. In fact, just as they count At Wired, you may soon be using shampoo in a bottle made from remains of the first fiber optic cable to cross the Atlantic. Sharks. Curiously, the TAT-8 is at the epicenter of one of the legends that has lasted the longest in this sector: that sharks bite internet cables. Just like share In the middle, it all started with a test prior to the TAT-8, the Optican-1, which ended up failing due to problems in its insulation. A Bell Labs engineer appeared at a conference with shark teeth that had supposedly been removed from the damaged cable. The story spread instantly. As well as point At the time, AT&T even included four pages on protection against shark bites in its press kit for TAT-8. Actually, there has never been consensus about whether the sharks really caused that damage. Subsequent tests in aquariums, where they were starved to see if they would bite into wires with electric fields, did not yield any clear patterns. At least the outcome of all that testing and debate was positive, as engineers added a layer of steel between the insulation and the fibers, which improved the cable’s overall resistance to abrasions and damage of all kinds. Cover image | What’s Inside? In Xataka | In 1901, a Spanish man had one of the ideas of the century: invent the remote control before television

In Madrid they sell an apartment for 20.9 million euros. The question is not whether it is the most expensive in history, but what that means

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He has earned the unofficial title “most expensive apartment in Madrid” and, although it is difficult to confirm it because in the luxury sector there are operations that never reach transcendence, it certainly has the potential to be so. To start with its price. The apartment that Property Partners announces in Jerónimos, in the heart of the capital, it costs a whopping 20.9 million euros. Beyond that figure, the home’s size (1,008 m2), display of luxuries and extras is striking. For example, it has no decoration. It has “works of art.” Not a typical main room, but a “social area” that covers about 200 m2. In any other advertisement that vocabulary might sound like an exaggeration. Not here. The most expensive apartment in all of Madrid? So suggests it Property Partners, which claims to have in its portfolio what is “considered” the “most expensive property in Madrid.” The same unofficial title has been recognized in recent days several economic means, premises and generalistsincluding Tele Madrid that refers to the luxurious apartment as “the most expensive in the history” of the city. In reality, it is very difficult to confirm whether this is the case or not because discretion prevails in the luxury market. Many operations are closed with hardly any publicity, almost with their backs to the market. Others don’t. Last year, without going any further, John Taylor, a French real estate company specializing in luxury, brokered the sale of a home that was valued at 20 million. The property in question was located near Retiro Park and measured about 1,100 m2. The 20.9 million flat announced by Property has been announced for several months, although the agency assures that “there are offer processes” underway and interested people who have already made several visits. Click on the image to go to the tweet. What is the housing like? Enormous. And that’s an understatement. According to the token Published by the real estate agency itself, the apartment has a constructed area of ​​1,008 m2, although it identifies 812 m2 as “housing area”. Seven bedrooms (five en suite), six bathrooms and three toilets are distributed throughout this vast space, as well as amenities such as a gym, wine cellar and large living rooms. A reporter from EPE was able to visit the apartment and says that one of the first things that catches your attention is a 200 m2 room named “social area”. Do we know more? Yes. And it points in the same direction: that of exclusive luxury. The house, located in Los Jerónimos, has five parking spaces and two storage rooms, terraces with views of the Botanical Garden and furniture in line with the profile of its market. Tele Madrid assures Its renovation alone cost two million, to which is added another for the furniture. As a finishing touch, it incorporates works of art. That the apartment (the agency dates it back to the 70s) is so spacious in the heart of the center is explained by its past: in reality it is made up of three independent homes that a former owner bought and mergedoccupying an entire floor. Why is it interesting? Because beyond how striking the price or the characteristics of the apartment are, the advertisement connects with a larger trend: the increase in price of the home. That the price per square meter has been rising for years (in Madrid and the rest of Spain) is nothing new. Idealistic sample that in the last year the m2 has skyrocketed by 14.8% in the capital, reaching a maximum of almost €5,900/m2, although there are certain areas where this value is much higher. In Retiro there are more than 7,800 and in Salamanca they are close to 10,000. The announcement of the Los Jerónimos apartment reminds us, however, that the price increase is not exclusive to the conventional residential market. It also affects luxury. At the end of 2025 Diza Market published a report which shows that the cost of prime housing in the region rose by 95% in a matter of a decade, between 2014 and 2025. The analysis focused, however, on the luxury sector in which houses worth several million are moved, without reaching stratospheric figures. Are there more indicators? Yes. Savills has published another report in which it points out that the price of prime housing in the capital “triples the rate of global growth expected for 2026.” “If we focus the analysis on the first consolidated, the average prices in Madrid are around €16,000-17,000/m2, reaching peaks of between €25,000 and €30,000/m2”, details Santiago de Miguel, director. “The forecast is that the market will continue slightly bullish, but with sustained demand. The international buyer continues to have his sights set on Madrid.” “The Madrid market super luxury has reached a degree of maturity that allows operations of this caliber,” agrees an interview with Five Days Felipe Reuse, from Property Partner. Data from the Notarial Statistical Portal show In fact, the dynamism of the market in the heart of Madrid, with the m2 above 11,000 m2, and where foreign buyers have a relevant weight, representing a third of the total. There are those who already points out that the demand is going outside the city, towards La Moraleja or La Finca. Image | Chris Curry (Unsplash) In Xataka | There is a Europe that is suffocating to pay for housing and another that lives in peace. And this map shows the differences

