perfect

the wearable AI recorder that’s not for everyone, but it’s perfect for some

by

When I tried the Plaud Note ProI came to a conclusion that I did not expect: I was one of the very few gadgets of AI that justified being a device and not simply an application. The question I ask myself now, weeks after having the NotePin S on me, is whether its spiritual successor can say the same. The answer is not so clean. The NotePin S arrives as the wearable version of that same proposal. Same brain, different packaging. Instead of a card that lives glued to the iPhone by MagSafe, here you go a small 17 gram oval that you can pin to your lapel, hang around your neck, wear on your wrist or pin with a magnetic pin. Plaud presented it at this year’s CES with the promise that capturing what you say would never require taking out your phone again. When you first hold it in your hand, the thought is almost identical to the one I had with the Note Pro: how well finished this is. Solid materials, premium feel, that type of product that does not boast of being expensive but suggests it. The finish of the Plaud NotePin S. Image: Xataka. The box is also unusually neat for a startup: magnetic clip, pin, necklace cord, bracelet and charging base included from the beginning, something that with the original NotePin required a separate purchase. All this comes with the Plaud NotePin S box. Image: Xataka. Image: Xataka. The most relevant change compared to the previous model is small and huge at the same time: they have replaced the pressing gesture with a physical button. The original NotePin had a problem for some users, who were encountering recordings that had never started because the touch gesture had not responded well. The S solves this with a long press to record, a press to stop, and a short press during recording to mark a highlight (one of its best features). Simple. Works. I’ve spent a few weeks wearing it in different formats: The clip on the lapel is the most natural in face-to-face meetings. It is the image that crowns this article. The magnetic pin, the most elegant. The cord-necklace, the most comfortable for everyday use outside of formal contexts. The bracelet, on the other hand, is the option that convinces me the least: the material feels below the level of the rest of the kit, and in a world where almost everyone already wears a watch, adding another element on the wrist is not very practical. With the cord to hang it around your neck. Image: Xataka. With the bracelet adapter to wear it on the wrist, with a form factor similar to that of typical activity bracelets. Image: Xataka. Here in a slightly more inclined view… Image: Xataka. …and here on the side so that the thickness can be distinguished. Image: Xataka. What does work consistently is recording. The microphone picks up well up to about three meters, which is enough for most meetings. The transcription, processed in the app using models from OpenAI, Google or Anthropic of your choice, is accurate in Spanish without the type of errors that would cause you to lose confidence in the system. Automatic summaries, especially when you have marked highlights During the conversation, they are the most useful final product: what previously required rereading the entire transcript now appears organized and immediately actionable. There is a novelty in the ecosystem that deserves special attention: along with the hardware, Plaud has launched a desktop application for Mac and PC that records Zoom, Google Meet or Teams meetings in the background without adding any bot to the call. It is an important distinction because similar alternatives appear as visible participants in the meeting, which makes many interlocutors uncomfortable. Example of a recording made with the Plaud NotePin S seen in the Plaud interface. In the screenshot you can see the summary, much more extensive and structured than we could expect. More than a summary, it is a complete and detailed outline. Image: Xataka. A sample of some of the templates with which we can tell Plaud “how” to generate a transcription and the subsequent treatise. Very useful. Image: Xataka. And another example of a summary, in this case we can see how he makes the quotes in the language of the recording, English; but it offers us the entire summary in our native language, Spanish. Image: Xataka. The Plaud app does not appear anywhere, it records natively and is free for those who already have the hardware. For those of us who use the physical device and also usually have meetings by video call, the integration of both sources in the same hub It’s really comfortable. What is uncomfortable is the question that appears here. With the Note Pro, the hardware justification was clear: it freed you from your phone, it had four high-quality MEMS microphones, and the 30-hour battery let you record everything without worrying. The NotePin S has only a fraction of that claimed battery, and its three-meter effective capture radius puts a real limit on it in large rooms. Although in a high school classroom, where I recorded the image above, it responded perfectly. In everyday contexts, both are sufficient. In the most demanding contexts where the Note Pro especially shined, the NotePin S falters in comparison. What the NotePin S offers that the Note Pro can’t is that you can wear it, not just carry it around. And there is the basic question that must be answered before buying it: do I really need to wear my recorder, or is it enough for me to have it in my pocket or on the table? By separating its magnetic coupling, the charging connector is revealed. Image: Xataka. And so it is attached to the USB-C charging accessory. Image: Xataka. Here, separated from the clip that allows it to be put on the lapel. Image: Xataka. For a journalist doing interviews on the move, the … Read more

