Answering Your Rabbit R1 Questions! This Is Rough...

Tom’s Guide
17 May 202409:34

TLDRThe Rabbit R1, a handheld AI device, is reviewed with mixed results. It promises voice search, image generation, live translations, and more, but often falls short in execution. The device's connectivity issues, slow response times, and inaccuracies overshadow its potential. Although the R1 offers some unique features like syncing with third-party apps and a 4G LTE SIM card slot, its performance is not up to par with competitors like Siri. The review concludes that despite future updates, the Rabbit R1 is not worth the investment due to its current state of being unfinished and unreliable.

Takeaways

  • 📱 The Rabbit R1 is a handheld AI device with a variety of features, including voice search, AI image generation, live translations, music playback, and voice recording with summaries.
  • 🚗 It can sync with third-party apps like Uber and DoorDash to perform tasks on your behalf, but it requires Wi-Fi or LTE for most of its functions.
  • 💰 Priced at $199, it's considered a good deal compared to similar AI products, but it's made of cheap plastic and has a neon orange design.
  • 📡 The device has a 4G LTE SIM card slot for connectivity without Wi-Fi, but connecting to Wi-Fi can be cumbersome due to a tiny keyboard for password entry.
  • 📵 The R1 is not a smartphone and cannot make calls, take photos, or send messages, but it aims to be a companion device for completing specific tasks more quickly.
  • 🐶 It has a camera vision feature to identify objects, but this functionality is slower compared to using a smartphone.
  • 🖼️ The AI can generate images, but the process is slow and it lacks the ability to email or directly download generated images to the device.
  • 🤖 The Rabbit R1 can engage in back-and-forth conversations and attempts to be helpful with a small sense of humor, but it hasn't developed a distinct personality.
  • 🍔 When attempting to order food or book an Uber, the device encounters long loading times and requires specific instructions, which affects its reliability and user experience.
  • 🔄 The device has a scrolling wheel feature, which feels outdated and is unnecessary given the touchscreen capability.
  • 📉 Despite some innovative ideas, the Rabbit R1 is plagued with bugs, errors, and inaccuracies, leading to a lack of recommendation by the reviewer.
  • ⏰ The reviewer suggests that the Rabbit R1 may improve over time with future upgrades, but its necessity as an additional device to carry is questionable for most users.

Q & A

  • What is the Rabbit R1 and what features does it claim to have?

    -The Rabbit R1 is a handheld AI device that is powered by a large action model. It is designed to perform various tasks such as voice search, AI-generated images, live translations, music playback, voice recordings with summaries, and syncing with third-party apps like Uber and DoorDash for executing commands on behalf of the user.

  • How much does the Rabbit R1 cost and what is included in the price?

    -The Rabbit R1 is priced at $199, which is considered a good bargain compared to similar AI products in the market. However, the device is made of cheap plastic and has a neon orange square design.

  • Does the Rabbit R1 work with cell phone Bluetooth when not connected to Wi-Fi?

    -Yes, the Rabbit R1 can sync with your phone via Bluetooth. However, your phone needs to have Wi-Fi or LTE connectivity for the device to answer questions or look things up. It also has a 4G LTE SIM card slot for connectivity without Wi-Fi.

  • Is the Rabbit R1 a smartphone and what are its limitations compared to a regular phone?

    -The Rabbit R1 is not a smartphone. It cannot make calls, take photos, or be used for messaging. It is intended to be a companion device to your phone for completing certain tasks, but it often falls short in performance compared to a regular phone.

  • How reliable is the Rabbit R1's AI in performing tasks such as ordering food or booking an Uber?

    -The reliability of the Rabbit R1's AI is questionable. It can attempt tasks like ordering food from DoorDash or booking an Uber, but the process is often slow and prone to errors, making it less practical for everyday use.

  • Can the Rabbit R1's AI have normal back-and-forth conversations and does its personality evolve over time?

    -The Rabbit R1's AI can continue on with topics without needing context every single time, indicating some level of conversational ability. However, it has not developed a noticeable personality during the review period, and its responses are more functional than personalized.

