future

AI is the future

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“We all sighed when we heard the news, but there were no great emotions.” Sixth Tone picks up the reaction of a photography student from the Communication University of China upon hearing the news. The higher education center, one of the country’s leaders in performing arts and communication, stopped offering five degrees in the branch: photography, comics, visual communication design, new media art and fashion design. Dazhong Wang meets in a table the before and after of your offer. Liao Xiangzhong, Party Secretary of China Communication University declared that the form and content had changed and that now the way of thinking had to change as well. And he pointed to a future where humans and machines distribute tasks: “We need to find solutions and let AI take care of the rest so that students learn.” The small print. In reality, the majors and postgraduate degrees suppressed from the CUC study offer there were 16 in totalwhich include the aforementioned arts, three humanities, six economics and business administration and two sciences and engineering. And more than a cancellation, it is a restructuring seeking to optimize existing programs. So, now photograph is framed within photography and production for film and television. At the same time, in this restructuring, new programs such as intelligent cinema and television and intelligent media have also been launched, laying the foundations to address the arrival and consolidation of artificial intelligence in these areas. Best nearby example: what it does Seedance 2.0. It is not an exception. It is not a decision of a specific rectorate, but a trend that affects several institutions at the same time. By the end of 2025, several Chinese universities had stopped admitting students in arts-related careers, such as echoes China News Service. The CUC thing is not an isolated case: Nanchang University he said goodbye of four artistic careers (of eight in total). Jilin University has been withdrawing arts courses both in 2024 (six) like in 2025 (four). East China Normal University in Shanghai advertisement in the fall that suspended three arts programs. Tongji University communicated last September that would eliminate three arts programs. The China University of Petroleum was more drastic: in his statement announces that all admissions to art studios are suspended. There is a state plan behind. Liao already hinted that this decision is due to an imminent reality for which the Chinese government is already preparing. He Action Plan for the Adjustment and Optimization of Disciplines and Programs in Higher Education It has a triannual nature. This plan works as a kind of legal mechanism that allows universities to cancel degrees with low labor demand while expanding others considered strategic, aligned with national development objectives, such as artificial intelligence, science and data. According to Wu YanDeputy Minister of Education, in 2024 alone, 1,600 new programs were created and almost the same number were eliminated following that strategy. AI is the argument, not the cause. Liao Xiangzhong explains that the great threat of AI is not to replace a specific skill, but to deprive people of their interest and ability to think. And that it should not be considered simply a tool, but rather an assistant, a partner, a competitor and even a completely new collaborative entity. That division of labor between man and machine. This paradigm shift is what China is preparing for with practicality as its flag: in full battle for AI hegemonya drop in birth rate and his huge youth unemployment problem (especially in some races) the Asian giant needs to prioritize its best resource (human resources) where strategically it needs it most. In Xataka | China looks at VET: why more and more generation Z students prefer trades over university degrees In Xataka | China has a huge youth unemployment problem. So much so that some people pay to pretend to work Cover | Yue Wu and Đào Việt Hoàng

China is giving apartments to its entrepreneurs because it is clear that the future is the Yo SL companies