the wearable AI recorder that’s not for everyone, but it’s perfect for some

by

When I tried the Plaud Note ProI came to a conclusion that I did not expect: I was one of the very few gadgets of AI that justified being a device and not simply an application. The question I ask myself now, weeks after having the NotePin S on me, is whether its spiritual successor can say the same. The answer is not so clean. The NotePin S arrives as the wearable version of that same proposal. Same brain, different packaging. Instead of a card that lives glued to the iPhone by MagSafe, here you go a small 17 gram oval that you can pin to your lapel, hang around your neck, wear on your wrist or pin with a magnetic pin. Plaud presented it at this year’s CES with the promise that capturing what you say would never require taking out your phone again. When you first hold it in your hand, the thought is almost identical to the one I had with the Note Pro: how well finished this is. Solid materials, premium feel, that type of product that does not boast of being expensive but suggests it. The finish of the Plaud NotePin S. Image: Xataka. The box is also unusually neat for a startup: magnetic clip, pin, necklace cord, bracelet and charging base included from the beginning, something that with the original NotePin required a separate purchase. All this comes with the Plaud NotePin S box. Image: Xataka. Image: Xataka. The most relevant change compared to the previous model is small and huge at the same time: they have replaced the pressing gesture with a physical button. The original NotePin had a problem for some users, who were encountering recordings that had never started because the touch gesture had not responded well. The S solves this with a long press to record, a press to stop, and a short press during recording to mark a highlight (one of its best features). Simple. Works. I’ve spent a few weeks wearing it in different formats: The clip on the lapel is the most natural in face-to-face meetings. It is the image that crowns this article. The magnetic pin, the most elegant. The cord-necklace, the most comfortable for everyday use outside of formal contexts. The bracelet, on the other hand, is the option that convinces me the least: the material feels below the level of the rest of the kit, and in a world where almost everyone already wears a watch, adding another element on the wrist is not very practical. With the cord to hang it around your neck. Image: Xataka. With the bracelet adapter to wear it on the wrist, with a form factor similar to that of typical activity bracelets. Image: Xataka. Here in a slightly more inclined view… Image: Xataka. …and here on the side so that the thickness can be distinguished. Image: Xataka. What does work consistently is recording. The microphone picks up well up to about three meters, which is enough for most meetings. The transcription, processed in the app using models from OpenAI, Google or Anthropic of your choice, is accurate in Spanish without the type of errors that would cause you to lose confidence in the system. Automatic summaries, especially when you have marked highlights During the conversation, they are the most useful final product: what previously required rereading the entire transcript now appears organized and immediately actionable. There is a novelty in the ecosystem that deserves special attention: along with the hardware, Plaud has launched a desktop application for Mac and PC that records Zoom, Google Meet or Teams meetings in the background without adding any bot to the call. It is an important distinction because similar alternatives appear as visible participants in the meeting, which makes many interlocutors uncomfortable. Example of a recording made with the Plaud NotePin S seen in the Plaud interface. In the screenshot you can see the summary, much more extensive and structured than we could expect. More than a summary, it is a complete and detailed outline. Image: Xataka. A sample of some of the templates with which we can tell Plaud “how” to generate a transcription and the subsequent treatise. Very useful. Image: Xataka. And another example of a summary, in this case we can see how he makes the quotes in the language of the recording, English; but it offers us the entire summary in our native language, Spanish. Image: Xataka. The Plaud app does not appear anywhere, it records natively and is free for those who already have the hardware. For those of us who use the physical device and also usually have meetings by video call, the integration of both sources in the same hub It’s really comfortable. What is uncomfortable is the question that appears here. With the Note Pro, the hardware justification was clear: it freed you from your phone, it had four high-quality MEMS microphones, and the 30-hour battery let you record everything without worrying. The NotePin S has only a fraction of that claimed battery, and its three-meter effective capture radius puts a real limit on it in large rooms. Although in a high school classroom, where I recorded the image above, it responded perfectly. In everyday contexts, both are sufficient. In the most demanding contexts where the Note Pro especially shined, the NotePin S falters in comparison. What the NotePin S offers that the Note Pro can’t is that you can wear it, not just carry it around. And there is the basic question that must be answered before buying it: do I really need to wear my recorder, or is it enough for me to have it in my pocket or on the table? By separating its magnetic coupling, the charging connector is revealed. Image: Xataka. And so it is attached to the USB-C charging accessory. Image: Xataka. Here, separated from the clip that allows it to be put on the lapel. Image: Xataka. For a journalist doing interviews on the move, the … Read more

