Rabbit R1: Barely Reviewable

The Rabbit R1 is a portable AI assistant device that shares similarities with the Humane AI pin but attempts to differentiate itself with a built-in screen, a scroll wheel, and a swiveling camera. Designed by Teenage Engineering, it's recognized for its unique, bright orange color and user-friendly design. Despite its quick responses to questions compared to the Humane AI pin, the Rabbit R1 suffers from poor battery life and lacks basic features like setting alarms or recording videos. It also struggles with accuracy in its AI responses. The device's unique selling points include its lower price tag of $200 with no subscription fees and the concept of a 'large action model,' which aims to process natural language into actions within apps. However, this feature is not fully functional at launch, with only four apps currently supported. The review criticizes the trend of releasing unfinished tech products and advises consumers to consider a product's current capabilities rather than potential future improvements.

Takeaways

• 📦 The Rabbit R1 is a portable AI assistant device, designed by Teenage Engineering, featuring a recognizable and friendly design.
• 🔋 It has a 3000mAh battery, which is considered poor as it drains quickly and requires multiple charges per day.
• 📡 Unlike the Humane AI pin, the Rabbit R1 has a built-in screen and a SIM card tray for cellular connectivity, but still relies on cloud processing for most tasks.
• 🔴 The device is available in a bright, saturated orange color, and lacks many basic features such as setting alarms, timers, or sending emails.
• 🕹 It includes a scroll wheel for UI navigation and a swiveling camera for multimodal interactions, but the scroll wheel is slow and lacks haptic feedback.
• 👀 The camera can identify objects and provide information based on visual input, and it can also summarize text from images or screens.
• 📱 The Rabbit R1 has a 2.9-inch TFT screen with no auto-brightness and is made of plastic, giving it a low-end feel compared to higher-end devices.
• 💰 Priced at $200 with no subscription fee, it's positioned as a more affordable alternative to other AI assistants, but requires a separate SIM card for cellular use.
• 📱 The touchscreen is underutilized, primarily used for typing in terminal mode, which limits the device's functionality and user experience.
• 🚀 The device is being sold with the promise of future improvements, including a 'large action model' that could perform tasks within apps as a human would.
• 🛍️ The unboxing experience is minimal, with the device coming in a single cardboard box without additional accessories or instructions.
• 🔧 The Rabbit R1 is currently limited in functionality, with only four apps partially working, and relies on user adoption and feedback for future development.

Q & A

What is the rabbit R1?

The rabbit R1 is a virtual assistant device in a box, designed by teenage engineering, that is not wearable but rather carried around like a smartphone.

What are the two specific features that set the rabbit R1 apart from the Humane AI pin?

The two specific features that set the rabbit R1 apart from the Humane AI pin are its scroll wheel for navigating the UI and a swiveling camera that allows the AI to use vision to answer questions about what it sees.

How does the rabbit R1 differ from the Humane AI pin in terms of response time?

The rabbit R1 is consistently quicker to answer questions than the Humane AI pin, despite being a very low bar to clear.

What is the issue with the rabbit R1's battery life?

The rabbit R1 has a poor battery life, with a 3000 mAh battery that drains quickly, requiring multiple charges per day.

What basic features are missing from the rabbit R1?

The rabbit R1 lacks basic features such as setting alarms, timers, recording videos or photos, sending emails, and it has no built-in calendar.

How does the rabbit R1's design by teenage engineering affect its appearance and user experience?

The rabbit R1's design by teenage engineering gives it a recognizable and friendly look with bright orange coloring and analog controls like a scroll wheel. However, the design choices also lead to a frustrating user experience due to the lack of sensitivity and haptic feedback in the scroll wheel and the absence of a back button.

What is the price of the rabbit R1 and what additional costs might a user incur?

The rabbit R1 costs $200 with no subscription fee. However, users will need a separate SIM card for cellular functionality, incurring a monthly fee for data outside of Wi-Fi.

What is the 'large action model' that the rabbit R1 is supposed to implement?

The 'large action model' is a concept where the AI takes natural language input and processes it into actions, essentially using apps for the user in a way a human would, based on the user's instructions.

How many apps has the rabbit R1 made available for its 'large action model' as of the time of the review?

As of the time of the review, the rabbit R1 has made four apps available for its 'large action model': Spotify, Uber, DoorDash, and Mid Journey.

What is the 'Teach mode' that the rabbit R1 is planning to implement?

The 'Teach mode' is a feature that is still in development where the rabbit R1 would watch a user perform certain tasks on their mouse and keyboard and then learn from those actions to repeat them later.

What is the reviewer's opinion on the current trend of tech companies delivering unfinished products?

The reviewer is critical of the trend of tech companies delivering unfinished products, stating that it makes the products nearly impossible to review and is unfair to early adopters who pay full price for a product that is not yet fully functional.

What advice does the reviewer give to potential buyers of the rabbit R1?

The reviewer advises potential buyers to purchase a product based on its current capabilities, not on what it is promised to be in the future, as the promises are often not realized at the time of purchase.

Outlines

00:00

📦 Introduction to the Rabbit R1 AI Device

The Rabbit R1 is a portable AI device that shares similarities with the Humane AI pin but also has distinct features. It's a lightweight plastic cube designed by Teenage Engineering, easily recognizable and loved for its design. The device has a single button for interaction, a built-in screen instead of a projector, a SIM card tray, and a USB type-C port for charging. It's quicker at answering questions than the Humane AI pin but still lacks in battery life and basic features such as setting alarms or recording videos. The device also includes a scroll wheel for UI navigation and a swiveling camera for multimodal interaction, which can identify objects and summarize text from images or screens.

05:00

🔴 Frustration with the Rabbit R1's Design and Features

The Rabbit R1's design, while appealing, presents usability issues. The scroll wheel protrudes and lacks sensitivity, making it slow to navigate. There's no back button, requiring users to scroll back to the top each time, and adjusting settings like brightness or volume is a two-handed operation. The touchscreen is underutilized, only allowing for keyboard input in terminal mode. The device is priced at $200 with no subscription, aiming to differentiate it from the costly Humane AI pin. However, it lacks many features expected from an AI assistant and has a short battery life, requiring frequent charging.

10:01

📱 The Concept of a Large Action Model for Apps

The Rabbit R1 introduces the concept of a large action model, which aims to process natural language into actions, using apps as a human would. Unlike APIs, this model operates like a virtual agent, using a mouse and keyboard to interact with apps. Currently, it supports four apps: Spotify, Uber, DoorDash, and Mid Journey, with a UI for each. However, the device faces challenges with training data and accuracy. Rabbit claims to have trained 800 apps but has not yet built a UI for them. The generative UI and Teach mode, which would allow the device to learn from user demonstrations, are still in development. The device's current state is criticized for being unfinished, following a trend of tech companies releasing products before they are fully functional.

15:02

🚧 The Issue with Half-Finished Tech Products

The video script discusses the trend of tech companies releasing products that are not fully functional, requiring significant updates post-launch. This approach is seen across various product categories, including gaming, vehicles, smartphones, and AI products. The Rabbit R1, despite its low price, is criticized for being a gamble on its future potential rather than its current capabilities. The reviewer advises consumers to purchase products based on their current utility, not on promised future features. The script also mentions the potential of large companies like Google and Apple entering the AI space, suggesting that the market for AI assistants is still evolving.

Keywords

AI in a box

A term used to describe a device that encapsulates artificial intelligence capabilities in a portable, box-like form factor. In the context of the video, it refers to the Rabbit R1, a virtual assistant that is not wearable but rather carried around like a smartphone. It signifies the convergence of AI technology with portable electronics.

Humane AI pin

This refers to a specific product, likely a competitor or predecessor to the Rabbit R1, which is mentioned to draw comparisons. The Humane AI pin is used to highlight the Rabbit R1's differences and improvements, such as in response time and functionality.

