Author: Team

Samsung Expands ‘AI for All’ Vision at CES 2025 To Bring AI Everyday, Everywhere

LAS VEGAS – Jan. 7, 2025 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today unveiled its new “AI for All” vision at CES® 2025, with the focus of making AI an “Everyday, Everywhere” experience. Building on a decade of connected home leadership, Samsung is leveraging the power of AI to bring intelligence to every day, enabling people to experience a more personal, impactful and empowering world.

Jong-Hee (JH) Han, Vice Chairman, CEO and Head of Samsung’s Device eXperience (DX) Division, opened Samsung’s CES 2025 press conference by introducing the company’s roadmap for Home AI, a plan for redefining the meaning of home by providing truly personalized services across all intelligent, connected devices. This strategy, alongside Samsung’s innovations in AI-powered devices across mobile, home appliances and visual display, is a testament to Samsung’s longstanding commitment to human-centric innovation and brings the power of AI to everyday experiences to make life better for all.

“I’m proud of how we have introduced new technologies and intelligence to the home, connected key devices and set the standard for the home of the future,” Vice Chairman Han said. “This year at CES, we are reinforcing our commitment to delivering personalized experiences through our widespread implementation of AI and we will continue this journey of AI leadership in the home and beyond, not just for the next decade, but for the next century.”

Elevating Everyday Experiences With Home AI
Later in the press conference, Jonathan Gabrio, Head of the Connected Experience Center at Samsung Electronics America, expanded on Samsung’s Home AI vision, underscoring the company’s commitment to integrating AI across the entire connected experience to cater to diverse lifestyles. From single person households to multi-generational families under one roof, Home AI learns from habits and adapts to individual routines for a hyper-personalized smart home experience.

Security and Privacy are at the heart of Samsung’s strategy for Home AI. Samsung recognizes that as users introduce more connected devices into their homes and AI becomes more personal, it must also protect users’ privacy. To meet these evolving needs, the company has extended its security capabilities. Now, Samsung Knox Matrix protects home appliances along with mobile devices and TVs with its signature blockchain technology, ensuring that connected devices are working together to protect the user’s home, data and each other from digital threats. With Knox Matrix Dashboard, a transparent privacy control, Samsung offers simplified security management across the entire connected home. As information syncs across devices, Knox Matrix’s Credential Sync ensures that data can only be encrypted or decrypted from the user’s devices, and Samsung Knox Vault adds another layer of protection, keeping sensitive information like passwords or PINs isolated in a secure location.

Samsung’s One UI provides an integrated software experience across all connected Samsung devices, enhancing interoperability, empowering users with AI-based features and providing software updates for up to seven years.

Underpinning it all is SmartThings, Samsung’s smart home platform that brings intelligent connectivity to hundreds of millions of users around the world. With Samsung’s belief in open innovation and partnership as a foundation, SmartThings is being equipped with the latest AI technology to streamline and personalize the smart home experience for complete convenience. SmartThings Ambient Sensing intuitively understands the user’s environment and situational context by analyzing even human movements and ambient sounds through connected devices within the home, thereby enabling those devices to intelligently and seamlessly respond and adapt to daily routines.

Bixby Voice, an enhanced AI voice assistant, will be integrated to increase usability. The assistant has been trained so that it can recognize individual voices and respond to commands in a way that works best for each user.

Another way SmartThings simplifies everyday life is with Flex Connect, Samsung’s energy demand response program which incentivizes customers to enroll their devices with SmartThings and use SmartThings Energy. Users can decrease strain on local electricity grids and receive rewards in the form of Samsung Rewards points. In 2025, the program will be expanded from New York and California to select regions in Texas, helping address critical grid needs in the state.

These Home AI updates free up time previously spent on home management, allowing users to focus on what matters most and explore new passions. Samsung’s new Galaxy Book5 Pro and Galaxy Book5 360 are AI PCs built to boost productivity with Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors (Series 2) and enhance creativity with features like AI Select and Samsung Studio. AI Select works to make browsing a breeze, while Samsung Studio lets users edit across their Galaxy smartphone, tablet or PC wherever inspiration strikes, at home or on the go. Powered by the NPU, Photo Remaster upscales low-resolution photos into high-quality visuals, while Storage Share lets users directly access the files on their smartphone from their PC, avoiding the process of downloading.

With productivity comes proactivity, too. When AI and Samsung Health combine, users are empowered to take control of their health and wellness. With AI-driven health insights gathered on the Galaxy Ring and Galaxy Watch, Samsung is helping users make sense of their data and arrive at more informed decisions about their well-being. These new capabilities will further improve the overall experience of Samsung Health, which stands apart as an end-to-end health solution that integrates the entire home seamlessly.