We look for the perfect locator for your keys, wallet or suitcase

by

For some time now, Apple’s AirTag has captured the attention of the most forgetful users, thus becoming an accessory for keys, wallets, bags or suitcases and always having them located. Over time, competitors have not stopped appearing. If you have been thinking about buying a device of this type for a while and don’t know which one to decide on, the time has come to analyze some of the best options that is on the market to make your choice easier. Technical sheet of all these locator models Xiaomi tag Apple Airtag 2 Motorcycle tag Tile by Life360 Matte samsung smart tag 2 Dimensions and weight 46.5 x 31 x 7.2mm 10 grams Diameter: 3.19cmThickness: 0.8cm 11.8 grams Diameter: 3.19 cm Thickness: 8 mm 7.5 grams 38x38x7mm 8.9 grams 28.8 x 52.4 x 8mm 13.75 grams TECHNOLOGY Bluetooth v5.4NFC (Apple Find My only) Bluetooth LEU2 chip (ultra wide band)NFC Ultra wide bandBluetooth Low Energy long range bluetooth Life360 Network Bluetooth 5.3 UWB SPEAKER Integrated piezoelectric buzzer Integrated 75 dB at 10 cm Integrated Integrated water resistance IP67 (30 min at 1 m depth) IP67 (30 min at 1 m depth) IP67 (30 min at 1 m depth) IP68 IP67 (30 min at 1 m depth) compatibility Google Android Find HubApple Find My Apple Find My Google Android Find Hub Google Android FindHubApple Find My Only Samsung Galaxy phones with Android 9 or higher autonomy Replaceable CR2032 battery(Shelf life: 1 year) Replaceable CR2032 battery(Shelf life: 1 year) Replaceable CR2032 battery(Shelf life: 1 year) Replaceable CR2032 battery(Shelf life: 1 year) Replaceable CR2032 battery (up to 700 days of autonomy in low consumption mode) price From 14.99 euros (1 unit) From 49.99 euros (pack of 4) From 27.99 euros (1 unit) From 99.99 euros (pack of 4) From 24.90 euros (1 unit) From 104.34 euros (pack of 4) From 24.26 euros (1 unit) From 80.36 euros (pack of 4) From 15 euros (1 unit) Which locator is best for you according to your case? With so many models of Bluetooth locators, you may feel lost, but we are going to try to simplify things a little to help you choose one or the other. Next, we are going to analyze which is the locator that best suits you according to the mobile phone you have and your needs and budget. One of the essential things when it comes to understanding these devices is that They use the network of nearby users to locate each other. The AirTag works because there are millions of iPhones passing nearby and the same goes for those compatible with Android’s Find My network. In Spain, it must be taken into account that there are more Android mobile users than iPhones, while Tile (which we will also analyze later) only works if users have the Tile app installed, so if you live in a lost town, it will not be of any use to you. Of course, all of them have in common that they feed themselves through a standard button cellwhich will cost you two euros to change it a year and you will forget to charge the device. In addition, they are IP67 certified, which means they will survive without problems if you drop your keys into a puddle or the toilet, for example. Apple AirTag, the king of precision and the perfect one for iPhone users He Apple AirTag2 It is the absolute reference for iPhone users. The pursuit of precision is taken to another level thanks to the new U2 chip, allowing you find objects almost 60 meters away with an arrow that guides you step by step. In addition, its integration with the Apple Watch and the accessories ecosystem (such as cases and keychains) is unattainable for the rest. The best thing about its chip is that it is very powerful and precise, allowing your phone to tell you that the object is “two meters to your right” with a centimeter precisionsomething that normal Bluetooth does not do. In addition, it is considered one of the best since there are many iPhones in the world (and also in Spain), which makes locating objects much easier. Faced with this precision, the AirTag has a but and that is that it sells you an incomplete product. The AirTag is a smooth disk, so if you want to hang it on the keysyou will have to spend between 15 and 40 euros on a keychain. Apple AirTag (2nd generation) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2: exclusive for Samsung users He Samsung SmartTag2 It is intended only for company mobile users. This makes it compete head-to-head with Apple since it also offers precision search (UWB), although it adds some extra functions, such as a physical button used to control home automation. A good example of this would be that, when you get home, you can configure that a double click on the keychain turns on the lights in the living room. In addition, you will not have to spend more on accessories, because it comes with a hole for can hang it directly on the keychainwhich is a benefit for your portfolio. Samsung – Samsung SmartTag 2 white. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Xiaomi Tag, the victory of quality-price and valid for any mobile Whether you have an Android mobile or an iPhone, the Xiaomi Tag It is the most economical and versatile alternative you will find. Of course, its design is somewhat larger, but You will not need an accessory to hang it on the keychain. It has arrived, without a doubt, to break the market, offering everything that a locator offers but at almost half the price. Of course, its weak point is precision. It doesn’t have ultra-wideband (UWB), so you’ll have to forget about the dates on the screen. With this model you will have to play “hot or cold” guided only by the beep, unlike Samsung, Apple or Motorola models. The … Read more

John Cazale’s impossibly perfect career

by

There was an actor who never starred in a mediocre movie because he simply didn’t have time for it. John Cazale died of cancer in 1978, at the age of 42, leaving behind a filmography of just five titles. All of them were nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture. An achievement incomparable to that of any other actor in the history of cinema. The perfect filmography. The scale. There’s a way to measure the quality of a film career that’s more telling than any box office or individual accolade: the percentage of an actor’s films that have been nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. Based on this criterion, the absolute winner is a semi-unknown actor: John Cazale participated in five feature films between 1972 and 1978. All five were nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture. Even more: three of them took home the statuette: ‘The Godfather’ (1972), ‘The Godfather. Part II’ (1974) – in which he played the unforgettable Fredo Corleone – and ‘The Hunter’ (1978). His entire filmography generated a total of forty Oscar nominations. And the culmination: all his feature films were selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress. 5 out of 5, 100% of his work, in the most important category of the most influential awards in the industry. Let’s compare. To understand: Meryl Streep, the actress with the most nominations in the history of the Oscars (21 nominations in total) has a filmography that exceeds ninety films in five decades of career. A dozen of his works have touched the category of Best Film, but the proportion with respect to his total filmography does not reach 15%. Jack Nicholson, with around eighty film credits, or Al Pacino, with more than sixty, present similar proportions. The greater the volume of work, the greater the exposure to relative failure: a mediocre director, a box office failure, a slight setback. Cazale didn’t have time to make a mistake. The momentum. Cazale entered the cinema at the height of New Hollywooda trend that transformed the American industry between the late sixties and mid-seventies: directors such as Francis Ford Coppola, Sidney Lumet and Michael Cimino broke with the model of the big studios and opted for darker stories, more ambiguous characters and character actors. Like Cazale: without the weight of fame, without the burden of stardom, available to embody weakness, betrayal and fear with ruthless effectiveness. Who was it? Born in 1935 in Revere, Massachusetts, John Cazale studied acting at Boston University with the help of a tutor who pushed his students towards the darkest aspects of each character. Before coming to the movies at the age of 36, he spent a decade in the New York off-Broadway theater, where he won several awards, and worked as a taxi driver and messenger, a job in which he met Al Pacino. a casting director recommended him to Coppola for ‘The Godfather’ and there he aroused glowing praise from colleagues like Pacino himself. He died shortly after turning forty, a victim of bone cancer. The case of the hunter. The admiration that Cazale aroused is perfectly summarized by what happened in ‘The Hunter’, a film that he filmed while he was sick. Michael Cimino hired him knowing the diagnosis, but Universal didn’t know, and when they found out they pushed for him to be replaced. What happened next is one of the most cited episodes of loyalty in Hollywood at the time. To start, De Niro paid the premium out of pocket of Cazale’s insurance because the production company could not cover it. Meryl Streep, then Cazale’s partner, threatened to walk out of filming if he was removed, and Cimino rearranged the production schedule to film all of his scenes first. ‘The Hunter’ was nominated for nine Oscars in 1979 and won five, including Best Picture, Best Director for Cimino and Best Supporting Actor for Christopher Walken. Cazale died nine months before the premiere. He was not able to see the film but his legacy, with an absolutely perfect filmography, will always endure. In Xataka | What would have happened to the 80s (and beyond) if Steven Spielberg had not been born

