OUTER space and the Bronze Age do not sit well in the same sentence – they may both have existed at the same time, but anyone based on Earth back then would not have known much, or anything, about what lies beyond.
Tech it easy: What's new in cyberspace this month
05/04/2020
THEY made all sorts of dire predictions 20 years ago about how we'd stop living 'real' lives and our entire existence would become digital. And now that it's (temporarily) happened, it's not purely because technology is so advanced that we can; it's because of a pandemic that leaves us with no other choice.
And thank goodness, really. Imagine if all this had happened in the 1980s or even 1990s – we could make phone calls, which would probably cost a fortune, especially if those we spoke to were in a different district, but we couldn't connect up daily, actually see each other, read anything that we didn't already have at home on paper, or watch anything that wasn't one one of the four analogue TV channels. Everyone who's spent the last few years grumbling about how 'the youth of today' spend their time chatting on social media rather than 'actually talking to each other in person' (not easy unless you live in the same street, at least, not as frequently) is probably eating their words by now; meanwhile, Millennials and Generation Z have adjusted better than anyone, because they're used to their social lives being at least partly online.
Given that we've all had to go 'a bit digital' with the national lockdown, a 'tech' theme for today's article is kind of apt. So we've decided to bring you a round-up of the latest headlines on the technology front in Spain – it's not all Coronavirus-related, don't worry.
Xiaomi Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro hits the shelves
Proof that Covid-19 hasn't stopped China doing one of the things it does best, now could be a good time to upgrade your mobile to a latest-generation version – at any other time, shoppers would now be getting ready to queue overnight outside AliExpress and other Xiaomi points of sale to get their hands on a top-of-the-range Mi 10 or Mi 10 Pro, which range in price from €799 to €999, although now, they'll have to reserve theirs online, given that they are set to launch in Spain on April 15, a whole 11 days before lockdown ends. If you don't have a spare grand in your pocket, the Mi 10 Lite comes in at €349 and the Mi TV 4S – with 4K and HDR 10+ - at €549. For the more expensive versions, Xiaomi has upgraded its camera to 108 mega-pixels.
...so does the Realme 6
The more mid-range latest mobile phone sensation, Realme, is planning on landing in Spain earlier – tomorrow (Monday, April 6) in fact. They start at €219 for the Realme 6, with 4GB memory plus 64GB internal memory, or you can double the latter – to 128GB – for €249, and the former as well, to 8GB, for €279.
A week later, on April 13, the cheaper Realme 6i, costing €179, and Realme C3, at €139, will reach the market in Spain – the first of these has a 4GB memory and 128GB internal storage, and the second, 3GB and 64GB respectively.
You can increase their capacity by adding a larger MicroSD card, though, if you opt for the cheaper end and then realise further down the line that you're running out of space.
Social media use rockets
Well, you might have expected that. But if anyone ever tells you again that, if they were stranded on a desert island, they'd be quite happy to leave their phones on the shipwreck and enjoy some offline time, then you can be sure they're not being entirely straight with you. Confinement has meant use of WhatsApp has soared by a whopping 700% since mid-March, or 381Gbs (gigabytes per second) more, whilst online gaming has exploded by nearly 300%, or 700Gbs more than usual, according to State telecommunications giant Telefónica.
Facebook messages have gone up in number and frequency by around 50%, overall data use has risen by 41%, mobile phone call traffic by 40% - with peak time being at around noon – and landlines suddenly coming back into fashion, with their use at around the same time, also that of the highest traffic, having gone up by 45%.
Streaming is typically at its peak at around 22.00 mainland Spain time, with data use upped by 40%; over 8.8 million people nationwide tune into Movístar+ at the weekends, or at least 50% more than usual.
Of course, some of this extra online and mobile phone use involves school and work. Teachers, parents and education specialists at universities say the entire learning community has adapted in record time to 'remote' classrooms, mums and dads are generally happy with the quality of lessons and material teachers are providing to their kids, and even adult education centres are continuing with their classes online. In fact, some teachers at these say they are spending more time on the job from home than ever before.
