hell

MercurySteam was the ambassador of Spanish video games. Until a sales failure turned the offices into hell

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For years, they were a key reference in the history of video games in Spain. MercurySteam achieved something unusual: programming high-budget games from such beloved classic franchises as ‘Castlevania’ and Metroid from its country of origin. Its international expansion ambitions shone from the studio’s first steps, but have been overshadowed in recent years by complaints from former studio employees who denounce a suffocating work environment and a policy of crunches to meet deadlines. We review the history of MercurySteam from its glorious first steps to the latest revelations about its work dynamics, and that says our colleague Blissy in 3DJuegos. Twenty-something years of ambition. MercurySteam was born in 2002 in San Sebastián de los Reyes, formed by several former members of Rebel Act Studios, creators of an absolutely foundational game in the history of Spanish soft music: ‘Blade: The Edge of Darkness‘, precursor of the soulslike very advanced technology for its time. Determined to demonstrate that our country could compete in the international video game league, they started with a couple of modest but notable titles: ‘American McGee presents: Scrapland’ and ‘Clive Barker’s Jericho’. The Castlevania phenomenon. The real turning point for MercurySteam came with ‘Castlevania: Lords of Shadow’ in 2010, a 3D reformulation of the classic Konami franchise that was born as a stand-alone game and was later adapted to fit into the legendary vampire slayer saga. It was produced with the help of Hideo Kojima and for months its affiliation to the saga was hidden so as not to damage sales of other installments in development. After considerable commercial and sales success, the studio completed the trilogy with ‘Mirror of Fate’ (2013) and ‘Lords of Shadow 2’ (2014), establishing itself as a triple-A developer. A parenthesis. After Castlevania, the studio went through a transition phase. In 2017 they released the ambitious ‘Raiders of the Broken Planet’ (later renamed ‘Spacelords’), a shooter cooperative free-to-play with which they entered the model games as a service. The result was a more discreet success than their previous works, and MercurySteam had to consider a new twist in their plans. This would arrive with a twist similar to that of ‘Castlevania’: revitalize a classic franchise. In 2015 it was learned that MercurySteam had been working on a ‘Metroid’ prototype for Wii U and 3DS. It was not a job in vain: it ended up crystallizing in ‘Metroid: Samus Returns’ (2017) for 3DS, a very well-received remake of the classic ‘Metroid II’. This collaboration with Nintendo progressed into a completely original game, the brilliant ‘Metroid Dread‘ (2021), one of the best games in the Switch catalog, and which marked the long-awaited return of the saga to the 2D perspective after almost two decades. Since then, there have been changes in the studio: the Nordisk Games group acquired 40% of the studiowhich allowed the team to continue growing and tackle new projects. And they have even released a new video game this year, ‘Blades of Fire‘, a third-person RPG that was received with indifference by critics and did not meet sales expectations. It was this puncture that started, since January 2025, a series of measures that have turned MercurySteam, according to former employees interviewed by 3DJuegos, into an example of bad professional practices. In fact, the crisis started somewhat earlier: Already in 2020 MercurySteam had problems. Culture contrary to teleworking, offices with conditioning problems (for example, with very little lighting), poor internal communication, chaotic production and uncredited developers. Everything got radically worse in January 2025, when the company implemented the DIJ (Irregular Distribution of the Day) in some departments, allowing one hour of extra work per day (9 hours, maximum 45 per week), justified by “production needs.” In May, the month of the game’s release, several departments saw their working hours increased to 10 hours a day in total, a change that was managed in a highly criticized manner by employees. Among other problems, communication was always verbal, never in writing; Human Resources presented these hours as mandatory; there was constant appeal to the emotional and the “team spirit”; Teleworking and vacations were banned; and names were taken of those who rejected the measures. On May 8, two workers are fired just before the end of their trial period, one for refusing to work overtime (due to his partner’s risky pregnancy) and another for asking for written explanations. It would only be the beginning: after the failure of ‘Blades of Fire’, fires 18 workers in three days. One of them, a worker on mental health leave who suffered harassment from her boss while on leave, is fired when she returns. Although he thought about suing, he ended up withdrawing the lawsuit out of fear after threats from the company. In September, MercurySteam begins a phase of control and censorship of its employees, where all non-work communication channels are eliminated, “random audits” are announced, rest areas are eliminated, common spaces are reduced, and clocking turnstiles are installed in the kitchen. An entire policy of terror that continues until September 29, when makes the complaint public describing all these facts. Apart from a suspicious maneuver (an anonymous statement, supposedly from workers, but none of those interviewed by 3DJuegos know where it comes from), MercurySteam has implemented the 9 hours of the DIJ intermittently and tries to wash its image with job offers that They paint a much more positive atmosphere. But the worst thing is that there is a “sad and overwhelming” atmosphere in the company because, as one of the witnesses says, “the best thing Mercury had was the atmosphere… they are destroying the only good thing about the company.” A sad parenthesis for a company that was a leader in the sector and is going through a major image crisis due to something as essential as not knowing how to manage a crisis. In Xataka | There are authentic Spanish guerrilla studios programming games for NES: ‘Malasombra’ is the latest example

