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Correos is desperate to find the business that will save it from the red numbers. And that has led her to selling insurance

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There was a time (not so long ago) when Correos was basically an intermediary, a company you went to to send letters, postcards or packages. That’s how it grew. And thus he strengthened his brand for decades. The changes in demand and fierce competition in the logistics sector have, however, forced the public company to reinvent yourselfan endeavor in which he has been engaged for years without this having allowed him to abandon the red numbers that weigh down their accounts. What has altered is its relationship with users. The last (and most revealing) example is left the decision of Correos to market insurance taking advantage of its vast network of offices and postmen, which has already earned it the union reproach. What has happened? That Correos has led a curious movement in its efforts to diversify income and leave behind the red numbers. a few months ago reached an agreement with the company AXA to market its private insurance. The alliance was announced in spring, when it was applied in 32 offices with a view to expanding to more than 800 branches throughout the country over the months. At that time, the Post Office detailed which would initially be dedicated to distributing policies for vehicles, homes, health and life and death insurance, although without closing the doors to expanding that offering to “any product” from AXA. Why is it news now? The agreement It closed in February and Correos began to market AXA insurance in mayupon registration as exclusive agent. The initiative has now made headlines again for a reason that has more to do with form than substance, although it gives an idea of ​​the extent to which the public company is committed to diversifying its services. CCOO has denounced that the company is entrusting postmen in rural areas with the task of selling policies, “a function completely unrelated to their traditional delivery work.” “Instead of strengthening the public service and hiring more staff, the management is dedicated to improvising and diverting work towards commercial tasks that have nothing to do with Correos’ mission,” ditch CCOO, which warns from its office in Castilla y León: “The viability of the company cannot be reduced to the sale of insurance by rural postmen. Correos cannot become a network of street vendors. Its function is to communicate, connect territories and guarantee rights, not do business with private insurance.” Why is it important? Because of the context, which is as or even more important than the measure itself. Insurance is not the public company’s first bet to strengthen its accounts in a challenging context, marked by the collapse in postal demand and an increasingly disputed parcel sector, in which it has to compete with multinationals and is losing market share. It’s nothing new. Years ago the company already launched one of its bets more ambitious: Post Marketa space of its own e-commerce who aspired to become ‘Amazon Post Office’. The objective: to take advantage of the boom in online commerce with a differentiated commitment to mark distances from giants such as Amazon or eBay, a “market for local products in which national producers and artisans (…) come together with online buyers.” In the presentation of the platform, in 2020, in fact focused on those two concepts, “local” and “artisan”. Today in Post Market It can be found from food and drinks to beauty, home, toys, fashion and pharmacy items. Have there been more initiatives? Yes. A few. In an attempt to find its place again, the company has opted for prepaid cardsthe telephony and fiber or the marketing of O2 servicesfrom Telefónica. In recent years he has also experimented with such ambitious projects as Correos Cargoan air parcel transport service in the Latin America-Europe-Asia axis, and even studied launching to commercial rail transport with the help of Renfe. Why this effort? Because Corres is very big. A lot. And the scenario in which he has to deal has changed. A lot too. With more than 50,000 employees and 2,000 offices it is usually said which is the largest public company in Spain. And how recently recognized to elDiario its strategy director, José Miguel Moreno, the company has been faced with the delicate situation of reinventing itself or disappearing. “Society is transforming and postal operators either do it or die.” It’s not just theory. According to the data revealed a few months ago by ABCLast year, Correos recorded losses worth 95 million euros, a hole that widens the carryover in previous years and that even has taken its toll to the accounts of the State Industrial Participation Company, to which it is linked. And how to turn it around? The million dollar question. That is what Correos has sought in part with its Strategic Plan 2024-2028, validated a little over a year ago by SEPI and that aspires to “transform, recover and reposition” the company to “change its business model.” With this purpose, it aims to reinforce its weight in the postal sector, give a boost to parcel delivery and “increase and diversify income” through “new activities, such as financial services, administrative procedures, insurance marketing or logistics services.” If in 2023 the postal business represented around 66% of income of the public company, followed by 24% from parcel delivery and 10% from “diversification” (“new lines of business”), the idea for 2028 is to turn the tables by making these quotas represent (respectively) 49, 35 and 16%. The goal: “Reverse the losses to end the period with an Ebitda margin of 6%, a consolidated profit situation and a healthy financial position.” Are they all challenges? No. The scenario may be complicated, as demonstrated by the fact that Correos can’t quite find the key to gain market share or the challenges it has encountered in its commitment to insurance marketing, but the company still has two good assets. Both closely interconnected. The first is its geographic penetration and vast network of operators and offices. The second, its focus as a “provider of essential services.” … Read more