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Ma Ruipeng is 41 years old and has been working as a programmer for 20 years. Three months ago he left his job to start his own company. From his apartment in Beijing he works with three computers, AI tools like Claude Code, design platforms like Figma and, of course, his own installation of OpenClaw which he has called “Big House”. That’s what he hopes from his solo adventure: that his house becomes really big. He hasn’t made money yet, but he clearly prefers working with AI before AI works in place. The era of the Yo SL in China they start to push There are increasingly so-called “one-person companies” (OPC), one-person companies that act like startups founded and operated by a single person. These types of entrepreneurs make the most of AI tools—scheduling agents, video and image generators, task automation systems—to do the work that previously required having a team of employees. The falling cost of developing digital products, combined with the arrival of AI agents really functional like OpenClaw has made this type of business figures viable for the first time on a massive scale. The government is betting on entrepreneurs in the AI ​​era. In November the city of Suzhou advertisement that would build “30 OPC communities” with the goal that by 2028 the city would have at least 1,000 one-person AI companies. Other Chinese cities quickly followed. The Pudong district of Shanghai covers up to 300,000 yuan (37,500 euros) in computing costs, and Wuhan offers special loans for AI solopreneurs and even promises to absorb some of the losses if they go bankrupt. It is a well-known strategy: there is a central guideline that drives core competence to take advantage of this new industry that promises to revolutionize the market. Free floors and empty data centers. Chinese government incentives they don’t just translate into money. Several local governments are converting office buildings and underutilized data centers in a kind of incubators for this new SME format, for these “Yo SL”. The context is revealing, because with the AI ​​fever many municipalities built data centers without calculating real demand and had them half empty. Filling them with subsidized startups solves two problems at once. Silicon Valley is something else. On the other side of the Pacific, it is venture capital funds that finance Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, and there We bet on startups with the most return potential. In China, it is the State that is fully involved in this effort: it offers subsidies for infrastructure, it is a priority customer of these products —what’s happening with robotics— and promotes competition between municipalities to attract talent. “It’s like a giant Silicon Valley,” explained Lin Zhang, a researcher at the University of New Hampshire: “when a new technology emerges, the entire bureaucratic system is mobilized to develop it.” There will be many who fail. The uncertainty, however, is notable. Venture capitalists say that most OPCs will not end up becoming viable businesses, although they admit that government subsidies are encouraging more and more people to start pitching ideas for their startups. Taking into account that frequent layoffs are beginning to occur in the market, this is an alternative for many former employees of technology companies, who can thus seek their own opportunity with the help of the Chinese government. It is a commitment to volume as an innovation strategy: many will fail, but the more they try, the more options for success there will be. Fear of unemployment is a powerful ally. Behind many of these stories there is a common motivation: the fear of being left out of the labor market. The prospect of being replaced by AI both in China and the rest of the world is starting to get really disturbing for a whole generation of skilled workers. These OPCs are for many of them a response to that threat: if you can’t beat the AI, use it. Before, those who ended up laid off looked, for example, at franchised businesses and they set up a bar or a photoepilation business. The future indicates that many will now set up their “Yo SL”, their startup from home in which there will be no need for an office or employees. AI will take care of (almost) everything. Image | Blackcreek Corporate In Xataka | To dominate chips, China must first obtain hyper-specialized technology in the hands of its historical rival: Japan.

Carrefour is selling off OLED, QLED and QNED TVs with good discounts and gift coupons for future purchases

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If you are thinking of renewing the old TV in your home for the next World Cup or because you want a newer model with better technologies, Carrefour It makes it easy for you with this promotion that it has on its website. Now, you can get discounted TVs from the companies Samsung, LG, Hisense and TCL with which he also gives you a coupon up to 20% for future purchases. This promotion will be valid until next March 23. LG OLED55B56LA by 799 euros: 55-inch OLED and with a gift coupon of 159.80 euros. TCL 55P71K by 379 euros: 55-inch QLED and with a gift coupon for 56.85 euros. Samsung TQ65Q7F5AU by 579 euros: 65-inch QLED with a gift coupon of 86.85 euros. Hisense 65E7Q PRO by 499 euros: 65-inch QLED with 74.85 euros as a gift. LG 86QNED80A6A by 1,199 euros: 86-inch QNED with a gift coupon for 179.85 euros. LG OLED55B56LA – TV 55″, OLED 4K The price could vary. We earn commission from these links LG OLED55B56LA Is it possible to buy an OLED TV for less than 800 euros? Now yes in this Carrefour campaign. Specifically, this LG OLED55B56LA is available with a discount of 500 euros, remaining available for 799 euros. Plus, you get a 20% coupon (159.80 euros) for future purchases. This TV from LG has a 55 inch OLED panel with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, which makes it a good option for gaming. It is compatible with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos and comes with several gaming technologies such as AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync. LG OLED55B56LA – TV 55″, OLED 4K The price could vary. We earn commission from these links TCL 55P71K If you are looking for a cheaper option, this TCL TV is a good option now at Carrefour. Its previous price was 499 euros, although it is now reduced to 379 euros. Plus you get a 56.85 euro coupon (15%) for future purchases. This television mounts a panel QLED 55 inches with 4K UHD resolution. It supports Dolby Vision & Atmos and supports VESA mount mounting. Works under the operating system Google TV and has multiple connectivity options. TCL 55P71K 55″ (139.7 cm), QLED, 4K UHD TV The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Samsung TQ65Q7F5AU Do you want a slightly larger TV so you can set up your own home theater? This one from Samsung is a good option now at Carrefour. It is reduced to 579 euros and, furthermore, you get a gift coupon of 86.85 euros to spend at the hypermarket. Belonging to the Q7F family from the Korean firm, this TV has a panel 65 inch QLED with 4K Ultra HD resolution. It is compatible with HDR10+ and includes Filmmaker Mode. The operating system under which it works is Tizen and, in addition, it is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant. Smart QLED TV 65″ (165.1 cm) Samsung TQ65Q7F5AU with AI, 4K UHD The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Hisense 65E7Q PRO Another smart TV that you can get at a very good price now at Carrefour, with a 350 euro discount, is this one from the Hisense firm. Its current price is 499 euros and, furthermore, you get a gift coupon of 74.85 euros. This television from the Hisense firm mounts a 65 inch QLED panel with 4K resolution. It has 144 Hz refresh rate and incorporates gaming technologies and Game Mode. It is compatible with Dolby Vision IQ & Atmos and works under the VIDAA operating system. Hisense 65E7Q Pro – QLED Smart TV The price could vary. We earn commission from these links The last of the television models that we have found on sale at Carrefour is suitable for large living rooms, since it is a 86 inch pants. Its price has gone from 1,499 euros to 1,199 euros now. In addition, you get a coupon for 179.85 euros as a gift for future purchases. This TV from LG mounts a QNED panel and works with webOS operating system. It offers 4K UHD resolution and is compatible with Google Assistant, Alexa and Apple AirPlay. It offers multi-screen mode and also comes with multiple connectivity options. LG 86QNED80A6A – TV 86″, 4K QNED EVO, Smart TV The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Webedia, Samsung, TCL, Hisense and LG In Xataka | Best home theater projectors. Which one to buy and five recommended models from 299 to 18,000 euros In Xataka | Mega-guide to set up a home theater: projector, screen, sound system and more

Mercadona’s future looks less like that of a supermarket and more like that of a takeaway restaurant

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Juan Roig, founder of Mercadona, is clear that in 2050 there will be no kitchens. Is an affirmation who, in addition to being daring, is, of course, interested. Especially taking into account that the Valencian company has managed to dominate the niche of distribution of prepared dishes with an iron fist, where its market share is 51.2%. The path is clear for Mercadona’s future: betting on saying goodbye to cooking at home. Store 9. Mercadona has launched its new logistics project with the name “Tienda 9”, which is the successor to the previous “Tienda 8”. Like Roig himself claimed“We have not been very original (with the name).” With an investment of 3.7 billion euros, the chain will transform its 1,600 centers in Spain and Portugal and will do so with a new criterion. After optimizing space and energy efficiency with the previous modelthe goal now is to completely redesign the user experience and internal workflow. Sort by temperature. The great revolution is not aesthetic, but structural. Mercadona abandons the “business” organization (greengrocer, butcher, etc.) to move to process management. In practice, this means that the supermarket will be sorted according to the storage temperature of the products. Thus, frozen vegetables will no longer be next to fresh fruits, but with the rest of the sub-zero products to optimize the cold chain and the speed of purchase. Goodbye, Mr. fruit seller. “Store 9” also marks the end of traditional counters. Here Mercadona is committed to total self-service: meats and fish They will be presented exclusively on trays. Handling, cutting and packaging are moved to central or internal workshopswhich will free up the space facing the public to convert it into more agile linear free-service areas. If you want to talk to the fruit seller or the butcher, forget it. Here everything is designed for minimal human interaction and of course, to optimize (further) margins. More efficient, no doubt, but also dangerously lonely. Six strategic areas. In this new design of each store there will be six different areas. The core will be refrigerated, frozen and trays, which will be next to each other to facilitate logistics. To this will be added areas of products at room temperature, a fruit and vegetable section that will gain square meters and of course, the big star: the prepared food area, which will no longer look like that, but something else. dark kitchenbut in pretty. The success of prepared dishes is so overwhelming at Mercadona that strengthening this section is a key component of this new “Store 9” logistics project. The supermarket looks less and less like a supermarket and more and more like a restaurant in which there are no tables, only take-out food. He controversial concept of ghost kitchens (dark kitchen) that experienced overwhelming success and an equally devastating fall is now recovering but in an “official” way and with the support of the chain that is converting it into an everyday occurrence. It is already known: Now we buy time, not food. Ready to eat. This strategy responds to a clear trend: people are excited about ready-to-eat meals. This section already has a turnover of more than 1,000 million euros and is growing at a rate of 20% annually. Mercadona wants to promote this section, so not only will expand the product rangebut will install more tables and chairs in the establishments. The “super” will come dangerously close to the traditional restaurant, thus competing with a sector that was already competitive. The revolution made a supermarket. The evolution of prepared meals at Mercadona is worthy of studying in MBAs. The chain conceived its table and chair areas as a service aimed at passing customers or workers from nearby offices. However, the aggressive pricing policy—bars and restaurants cannot compete—has transformed these corners into improvised soup kitchens and neighborhood meeting points. Depending on the location, there is a certain friction: what for some is a vital savings solution, for the customer looking for quick and aseptic purchases acts as a deterrent: the supermarket is no longer as efficient for them. More efficiency than ever. This transformation will also bring improvements in energy efficiency. According to Mercadona’s estimates, this strategy will allow an additional saving of 10% in energy and 40% in water compared to the previous model, which in fact It was already an example of efficiency. Each store will have a technical update of its machine room, although at the moment it does not seem that they are going to offer self-checkouts: Roig’s model continues to prioritize the passage through an attended checkout, maintaining – there – the human factor at the last point of contact of an increasingly automated store. Image | Flikr (Informative Board), Wikimedia Commons (Carlos) In Xataka | Mercadona and the rest of the supermarkets have realized something worrying: they spend a million dollars on printing paper

