The Comunicano for Monday January 6th 2025
Let’s imagine for a moment that we’ve just walked off a gleaming spaceship and onto the buzzing floor of CES 2025, a showcase where the boundary between imagination and reality blurs like never before. It’s not a trade show—it’s a window into tomorrow. And yet, as I navigate this brave new world, I can’t help but ask: are we creating tools that serve us, or are we becoming the tools they serve?
The theme of the day? Technology that touches the soul—or at least the skin. Consider Withings’ Omnia Smart Mirror. It doesn’t just show you your reflection; it whispers your hydration levels, your skin health, and perhaps even the burrito you shouldn’t have eaten last night. A mirror that cares. It’s almost poetic. But here’s the question: Do we need an intelligent coach in our bathroom, or are we looking for validation from glass and algorithms? … Speaking of soul-searching, L’Oréal’s AI device doesn’t just sell cosmetics; it predicts your skin’s needs before you even notice them. It’s like having a dermatologist, therapist, and beauty consultant in a single gadget. Fascinating, yes, but also a tad Orwellian. If our skincare needs are anticipated, what happens to the simple joy of discovering them ourselves?
Let’s zoom out to mental health—a realm where technology is both healer and intruder. AI-based therapy tools and wearable stress monitors promise to revolutionize wellness, but here’s the rub: can a machine truly understand human despair? Or are we outsourcing empathy to silicon when what we really need is a listening ear?….And just when you think it’s all serious business, in strolls a tiny robot cat designed to cool your coffee. It’s absurd, delightful, and utterly CES. A whimsical reminder that technology doesn’t always have to be grandiose to make us smile.
But then, on the other side of the floor, the stakes are higher. Halliday’s AI-powered glasses promise to blur the line between reality and augmentation. These sleek frames whisper context-aware insights into your day, merging fashion and function. Wearable tech with a mind of its own. But as we willingly blur our own vision with overlays, one has to wonder: are we augmenting our lives or eroding what’s left of serendipity?
Finally, there’s the chatter around OpenAI. Pricing strategies and infrastructure woes—details that would bore most—but the subtext is thrilling. The intelligence revolution is not about gadgets; it’s about cognition itself. We are no longer building machines; we are building minds. But minds without values are, at best, chaotic and, at worst, dangerous.
So here we are, standing in the shadow of incredible innovation, pondering what it means to live in a world where the boundaries between need and novelty, humanity and machine, reality and augmentation are dissolving. CES is not just a glimpse of the future; it’s a mirror, reflecting back our hopes, anxieties, and contradictions. The real question is: what will we choose to see? Well fret not, that’s why you’re reading THE COMUNICANO!!!
Andy Abramson
CES Watch
CES 2025: Mental Health Tech Takes Center Stage (TechXplore)—The 2025 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas showcases groundbreaking mental health technologies. From wearable stress monitors to AI-based therapy tools, the focus on mental well-being reflects growing consumer interest. The innovation on display highlights how technology is reshaping healthcare and personal wellness.
Needle-Free Vaccines and Smarter Vacuums (The Times)—Advancements in tech are reshaping daily life, from needle-free vaccine technology to autonomous vacuums that tackle clutter. These breakthroughs, showcased at CES 2025, highlight the merging of innovation with convenience, offering solutions to both medical and household challenges.
L’Oréal’s AI Device Anticipates Your Skin’s Needs (Fast Company)—L’Oréal’s latest beauty gadget uses AI to predict and address your skin’s changing needs. The device, designed for cosmetics counters, scans your skin and provides tailored recommendations for products. This innovation merges personalization with technology, offering consumers a futuristic approach to skincare.
Timekettle’s Translation Earbuds Go Slang-Friendly (The Verge)—Timekettle’s newest translation earbuds let users program slang and colloquial phrases, enhancing their utility for real-world conversations. This feature bridges the gap between formal translation tools and casual communication, making them a standout device for travelers and multilingual users.