I’ve been using Yi security cameras for years. It was delighted until the app became an advertising hell

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More than five years ago I bought my first Security Chamber To monitor my cat when he got sick. It was YI brand and it worked great; He looked good, had movement alerts and could speak through the mic. With the passage of time I had more cats and I bought two more cameras of the same brand to cover the rest of the house. The problem is that The APP Yi Home has added advertising in its app. How much? All. It is not an exaggeration I was traveling recently and I entered Yi Home’s app to look through the cameras. I don’t lie if I say that More than once I have made me want to launch the mobile. On the main screen there are already a few ads spread there, but that is not the worst. Some of the ads that appear when I open the app or when I try to see one of the cameras. The worst are the Full screen ads. They cannot be skipped until they pass a few seconds, the button to close them is tiny and sometimes it does not work, causing it to end in the App Store, or wherever the announcement in question link. So every time I open the app. But the thing is not there, when entering each camera, advertisements also leave full screen. When you finally manage to see a camera, a banner comes out that covers the controls to be able to move it *Chef’s Kiss*. Few apps I remember that they have bombarded me both with advertising and Yi Home, although it is not the only one. A current example is Capcut, the Tiktok videos editing app. Every time I open the app, I get a full screen advertisement, but it is also that if you leave a moment and enter again, another appears. Not to mention that The entire app is a mines field with ‘Pro’ functions And they don’t stop insisting to join. Pay or suffer Yi Home has never been a super clean app. I already had some Banner type ads and has always shown me pop-ups to join the payment plan. The thing now has no name. In addition to full-screen advertising, those pop-ups continue to come out and remind me that, If I pay, advertising will disappear. On top with picn. The summum of despair. (The controls can be relocated, but was there no other place?) The cheapest payment plan if you have several cameras costs 79.99 euros a year. It seems expensive, but I think that although it would cost a tenth, I wouldn’t pay either. The thing about this app is A manual of how to lose customers. At least I know I am not the only user discontent, In Tustpilot is full of negative reviews on the same subject and in This Reddit thread There are also several angry users. In the same thread they also comment on several ways to eliminate ads such as installing previous versions of the app or configure a DNS with Ad-Block. In my case I take another way to eliminate ads. I change my chambers I had been wanting to buy a while Another 360 camera And obviously I was not going to buy another of the same brand with the problems I was having with advertising in the app. One of those days when I almost crashed my mobile, gave me to get into Amazon to see other cameras and make the decision. TP Link Tapo C210 After reading a few reviews and making sure that his app did not seem like an online casino, I opted for the Top-Link tapo. I found a Offer pack with two cameras 360 And I bought it. When I set them up, some notifications came out within the app to go to the Premium version, but I have been using it for a week and they have not reappeared. Come on, what was Yi Home’s app a long ago and that It should be normal in an app of a security camera. Images | Amparo Babyloni, Xataka In Xataka | It is not you, YouTube is filling with more and more ads. Especially if you see it on a smart TV

The sleep apnea makes sleep in hell. Scientists believe they have a solution: blow shells