  • What is the purpose of the scrolling wheel on the Rabbit R1, and is it necessary?

    -The scrolling wheel on the Rabbit R1 is a throwback feature that feels unnecessary given the device has a touchscreen. It only works in keyboard mode and does not significantly enhance the user experience.

  • How does the Rabbit R1 compare to other AI devices like Siri in terms of speed and functionality?

    -Siri is faster but currently cannot answer follow-up questions as well or execute actions with third-party apps like the Rabbit R1. However, with upcoming updates to Siri, it may soon be able to perform many of the tasks the R1 currently handles.

  • What was the initial community response and pre-order count for the Rabbit R1?

    -The Rabbit R1 had a significant pre-order count of 100,000 units, with a strong community built up by the CEO on Discord. However, given the device's performance issues, it is likely that many of these pre-orders may be returned.

  • What are the Rabbit R1's future upgrades and improvements planned by the manufacturer?

    -The manufacturer, Rabbit, promises future upgrades for the R1, including point of Interest research, navigation, and a teach mode to help the device learn more. However, the current state of the device makes it difficult to recommend despite these promised improvements.

Outlines

00:00

🤖 Review of Rabbit R1 AI Device

The script provides a comprehensive review of the Rabbit R1, a handheld AI device. It discusses the device's purported capabilities, including voice search, AI-generated images, live translations, music playback, and voice recordings with summaries. The reviewer highlights the device's compatibility with third-party apps like Uber and DoorDash for task delegation. However, the device's performance is criticized for being slow and unreliable, with issues like incorrect identification of the latest iPhone model and a cumbersome Wi-Fi connection process. The Rabbit R1's design is also commented on, with the reviewer finding the neon orange color and iPad-tamagotchi hybrid design unappealing. The device's Bluetooth and 4G LTE connectivity are mentioned, but the review emphasizes the device's limitations and the reviewer's overall dissatisfaction with its functionality and user experience.

05:01

🚗 Testing Rabbit R1's Practicality and Comparison with Siri

In this paragraph, the reviewer tests the Rabbit R1's practicality by attempting to order a Big Mac and book an Uber ride, highlighting the device's slow response times and the frustrations encountered during these tasks. The script also includes a comparison between the Rabbit R1 and Siri, Apple's voice assistant, noting that while Siri is faster, it lacks the ability to handle follow-up questions and third-party app integrations as effectively as the Rabbit R1 claims to. The reviewer expresses skepticism about the necessity of the Rabbit R1's scrolling wheel feature and its overall usefulness. The paragraph concludes with a discussion about the current state of AI hardware products and the anticipation surrounding them, mentioning the Humane AI pin and the high expectations set for the Rabbit R1, which the reviewer ultimately finds unfulfilled due to its numerous bugs and inaccuracies.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Rabbit R1

The Rabbit R1 is a handheld AI device that serves as the central subject of the video. It is powered by a large action model and is designed to perform various tasks such as voice search, AI-generated images, live translations, music playback, and voice recordings with summaries. The device also aims to sync with third-party apps like Uber and DoorDash to carry out commands on behalf of the user. However, the reviewer expresses dissatisfaction with its performance and design, highlighting issues with its functionality and reliability.

💡AI-generated images

AI-generated images refer to the capability of the Rabbit R1 to create visual content using artificial intelligence. In the script, the reviewer asks the device to generate an image of 'four Golden Retriever puppies playing at the beach,' which it eventually does, albeit after a significant wait time. This feature is part of the device's attempt to showcase the versatility of its AI capabilities.

💡Voice search

Voice search is a functionality that allows users to perform searches using spoken commands. The Rabbit R1 is described as having this feature, which is a common aspect of AI devices. However, the reviewer points out that the device's voice search capabilities are not as efficient as expected, as it struggles to perform tasks like booking an Uber without requesting the user's current location repeatedly.

