immersive Archives - usatoday24

the new Acton IV and Stanmore IV promise a more immersive sound

July 10, 2026 by usatoday24

Marshall has just updated the two fundamental pillars of its home audio catalog. The new ones Acton IV and Stanmore IV They arrive on the market keeping intact that recognizable aesthetic inspired by classic guitar amplifiers, but introducing important acoustic improvements and technologies inside to adapt to current demands. Marshall Acton IV Bluetooth Speaker The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Stereo Speaker – Marshall Stanmore IV The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Optimized acoustics to be placed in any corner The great asset of this fourth generation lies in the redesign of its internal architecture. Marshall has improved the tweeters and the waveguides with the aim of projecting a noticeably wider and more defined sound scene, achieving a homogeneous dispersion of sound throughout the room. Added to this is a very intelligent change in the bass port design (bass-reflex). Airflow has been optimized to deliver cleaner low frequencies. In addition, the cable exit towards the bottom of the base has been modified. This small aesthetic and functional detail is key: it now allows you to place the speakers completely against the wall without affecting the bass performance or causing unpleasant rumble. To guarantee sound balance regardless of volume, both models incorporate the technology Dynamic Loudness. This system subtly adjusts the frequencies automatically so that the music does not lose body or warmth when we listen to low levels, and avoids distortions thanks to improved limiters when we decide to squeeze its power to the maximum. Auracast connectivity and nods to the analog world In the technical section, the great novelty is the integration of the Auracast technology. Thanks to it, it is possible to natively synchronize several Acton IV and Stanmore IV speakers throughout the house to create a multi-room audio system. Even the previous generation models (Acton III and Stanmore III) can add to this experience by Heddonthe brand’s new transmitter device and streaming hub. Despite its wireless aspect and its renewed control app, Marshall does not forget lovers of physical formats. In the back we find RCA analog inputs and a 3.5mm AUX portmaking them perfect companions for plugging in a turntable for a full analog experience in the living room. Sustainable and repairable design True to its identity, the top panels maintain the classic brass analog controls to manage volume, bass and treble intuitively. However, the brand has added a Fully customizable “M” button which allows you to activate quick functions such as Spotify Tap or switch between your favorite equalizations with a single touch. Finally, the firm wanted to take a step towards sustainability. The boxes are made from 100% FSC certified MDF wood and incorporate a percentage of recycled materials in their construction (13% in the Acton IV and 16% in the Stanmore IV). In addition, a modular structure oriented towards repairability has been designed, allowing easily replace wearing parts such as the legs, the physical controls or the front grille itself. Price and availability The new speakers are now available in the brand’s classic colors (Black and Cream) with the following official prices for the European market: Marshall Acton IV: 299 euros (equipped with a woofer 4″ and two tweeters). Marshall Acton IV Bluetooth Speaker The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Marshall Stanmore IV: 399 euros (equipped with a woofer 5″ and two tweeters). Stereo Speaker – Marshall Stanmore IV 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 | Marshall In Xataka | Best sound bars in quality price (2026). Which one to buy and seven recommended models from 99 euros In Xataka | Best wireless over-ear headphones. Which one to buy and five recommended models

Philips Hue renews its ecosystem with new immersive lamps for the TV and Matter-compatible bulbs

June 19, 2026 by usatoday24

If you have smart lights at homeI’m sure you’ve experienced this domestic drama: you set up the perfect lighting scene to watch a movie, someone enters the room, hits the physical switch on the wall, and unsets the ecosystem light bulb. Goodbye connectivity, goodbye automation and start over. However, the novelty that Philips Hue just launched aims to put an end to this. It is the new Mired Wall Switch Module (or hardwired wall switch module). Until now, previous versions of these modules worked with batteries, which required disassembling the mechanism from time to time to change them. Philips Hue Wall Switch Module The price could vary. We earn commission from these links But this is something that changes with this new module, since it is directly wired to the power supply. With it keeps the bulbs always powered and connected, regardless of whether someone turns off the light from the wall. When you press the physical switch, the system does not cut off the electricity to the bulb, but rather sends a digital command to turn it off or activate the last selected scene. Along with this novelty, the brand has also launched the switches Wired On/Off and Wired Dimmer. These components allow you to integrate traditional non-smart lamps into the Philips Hue app, thus allowing you to regulate their intensity or turn them on along with the rest of the smart bulbs in the house. More immersion for TV and support for Matter The rest of the renewal of the Philips Hue catalog is divided into two types of very interesting products: Philips Hue Play table and floor lamps– Offering ambient and entertainment lighting. They are specifically designed to be placed next to the TV or PC and synchronized with movies, music or video games (using the Hue Sync Box or its dedicated apps), projecting dynamic effects on the wall (in the purest style of the TVs with Ambilight) to improve immersion. Philips Hue Play Smart wallwasher The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Philips Hue Play Floor Lamp The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Latest generation candle bulbs: Classic decorative bulbs for table lamps or sconces receive a technical facelift. They now incorporate full-spectrum daylight technology (to mimic natural light from dawn to night) and, most importantly, gain native compatibility with matterthe standard that facilitates its integration with any digital home platform (Apple Homekit, Google Home or Alexa) without depending exclusively on its bridge. Philips Hue – Smart LED Bulb, B39 E14, pack of 2 The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Other Philips Hue products that may interest you Philips Hue Go LED Table Lamp The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Hue Essentials Home Kit: Hue Bridge + 4 E27 smart LED bulbs The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Note: some of the links posted here are affiliate links and may provide a profit. Images | Philips In Xataka | Home alone: buying guide for smart devices to take care of your home when you go on vacation In Xataka | Home automation buying guide for summer: 21 plugs, lighting, cameras, smart robots for the garden

