European companies are facing million-euro losses due to connectivity issues
12/06/2023A study by Cradlepoint reveals that European businesses could be losing milions of euros every week as a result of connectivity problems. According to the State of Connectivity in Europe report, conducted in collaboration with Censuswide, 74% of companies experience at least 2 hours of connectivity loss each week. One hour of downtime can be valued at 332,600 euros, according to Statista. These connectivity issues have also generated additional operating costs for 47% of the surveyed companies, and 33% have missed out on business opportunities due to these problems. Furthermore, the education sector is affected, as 80% of respondents state that poor connectivity hinders the development of skills necessary to thrive in a modern economy. The study also highlights that 21% of European companies have lost talent due to connectivity issues. The findings also conclude that improving connectivity is considered crucial for 90.5% of the surveyed companies, as it would help them better manage potential economic, social, and political challenges and increase their resilience to future disruptions.
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Europe will have its own satellites constellation to guarantee secure communications
13/12/2022With the sights set on 2027, the EU has closed a provisional agreement about the regulation of secure connectivity throughout its territory, which will include the deployment of a constellation of satellites that will ensure communications, especially in the event of cyberattacks or natural disasters that affect critical infrastructure. The plan, linked with the 'Global Gateway' strategy from the UE, that will allow the provision of affordable Internet access throughout Europe, will provide, also, secure connectivity in geographical areas of strategic interest, such the Arctic region and Africa, and services to protect the critical infrastructures of the Member states, too. The objective, according to the EU, is to ensure improvements in people's daily lives, identifying reliable and secure communications as the cornerstone of the EU's strategic autonomy.
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Europe proposes a very strict regulation that requires increasing the factory security of any device designed to be connected to the Internet
16/09/2022Some details from the new rules of the European Commission against cybercrime, 'Cyber Resilience Act', are beginning to be known. Among what has transpired is that the new regulation will force all manufacturers of potentially insecure products to increase it substantially and to provide more information to buyers about the level of protection of the devices they buy. This regulation will be of general application, and will affect all types of devices and systems, from the most basic such as a watch to the most sophisticated such as the software of any computer designed to be connected to Internet. All must comply with the provisions of the 'Cyber Resilience Act' to receive its approval and be able to be sold on the European market, and also, to avoid being subject to investigations and significant fines. In this sense, the proposed sanctions that are considered in the draft of the regulations could reach 15 million euros or 2.5% of the global annual income of the fined company. According to the European Commission in the presentation of the consultation carried out for the elaboration of the 'Cyber Resilience Act', "the new regulation aims to respond to the needs of the market and protect consumers from unsafe products by introducing standards common cybersecurity standards for manufacturers and sellers of tangible and intangible digital products and ancillary services.
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The European Commission spends €400,000 on its own metaverse and only attracts six people to the inauguration
05/12/2022Absolute failure. The inagurated of the new metaverse from the European Commission that was presented a few days ago with a virtual party, only attract six persons. According to the specialized journalist Vicen Chadwick from Devex, the European Commission has invested €387,000 in the project to develop a virtual world, designed to attract the attention of young people and create a shared space on the Internet in which they can become aware of those thinghs that EU does on the world stage, and reflect on the problems that affect a globalized world. Also, this metaverse is designed to promote actions of the European Union related to health, education, climate and other topics of interest for youngest, such the Erasmus scholarships. The inauguration of the space, however, went completely unnoticed by the target audience and the few persons who entered the party, such as the journalists from Gizmodo, assure that the metaverse of the European Commission has many shortcomings.
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The Spanish, the European citizens who know more about metaverse and virtual reality
27/06/2022The Spanish are the European citizens who most claim to know what the metaverse, virtual reality and augmented reality are. In fact, the results of the report presented by Ipsos in collaboration with the World Economic Forum, ensure that this knowledge would be not only above the European average, also the worldwide. Thus, 63% of Spaniards say they know the metaverse, compared to 52% of the world population, 30% of germans or 28% of France citizens. At the other extreme we find Turkey (86%), India (80%), China (73%) and South Korea (71%), which are presented as the countries with the largest population knowledgeable about the metaverse. "The results of this research work give a very optimistic view of the potential of the metaverse and show that many people are open to the technological change that is taking place," says Jame Ferrand-Gutiérrez, head of Data Intelligence at Ipsos in Spain. The director, however, points out that “we cannot ignore that the metaverse is still a concept that has not been fully realized […] Although it is planned as a parallel reality where everything has a place, in reality it is not. Well, at least at present. We will see in the future where it evolves". About the augmented and virtual reality, 77% of Spaniards say they know the first one well, and 85% the second, being, once again, Turkey, the country in the world where the percentages of familiarity with these technologies are more high, 94%. According to the report 'How the world sees the metaverse and extended reality', which collects data from 29 countries, obtained between April and May through the Ipsos Global Advisor platform, citizens expect that applications that use the metaverse will have a growing impact on their lives over the next decade and, according to the document, in Spain the greatest impact is expected in the field of virtual education and training (63%), entertainment (61%), video games (57%), work meetings (55%) and way of socializing and resources related to health (both with 54%).