Ditto work – anyone who is able is now working from home, meaning use of tools such as Skype, Webex and Facetime have multiplied by 400%.
Hands off! When your mobile becomes your whole handbag
Avoiding touching anything you can feasibly keep your hands off is crucial at the moment, since it is not certain how long the Covid-19 Coronavirus can survive on different types of surface – you'll have noticed, for example, how shops are now taking card payments for any amount, and preferring to do so, even if before they had insisted on cash below a given figure (it is not yet clear whether the virus 'sticks' to coins and notes), how pharmacies have stopped asking for your SIP, or healthcare card, to dispense your prescriptions, and how some establishments even disinfect card machines, including after contactless payments. Banks have been considering lifting the limit for contactless payments not requiring a PIN – currently €20 – to avoid customers having to touch buttons on card machines, but as yet, have not done so; expect this to happen any time soon.
And thanks to a battery of new technology, you can cut down on what you carry around with you by storing most of it in your phone these days.
The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) has launched a 'My DGT' application – MiDGT, it's called – so you can upload your driving licence onto your phone. It's compulsory to carry it with you whenever you drive, but thanks to the 'midget' App, a mobile phone version is now legally acceptable.
In Spain, it is a legal requirement to carry official photograph ID on you at all times out in public – at least, if you're aged 14 or over – and although a driving licence is not always accepted, it will sometimes be considered sufficient to prove who you are. More so at the moment, where any police officer who stops you will prefer you not to get your passport, DNI or NIE card out if it involves touching extra items.
Most of the more modern mobiles have a built-in option for you to upload your bank card details, as do SmartWatches, and you then just use your device in the same way you would a contactless card. Phones and watches do not store your actual card data, so this can never be 'hacked' from your phone or 'cloned' when using in a shop.
Even supermarket points cards can be uploaded onto modern phones – using the App known as Stocard, compatible with iOS and Android, you can store all your cards on one programme, so you don't have to fish around for different ones in your purse. Supermarkets which offer points cards – and points give you discounts – include Día, Carrefour, Eroski and Mas y Mas.
At the moment, if you're still having to physically go into work, you'll need to be able to prove it if you're stopped by the police – your firm will probably issue a certificate, or you may have a staff key card with you. These can be digitalised and stored on your phone, and are acceptable to authorities if you're stopped.
It's not Big Brother, but...you're being tracked
This isn't something you need to worry about, but Spain's health ministry is using GPS-tracking to record the movements of all mobile phones in the country, to see where people are.
It doesn't mean they're out to 'catch' you breaking quarantine and send the police after you if they trace your phone to the street outside – there are too many of us in Spain for them to do that – and, in any case, given that we all want to see the pandemic quashed and be able to get on with our lives, don't want to infect anyone or get infected, we won't even be attempting to shirk our lockdown obligations anyway. Not because we're worried about 'getting caught', but because it's about social responsibility and just plain not being selfish.
The government's tracking is mainly to find out where people are concentrated, how many are in hospitals, and whether people in general are currently in the part of the country they normally reside in. This way, they can figure out where healthcare resources need to be focused – after all, there'd be no point sending in medical reinforcements to Madrid if most of the region had already moved into their holiday homes on the east and south coasts.
Artificial Intelligence will help the government to 'understand where the population is moving around and why' to see which areas are most in need of focus. Being based in the capital, it is not always easy for the central government to work out what life is like 400 or 700 kilometres away, whether district hospitals are understaffed or, on the contrary, if some have plenty enough medics to cope and more whilst others are struggling.
Other ministry of health initiatives include Apps, online assistants – such as the Coronavirus symptom-checker – and websites, in a bid to avoid the spread of 'fake news' and keep everyone informed.
Teething troubles
Just imagine the disappointment you'd have faced as a child if, when your milk teeth fell out, the Tooth Fairy was in Coronavirus lockdown and couldn't come out to do what Tooth Fairies normally do. It's a very real concern for children of a certain age – in Spain, too, where it isn't a fairy, or a female, but a little mouse called Pérez, who tops up their pocket money under the pillow.