The Government wants new buildings to include spaces for bicycles. There are those who warn that it will make housing even more expensive.

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Europe wants its buildings to be increasingly ‘green’, an endeavor that Spain seems willing to take a step further. The Government has reviewed the Technical Building Code (CTE) to apply certain changes that prioritize precisely that: sustainability. If it goes ahead, the new CTE will pay even more attention to the energy efficiency of buildings, their polluting footprint and even proposes using buildings as a lever to promote sustainable mobility. With this last objective, a demand that has generated some controversy: that the properties must include a minimum of places for bikes. From the sector they already warn that the new requirements costs will skyrocket of construction at the worst time, with the price of housing shot. What has happened? That the Government has launched the institutional machinery to modify the CTEthe framework standard that details the basic requirements that buildings must meet. It is not a capricious change. In reality, it is an update that seeks to adapt the code to the guidelines set by Brussels, such as the Directive 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and Council. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda is already advancing that it will be one of the “most ambitious” modifications since the CTE was implemented. What is the objective? The change seeks to give more weight to certain objectives set from Brussels, such as the “energy efficiency of buildings”“environmental sustainability” or control of the polluting footprint during the life cycle of buildings. One of the novelties in fact is the regulation of what European regulations call “global warming potential of buildings”, a way of quantifying the emissions of a property. With the current CTE, the Government also wants to review the anti-fire regulations (the change comes after the tragic fire of Valencia in 2024, which left several deceased) and use real estate as a lever for “sustainable mobility”. After all, buildings also usually include parking spaces. Housing has proposed that these spaces be planned from the beginning to make it easier for those who travel with electric cars, scooters or bikes. And how will he do it? Including a series of guidelines in the CTE. At the moment we have your draftbut it is clear: “Buildings with parking spaces for cars will have a minimum infrastructure that enables the charging of electric vehicles and will have a minimum provision of parking for bicycles.” The text does not stop there and specifies issues such as the minimum number or even the size of the spaces reserved for bikes. What does it say exactly? “Parking spaces for bicycles will have a minimum dimension of 2.00 x 0.4 m. From 20 spaces, 5% of the spaces will have a dimension of 2.5 x 0.9 m for bicycles with dimensions larger than standard, such as long bikes or for people with disabilities. In uses other than private residential, parking spaces will be marked in accordance with the highway code,” collect the text. The draft clarifies that these parking spaces must “preferably” be in the parking lot or the access floor and that, at a minimum, residential properties must incorporate two bicycle spaces for each home. The CTE clarifies in any case that town councils can regulate to reduce this general requirement. Things are somewhat different in properties that are not intended for housing. In them, bicycle parking spaces must cover “5% of the building’s total user capacity.” At what point is the change? What we have at the moment is the draft royal decree that modifies the CTE, a document that was kept on public display until December so that citizens, builders or any other group that wished could raise their “observations.” Once this mandatory requirement has been dispatched, the CTE must now continue with its processing, including, if the Government so deems it, the proposed corrections. If we talk about the guidelines on bicycle spaces (and in general the “sustainable mobility” chapter of the project) it is important to take into account a nuance: the changes are proposed for newly built buildings. The project It also contemplates that the guidelines be applied to existing properties, but only when they have undergone substantial renovations, extensions or changes of use. Has it generated controversy? It has certainly generated debate. And the reason is simple: there are those who already warn that, in general, the different changes applied to the CTE will make construction more expensive at the worst moment, in the midst of the housing crisis and with prices (especially rents) skyrocketing. Recently the College of Surveyors of Madrid did the math and estimated that in general the new CTE requirements (not only those related to bicycle spaces) will translate into thousands of euros of extra cost. How many? In a first phase, the new houses will become 12,000 euros more expensive. And that will only be at the beginning. When they are fully implemented, the extra cost will be even greater and will reach 18,000, making it even more complicated. the “cost of entry” to the homes. Images | Alexander Van Steenberge (Unsplash) and Liona Toussaint (Unsplash) In Xataka | Communities and neighbors have been wondering all their lives whether bikes can be parked in the hallways. The law leaves little doubt

