Mercadona has been filled with gels and shampoos that mimic luxury products: the silent revolution of supermarkets

A light texture cream and minimalist container that could go through a Sephora launch, a Bombonera type bag that Remember Loewe or Jacquemusand a colony whose aroma evokes Carolina Herrera or Issey Miyake perfumes. All this coexists, at reduced prices, in the same place where fried and softening potatoes are sold: the supermarket. Between clonations or inspirations – not to open the legal melon – you can find global cosmetics and perfumery trends, including Korean skincareas well as viral accessories in a daily and massive context. A phenomenon that arouses passions on social networks and that, in Spain, has Mercadona as one of its main protagonists. Imitation as a strategy. According to Business InsiderMercadona, through its own Deliplus brand, accurately mimics makeup products and personal care of firms such as Mac, Benefit, L’Oréal or Urban Decay, with containers and textures that remind the original but at prices that rarely exceed six euros. Among the best known examples are the Maxi Volume mask (inspired by L’Oréal), the silicone base similar to Benefit or Illuminator and Coloretes that refer directly to The Balm and Nars. The formula works thanks to the massive distribution and indirect marketing that generate users and influencers by viralizing findings such as bath gel with amber and vetiver for 1.50 euros, described by the confidential as “a gel that smells of gods” and compared to high -end perfumes. In Xataka A feeling is growing in Europe and Canada: Boicote "National" The hole that leaves inaccessible luxury. This “corridor luxury” blooms at a time when traditional luxury has become more expensive until its clientele concentrated in the richest 1%. According to the avant -gardethe average price of luxury products has risen 25% since 2019, displacing the aspirational consumer that previously saved to buy a perfume or accessory. Today, more than 40% of the sales of many brands come from that 1% of greater purchasing power. The consequence of all this is a market hole that fill legal imitations, inspired products and, in the illegal field, falsifications. According to the countrydigital copies trade has exploded with apps and channels in Telegram, where young people buy and exhibit replicas without complexes. 54% of the B buyers see with good eyes that others carry falsifications, and 37% admit that it carries or carry them. In this panorama, legal clones such as those of Mercadona are positioned as an “safe” alternative, although they are part of the same conversation about value, authenticity and saturation. The origin of luxury by hand. The mixture of luxury references and daily consumption is not new, but in the last decade it has been normalized and even turned into a statement of style. The figure of the “luxury choni” – who combines gold logos with basic garments and low cost makeup – has permeated in artists such as Bad Gyal, capable of dressing in Versace and Use Mercadona Profiler. Also Rosalia, in its beginnings, sang in Aute Cuture: “In the Palace and in the Chinese”, encapsulating the coexistence of two consumption universes in the same aesthetic identity. This symbolic cross has found fertile ground in cosmetics, where the price does not always determine social recognition. An effective clone can grant the same symbolic capital as a luxury product, especially when social networks amplify the finding. The era of “dupe”. In networks like Tiktok, the term Dupe It has become a generational flag. Vogue Business has documented How gene generation has stopped hiding that uses imitations: finding and showing them is a source of pride. Brands such as Mcobeauty in Australia have grown thanks to this movement, while firms like Charlotte Tilbury have launched campaigns to claim their “original formula” and differentiate themselves from copies. In other markets, the line between inspiration and copy has been tested in court. According to Vogue BusinessBenefit’s demand against Elf Cosmetics for a mask similar to his Roller Lash failed: justice considered that packaging and components differ enough not to confuse the consumer. On the other hand, Mercadona does not fight on that forehead: its strategy is to identify and produce quickly, benefiting that in Spain, as in many markets, copying formulas or aesthetics without violating patents is perfectly legal. Beyond beauty: edible luxury. This phenomenon is not limited to cosmetics. According to Delishgeneration Z is moving aspirational consumption to food. In the United States, chains like Erewhon sell $ 20 with superfood and collaborations of Celebritieswhich are both a well -being product and a content for social networks. Logic is similar: to make daily consumption (makeup, breakfast, hydrate) into an act of visible and replicable status. Luxury is no longer alone in marble boutiques: it is in the glass Take Awayin the design bottle of design and, in Spain, in the supermarket perfume line. The debate: democratize or dilute. He Dupe It can be understood as democratization: put aesthetic and sensory codes available to a few people. But it can also dilute the value of the original and its promise of exclusivity. Marc Chaya, CEO of Maison Francis Kurkdjian, warned in Vogue Business: “Duping is a serious matter … some serve to remind brands that cannot abuse the price, but others flood the market without providing utility or purpose.” For the consumer, the dilemma is different: pay for history and prestige or for the effect and similarity. For brands, the question is how to maintain relevance when desire is satisfied with cheaper alternatives. {“videoid”: “x85k87i”, “autoplay”: fals, “title”: “Black Friday: how to know if an online store is reliable ️ Buy with internet security”, “Tag”: “”, “Duration”: “562”} Cart as a global showcase. It is not about replacing the traditional luxury experience, but about appropriating its symbols in times of inflation, precariousness and digitalized consumption. The “hall luxury” is a symptom of an era where the barriers between high range and mass consumption are increasingly diffuse. And there, in that hall where glamor coexists with the softener, a new chapter is being written in the history of consumption: one where a … Read more