Having heard about so many little ones getting stressed that the Ratoncito Pérez wouldn't be able to come out to them during quarantine, Madrid-based virtual reality firm New Horizons VR has recreated a 3D version of this cute nocturnal visitor, which you can get on your phone.
You take a picture of your sleeping child, send it to the creators, and you'll get a video sent by return of the 'virtual' Ratoncito Pérez tip-toeing along the edge of the bed and filching under the pillow without disturbing the youngster whose head is on it – then you can show it to them the next day to prove he's been, as promised.
This cute little scheme has crossed the pond to México and Argentina – although the latter's national president, Alberto Fernández, replied to a little boy on Twitter last week reassuring him that, no, the Ratoncito Pérez does not have to quarantine like humans do, and is still working.
The company has set up a website, Ilusiono.com, solely for the tooth-collecting video purpose, where you can send a picture of your child asleep and they'll do the rest by adding the smiley rodent to the footage.
Vital equipment
These days, you're probably going to be hearing a lot about respirators and other crucial life-saving medical equipment being made by car factories – partly in a bid to stay open, since vehicle manufacturing has temporarily fallen and, due to its longer-term nature, cannot really be considered a 'key public service' during lockdown. You'll also be hearing about engineering departments, scientists and all types of mechanical plants producing this equipment using 3D printers.
Among these all-hands-on-deck cases is Valencia Polytechnic and the city's Biomechanical Institute, whose team has managed to develop a new, lightweight, small, simple and easy-to-handle respirator within less than 10 days, and which is now ready for mass production.
Hardly any hospital on earth has enough ventilation equipment for Coronavirus patients in a critical condition – never before have so many people needed to be intubated all at once, so the respirator shortage in Spain is not merely a national crisis.
But as Valencia Polytechnic's version is so quick to make from scratch, and a string of local and multi-national companies have announced their keenness to join the production chain, an unprecedented volume of them could be hitting hospitals nationally and abroad very soon, says Dr Carlos Atienza, head of health technology innovation at the Biomechanical Institute.
They are just waiting for the Spanish Medications and Healthcare Products Agency (AEMPS) to sign it off, but given the extreme need, they are unlikely to hang about in doing so.
The ventilator allows medical staff to monitor the frequency of patients' breathing cycle, air volume and pressure, and is fitted with sensors and alarms to allow them to fine-tune the machine to the individual and his or her needs.
Living in a Nannyfy State
Our guide for first-timers working from home, and our other guide to keeping the kids amused now school's out, whether your office is now based in your house or not, may help you come up with ideas and find a balance. But if you're still ripping your hair out and missing deadlines, you might need some help – perhaps you can get a nanny.
No, it's not necessarily for royalty or celebrities: You can get yourself one for about €4 an hour. Yes, a real, human one. And yes, the actual nannies do get paid more than €4 an hour, so there's no exploitation involved.
A Spanish start-up firm, 'Nannyfy' hand-picks its professionals and insists on at least two years' experience, several references, and at least an undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification in primary or secondary education, psychology, nursery nursing, linguistics, child development, or other related subjects.
Once Nannyfy has checked out credentials, they create a profile with a photo, presentation video, details of qualifications, education and experience, aptitudes, and languages they speak, plus scores they have been given by other families they have worked with. Then, customers choose their ideal match and offer them a job if they need someone to work directly in their homes; at present, though, during the lockdown, this is not going to be feasible.
Nannyfy has swiftly diversified – not just for the quarantine period, but to meet the needs of the more 'average' modern family with home-working parents. The nannies now offer live, online activities in virtual classrooms with children of a similar age – each activity session lasts from 40 to 50 minutes and costs €4, or you can sign up for a 'pack' with two activities a day all week for €30, or unlimited access to all activities at any time for €60 a week, depending upon your budget.
Activities are aimed at children aged approximately four to 11, and are adjusted within this bracket to be more specific to a child's age; as in, you won't have four-year-olds in the same virtual classroom as 11-year-olds. They include English as a foreign language, arts and crafts, drawing, dancing, games, challenges, children's yoga, introduction to guitar-playing, painting and even art history.