Seamless Entertainment in the AI Era
Samsung’s latest screen experiences, powered by Samsung Vision AI, bring unexpected joy to users’ days through unparalleled personalization and exciting new features. The AI Screen experience infuses intelligence into TVs, bringing Generative Wallpaper, Live Translate and Click to Search to users. At the forefront of this technology is the Neo QLED 8K, which provides the most advanced viewing experiences though AI features like 8K AI Upscaling Pro, Auto HDR Remastering Pro and Color Booster Pro — all of which work behind the scenes to intelligently enhance picture quality. Plus, The Frame’s art experience is expanding, allowing all Samsung QLEDs to come with a digital collection of over 3,000 art pieces, making it so that they can turn any room into a personal gallery.

Samsung’s commitment to its Screens Everywhere strategy is reflected in new display options for its appliances, including its new refrigerators with 9″ AI Home displays and other devices with 7″ screens. Consumers will be able to enjoy heightened functionality — including various entertainment services, AI features such as AI Vision Inside and direct access to the online grocery service Instacart — on a broader range of products.

Taking AI Everywhere
Beyond the home, Samsung’s AI innovations are set to transform new categories and industries with SmartThings Pro. Created to bring the same AI-powered digital solutions to business partners as SmartThings offers consumers, SmartThings Pro is a B2B solution spanning multi-residential homes to retail spaces, hotels, schools and more. Since its launch last June, SmartThings Pro provides businesses with integrations to better understand energy usage, proactively identify devices with maintenance needs and offer comprehensive control of connected solutions. Samsung is working with partners to create an innovative platform, Future Innovation Technology (FIT), for larger businesses and buildings to set automated climate controls that save energy and reduce electricity costs.

The company is also working with Samsung Heavy Industries on a new SmartThings collaboration that uses the Matter connectivity standard to connect with compatible ships. SmartThings for Ships offers a Pre-Sailing Mode, which allows captains and crews to automate when the engine starts and turn on settings for temperature and lights, saving time and energy. Meanwhile, Care Mode provides a complete view of a ship’s power, AC systems and smoke alarms, while Protection Mode constantly monitors for — and will alert captain and crew to — any abnormal activity.

Additionally, Samsung is expanding its SmartThings and automotive integrations in a new partnership with Hyundai Motor Group to bring SmartThings to Hyundai EVs. With the expanded ecosystem, users can now use SmartThings Find to easily locate their parked car, even in crowded parking lots. With the power of Home AI, SmartThings can make recommendations on when to recharge EVs based on schedules and rates. And if there is a neighborhood power outage, it will automatically activate Battery Backup Mode, which works alongside AI Energy Mode to extend the battery energy to power home essentials.

In the Automotive space, Samsung and its subsidiary Harman continue their promise to transform the in-car experience with new products that bring contextual awareness into the cabin. Leveraging Samsung’s expertise in UX and AI, HARMAN’s new in-vehicle avatar acts as an intelligent digital copilot that works with Harman products like Ready Care and Ready Vision to anticipate needs while drivers focus on the road.

Empowering the Next Generation
Finally, Inhee Chung, Vice President of the Corporate Sustainability Center, underscored how Samsung’s AI for All vision is rooted in the brand’s commitment to harness the power of advanced technology for a better, more inclusive world. Samsung is introducing diverse and enhanced accessibility features through its AI-powered devices and services, starting with the ability to automatically sync accessibility features across home appliances from a smartphone.

From the first half of this year, Bixby will automatically have connected devices display text in high contrast or provide a voice guide for family members with low vision, all by simply recognizing their voice. For those with low vision, AI is improving Audio Subtitles by lowering foreign language audio and reading out the subtitles in the language of the user’s choosing.

Chung also discussed how initiatives like Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, Samsung Innovation Campus and the company’s work with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are enabling the next generation of innovators. Today, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow challenges more than 2.6 million students across 66 countries to use STEM to address challenges in their community. In particular, during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games last year, Samsung and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) launched a digital community “Together for Tomorrow, Enabling People” and appointed top 10 teams from global Solve for Tomorrow as community ambassadors. Meanwhile, Samsung Innovation Campus has helped prepare nearly 180,000 young people across 33 countries for the workforce through training on emerging technologies like AI, IoT and big data.

In a video message, Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, joined VP Chung to share an update on Samsung and UNDP’s partnership to harness the power of technology for good. Since its initiation five years ago, the Samsung Global Goals app has raised over $20 million thanks to nearly 300 million users who are using a Galaxy smartphone, tablet or watch. Plus, Samsung and UNDP’s joint work through the Generation17 initiative continues to inspire extraordinary young leaders around the world who are mobilizing their communities to advance the Global Goals.