💡Live translations

Live translations refer to the ability of a device to instantly translate spoken language in real-time. The Rabbit R1 is said to have this feature, which would be useful for users who need to communicate in different languages. However, the script does not provide specific examples of this feature in action, and the overall performance of the device is criticized.

💡Third-party apps

Third-party apps are applications developed by entities other than the device manufacturer. The Rabbit R1 is designed to sync with such apps, like Uber and DoorDash, to perform tasks on behalf of the user. The reviewer tests this feature by attempting to book an Uber and order food through DoorDash, but encounters delays and inaccuracies, questioning the practicality of these integrations.

💡4G LTE SIM card slot

The 4G LTE SIM card slot is a feature that allows the Rabbit R1 to connect to cellular networks for internet access, even when not connected to Wi-Fi. This is highlighted as a positive aspect of the device, as it provides an alternative means of connectivity. However, the reviewer notes that the device still relies on the user's phone for Wi-Fi or LTE connectivity to function properly.

💡Touchscreen

The touchscreen is an input method that allows users to interact with the device by touching the screen with their fingers. The Rabbit R1 features a touchscreen, which is used for various interactions, such as entering Wi-Fi passwords. The reviewer mentions that the touchscreen works in certain modes, but also criticizes the device for having a tiny keyboard for password entry, which is not user-friendly.

💡Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard used for exchanging data between devices over short distances. The Rabbit R1 syncs to the user's phone via Bluetooth. However, the device still requires Wi-Fi or LTE connectivity through the phone for most of its functions, which the reviewer finds to be a limitation.

💡Personality

In the context of AI, personality refers to the character or traits that an AI device exhibits through its interactions. The Rabbit R1 attempts to have a small sense of humor and tries to be helpful, but the reviewer notes that it does not develop a distinct personality during the testing period. The device's interactions are functional but lack the depth or evolution that might be expected from a more advanced AI.

💡Scrolling wheel

The scrolling wheel is a physical feature on the Rabbit R1 that allows users to scroll through content. The reviewer finds it to be unnecessary since the device also has a touchscreen. It is mentioned as a throwback to older technology and is criticized for not being as efficient as modern swiping gestures.

💡Maintenance

Maintenance in this context refers to the state of the service provided by the Rabbit R1. The reviewer encounters a situation where attempting to book an Uber results in a message indicating that the service may be under maintenance. This suggests that the device's functionality is not consistently reliable, which is a significant drawback for a product that is supposed to offer convenience.

Highlights

The Rabbit R1 is a handheld AI device with a large action model for various tasks.

It can perform voice search, make AI-generated images, live translations, music playback, and voice recordings with summaries.

The Rabbit R1 can sync with third-party apps like Uber and DoorDash for task execution.

The device struggles with tasks like requesting an Uber without current location.

It has a camera vision feature to identify objects, but it's slower than a phone.

The device incorrectly identifies the latest iPhone model as the iPhone 13 or 14 instead of the newer iPhone 15.

The Rabbit R1 is priced at $199, which seems like a good deal compared to similar AI products.

It's made of cheap plastic and has a neon orange square design, reminiscent of an iPad Tamagotchi hybrid.

The Rabbit R1 syncs to your phone via Bluetooth but requires Wi-Fi or LTE for functionality.

It has a 4G LTE SIM card slot for connectivity without Wi-Fi.

The device is not a smartphone and cannot make calls, take photos, or be used for messaging.

The Rabbit R1 takes a long time to generate images and cannot email them to users.

The AI can have back-and-forth conversations without needing context every time.

The device has a small sense of humor but hasn't developed a personality.

The Rabbit R1 can order food and request Uber rides, but it's slow and sometimes inaccurate.

Siri is faster than the Rabbit R1 but currently can't execute actions with third-party apps.

The Rabbit R1 has a scrolling wheel, which feels unnecessary given its touchscreen.

The device had high expectations following the poorly received Humane AI pin.

The Rabbit R1 feels unfinished and broken with many bugs and errors.

The device may improve over time with future upgrades, but it's currently not recommended.