74,000 years ago, a volcanic eruption led humanity to the edge of extinction. We begin to understand how we survive

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74,000 years ago, in a remote lake north of Sumatra, a volcano erupted. But it wasn’t a normal volcano. According to archaeologist Jayde N. Hiniak“The Toba expelled 2,800 cubic kilometers of ash to the stratosphere, created a crater of 1,000 soccer fields” and caused a global winter. That could take our species to the edge of extinction: for more than half a century, many anthropologists are convinced that it was that eruption (one of the greatest known eruptions) that reduced the human population to about 10,000 fertile couples. It would be the most critical moment of Homo Sapiens since it arose. It is true that the theory is controversial and the debate around the real climate change that the Toba created is still very alive; However, no one doubts that what happened that day in Sumatra was a huge catastrophe. And that can be seen in archaeological remains. As Hiniak pointed out“Most archaeological sites show a history of resistance.” In areas such as South Africa or the lowlands of Ethiopia these climatic changes led to the adoption of technological innovations such as the development of arches and arrows. In much closer places (such as Indonesia, India or China), the population also suffered deep changes that allowed him to survive. All this can be known because the Toba left many geological samples distributed throughout the world. Studying the deposits before and after the ash of the volcano gives a lot of information on how these societies changed socio-technologically. The flexibility was key. Regardless of what Toba will cause (or not) drastic reduction Of the population, what is clear is that it allows us to draw conclusions about what was the fundamental feature that explains the survival of human communities: behavioral flexibility. Something that allows Image | Tetiana Grypachevska In Xataka | When Newton reached the fundamental laws of physics there was already a sign that said “Leonardo was here”

Spain has become the great European garden orchard of tropical fruits. And that has led him to a peculiar record: that of the mango

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Europe likes exotic fruits. A lot. And that is encouraging an increasingly juicy business. Only between 2018 and 2022 the value of imports grew almost 20%which connects with a trend that goes back to at least The last decade. Spain He has managed to position himself In that upward market thanks to its fields of avocados, custards, maneuver or mangoes, a fruit of the latter that is preparing to A record harvest which promises to duplicate last year thanks to a lucky mixture of droughts, spring rain and business commitment. The news, yes, comes accompanied by some challenges. The field reinvents. It is nothing new. Nor exclusive from Spain. As the weather changes, tastes, demand in markets and crop profitability, the fields also change. In recent years we have seen how fruits that until recently had a relatively discreet (or almost null) weight on the peninsula have gained little by little hectares: it occurred with The pistachio, The avocado, The kiwi, The papaya… And it is also happening with the handle. Although Its origins They are in Southeast Asia, it did not reach the Canary Islands until well into the 18th century and its commercial cultivation began in Spain relatively a short time, the hoses have been opening little by little passage in the fields of Spain. Its exploitation is very recent, it began towards the 1970s in the Canary Islands and 1980 in the southeast peninsular, but now it is estimated that it covers near 6,044 hectares In the country, with a very localized crop. Looking at Axarquía and Granada. To prosper the mango demands certain weather conditions, such as a warm climate, well drained soils and especially the absence of frost. Hence its cultivation has prospered especially in the Malaga region of the Axarquía and the Tropical Costa. According to the data handled by the Ministry of Agriculture, of the 1,180 ha Cultivated in Spain in 2007, 950 concentrated in Andalusia and 230 in the Canary Islands. Today that figure is considerably higher, although both regions remain as large producing foci. A few days ago The country He pointed out that the hoses are already extended by 4,600 ha of the axarchy, which makes this Malaga region European epicenter of the cultivation, and 500 ha of the Costa Tropical, which also includes the coastal coast. The Canary Islands have a surface similar to that of Granada, the Valencian Community is around 25 hectares and the Region of Murcia approaches at 17. The mango has not only gained ground. Its farmers are organized and have promoted associations and brands to gain visibility. The best examples are the Tropical Association either Tropswhich has just promoted a new advertising campaign to promote the consumption of national mango in Spain. The harvest harvest. The most palpable result of that expansion will be seen this same campaign, when farmers hope to reach A production record In Andalusia. A few days ago the sector spoke about 35,000 tonsan interesting figure for several reasons. First because, although it is far (far away) from the millions of tons harvested every year in India, China or Thailand, Heavyweights From the mango internationally, it is a historical brand for Spain. Second, because would double the records last year. The record fact is not explained only by the increase in hectares dedicated to mango. At stake, another or even more relevant factor enters: the weather. The current harvest has been favored by the spring rains of Malaga and Granada and the fact that the drought of recent years gave the handles a respite. “The trees are rested for the low years of a lot of drought. They have recovered and that has facilitated this explosion,” José María López points outof the Tropical Association. “In addition, we have learned to better handle irrigation and pruning.” Why is it important? For several reasons. The most obvious is that, if confirmed, the between 30,000 and 35,000 tons will be A record For Spanish producers. The data also confirms The referential role From Spain in European production of exotic fruits, which is an opportunity for farmers in the country. “European imports of tropical or exotic have tripled in value and duplicate in volume in the last 10 years,” Remember From the Association of Avocados Producers in The newspaper. Financial Food Point out that in a matter of a decade (between 2014 and 2024) Spanish exports shot around 75% in volume and about 174% in terms of value, which would place our country as the main producer and third supplier of tropical fruit of the European Union. That potential explains that plots that until not long ago were dedicated to oranges or manecs are now oriented towards new crops, such as avocado. The collective calculates that only in 2023 the surface dedicated to that fleshy fruit in Spain grew by 7% until adding 23,953 hectares. Avacateros today They have overcome The 24,000 ha barrier. And as is the case with mango, its production is very localized, especially in Andalusia, although in recent years the crop It has grown too In the Valencian Community. Opportunities … and challenges. The mango gains ground, Spain is positioned as European reference of exotic fruits and farmers have achieved that important part From its cultivation it is allocated to the national market, but that does not mean that the sector does not face challenges. There are, as the farmers themselves recalled in early September, when They regretted that good production forecasts are accompanied by something less attractive: downward prices. According to the union of small farmers and ranchers (UPA) at the beginning of the campaign in the Malaga Axarquía and the Costa Tropical, the kilo was being paid to between 70 and 80 centsfar from the average of 1.5 euros last year. Result? Despite the best harvest they predicted a fall of € 12,600/ha with respect to last year’s campaign. The collective explains that a handle between 400 and 800 g can be paid to one euro, but … Read more