A Netscape decision in the 90s explains why Google and Meta grow up with each technological revolution

In 1995, engineers of Netscape They faced a problem during a development night: how to allow websites to execute code without being able to steal user data? Thirty years later, its solution, the ‘Same-Origin Policy‘(Policy of the same origin), has become the invisible architecture that governs all the Internet. Why is it important. Each website became an isolated universe, unable to communicate with others. That night decision explains why we can barely escape the Apple ecosystem, why our data live trapped in silos and why each technological revolution makes the usual giants more powerful. The context. Alex Komoroske, former strategy director in Stripe and former director of Google for 13 years, He has identified what he calls the “iron triangle” of modern software. System designers can only combine two of these three elements: Sensitive data. Internet access. And non -reliable code. The logic is simple: if you allow unknown code to access personal data and have Internet connection, you can steal everything and send it anywhere. The solution was the total isolation. Each application became a fortress where your Instagram data cannot talk to Uber’s, your Apple photos cannot be processed by Google tools, and each service begins knowing zero about you. In detail. Komoroske Talk about this phenomenon With the water metaphor going down a mountain. Each obstacle does not stop the flow, redirects it where there is less resistance. Over time, channels are formed that attract more water to become increasingly large rivers. Planning a trip illustrates this mechanism: Flights in the mail. Hotel in another app. Restaurants in Google Docs. Calendar in a different tool. The constant friction of copying, pasteing and reformating leads to grant access to a single service that already knows all your context. Without friction, everything works perfect. When you share the trip, you use the tool that already has all the information. The threat. The AI promises to be different, but is inheriting the same physics. The LLMS They can create almost free software – a developer with AI can build in hours what it took weeks – allowing infinitely personalized tools. But this “infinite software” distributed through traditional stores does not solve our problems: it amplifies them. More applications mean more silos, more places where your data is trapped. The AI needs context to be useful, but our current security model means that sharing context is a commitment of all or nothing. Yes, but. The technical pieces to transcend this paradigm already exist. Modern Intel, AMD and ARM chips include “safe enclaves“, encrypted and protected memory regions of anyone, including cloud administrators. AI brings us a unique opportunity, because it makes the current limitation evident. The technical pieces already exist and it is the first time in thirty years that we can transcend this policy. While nothing changes, the concentration of power will continue to reinforce. In Xataka | What was ATI: to look at Nvidia to end and forgotten by the technology industry Outstanding image | Netscape, Xataka, Unspash

Spain finds its niche in the AI revolution: build the foundations

Coreweave, American giant, has commissioned the Spanish ACS to build a data center In Lancaster (Pennsylvania) that will cost 6,000 million dollars (about 5,160 million euros). The installation will start with 100 MW of power, expandable to 300 MW, becoming one of the largest in the world. Why is it important. Spain does not manufacture specialized chips or develop important models of AI, but it is finding its place in the value chain: build the physical infrastructure that makes the above possible. ACS, through Turner, is the one who will lead the construction of data centers in the United States with a portfolio of 12,000 million euros. The backdrop. The United States seeks the desperate infrastructure to feed the AI revolution. Data centers already consume 4.4% of all electricity in the country and are expected to reach up to 12% in 2028. Demand is brutal: 58 THD in 2014 a forecasts of up to 580 twh for 2028. An X10. The construction company of Florentino Pérez already works for Meta, Vantage Data Center and other technological giants. Your Turner subsidiary is who is more promoting its recent growth. In figures. The project will generate 600 jobs during construction and 70 initial permanent positions, which will grow up to 245. Coreweave calculates that each direct position will create six additional jobs. The announcement was faced with Donald Trump, which has promised 70,000 million dollars in investments In AI infrastructure. The panoramic. There is some trend that goes beyond ACS: ACCIONA builds solar parks that feed data centers. Electric network exports intelligent network technology. Ferrovial competes for digital infrastructure contracts in the United Kingdom. Spain has found its specialty: we do not invent the AI, but we know how to build buildings, networks and energy infrastructure that makes it possible. Deepen. ACS’s commitment has 2,000 MW in development and another 4,000 MW identified. The company He anticipated this movement in 2023buying land in Madrid for its first data center in Spain, which will operate since 2025. We are not architects of the AI revolution, but good masons. In Xataka | Spain promised them very happy as the power of the data centers. Did not have the heat waves Outstanding image | ACS

Intel and TSMC lead the revolution of photonic chips. His problem is that China has just done fully in this war

Douglas Yu, a TSMC executive, The biggest chips manufacturer on the planetwith responsibility in the field of systems integration Explain clearly The disruptive capacity of integrated photonic circuits: “If we manage to implement a good system of integration of silicon’s photonics We will trigger a new paradigm. We will probably be placed at the beginning of a new era. “ The photonic silicon seeks to develop the technology of this chemical element to optimize the transformation of electrical signals into light pulses. The most obvious field of application of this innovation is the implementation of high performance links that, on paper, can be used both to solve communications between several chips and to optimize the transfer of information between several machines. Advanced packaging technologies with which the main semiconductor manufacturers work, such as TSMC, Intel or Samsung, can benefit a lot from a communication mechanism between very high performance chips. And the large data centers in which it is necessary to connect a large number of machines, too. However, there is a particular discipline to which it would be wonderful about the advantages proposed by the photonic silicon: the artificial intelligence (AI). China plans to use this technology in AI, 6G communications and quantum computers Intel and TSMC are some of the companies that have been working on the development of their technologies linked to the photonic silicon, and, as we can intuit, this innovation is no stranger to Chinese companies and research centers. In fact, in mid -May 2024 the Institute of Information Technology and Microsystems of Shanghai (China) in collaboration with the Lausanian Institute of Technology (Switzerland) reached a crucial milestone. Until that time one of the fundamental ingredients of the integrated photonic circuits was the lithium niobate. The lithium tantalate allows the manufacture of large -scale photonic chips and with much lower costs This synthetic salt intervenes in the manufacture of these integrated circuits because its physicochemical properties allow it to optimize the conversion of electricity into light, but it has a problem: the industrial exploitation of this technology is conditioned by The high cost that each wafer hasand also for the size of each of them. What these scientists have achieved is to replace the lithium niobate with other semiconductor material whose properties are even more attractive: the lithium tantalate (litao3). Ou Xin, one of the scientists who have led this project, assures That in addition to paying better than the lithium niobate, the lithium tantaloate allows the manufacture of large -scale photonic circuit and with much lower costs. This is because the manufacturing processes are similar to those currently used to produce conventional silicon semiconductors. This is the context in which, according to SCMPthe chips center for integrated photonics Xplore (Chipx) of the Jiao Tong University of Shanghai has announced that it has started the production of 6 -inch wafers for photonic chips. Interestingly, this production line Use Lithium Niobateso it still has a room to advance and take advantage of the properties of the lithium tantalate. Be as Professor Jin Xianmin, the director of CHIPX, says that the photonic integrated circuits have a huge potential not only in the training and inference of AI models, the classical supercomputing and Quantum computersbut also in the development of communications 6g. Image | TSMC More information | SCMP In Xataka | Today China and the US have parked their differences for a good reason: they will analyze together the risks of AI

As of today, ATMs are also a revolution thing. Fintech launches its first physical network, and starts with Spain

Which It started as a way to send and spend money Without commissions, a bank has ended up looking more and more. Revolutionwhich ten years ago was born in the United Kingdom as an app designed to simplify finances, it has become One of the most valuable Fintech in the sector. And his last play makes it clear: his own ATMs. Yes, ATMs. An idea that would have been difficult to fit in its early years, when it was unmarked from the traditional. But now it is a reality. The former will arrive in Spain, and not anywhere: the debut will be in the Spring Sound from Barcelonawhich starts today and extends until June 8. Spain, Revolution’s first physical laboratory. The company has chosen Spain to release its first physical product: a network of ATMs developed entirely in its Techhub in Barcelona. According to Revolution, the initial phase includes 50 terminals between Madrid and Barcelona, ​​which will be expanded until reaching 200 throughout the country. The former will be located at large points such as Avinguda Diagonal or Toledo Street, and can be located from the app by an interactive map. Barcelona’s choice is not accidental. The city not only houses one of the strategic development centers of the company, but also represents, according to the company itself, a key piece in its European expansion map. In fact, Revolution plans to take this network to other countries such as Germany, Italy or Portugal from 2026. Happy ATMs for a digital customer. The new ATMs do not look like the usual. They are designed with a modern interface, touch navigation, compatibility with contactless payments and multilingual support. They also offer functions designed to reduce friction: withdrawals without additional commissions for Revolution clients and immediate delivery of physical cards. Free withdrawals will be available both nationally and internationally and intra -Europe. For non -customers, the service will also be available “with a competitive commission.” In addition, Revolution plans to incorporate in the future the dynamic conversion option of currency (DCC), which will allow you to choose between the exchange rate of the emitter bank or that of Revolution at the time of withdrawal. And he will not remain in retired. The company also plans to enable cash deposits in later phases, thus expanding the range of accessible services from these physical points. The physical step of a 100 % digital experience. In the words of Manjot Bhati, Operating Partner of Revolution, “to launch our own ATMs network a decisive step in our mission of offering a truly global financial experience and without friction.” As we can see, with this movement, Fintech seeks to expand its footprint beyond the app. It is not a minor change. Revolut was born as a 100 % digital actor, without physical offices or windows. His commitment to their own ATMs suggests a new stage: one in which the physical does not contradict digital, but complements it. A stage where the cashier is no longer just an cash machine. We will have to see if this movement translates into a new success. Images | Aleksandrs Karevs In Xataka | Revolution is not just a threat to traditional banks. Now it is also for Teleoperators

NFC reaches its watches with an alternative that remembers Revolution

Huawei continues to reinforce its catalog of smart watches, And this year he does it with a more solid proposal than ever. He Watch Fit 4 It is an affordable option below 200 euros Designed for those looking for a light partner to run. The Watch Fit 4 Pro stands out for its good finish and its battery of up to a week of normal use, while The Watch 5 bets on health With the new X-Tap multisensory sensor, which promises to go further in advanced monitoring. But beyond its design and their sensors, there was a lack that affected the entire brand of wearables of the brand: the absence of mobile payments. An already standard function in many competition models and highly valued by users. That has begun to change. Huawei has announced that NFC payments are already available in the Watch Fit 4 series in Spain, through an integration with the app Quicko Wallet. NFC on the wrist: a highly anticipated function From this June 3, the users of Huawei Watch Fit 4 and Fit 4 Pro They can already pay with the clock in physical stores, without the need to carry the mobile. Simply configure the service, bring the clock to the dataphone and confirm the operation with a safety pin. According to the company itself, the system allows “processing payments without contact quickly and safely”, and does even the commercial restrictions imposed from the United States. Instead, the aforementioned Quicko Wallet, a European Fintech who had already worked with Huawei in other markets, is supported. The user gets a virtual card with European Iban, recharges balance from their usual account and makes payments directly from the clock. It is a system similar to services such as Revolution or N26, with the advantage that it integrates with the smartwatch. Of course, for the moment it is only available for paired watches with Android devices or Harmonyos. Huawei says that payments will arrive at Watch 5 and iOS devices in a “near future”, Although a specific date has not been offered. How to activate payments with Quicko Wallet step by step The process to start paying with the clock is not complex, but includes several important steps. Next, we explain it in detail, as shared in the company’s official materials: Create an account in Quicko Wallet from the mobile Enter your device’s application store. Look for “Quicko Wallet” (developer: Quicko sp. Z oo) and download it. Open the app and create an account with your email, mobile number and a password. Choose a 4 -digit pin to protect access. Confirm your email through the activation link. Log in and choose your currency: EUR (euros). Enter your personal data and accept the terms and conditions. Indicates the origin of the funds and your occupation. Declare if you are a fiscal resident in the USA. (If you are not, select your country). Upload a front and rear photo of your ID. Get a selfie holding the ID, clearly and visible. Once this process is completed, the verification may take a few hours. After approval, you will have access to two accounts and two virtual cards within the app. Load money to Quicko Wallet There are two methods available: By bank transfer: In the app you will see the Iban of your Quicko account. Estte e case, you must make a transfer from your bank as you would normally. By bank card: In the “Presentation Card” or “Payment Card” section, slide to the side to add your card. Enter the data manually or scan the card with the camera. Select the account in euros and click “Recharge”. Enter the quantity and confirm with “Recharge”. Attention: This method can have a commission, which is detailed in the terms and conditions of the service. Install Quicko Wallet on the clock Open the Huawei health on your phone. Go to “devices”> “appgallery”. Look for “Quicko Wallet” and clicks on “Install.” Configure NFC and quick accesses on the clock On the clock: Go to settings> more connections> NFC> application of default payments. Select “Quicko Wallet”. Create a safety pin from settings> Pin> Configure Pin (6 digits). Then activate direct access: Settings> Below button> Press twice and select Quicko Wallet. Match Quicko Wallet with the clock Press the lower button on the clock twice. On the mobile, enter your virtual card and select “Enable NFC”. Click on “match” and then “continue.” A welcome function, although still with improvement margin This launch represents an important first step for Huawei in mobile payments. The company states that it will continue to expand compatibilities and work with more financial services. Although he still cannot compete with equality with giants such as Google or Apple, he has managed to dodge limitations with a functional and safe proposal. According to Huawei, each transaction “uses Advanced encryption technology and unique authentication codes, “which adds a safety layer against fraud and cloning. In addition, since it is a prepaid card, the user controls how much money he has on the clock, which can be an advantage in terms of security. Images | Huawei In Xataka | Tiktok was not born from a master plan: it arose from a question that nobody else was asked in Silicon Valle

Apple and its apparent indifference to the AI ​​revolution reminds us of one thing: the Blackberry fall

Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence, and everyone is turning not to lose that train. Well, everyone doesn’t. Apple seems not to be especially interested in AI nor is it overlapping like the rest of its rivals. The question is whether that can be your definitive conviction. Wwdc sin (barely) ia. Last week the Microsoft Build and Google I/O conferences were held. In both the focus for AI was absolute. On June 9 Apple will celebrate its WWDC, and All rumors They point out that there will be hardly any news in Apple’s proposals. Instead, the company is expected to talk about the redesign of its operating systems, a project with a “Solarium” code name. Apple keeps losing trains. Apple’s apparent indifference attitude with the field of artificial intelligence is undoubtedly surprising. It is one of the most important technological companies in the world, but still does not react as one would expect from it and Keep losing trains. While the competition reacted quickly developing its own models or reaching agreements and investments with startups such as OpenAi, Apple still did not pay special attention, at least for the gallery. And what he has is disappointing. The company already dedicates thousands of millions of dollars to catch up, but when he finally presented his platform Apple Intelligence The result turned out to be disappointing. Very limited and strenuously slowly In its deployment, caution It is starting to take its toll. Not economically, but reputationally. It is not that this disappointment is pending among external analysts: it is that Even their own employees believe that Apple is behind In ia. The disaster Siri. We have seen it especially with Siri, a voice assistant who was supposed to win many integers thanks to AI but still in the development phase. The promises they made last year have not been fulfilled, and recognized analysts such as John Gruber described the conceptual videos that Apple used as “shit.” Siri’s delay, already confirmed by Appleis the definitive proof that the company is in a worrying situation in this segment. Source: Sherwood News. Remembering Blackberry. When we talk about the reputational crisis From Apple we already made an increasingly striking analogy: that of Blackberry. The company, which dominated the world of mobility with Nokia in the first decade of the 2000s, did not react to the announcement of the iPhone. He was surprisingly indifferent, and the curious thing is that the impact of the iPhone took to notice. In fact, Blackberry sales continued to grow and reached its peak in 2011. From that moment on, fallen into dive. Today the company is a shadow of what it was. Apple annual income. Has the company touched roof? Source: Backlinko. Apple is doing very well (for now). On paper things are going very well for Apple. The company has not seemed to notice the impact of the arrival of Chatgpt, and global sales continue to go up. There is signs of concern, because its star product, the iPhone, It seems to have touched roof. Now in fact the growth is much more modest (2% in 2024) and its Silent transformationalthough effective, seems to confirm that Apple is unable to innovate. Even they have made it clear that They no longer look for the next iPhone. The disruptions, it seems, are overvalued. Apple lives in the past. But as they point out In BloombergApple is living in a “legacy” world, depending on products and services that work it, but do not seem to look at the future. The agreement between Jony Ive and Sam Altman to develop an AI hardware product is another sign that may worry: the company that previously excited and which we expected a disruption was Apple. Now we see others like OpenAi or Google. An increasingly criticized tim cook. That apparent inability to react is making Tim Cook’s succession seem to press. In The Wall Street Journal summary The situation of the Apple CEO, to which the problems accumulate and that continues to focus its strategy on the inertia of the iPhone. But that inertia is not eternal: Eddy Cue, senior executive of the company, testified in the US judicial case against Apple this month and said something unique: “You may not need an iPhone within 10 years, although it sounds like madness.” An opportunity. Apple has been presuming for its commitment to privacy for years, and that was precisely the clear Apple Intelligence approach when they presented it. His promise was that of a more private AI, which we could also execute partially – without need of the cloud – and that would still be as capable as the rest. At the moment, Apple Intelligence benefits are far from competitors, but if Apple manages to catch up at the capacity of their AI and also manage to maintain their privacy promise will have something that competitors in effect do not have. Or two. But we are talking about Apple, a famous company to be late for the revolutions and then win. It should not be ruled out of course in the AI ​​segment, but there may also be new options in the field of hardware. That’s where The connected glasses They can be another accessory Very interesting For a firm that is expected to reinforce its “iPhone ecosystem” with this wearable, and the latest data They point to it. In Xataka | The succession of Tim Cook (I): This is the legacy that Apple’s CEO will leave

Xiaomi has copied in months what BMW announced as a three -year revolution seen. It is the best example of how the industry is

On March 16, 2023 we wrote in Xataka that BMW prepared the launch of a head-up display (HUD) in its Neue Klasse. Then it was already warned that we would see it, for the first time, in a car on the street in 2025. The chosen one is the new generation of the BMW series 3, which promises to be a revolution for the brand in many ways. What BMW announced two years seen, Xiaomi has put it on the street a few months. 2023. How many screens are too many screens? With these words we titled in Xataka Our article on BMW’s announcement to put on the market a head-up display little less than infinity. One that crossed the entire width of the vehicle and that will serve to offer precise and personalized information for each passenger. The strategy continues to delve on the path that the company has taken. In recent years, BMW has been one of the companies that More has opted to give it personality To its infotainment systems with very good quality and size screens in the center, instruments of instruments at the height and an HUD with graphics of all kinds. He has even put A huge screen for rear passengers of the most expensive Berlina. Two years of the same. But two years later we remain the same. He BMW Panoramic Vision He surprised first but began to lose strength as time has passed. We have seen it in the CES de Las Vegaswe have seen it At the Münich Mobility Fairwe have seen it, again, in the advances of the future Neue Klasse… In short, the launch of a functionality that Xiaomi, which put on the market its first car a year ago has just presented for its future electric SUVs, has been priming two years. Taking into account that the first car we see from that Neue Klasse It will arrive at the end of 2025everything indicates that Xiaomi is going to pass the German firm on the right. Hypervision Hud. This is what this alternative to the BMW HUD is called that will incorporate the Xiaomi Yu7. As we have seen during your presentation, the projection on the windshield will occupy the entire width of the vehicle and inform the passengers of the information that most interest them. For example, in front of the driver we will have the instrument chart and in the central area of ​​navigation. But the car also has specific graphics for when it is stopped carrying the battery or we want to select a specific music album. The image of Lei Jun, CEO of the company, with all the graphics that the driver has available to configure that giant HUD to his liking is shocking. We read, for example, data on consumption, driving assists, browser, a stopwatch … More than a novelty. The incorporation of this panoramic hud into the new Xiaomi electric car is not only an aesthetic novelty, it is a clear example of how the industry is. Each announcement of the European industry has years (yes, years) of planning, development and implementation. In China, however, it is deciding and executing in record time. Kevin Williams, journalist of InsideevsI explained it well in an article entitled I have been in China and led dozens of electric cars. Western manufacturers are lost. In him he explained how the interiors of Chinese cars had overwhelmed him on a trip to the country and how far from Europe. Also our partner Javier Lacort had the opportunity to sit in an ultra xiaomi or check Where is Byd and its luxury brands In the Asian country. In Xataka We have had the opportunity to speak between scenes with workers from Chinese brands such as Byd or the Chery group that have passed through European companies of the Volkswagen or Stellantis group. All of them have confirmed that Chinese companies work at an inconceivable pace for the European industry. An anecdote that is not so much anecdote. In fact, one of these workers told us that when he worked for the Volkswagen Group every small change in the touch of the car or in the equipment, a bureaucratic tangle, the filter of various departments and, in the best case, the approval to be implemented in the update of half commercial life or in the next generation. That is, these changes would come years later. However, in Xataka We have known that one of these Chinese brands was testing preserving units in Spain that did not like in their first test in terms of tires and tact of the direction referred to. Between two and three later, those cars reached the market with all the changes in equipment and touch of the direction already carried out. It is not the only case. Beyond these two specific cases, the rhythm to which China is subjecting the news launches in electric cars is putting the ropes against the way of acting to the industry. In Europe we continue to announce the launch of “Cheap” electric cars two and three years old. Meanwhile, Byd has just brought to the European market the Byd Dolphin Surf that with aid and discounts can remain in less than 12,000 euros. Another good example is Volkswagen. Its software and platform development strategy has been such a disaster that they burned billions in the development of only two cars (Audi Q6 e-tron and Porsche Macan Electric) that, In addition, they were delayed. In fact, the group came to send engineers to China to learn from their work methods and has reached an agreement with Xpeng To provide Audi with a new platform. Nor does Renault escape. Luca de Meo, his CEO, He has reiterated On multiple occasions that one of China’s competitive advantages is that they work at a much faster rate than that of Europeans. Photo | BMW and Xiaomi In Xataka | A alluvion of controversies is eclipsing the launch of the Xiaomi Yu7. … Read more

China is immersed in a nuclear revolution and needs industrial amounts of Uranium. His solution: “fish” in the sea