the future anticipates a two-faced company

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Fight over the price in Europe. Premium cars out of it. Renault has presented futuREAdy its roadmap for the next four years. Nearby goals for a market that lives upside down, fighting for a reconversion that the public does not end up embracing, in which regulators lead the way and where solutions are sought beyond Europe. futuReady. It is the name of the plan presented by Renault this morning. The company, led by François Provost as CEO of the Renault Group, presented this morning a roadmap that takes over from Renaulutionthe project presented by Luca de Meo in which a separation of powers within the company was devised, which promoted the offensive in the AB segment of electric cars but also opened the door to the combustion engine in an alliance with Geely. Now, the company has set a new milestone: 2030. It is the date that Renault marks as the red line to launch 36 new models on the market distributed between Renault, Alpine and Dacia. Of them, 26 cars will use the Renault diamond, with 12 launches for Europe and 14 launches outside our continent. The project talks about maintaining jobs, incorporating artificial intelligence into processes, new electric platforms… but it also makes clear a clearly differentiated Renault: those inside and outside the EU. Inside. For Europe, Renault is clear that the future is electric… or almost. These are its guidelines: New electric platform to cover the B+ to D segment. That is, cars above the Renault 5, which complement the current Renault Megane and Scenic and options one step above. Your strong point will be your 800 volt platform with very powerful recharges (they promise 10 minutes of stopping, although no powers or recharge percentages are detailed) and ranges of 750 km according to the WLTP cycle. 400 volt architecture for the most affordable versions so we can expect longer charging times (in this case they mention 20 minute recharges) Extended range options. That is, electric with small combustion engines to increase autonomy to more than 1,400 kilometers. It is a solution that promises very low emissions (less than 25 gr/km of CO2 Renault promises) and that It is increasingly common in China. Out. On the contrary, the line that Renault will follow outside of Europe is very clear: take advantage of its collaboration with Geely. That is, leave electricity aside and prioritize the combustion engine. The French have, together with the Chinese company, a company called Horse Project to develop and produce combustion engines. Spain is also key in these developments. Renault’s accounts involve 50% of sales outside Europe being electrified (in Europe it will be 100%) to sell a total of two million cars a year, of which half should come from beyond the European Union. That is to say, Renault needs to expand its presence outside Europe, broaden its horizons and its strategy is to go up a notch and aim towards the premium segment. In that position between the generalist and the premiumthe company Filante has already been presented. It is an SUV that will be available first in South Korea and will then jump to Mexico and the Gulf countries. And his credentials are clear: Segment E (4.92 meters long, very far from what it sells in Europe) Hybrid technology with 250 HP 12.3-inch triple screen Windshield data projector with augmented reality A very different approach. The Renault Filante has a clear aspiration to reposition the French company’s position in the current automobile market. The investment for these new models will be 3 billion euros and will take advantage of the synergies with Geely to launch these cars with a higher price and positioning on the market. The chosen countries are not a coincidence either, South America, South Korea and the Gulf countries are markets where D and E segment cars (from 4.70 meters upwards) have a great weight in the market. It is not enough for Renault to position its cars there, it needs to increase its perception of quality and its brand image if it wants to gain ground. In addition, higher priced cars are also those that can generate a higher profit margin. First, because generating high profit margins with small electric cars (such as Twingo or the Renault 5) is more complicated. Second, because the association with Geely and the use of combustion engines makes it easier to reduce the structural costs of the launch. Saving. What is proposed for Europe is: savings. And the company has indicated that it will launch more electric options within our continent to accompany the current ones. Renault Megane and Scenic. But the fight for this market is expected to be very tough and the price will be key. Therefore, in a clear message aimed at strengthening the economic viability of the project, the brand wanted to make clear how it hopes to save money with its new products: On average, your cars will use 30% fewer parts. A trend in the industry that has Tesla and the Chinese market as main supporters. Use of 350 humanoid robots in the short term Creation of a digital twin of all your plants and control of the supply chain by AI They aim to reduce energy costs by 25% They aim to reduce production costs by 20% They aim to reduce logistics costs by 30% Reduction of variable costs per car by 400 euros on average Two paths. What Renault makes clear to us is that we will have a company with two clearly differentiated paths. Pushed by restrictions promoted by European regulators (although the rules have been relaxed, the electric car remains the main winner in the future), Renault is aware that it needs more competitive cars in the most competitive markets in Europe: the BB-SUV and C and C-SUV segments. This competitiveness can only be achieved versus Chinese manufacturers with attractive products but, above all, they can play on price since it will be key in cars designed for the city … Read more