Apple led the wearables worldwide. Now is third after two Chinese manufacturers

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Chinese manufacturers have achieved what seemed impossible: to dethrone Apple in a category that they did not invent, but they did define. He Apple Watch The physical standard to be followed by the rest has been and still largely, but it is no longer the first in market share after many moons being … and neither the second. After the stage in which Xiaomi advanced him in quota, now he has also done so The new huawei, which does not compete but creates its parallel reality After the sanctions that forced him to reinvent himself. He is going well. Why is it important. Huawei leads the global market of Wearable In the first quarter of 2025 with 10 million units sold, followed by Xiaomi with 8.7 million. Apple is relegated to third place with 7 million sales, according to data from IDC. The loss of leadership – from 1 to 2 and 2 to 3 – marks a turning point for a company that dominates this segment from The launch of Apple Watch in 2014. For years, Apple not only sold more smart watches, but also staying with most of the benefits of the sector. Now that last continues, but the unitary majority no longer has … … While it is true that this is not usually Apple’s game: as with mobile phones, prioritizes capillarity benefits. The context. The secret of Chinese success is based on a devastating price strategy. While the Apple Watch becomes more basic It costs about 250 euros, Xiaomi sells its Smart Band 10 For less than 50 euros and Huawei has models from 50 euros. This price difference is not accidental. Chinese manufacturers have opted to democratize technology Wearablecarrying basic health monitoring and fitness functions to population segments that would never be considered to spend 300 euros on a clock. In figures. Huawei controls 21.9% of the global body of body devices, rising from 17% of the previous year. Xiaomi reaches 19% compared to 14.7% of 2024. Apple stays at 15.5%, although it has grown since 12.5% ​​last year. The growth of the sector has been 10.5% year -on -year, with 45.6 million units sold worldwide in the first quarter. China represents 17.6 million of these sales, a spectacular growth of 37.6%. Yes, but. Apple maintains important advantages that sales figures do not reflect. Keep dominating in profitability, keeping most of the benefits of the sector despite selling fewer units. In addition, Apple Watch works exclusively with iPhone, which limits its potential market but guarantees a closed and very profitable ecosystem. Apple Watch users They are usually more likely to spend money In accessories and applications. After all, they are the same as they do from the iPhone. The threat. For Apple, this loss of quota represents more than a change of position. Chinese manufacturers have shown that they can offer 80% of the functionality for 20% of the price, an irresistible equation for many customers. The Chinese strategy is not limited to being cheap. Huawei has launched premium models like the Watch Ultimatewhich exceeds 1,000 euros, competing directly with Apple’s most expensive versions. Xiaomi, meanwhile, has reasonably improved design and benefits of its basic models. And now what. If Apple prioritizes recovering fee, you can try to compete in fee, risking your margin. But that is not Apple’s own. Its most common movement is to worry only about its own needle and whether the segment grows or not. If sales grow, it will hardly worry that other manufacturers sell more devices at a much lower price. If sales fall, their concerns will focus on what they can do to alleviate it. Including check where these sales go, if other manufacturers, to traditional watches or simply a longer update cycle. In Xataka | After almost a decade with the Apple Watch I have spent a Garmin. And I have understood what I was losing me Outstanding image | Daniel Romero in Unspash