China is one of the countries that is most promoting the adoption of renewable energy thanks to Great ‘farms’ and market saturation of solar panels. At the same time, they have approved the Construction of ten new nuclear reactors. It may seem a contradiction, but in the midst of a Strong commercial warit is another step in energy self -sufficiency, and to achieve it they will need tons of uranium. Your solution? Squeeze the uranium of the seas. Marine mine. The country account with 56 nuclear reactors and has between 25 and 29 under construction. This implies that they need a lot of Uranium and the problem is that they do not produce enough. HE esteem That, in 2023, China’s production was only 1,700 tons, 4% worldwide, and although they have strong reserves, they need more. In turn, China imported Some 22,000 tons in 2024 and have begun to put solutions. In 2024 began The construction of the National Project of Uranium Nº1 in Ordos. It will become the largest uranium mine in the country and a few months ago They announced that had discovered another important site, also in Ordos. However, it still is not enough, so they have seen the sea. Uranium fish. Because yes: there is uranium in the oceans. Its concentration is extremely low, about 3 micrograms per liter, but due to oceanic immensity, it is estimated that the total is 4.5 billion tons of uranium. There are a thousand times more uranium in the seas than in known land reserves. Extract Uranium from the sea is not something new and, during the 80s, Japan led the development of marine uranium extraction techniques. The problem is that it is a complex and, above all, inefficient process. That is why researchers focus on active uranium collection methods‘dapando’ different materials to be able to extract more material per liter. It is also a expensive method, about ten times more to extract it from terrestrial sources. Miraculous material. But this is where the Chinese team of the Frontiers Science Center For Rare isotopes of the University of Lanzhou enters. In a study published in NatureThey explain that the key to extracting more efficient marine uranium resides in the MOF, or metal-organic frameworks. It is a crystalline material composed of metal ions that are coordinated with organic elements to form structures of great porosity. It is like an extremely efficient fishing network to catch small particles that, in the case of uranium, allows you to better separate this element from others to which it can be attached. The Chinese team has dopa with Dipniletinelo molecules and claim that this new DAE-MOF material allows an uranium absorption capacity of 588 mg per gram, according to the tests. This involves an efficiency 40 times higher when separating uranium from metals and vanadium and has been tested both in simulated and real sea water. Aim. The idea is now to create test extraction plants this year, with pilot plants on the tons scale for 2035 and with a continuous production by 2050. wait That China’s demand for uranium is more than 40,000 tons in 2040, so land mines in conjunction with these marine alternative sources are essential to achieve the goal. Without a doubt, it is an advance in marine uranium extraction at a time when the rest of the players on this board are also found Looking for ways to get more out of the sea for energy independence at a time when buying to other countries He has put up legs. And the United States, of course, is also in that fight, with the US Department of Energy analyzing The technical, economic and environmental viability of large -scale uranium extraction in its waters. Images | Robordouderio, Robert Taylor from StirlingNature In Xataka | Spanish nuclear have been criticized for their role in the blackout. This was what they did before, during and after collapse

Revolution is not just a threat to traditional banks. Now it is also for Teleoperators

Revolution has announced that will launch mobile plans from this year. It will, in this first phase and without more confirmations, in the United Kingdom and Germany. Their plans will offer text messages, calls and unlimited national data. Of course, without any fixed contract or commitment to permanence, something that has characterize virtual mobile operators for years. The next step after its esim. In March 2024 Revolution launched its own esim. It thus became the first digital bank to do so, with a target target on trips abroad. This ESIM provided 100 MB for all its users (as long as they install it before May 1, 2024), and 3 GB for Ultra Plan users. It came from the 1global pannus, London company of telecommunications. The ESIM was focused on offering data abroad, not as an alternative to use for user mobile plan. It is something they want to change with their new movement. Mobile Plans. Revolution has announced its entry into the market of virtual mobile operators. It will do it with rates that start from 12.50 pounds per month, and offer full connectivity in the United Kingdom and Germany. Users will have access to a line with their own number, complete integration within the Revolution app itself, and presuming a 20 GB data itinerance for users traveling to Europe and the United States. When. The company has not closed a date for the implementation of its mobile plans, although it guarantees that they will reach the end of this year. Nor has it confirmed what the partners will be responsible for supporting the network connection. From Neobanco to Servicios Hub. Revolut is preceding in the world of Neobancos. The company doubled in 2024being Spain its third market behind the United Kingdom and Portugal, with 4.5 million users in our territory and the ambition to duplicate them in 2025. After launching install payments for credit customersand raise the launch of mortgages and ATMsbecoming OMV is a step that closes a circle. One in which Revolution ceases to be a bank to become a digital service provider. A new threat. Revolution has started in the United Kingdom and Germany, without confirmed plans to land in other markets. However, if you want to conquer territories such as Spanish in the medium term, you will not have it easy. As of December 2024, despite their popularity, OMVs are minority in Spain: Movistar, Masorange and Vodafone Spain centralize the market share. Revolut would go to compete in a specialized niche with ultra-competitive prices as in the case of Digisupport of giants such as Telefónica in the case of O2. Image | Revolution In Xataka | Revolution: What is it, how it works and main advantages and disadvantages

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