The Rabbit R1 first gained attention at CES in January this year as a kitschy little AI assistant that helps you use your phone more efficiently, rather than aiming to completely replace it. . Rabbit is ditching the app and instead using a “large-scale action model” he wants to train “rabbits” how to interact with web experiences and replicate them.
As a result, Rabbit’s makers say users will be able to step away from the screen and have Rabbit perform tasks with their permission, without storing any sensitive data. And most notably, it claims to do all this like this: $200 product There are no subscription fees.
Also: Rabbit sells 10,000 R1 AI pocket companions in one day
Just yesterday, Rabbit hosted a live demo and product release party for the first batch of devices available to the public. I was lucky enough to get myself one of his bright orange little gadgets. We can’t wait to see what Rabbit is actually capable of, but for now, here’s an overview of what’s included in the box and some first impressions of the physical hardware of the device itself To do.
The Rabbit R1 comes in a small cardboard box protected by a foam insert on the top. The device fits securely into the box and is protected by a plastic shell. There’s nothing inside the box except this foam insert and the device itself. Notably, there are no charging cables or paper instructions.
It charges via USB-C, so the lack of a cable isn’t a huge issue, but it’s definitely something that’s used for other devices, but it’s something to be aware of.
The R1 has a 1,000mAh lithium-ion battery, but we don’t yet know how long it will last or how battery life will affect ease of use. This is definitely something to keep an eye on when testing the device.
The rabbit itself is securely housed in a plastic case that is sturdy enough to be a little difficult to open. The top hinges down and the device can be removed from the top.
The left side of the device has a USB-C port and a SIM slot for mobile data. The right side has the only clickable button, a scroll wheel used to navigate the UI, and a camera (or “rabbit eye”) that auto-rotates to the front or back…getting into the theme here. depending on the task at hand.
The rabbit microphone is located on the top of the device and is only activated when you activate the push-to-talk button on the side. The 2.88-inch display is touchscreen, but my first impressions of using the keyboard (entering Wi-Fi passwords) were mixed. The buttons are quite small, as you’d expect from a 3-inch screen.
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However, the scroll wheel is very tactile and responsive, and doesn’t feel cheap. To be honest, I can’t help but compare it to Blackberry’s physical scroll wheel, but it’s a design choice that doesn’t seem like a coincidence.
The back of the device is clean and featureless, housing only the speakers. Rabbit’s overall physical build feels solid enough, although necessary for its purpose. It’s a device that’s likely to be thrown, dropped, or thrown into a backpack, so I like that it doesn’t feel fragile or crushable with one hand like some smartphones.
Also: This AI startup has developed a $199 gadget that replaces apps with ‘rabbits’ – and it just might work
At a time when other AI assistant products (such as the Humane AI Pin) have struggled to convince consumers that they have a purpose beyond novelty technology, time will tell how Rabbit stands up to the public test. Time will tell. gadget.
However, Rabbit’s affordability of $200 and the unique position of not having any subscription fees could make adoption much easier.