Listen to the judge, weigh tests and send a verdict with the mobile. It is not a dystopia, but the latest in immersive theater

September 20, 2025 by usatoday24

There are people capable of anything in order to dodge the task of being part of a jury, because they do not want that responsibility in their conscience or because you do not feel like investing a considerable amount of their time in determining the fate of others. But … what if we condensate all the tedious process in a couple of thrilling hours? What if we did to have fun? Would we even pay for it? What’s up. ‘The Jury Experience ‘is an immersive play in which spectators become an active part of the show, analyzing testimonies, examining forensic tests and listening to allegations. Finally deliberate and offer a final verdict of guilty or innocent. The cases are accessible and not especially violent or disturbing, they are often inspired by real events. How it works. The development of ‘The Jury Experience’ is ambiguous enough so that there is no “correct” resolution. There are no conclusive evidence in development, there are no last -minute confessions. That is, the responsibility of awarding someone a conviction or an acquittal falls entirely in the public. According to the organizers From this interactive entertainment, “the proposal invites you to reflect on justice, personal responsibility and limits of perception and social judgment.” Where to see it. Currently, ‘The Jury Experience’ is turning all over Spainand has been seen in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla or Alicante, among others. At the time of writing these lines you can see it in Bilbao, but the work does not stop traveling. Moreover, it is already starting to operate as a franchise, and to raise different cases so that the most aware can repeat. If a crime was judged in autonomous cars and accidents with cyclists because of artificial intelligence, in the second we will judge a more classic intrigue, with a love triangle, a conflicting divorce and a crime in a mansion. Experiences from within. ‘The jury experience’ is not an isolated experiment. Currently, especially in capitals such as Madrid and Barcelona, immersive theater experiences abound. Although there are often those oriented to the whole family (such as those of Plot Point ‘Superdetective’ and ‘The fantastic legend of Calamburia’), there are others aimed at a more adult audience, such as the different versions of ‘Cluedo’ live, which already has several cases. There are even places especially dedicated to gender, such as 4DX Theater List Box In Madrid, where apart from the entire aforementioned ‘cluedo’ franchise, they have works such as ‘the memory of the psychiatric’. What the True Crime. There is an interesting hook in this phenomenon that allows the temperature of the tastes of the public: the Claim of “based on a real case” multiplies the morbid of the Devotos del True Crimethat they listen Podcasts And they see series inspired by authentic crimes often calibrating the possibilities they would have had to take the investigation by another route. Even in a highly fictional environment, such as ‘cluedo’, public participation allows it to transform it into a True Crime Without consequences. A new morbid fun, and also a perfect thermometer of where our leisure pulls. In Xataka | There are thousands of people hooked to True Crime documentaries on YouTube. The only problem is that they are generated by AI

Goodbye to the windows for passengers, hello to the immersive screens

June 9, 2025 by usatoday24

A fuselage that seems sculpted by the wind. Not a single cabin window. And a clear objective: revolutionize private aviation. He Phantom 3500 It is not a conventional plane And that shows from the first glance. Otto Aviation has been perfecting this design for years, first with the Celera 500L as a test bench, and now with a model that wants to go further. On paper, what it proposes is not less: a plane capable of radically overcoming other comparable executive jets. The technical key of the project is the Laminar flow. Otto proposes an approach based on perfectly profiled surfaces, designed so that the air moves better. This aerodynamic optimization seeks to reduce resistance and improve flight efficiency. According to the companyone of its great objectives is to reduce fuel consumption significantly comparable Jets. In combination with sustainable fuels (SAF), Otto aspires to achieve a much lower carbon footprint. No windows, but with digital views and very real ambitions The operational figures that OTTO handles point high. The Phantom 3500 aspires to an autonomy of up to 6,482 km, an 51,000 feet cruise altitude (15,544 m) and a sustained consumption of 435 liters per hour. This places it, on paper, below models such as Bombardier Challenger 350 or the CITATION Latitudewhose average values of consumption are around 1,135 liters. Part of the advantage is in its large surface wing and optimized profile, which improves support and allows to operate from shorter clues than usual. Inside, it also uncheck. The cabin completely dispenses with passenger windows. Instead, Otto implements a system called “Super Natural Vision”, Based on high -definition screens that show the outer environment in real time. The objective is not only of stimulant. The civil sphere is not the only one in which Otto wants to leave a mark. In previous materials, the company has suggested military applications, especially in logistics or deployment missions from remote tracks. He has also collaborated with Darpa agency in several projects. In parallel to technical development, the company works with FAA to obtain the certification of the plane. Paul Touw, CEO of Otto Aviation, recently declared Flightglobal That the first flight could occur in 2027, although the entry into service is not expected before 2030. To expedite the processes and contain the costs, Otto is integrating simulation tools developed by Galorath, which allow estimating technical and economic impacts before moving on to production. However, as we point out above, the Phantom 3500 is not part of zero. Is the direct evolution of Celera 500L, a platform that served as a technological demonstrator. The design has been deeply reformulated, but the base principle remains intact: maximize efficiency without giving up real benefits. If you get your goals, Otto will not only put a new type of plane in the air. It could inaugurate a whole new category in executive aviation. Images | Otto Aviation In Xataka | The old Low Cost airline dream to squeeze their passengers remains the same: vertical seats

Log In

Sign In

Forgot password?

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections