The first adopters of the portable AI assistant Rabbit R1 have received their hands, and its general public response applauds fans of the budding hardware market.
Some people are attempting to join the emerging field of AI-powered personal assistants, most notably the much-vilified Humane AI Pin, which was criticized for its slow performance and lack of real-world application. In comparison, the R1 seems to have struck a nice chord.
The Rabbit R1 made its debut at CES 2024, and it combines large language models (LLMs) and a new form of technology, known as Massive Action Models, which allegedly gives AI more functional skills. It was the first to demonstrate this at the company.
The organization hosted a live packing yesterday.
The system was described as a doorway to a computing future that goes beyond touch- and app-based interactions, a vision that may call for quick responses to be successful. Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy said, “The Rabbit R1 is actually quick. Like 1.5 to 2 hours for most reactions,” the crew noted.
Hilsenteger, who was impressed by the device’s appearance, described it as “very fun to experiment with” and claimed it was “very fun to experiment with.” It was designed by Finnish electronics firm Teenage Engineering.
“What the technology represents is an opportunity to get people excited about a new type strategy that is no longer touch- and app-based,” he said.
Long-time tech reviewer Justine “iJustine” Ezarik is also a fan.
“Overall, I’m impressed with this device, and I think the R1 is really a standout product,” she said in her review. “It’s really user-focused design, and it combines solid hardware with smart adaptive software.
Ezarik expressed satisfaction with the device’s ability to make some decisions, such as ordering an Uber or a pizza from a nearby restaurant, and its vision capabilities.
Similarly, Mark Spoonauer, global editor-in-chief at Tom’s Guide, suggested that the device could simplify tasks like summoning an Uber ride, making it more accessible for those who struggle with complicated graphic interfaces.
“The other potential market is those who are older,” he said in an interview with Techsploder. “For example, if my mom needs an Uber ride somewhere, it would be much simpler to just talk to a gadget and say ‘come pick me up and take me to [blank]’ instead of having to go through multiple screens in an app.”
The full Tom’s Guide’s review will be published next week.
Although Cherlynn Low, an Engadget reviewer, was skeptical about AI devices, she found the Rabbit R1 to be more accessible and enjoyable than the Humane AI Pin.
“Rabbit has already succeeded in making me feel like Alice enters Alice’s world,” she said, while noting that the majority of its appeal comes from its seamless integration with third-party apps, something the Humane AI Pin lacks at launch.
Matt Smith, another Engadget reviewer, highlighted the Rabbit R1’s affordability compared to the Humane AI Pin. The former costs less than a third of the latter, and it doesn’t require a monthly subscription.
Kyle Kucharski, Editor at ZDNet, doubled down on this idea, saying the R1 can be more appealing simply because of its affordability.
“The Rabbit, however, has a unique position with its modest $200 price point and lack of any sort of subscription fee, something that could make adoption far easier,” Kucharski wrote.
The Rabbit R1 was described as “silly and fun,” as well as The Verge’s David Pierce, who also compared it to the Humane AI Pin, which he compared to a “carefully sculpted metal gem.” Pierce agreed with Rabbit’s claim that the R1 is in a brand-new category of technology.
“So far, this thing seems like it’s trying to be less like a smartphone killer and more like the beginnings of a useful companion,” Pierce said—but noted that the R1 “can’t send emails or make spreadsheets, though [Rabbit founder and CEO Jesse] Lyu has been demoing both for months.”
Riley Brown, a tech reviewer on Instagram and TikTok, was able to perform those tasks in his review.
Matt Wolfe, who specializes in AI product and service reviews on YouTube, honed in on the Rabbit R1’s Large Action Model.
“After watching the @rabbit_hmi R1 launch party keynote, I’m actually pretty excited to get my hands on one. It was entertaining to watch @jessechenglyu generate images for MidJourney directly on the device. Taking audio or video notes and sending them straight to the ‘Rabbit Hole’ seems … pic.twitter.com/54oLqZiihu
— Matt Wolfe (@mreflow) April 24, 2024
Marques Brownlee, whose critical assessment of the Humane AI Pin was given excessive credit for causing harm to the business, posted a photo of the device in his hand, and his followers are eager to hear what he thinks weeks after he criticized the competition.
CEO Lyu, for his part, said he isn’t worried about the wave of positive reviews that will be his. He uploaded a comparison video last week that showed the R1 performing all of the tasks it was asked to perform.
At a recent conference, Lyu even made a jab at the Humane AI pin.
“For sure we’re going to run into a bunch of bugs and issues, but we’re all here to fix them as fast as possible,” he said earlier this week. “However, I don’t believe MKBHD will hold back the statement that this is the worst product we’ve ever reviewed.”