Tiny Robot Cat Cools Coffee with Precision (TechCrunch)—A miniature robot cat from a Japanese startup charms with its ability to blow on hot coffee to cool it down. The device combines practicality and whimsy, demonstrating innovative approaches to everyday problems. It’s a small but captivating example of robotics finding new, unexpected niches.
Halliday Smart Glasses Introduce Proactive AI Assistant (Engadget)—Halliday’s Smart Wayfarers promise to integrate a proactive AI assistant directly into their stylish frames. The glasses feature real-time insights, notifications, and context-aware assistance, redefining wearable technology. Designed for seamless day-to-day use, these glasses aim to merge functionality with fashion, offering a glimpse into the future of smart wearables.
Withings Omnia Smart Mirror: The Healthiest Reflection Yet (Digital Trends)—The Withings Omnia Smart Mirror goes beyond vanity, analyzing your health metrics to provide personalized wellness insights. Equipped with sensors and AI, it evaluates everything from skin condition to hydration levels, acting as a futuristic health coach. This innovative product positions Withings at the intersection of personal care and technology.
Technology
TiVo-Powered TVs Enter U.S. Market with Sharp Partnership (The Verge)—TiVo is set to introduce its TiVo OS smart TV platform to the U.S., beginning with a 55-inch 4K QLED Sharp TV launching in February. Previously available in Europe, TiVo OS supports various streaming services and offers personalized content recommendations. The platform allows manufacturers to customize the user experience, aiming to provide a "neutral" alternative in the competitive smart TV market dominated by Roku, Google TV, and Amazon's Fire TV. Pricing details for the upcoming Sharp model have not been disclosed, but competitive pricing will be essential for TiVo to establish a foothold in the U.S. market.
AI Watch
Agentic AI Shakes Up Enterprise Software Pricing Models (Diginomica)—Agentic AI is disrupting enterprise software pricing by emphasizing value-based models tied to outcomes rather than usage or licenses. This shift is driven by AI’s ability to deliver tailored insights and automate complex processes, challenging traditional SaaS models. The report highlights that while some enterprises embrace these changes, others remain hesitant due to uncertainties around ROI and implementation. The evolution signals a broader transformation in software monetization, with agentic AI at the forefront of reshaping enterprise solutions for scalability and efficiency.
OpenAI Considers Usage-Based Pricing for ChatGPT (The Decoder)—OpenAI is exploring a shift to usage-based pricing for ChatGPT, moving beyond flat-rate subscriptions. This model aims to align costs with user activity and optimize resource allocation, particularly for intensive tasks. The change could provide flexibility for casual users while addressing operational challenges like server demands and profitability. It’s part of OpenAI’s strategy to expand accessibility while navigating the financial realities of AI infrastructure, including hardware and energy costs. This pricing evolution could set a precedent for AI service monetization across the industry.
OpenAI's ChatGPT Pro Plan Faces Financial Challenges (TechCrunch)—OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that the ChatGPT Pro plan is operating at a loss, prompting the company to reassess its subscription offerings. Despite its premium price, the plan’s infrastructure costs, driven by high-end GPUs and energy demands, outweigh revenues. OpenAI is considering changes, including adjustments to pricing models and service tiers, to improve sustainability. This situation highlights the broader challenges AI companies face in balancing innovation with profitability as they scale operations to meet growing demand.
The Intelligence Revolution: Beyond the Digital Age (Marginal Revolution)—A new wave of technological innovation, termed "The Intelligence Revolution," is emerging, with advances in AI reshaping industries and society. Unlike the Digital Revolution, this phase focuses on cognition, decision-making, and adaptability, driven by breakthroughs in large language models, automation, and neuroscience-inspired systems. Economists suggest this revolution will redefine productivity, labor dynamics, and governance. However, its trajectory depends on policy frameworks, ethical considerations, and global cooperation. This shift highlights the transformative potential and risks of intelligent systems in shaping human progress.