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Andalusia becomes the mecca of 5G in Europe
19/11/2021With more than 36 pilot projects developed by Vodafone Spain and Huawei, in collaboration with 50 companies and organizations, Andalusia has become in terms of number of 5G business use cases, the mecca of 5G in Europe. This has been announced in the recent closure of the 5G Andalusia Pilot project. The 36 5G pilot projects have been developed in the cities of Sevilla, Malaga, Puerto Real, Algeciras, Huelva and Jaén, and have included high-value solutions as technology with remote piloting for a defibrillator drone and medical telecare in real time or a new biometric access to the Málaga-María Zambrano railway station, which allows the identification of passengers in the boarding area. Thanks also to a 5G technology project, Balearia, the biggest maritime passenger and cargo transport company in Spain, has been able to lighten the management of vehicles in Algeciras harbour, where up to 8,000 vehicles pass daily in the operation "Paso del Estrecho".
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Facebook announces 10,000 new jobs in Europe to develop its metaverse
19/10/2021Facebook has announced 10,000 new jobs in the European Union to develop a new virtual environment. This environment is going to be design to interconnected virtual experiences using different technologies as virtual and augmented reality. This new environment baptized as a metaverse will increase the feeling to be presence in the virtual environment and the interaction between all those who are there. The goal, explains Vice President of Global Affairs, Nick Clegg, Vice President of Core Products, Javier Olivan is create a greater sense of 'virtual presence', to unlock access to new creative, social and economic opportunities. Facebook will shortly begin recruiting candidates for the 10,000 jobs. Their first priority will be highly specialized engineers.
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The European Commission is committed to manufacturing chips in Europe to be less dependent on Asia
15/10/2021With the chip crisis still on the table, the European Commission is defining a new law to developing the semiconductor industry in Europe, so the local manufacturers can be less dependent on international supply chains. “We currently depend on chips made mostly by Asia. It's not a question of competitiveness: it's a question of technological sovereignty ”, said Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. The document revealed by Euractiv, conclude that this new legislation demonstrates “the need to strategically reduce dependencies on third parties” and that its objective is to improve “security of supply”. The initiative would be part of the new European Commission’s digital policy that would also include, a cyber-resilience law, and also initiatives to promote digital skills among citizens. At the moment the implementation calendar of these new digital policies of the European Commission has not transcended, but it seams would not be until the third quarter of 2022, when it could be launched.
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What is Worldcoin and what does scanning the iris involve?
04/03/2024Worldcoin was introduced in summer of 2023 as a revolutionary project with the mission of creating a 100% secure digital identity, essentially a kind of fortified "digital passport," based on the verification of a unique and non-transferable element inherent to each human being—the iris. According to its developers, World ID will help distinguish human online activity from that generated by machines. In the first phase of the project, the creation of this secure digital identity is planned for 2 billion humans. To make this possible, Worldcoin has called on the global population to scan their iris. In return, Worldcoin compensates participants with a few tokens of its successful cryptocurrency, WLD, which has quadrupled in value within a few weeks of its initial launch. The payment in WLD tokens is not coincidental; it is part of Worldcoin's strategy, aiming to leverage the new digital passports to create a comprehensive ecosystem that provides universal and equitable access to advanced financial services for the entire global population. To achieve this, they encourage "iris sellers" to use the Worldcoin cryptocurrency on its fee-free blockchain, unlike Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other cryptocurrencies that do charge transaction fees. How does Worldcoin work? Worldcoin aims to address the issues of bots, rapid creation of fake identities, and content with artificial intelligence. It is designed, according to its developers, to provide every individual in the world with a unique digital identification. Additionally, Worldcoin promises to ensure the financial inclusion of each person in a fair and equitable ecosystem through a universal basic income. Users receive this income in exchange for allowing their iris to be scanned. To create the secure digital passport with Worldcoin, users must undergo an iris scan, which serves as proof of humanity and a unique identity on the blockchain. This process ensures that the individual on the other side of that identity is a human and not a fake profile created with artificial intelligence. In pursuit of the success of their proposal, the company offers users a small amount of their own Worldcoin tokens in exchange for iris scanning. The initial incentive of receiving free cryptocurrency, in the form of a universal basic income, is emphasized by Worldcoin advocates as the basis for the inclusive and universal nature of their initiative. This approach allows anyone to scan their iris, and the WLD tokens received in return can assist people without access to traditional financial services in starting to save and invest. How to Scan the Iris with Worldcoin? The registration process with Worldcoin involves scanning the iris with an orb, the central hardware device of Worldcoin developed by Tools for Humanity. The orb is spherical and processes all the information. Currently, Worldcoin has installed orbs in different countries, including Spain, where users can scan their iris in exchange for Worldcoins. To do this, it is necessary to download the Worldcoin mobile application, World ID, generate a QR code with it, and display it in front of the orb. The orb, upon recognizing it, will scan the user's iris, while a Worldcoin collaborator remotely oversees the operation. The orb takes less than a minute to perform the scan and validate the subject's identity. In exchange for their iris, the user receives a unique number called "IrisHash" and a cryptographic wallet with Worldcoins. "This digital passport is accepted as proof of unique humanity, which people can use in the digital world without the need to share any other data," assure its developers. What happens with my scanned iris in exchange for Worldcoins? Once the iris scan is completed, and digital identity is granted to the user, Worldcoin assures that the orb quickly eliminates the images unless the user requests their preservation. Only the set of numbers called "IrisHash" is stored for identification, without any additional biometric data. Worldcoin also commits to ensuring that users share only the necessary information they wish to share, providing verification options through linked devices or the additional facial authentication orb for high-security cases. Despite these commitments, the collection of biometric data through iris scanning for the unique proof of humanity continues to raise significant questions regarding privacy and information security. Some countries such as Brazil, France, India, or Kenya have halted Worldcoin's iris scanning. How much do you get paid for scanning your iris? Worldcoin pays 25 WLD for scanning your iris, which, according to the cryptocurrency's exchange rate in February 2024, has translated to an average of between 50 and almost €160 for iris sellers, depending on the value of Worldcoin on the day they scanned their iris. At the beginning of February, the value of each WLD unit was around two euros, and by the end of the month, it had risen to nearly seven euros. What can I spend my WLD on? 'Iris sellers' have the freedom to use their Worldcoins from the moment they receive them. They can exchange the payment for other cryptocurrencies, withdraw them in euros from a specialized ATM, or hold onto the tokens in the hope of an increase in their value. Additionally, WLD payments are already accepted on platforms such as Discord, Shopify, Minecraft, Telegram, Mercado Libre, or Reddit, among other places. Who is behind Worldcoin? Worldcoin bears the stamp of two innovative minds: Sam Altman and Alex Blania. Altman is the CEO of OpenAI and a key figure in artificial intelligence development, leading projects like ChatGPT. Blania, on the other hand, is the co-founder of Tools For Humanity, contributing his experience in creating technological tools for a more equitable economic system to this new and successful cryptocurrency.
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Engel
EngelEngel has been manufacturing and marketing electronic products throughout Europe for almost 50 years. Although they mainly offer products and solutions for televisions and antennas, they also manufacture telephony and connectivity accessories, such as routers. Engel is today a leading company in the DTT sector and one of the major manufacturers and distributors of technological products for community and individual reception of terrestrial and satellite television. At Engel, they always strive to create technologically advanced products that offer competitive solutions to both the telecommunications professional and the end user.
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Where can I watch the Spanish Soccer League, on TV or via Streaming?
16/06/2023This new season of LaLiga Santander will be again, at least for the time being, a competition marked by restrictions on access to stadiums and that is why more than ever, watching LaLiga on television will become the main option for many fans to follow soccer from home. If you are one of those who do not want to miss the LaLiga Santander matches live, then find out here where to watch the Spanish League on TV or via Streaming. How to watch LaLiga on TV? Once again this season, Gol TV repeats as free-to-air soccer and sports channel on DTT. This channel offers one free match per day, which can be watched by tuning in to the channel on television or through Gol's website. You can access this channel completely for free and although the teams that play each day's match always vary, there are no matches involving FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, or teams playing in European competitions. How to watch soccer on Movistar+? So if this deal doesn't suit our needs and what we are looking for is a channel where we can watch all the LaLiga matches (or almost all of them), Movistar+ offers 9 of the 10 matches of each day, always one involving Real Madrid or Barcelona. In order to watch LaLiga Santander matches live on Movistar+ we must be subscribed to a Movistar package containing "Movistar LaLiga": Fusión Selección with LaLiga, Fusión Selección Plus with Fútbol and Fusión Total Plus. Watching soccer on Movistar+ offers practical functionalities such as being able to activate the channel on any of our devices or use the live control to replay any play whenever we choose, return to the beginning of the match or return to the live broadcast whenever we want. What can I watch on Orange TV? Another network that offers LaLiga on television is Orange TV, which after reaching an agreement with Telefónica, owner in Spain of the television broadcasting rights of the main soccer competitions, invites its customers to enjoy every week of soccer, the 10 matches that are played every day, including all Real Madrid and FC Barcelona matches in 4K resolution. In this case, to watch LaLiga on Orange TV we must be subscribed to one of the three Orange packages that include soccer: Love Total, Love Total Plus, or Love Total Plus 4. How to watch LaLiga via streaming? If due to location, mobility, or any other reason we prefer to watch LaLiga via streaming instead of on TV, we also have several options at our disposal. As we said before, Movistar+ offers the possibility of watching soccer on your devices, wherever and whenever you want, even from abroad. To access the service, you only need to have a Fusión package that includes soccer, activate your user, and access Movistar+ with your passwords on any of the compatible devices connected to the Internet (former Yomvi service). Thus, as long as we are subscribed to a package that includes the match, we will be able to watch it on all our devices, including the Smart TV. And if we are away from home we will be able to do it on smartphones, computers, and tablets. Where to watch the Spanish League from the United States and Canada? All LaLiga matches in the United States are broadcast live on ESPN+, the subscription-based sports platform owned by Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International, which offers live streaming coverage and on-demand replays of LaLiga Santander matches. ESPN+ has broadcast rights to the Spanish league for eight seasons in the United States and also in Canada, where it offers full coverage of LaLiga matches to Canadian viewers through TSN.ca, RDS.ca, and the TSN and RDS apps. In addition, watching the Spanish Premier League in Latin America is possible through ESPN 2 in most countries and through some platforms such as Fox Sports Web or Now Net and Claro in Brazil. Browse the Internet safely and securely
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Hama
HamaThe Catalan company Hama is currently one of the largest electronics companies in Europe, with an impressive figure of more than 18,000 product lines. Hama was founded in 1969 and has become a reference company in the electronics industry due to the wide range of computer products and electronic accessories in its catalog. Since then, they have been committed to constant innovation and production of high-end electronic and computer components. They have always been alert to the evolving needs of the market.