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Sleep but not rest, is what happens to millions of people around the world suffering from sleep apnea. This disorder occurs when, during sleep, our breathing is interrupted, something that can significantly affect the quality of our dream and, with it, to our rest. Blow shells. Now a new study has investigated “treatment”: blow shells. In a small randomized and controlled essay, a team of experts observed that the technique of blowing snails, based on an Indian traditional practice, It offered good results when reducing the symptoms of the obstructive sleep apnea. Shankha. The technique known as Shankh’s blow has its origin in a religious practice of Hinduism. The term Shankha refers to A type of marine snailown family mollusks Turbinidaelike those of the species Turbinella pyrum. A modern use. The group responsible for the study now proposes a new use for this technique, to relieve the symptoms of the obstructive sleep apnea, at least among people with moderate levels of the disorder. As the equipment defends, the technique is a simple and low -cost intervention that can relieve the need to resort to pharmacological or mechanical treatments. A modern use. The group responsible for the study now proposes a new use for this technique, to relieve the symptoms of the obstructive sleep apnea, at least among people with moderate levels of the disorder. As the equipment defends, the technique is a simple and low -cost intervention that can relieve the need to resort to pharmacological or mechanical treatments. Today, the main treatment against this ailment is Continuous positive pressure machineCPAP for its acronym in English. As their name suggest these devices keep the respiratory tract “blowing” air towards a mask that patients are placed at bedtime. Although it is an effective technique, the treatment is cumbersome and uncomfortable for those who must follow it. From the experience to science. The study, Explain in a press release Krishna K. Sharma, who led the team, emerged from the perception of the positive effects that the technique could have on this aspect of respiratory health. So he decided to test the technique. In the study 30 people participated between 19 and 65 years with moderate apneas. 16 of the participants learned the practice of the snap of Caracolas, while the remaining were assigned by way of control a deep breathing practice. Everyone had to practice for at least 15 minutes a day before being evaluated after six months. The results of the evaluation showed that the experimental group, explains the team, showed 34% diurnal drowsiness lower than the control group. They also reported less apnea and were detected higher levels of blood oxygen when sleeping. The Study details They were published in the magazine Erj Open Research of the European Respiratory Society. In Xataka | Apple Apnea detector is a new step in converting clocks into diagnostic tools. It is not clear if they will get it Image | Krishna K Sharma / Erj Open Research

Pirates have turned the Red Sea into hell for ships around the world. With an exception: the Chinese