During 'normal' times, other services can be provided including one-off 'babysitting' sessions at a minimum of two hours each which, if booked at least 48 hours in advance, offer the chance to chat online with the nanny before starting.
Related Topics
THEY made all sorts of dire predictions 20 years ago about how we'd stop living 'real' lives and our entire existence would become digital. And now that it's (temporarily) happened, it's not purely because technology is so advanced that we can; it's because of a pandemic that leaves us with no other choice.
And thank goodness, really. Imagine if all this had happened in the 1980s or even 1990s – we could make phone calls, which would probably cost a fortune, especially if those we spoke to were in a different district, but we couldn't connect up daily, actually see each other, read anything that we didn't already have at home on paper, or watch anything that wasn't one one of the four analogue TV channels. Everyone who's spent the last few years grumbling about how 'the youth of today' spend their time chatting on social media rather than 'actually talking to each other in person' (not easy unless you live in the same street, at least, not as frequently) is probably eating their words by now; meanwhile, Millennials and Generation Z have adjusted better than anyone, because they're used to their social lives being at least partly online.
Given that we've all had to go 'a bit digital' with the national lockdown, a 'tech' theme for today's article is kind of apt. So we've decided to bring you a round-up of the latest headlines on the technology front in Spain – it's not all Coronavirus-related, don't worry.
Xiaomi Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro hits the shelves
Proof that Covid-19 hasn't stopped China doing one of the things it does best, now could be a good time to upgrade your mobile to a latest-generation version – at any other time, shoppers would now be getting ready to queue overnight outside AliExpress and other Xiaomi points of sale to get their hands on a top-of-the-range Mi 10 or Mi 10 Pro, which range in price from €799 to €999, although now, they'll have to reserve theirs online, given that they are set to launch in Spain on April 15, a whole 11 days before lockdown ends. If you don't have a spare grand in your pocket, the Mi 10 Lite comes in at €349 and the Mi TV 4S – with 4K and HDR 10+ - at €549. For the more expensive versions, Xiaomi has upgraded its camera to 108 mega-pixels.
...so does the Realme 6
The more mid-range latest mobile phone sensation, Realme, is planning on landing in Spain earlier – tomorrow (Monday, April 6) in fact. They start at €219 for the Realme 6, with 4GB memory plus 64GB internal memory, or you can double the latter – to 128GB – for €249, and the former as well, to 8GB, for €279.
A week later, on April 13, the cheaper Realme 6i, costing €179, and Realme C3, at €139, will reach the market in Spain – the first of these has a 4GB memory and 128GB internal storage, and the second, 3GB and 64GB respectively.
You can increase their capacity by adding a larger MicroSD card, though, if you opt for the cheaper end and then realise further down the line that you're running out of space.
Social media use rockets
Well, you might have expected that. But if anyone ever tells you again that, if they were stranded on a desert island, they'd be quite happy to leave their phones on the shipwreck and enjoy some offline time, then you can be sure they're not being entirely straight with you. Confinement has meant use of WhatsApp has soared by a whopping 700% since mid-March, or 381Gbs (gigabytes per second) more, whilst online gaming has exploded by nearly 300%, or 700Gbs more than usual, according to State telecommunications giant Telefónica.
Facebook messages have gone up in number and frequency by around 50%, overall data use has risen by 41%, mobile phone call traffic by 40% - with peak time being at around noon – and landlines suddenly coming back into fashion, with their use at around the same time, also that of the highest traffic, having gone up by 45%.
Streaming is typically at its peak at around 22.00 mainland Spain time, with data use upped by 40%; over 8.8 million people nationwide tune into Movístar+ at the weekends, or at least 50% more than usual.
Of course, some of this extra online and mobile phone use involves school and work. Teachers, parents and education specialists at universities say the entire learning community has adapted in record time to 'remote' classrooms, mums and dads are generally happy with the quality of lessons and material teachers are providing to their kids, and even adult education centres are continuing with their classes online. In fact, some teachers at these say they are spending more time on the job from home than ever before.
Ditto work – anyone who is able is now working from home, meaning use of tools such as Skype, Webex and Facetime have multiplied by 400%.