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Lois
LoisLois was since the '60s a Spanish reference brand of denim jeans. Who has not had a Lois pair of jeans or remember any of their commercials? If you are very young, maybe it won't ring a bell, but for a while, Lois was the best-selling European jeans brand in the world. More recently and in the face of the great competition between creators and manufacturers of denim textile pieces, its brand is no longer so famous, but its creative and innovative drive is still intact.
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Where to watch the Champions League on TV or Streaming?
13/06/2023Find out where you can watch the Champions League so as not to miss a minute of this excellent competition that this year again promises good soccer and maximum excitement. When does the Champions League 2021/2022 start? The UEFA Champions League Group Stage starts in mid-September. The first match day will be played on Tuesday, September 14, and will feature Sevilla, who will face RB Salzburg in the Andalusian capital; Villarreal, who will play at home against Atalanta; and FC Barcelona, who will face Bayern Munich, also at home. The following day, on September 15, the 2021/2022 Champions League will kick off for Atlético de Madrid, who will play against Porto at the Wanda Metropolitano, and also for Real Madrid, who will play their first match against Inter, in Milan. This first Group Stage will have six matchdays in which the 32 teams participating in this edition of the Champions League will face each other in home and away matches that you will be able to follow both on television and streaming. Group stage September 14/15, 2021: first matchday September 28/29, 2021: second matchday October 19/20, 2021: third matchday 2/3 November 2021: fourth matchday November 23/24, 2021: fifth matchday December 7/8, 2021: sixth matchday Once the six matchdays of the group stage have been completed, the competition will continue with the knockout phase, which will determine the two teams that will play in the UEFA Champions League final. Knockout Phase Round of 16: February 15/16/22/23 and March 8/9/15/16/16, 2022 Quarter-finals: 5/6 and 12/13 April 2022 Semifinals: May 26/27 and 3/4, 2022 Where to watch the Champions League on TV? As with LaLiga Santander and Liga SmartBank, Movistar has exclusive rights to the UEFA Champions League in Spain until 2024. However, following an agreement with Orange, Movistar has decided to share the rights with this operator, so that in Spain this season the Champions League can be watched on TV on Movistar and Orange TV. In both cases, the broadcasting of the UEFA Champions League group stage matches as well as those of the knockout phase and the Final will be included. How to watch the Champions League on Orange TV? Although Orange does not have direct rights to the Champions League in Spain, its agreement with Movistar allows its customers to watch live Champions League matches on Orange TV. These broadcasts are exclusively for the operator's customers who have the Orange Love Total package, which includes the UEFA Champions League, Liga Santander, and Liga SmartBank matches, in addition to the UEFA Champions League. How to watch the Champions League on Movistar? To watch the Champions League on Movistar we must be customers of this operator and have contracted the Fusión Selección Champions or Fusión Selección Plus con Fútbol package, which also includes the Liga Santander and Liga SmartBank matches. If our package is Fusión Selección con LaLiga, we will only have access to the Spanish football competition and we will not be able to watch the Champions League matches. The Movistar channel on which the Champions League can be watched is called " Movistar Liga de Campeones". "Movistar Liga de Campeones" is an exclusive TV channel for watching soccer and in addition to the UEFA Champions League, it also provides coverage of the Europa League.The schedules of all broadcasts can be consulted in the Sports section of the Movistar+ menu, for ADSL and Fiber TV customers. Where can I watch the Champions League live on the Internet? Both Movistar and Orange complete their Champions League soccer offer on TV through their online platforms. In both cases, to enjoy soccer on our mobile devices or computer, we must be subscribed to a package that includes the UEFA Champions League (in Movistar, Fusión Selección Champions or Fusión Selección Plus con Fútbol, and in Orange TV, Love Total). If you are a Movistar customer and have one of these packages, you must activate Movistar+ on your devices (formerly Yomvi) and you will have access to watch the Champions League online matches on Movistar as well as other online content and series, at no additional cost from anywhere and on any device. All broadcast schedules can be consulted in the Sports section of the Movistar+ menu on any device. To watch the Champions League online on Orange, you must log in to the Orange TV website to identify yourself as a Love Total member. Once we have logged in, we will be able to watch live matches of the UEFA Champions League, LaLiga Santander, LaLiga SmartBank, and also watch matches that have already taken place. Where can I watch the Champions League from outside Spain? If you are a Movistar or