The EU has a perfect plan to suffocate Russia. The problem is that now it needs its oil to survive

by

In December 2025, we said goodbye to the year by telling Vladimir Putin a resounding da svidániya (До свида́ния). The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Commissioner for Energy, Dan Jørgensen, pompously announced a political agreement to end Russian gas imports (both by pipeline and liquefied) by 2027. The political message was crystal clear: Europe wanted to show that it was no longer dependent on Moscow. The blackmail was over. But in its eagerness to celebrate the blackout of Russian gas, Brussels forgot a small detail: Putin’s oil still runs through the veins of Eastern Europe. And the embargo, in reality, has lasted very little. Barely three months later, physical reality has imposed itself on diplomacy. Today we find ourselves with a brutal paradox: the same European Union that designed an unprecedented economic war architecture against Moscow, and that asked its citizens to make sacrifices in the name of collective security, is now pressuring invaded Ukraine to open the tap on Russian crude oil. Deep down in the Kremlin, Putin always knew that the laws of politics rarely win against dependence on infrastructure. The epicenter of this crisis has its own name: the Druzhba pipeline (Interestingly, “friendship” in Russian). As revealed by an exclusive from Financial Timesthe EU is pressuring kyiv to allow inspection and repair of this infrastructure that transports Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia. The problem lies in a Russian attack that occurred on January 27. As detailed ReutersUkrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed that a bombing severely damaged the sensors and internal equipment of the infrastructure. The story is expanded by the CEO of Naftogaz, Sergii Koretskyi, in statements to Financial Times: The attack caused a storage tank with 75,000 cubic meters of oil to catch fire, unleashing a fire the size of a football field that took 10 days to extinguish. Ukraine claims that repairing this in the middle of war is slow and dangerous. However, Hungary and Slovakia do not buy this version. According to EuronewsPrime Ministers Viktor Orbán and Robert Fico have created a joint investigative committee, demanding immediate access to the area. Orbán has gone further, accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of lying and orchestrating “state terrorism” and, together with Fico, demands that an independent investigation mission be deployed on the ground to verify the damage, something that kyiv refuses for security reasons in the middle of the war. The perfect storm in the Middle East Europe is not asking Ukraine for this favor on a whim, but out of pure survival. And to understand it you have to look to the Middle East. The recent coordinated attack by the US and Israel against Iran, which culminated in the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has unleashed chaos. The Iranian response has caused a blockage de facto of the Strait of Hormuz, 20% of the world’s daily oil supply passes through this maritime funnel. The impact has been devastating: hundreds of ships are paralyzed, insurance premiums have shot up by up to 50% and the daily cost of renting a supertanker has risen by 600%. This has destroyed European plans.As analyst Shanaka Anslem Perera emphasizesEuropean sanctions have collided head-on with thermodynamics, and thermodynamics has won. With the EU’s gas reserves at 30% in mid-February, Qatar’s LNG trapped after the Hormuz blockade and the alternatives of Norway, Algeria and the US at the limit of their capacity, Europe has been left without a plan B. “The EU does not return to Russian oil because it wants to, it returns because it has no other option,” says Perera. So, are we once again dependent on Russia? For some EU countries, dependency was never cut. According to The Moscow TimesHungary and Slovakia continued to enjoy legal exemptions from European sanctions and were almost 100% dependent on the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline, receiving some 150,000 barrels per day in January. The reason is purely economic, since Russian crude oil is between 13% and 20% cheaper. Although Croatia has offered its Adria pipeline (JANAF) to ship non-Russian oil to these countries, Euronews explains that Budapest resists. Orbán considers that it is not commercially viable, demands that Croatia allow the passage of sanctioned Russian oil and defends that its energy security cannot be an “ideological” issue. Curiously, while Europe suffers from its dependence, Russia observes the crisis of its allies from afar. According to an analysis of the cnnFollowing Khamenei’s death, the Kremlin has issued strong verbal condemnations but has refused to provide real military aid to Iran. Ukrainian military analysts note that Russia even refused to “blind” Israeli radars using its bases in Syria. Moscow, bogged down in Ukraine, does not have the resources to open new fronts, demonstrating that its alliances are more transactional than strategic. The pipeline crisis has mutated into lethal financial blackmail for kyiv. As noted Financial TimesHungary has vetoed the approval of an EU aid package for Ukraine worth €90 billion (scheduled for 2026-2027). Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó made it clear: there will be no money until oil flows through the Druzhba again. In Brussels, the European Commission is looking for shortcuts. Euronews points out that complex legal options are being consideredsuch as invoking Article 327 (which prevents countries excluded from an agreement from blocking the rest) or using the withholding of defense funds (the SAFE program) to pressure Orbán, who is in the midst of an election campaign. In the midst of the crossfire, diplomacy tries to survive. Deutsche Welle reports that Zelensky remains open to negotiating an end to the war with Russia. Although the talks were scheduled for March in Abu Dhabi, the instability in the Middle East due to Iranian missiles has led the Ukrainian leader to propose moving the dialogue table to Switzerland or Turkey. The great silent winner and European weakness While the West hyperventilates, calm reigns in Asia. China foresaw this scenario and he has been shielding himself for years. During 2025, $10 billion was spent … Read more

“He who postpones everything will not leave anything completed or perfect”

by

Yeah Hugo Gernsback Had it not been born, it is likely that what we know today as “science fiction literature” would be something different, less exciting and certainly less popular. After all, he forms, together with HG Wells and Jules Verne, the shortlist of “parents” of the genus. Despite this role, his relevance as a publisher, businessman and even inventor, Hugo is often remembered for one of his most delirious creations: ‘The Isolator’, a futuristic cucumber-shaped anti-procrastination helmet. Your goal, repel distractions. If Gernsback had read Democritus he could have saved it. In a place in Abdera… Classical antiquity was an era rich in talented thinkers, but few have been as prescient as Democritusa polymath born (it is believed) in Abdera around 460 BC Throughout his long life Democritus traveled, studied various disciplines and above all developed one of the theories of his teacher Leucippus that fascinates us most today: atomism. 1,400 years before John Dalton was born, its defenders maintained that the cosmos was made up of indestructible particles that combine in a vacuum, atoms. Throughout his life Democritus reflected on ethics, mathematics and art. His encyclopedic erudition has made him one of those thinkers to whom (with greater or lesser reliability) countless proverbial quotes. Some are ambiguous and open to various interpretations. Others, like the one he supposedly dedicated to procrastination, are forceful… and almost prophetic. Ear pull. The phrase in question sounds almost like a slap on the wrist, but in reality it is not surprising for that reason. It does so because it is valid in full 2026. Perhaps Democritus pronounced it more than 2,300 years ago in the forum of some cop Greek, but it could perfectly come from the lips of a coach determined to motivate his followers: “He who postpones everything will leave nothing finished or perfect.” In other words, be careful with procrastinating because, although at first it may be a relief, in the end it will make you feel frustrated. The approach fits well with the way of thinking of Democritus, who encouraged seeking the euthymiaa term that comes from the Greek ‘eu’ (good) and ‘thynos’ (mood) and that basically advocates a balanced state of mind. It is difficult to experience harmony, stability and calm if tasks drag on that are never completed. What’s more, for Democritus the smart It is not aspiring to a fickle and thoughtless pleasure, but to a calm spirit. Current yes, new no. In reality Democritus was not the only (or first) philosopher of classical antiquity who reflected on what we know today as “procrastinate”. Long before him it is said that the poet already did it Hesiod and one of the most influential intellectuals of the Roman Empire, the statist and philosopher, also spoke on the subject in a certain way. Marcus Aurelius. “Do not be negligent in your actions, nor muddle in your conversations, nor wander aimlessly in your imaginations, nor, in short, constrict your soul or become dispersed, nor in the course of life be overly busy,” it reads. Meditations. His words (like those of Seneca) are interesting because they reveal that the temptation to ‘waste time’ and postpone tasks has been troubling man for millennia. Why is it important? That a philosopher born almost 2,500 years ago would worry about procrastination (albeit with different words) is curious, but if Democritus’ words resonate strongly so many centuries later, it is because of something else: their astonishing clarity. First because they focus on a problem that (we now know) is almost inherent to humans. Second, because as the wise man from Abdera already sensed, postponing tasks can be a destructive habit that ends up weighing down our spirits and making it difficult for us to achieve the valuable euthymia. A percentage: 20%. Joseph Ferrari, professor of psychology, warned a few years ago in an interview published by the American Psychological Association about the extent to which we are prone to postpone tasks that (for one reason or another) we do not want to face. “One of my favorite sayings is ‘We all procrastinate, but not everyone is a procrastinator.’ We all put off tasks, but my research has found that 20% of people in the US are chronic procrastinators. They put off tasks, they make procrastination their way of life.” To understand its scope, Ferrari remembers that this 20% is “a greater number than that of people diagnosed with clinical depression or phobias” and warns of its implications. It’s one thing to postpone tasks punctually and another to “chronically procrastinate.” Whoever is in that last category, he warns, is no longer dealing with a time management problem, but with “a maladaptive lifestyle.” “Irrational circle”. The issue would not be relevant if it were only a matter of laziness, something that prevents us from being more productive. The problem, remember Charlotte Lieberman in The New York Timesis that it also “makes us feel bad” and involves knowingly making an incorrect decision. “People get caught in this irrational cycle of procrastination due to an inability to improve negative moods around a task,” matches Fuschia Sirois, professor of psychology at the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom. There are even those who, like researcher Tim Pychyl, they think that procrastination is actually not a time management problem, but rather an “emotion regulation” problem. Different theories have been formulated regarding its reasons and effects. For example, there are those who relate it to “the immediate urgency of managing negative moods” and those who believe that procrastination “exacerbates” anguish and stress. “The temporary relief we feel is what really makes the cycle very vicious,” Lieberman warns us. Science to the rescue. What Democritus perhaps could not imagine in the 4th century BC is the extent to which our own organism sets traps for us. In recent years, science has asked itself on several occasions why we are so tempted to postpone annoying tasks and has obtained fascinating answers. For example, in 2018 a group of researchers published a study … Read more

Kia needed an electric Sportage on the market. The Kia EV5 is an (almost) perfect bet for the European family

by

Kia has been building one of the most interesting ranges of electric cars on the market for years. The EV family has managed to establish itself as one of the most attractive and risky options. From the Kia EV6 and its particular design to the most rational EV3 and the monstrous EV9. Now, the company has placed the EV5 on the market, one of the most rational proposals and necessary for your current offer. South Koreans needed a car that would perform the functions of the Kia Sportage, one of their best-selling models, with completely electric technology. And his proposal is as solvent as it is rational and attractive. Kia EV5 technical sheet New Kia EV5 Body type five-seater SUV Measurements and weight 4,610 meters long, 1,875 meters wide and 1,680 meters high. Wheelbase of 2,750 meters. 1800 kg weight. Trunk 566 liters with the sum of the front and rear trunk. Maximum power 160 kW (217 HP) and 295 Nm. WLTP consumption 16.9 kWh/100 km DGT environmental distinctive Zero emissions. Driving aids (ADAS) Mandatory by the European Union. Others Triple screen: 12.3-inch instrument panel 12.3-inch central screen 5-inch climate control screen Android Auto and Apple Car Play compatibility. Wireless mobile phone charging. Harman Kardon sound system as option. Electric hybrid. No. Plug-in hybrid. No. Electric Yeah. 81.4 kWh battery with 530 km of WLTP autonomy Versions with double motor (all-wheel drive) and a more powerful GT option will arrive. Price and release Now available With 81.4 kWh battery from 46,070 euros before aid (from 39,490 euros with discounts and aid) Why does an electric car have less autonomy than advertised? Balance is the word We could say explain the Kia EV5 with a football simile. The Kia EV5 is like a sober doorman. If you don’t like football, a goalkeeper sober He is the one who flees from eccentricities, the one who turns spectacular saves into simple saves. And a stop is just the final result of a very in-depth previous exercise, of strenuous training to be strong in the legs and extensive knowledge to position oneself in the right place at the right time. Whether the stop is complicated because it is attached to the lower corner of one of the posts or to give security to the team by taking the ball in a lateral center. Can an eccentric goalkeeper be good? Yes. And very good indeed. There are goalkeepers who earn their fame for stops that seem impossible, for having reflexes typical of the animal world. But it is no less true that many of these saves are only the result of having made a bad previous decision, of reaching the ball in a hurry for the simple fact of being worse positioned under the goal. Something like this happens with the Kia EV5. It is not a spectacular car in any sense. But almost everything is done grating at a very high level. It’s not eccentric, it’s not surprising. But it is a good electric car. A very interesting option if you are looking for a good family car as the only vehicle at home. And the Kia EV5 does not have the imprint and footprint of the EV9. Nor is it committed to that monolithic aspect of the EV3 that makes it so particular and that polarizes opinions about its design so much. This intermediate option seems like a kind of softened version of both cars without losing that muscular appearance, playing with straight and very pronounced edges. Its appearance, in fact, makes it appear larger. Its 4.61 meters seem to be more when you have it in front of you for the first time. We are, however, at figures very much to the taste of the European customer, who in this type of car largely opts for vehicles slightly larger than four and a half meters. With a wheelbase of 2.75 meters, the space for the rear seats is very good and maintains a trunk that, adding a front space in which little more than the charging cables can fit, reaches 566 liters. In the front area, it maintains the aesthetics and layout that has been accompanying the brand’s latest launches. The instrument panel and the central screen are embraced by the same frame, with a third digital space that unites both surfaces. All of this is supported on a kind of very clean horizontal desktop with touch buttons on the surface. On the steering wheel and the central area we have a multitude of physical buttons with some details that we liked. The instrument panel is displayed on a widely configurable 12.3-inch screen in its central area. In it we can find graphics of all kinds, from consumption to navigation or what the infotainment system is playing. Above the view we have a clear Head-Up Display with precise information for driving. The central screen, compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlayit is also 12.3 inches. Here, the possibilities are very wide and it has interesting solutions, such as a vertically sliding widget that supports the information displayed by the browser. However, I have two problems. The first is that it has so many shortcuts and so many functions to customize that it forces you to overcome a certain learning curve to be clear where each function is. I, who hadn’t gotten into a Kia for a while, had to spend some time finding, for example, the consumption data. My second problem is in the representation of the icons and shortcuts. The black background is useful to avoid confusing the driver but I think there is a lack of contrast in the icons. I, at least, have had some difficulty reading them clearly. I would have to test the car further to see if this can be fixed by, for example, increasing the screen brightness. Between both screens there is a third space in which the air conditioning is controlled. It seems like a good one to me. We have the basic … Read more