when you need to buy the most expensive cable and when the 5 euro one is worth it

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You go to a store like Amazon and type ‘HDMI cable’ in the search engine. The results show a lot of options and all, at a glance, they are almost identicalyes. Yes, there are braided cables, cables of different lengths, or you can even find cables of other colors, but there doesn’t seem to be much difference between them all. Despite this, there are very cheap cables and others that cost more than 20 euros. Your first impulse may be to go for the cheapest one that has the meters you need. Ideally, you should spend a moment on the details, since the cheapest ones are usually HDMI 2.0, while the most expensive ones are HDMI 2.1. What does that mean for you? Let’s take a look at it so you know if it’s worth investing a little more or if one of these cheap cables works for you. Choosing an HDMI 2.1 cable In short, HDMI 2.1 cable is better. The main difference between this and HDMI 2.0 is that it has greater bandwidth (more than double, in fact). In practice, this means that the cable can handle and transport more information per second. Since we are talking about an HDMI cable, we are referring to image and sound. Precisely because it has more bandwidth, this cable can move higher resolution at higher hertz. It is the right one if you plan to see 8K resolution content (although for commercial 8K content there is still) or if you are looking to play something at 4K at 120 Hz. The latter is what leads many people to go for one of these cables because it is the way to get the most out of a PlayStation 5 or one Xbox Series X. To the greater bandwidth of this cable, we must add some technologies such as dynamic HDR or others that are also great for video games and that are not present in HDMI 2.0. The most important one is called VRR (either Variable Refresh Rate), which basically makes the console or PC and the TV “agree” so that the image does not jerk. We have two examples of VRR with two technologies that are usually present in many monitors, such as NVIDIA G-Sync or AMD FreeSync. There is also ALLM, which makes the TV’s Game Mode activate automatically when you connect the console. This is very convenient because it will save you from doing it manually every time, but it is great when playing because reduce latency. That is, it minimizes the time that passes between you pressing a button and the action being displayed on the screen. For competitive games it is key. If you have a good sound bar for TV at home and you want to connect it via HDMI, then choosing an HDMI 2.1 cable may be a good idea. Here comes into play what is called eARCwhich allows you to command uncompressed audio in the highest quality from the TV. Where is the “but”? So that all these things that we tell you are worth something, It is necessary that both the TV and the console or PC are compatible. You can use the cable if they are not, but you will have spent more money and you will not be taking advantage of it. The good thing is that check if your TV or monitor has HDMI 2.1 It’s not difficult. Choose an HDMI 2.0 cable The best cable doesn’t have to be what you need. The HDMI 2.0 cable has less bandwidth, as we said above, but it is still more than enough for 4K and 60 Hz content. This combination, today, is the most common when playing with all consoles. Plus, it still supports HDR. For this reason, it can be great for consoles from previous generations (PlayStation 4 or Nintendo Switch, for example) or for a TV Box. Another asset that this HDMI 2.0 cable has: the price. Generally, this type of cable It is significantly cheaper than HDMI 2.1. That, which is great for our pocket, also allows us to buy one of better quality without having to spend a good pinch. Because yes, the quality of the cable or connector matters (a lot). And the distance, because the longer the cable is, the more likely it is to suffer losses or interference. What is the main drawback of this cable? May it become obsolete soon. If you don’t plan to change your TV or console right now, HDMI 2.0 is perfect. Now, when you switch to a newer device that supports HDMI 2.1, you will have to buy a new cable if you want higher resolution and more fps. In other words: if renewing consoles or TVs in the short or medium term is on your mind, buy an HDMI 2.1 directly. The good and the bad of both options, face to face HDMI 2.1 HDMI 2.0 THE GOOD 🟢 It reaches up to 8K and 60 Hz (or 4K and 120 Hz) and has exclusive technologies It’s cheaper and still capable with 4K and 60 Hz THE BAD 🔴 It is more expensive and you will not get the most out of it if your TV is not compatible It will soon become obsolete if you plan to renew your TV or console. Ideal for: Play at higher fps and higher resolution with a PS5 or Xbox Series X and to play audio in the best quality Consoles from past generations or watch movies, series and football if you don’t have an 8K TV We do the math to see which one can compensate you more. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages, so now let’s see which one may interest you more depending on which cases. Here it will depend a little on what you are looking for, but especially on What TV or monitor are you going to use the cable for?. The advantages in resolution, Hz and technologies of HDMI 2.1 are obvious, … Read more