Spain is betting its future in the semiconductor industry on a single card: gallium chips

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SPARC Foundry is one of the best assets that Spain can cling to to get on a train, that of semiconductors, currently guided with a firm hand by USA, South Korea, Taiwan, China and Japan. This Galician company, however, does not pursue producing silicon chips. In this area, competing with the five powers I just mentioned is essentially impossible. SPARC’s plan involves building a manufacturing factory in the Valadares Technology Park, in Vigo. next generation photonic semiconductors. The interesting thing is that these chips will not be silicon; They will be manufactured using gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide (InP) or gallium nitride (GaN), and will most likely have a leading role in the telecommunications, defense, automotive, consumer electronics, quantum computing or the aerospace industry. Be that as it may, SPARC will not tackle the GIGaNTE project alone. Indra leads it with a 37% stake in SPARC Foundrywhich places the latter group as the majority partner of the company specialized in the production of chips. According to SPARC and Indra, the Vigo semiconductor plant will be operational during the first half of 2027 and will have the capacity to manufacture up to 20,000 wafers per year when it is able to work at full capacity. An interesting note: GIGaNTE, the name of this project, has been designed around the chemical formula of gallium nitride (GaN). Gallium aspires to be the protagonist of the next generation of chips Photonic integrated circuits use photons to process and transmit information. Photons are the elementary particles responsible for forms of electromagnetic radiation, including the manifestation of visible light. They have no mass and are capable of traveling in a vacuum at a constant speed: the speed of light. However, something worth not overlooking is that although we are referring to them as particles, they also manifest as waves, hence the existence of the quantum phenomenon known as ‘wave-particle duality’ to identify the wave nature of light. Although, as we have seen, SPARC will produce photonic chips, the core of its business will revolve around gallium arsenide and gallium nitride. Unlike silicon, They are not elementary semiconductors. And they are not because the latter are characterized by being made up of a single chemical element, while gallium arsenide (GaAs) is composed of gallium (Ga) and arsenic (As), and gallium nitride (GaN) is composed of gallium (Ga) and nitrogen (N). SPARC is going to produce photonic chips and the core of its business will revolve around gallium arsenide and gallium nitride The term semiconductor is appearing many times in this article, so it is a good idea that we review what it is about before moving forward. A semiconductor is an element or compound that, under certain conditions of pressure, temperature, or when exposed to radiation or an electromagnetic field, behaves like a conductor, and, therefore, offers little resistance to the movement of electrical charges. And when it is found in other different conditions it behaves like an insulator. In this last state it offers great resistance to the displacement of electrical charges. In elements with electrical conduction capacity, some of the electrons in their atoms, known as free electrons, can pass from one atom to another when we apply a potential difference at the ends of the conductor. Precisely, this electron displacement capacity is what we know as electric currentand we all know intuitively that metals are good conductors of electricity. Curiously, they are because they have many free electrons that can move from one atom to another and, thus, they manage to transport the electrical charge. Gallium nitride and gallium arsenide are semiconductors, and this implies that under certain circumstances they are capable of transporting electrical charge. When the appropriate conditions exist, the mobility of its electrons is much greater than in semiconductors such as silicon or germanium. And this means that its capacity to transport electrical charge is also superior. Another very interesting property of these compounds is their high saturation rate. It is not necessary for us to delve into this parameter to the point of excessively complicating the article, but it is interesting that we know that it reflects the maximum speed at which electrons can move. through the crystal structure of these compounds. This maximum speed is limited by the dispersion suffered by the electrons during their movement. Gallium arsenide transistors can work at frequencies above 250 GHz This property has very important repercussions. One of them is that gallium arsenide transistors can work at frequencies above 250 GHz, which is a quite impressive figure. In addition, they are relatively immune to overheating and produce less noise in electronic circuits than silicon devices, especially when it is necessary to work at high frequencies. On the other hand, gallium nitride can work at very high voltages and reach extreme temperatures without its performance or stability being compromised. Besides, allows manufacturing compact and efficient transformers Because it dissipates little energy in the form of heat, it will most likely play a fundamental role in the charging infrastructure of electric cars and base stations for 5G communications. Image | Generated by Xataka with Gemini More information | SPARC Foundry In Xataka | Spain steps on the accelerator in its particular chip race. And it does so with a total commitment to integrated photonics

