The Worst Product I've Ever Reviewed... For Now

Marques Brownlee
14 Apr 202425:03

TLDRThe Humane AI Pin is a futuristic wearable computer that has garnered significant attention for its innovative design but has also been labeled as one of the worst products in its current state by the reviewer. The device, costing $700 plus a $24 monthly subscription, is a standalone AI assistant with its own internet connection and phone number. It features a camera, microphone, touch pad, and projector for gesture control. Despite its impressive hardware and some useful features like multimodal interaction and translation services, the AI Pin suffers from significant drawbacks. It is often slow and inaccurate, has poor battery life, is heavy and uncomfortable to wear, and lacks many common smartphone functionalities. The device's standalone nature also means it doesn't integrate well with existing smartphone data, which limits its effectiveness as an assistant. The reviewer concludes that while the concept is promising, the AI Pin is not ready for purchase and is currently outperformed by modern smartphones in every aspect.

Takeaways

  • 📦 The Humane AI Pin is a futuristic wearable computer with an AI assistant, costing $700 plus a $24 monthly subscription.
  • 🔍 It has a camera, microphone, touch pad, and projector for gesture control, but does not pair with smartphones.
  • 🔋 The device has its own battery and 'boosters' for hot-swapping, but suffers from poor and inconsistent battery life.
  • 🤖 The AI is supposed to answer questions and perform tasks, but often provides incorrect answers and is slow due to reliance on cloud processing.
  • 📸 The built-in camera takes low-quality photos and videos, and there's no support for third-party apps like Spotify or Gmail.
  • 🔥 The device tends to overheat, possibly due to the inefficient wireless charging process between the pin and booster.
  • 📞 It can make phone calls and send texts, but lacks the convenience and integration of a smartphone.
  • 👀 The projector feature, while a technical marvel, is not very practical with low readability outdoors and a learning curve for the 3D UI.
  • 🔑 A key limitation is the lack of connection to the user's phone, which means it doesn't have access to the wealth of personal data that could make it more useful.
  • 🚫 The device is not recommended for purchase at this time due to its current shortcomings and the superior functionality of smartphones.
  • 🌟 Potential future updates might improve the device, but currently, it's a product held back by its own ambitious design.

Q & A

  • What is the Humane AI Pin and what is its intended purpose?

    -The Humane AI Pin is a small, wearable computer with an integrated AI designed to assist users throughout their day. It is about the size of a large watch, equipped with a camera, microphone, touch pad, and a projector for gesture control. It is intended to be a standalone device that can answer questions, provide historical facts, offer personalized recommendations, make phone calls, send text messages, and more.

  • How much does the Humane AI Pin cost and what additional costs are there?

    -The Humane AI Pin costs $700, and it requires a $24 per month subscription plan for data, services, and online storage.

  • What are some of the issues the reviewer faced with the AI Pin's hardware?

    -Despite the impressive build quality and solid construction, the reviewer found the AI Pin to be too heavy, especially when worn for extended periods. The device also had issues with overheating, inconsistent battery life, and was constantly warm to the touch.

  • How does the AI Pin's gesture control system work?

    -The gesture control system uses a built-in laser projector to project a user interface onto the user's hand. Users interact with the projected UI by moving their hand in specific ways, such as rolling a marble in the hand to select items and pinching to confirm a selection.

  • What are some of the limitations of the AI Pin when compared to a smartphone?

    -The AI Pin cannot perform many tasks that a modern smartphone can, such as setting timers or alarms, and it lacks access to popular apps like Spotify, WhatsApp, and Gmail. It also has a separate phone number and does not sync with the user's smartphone, leading to a lack of integration with the user's existing digital ecosystem.

  • What is the reviewer's opinion on the AI Pin's standalone nature and its potential future?

    -The reviewer believes that the AI Pin's standalone nature is a hindrance in its current state but acknowledges that the manufacturer might be aiming for a future where the device is a powerful standalone device not reliant on a smartphone. However, this ambition currently limits the device's functionality and usefulness.

  • What are some of the unique features of the AI Pin that the reviewer appreciated?