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The Red Sea right now is the main commercial route around the world and millions European industries depend on it to be able to receive products from the Asian continent. But in recent months, it has become one of the most dangerous seas on the planet, taking months blocked by the attack of pirates. With an exception. Chinese ships can go through these waters and nothing happens to them. They are even protected. The Red Sea as a forbidden area. Since the Hutí Militia de Yemen, with the support of Iran, will start an assault campaign at the end of 2023 In retaliation for the situation in Gaza, this area has become a dangerous area. Sunk charges, attacked crews and a climate of total insecurity that forced giants such as Master or Hapag-Lloyd to deviate through the horn of Africa. Something that implies Add to the navigation plan between 14 and 18 days. Something that also represents a higher cost. China’s ships have ‘white letter’. Something that has been observed since April, and that has reported the maritime intelligence firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence, is that Nothing happens to Chinese ships. In this way, they have seen how fourte The insurmountable rorowhich sailed from China and crossed the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea for Europe, did not have to give a detour. The most interesting thing is the content they had inside: Chinese brands electric vehicles such as Byd or Mg. This is a pattern that clearly shows that there is an agreement behind. A tactical pact that is worth gold. Neither Beijing, nor Tehran, nor the hutis leaders have issued an official statement, but the evidence and geopolitical context draw a mutual interest agreement. The hutis, which They declare to attack ships with Israeli linksAmericans or British, seem to have received a clear instruction: ships that come from China have the free passage. The key to this immunity lies in China’s powerful influence on Iranthe main economic and military support of the hutis. China is the biggest Iranian oil buyer, a commercial relationship that is a lifeguard for the Persian economy. In exchange for this support, Beijing exercises a ability to persuasion in the region that no other power can match. Analysts like Daniel Nash, from the consultant Veson Nautical, Point out that “China has found a way of dealing with the huti rebels backed by Iran, and they have been told that their ships will not be attacked.” This “salvoconduct” not only applies to Chinese flag ships, but also to those of other nationalities chartered by Chinese manufacturers to transport their vehicles. Meanwhile, other Chinese ships that do not wear cars continue to opt for the African route to avoid risks. The secret weapon against European tariffs. For Chinese manufacturers, this shortcut is much more than simple logistics savings; It is a strategic weapon to be able to conquer the European market. Right now, the European Union, in an attempt to protect its own industry, has imposed tariffs of up to 35% To Chinese electric vehicles, claiming that they benefit from unfair state subsidies. Although now They study withdraw them. However, the savings of the Red Sea route helps to compensate for the impact of tariffs, causing the final price to consumers to remain very attractive. The competitors have felt the consequences. Brands like Tesla, Volvo, Suzuki or even suppliers like Michelin They have suffered strikes in their European factories As a result of deliveries in deliveries because ships have to give a greater rodeo. In this way, brands settled in Europe have to pay consequences, while China can overcome them without problems. Floating cities for the conquest of Europe. Far from being a temporary solution, China is betting strongly on this route. Chinese shipyards work in full performance To deliver to Byd and SAIC new ships to wear their vehicles. And it is that these ships such as the “Byd Explorer No.1” or the “Anji Ansheng” of Saic are authentic floating cities with capacity for more than 7,000 vehicles, designed to optimize mass transport through sea. Chinese cars begin to be an important alternative. In the case of Spain, Sales of Chinese electric cars They don’t stop growing with the Saic group at the head and next to Grupo Chery with their Omoda and Byd, which has also opted for hybrid cars. This way, China is flooding European with its cars as It is being seen in enrollments. And partly it is for this type of strategies. In Xataka | There are those who believe that being rich is a sufficient requirement to have a Ferrari. The most important thing is something else: Ferrari fell well

Fire and ash ‘converts the na’vi into their own hell

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Pandora no longer looks bright oceans or spiritual jungles: there is fire, ash and a threat that burns from within. The trailer of ‘Avatar: fire and ash‘ It is now available and points to a conflict as we had not seen so far in the saga. What is shown is a brief advance, but enough to intuit the tone: darker, more visceral. The film will arrive at theaters on December 19 and will do so in premium formats such as IMAX 3D, Dolby Cinema 3D, Reald 3D, 4DX or Screenx. Pandora Arde: A new threat makes its way Everything continues to revolve around the Sully family, although the environment is no longer the same. We see the na’vi of the sea and the forest (the Methayina included) in front of a new threat: the Asha tribe led by Varang. That fire does not only sweep the landscape, he also redefines the conflict. What began as a fight between species now points to fractures within Pandora. The trailer suggests a more personal and dramatic story. Cameron again bets on a choral cast that combines known faces with key incorporations. They return Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña Like Jake and Neytiri, along with Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet and Cliff Curtis, in addition to young people who give life to the Sully family. The focus also moves to Oona Chaplin, who plays Varang, the leader of the fire clan. David Thewlis and Michelle Yeoh are also added. Behind fire and ash there is a vision of saga that Cameron has been designing for years. Avatar’s third installment is part of a colossal project conceived Like five films. The calendar has changed more than once, but the ambition remains intact: explore pandora by layers, clan clan, conflict conflict. What we see today as a new installment was born, in reality, next to ‘The sense of water‘. Both formed the same story until Cameron decided to separate them when he started writing. Pandemia delayed part of the process, but production continued and Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 They continue in the plan. Avatar: Fire and ash no longer only about colonizers and resistance. Talk about internal cracks that scale at new levels. The war continuesbut now burn from within. We will have to wait until December 19 to see history in all its splendor in cinemas. Images | The Walt Disney Company In Xataka | ‘The fantastic 4 is the most disappointing superheroes saga in the history of cinema. And the first criticisms are not optimistic

“An anticyclone arrives in Spain” is usually good news. On this occasion it is an advance of the coming hell: the 40ºC