China is so clear that the future of pork lies in ‘skyscraper farms’ that it is doing something: taking them to other countries

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When you think of pig farms, what comes to mind are large farms with pig pens, breeding areas, silos with feed… All of this (of course) horizontally. Things change if we are in China. There they have been thinking vertically for years and betting on farms in buildings of various heights, including authentic skyscrapers, such as the two 26-story towers raised in Ezhou (Hubei) and that are capable of breeding 1.2 million pigs every year. Now China has started ‘international’ model. What has happened? That China has begun to export its model of macro farms pig verticals. Although a few years ago the ‘farm towers’ sounded like science fiction and there were even foreign ranchers who raised their eyebrows reading about them, the bet seems to have worked for Beijing. At least enough to consider take her to Vietnamwhere the Chinese firm Muyuan Foods has joined forces with the local BAF to build a complex in the province of Tay Ninhin the southeast of the country. Its main peculiarity: breeding at altitude. What do they want to do? The idea is to develop a high-rise complex dedicated to pig farming, an infrastructure that will be carried out with an investment of just over 450 million dollars and will integrate a farm of 64,000 pigs with a factory capable of producing close to 600,000 tons of feed every year. In September Vietnam Investment Review pointed out that the project has received approval from the authorities of the province of Tay Ninh, where the complex will be built, and from the state authorities. What does it have to do with China? That one of the promoters of the project is Muyuan Foodshe greatest breeder of pigs from China and a heavy weight of the sector at an international level. In addition to his enormous capacity of production, the firm stands out for its commitment to raising pigs in buildings of up to six floors. “We have replaced traditional single-story pig farms with multi-story ones to improve efficiency and land use, promote recycling of manure and waste and ensure biosecurity,” the company explained during its IPO in Hong Kong, a few weeks ago. What is China doing? Although in other countries macro pig farms in towers may be shocking, in China they have been implementing the model for some time. To understand it, you have to go back to 2018, when the country saw how swine fever undermined its herds. The American Society for Microbiology estimates that in total the outbreak killed or forced the sacrifice of 225 million of pigs. The country is the largest producer and pork consumer in the world and it is estimated that before the 2018 outbreak it housed half of the planet’s pig population. In 2019, the Government formally allowed the use of multi-story buildings for livestock farming and just a year later Muyuan opened its doors. a macro complex in Nanyangwith twenty blocks of various plants capable of producing more than two million pigs each year. Little by little, China has been moving from a model in which pig farming was a common practice in homes (it still is in part of the country) to one based on commercial farms in which it is easier to manage waste and diseases such as swine fever. Why farms in skyscrapers? a few years ago The New York Times I was chatting with an expert of the US pork market that acknowledged that US farmers “look at photos of Chinese farms and just scratch their heads and say, ‘We would never dare do that.’” The truth is that buildings like those of Muyuan or the 26-story towers driven by Hubei Zhongxin Kaiwei Modern Farming in Ezhou have their advantages. This is what its promoters defend, at least, who present it as another step towards industrial agriculture. The same one that has also opted for the vertical farming farms. By thinking vertically, instead of the traditional horizontal model, they basically seek greater biosecurity and more efficient management. Why’s that? In the Ezhou skyscrapers, for example, they boast of incorporating thousands of automatic feeding points and a system capable of collecting, analyzing and using livestock feces. Not to mention that by betting on high-rise models, macro farms such as those in Muyuan, Zhongxin or Guangxi Yangxiang make it possible to address one of the sector’s biggest problems: the availability of land is limited, especially in populated areas. Of course, the tall model also has significant risks. The main one: that diseases spread more quickly through ventilation systems. Now, as Beijing tries stabilize the livestock herd China to avoid surpluses and prop up prices, the country is considering taking vertical macro farms beyond its borders. Images | China-Singapore Kaiwei Modern Animal Husbandry WeChat In Xataka | The new Spanish farmer no longer lives in the town: his name is John, he studied at Wharton and manages olive trees from New York

the new newsletter from Xataka Xtra about the trends that are changing the present and will define the future