Orange customer, the best option to watch the Champions League from abroad is through Movistar+ on your devices or the online platform of Orange TV. If you have problems viewing the matches due to a geographical block, the best option, in this case, is to connect to a VPN with a Spanish IP beforehand. If your Internet access provider does not offer this service, here are the best VPN offers to surf safely (both from home and when traveling). In addition, and depending on the country you are in, various television stations and operators have the broadcasting rights to the UEFA Champions League: Europe Albania: Tring, RTSH Armenia: Vivaro Austria: ServusTV, Sky Austria Azerbaijan: CBC Sport, Saran Belarus: UEFA.tv Belgium: Proximus, RTL, VTM Bosnia and Herzegovina: Arena Sport Bulgaria: A1, bTV Croatia: HRT, Arena Sport Cyprus: CYTA Czech Republic: Nova, Voyo Denmark: NENT Group Estonia: Viaplay Finland: MTV France: Canal+, BeIN Georgia: Adjara, Silknet Germany, DAZN Greece: MEGA, COSMOTE TV Hungary: Sport1, MTVA Iceland: Viaplay, Syn Republic of Ireland: Livescore, Virgin Media, RTE Israel: The Sports Channel Italy: Amazon, Mediaset, Sky Italia Kazakhstan: QazSport, Q Sport League, Saran Kosovo: Arena Sport, Artmotion Kyrgyzstan: Saran, Q Sport Latvia: Viaplay Lithuania: Viaplay Luxembourg: RTL, Proximus Malta: Melita, PBS Moldova: Setanta, Prime Montenegro: Arena Sport Netherlands: RTL, Ziggo Sport North Macedonia: Makedonski Telekom, Arena Sport, MTV Norway: TV2 Norway Poland: Polsat Portugal:Eleven Romenia: Clever Media, Digisport, Telekom Romania Russia: Match TV Serbia: Arena Sport Slovakia: Markiza, Voyo Slovenia: Sportklub, Pro Plus Spain: Telefonica, Orange TV Sweden: Telia Switzerland: blue+, CH Media Tajikistan: Varzish TV, Saran Turkey: EXXEN Turkmenistan: Saran Ukraine: Megogo UK: BT Sport Uzbekistan: MTRK Africa and Middle East Nigeria: SuperSport South Africa: SuperSport Middle East and North Africa (Algeria, Bahrain, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen): beIN Sub-Saharian Africa: Canal+, SuperSport America Bolivia: Televideo Brazil: SBT, Turner Canada: DAZN Caribbean: Flow Sports, Sportsmax Central America: ESPN Costa Rica: Teletica Dominican Republic: Televideo Ecuador: Televideo El Salvador:Canal Dos Guatemala: Televideo Haití: Canal+ Honduras: Televicentro South America (except Brazil): ESPN Mexico: Turner Panama: TVN, Medcom Paraguay: Televideo Peru: Televideo United States: CBS, TUDN Deportes Venezuela: La Tele Tuya Asia and Pacífic Australia: STAN Brunei: beIn Cambodia: beIn China PR: PPTV, Tencent, iQIYI, Alibaba Hong Kong SAR: beIn India and Indian subcontinent: Sony Indonesia: SCTV Japan: Wowow Republic of Korea: SPO TV Laos: beIn Macau SAR: TDM Malaysia: beIn Mongolia: SPS Myanmar: TBA New Zealand: Spark Pacific Islands: Digicel Philipines: Tap TV Singapore: beIn Taiwan/Chines Taipei: Elta Thailand: beIn Vietnam: FPT Moreover, if you are one of those who can't miss a single live match, you should know that the Sport24 platform has the rights to broadcast Champions League matches on airplanes and cruise ships. Where to watch the final match of the Champions League 2021/2022? The 2021/2022 Champions League final will be held at the Gazprom Arena in St. Petersburg, Russia, on May 28, 2022. Like the rest of the competition, you can watch the Champions League final on TV through Movistar-Movistar Liga de Campeones dial 50 and Orange TV. Where to watch the Champions League 2021/2022 final on the Internet? In addition to television, you can also watch the Champions League final online. In this case, you must also be a Movistar or Orange customer and connect to Movistar+ on devices (former Yomvi) in the first case or to the online platform of Orange TV, if you are an Orange customer to enjoy the match in which the best European soccer team 2021/2022 will be proclaimed. How can I watch LaLiga soccer matches from abroad? If you have already contracted a television service with the LaLiga package and due to a geographic blocking of your television provider and your connection you have problems viewing the matches, the best option, in this case, will be to use a VPN that assigns you an associated IP that is not blocked. If your Internet access provider does not offer this service, below are the best VPN offers to surf safely from anywhere.
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Goodbye to airplane mode
29/11/2022The European Union has announced that not far away it will be not longer be mandatory to activate airplane mode on mobile phones when we travel by plane. The reason is the installation of a new special device on the aircrafts that will enhance 5G coverage on board, making it totally safe to be connected to the internet on board an aircraft. When these new devices are installed, we will be able to transmit all kinds of streaming content in mid-flight and send and receive calls, messages, emails, play online... "The sky is no longer the limit when it comes to high-speed, high-capacity connections. The 5G connection offers innovative services for people and growth opportunities for European businesses," said Thierry Breton, Internal Market Commissioner for Europe. Confirmed, then, the arrival of 5G to airplanes, now the question is to know if the airlines will charge for the service.