16th Edition of Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival unfolds 10th January at Allen Park

7th January, Kolkata: The festival will be inaugurated by iconic singer Usha Uthup, with a special tribute to the legendary filmmaker Shyam Benegal. Esteemed author Arjun Sengupta will honour Benegal’s enduring legacy by releasing his book Shyam Benegal: Filmmaker of the Real India. AKLF 2025 boasts an impressive line-up of speakers, with more than 120 writers gracing the festival. Notable names include Akhil Katyal, Akshat Gupta, Dr. Alka Pande, Anand Neelakantan, Anuja Chandramouli, Anita Agnihotri, Ankita Konwar, Aparna Vaidik, Aritra Sarkar, Arunava Sinha, Ashis Nandy, Blossom Kochhar, Chinmoy Guha, Ira Mukhoty, Jael Silliman, Jayanta Sengupta, Kunal Basu, M K Raina, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Milind Soman, Monideepa Banerjie, Neha Dixit, Nusrat F Jafri, Pinaki De, Prayaag Akbar, Rajdeep Sardesai, Ramachandra Guha, Rana Safvi, Ruchir Joshi, Rudrangshu Mukherjee, Salil Tripathi, Samar Jodha, Nitish Bhushan, Samrat Choudhury, Sandip Roy, Shabnam Minwalla, Shalini Modi, Shenaz Treasury, Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan, Shobhaa De, Sudeep Chakravarti, Sugata Bose, Sumantra Ghosal, Shaun Kenworthy, Sunita Kohli, Vinay Sharma, Vandana Kohli, Usha Uthup, William Dalrymple, Ila Arun, Priyanka S Kaintura, Riddhi Bahl, Shabnam Minwalla, SV Raman and Sunil Bhandari among others.

This edition will feature the much-anticipated shortlist announcement of the 10th edition of the prestigious Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize. The festival will provide the first look at Ruchir Joshi’s much-anticipated new novel, giving readers an exclusive sneak peek into the literary gem to come. Further, the launch of Arjun Sengupta’s Shyam Benegal: Film- maker of the Real India, Anand Neelakantan’s Many Ramayanas, Many Lessons, Ira Mukhoty’s The Lion and the Lily and Sunita Kohli’s The India Cookbook:From the tables of my friends, shall be witnessed at the festival.

The Oxford Junior Literary Festival (OJLF), hosted at the Oxford Bookstore, promises an enchanting experience for young readers through a variety of engaging activities. Highlights include interactive “meet the author” sessions, hands-on activities, interaction, and captivating storytelling sessions. With a mission to inspire a passion for literature and foster creativity, the OJLF seeks to spark the imaginations of the younger generation. Concurrently, the Poetry Café at Alliance Française du Bengale will offer an energetic stage for both seasoned and emerging poets to present their work, encouraging a vibrant exchange of ideas and artistic creativity.

The three-day festival enjoys the support of esteemed partners – Kenilworth Hotel, as the Hospitality Partner; Cha Bar for Refreshments; Calcutta Business School, ILead and Teacher’s Centre as the Institutional Partners; and Glenburn Penthouse and Alliance Française du Bengale as Festival Collaborators along with The Park as the Festival Partner and Flurys as Gifting Partner. Additionally, 91.9 Friends FM serves as the Radio Partner. The event will feature contributions from numerous prominent publishing houses, fostering a collaborative and lively literary ambiance. To name a few- Aleph Book Company, Bloomsbury, Hachette, HarperCollins, Harvard University Press, Jadavpur University Press, Juggernaut, Niyogi Books, Penguin Random House, Readomania, Routledge, Rupa Publications, Speaking Tiger, Vitasta Publishing, Westland Books, and many others.

Vastrado sponsored India’s Got Latent episode becomes fastest viewed branded episode in the show’s history

Mumbai, January 7th, 2025: Vastrado, Gen-Z’s loved apparel brand, made waves with its special New Year’s Eve collaboration with the wildly popular show India’s Got Latent, hosted by Samay Raina. With 28 million views and counting, the partnership proved to be a masterstroke, resonating strongly with Gen-Z audiences and driving exceptional brand traction. The episode achieved a series milestone, amassing over 2 million views within just 1.5 hours and making it the fastest viewed installment on the channel to date.

 The episode’s impact was further cemented by its performance on YouTube’s Trending charts, holding strong at the #1 and #2 spots for 4 days straight since it went live. Vastrado also experienced an increase in revenue growth by 150% and a spike in website traffic by 20X.

 The first winner of the show, Mr. Yuvraj Gupta received prize money of one lakh rupees by Vastrado. In addition, the episode marked a series first, with Vastrado’s founder, Mr. Vishwanshu Agarwal stepping into the spotlight, and matching the prize money for the second winner, Ms. Khushi Saini. In an unscripted moment that captured the show’s spirit, Mr. Agarwal also offered her a brand collaboration opportunity.

 This surprise gesture not only amplified engagement but also showcased Vastrado’s commitment to foster young talent.