Teenage Engineering

Teenage Engineering is a company known for its innovative designs, particularly within the audio and music industry. In the video, it is mentioned as the designer of the Rabbit R1, emphasizing the device's unique and recognizable aesthetics, which is a key selling point.

Scroll wheel

A mechanical component that allows for navigation through a user interface by rotating to scroll through options. In the context of the Rabbit R1, the scroll wheel is used for UI navigation, which the reviewer found to be slow and lacking haptic feedback, impacting the overall user experience.

Swiveling camera

A camera mechanism that can rotate or swivel to allow for different viewing angles. The Rabbit R1 features a swiveling camera that enables the AI to visually interpret the environment and answer questions about objects it 'sees', showcasing the multimodal capabilities of the device.

Battery life

The duration a device can operate before needing to be recharged. The Rabbit R1 is criticized for its poor battery life, which is a significant drawback as it requires frequent charging and leaves the device dead by morning in some cases.

Large action model

This concept refers to an AI model that not only processes natural language but also converts it into actions. The Rabbit R1 is said to have a large action model, which theoretically allows it to perform tasks within apps as a human would, marking a step towards more autonomous and personalized AI assistance.

The Rabbit Hole

An online portal mentioned in the video where users can enable apps for the Rabbit R1 to interact with. It signifies the device's intended capability to integrate with various apps, although the reviewer notes that only a limited number of apps are functional at the time of review.

Teach mode

A proposed feature for the Rabbit R1 that would allow the device to learn from a user's actions and then replicate them. This is part of the device's ambition to become a personalized AI assistant capable of complex tasks, but as of the review, it is still under development.

Price point

The cost at which a product is made available to consumers. The Rabbit R1 is positioned at a lower price point compared to the Humane AI pin, which is seen as an attempt to make the technology more accessible despite its current limitations.

Half-baked products

A term used by the reviewer to describe products that are released before they are fully developed or functional. The Rabbit R1 is viewed in this context, as it offers a glimpse of potential future capabilities but falls short in its current state, leading to a challenging evaluation of its true value.

Highlights

The Rabbit R1 is a virtual assistant in a box, designed to be carried around like a smartphone.

It is designed by Teenage Engineering and has a recognizable, lightweight plastic cube form factor.

The device features a built-in screen and a SIM card tray alongside a USB type-C port for charging.

Rabbit R1 is faster in answering questions compared to the Humane AI pin, though it still sends requests to the cloud.

The device has a scroll wheel and a swiveling camera for multimodal interaction.

The AI can use vision to answer questions about objects it sees, such as identifying a Monera deliciosa plant.

It can also summarize text from a computer screen, like a long email.

The battery life is poor, with a 4000 mAh battery that drains quickly and takes 45 minutes to charge.

Rabbit R1 lacks basic features like setting alarms, timers, recording videos/photos, sending emails, and has no calendar.

The device is missing a back button, leading to a less intuitive user interface.

The touchscreen is underutilized, primarily used only for typing in terminal mode.

Rabbit R1 costs $200 with no subscription fee, contrasting with the higher-priced Humane pin.

The device comes in a minimal package with no additional accessories included.

It features a 2.9-inch TFT screen with no auto-brightness and is made of plastic.

The Rabbit R1 has a 'large action model' for performing actions based on natural language input.

Currently, only four apps are available for integration with the device: Spotify, Uber, DoorDash, and Mid Journey.

The device faces challenges due to its reliance on training data and the need for a more extensive app integration.

A 'Teach mode' is planned, allowing the device to learn from user actions, but is not yet available.

The reviewer criticizes the trend of releasing unfinished tech products and the difficulty in reviewing them.

The Rabbit R1 represents a gamble on future potential, with a lower price point making it an easier sell.

The reviewer advises buying a product based on its current capabilities, not its promised future features.