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The United States accelerates the digital dollar
23/11/2022After US President Joe Biden ordered this past week to urgently evaluate the creation of the digital dollar, the Federal Reserve Bank and companies such US Bank, Citi, HSBC and Wells Fargo have announced a pilot prove to test the new currency. The digital Dollar will be issued centrally and its regulated liability network (RLN) will be tested for twelve weeks, during which the participating banks will operate in a simulated way, using tokens that will act as deposits from their clients that will be settled in a central reserve in a shared distributed ledger. This will be use to evaluate its security and operation in financial transactions and agreements. In parallel, China continues to promote the Digital Yuan and the European Central Bank (ECB) is also advancing in the creation of the digital euro, a project that the latest information indicates it cab be already viable in 2025. And while all this is happening, the information that ensures an imminent regulation for cryptocurrencies increases.
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Netflix offers a new cheaper plan with tv advertisements
19/10/2022From November 10 th, in Spain and practically simultaneously in eleven other countries in Europe, Asia and America, the new Netflix subscription plan will be launched. The price will be, 5.49 euros per month and will give access to movies and series of Netflix catalog in exchange for showing ads. As it has been explained by Netflix, the average will be 4-5 minutes of ads per hour and this advertisements may appear both at the beginning of movies and series and during their playback.Within the framework of this new service, Netflix will offer to advertisers a new control tools to verify the level of display of their advertising and the validity of the traffic, with the aim that the ads that are displayed "are relevant to the consumers". At the moment, the new plan with ads from Netflix does not include the entire catalog of series and movies on the streaming platform, due to a license restriction issue, although the company has already announced that they are working to solve these impediments. In addition to Spain, the rest of countries where this new plan will be offered are: Germany, Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Korea, the United States, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico and the United Kingdom.
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Google Maps introduces new search opcions of ecological routes
21/09/2022Google will incorporate in Google Maps , new ecological routes that will be able to guarantee a lower impact from vehicles on the environment and, also, minimize fuel consumption.This new functionality of more sustainable itineraries will be implemented in Europe during next weeks, after having been successfully tested in the United States and Canada, where, according to Google in a statement sent to Europa Press, they have contributed to avoiding more than half a million tons of carbon emissions, in only one year.To suggest the best ecological route, Google Maps will ask the user about the type of engine of the vehicle that is going to use and then will show the driver all his available itinerary options and an accurate estimate of the consumption efficiency of the vehicle.Additionally, the package of new Google Maps features also incorporates the option to activate the display of charging points for electric vehicles; new bike routes, and Live View option, to supervise streets in real time.
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The Spanish Organization of Consumers and Users has denounces Apple for the planned obsolescence of the iPhone6
25/05/2022The Spanish Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) has filed a class action lawsuit against Apple for the planned obsolescence of their iPhone 6 and has agreed to pay the costs of the trial to the 400,000 affected in Spain. The OCU considers this planned obsolescence a deceptive commercial practice that violates consumer protection regulations and demands compensation for Spanish users for an amount that ranges between 99 and 189 euros. This figure comes from the sum of the amount of the battery (between 29 and 89 euros, depending on whether or not the replacement plan was accepted), plus 10% of the purchase price of the mobile (between 699 and 999 euros, depending on the model). According to the OCU lawsuit, Apple has acted fraudulently by hiding information from users, and considers that the technology company updated the software in the different models of the iPhone 6 to mask the performance problems of its batteries, knowing that this would cause a slowdown. and loss of phone performance. This practice, said OCU, conditioned consumers to renew their iPhones, causing them an economic loss that amounts to between 40 and 80 million euros, approximately. The complaint against Apple is one more action from the OCU to encourage affected users to fight against planned obsolescence.
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How to know if Pegasus has infected our mobile
05/05/2022The news of recent weeks, in which it is claimed that the Pegasus espionage program has been used to enter the mobile devices of Spanish politicians, has put a lot of people on alert. Pegasus is a malicious software that, once introduced on a device, has the ability to collect information and transmit it to an external entity without the consent or knowledge of the owner of the device, be it a mobile phone, a computer or a tablet. Pegasus also erases its trail after it is installed. Among its main features, it also stands out that Pegasus is capable of detecting who the owner of the device has been with. Pegasus also, can send and recive messages autonomously and recording conversations by manipulating the attacked mobile, computer or tablet. The two ways that this spy program uses to enter on a devices is through an SMS or a fraudulent link and, according to experts, despite the fact that it is a very difficult spyware to detect, there are some signs that can make us suspect that we have been infected. Overheating or slowdown of the system are two of the main ones, but also the fact that the battery life is decreasing or that there is excessive data consumption when we are not using the device. How to make it difficult for Pegasus To try to avoid being infected by Pegaus or by any other malware, the director of Systems Engineering at Fortinet from Spain and Portugal, José Luis Laguna, in statements collected by Europa Press, recommends taking extreme precautions and a make a double-checking when personal and confidential information is provided. In addition, the Fortinet expert explains that instead of clicking on the link that we have received, to verify that it is legitimate, it is recommended to write the address of the site in the web browser, even though this means taking an additional step and not accessing directly to this service. Using protection 'software' based on behavior - EndPoint Detection and Response (EDR) -, keeping the system updated, avoiding public Wi-Fi connections and checking the permissions granted to applications, are other precautions that are also recommended.