A month after the blackout in Spain, we continue to drag the same problem that led us to him: electric networks

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The energy transition progresses strongly, but does so on a fragile base. According to the International Energy Agency, In your latest reportthis year 3.3 billion dollars in energy will be invested and only 12% will go to the networks. The imbalance is evident. And also worrying. A worrying imbalance. According to the IEAfor every dollar destined to produce electricity, just 40 cents are invested in transport networks. There are even more, the transformers can take up to four years to be available. To that is added a worrying increase. Since 2018, the prices of cables and transformers have doubled, making the expansion of infrastructure that support the system even more difficult and expensive. Is there a risk of blackout? The IEA has made it clear: “Entrepreneurship safety requires a rapid increase in networks.” A warning that resonates strongly on the Iberian Peninsula, which the report mentions as a case study after The April 2025 blackout. As for the blackout, and even without definitive official causes, everything indicates that it was not caused solely by the low inertia of the system, as initially suggested, but by a chain of chained technical failures. However, what this incident illustrates a structural problem: Investment in infrastructure and support technologies, such as MicroRedes either storage. Without a reinforced and prepared network to manage an increasingly complex electrical system, you can suffer interruptions. A bottleneck. There is even more, because a human capital challenge is added to investment problems. IEA has estimated that by 2030 there will be a deficit of 1.5 million workers qualified in electrical networks. This shortage affects key tasks such as the installation of transformers, digital systems or advanced control. In addition, planning and permits are slow processes. Networks require more than cables: they need intelligence, distributed control and resilience against failures. Are there solutions on the horizon? IEA has proposed Two clear lines: on the one hand, long -term network plans (minimum 10 years) such as those already applied India, Brazil or South Africa; And on the other, bet on digitalizationwhich already represents 25% of the global investment in electrical networks. The urgency of reinforcement. The final warning of the report does not leave interpretations: “Without action, the electrical networks will be the bottleneck of the energy transition” without a modern, robust and prepared network to manage variable clean energy, the green transition will not only be inefficient: it can become insecure. Renewable growth cannot be sustained on infrastructure of the twentieth century. So here a fairly clear question underlies: are we reinforcing our electrical networks with the same ambition with which we install renewables, or are we building on unstable terrain? Image | Miguel Á. Padriñán Xataka | In Elche a solar macroproject threatens a protected place. It is only the tip of the iceberg of a problem throughout Spain

China is the country where more cars are sold. And that is why it is filling with “used cars” that nobody has led