The Line and Trojana were the jewels of the new Saudi Arabia. They will also be the first to face reality: they are very expensive

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Saudi Arabia imagined an almost dystopian future based on futuristic ski resorts, 170 km linear skyscrapers and paradise islands for millionaires. Reality has forced the Saudi authorities to wake up from their reverie and face serious cost overruns in the construction of their pharaonic projects and lack of budget to cover them. He Financial Times uncover in an article that an internal report in which auditors propose cutting the NEOM project in half, reusing what has already been built, but reorienting its objectives and, above all, its budgets. However, this cut is conditioned by the commitments that Riyadh has already adopted, organizing the 2030 World Expo and the 2034 World Cup. Oil gives no respite: we must cut back. According to Financial Times sources, the audit of the project that is about to conclude leaves no room for maneuver and forces Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to rethink the NEOM project. applying new cuts and changes in construction plans to a “much smaller” project. The reason for the cut is found in oil priceswho have not recovered from their downward trendseriously damaging the solvency of the nearly $1 trillion Saudi Public Investment Fund that finances NEOM. With a fund that does not grow at the rate it used to and huge investmentsPrince Mohammed has been forced to lower expectations and achieve short-term profitability from what has already been built. Put your feet on the ground. The NEOM project was born in 2017 as the flagship to transform the Saudi economy, moving from a model focused on the exploitation of natural gas and oil resources to one based on attracting investments, tourism and renewable energy. NEOM consisted of different big-budget projects to build infrastructure in a territory the size of Belgium on the Red Sea coast. The Line, the crown jewelpromised a linear city 170 kilometers long flanked by two 500-meter-high buildings, without cars or streets, and powered 100% by renewable energy. It was estimated that by 2030 this project would house 1.5 million people, at an approximate cost of 500 billion dollars. In 2024, the first phase of The Line has already suffered an important snip reducing its length 2.4 kilometers away. The Line was going to be a city, now your data will live. FT sources point out that Riyadh finally admits the initial design flaws, prioritizing what has already been built. Thus, The Line would go from being a futuristic megalopolis to reusing its foundations to become a data center hub to put Saudi Arabia in the AI ​​race. This shift reflects a change in strategy aimed at achieving more specific goals that provide a short-term return on invested capital, leaving behind the vision of infinite skyscrapers in the desert. Other cuts already announced include $8 billion less from the Public Investment Fund for the five main megaprojects, representing 12.4% of their total valuation. A ski resort in the desert. The cuts also seriously affect the construction of Trojena, the ski resort futuristic project that was to serve as the venue for the 2029 Asian Winter Games. However, the Asian Olympic Council that organizes this sporting event has announced in a statement “confirming the postponement of the 2029 edition to a later date that will be announced in due course”, and that experts link directly to cuts in its budget. According to published Bloombergthe project was initially budgeted at around 19 billion dollars and was going to offer 30 km of ski slopes that ran on the roof of the resort itself and different luxury hotels, in a desert area with little snowfall during the year, which added an added challenge to keep the artificial snow necessary for the operation of the station in good condition. This first postponement sows uncertainty about the future of other competitions to which it has already committed, such as the football stadium that was going to be built. on the roof of The Line. In Xataka | Siranna: the new luxury destination for the super-rich is a spa that looks like Minas Tirith and only ships arrive Image | NEOM