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The Dana that during the last days has downloaded important rainfall in the north and east of the Peninsula has gone down in history. After the brief thermal relief that this depression brought, meteorologists have their eyes on the situation of the atmosphere for the new week. The 40º appear again. And what indicates the situation of the atmosphere is a new turn towards extreme temperatures: again It is expected that the thermometers exceed in some areas the imaginary barrier of the 40º Celsius. With extreme heat, in addition, the “equatorial nights” could return. Shield against the storms. After the passage of a Dana through the north and east of the Peninsula, the anticyclonic time will become strong over our territory for most of this week. An anticyclone will keep a stormy train at the next few days, diverting them towards higher latitudes. The anticyclonic time will allow heat to accumulate again thanks to a high insolation and new warm air incursions from Africa. Again, heat. The forecasts From the State Meteorology Agency (Aemet) they point out that tomorrow, Tuesday 15, temperatures will exceed 35º in the south with areas of the Guadalquivir Valley being able to exceed 40º. On Wednesday 16 the situation will be aggravated, with the thermometers exceeding 38º in much of the southern half and with areas of the Guadalquivir Valley again above 40º. Tropical nights. Aemet also warns that minimal temperatures will also rise during these days, first in the southern half of the Atlantic aspect and from Wednesday in more extensive areas. According to these forecaststhe thermometers will not lower the 20-22 degrees in large areas of the southern peninsular half, and it is expected that during Thursday these minimums do not fall from the 25º in areas of the Guadalquivir. That is, some areas will return to the so -called “equatorial nights.” To the third, the defeated. The situation could be attenuated towards the end of the week. The models indicate that the anticyclone responsible for the heat that awaits us will gradually move to the east. Thus, the third of the storms that will circulate during this week will not be fully blocked by the anticyclone and could affect the north and east of the Peninsula from Friday. In Xataka | The hydrological bonanza could not be eternal: drought is a real threat after an extremely warm, and also dry June Image | ECMWF

After years of debacle, South Korea has managed to rebound his birth. Now it’s time to find out how the hell has done it