Avataar Unveils AI-Generated Video Tool for Product Marketing (TechCrunch)—Avataar has launched a new tool that enables businesses to create AI-generated videos showcasing their products. This innovation allows companies to produce lifelike videos without the need for traditional video shoots, streamlining the content creation process and reducing costs. The tool is designed to enhance online shopping experiences by providing consumers with dynamic and engaging product visuals, potentially increasing engagement and conversion rates. Avataar's solution reflects a growing trend of integrating AI technologies into marketing strategies to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Sports Watch
Golf’s Future Meets Technology with TGL’s Virtual Format (The Times)—Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are spearheading TGL, a revolutionary golf league combining simulator technology and traditional play. This high-tech initiative aims to bring a new, faster-paced format to the sport, attracting younger audiences. With matches hosted in a state-of-the-art venue featuring advanced simulators and augmented reality, TGL reimagines golf as an interactive, team-based spectacle. The league is set to debut soon, offering fans an immersive experience that blends real-time gameplay with virtual enhancements, a move designed to rejuvenate golf's image in the digital age.
Robot Watch
Roborock Saros Z70: A Robot Vacuum That Can Do More (The Verge)—The Roborock Saros Z70 redefines household cleaning with its Omnigrip Arm, capable owhich can pickand clutter while vacuuming. This next-gen robot integrates AI for object recognition and advanced mobility, ensuring a seamless cleaning experience. Its ability to multitask goes beyond traditional vacuums, positioning it as an all-in-one home assistant. With a premium price tag, the Saros Z70 targets tech-savvy homeowners seeking cutting-edge convenience, promising to save time and effort in keeping homes tidy.
Driverless Waymo Taxi Spins Out—Literally (Breitbart)—A Waymo driverless taxi left a passenger trapped as it drove in dizzying circles in an incident that highlights the challenges of autonomous vehicle technology. Despite advances, unexpected glitches like this underscore the complexities of achieving truly seamless self-driving systems. The company apologized for the inconvenience, but the viral video reignited debates over the readiness of autonomous vehicles for public roads and their potential safety risks.
EV Watch
XPeng and VW Team Up for High-Speed EV Charging in China (Electric Vehicles)—XPeng Motors and Volkswagen Group have announced a collaboration to develop an ultra-fast EV charging network across China. The initiative focuses on creating a robust infrastructure capable of cutting charging times dramatically, accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles. By combining their resources and expertise, the partnership aims to set a new standard for EV convenience in one of the world’s largest car markets.
Porn Watch
Florida VPN Usage Soars Amid Porn Restrictions (The Independent)—With Florida's controversial age verification law blocking access to adult sites like Pornhub, VPN use in the state has surged. Residents are using VPNs to bypass restrictions, reigniting debates over online privacy and censorship. Critics argue the law could have broader implications for internet freedom, while proponents believe it protects minors from harmful content.
Telecom Watch
China-Linked Hackers Target U.S. Military in Typhoon Campaign (WSJ)—A sophisticated cyber-espionage campaign named "Typhoon" by Microsoft has been attributed to Chinese state-sponsored hackers targeting U.S. military and weapons systems. These attacks exploit vulnerabilities in cloud infrastructure and software supply chains, focusing on critical communication networks and sensitive data. The breach underscores the escalating cybersecurity arms race and the need for stronger international collaboration to counter state-backed threats. U.S. officials are urging more robust defenses as geopolitical tensions heighten. This incident reflects the broader challenges of safeguarding military assets against increasingly advanced cyber threats.
Italy and SpaceX Collaborate on Telecom Security (Japan Times)—Italy has signed a deal with SpaceX to enhance its telecom security infrastructure. The partnership focuses on deploying satellite technology to bolster communication networks, ensuring resilience against cyber threats. The agreement highlights the growing role of private space companies in national security and international partnerships.
TravelTech Watch
United Airlines Teams with Starlink for In-Flight Wi-Fi (USA Today)—United Airlines is rolling out SpaceX’s Starlink technology to offer high-speed Wi-Fi across its fleet. This partnership promises to transform the passenger experience, with reliable internet access enabling seamless streaming and connectivity even at 35,000 feet. The move marks a significant step forward in aviation technology.