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‘Proxima X’ is one of the newsletters exclusives included in Xtrathe Xataka subscription plan. It is biweekly (we send it every other Thursday) and is part of a benefits plan that includes access to other newsletters, a consultation with editors and raffles and discounts exclusive for subscribers. The first draw, a 75″ TV. For years, one of the last questions that every Xataka editor has asked his interviewees has been “If we were having this conversation In five or ten years, what would we be talking about??”. Next X is our commitment to doing exactly that every two weeks: talking, analyzing and thinking about the things that will be central a decade from now. And yes, we know it is a risky job. But who was going to tell that group of bloggers that They launched Xataka in November 2004 that 20 years later that passion for gadgets, online services and digital culture was going to be fundamental to understanding the contemporary world? The lesson is clear: we have to live passionately in the present, to understand what will define the future. We will talk about AI, quantum computing, biotechnology and space exploration, yes. But we will talk about many more things, because what defines this newsletter is not a list of topics, it is a question: what’s next? And “up next” this week has been the profound effect that technology has on human societies. One in particular: boredom. Is it possible that one of the most unexpected (and important) consequences of all the technological development of recent decades is boredom? Well yes and, as I say, It is much more important than it seems. Other Xataka Xtra newsletters Chip War (weekly, every Monday): The semiconductor industry is the technological, economic and geopolitical battlefield of our time. Every week we analyze what is happening in the race for chips: from the tensions between the United States and China to the decisions of TSMC, Intel, SK Hynix or Samsung that will determine who leads the next decade. B-sides (weekly, every Saturday): Five curious and fascinating readings every week. Strange, counterintuitive or unexpected stories that we find on the Internet and that deserve your attention. From industrial accidents that changed the world to surprising scientific research or absurdities of late capitalism. More information | Xataka Xtra

Tecno has finally seen a future for the old modular dream

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Being able to update the phone without having to change it for a new one is the dream of many of us who love telephony. Throughout history there were several brands that tried it, such as Motorola: Project Ara to the commercial materialization of that format, the Moto Z and its Moto Mods. Currently, one of the manufacturers that has most opted for modularity It’s Fairphone. Now, Tecno has decided to skip what is established and take that dream one step further. Although with a difference from the original Ara: Tecno proposes a magnetic, not structural, modularity. Techno It is not a manufacturer that we know in Europe for its smartphones. Even so, it is one of the brands that the more it grows in share and distribution at a global level. Despite having a clear orientation towards accessible mobile phones, Tecno is characterized by being one of the most innovative and risky. Apart from those two adjectives, there is a third that occurred to me while holding the modular mobile: surprising. But can you still add more things? There are LEGO boxes that have fewer pieces than this mobile When I approached the Tecno stand, and saw all the phone pieces scattered on the table, I thought about the LEGOs I had when I was little and how I was combining the parts to make new figures. What Tecno brought to MWC is more or less the same, at least in essence. The base is an extremely thin phone that features a small camera module in the upper area. Tecno has provided all the components with a good number of magnets, it surely used up the store’s stock. Because everything comes together through magnetism. You can add a telephoto camera module by simply “gluing” this piece to the base lens, for example. Everything fits into place with magnets, just like the external battery module, microphone, speaker… Or the SLR camera accessory. When asked how many modules you can put on the phone at most, Tecno said: “Yes.” I have not put the parallel with LEGO at random: the phone supports a good number of pieces on top. Furthermore, there is another important point: The modules can also be combined without having the base telephone. And they work independently You can put a clip on the microphone and use it as a tie microphone. The same for the speaker, for example. Or use the stand to support the pieces outside the mobile. Everything is anchored by magnetism and in its place. With the drawback that it has to be placed correctly the first time, the system does not offer a visual guide to know how to build the LEGO. An idea that seems extravagant and yet works Modular mobile phones were already invented. And Tecno has come to give the concept a twist to take it to the extreme. Because the mobile works, the parts make sense, the entire concept transcends experimentation to become a product that could be viable. Wow, I could totally buy it. The pieces are solid and well thought out, it shows that Tecno has designed each component with precision. And maturity. Now, it’s not perfect, because the pieces can come apart somewhat easily. The magnetic anchor is strong, but it is still that: magnetic. If the camera gets caught in your pocket, it gets left behind. And if the modular phone falls to the ground… Instead of a phone you have a puzzle. Still far from being able to be bought It is beautiful, it is impressive and it appears solid beyond doubt due to the magnetic union between the pieces. Even so, it probably won’t see the light of day in the near future. Tecno is characterized by experiments, by trying to make smartphones show a different face. Many of their concepts end up as a hook to attract the real catalog, the one that really works. I thought that modular mobile phones, as designed by Motorola with Project Ara, would have no future. Tecno has shown me the opposite: apart from being feasible, with a little imagination you can achieve use cases that no one imagined before. That something like this is so refreshing says more about the current stagnation of the smartphone than about modular phones themselves. Images | Ivan Linares In Xataka | The best mobile phones (2026), we have tested them and here are their analyzes

