Hardware

Google's NotebookLM, celebrated for its AI-generated Audio Overviews, is set to introduce an interactive feature that allows users to engage in real-time dialogue. This update, part of a broader redesign, will enable users to ask questions during playback, with AI hosts responding live. Google acknowledges that this feature is in its experimental phase and may occasionally result in awkward pauses or inaccuracies, but initial tests have been promising. For instance, I created a project based on articles about NotebookLM and found that while asking questions did slow down the overview, the AI hosts were able to integrate answers smoothly into the narrative.

At CES 2025, HP made a splash by unveiling three new 14-inch Elitebook laptops, each powered by the latest Intel processors. These laptops are being hailed as AI PCs, a trend that reflects the growing integration of AI into modern technology. The Intel Core Ultra 5 and 7 chips, with their three dedicated AI processing units, are a game-changer, allowing these Elitebooks to perform AI tasks at an astounding 48 TOPS (trillion operations per second). This level of performance is a significant leap forward in the laptop industry.

As we step into 2025, the tech world is abuzz with AI innovations, and Philips Hue is at the forefront with its latest smart lighting solution. The company is set to revolutionize home lighting by integrating an AI assistant into its Hue app, allowing users to craft the perfect ambiance for any occasion. This AI-driven feature will enable personalized lighting setups, controllable via simple voice commands or text inputs. For instance, users can command, "Set the mood for a movie night," or type, "Prepare a relaxing scene for reading." Additionally, Philips Hue is incorporating a feedback mechanism to ensure the lighting matches the user's vision.

In the heart of Las Vegas, the tech world gathered for CES 2025, where Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang, unveiled the company's latest marvels: the GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs. These aren't just any graphics cards; they're powered by the cutting-edge Blackwell AI chip, which Huang proclaimed as the most significant leap in computer graphics since the advent of programmable shading a quarter-century ago. This announcement set the stage for a series of AI-driven entertainment revelations at the show.

At CES 2020, Samsung unveiled Ballie, a home robot concept that captured imaginations. By CES 2024, Samsung had added a projector to stream content onto various surfaces. Now, at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, Samsung has announced the Ballie robot will be available in the U.S. this year.

At CES 2025, BMW showcased its new AI Panorama iDrive system, which will be standard on all of its new models. The system starts with BMW's Neue Klasse EV lineup and gradually expands to the entire lineup. It includes three tiers of displays, an AI-based voice assistant, and the new operating system X.

As CES 2025 unfolds, Nvidia is making waves with the introduction of a groundbreaking AI model that’s designed to understand and interact with the physical world, alongside a suite of large language models to support future AI-driven agents. CEO Jensen Huang positioned these models as particularly well-suited for applications in robotics and autonomous vehicles. However, there's another class of devices that could potentially see a significant leap forward in functionality thanks to Nvidia’s new technology: smart glasses.

Sony and AMD have joined forces on an innovative AI project named "Amethyst," designed to revolutionize gaming graphics and performance. This collaboration taps into the unique strengths of both companies, aiming to create cutting-edge machine learning solutions for future PlayStation consoles. The current PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro already benefit from AMD GPUs, which utilize AI for advanced image upscaling.

Nvidia is set to introduce "Project DIGITS," a mini desktop system showcased at CES. This small, square-shaped device functions as a personal supercomputer, running Nvidia's custom DGX OS, which is based on Ubuntu Linux. Although not a standalone product, Project DIGITS is designed as a peripheral that connects to a primary desktop PC to handle intensive AI workloads.

Apple is collaborating with Broadcom to create its first dedicated AI server chip, which is expected to be in production by 2026. The chip, named Baltra, is designed to meet the growing computational needs of Apple's expanding AI capabilities, while improving performance and energy efficiency.

Nvidia has introduced the new Jetson Orin Nano Super, an affordable and powerful AI computer aimed at developers and enthusiasts, priced at $249—half the cost of its predecessor. This compact device offers a 70% increase in AI performance, capable of handling up to 67 trillion operations per second (TOPS), making it highly efficient for processing inputs from up to four cameras simultaneously.

At the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Samsung unveiled its latest TV lineup, headlined by a suite of artificial intelligence features collectively known as "Vision AI." These enhancements are designed to make TVs smarter and more adaptive to user preferences.

The Google Pixel 9 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro offer comparable specs, with the Pixel excelling in AI performance and battery life, while the iPhone leads in raw processing power and camera upgrades. Ultimately, consumer choice will hinge on personal preferences and feature priorities.

OpenAI launched its "Strawberry" model O1 on September 12, introducing advanced reasoning capabilities that mimic human thought processes. It excels in mathematics, coding, and scientific tasks but struggles with factual knowledge. The O1 model signifies a departure from the "GPT" branding, reflecting a significant evolution in AI reasoning.