Hands off! When your mobile becomes your whole handbag
Avoiding touching anything you can feasibly keep your hands off is crucial at the moment, since it is not certain how long the Covid-19 Coronavirus can survive on different types of surface – you'll have noticed, for example, how shops are now taking card payments for any amount, and preferring to do so, even if before they had insisted on cash below a given figure (it is not yet clear whether the virus 'sticks' to coins and notes), how pharmacies have stopped asking for your SIP, or healthcare card, to dispense your prescriptions, and how some establishments even disinfect card machines, including after contactless payments. Banks have been considering lifting the limit for contactless payments not requiring a PIN – currently €20 – to avoid customers having to touch buttons on card machines, but as yet, have not done so; expect this to happen any time soon.
And thanks to a battery of new technology, you can cut down on what you carry around with you by storing most of it in your phone these days.
The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) has launched a 'My DGT' application – MiDGT, it's called – so you can upload your driving licence onto your phone. It's compulsory to carry it with you whenever you drive, but thanks to the 'midget' App, a mobile phone version is now legally acceptable.
In Spain, it is a legal requirement to carry official photograph ID on you at all times out in public – at least, if you're aged 14 or over – and although a driving licence is not always accepted, it will sometimes be considered sufficient to prove who you are. More so at the moment, where any police officer who stops you will prefer you not to get your passport, DNI or NIE card out if it involves touching extra items.
Most of the more modern mobiles have a built-in option for you to upload your bank card details, as do SmartWatches, and you then just use your device in the same way you would a contactless card. Phones and watches do not store your actual card data, so this can never be 'hacked' from your phone or 'cloned' when using in a shop.
Even supermarket points cards can be uploaded onto modern phones – using the App known as Stocard, compatible with iOS and Android, you can store all your cards on one programme, so you don't have to fish around for different ones in your purse. Supermarkets which offer points cards – and points give you discounts – include Día, Carrefour, Eroski and Mas y Mas.
At the moment, if you're still having to physically go into work, you'll need to be able to prove it if you're stopped by the police – your firm will probably issue a certificate, or you may have a staff key card with you. These can be digitalised and stored on your phone, and are acceptable to authorities if you're stopped.
It's not Big Brother, but...you're being tracked
This isn't something you need to worry about, but Spain's health ministry is using GPS-tracking to record the movements of all mobile phones in the country, to see where people are.
It doesn't mean they're out to 'catch' you breaking quarantine and send the police after you if they trace your phone to the street outside – there are too many of us in Spain for them to do that – and, in any case, given that we all want to see the pandemic quashed and be able to get on with our lives, don't want to infect anyone or get infected, we won't even be attempting to shirk our lockdown obligations anyway. Not because we're worried about 'getting caught', but because it's about social responsibility and just plain not being selfish.
The government's tracking is mainly to find out where people are concentrated, how many are in hospitals, and whether people in general are currently in the part of the country they normally reside in. This way, they can figure out where healthcare resources need to be focused – after all, there'd be no point sending in medical reinforcements to Madrid if most of the region had already moved into their holiday homes on the east and south coasts.
Artificial Intelligence will help the government to 'understand where the population is moving around and why' to see which areas are most in need of focus. Being based in the capital, it is not always easy for the central government to work out what life is like 400 or 700 kilometres away, whether district hospitals are understaffed or, on the contrary, if some have plenty enough medics to cope and more whilst others are struggling.
Other ministry of health initiatives include Apps, online assistants – such as the Coronavirus symptom-checker – and websites, in a bid to avoid the spread of 'fake news' and keep everyone informed.
Teething troubles
Just imagine the disappointment you'd have faced as a child if, when your milk teeth fell out, the Tooth Fairy was in Coronavirus lockdown and couldn't come out to do what Tooth Fairies normally do. It's a very real concern for children of a certain age – in Spain, too, where it isn't a fairy, or a female, but a little mouse called Pérez, who tops up their pocket money under the pillow.
Having heard about so many little ones getting stressed that the Ratoncito Pérez wouldn't be able to come out to them during quarantine, Madrid-based virtual reality firm New Horizons VR has recreated a 3D version of this cute nocturnal visitor, which you can get on your phone.