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The car market in China has exploded. Their companies register figures never seen, registration records work at full performance and their exports are marking records. There is only one problem: the figures are swollen. Record sales. In China, a total of 31.44 million cars. Of these, 12.89 million were represented by the “new energy” vehicles. That is, electric cars and plug -in hybrids. The growth of the latter was excessive (35.5% more than in 2023) but it is that the total figure also grew to add 4.5% more than the previous year. Is it a lot? A lot, no. Lot. To get an idea, usually In Spain Some more million vehicles for sale. During the crisis after 2008, sales fell until falling below 900,000 units, after a year in which 1.6 million cars were placed on the market. Since then, we have not exceeded 1.2 million vehicles bought. Compared to Europe, the figure collected by the continent pales. In our continent, 10.6 million cars were sold throughout 2024. That is, it is time to look at the world market. According to Acea74.6 million cars were sold last year. That is, more than 40% of the cars sold throughout the globe were recorded in China. To the world market! The figures are so impressive that, obviously, they put on the map the great Chinese manufacturers. At the moment, Toyota remains the great world manufacturer with 10.69 million cars registered in 2024, followed by Volkswagen in the distance, with 8.69 million vehicles. Hyundai and Kia, with 7.23 million cars in the streets, close the podium, according to Jato Dynamics data collected by Motor1.com. From here, we enter some figures that will leave us an interesting fight in 2025. Stellantis was the fourth world manufacturer, with 5.64 million units but between the fifth position of General Motors (4.69 million) and the seventh of ByD there are only 420,000 units. Geely also slipped among the 10 manufacturers that sold the most cars worldwide last year. And the trend is positive. So positive that of the 10 manufacturers that sold more cars in 2024, only three grew compared to the previous year. One is Ford but only sales increased by 1%. The others, of course, are the Chinese representatives. Geely improved his figures from the previous year by 20%. And Byd stretched up to a growth of 41%. The figure promises to be even higher in 2025, the year in which a Objective of 5.5 million cars. That would put her on the way to overcome Stellantis and place himself as The fifth or, in the best case, fourth producer World Cup. Tightening the accelerator. Byd is doing everything possible to get those figures to continue growing. To do this, his landing in Europe will continue. He Byd Dolphin Surf It is raised as a key vehicle to gain ground among low -price electric vehicles, its Byd Seal U DM-I (plug -in hybrid) is being a success and very soon will begin to produce in Hungary. For now, now has exceeded Tesla sales in Europe. And he is also doing it in China. Over there has launched an aggressive price war To continue keeping sales at high, put the rivals against the ropes and, above all, give out a stock of vehicles difficult to sell now that they promised that Your autonomous driving capabilities They would reach all their vehicles, regardless of the price. And all these cars? It is what the Chinese government seems to be saying to its manufacturers. Reuters It points exclusively that those responsible for the State have called a meeting to manufacturers. They are worried, according to the agency, what can happen if the number of automatures is faded. Thus, they have asked all companies responsibility but in Reuters They put the focus on Byd and Dongfeng Motors. Its dealers are selling as “used vehicles” cars that nobody has really used. Wei Jianjun, president of Great Wall Motor, assured in an interview with Sina Finance that there were between 3,000 and 4,000 dealers acting in this way. Km 0. That formula is what we know in Europe as “Kilometer cars 0”. They are cars that manufacturers enroll or force dealers to buy to keep the business with them. These cars count on records such as sales of new vehicles and, subsequently, in the sales count as used vehicles. The manufacturer can use this strategy for several reasons. The first is an answer to regulations. If activated, for example, the obligation to sell serial cars with A broad security equipment or one NEW EMISSION REGULATION And the company has them standing in a warehouse, it is better to enroll them and try to give them out as used vehicles. Another issue is that of dealers who may have minimal sales quotas against manufacturers. This leads to the obligation to get cars that has not managed to sell and give them out later. The advantage and disadvantage for the client is evident: a cheaper car but without the possibility of choosing anything of its equipment. A price war with direct consequences. Wei Jianjun, president of Great Wall Motors, came to ensure in the interview that the automobile sector was living His own “Evergrande”comparing the industry with the collapse that occurred in the real estate sector with the bankruptcy of this company. Without giving names, he said that some of China’s “main manufacturers” had rushed to improve their image and, with it, the market value. That same market value has fallen generalized since Byd opened a new price war with great discounts on more than 20 models offered. Investors fear that these discounts will destabilize an industry that is already especially competitive. Why is it a problem? But, above all, it is feared that the numbers are too swollen, that in the fever to grow as quickly as possible, they are playing in excess with automatrications and, therefore, a stock of vehicles is accumulated to which it is very difficult to give … Read more

The Eurovision voting system is broken. And that has led to becoming a propaganda tool