Mazda has a plug-in hybrid perfect for Europe. The problem is that for Europe it is electric and pays tariffs like an electric

by

If I had to define this story with one word, I would have no doubt: bizarre. To get an idea of ​​the mess, let’s go with a few strokes that we will break down little by little: Mazda has a Chinese electric car that actually has a combustion engine The European Union has lifted tariffs on Chinese electric cars and Mazda has to pay 30% for each one it imports into Europe The European Union does not impose tariffs on Chinese cars with combustion engines. This exception is being used by Chinese brands to gain market share in Europe. Mazda does have to pay tariffs for that electric car that, in reality, has a combustion engine even though the European Union does not impose additional tariffs on Chinese cars with combustion engines. Yes, my head is spinning too. Let’s try to explain it. The history of tariffs To explain a story, Manolito Gafotas was clear: let’s go to the beginning of time. In October 2024after months warning and after some negotiations with China, the European Union raised some additional tariffs to Chinese electric cars that were already paying 10% per car sold in Europe. These tariffs take into account the alleged state aid that China has given to each brand and the willingness of each brand to collaborate. That is, not all pay the same. These taxes were placed on all electric cars that came from China, regardless of the brand that imported them. This is key because all the European brands that bring their cars from China they also have to pay given that, except Teslano foreign brand manufactures its cars in China without being linked to a local automaker. Changan, which is the brand that concerns us here, has to pay 20% additional tariffs that are added to the 10% basic tariffs. That is, for each car sold in Europe, it has to pay an extra cost of 30% on its value. This Chinese company is associated with Mazda, who uses the base of its Deepal cars to bring the Mazda 6e and the next Mazda CX-6e. The first of them we have already been able to drive it in Xataka And, as we told you, it is a car that carries some of the inconveniences of its Chinese origin but whose main attraction is the price. This association It has allowed Mazda a very important step. The company is a small company so investments have to be very well directed and, seeing the embrace that the electric car is receiving in Europe, they have done the math and were not interested in paying for the full development of their own car. But, yes, they have to comply with European emissions standards if they do not want to be fined heavily. One option is to pay the fine. The second is reduce its emissions level below 93.6 gr/k of CO2almost a chimera for a brand where electrification is the exception. The third, and most likely, is to be part of a pool with companies like Tesla to buy their emissions credits. The Mazda 6e and the Mazda CX-6e is very good news for the company since it puts two electric cars on the market at a very low cost for them and a very high profit. For each electric unit sold, the reduction in emissions is substantial and even if they remain above the limit they will have to pay less for those emissions credits. An electric that is not (at all) electric But, in addition to these two aces, Mazda had a third ace up its sleeve. Your saloon Also sold in China as Extended Range Electric (EREV). That is, we are talking about an electric car with 200 kilometers of electric range supported by a combustion engine. In this case, a 1.5 four-cylinder engine that acts as an electrical generator. He extended range electric It is a solution that Mazda itself uses in a car of its own development, the MX-30 REVand it is the option that is proposed to be able to carry out a new sports car replacing the legendary MX-5. The EREV has the advantage of being able to travel hundreds of kilometers in completely electric mode with the appropriate battery and, if necessary, draw on the combustion engine. Mazda’s intention is to improve it in its entirely models with a rotary engine. Thus, the motor hardly takes up any space and adds very little weight to an assembly that will inevitably be weighed down by the weight of the battery, what is happening within the Japanese company itself. But are we talking about a plug-in hybrid? In practice, yes. The car uses the combustion engine as an electrical generator. Thus, it operates at the most efficient rpm in most situations, providing electricity to the battery and that electricity is sent to the electric motors, which are what actually drive the wheels. The advantage is that you have an electric car for everyday lifewith a safety net on long trips and, despite everything, the immediate torque and smoothness of an electric vehicle. The solution in fact, seems like one of the most logical options with the tightening of the European Union’s emissions conditions. And most Chinese plug-in hybrid cars already work this way on most occasions to lower their consumption. But at Mazda they send a message: It will be difficult to see this version in Europe. And there is a technical detail that differentiates a plug-in hybrid from an extended-range electric car. The European Union makes a distinction between the two that does not focus on whether or not it has a gasoline engine, it focuses on what energy propels the wheels. That is, the Mazda 6e EREV is considered electric because its combustion engine never drives the wheels, always works as a series hybrid. Many Chinese cars prioritize this way of working but they are considered plug-in hybrids because, very specifically, their technology does allow the combustion engine to directly … Read more