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Demographic statistics is nothing more than that: Demographic Statistics. Pure and hard mathematics, with objective and reading data. For years, however, their chronicles in South Korea transmit a dire air, as of announced death. And it’s normal. The country has seen how its birth rate descended to such low dimensions that in 2024 the country had to declare itself in “demographic emergency” and assume officially that it is a “society Super aging“ Now that seems to be changing little by little, which raises two questions: Has Korea achieved out of the demographic hole in which it has been immersed for years? And if so, how? They are key issues for Seoul, but also for other neighboring countries with birth problems, such as China either Japan. What happened? That against all forecast, South Korea Start to get used to to their demographic statistics arrive accompanied by positive signs. That does not mean that they are good at all, the country has managed to stop its demographic bleeding or its fertility rate stands above “Replacement level”; But they are favorable news after all. And that did not happen for a long time. A figure: 20,717. The latest data published by Statistics Korea show that in April they were born in the country 20,717 babies8.7% more than 19,059 counted during the same month of 2024. The data is interesting because it leaves several positive readings. The first is that three years ago the number of monthly lights remained below the 20,000 barrier. The second is that this 8.7% growth shows the highest year -on -year increase in the last three and a half decades. You have to go back to 1991 to find another similar percentage. More babies, more weddings. There are not only more babies. There are also more couples giving the ‘yes I want’. The data Statistics Korea show that in April 18,921 marriages in the country were formalized, which leaves an interannual increase of 4.9%. The data invites optimism for another reason: it is the thirteenth consecutive month in which this indicator is green. It may seem a minor issue, but in the South Korean society couple and birth They go hand in. There are studies that calculate that less than 5% From babies they are born out of marriage. Coincidence or trend? That is the question that surveys the birth data of Korea. Especially since the last years have been marked by the shadow of the pandemic, which modes to take many couples to postpone their wedding plans or even the decision to become parents. In his favor the country has to They are not the first in positive. Seoul already said goodbye to 2024 with a positive birth rate (the number of births 3.6% increased), something that had not happened for a decade. Looking for the causes. At this point, the question is obvious: beyond the influence of the pandemic, is there any factor that explains the rebound in birth in the country? The question is interesting for South Korea, but also for other nations that have been dealing with demographic challenges, such as Japan, China, Russia or many European nations, including Spainwhich in recent years has gained population thanks basically to foreigners. “The increase in births seems to be influenced by the increase in marriages since last year, the growth of the population of women between 30 and 39 years and various birth promotion policies by central and local governments,” Clarify Statistics Korea to the Yonhap News agency. In summary, after the birth rebound in Korea there would be three major factors: more weddings, the effect of the ‘Probebé’ policies and that in the country there are more women in the first section of the thirties. A concept: echo boombe. At least part of the demographic change would therefore be explained thanks to demography itself. And the key is in a certain group of the cohort of the echo boomers. The Guardian remember That the population born between 1991 and 1995 begins to reach the “ideal” age to marry and have children and that group has grown sensitively. If in 2020 there were about 1.51 million women between 30 and 34 years old, now there are already 1.65 million. To its possible effect, the wide range of policies that for years have deployed the South Korean authorities (both regional and state) to encourage the formation of couples and birth rate are added. And that includes from the delivery of generous ‘Baby checks’ to the application of Fiscal incentives, parental permitsinitiatives for Improve food of mothers or even appointment programs (with prize included) to form new couples. Well but not perfect. The latest data from Statistics Korea are good, but they are far from being perfect and of course they do not allow South Korea to launch the bells on the flight. On the contrary. Although birth is emerging, the country’s fertility rate remains at 0.79far from the replacement level that the country needs to keep its population stable without depending on immigration. In addition, although the number of births with respect to 2024 has increased, they remain clearly insufficient to stop the fall of the national census. The reason? Babies are born, but in the increasingly aging Korean society there are also more deaths. The deaths grew 0.8% year -on -year in April until adding 28,785. Images | Nathan Q (UNSPLASH) and Tommao Wang (UNSPLASH) In Xataka | Throughout Europe, birth rate collapses as soon as women begin to earn more money. Except in Sweden

Fly has become hell, so someone has decided to resurrect the synonym of “luxury” in the planes: bread am

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PAN American Airways Incorporated. Bread amin the screen printing of airplanes. Who was at Lisbon airport on June 19 had to think for a moment he had traveled in time. That without realizing it, the police control was actually a worm hole that had sent it directly to the 60s. Then, he would take advantage of his mobile phone and realize that, indeed, nothing had changed. It was still on June 19, 2025. But something strange happened. Why did an plane that had stopped manufactured 20 years ago? And, above all, why did the lyrics of a broken company in 1991 have been scheduled? Elon Musk vs Jeff Bezos: The Galaxies War Remember what luxury was Indeed, aeronautics fans would be stunned last week when An AM PAN plane He landed on the Portuguese airport track. Not only that will travel through Europe before returning to New York on June 28, where it was coming last week. If you want to get a ticket you may be late. Late to buy it and afternoon, most likely, to gather the almost 65,000 euros that the trip costs. Because the trip aboard the Boeing 757 that revives the PAN AM trip is organized by BARTELINGSspecialized in private trips by plane, and Travel criteriontravel specialists designed for experts in a specific sector. Together have created Beyond Capricorn to recreate in the 21st century the trips of decades ago. Lisbon is part of the First itinerary Organized by these companies. With departure in New York and Stop in Bermudas, the PAN AM plane will be seen in Lisbon, Marseille, London, Shannon/Foynes (Ireland) and return to New York. The price of this trip has been $ 65,500 for those who have traveled alone and 59,950 dollars for those who have reserved two tickets. Prices shoot for this Second Tourwith departure in San Francisco and stops in Tokyo, Siem Reap, Singapore, Darwin, Sidney, Auckland, Fiji and back to San Francisco. In this case we talk about $ 94,495 departure (reserving two tickets) and 103,995 dollars for those who travel alone. Good, Old Times. (Commons) And what is offered? Well, in addition to infarction hotels And guided tours of the cities, the experience of flying as it was flying more than a decade ago. That is, absolute dedication by the company’s staff, haute cuisine food on board and a plane that has been reconfigured inside so that the 50 passengers feel the comforts of the class Business. Of course, all the details of how he was traveling have been recreated. The interior of the plane seems to be taken from a time tunnel and all the people wears the experience in which these companies are inspired to recreate the luxury trips of more than half a century ago. Routes recreate Flying Boatsluxury cruises that the wealthiest customers maintained for weeks circling the world. In Xataka | Vigo airport has released a novel and digital control tower. There is only one problem: complaints about security