You take a picture of your sleeping child, send it to the creators, and you'll get a video sent by return of the 'virtual' Ratoncito Pérez tip-toeing along the edge of the bed and filching under the pillow without disturbing the youngster whose head is on it – then you can show it to them the next day to prove he's been, as promised.
This cute little scheme has crossed the pond to México and Argentina – although the latter's national president, Alberto Fernández, replied to a little boy on Twitter last week reassuring him that, no, the Ratoncito Pérez does not have to quarantine like humans do, and is still working.
The company has set up a website, Ilusiono.com, solely for the tooth-collecting video purpose, where you can send a picture of your child asleep and they'll do the rest by adding the smiley rodent to the footage.
Vital equipment
These days, you're probably going to be hearing a lot about respirators and other crucial life-saving medical equipment being made by car factories – partly in a bid to stay open, since vehicle manufacturing has temporarily fallen and, due to its longer-term nature, cannot really be considered a 'key public service' during lockdown. You'll also be hearing about engineering departments, scientists and all types of mechanical plants producing this equipment using 3D printers.
Among these all-hands-on-deck cases is Valencia Polytechnic and the city's Biomechanical Institute, whose team has managed to develop a new, lightweight, small, simple and easy-to-handle respirator within less than 10 days, and which is now ready for mass production.
Hardly any hospital on earth has enough ventilation equipment for Coronavirus patients in a critical condition – never before have so many people needed to be intubated all at once, so the respirator shortage in Spain is not merely a national crisis.
But as Valencia Polytechnic's version is so quick to make from scratch, and a string of local and multi-national companies have announced their keenness to join the production chain, an unprecedented volume of them could be hitting hospitals nationally and abroad very soon, says Dr Carlos Atienza, head of health technology innovation at the Biomechanical Institute.
They are just waiting for the Spanish Medications and Healthcare Products Agency (AEMPS) to sign it off, but given the extreme need, they are unlikely to hang about in doing so.
The ventilator allows medical staff to monitor the frequency of patients' breathing cycle, air volume and pressure, and is fitted with sensors and alarms to allow them to fine-tune the machine to the individual and his or her needs.
Living in a Nannyfy State
Our guide for first-timers working from home, and our other guide to keeping the kids amused now school's out, whether your office is now based in your house or not, may help you come up with ideas and find a balance. But if you're still ripping your hair out and missing deadlines, you might need some help – perhaps you can get a nanny.
No, it's not necessarily for royalty or celebrities: You can get yourself one for about €4 an hour. Yes, a real, human one. And yes, the actual nannies do get paid more than €4 an hour, so there's no exploitation involved.
A Spanish start-up firm, 'Nannyfy' hand-picks its professionals and insists on at least two years' experience, several references, and at least an undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification in primary or secondary education, psychology, nursery nursing, linguistics, child development, or other related subjects.
Once Nannyfy has checked out credentials, they create a profile with a photo, presentation video, details of qualifications, education and experience, aptitudes, and languages they speak, plus scores they have been given by other families they have worked with. Then, customers choose their ideal match and offer them a job if they need someone to work directly in their homes; at present, though, during the lockdown, this is not going to be feasible.
Nannyfy has swiftly diversified – not just for the quarantine period, but to meet the needs of the more 'average' modern family with home-working parents. The nannies now offer live, online activities in virtual classrooms with children of a similar age – each activity session lasts from 40 to 50 minutes and costs €4, or you can sign up for a 'pack' with two activities a day all week for €30, or unlimited access to all activities at any time for €60 a week, depending upon your budget.
Activities are aimed at children aged approximately four to 11, and are adjusted within this bracket to be more specific to a child's age; as in, you won't have four-year-olds in the same virtual classroom as 11-year-olds. They include English as a foreign language, arts and crafts, drawing, dancing, games, challenges, children's yoga, introduction to guitar-playing, painting and even art history.
During 'normal' times, other services can be provided including one-off 'babysitting' sessions at a minimum of two hours each which, if booked at least 48 hours in advance, offer the chance to chat online with the nanny before starting.
Related Topics
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