Almost everything is more expensive than ever, but televisions are at rock bottom. It is the result of a “suicide pact”

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Technology is in an economic shaker. If we consumers have become accustomed to something, it is that, as the years go by, a product drops in price, even if it is updated with better features. It is clear in the console segment: as each generation progressed, the hardware improved and the price fell. That’s over. Buy a PS5 or an Xbox Series in 2026 It is more expensive than when they came out in 2020. But the consoles They are not the only thing that rises: There is more competition than ever in streaming services and they have all agreed to raise prices from time to time. It’s not just technology: dwellingmedical expenses, cars, meal… However, There is something that has collapsed: televisions. Because although there are very expensive models, the price of televisions has fallen more than almost any other consumer product in the last quarter of a century. And we owe it all to something that one of the industry’s leading glass manufacturers named in a curious way. A 25-year suicide pact. Although there is something else in the equation, something much more important. The “suicide pact” and the mother glass You can say in the comments if you have been walking around a large area this Christmas and have been tempted to buy a new 65-inch TV. Not because you need it, but because you saw it at a ridiculous price. For 400 eurosyou can buy one right now. Inch/price, they are much more attractive than the 24 inches that you can put in the kitchen. These prices on huge televisions do not seem to have been affected by the multiple crises we have experienced in recent years. What if that of the chips, then transportation, that of the Ukrainian warthe current RAM… The price of televisions has followed suit and, although the most cutting-edge OLEDs or risky technologies They have very high pricesan LCD TV is very affordable. In Construction Physics They mention a very interesting fact. In a advertisement On Black Friday 2003, a barely 20-inch LCD television in 4:3 format with a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels (laughing) cost $800. In the same ad, 32-inch CRT TVs for $380 or 27-inch TVs for $150. Today, those TVs are gold for playing retro games, by the way. In Xataka already we started having to talk about different technologies of liquid crystal panels. 21 years ago we were already talking about OLEDs when I was content with a small 15-inch TFT screen to play ‘Age of Empires 2’ and ‘Half Life 2’. In the end. But well, I’m going around the bush. In 2022, Mark J. Perry published in AEI the following graph: He shows us in a crude way what he was saying: the price of LCD technology had been plummeting rapidly while other goods and services increased dramatically. It’s funny to me that I don’t see the computer hardware on the list, we’ll see when I update the graph in a few years… He estimated that, since 2000, the price of televisions had fallen 97%. There are others informationbut the conclusion is the same: prices through the floor in a short time. That crash occurred a decade earlier. In a document of Corningone of the largest glass manufacturing companies, noted the following: “LCD technology continues to grow and there are abundant opportunities to expand both the functionality and performance of displays. So the expansion of LCD technology must be a great success story, right?” “FAKE” In the document, it is clarified that for consumers it is great news because they can access better and bigger televisions at a fraction of the price. Even other technologies such as plasma had to be adapted. In the same Black Friday ad from 2003 we see a Daewoo of 42 inches with 480p resolution for $2,300. I remember that a 50-inch Samsung 1,080p arrived at my house for 700 euros in 2007. However, for the manufacturers, it was not as happy a story as it was for the consumer. “The LCD platform looks like a 25-year suicide pact for display manufacturers,” Corning noted in its report. It is a segment “characterized by hypercompetition, excess investment and periodic lack of profitability, but which at the same time requires sustained investment to differentiate a product that has a low return.” They pointed out that, within that chain, glass manufacturers were still able to make considerable profits, although there was increasing pressure. But that price drop is not limited to extreme competition between a few companies. There is something else behind it, and that “something” is the “mother glass.”. Known as “mother glass” in English, it is a main element in the manufacture of LCD panels. It’s a process which is made up of several stages. On the one hand, there is that mother glass, which is a sheet of glass substrate on which other layers are deposited. Broadly speaking: We have the glass plate on which layers of semiconductors are deposited. Using a photolithography process, TFT transistors and pixel electrodes are marked across the entire sheet. It is something that is repeated several times until the active matrix on the mother glass is completed. The next step is to use another mother glass to which RGB color filters and electrodes are applied. Both glasses are well cleaned, aligned and sealed with perimeter glue. It’s like a sandwich. There we would have a mother glass with many screens, and the next step is to cut them to obtain individual modules. The fourth step is to combine those modules or cells with backlight units, the control PCB and the metal casing to have the complete LCD module. It is tested and, when it is ready, it is delivered to the assemblers, who are the ones who already create monitors, televisions, mobile phones or anything with a screen. Here you can see the process: What is the key? That those large sheets of glass have been increasing in size little by … Read more