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Eurovision has attracted the eyes of the entire continent this weekend (the audiences in RTVE were stratospheric), although this year a series of lines that place the contest in an awkward position have been crossed. The participation of Israel, controversial from the first moment, and the overturning that the scores gave at the last moment have put on the table the idea of ​​the Use of the system for political propaganda purposes. And the fault is, in part, of the way of scoring. What happened. That a series of events took place that, separately, could not attract attention, but that added to an unusual edition, with cross accusations and, more than ever, a festival in which music has been relegated to an absolute background. Israel starts lazy → Israel received few points from the jurors of the countries. Only Azerbaijan gave him 12 points, which left him in the tail of the scores, with just 60. Robo in the scores → but with the points of the televoto there was a dramatic turn: he received 297 points of the public, with 12 points in 13 countries, including Spain. Many others gave him the 10 points of the second position. Israel led the classification until the last moment, when Austria received the points of the Televoto and surpassed it for just a dozen advantage. How to vote. The voting system goes beyond a mere “first the jury, then the public”, and carries with him A account of a certain complexity: The European Radiodifusion Union computes the votes of its spectators, collected by call, text message or internet. Each person can vote up to 20 times, but not by their own country. The spectators of non -participating countries (“Rest of the World”) group their votes and count as if they were one more country (which also allows to vote to countries like Israel). Next, a list of the most voted options in each country is prepared and the same points as the jury: 12, 10, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points, regardless of the number of people you have voted are awarded to the first 10. That is, it is not about how many total votes are those who remain above but simply that they are The most voted In each country. These points of the public are worth half of the total, which enables radical modifications in the jury’s decision, as has happened this year. Made the law, made the “trap”. That system explains that it is relatively simple to mobilize certain political positions to vote in one direction or another. David Saranga, acting director of the Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, admitted to the Ynet portal, as stressed See youthat his body intervened in previous years to promote the vote to Israel, achieving 12 points by the public. Influential profiles on social networksmatches of right and means opposed to government They served as a speaker for a positioning related to Israel that resulted in votes. Not so much televoto. The voting system It has evolved With the passage of time. Until 1997, the winner decided on national jurors, without direct participation of the public. Between 1997 and 2008, the televoto by telephone and SMS was the main system and the jury was only used as support. Since 2009, the current mixed system was established: 50% of the result comes from the televoto and 50% the professional jury. The intention was to avoid precisely situations such as those that have been seen in this edition, although they have led to mass votes in the opposite direction, as happened with the Victory of Ukraine in 2023. Spain protests. This propaganda work that, despite the statements of Saranga, has been camouflaged as spontaneous movements by high Israeli charges as Israel Minister of the Diaspora, Amichai Chikliit fits perfectly to Eurovision rules. That has not prevented RTVE from asked the European broadcasting union open a debate about “the appropriate” of the Televoto and if it is being manipulated by political interests. In addition, as announced by the public channel itself in its news, it will request an audit that specify and break down the voting of each country. TVE against Eurovision. This audit, of being held, will be the last confrontation of the public channel and the European broadcasting Union. Before that, last Thursday, in the presentation of the second semifinal, The presenters Julia Varela and Tony Aguilar said that “this year RTVE has asked Eurovision for a debate on Israel’s participation in the festival. The victims of Israeli attacks in Gaza already exceed 50,000, and among them, more than 15,000 boys and girls, according to the United Nations Organization.” Those words earned a warning to RTVE, who responded with a poster before issuing the contest positioning in favor of Palestine. Melody’s failure. It has been suggested that the low classification of Spanish representation could have to do with this conflict between RTVE and Eurovision. And that his position 24 is not something that we are precisely unusual in Spain: in the last twenty years, We have remained in positions below 15 times 16 times. This year the perspectives were better: the forecasts put it among the first 15. Not having an apparent explanation for the debacle, conspiracy theories were launched blaming these bad results to the pro-palestine position of the government and RTVE. It was then when He put on the table The idea of ​​manipulation in voting. Header | RTVE In Xataka | Film rooms are becoming “show rooms” of all kinds. The best example: Eurovision