We’ve been believing oatmeal is the perfect breakfast for years, but science has a warning: there’s a limit

by

Over the past few years, oatmeal has been crowned the undisputed queen of healthy breakfasts. And you just have to look at the internet a little to see the porridge from Instagram wave cardiologists recommendation to think that we are facing a perfect food without any type of failure. However, everything can have fine print and oatmeal is one of them. Investigating. Even if you eat healthy, there are people who experience abdominal bloating, gas, or general digestive discomfort with oats. And it’s not that oats are bad, but there are chances that we are eating them wrong. This is something you have already researched. to Monash Universitya world leader in digestive health, by putting an exact figure on the table: 52 grams. This is something that also the nutritionist has put on the table Óscar Hurtado who points out that oats are healthy, but they have a very strict “tolerance curve” for some intestines. The reason. The problem with oats is found in the FODMAPs (oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and fermentable polyols). These are nothing more than short chain carbohydrates that the small intestine cannot absorb well, and that is why They continue their ‘journey’ to the large intestine where the bacteria found here rapidly ferment them. producing gas. But not only this, it can drag water causing diarrhea. And this is where Monash University comes in, which has measured the effect that these compounds have on our body. One of its main conclusions It is in that 52 grams of oats (which is half a cup) is the safe amount of fructans for most humans. If we go too far. In the case of passing the barrier of 60-70 grams, the fructan content in the intestine it triggers and begins to cause problems. Something that is of great interest to those who suffer from a digestive problem such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)since it would be going from an ‘anti-inflammatory’ breakfast to a trigger for abdominal distension and pain. More studies. This is not a warning from now, but has great support in science. An example is the Halmos pivotal trial that showed that a low-FODMAP diet reduces gastrointestinal symptoms. between 22% and 45% more than usual diets. This was because they reduced the amount of fructans, very present in oats, in the diet they ate. But in addition, a 2022 study also confirmed that portion control of this type of fermentable carbohydrates significantly improved life in patients with IBS. And it wasn’t about eliminating oats from the diet, but about keeping them in a “safe zone.” There is no need to demonize. With these studies, logically we do not have to reach this point with oats, since it has many benefits behind it. The Spanish Heart Foundation and multiple nutritional studies remind us why it rose to the breakfast throne in the first place. And it has the ability to give satiety, which helps with weight control, and also delays the absorption of carbohydrates to prevent insulin spikes that are really harmful to the body. Although it doesn’t stop there, since for people with high cholesterol its high amount of beta-glucans can reduce the “bad” cholesterol known as ‘bad cholesterol’ or LDL. Based on tolerance. The conclusion we can reach is that if you have an iron stomach and a good oatmeal breakfast does not affect it at all, you can continue taking it normally. But in the event that symptoms such as bloating or diarrhea begin to appear, it is better to start lowering the dose to see if this “perfect breakfast” begins to feel good again. In this way, we are left with its beneficial properties without the digestive discomfort that we can hate so much. Images | Dor Farber In Xataka | We have been relying on the Nutri-Score in stores for years. Science believes that its real impact is zero

There is a perfect time of year to ask for a raise: January to March

by

The first quarter of the year is strategic for companies since in those months the annual salary reviews are closed, taking advantage of the fact that the real results of the previous year are known and decisions are made. concrete adjustments in budgets for that year. For this reason, this first quarter offers a window of opportunity for negotiate salary increases because companies know exactly what budget they can allocate to these salary increases. Doing so during this period makes it more likely get a raise than in July or October, when that budget is already allocated. Increase season: January to March. The natural cycle of many organizations places January as the start of salary reviews, just after closing last year’s accounts, and those for the new year are being planned. As and as you remember Andrea Ramos, the expert in Human Resources and recruitment, in one of her latest videos, during that first quarter, those responsible for human resources and management have a fresh and precise vision of the margin available for increases, which means that your request arrives at a time when adjustments are already being distributed based on real data. A meeting at 11 in the morning. Attempting a negotiation outside this time range, such as in spring or autumn, is usually counterproductive because it does not fit into the company’s internal agenda and may be perceived as out of date. In fact, studies analyzed by the Oberta University of Catalonia not only recommend that the salary review be done in January, but they even refine by proposing a time to request it: 11 in the morning. According to María Naqui, collaborating professor of the Psychology and Educational Sciences Studies at the UOC, “11 in the morning is a good option because having high cortisol levels drives us to make decisions. Even so, asking for a salary increase is something personal and not all of us function in the same way.” That is, not only would you be in the appropriate window of opportunity to obtain the salary increase, but the person responsible for giving it to you will have a greater predisposition to do so. Everything adds up to put things in your favor when you have already decided overcome fear to ask for a salary increase. You have to prepare the meeting. In his video, Ramos highlights that before any talk about salaries it is necessary to add a context that reinforces that request. “Write down a list of measurable achievements from the last year,” the expert recommends. This step provides a base of objective evidence to not depend only on subjective perceptions, but on facts that anyone can verify in internal reports. Next, compare your official job description with the tasks what you really do in your daily life and value that difference between the tasks and their initial assignment and the impact on the company of what you are really doing. However, the most important point is investigate the salary band market for your exact position. That is to say, How much are other companies paying? in positions similar to yours. This will allow you to establish a new realistic range and enter the conversation with verifiable data in hand of your target salary and the minimum you would accept. Open petition. Something that Ramos especially highlights in his video is that, after present with objective data arguments that justify the salary increase, the approach to the issue should not be done with a formula that leaves the door open to a yes or no, but rather forces the personnel manager to offer a reasoning. “What would have to happen for that salary to be reviewed in the coming months,” suggested the hiring expert. With this open formula, the promotion is not considered as an immediate decision, but as the result of a process, forcing the person in charge to establish an assessment of your current position, conditioning it on goals and objectives. Not just to make a closed election. If you don’t get the raise immediately, you have already gotten the necessary steps on the table to get it later. In Xataka | Technology salaries in Spain do not depend on the skills of the employee. They depend on the type of company Image | Unsplash (Vitaly Gariev)

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.