WhatsApp now summarizes your messages not read. The question is how the hell does it without reading your messages

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WhatsApp has released Its function of summarizing messages thanks to AI To avoid the classic case of neglecting the mobile for a while and finding 400 messages in a group that throws smoke. This needs an explanation regarding privacy, since WhatsApp has been presuming end -to -end encryption for years, which clashes a priori with which an AI can read those messages to summarize them. Why is it important. Goal has achieved something that seemed impossible: creating an AI that processes the content of your messages without anyone, not even the goal itself, can read them. The new function, available in the United States in the absence of global deployment, allows Goal AI Generate summaries of group conversations not read keeping point -to -point encryption. It is as if they had invented an employee with amnesia who can do his job but immediately forget what he has seen. The context. Technological ones live in the permanent dilemma between offering usefulness without destroying privacy, especially in the AI ​​era. WhatsApp promised encryptionbut that prevented any intelligent function. Goal has found a third way. What does happen: Your mobile figure messages with a password that only knows a virtual armored machine on target servers. The AI ​​processes the content within a sealed environment, generates the summary and deletes it instantly. If someone tries to spy from outside, the virtual machine “breaks” and stops working. What does not happen. Meta cannot access your original messages or store them. Meta employees cannot read the content processed by AI. Abstracts are not used for advertising purposes or linked to your identity. In detail. Goal has developed a technology called “Private Processing” –He explained it in his blog two months agobefore this announcement – that works as a digital panic room. The system uses special hardware that creates sealed compartments on its servers. Your mobile verifies that you are talking to the correct virtual machine before sending data. Your IP address is hidden through relays of third parties, and the system knows that you are a legitimate user, but not “who you are” specifically. The result: a “summarize in private” button that gives you the key points without reading everything. Yes, but. This technology raises risks that Meta is not admitting publicly. Trust is fragile because the company has a scandal history, from Cambridge Analytica even mass leaks through Open private messaging to companies without consent. What happens if a government forces to modify the system? There is also the idea of ​​the frog in a boiling water saucepan. Today they are armored optional summaries. Tomorrow will they be automatic suggestions, real -time translations or advertising based on “anonymous” content? The panoramic. This, in the case of a product as massive as WhatsApp, will mark the standard for private AI. Apple already has something similar with Private Cloud Compute. Signal, Telegram and Discord presumably will implement equivalent versions. Google will have to answer, although its business model based on collecting data makes this more complicated approach. WhatsApp precisely premiered advertising recently, but for now goes by. In Xataka | Goal AI in WhatsApp: 17 functions and tricks of the blue circle with the artificial intelligence chat Outstanding image | Goal

Years ago Lisbon set out to be a tourist capital. Now it has become the greatest tourist hell in Europe

