Technologies

Samsung TVs Now Can Provide Weather Forecast, Find a Pizza Place

The company is adding a Perplexity AI app to all of its new TVs and even older ones.

You’re sprawled on the couch, watching the latest stream of your favorite show. Why not plan your next vacation while you’re at it? That’s the thought behind Samsung’s latest AI innovation, the Perplexity TV app. It’s a standalone AI agent available on all 2025 Samsung TVs and, later this year, on 2023 and 2024 TVs with the latest OS upgrade.

Earlier this month, at the Berlin consumer-electronics show IFA 2025, the company introduced Samsung Vision AI, which allowed TV viewers to access more information about the shows and actors they were watching. Viewers can also use the Vision AI Companion in other ways, such as receiving recommendations for shows and movies. The Perplexity TV app builds on Vision AI’s skillset.

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Samsung integrated AI across a wide range of its products, including smartphones, appliances, earbuds, tablets and TVs, as part of the company’s vision to «leap forward as an AI-driven company that makes the best use of AI, works with AI, and grows with AI,» executive Roh Tae-Moon said at the 2025 Tech Forum in Silicon Valley last week.

‘Curiosity can strike at any time’

Samsung partnered with Perplexity, a self-proclaimed «free AI-powered answer engine.» Samsung says its Perplexity TV app can provide the weather forecast, find you the closest pizza shop or tell you the date of the Kentucky Derby.

Ryan Foutty, Perplexity’s vice president of business, said creating an AI app for TVs makes sense because «curiosity can strike at any time» and that consumers should be able to access information from AI regardless of the AI-driven interfaces they are using.

Use the apps tab on your Samsung TV to access the Perplexity TV App, or hit the AI button on your remote to access Samsung’s Vision AI Companion. You can also ask the AI questions by speaking into the built-in microphone on the remote and TV, or using the on-screen keyboard.

CNET expert isn’t yet sold

CNET’s David Katzmaier saw Samsung’s AI-enhanced TVs earlier this year at CES 2025, and isn’t quite convinced that this is a vital addition.

«At first blush, a built-in AI agent doesn’t seem to me like a good reason to choose one TV over another,» Katzmaier said. «To make it worthwhile, Samsung needs to prove that it’s better than, say, Perplexity on your phone.»

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Dec. 31 #668

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Dec. 31, No. 668.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle could be a challenge. Some of the answers are difficult to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: One good turn deserves another.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: A merry-go-round does this.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

CIRCLER, LORD, TOUT, TOUR, ROUND, WHAT, RIOT

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

CIRCLE, SPIN, ORBIT, WHIRL, PIROUETTE, ROTATE

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is ROUNDANDROUND. To find it, start with the R that’s three rows in from the far left, down three letters and wind around.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Dec. 31

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Dec. 31.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

It’s New Year’s Eve, and today’s Mini Crossword offers a couple of fun clues looking back at the past year. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Many a participant in the 2025 «6-7» trend
Answer: KID

4A clue: Like 2025, to the French?
Answer: FINI

5A clue: The last one was minted in 2025
Answer: PENNY

6A clue: The O’s in XOXO
Answer: HUGS

7A clue: «Real» ones became required in 2025
Answer: IDS

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: No ___ (2025 protest)
Answer: KINGS

2D clue: Travelers’ lodgings
Answer: INNS

3D clue: Home project inits.
Answer: DIY

4D clue: Drake and Kendrick Lamar had a high-profile one
Answer: FEUD

5D clue: The 2025 Super Bowl champion Eagles, on scoreboards
Answer: PHI

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Dec. 31, #464

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Dec. 31, No. 464.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

It’s New Year’s Eve, and two of today’s Connections: Sports Edition categories look back on the past year in sports. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Lights, camera, sports!

Green group hint: Best in their sport.

Blue group hint: College sports sites.

Purple group hint: Team names are hidden.