Motorola has perfectly understood what it needs to continue growing: expensive mobile phones

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If there is a manufacturer putting all its efforts to achieve a premium product that is far from its competition (for better or worse), it is Motorola. The smartphone market has taken giant steps in the last five years with the arrival of AIthe folding mobiles and recently high density batteries. A tug of war between Asian manufacturers and the rest of the world, with two clearly marked identities: China betting everything on the latest technology and the rest being more conservative. Along the way, we have a Motorola (now owned by the Chinese Lenovo, but maintaining its identity as an American company), striving to achieve a premium identity, trying along the way not be a clone of the rest of your rivals. And, at this CES 2026, we have two good proofs of this. The missing fold. It started RoyoleSamsung consolidated it, and manufacturers such as OPPO and Xiaomi refined the concept. The Fold-type folding devices are still alive as an alternative for users who want a pocket tablet, and Motorola has wanted to fully enter this field. A new Razr. Motorola Razr Fold is the name that the company has given to its first book-type folding, after years of betting on the clamshell type. The bet is clear: 8.09-inch AMOLED external screen, with 2K resolution and LTPO type technology. 6.56-inch AMOLED external screen. Triple camera system: 50 megapixel Lytia main sensor, 50 megapixel ultra wide angle and three optical magnification telephoto lens and also 50 megapixels. 32-megapixel external and 20-megapixel internal selfie camera. Bet on Pantone colors: Blackened Blue and Lily White. Optimized software with adaptive interface. Support for the Moto Pen Ultra pen. Little secrets to discover. Motorola has not revealed the rest of the specifications, but we can sense one of the best Qualcomm processors inside (Snapdragon 8 Gen 5), as this chip manufacturer is one of Motorola’s main partners. It will not be able to come short on memory configurations if it wants to be competitive, and the big unknown is reserved for the battery, one of the critical points in clamshell-type folding devices, with panels larger than 8 inches. The premiumization of Motorola. Xiaomi was clear that to make money it had to put cheap mobile phones in the background and bet on premium terminals. Something that Motorola also knows very well. For some time now, Motorola’s main bet is on your Edge familyolder brothers of the Moto G classics. Mid-premium range and high range with the software as the main star feature and an alliance with Pantone so that the design is a key point and differential compared to its competition. Edge, Edge Fusion, Edge Pro… And, to go one step further, The Signature family arrives now. Motorola Signature. Motorola’s new high-end is not an Edge Pro, it is a Signature. The design tells us that this model inherits quite a bit of essence from the Edge (it is practically identical to the brand’s latest models), but betting on even more ambitious specs. The latest Qualcomm chip. Memories up to 1 TB. Zoom up to 100x. 5,200mAh silicon-carbon battery. 6.8-inch screen with peak brightness of up to 6,200 nits. A key year. 2026 will be a very important year for Motorola. Its year-on-year growth in shipments was 24% in 2024. Still far from the global podium, but managing to gain a foothold little by little. Image | Motorola In Xataka | Motorola Edge 60 Fusion, analysis: I had been waiting for years for a worthy heir to the legendary Moto G. I just found it