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The EU wants to make USB-C the charging standard for all electronic equipment
27/04/2022The Commission for the Internal Market and Consumer Protection of the European Union has endorsed the proposal to make the USB type C charger the charging standard for all electronic equipment. With this decision, the objective is be able to reduce electronic waste and the environmental footprint linked to its production. In addition, the unification of standards in a single model eliminates the need for consumers to have a new charger every time we buy a new smartphone or other electronic devices, such as computers, peripherals, digital cameras and game consoles. The statement issued by the European Parliament indicates that the only equipment that will be left oyt of the implementation of the new standard will be the one that is too small to use it, such as smart watches or health trackers. The next steps related to this approval is reach an agreement with the EU governments on the final form of the legislation that will regulate the obligation to convert USB-C into a standard charging port for all electronic equipment. The EU is committed to making USB-C_the charging standard for all electronic equipment The introduction of the same charger for all devices aims to reduce electronic waste
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Google Maps will use AI to update store hours
14/04/2022Google Maps will update the hours of more than 20 million businesses around the world in the next six months. To do this, they will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and a self-developed machine learning model, which identifies shop hours that are not updated. Through this system, the AI will update the hours according to itsel predictions based on parameters such the last update of the shop's profile, the hours of nearby stores and the busiest hours in that location. In addition, the algorithm will take datas from Google Business, information from the store's website, if it has one, and images from Street View. In some countries, Google will also use Google Duplex conversational AI technology to make calls with the quality of a human voice to the stores and confirm their opening hours. In this list of countries, France will be the only European country where the telephone verification will be carried out. The rest of the countries are Argentina, Australia, Chile, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru and the United States.
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5G will trigger data consumption that will multiply by three in five years
18/03/2022In 2025, 25% of global data connections will be 5G, compared to 8% at the end of 2021, according to GSMA forecasts, which also indicate that this greater implementation will have a greater impact, even in Europe, North America, China and some Asian countries, where the percentage of 5G penetration would be higher in that date. Among the main consequences of the 5G expansion, will be a greater consumption of data by users, has said GSMA and if, at the moment, the data traffic per smartphone in a month, is 11.4Gb on average, the forecasts by 2027 place it at 41Gb, three times more. And according to the organization that brings together the telecommunications industry and organizes the MWC in Barcelona, as the population has access to 5G, there will be a significant increase in streaming consumption, favored by a sudden drop in download times that will become negligible. The use of remote health services, ultra-high definition television (4K/8K) and 5G as home broadband are also expected to grow.
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Starlink Satellite Internet service multiplies their speed
11/02/2022Starlink, the Internet satellite network of SpaceX division, continues to bet on improving the download speed of their service and has just presented a new antenna that improves the performance of its basic kit. Its size is beat larger than the current antenna and Space X assure, it can offer a download speeds of 150 to 500 Mbps and a latency of 20 to 40 ms, compared to the speed of 50 Mb/s to 150 Mb/s of the initial kit . The official launch of the new antenna has been done in the United States, where users can already reserve it. It's expected that the antenna will arrive to Europe on the second quarter of the year.
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Common front against advertising based on user surveillance
19/01/2022Facing the forthcoming vote on the EU Digital Services Law, a group of 17 civil organizations and 14 digital companies have demanded the European Parliament prohibit invasive and hostile practices with privacy that take place in digital advertising such as user tracking. According to his complaint, companies that specialize in monitoring the behavior of Internet users, integrate data from all websites, something that entails a violation of EU data protection regulations. In addition, they remember, these advertising practices make use of "inferred data that reveals vulnerabilities of the users" and, in general, they insist, this data are obtained without the knowledge of the user and beyond their control. The signatories, including the privacy-focused search engine companies DuckDuckGo and Ecosia, denounce also that these types of practices only favor a few “dominant players” based in the United States, and they specifically cite, among others, Facebook and Google. As an alternative to these advertising systems, they propose to follow initiatives such the Dutch television channels NPO and Norwegian TV2, which opted for contextual advertising and increased their income from ads.
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Google accepts the challenge of bringing the Internet to all of Africa
29/10/2021Google has just announced that it's going to invest a billion dollars in improving the internet infrastructure in Africa through the American technology company Alphabet Inc. The project has the ambitious objective of increasing the Internet capacity in Africa 20 times, reducing the average connection price on the continent and increasing the Internet speed five times in this territory, where countries as Ethiopia or Malawi have an average connection below 0.5 megabits/ second. To complet this objectives, Google hopes to have its Equiano submarine cable ready by the end of this year. This cable has been deployed since 2019 and will connect Europe and Africa, contributing then to a considerable improvement in the current infrastructure of Africa. The “African digital transformation” project as it has been described by Google and Alphabet CEO, Sundar Pichai has a budget of 1 billion dolars, and incorporates a 50 million dolars, 40 million of which for non-profit organizations that works improving the standard of living in Africa, and the remaining 10 million for low-interest loans aimed at tech startups in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.