At high-end assault with QD-OED and its best mini led technology

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Sony’s bet for 2025 is something atypical. And this year he will not renew its entire range of televisions; It will complement the most advanced models that it launched in 2024, among which the Bravia 9, 8 and 7with three new devices. As we are about to verify, the Bravia 8 II It seeks to replace the model with an organic panel last year, but Bravia 5 and 3 expand a line of proposals that in 2025 will be more ambitious than in 2024. Although we are about to investigate on the televisions that this Japanese company will place in the stores during the next weeks, it is worth not overlooking that we have very interesting clues about what will propose in 2026. And what will arrive is, neither more nor less, than its first televisions equipped with a RGB LED matrix. We have talked about this technology quite depth in The article we publish in mid -March, and excites us. After all, it promises to make a very important leap forward as an image. Sony Bravia 8 II, Bravia 5 and Bravia 3: Technical Specifications Bravia 8 II Bravia 5 Bravia 3 panel QD-OED 4K UHD, 10 Bits, 120 Hz and 16: 9 LCD VA 4K UHD, 10 Bits, 120 Hz and 16: 9 LCD IPS 4K UHD, 10 Bits, 60 Hz and 16: 9 resolution 3,840 x 2,160 points 3,840 x 2,160 points 3,840 x 2,160 points available sizes 55 and 65 inches 55, 65, 75, 85 and 98 inches 43, 50, 55, 65, 75 and 85 inches Retroilumination No Mini LED Direct LED HDR Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG processor XR Processor XR Processor X1 Processor Operating system Google TV Google TV Google TV sound Dolby Atmos DTS: x Dolby Atmos DTS: x Dolby Atmos DTS: x Main characteristics Triluminos Max, XR contrast Booster 25, XR Clear Image, XR OLED MOTION, ENVIRY OPTIMIZATION PRO 6, GAME MENU 2, PS REMOTE PLAY AND ECO DASHBOARD 2 Backlight Master Drive, XR contrast Booster 10, XR Clear Image, XR Triluminos Pro and XR Motion Clarity Triluminos Pro y 4k X-Reality Pro price Not available Not available Not available These three televisions reinforce the range Sony proposed in 2024 I propose that we start investigating the most ambitious television characteristics of those who have just presented this brand: the model Bravia 8 II. His heart is An organic matrix QD-OED of the latest generation with a 10-bit color depth and a 120 Hz native soda frequency. Sony buys their organic QD-Oled panels from Samsung, but the image processing algorithms are executed by the engineers of the Japanese brand themselves. The new bravia 8 II delivers a bright peak level 25% higher than the bravia a95l We have weight reasons to anticipate that this TV will highlight for its image quality. My partner Antonio Vallejo has seen it in actionand he liked it a lot. And I have thoroughly analyzed their predecessors, the models Bravia A95K and A95Land Its image quality is fabulous. An interesting note: According to Sony the new Bravia 8 II delivers a pico level of brightness 25% higher than the Bravia A95L. And nothing less than 50% higher than Bravia 8 of 2024. It does not paint but nothing wrong. In fact, a priori is a very serious candidate for better 2025 TV. We will see what happens finally. Sony Bravia 8 II. We are now with the following TV on the ranks, the Bravia 5 model. Its heart is an LCD matrix goes from 10 bits capable of working at a 120 Hz soda frequency. Nothing especially remarkable so far. However, your best asset is your backlight system. And it is committed to a mini led diode scheme derived from that used by Sony in the models Bravia 9 and 7. The Bravia 5 model is committed to a mini led diode scheme derived from that used by Sony in the Bravia 9 and 7 On the other hand, like all the TVs of the Prémium, high and middle ranges of this brand, you can deal with content Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLGbut not HDR10+. A pity. An interesting note: According to Sony the new Bravia 5 Multiply by five the independent local attenuation zones that it has The X90L model of 2023. Sony Bravia 5. Finally, Bravia 3 is the most modest of TVs by 2025 of Sony. He proposes an LCD IPS panel of 10 bit and 60 Hz, and does not have mini LED backlight; Bet on the much more humble direct LED scheme, so neither its contrast nor its level of detail in the shadow and high light regions will be as high as in the upper models. Of course, it maintains compatibility with content Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLGas well as the ability to process audio Dolby Atmos and DTS: x. Sony Bravia 3. During the next weeks Sony will confirm both when these televisions will arrive at Spanish stores and their price. In Xataka | China is devouring the televisions market. So much that Panasonic considers abandoning it In Xataka | The television market has been dominated for years by Korea and Japan. Now they have a new rival: China

An intriguing fashion is taking over the facial routine of thousands of women in Tiktok: LED masks

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Like everything in this life, LED’s infrared masks are present again In numerous videos. This viral phenomenon has been introduced as another gadget in the facial routine or in the Morning Sheds. The boom. These masks are being a trend in social networks, where many women are wearing and recommending. This device has joined as another step in the facial routine, but in many videos we can see how they are performing another task either They put it to sleep. In fact, there are numerous stars that have one, like Kourtney Kardashian, Victoria Beckham and Cillian Murphy. But do they really take effect? The product. The use of this Gadget It adds as another complement to facial routine. LED phototherapy, or photobiomodulation (PBM), uses soft low intensity light, within the visible spectrum (typically blue, red or almost infrared), to stimulate natural physiological processes. In fact, According to Vogue It was used by NASA to keep the skin of astronauts in good condition, since it helps improve blood circulation, collagen production and accelerates wound healing, in addition to reducing the signs of aging. But there are risks … As describe in Vogue magazinethe period of time to have this mask is a maximum of 10 minutes per session, once or twice a week. However, there are people who complement it within other routines, such as he Morning Shed. In other words, taking the mask more time from the indicated can cause an opposite effect as more wrinkles and aging. In addition, since it is an infrared light or thermal light it can cause redness, itching or even skin burns, as explained Dermatologist Keila Mitsunaga for eldiario.es. In fact, How they detail in Glamor magazinethe brands of this Gadget They indicate that neither pregnant ones nor people with skin or photosensitive problems can use it. For its part, some dermatologists They explain in National Geographic The importance of reviews and make a check before using this type of apparatus. In addition, they detail that it is important to opt for devices that emit at least 105 millivats per centimeter for red light, and a lower intensity for blue light. Finally, they warn about the products that offer “iris arches” of colored lights such as green, yellow or purple, since there is no evidence that they are effective for health. And are they very expensive? The price of masks varies greatly in terms of product specifications. The cheapest in the market are The Glo24K for € 186.47 and The genius light from Talika for € 345. From there it gigs a jump from € 345 to € 599 that can cost you The Currentbody mask. In this average price we find FAQ 201 for € 529 and The facelite for € 406.45. Finally, the most expensive in the market are The Mz Skin for € 855 and FAQ 202 for € 839. The phenomena of Tiktok. Like any other trend this has joined the obsession with extreme routines. However, as is the case with he FACE TAPING Night, excessive or inappropriate use of devices can be counterproductive. While LED masks offer benefits when used correctly, it is essential to follow the indications and consider their high cost. Therefore, before joining any fashion, it is key to inform yourself and ask yourself: do I really need it? Image | Tiktok and Instagram Xataka | A virtual hair advisor or a digital skin diagnosis: we tested L’Oreal’s latest innovations