If it seems expensive to change the battery in an electric car, wait until you see what it costs in a Ferrari LaFerrari: more than 200,000 euros

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For the majority of mortals, considering costs such as consumption or maintenance are a must when purchasing a car. And if we talk about buy an electric carAlthough the maintenance is less, there is one operation that makes the difference: changing the battery. Depending on the brand and model, prices vary. between 4,000 and more than 30,000 euros. That’s for EV cars, but those of hybrids They are not exactly cheap either. But there are cars and cars and obviously, The Ferrari LaFerrari plays in another league. The firm’s first hybrid hypercar offers performance typical of its range: it is capable of going from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds and exceeds 350 km/h thanks to its 963 HP. But no matter how Ferrari it is, it does not escape suffering from the weak point common to hybrid technologies: the battery. If we take into account that there are only 499 examples of the Ferrari LaFerrari and that each one was launched with a base RRP of 1.3 million euros (over time, it has gotten worse: it is around four million on the second hand market), the price of its battery is not far behind: exceeds 200,000 euros. Ferrari’s lucrative solution: replace the entire battery With just 1,440 kilometers traveled, one of the few and exclusive owners of a 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari in Croatia discovered how his precious car ran out of traction battery. The first diagnosis indicated that the hybrid battery was out of service. The solution proposed by Ferrari was to replace the entire battery pack at a reasonable price: from 213,000 euroswithout counting on labor. So the owner decided to explore other more economical options, arriving until EV Clinica Croatian workshop specializing in electric and hybrid vehicle batteries. After an exhaustive analysis of the state of that group of batteries, with 120 cells and weighing about 60 kilos, they identified two failures: defective cells and a defect in the manufacturing assembly. Good news. The battery was not a brick, but had a localized fault that could be fixed without having to perform a complete replacement. Although the price of this meticulous and precision work has not been released, the owner had his LaFerrari back saving the price of the entire package. What of ask for quotes from other workshops It is always a good idea, whether you have a Dacia Sandero or a Ferrari. And if they don’t tell the owner of this Bugatti Veyronfrom whom the company asked him for 11,000 euros to change the button for the electric adjustment of the rearview mirror when the workshop in his town did it for less than two euros. Fortunately for those who own a hybrid Ferrari, last year the Italian firm launched an additional guarantee extension, so it will replace the traction batteries of the cars covered in this service in years 8 and 16 of their life. In Xataka | China has discovered another front to elevate its electric car: competing face to face against Ferrari and Lamborghini In Xataka | They are founders and ultra-rich, but they have not always driven luxury supercars: a review of the cars of tech millionaires Cover | Ferrari, EV Clinic