 Reflecting on the partnership, Mr. Vishwanshu Agarwal, Founder, Vastrado shared, “India’s Got Latent’s massive Gen-Z appeal aligned perfectly with Vastrado’s vision to connect with our audience meaningfully. Kicking off the year with the episode trending at number one was the icing on the cake.”

The panel of judges including Samay Raina, Rakhi Sawant, Aashish Solanki, Maheep Singh, Yashraj and Balraj Ghai, kept the show entertaining through playful brand banter.

 Mr. Shrenik Gandhi, Co-founder and CEO, White Rivers Media (WRM), added, “With WRM’s grip on the Gen-Z pulse, this collaboration served as the perfect blend of platform, audience and opportunity, creating a moment of genuine brand love.”

 Founded in 2021 by Mr. Vishwanshu Agarwal and Mr. Tushar Agarwal, Vastrado has rapidly become the go-to destination for Gen-Z shoppers, combining trendsetting styles with accessible pricing.

Mega Theatre Play Samvidhan 75 to be staged on 10th Jan in the city

Hyderabad, January 07, 2025…….Abhyasa International Residential School, a 28-year-old boutique boarding school to organise a Mega Theatre Play Samvidhan@75 at Shilpa Kala Vedika at 4 pm on 10th January.

It will be a 90-minute opera involving all the 400 students of the school. The Mega Skit to be performed involving so many students on a single stage is something rare and to be admired.

Abhyasa School is known for Mega Annual Cultural theatre performances. Theatre plays of the school in the past became the talk of Bollywood, Tollywood and Hyderabad’s Theater & Cultural Circles. Each time they schedule their annual day, they set a record, probably as the largest stage performance ever by any school in the country,

The opera traces the history of India from 5000 BCE to the present times, when the Indian Constitution turns 75 years old and the Indian Republic will be attaining 75 years on the 26th of January 2025. The opera is planned ahead of this milestone occasion.

Ancient Indians created a balanced & prosperous society, often referred to as the ‘Golden Age of Bharata Varsha’, wherein wealth was generated righteously and utilised for the collective growth of all! Even the goal of every human then, was not the accumulation of wealth but rather the liberation of the soul! However, this equilibrium began to shift with the advent of invaders in India and the confluence of cultures! Over time, these external influences shifted the people’s focus from service orientation towards accumulation & materialism! This event had profound implications on the Indian social fabric, which includes a current obsession among Indians to study abroad.

The school every year conducts its cultural nite on a ‘contemporary theme’ which is aesthetically creative and socially educative, not only for the students and parents of the school but our society at large.

Some of the mega operas planned in the past were ‘Anna Hazare’s Anti-Corruption Campaign’ in 2012, ‘100 Years of Indian Cinema’ in 2013, ‘Swatch Bharath Movement’ in 2016, ‘Dance of Democracy’ in 2019, and ‘Idea of Ram Rajya’ in 2024, just to name a few. These exemplary operas presented by Abhyasa students, wherein every student gets to participate in the program under the principle of ‘No Child Left Behind’, have won accolades from all quarters

Ishq Jabariya Actress Siddhi Sharma Shares Her Thoughts on Surrogacy and Motherhood: Being a Mother is So Much More Than Just Carrying a Baby

In Sun Neo’s ongoing show Ishq Jabariya, intense emotions unfold as Siddhi Sharma, who plays the character of Gulki, finds herself in a challenging situation. Mohini, through Aditya, asks Gulki to become a surrogate mother for Anu’s child. However, Gulki refuses this offer, prompting Siddhi Sharma to share her thoughtful perspective on surrogacy.

Siddhi believes that surrogacy is much more than just the physical act of giving birth. She said, “Becoming a surrogate mother is all about love, care, and sacrifice. It’s not just about giving birth; it’s about forming a deep connection and nurturing a child. It shows us that motherhood isn’t always defined by biology—it’s about the heart. Helping another woman experience the joy of having a child is such a beautiful and kind thing to do. Surrogacy, both in movies and real life, teaches us that love can go beyond what we expect, and being a mother can mean so much more than just carrying a baby.”

The Ishq Jabariya actress further added, “I remember watching the movie Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, where Preity Zinta plays a surrogate mother for Rani Mukerji. It’s such a beautiful story that highlights how selfless it can be to become a mother for someone else’s child. But what’s even more touching is that, in real life, Preity Zinta herself chose surrogacy to become a mother to her own children. It’s an inspiring reminder that motherhood can take many forms, and it’s always rooted in love.”

Ishq Jabariya, airing on Sun Neo at 7:30 PM, is an engaging love story centered around Gulki, a determined young woman with big aspirations. The show boasts a stellar cast, including Kamya Panjabi, Siddhi Sharma, and Lakshay Khurana in key roles, bringing depth and emotion to this captivating narrative.