We have convinced ourselves all these years that OLED was the most. Sony Sony with LED RGBs promise to change everything

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Although OLED technology has advanced considerably in the Smart TVS industry, with technologies as impressive as the latest generation of panels QD-OED of Samsung or the Primary RGB OLED of LG in its new line of televisions, there are manufacturers that are betting even more for the Miniladsince it offers benefits that, in combination with the innovation that is yet to come, could put in a good squeeze those pure blacks and colors of the OLED. Sony is one of those manufacturers. And it already made it very clear to us in 2024 with its commitment to Minned technology with its Bravia 9being the type of panel chosen for its most premium televisions range after that excellent A95L of 2023. Recently, we have seen that this movement still makes more sense, since they have just presented The new technology in which they will bet in 2026: RGB LED. This is how a minied panel could behave like an oled The company has just revealed that they are working to integrate this new type of technology into their future televisions. His intention is to incorporate An RGB LED matrix to backlit the panels of its televisions (Currently, the LEDs of the retroiluminated matrix are all blue). This, unlike the most leading minied panel panel system, means that, in addition to brightness control through local attenuation zones, it could also be reached control one’s color and luminosity of LEDs of the unit that backs the panel. Conventional LED backlight system by zones. Image: Sony This would translate into a better management and control of the brightness and color of each scene, which in broad strokes could Simulate the behavior of organic and self -emissive LEDs of the OLED, but with the advantage of the greatest brightness of the Minned panels. The system allows Sony to adjust the luminance in line to the gradation of the color itself The RGB retroiluminated panel (Red, Green, Blue) would offer high density backight with the ability to Individually control the three primary colorsas indicated from Sony. The company ensures that the panel allows each RGB color to emit light independently, promising great purity in color and the possibility of reproducing a range of broader and brighter colors. It is not the first time that Sony embarks on this technology. In fact, in 2004 he showed the first LCD TV in the world with Full Array LED RGB backlit. From that moment, the company has been following this system very closely, and now that current technology allows great brightness control through local attenuation zones, it was time to boost this technology again. RGB LED system, eliminating the quantum points layer and offering control of the color and brightness of each LED in the backlit matrix. Image: Sony Sony promises a coverage of the 99% DCI-P3 color space and approximately 90% in the ITU-R BT.2020 standard. Combining independent RGB LED control with the control of the attenuation zones of its televisions, Sony promises Scenes with much more contrast and colorin combination with the already excellent brightness offered by their panels, touching the 4,000 peak nits. Color volume of each technology. Image: Sony The system allows Sony to adjust the luminance in line to the gradation of the color itself. In this way, the company promises reach much more living and bright details. In addition, the system would process the signal at high speed, with rates of up to 96 bits. That LEDs allow us to reproduce primary colors means that The panel would not need aggressive color filters in pixels such as quantum points panels. This causes less light to be absorbed during the process, which allows the panel to work more efficiently. Sony will start producing them this year, but it is not the only Sony is collaborating with Mediatek for the development of chips that will be in charge of controlling each of the individual backlit leds. According to the company, The system will begin to produce in series this yearwith the aim of integrating technology into consumer televisions and screens for content creation in 2026. The company has not been the first to announce the arrival of this technology on its televisions. In fact, signatures like Samsung, Hisense and TCl have already been encouragedwith a view to seeing the first in the market to include this technology during the second half of 2025. For Sony, entering this technology makes a lot of sense in its strategy, as the company went from considering its QD-Osed model as its most premium range to the Bravia 9 with Minned technology and its performance very close to its reference monitor. The company, with its motto ‘Cinema Is Coming Home’, aims to give priority to color reproduction as masterful in recording studios, bringing that experience home. And the combination of its already excellent Minned technology, management of local attenuation zones, and now its backlit matrix with RGB LEDs, allows you to easily facilitate that task. Cover image | Sony In Xataka | Best televisions in quality price. Which to buy and seven recommended 4K 4K

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