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It’s that time of the year -- the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2025) is in full swing in Las Vegas, and once again, AI is taking center stage.  While AI-powered devices abound, this year it’s the familiar products we know and love that are getting an intelligent upgrade –- everything from cars to kitchen appliances, baby monitors to pet feeders.

This week, we’re diving into AI-enhanced TVs, a digital assistant to book your next meal, hearing aids that redefine sound, and a cutting-edge bath—for the birds.  

Let’s get started!

AI at Home

It’s 2025…and according to global electronics giant Samsung, “TV should just get you.” If you’re shopping for a large-screen television this year, Samsung’s “Vision AI” is worth a look. Unveiled at CES, these smart TV enhancements promise to take channel surfing to a whole new level.

Think of “Vision AI" as bringing some of your favorite phone features to your living room screen, showcased in this short promo video. Highlights include:

• Click to Search: Point, click, and discover. This feature identifies people, places, and products on-screen in real time. It can even reveal filming locations, actors' bios, and their other roles.

• Samsung Food: See a recipe on TV? This tool lets you recreate it by ordering ingredients or delivery directly from your screen. (We’re reserving judgment on how well it works.)

• AI Remote: A dedicated button now serves up personalized content, shopping suggestions, and recommendations.

• Bixby 2.0: Samsung’s voice assistant now has a serious upgrade. It can handle chained commands like "Change the channel and raise the volume" seamlessly.

• Live Translate: Watch global content with ease—this feature translates closed captions in up to seven languages instantly.

And there’s more: your TV can also double as a security hub, analyzing video feeds from your connected cameras and audio so you can monitor your home in real time.

If you’re interested in learning more about Samsung’s AI lineup and its latest models, you can catch Samsung’s full CES 2025 press conference online. Hard to believe TV was once sarcastically referred to as “the boob tube.”

Help offset rising pet care costs

• Veterinary costs are up 60% over the past decade.

• Pet insurance could provide up to 90% reimbursement.

• View Money’s top pet insurance picks here.

SEE PLANS

AI Assistants

Last week, we highlighted AI agents as the next big innovation for 2025. This week, we're excited to share a practical example that could transform your daily life. Simple AI is a phone assistant designed to take on those tedious calls you’d rather avoid.

Imagine having a reliable assistant to handle your most time-consuming phone tasks—navigating frustrating phone trees, waiting on hold, and scheduling appointments. Simple AI does all this while seamlessly integrating with your contacts and calendar.

How it works: After installing the app, you can delegate tasks with natural commands like "Call Pacino and make a reservation for Wednesday night between 6:00 and 8:00 PM" or "Find me a local optometrist that accepts my insurance." Simple handles the calls, schedules appointments, and provides you with a transcript for review.

The startup, the brainchild of Catheryn Li and Zach Kamran, was developed in the prestigious Y Combinator incubator. Team member Justin recently spoke with Cat Li about Simple's vision.

"We're not just building another AI tool – we're creating a bridge that connects everyday people with the transformative power of AI technology,” Cat explained.  Cat also suggested some creative ways to use Simple, such as: "Find me a massage spa in SF. Call 5 of them and ask about their pricing and availability for next Saturday”, or "Call AAA membership and ask how much discount Disneyland tickets cost”.

Get started: Download the app and sign up to test Simple's capabilities for free. A monthly subscription of $15 unlocks a larger number of calls. Want a demo? Reply to this newsletter or send a note to us here with your phone number, and Justin will have Simple call you to showcase its capabilities. It's a perfect way to experience the technology firsthand without downloading the app.

In a world where time is precious, Simple AI might be the personal assistant we've all been waiting for. 

AI Health & Wellness

Wearable tech is turning up the volume on innovation with AI-driven hearing aids. Minnesota-based Starkey, an industry leader, recently launched the new Edge AI, designed to revolutionize how people hear and interact with the world.

Hearing aids, long associated with basic amplification, are now high-tech health tools. Starkey's Edge AI leverages AI to personalize hearing and health experiences, opening new possibilities for accessibility and wellness. It builds on the company’s Genesis AI platform, enhancing sound clarity, reducing noise, and even preventing falls—all while processing sound nine times faster than competitors.

Key features:

• Adaptive Soundscapes: Automatically adjusts to environments—prioritizing speech in noisy settings or enhancing comfort in quieter ones.

• Balance and Fall Prevention: Conducts medical-grade balance assessments and monitors gait to detect fall risks, sending alerts to designated contacts if necessary.

• Health Tracking Tools: Tracks steps, activity levels, and even reminds users to take medications—much like a smartwatch.

• Language Translation: Translates conversations in over 70 languages via the My Starkey app and Bluetooth, ensuring seamless communication.

• Audio Streaming: Streams calls, music, or even live TV audio directly to the hearing aids for a discreet and immersive experience.

• Noise Reduction: Improves noise reduction by up to 13 decibels in challenging environments, enhancing clarity for conversations and situational awareness.

With over 4 million OTC hearing aids sold in 2023, the market is booming. Starkey faces stiff competition from tech giants like Apple’s Air Pods Pro 2, but its focus on health-driven innovation could set it apart. It looks like hearing aids are no longer just for hearing—they’re for living.

AI Nature Lovers

Bird feeders are out … bird baths are IN. Birdfy’s Bath Pro is making a splash at CES this year with its smart tech experience. Whether you’re a casual bird fan or a full-on feather fanatic, this camera-equipped bird bath promises to make your avian encounters more interactive—and way more entertaining.

Birdfy is betting this next-gen device will resonate with birdwatchers looking to upgrade their setups and ditch traditional baths for something smarter. Features to crow about:

• Two lenses: A wide-angle lens captures the big picture, while an auto-tracking lens zooms in on individual birds as they move.

• AI insights: Optional AI analysis tracks your bath’s visitors, identifying species and providing daily and monthly summaries.

• Solar power: A built-in solar panel keeps the 9,000mAh battery charged, so you don’t have to wing it.

• Cloud storage: Save videos and images of your bath’s best moments.

• Wi-Fi connectivity: Stream every dip and splash to your phone in real time.

Birdfy’s Facebook group connects you with other backyard birdwatchers to share videos, discover new species, and spotlight your latest sightings.

The Birdfy Bath Pro costs $199.99 (or $239.99 with a stand included). A free companion app gives you a lifetime AI subscription that offers daily bird counts and photo highlights, plus monthly rankings comparing your bath’s activity to others in the Birdfy community. Lifetime bird identification will cost an extra $20-40 upfront. Preorders for the Birdfy Bath Pro are open now.

AI in the News (in case you missed it)

• Can AI tools impact your creativity? MIT research uncovers the truth. Read here.

• AI companies are preparing for the second Trump administration. Listen here.

• NBC News investigation: Meta user-gen AI chatbots imitating 'Hitler,' 'Jesus Christ' and Taylor Swift violates policy. Read here.

• Serve Robotics’ delivery bots are becoming more common on LA sidewalks. Read here.

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Here.Now.AI Editorial team: Lori, Justin, and Lisa