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Lisbon is the mecca of the cream cakesfado, sardines and tiles, but if we talk about real estate market it is undoubtedly the city of change. Little (or nothing) has to do with today’s Lisbon with that of two decades ago, the prior to the financial crisis. The Portuguese capital has managed to sneak into the international investment map and establish itself as Tourist destinationbut it hasn’t left him for free. On the way it has become the city More “uninquerable” from Europe, with a real estate market more focused on Expats or tourists than in their neighbors. The former buy houses to use them as second residences Or in search of high profitability while the latter, the Lisbon, have seen how housing became so careful that many have renounced the perspective of renting whole floors and are content with rooms. Lisbon, “Insequible” city. The Lisbon real estate market fit several adjectives: it is dynamic, attractive For investors and with upward valuesbut there is another peculiarity in which it stands out about the rest of European metropolis: the Insequibility. According to Numbeopresents the ‘worst’ relationship between the average price of housing and available family income. At least from the perspective of the native population interested in buying a house. The platform assigns to the Portuguese capital An index of 21.1, above other large (and faces) European metropolis, such as London(18,6), Paris (16,9), Munich (15), Vienna(14,9) o Barcelona(12.5). Madrid occupies for example the 53rd position of The tablewith a result of 11.6 points. Prices and income. It is not so much that housing is More expensive in Lisbon that in those other cities as of their relationship with income in a country where minimum wage It is maintained low (despite Your progressive ascent) and the half -gross salary was around 2024 1,600 euros/ month. “In a country where 60% of taxpayers earn less than 1,000 euros per month, finding a rent below that price in the capital is only possible if you are willing to live in 20 m2 or less,” warns Agustín Cocola-Gantresearcher at the University of Lisbon, in a tribune of The Guardianin which it analyzes the challenges of the city. A percentage: 176%. Number data is not the only ones that reflect the change that the Lisbon real estate market has experienced during the last decade. Some calculations show that housing was more than 176% in a matter of a decade, between 2014 and 2024, a percentage that would be even more pronounced in the historic center. According to idealistIn 2015 the M2 in the sale market cost 2,206 euros. Today it would exceed 5,700. In the case of rent it passed From € 8.4/m2 to € 22.4/m2 During the same period. And the forecasts managed by the sector show that these values ​​will continue to climb. “It is expected that housing prices both in Lisbon and Porto will continue to grow in 2025, supported by an ongoing recovery after the previous market corrections,” Comment The Savills. “The market remains stable, with a constant growth that signs it a positive perspective for next year.” Although the Lisbon case is especially interesting, the price increase It expands to the whole of Portugal. Looking back. At this point the question is obvious … why is that increasing? How has Lisbon became the most unassumable city in terms of housing price? For cocola-grant The key is in the years after the financial crisis of 2008, when Portugal adopted a shock plan that, among other objectives, set out to make Lisbon a more appetizing destination for tourists and real estate investment. The formula to achieve this had little novelty, remember The expert of the University of Lisbon. The government flexible the rental market, turned to fiscal policy to attract investment funds and applied incentives to capture buyers who do not reside in Portugal, a formula that It has also been tested In Spain. In 2012, the country deployed its Golden Visa program in Portugal, which allowed him to accumulate an investment of thousands of millions of euros. Between tourists, nomads and Expats. The country not only set out to capture real estate investment. Another of its objectives was to claim as a destination to Digital nomadsstudents and travelers and tourists, both those interested in staying in hotels and in apartments through temporary rentals. The result was that thousands of homes The city began to be announced on Airbnb, displacing traditional tenants and Tensioning The market. The digital Mesagem of Lisbon remember that only between 2014 and 2018 the local accommodation (the short -term rentals) grew at a 100% annual rate in Lisbon, especially in certain areas, such as Mercy either Santa Maria Maior. “Dramatic levels”. Cocola-Gant Point out that in the Historic Center of Lisbon the airbnb rents have risen to “dramatic levels” and in the most tourist neighborhoods about 70% of the homes have a short -term rental license, a density that would exceed that of others cities hyperturistifiedsuch as London or Barcelona. Not just that. The hotel offer has shot, tripling since 2010 and with dozen new projects on the horizon. Hi, Gentrification. The researcher at the University of Lisbon Explain That, given the low interest rates and given the fiscal advantages offered by Portugal, investors were interested in Lisboeta real estate park. After all, the country offered them good conditions and houses that were revalued over time and were well received in the rental market. That investment allowed rehabilitating real estate, but had its ‘face B’: a Gentrification Until then almost unknown in much of the city. “Despite the improvements, the city center lost 25% of its population between 2011 and 2021”, Precise. According to their calculations, only 56.5% of the homes that were built or reformed throughout those years ended up becoming main residences. In other words: a good part of that work that allowed to rehabilitate the city resulted in homes that are empty today, are dedicated to temporary rental or are used as second residences. … Read more

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