Samsung is already thinking about a future with OLED screens everywhere. Included in a collar or foldable console

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One of the most entertaining activities you can do at the Mobile World Congress is to walk around the Samsung Display stand. This is Samsung’s division, one of the many it has, in charge of research and development of panels. If today we have the TriFold in the market is because, years ago, We saw its prototype displayed here. That’s why taking a look around their stand is so entertaining, because it lets you see what developments the company has in the works. Whether they see the light or not is another story, but the proposal is nice. OLED panels everywhere. Samsung is, along with LG and BOE, one of the few companies capable of produce OLED panels. That’s why it makes sense that the company wants to put them everywhere. Not only on premium mobile phones, where they are already practically omnipresent, or on televisions, but on every possible gadget, be it a controller, a console or a virtual assistant with AI. This is how Samsung makes money: the secret is in the IPHONE This smartphone unrolls and allows the diagonal of the screen to be increased | Image: Xataka From tiny to conventional size. One of the prototypes we have seen is a vertically rollable phone. The device has a motor that unfolds the screen upwards and hides it downwards, as if it were a blind, and allows you to have a compact phone and, if you want to play or read, a more elongated panel. Very interesting, although with some flaws. The main one is that, rolled up, what in another context would be an aluminum edge would, on this occasion, be a screen, one that is also very exposed to all kinds of misfortunes in the pocket, dirt, knocks, etc. It is striking as a concept, but perhaps it makes more sense on a laptop where, in fact, we are already starting to see them. This tablet unrolls to the side | Image: Xataka Here we can see the unwinding system | Image: Xataka What’s more, Samsung is in it. We have also seen this same roll-up panel technology in a type of tablet and a laptop. The latter is very reminiscent of the Lenovo proposal and unroll the screen to go from 13 to 17 inches. This format, still in its infancy, has a lot of potential if we think of a device that combines productivity and versatility. Samsung Rollable Laptop Concept | Image: Xataka On the tablet, which could also be understood as a portable external monitor, the panel goes from a panoramic format to a 4:3 format that is practically 1:1, something that can be somewhat useful when having several applications open and in office tasks. Without a doubt, where the roll-up format is going to shine is in medium/large panels. Whether we see them on the street or not… only time will tell. Laptop with vertical folding screen | Image: Xataka Laptop with vertical folding screen | Image: Xataka From big to bigger. One of the most curious prototypes has been this trilaptop. Unlike the TriFold, which has three screens, the two folds of this device come in the form of a keyboard and foldable screen. By default, it is a normal laptop, but if we unfold the screen it is like putting another 13-inch panel on top. Useful, very useful, especially for programming. In addition, the unfolded screen is not excessively thick, so the laptop, at least in theory, should not weigh more than necessary, although it will be heavier than normal. Folding console prototype | Image: Xataka So far the normal. Now let’s go with the most peculiar concepts. The first is a folding console. This device, which is clearly reminiscent of a Nintendo Switch, has a Fold-type folding panel that, at least in theory, seeks to make a portable console even more portable. The concept is interesting and I can imagine a console like this in a few years, although perhaps the price would be higher than the 400-550 euros that we are used to seeing. Console controller with integrated screen | Image: Xataka The second is a controller with a central screen. Central touch panels are not new, see Sony’s DualShock and DualSense, but adding a screen opens up a whole range of possibilities. That screen could be part of the HUD, offer actions, provide contextual information or serve to interact with the game in some way through gestures or quick touches. Very curious, it is one of those ideas that I wouldn’t be surprised to see implemented sooner rather than later. Necklace with OLED screen | Image: Xataka Nice necklace. But the concept that takes the cake is the necklace. It is, like everything else, a concept, but the idea is curious. What if, in the same way that you can change the watchface of your necklace, you could change the image of your necklace? The device is big, huge, something that is normal if we want the screen to have some prominence. In a few years will we see a diamond necklace with a GIF of a diamond spinning around? I have no proof, but I have no doubt either. Flexible Micro-LED Panels | Image: Xataka Space for Micro-LED. Samsung has also taken the opportunity to show some advances in Micro-LED, a technology called to be the Holy Grail of panels: OLED blacks, LCD brightness, without degradation or bloombing. The problem is that they are very expensive because their manufacturing is extremely complex. At the moment, we have only seen them on televisions whose prices exceed an average Spanish salary, but Samsung already seems to be working on bringing them to smaller formats. The key, of course, is the excellent color reproduction and brightness, which, in this case, amounts to 7,000 nits. Micro-RGB panel example | Image: Xataka Be that as it may, what is clear is that we are heading to a world full of screens where there were previously printed canvases. Samsung wants … Read more

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