With the rise of ChatGPT and Large Language Models (LLM), AI-only devices are starting to appear. The Humane AI pin was widely criticized when it was launched earlier this month, but now the Rabbit r1 AI assistant has been released. There are rumors that Apple is working on AI in a big way, so we thought we’d check out the Rabbit r1 to see what it can do and if it can compete with the iPhone.
Priced at $200, Rabbit is a square-shaped pocket assistant that can answer questions, look up information, connect with food delivery and ride-sharing services, play music, and translate languages. It’s a cute little device, much like Panic’s Playdate, but most of the things it can do can already be done on an “iPhone.”
Unlike the Humane AI Pin, the Rabbit r1 has a screen to interact with and is much more functional. It comes with an old-school scroll wheel for navigating the UI, and there’s also a built-in camera for object recognition. By default it’s Wi-Fi only, but you can add a SIM card for an additional fee.
As a first generation device, the r1 isn’t perfect. The setup process is barebones, with no hints about how to use the device or its features. If you choose one of these, you will almost certainly need to visit a website to understand how to use it, so you may need on-device instructions to make it smoother. there is. For example, there are hidden controls such as shaking the device to access settings, which are the only way to activate the terminal for input.
The idea of Rabbit r1 is to reduce dependence on smartphones, so there’s no app for that. If you want to access the photos and other information you’ve saved on it, you can only do so through the Rabbit Hole website, which is a bit of a hassle.
You can connect services like Spotify, but it’s not very clever when it comes to song suggestions. For example, if you ask it to play your favorite songs, it will select a random song. The translation option works well, but it can be time consuming and difficult to translate.
In some tests, food orders were successful, but not without problems. We haven’t tested the order ourselves, but when YouTuber Quinn Nelson ordered it, the AI placed the order, didn’t ask for guidance about the tip, ended up being too generous, and didn’t offer it. I ended up giving the highest tip.
The Rabbit r1 can summarize documents, a task it’s pretty good at, but it’s not something a smartphone can’t do. It’s good at perceiving what’s around it through the camera, but there were a few things that tripped me up, including the classic Mac.
I need to spend more time testing the Rabbit r1, but so far it looks like a decent device, but also an unnecessary one that’s not ready to replace your smartphone. Do you have an opinion on r1? Let us know in the comments section below.