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The mining hardware market is booming
09/09/2021There is no doubt about it: cryptocurrency mining is booming. According to a report by Technavio, the mining hardware market is expected to grow by about €2.4 billion between 2020 and 2024. It would grow at an annual rate of more than 7%. So much so that Facebook has already announced that it will launch its own cryptocurrency, a stablecoin pegged to the fiat currency of the country where it operates. It also announced that it will get involved in the NFT industry. Meanwhile, interest in different types of mining tools continues to grow. Day after day, miners join the network. “It began as a niche hobby. Early adopters had to set up rigs on their own and then figure out how to connect them to pools (groups of miners) and earn profit. But since hosting facilities became a thing, anyone can purchase a rig and earn some passive crypto”, explains Josh Metnick, CEO of Navier, a company that hosts different types of miners.
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What is the value of a Bitcoin?
11/06/2021Since Bitcoin first appeared in 2009, this digital currency not issued by any government or company, nor, under the umbrella of any kind of economic policy, has gained a foothold in the market and has already started to fit into existing legal frameworks. What gives Bitcoin its value? The great value of Bitcoin is that it is a decentralized and global currency, an alternative to fiat currencies (those issued by governments). All transactions with Bitcoins are public and each of these crypto currencies belongs exclusively to its owner, therefore, it is a currency that cannot be intervened by anyone. What can I do with Bitcoins? To date, with this cryptocurrency, it is possible to monetize all kinds of services, in addition to making investments, free or practically free of commissions, which in the medium to long term are proving attractive. This has made Bitcoin an asset in which to invest and an increasingly popular means of payment through which to transfer value from one user to another without losing friction along the way, going through an intermediary or paying a commission. What is the price of a Bitcoin? Like any other good, the price of a Bitcoin varies according to market demand, although the fact that it has been designed to behave as a deflationary asset and that its supply is limited to 21 million coins, facilitates that by the law of supply and demand itself, the Bitcoin exchange rate tends to rise continuously. As of June 9, at the time of writing this article, the Bitcoin value today is 30,007.86 euros, 3.4 times its price a year ago, when the Bitcoin to Euro conversion rate was 8,629.5 Bitcoins for 1 euro. In 2010 Bitcoin price was less than one Euro cent. What does the value of Bitcoin depend on? The value of Bitcoin depends on the trust and acceptance of users to use it, hence why Bitcoin is rising in value some days and not others. As Bitcoin has been implemented as a means of payment in multiple transactions and its popularity has grown, its value has grown in parallel. Likewise, when there have been news or events that have questioned, for example, the suitability of this crypto currency, its price has fallen. Like any other currency, the price of Bitcoin fluctuates and it is the users themselves who set it at the time of the purchase and sale transaction, which prevents the existence of a single price for Bitcoin, since it is not operated through a single platform as is the case with other currencies. Even so, buying and selling prices of Bitcoins tend to be quite similar. To know how much Bitcoin costs, there are several online platforms, known as "Bitcoin trading platforms" that report live the evolution of the value of the cryptocurrency. Is it safe and profitable to invest in Bitcoin? As with any other asset, investing in Bitcoins is profitable if we know how to do it at the right time. On the other hand, the Blockchain technology on which Bitcoin is based is reliable and difficult to manipulate, with no risk of being counterfeited, although some experts believe that the perfect, 100% inviolable system has not yet been created. In the cryptocurrency segment, convertibility is contemplated, so that Bitcoins can be exchanged for fiat currencies. What can I buy with Bitcoins? Over the last few years, a large number of companies have incorporated Bitcoin as an official method of payment for their goods and services From travel companies to ticket sales platforms for all kinds of shows, through gaming platforms, digital bookstores, software stores or even non-profit organizations already accept this digital currency. That is, Destinia, 13tickets, Gear Best, Shopify, Wordpress, Hostinger, Greenpeace,... among many other companies. eBay is currently considering adding Bitcoin as a method of payment. What is Bitcoin mining and how are Bitcoins generated? The users themselves through a totally decentralized system create Bitcoins. To become a bitcoin creator, computers with high computational capacity are needed to process and verify transactions and quickly solve the complex digital processes of generating the currency. This work is called mining and one of its best attractions is that the system offers "miners" rewards in Bitcoins in exchange for these services, which has made this activity very appealing for certain users. Is it profitable to mine Bitcoins in Spain? Bitcoin mining requires very powerful equipment, with high calculation capacities to solve operations, being nowadays totally inoperative for this operation the PCs of domestic or office use. The investment to mine Bitcoins requires, in addition, to assume the large power consumption required by this more powerful equipment, which makes Spain, at this time due to the high price of KW/h, an uninteresting market for mining Bitcoins. On the contrary, other locations such as China, Iceland, Iran or Georgia, where the Bitcoin mining business is in full expansion, are very interesting.
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