installing a socket is now twice as expensive as before

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For years, adding a plug to your home was one of those small jobs that were barely thought twice about: a call to the electrician, a morning of work, and an affordable cost. However, that perception has changed. A video by the electrician and popularizer Ricardo Abellán —known as @dombydomotica— has focused on a reality that many homeowners are beginning to notice in their budgets: installing a plug has gone from around 30 euros to around 50. On the rise. The increase in the cost of new plug points has become widespread in recent years, driven by structural changes in the electricity sector. To understand what is behind this increase, we must look beyond the final budget and pay attention to what is happening within the sector itself. This is how he explains it to Xataka Luis Catalan, business development director Home & Distribution Schneider Electric Iberiawho points to a combination of economic, technical and regulatory factors that have completely transformed this type of facilities. A rise that is not coincidental. The increase in the price of installing a plug is not the result of an improvised rate increase. Behind it there is a sum of factors that have been putting pressure on the sector for years. As Luis Catalán explains, the increase in the cost of raw materials has had a direct impact on electrical materials, to which is added the higher cost of energy and an increasingly specialized workforce. Added to all this are less visible expenses, such as transportation, insurance or the tax burden, which have been growing steadily. The result is a context in which even the smallest interventions are affected by a much more demanding cost structure than a decade ago. More regulations, more technical complexity. However, the economic context does not explain everything. The most relevant change is in the evolution of the regulations and in the level of technical demand applied to any electrical installation. Both the Electrotechnical Regulation for Low Voltage (REBT) like him Technical Building Code (CTE) They have tightened the requirements, forcing the use of certified materials and a more complex execution of the facilities. A transformation aimed at improving security and energy efficiency in the home. What once seemed like a quick job now requires much more attention. Placing a plug involves checking that the ground connection is in good condition, checking the differentials and ensuring that the installation supports the expected consumption. Furthermore, materials are no longer interchangeable: they must be certified and comply with regulations. As Catalán points out, ignoring these controls can translate into greater electricity consumption and, in the worst case, security problems inside the home. Safety, at the center of the installation. This regulatory change has also raised the level of responsibility of the professional. At each new connection point, the electrician must guarantee that the entire installation is safe and complies with current regulations. An approach that matches what Ricardo Abellán explained in his informative videos: Before it was enough for the plug to work; Now it is essential to check that there is no risk of overload and that the electrical system responds correctly. If something fails, the responsibility falls directly on the installer, which adds an additional layer of demand, time and checks to each intervention. The risk of doing it on your own. Given the increase in prices, some users choose to install plugs without professional help or permanently resort to power strips. The sector warns that these decisions may entail significant risks. According to Catalán, an installation carried out without a certified professional can lead to electrical failures, accidents or fires caused by electrical arcs, loose connections or overloads. Furthermore, not complying with current regulations can generate legal problems and security for the owner. In this sense, the power strips are only recommended for occasional use. When consumption is continuous or of greater power, the safest option is still to install a specific plug point. More devices, more plugs. The reality within homes has also changed evidently. Today we live with many more electronic devices than a few years ago, which has multiplied the need for connection points and has forced us to rethink how electrical installations are designed. From home automation systems until electric vehicle chargerspassing through smart air conditioning either small connected deviceseach element requires specific planning. At the same time, the plug itself is no longer a basic element. There are models that incorporate USB ports or that allow control and monitor electrical consumptionan evolution that improves energy efficiency, but also adds complexity to the installation. A future with more demand and fewer professionals. Added to this is a structural problem in the sector: the shortage of qualified electricians. According to Catalán, there is not only a lack of professionals, but also profiles with digital skills and the ability to adapt to technological change, a lack that influences both the prices and the execution times of the work. The plug as a reflection of the change in the home. What was once an almost invisible work has become an indicator of how our homes have changed. The plug, a symbol of something basic, today reflects the rising cost of materials, the evolution of regulations, the professionalization of the sector and a different way of consuming energy. In this new scenario, installing a plug implies safety, regulations, technology and responsibility. And that explains why what was once barely thought twice about has today become a small, but significant, household expense. Image | freepik Xataka | The big problem with putting solar panels on crops is shade. The University of Jaén has found a solution

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