    -The reviewer appreciated the AI Pin's ability to remember things the user tells it to remember, its online web portal for managing pin-related activities, and its ability to take photos and videos hands-free, which could be useful in certain scenarios.

  • How does the AI Pin perform in terms of answering questions and providing information?

    -The AI Pin's performance in answering questions is mixed. It can sometimes provide correct answers, but it is often slow due to relying on cloud processing, and it can also provide incorrect information due to AI inaccuracies or misunderstandings.

  • What are the reviewer's final thoughts on whether people should buy the AI Pin?

    -The reviewer strongly advises against purchasing the AI Pin in its current state. They suggest that potential buyers should skip this product and not buy it based on the promise of future updates.

  • What is the reviewer's opinion on the AI Pin's battery life and charging system?

    -The reviewer found the AI Pin's battery life to be poor and inconsistent, requiring constant attention and multiple charges throughout the day. The need to swap out boosters and charge the device frequently was a significant inconvenience.

  • How does the AI Pin compare to other wearable devices in terms of design and comfort?

    -The reviewer felt that while the AI Pin had a solid and well-crafted design, its weight and the need to wear it on the body made it less comfortable than other wearable devices, especially when worn for extended periods or during physical activities.

Outlines

00:00

🤖 Introduction to the Humane AI Pin

The video introduces the Humane AI Pin, a futuristic wearable computer, which is praised for its innovative design but criticized for its current shortcomings. The presenter expresses disappointment with the device, despite its potential, due to numerous issues encountered during use. The AI Pin is described as a standalone device with its own internet connection and phone number, capable of performing various tasks like making calls, sending texts, and providing information. However, the presenter finds it cumbersome to use and not as seamless as expected.

05:00

📦 Hardware and Features Overview

The presenter discusses the impressive hardware of the AI Pin, noting its solid aluminum construction, strong magnets for attachment, and dense packing of sensors, including a camera, microphones, and a laser projector. The device also includes a touch pad and projector for gesture control. The charging solutions provided are highlighted, including a charging case and a desktop charging puck. Despite the high-quality build, the presenter mentions the device's lack of integration with smartphones and the inconvenience of its separate operation.

10:01

🔍 AI Capabilities and Limitations

The AI Pin's multimodal capabilities are explored, including its ability to answer questions, recognize images, and translate languages. The presenter demonstrates the device's ability to take photos and videos, remember user inputs, and provide a history of activities through the Humane Center web portal. However, the device's performance is criticized for being slow, often incorrect, and reliant on cloud processing, leading to server timeouts and other issues. The presenter also discusses the device's battery life problems, including the need for frequent charging and overheating concerns.

15:02

📵 Smartphone Comparison and Usability Issues

The presenter compares the AI Pin with modern smartphones, emphasizing the latter's superiority in nearly every aspect, including picture and video quality, ease of communication, and app availability. The video highlights the AI Pin's lack of essential apps and functionalities that are standard on smartphones. The presenter also points out the device's usability issues, such as poor notification visibility, heavy weight, and the inconvenience of its separate operation from a smartphone.

20:04

🚧 Future Ambitions and Current Shortcomings

The presenter theorizes that the AI Pin is designed to be a powerful standalone device in the future but is currently hindered by its own potential. The device is seen as a victim of its future ambition, with the presenter noting that it is difficult to recommend the product in its current state. However, the presenter acknowledges a potential use case for individuals who wish to minimize screen time and reliance on their smartphones. The video concludes with a recommendation to skip purchasing the AI Pin and a note of encouragement for the development team to continue improving the product.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Humane AI Pin

The Humane AI Pin is a wearable computer with an integrated AI assistant. It is described as an ultra futuristic device that serves as a standalone gadget with its own internet connection and phone number. The device is designed to assist users throughout their day by answering questions, providing historical facts, personalized recommendations, and helping with tasks like brainstorming or remembering things. It is a central focus of the video, with the reviewer expressing disappointment in its performance and utility.

💡Gesture Control

Gesture control is a method of interacting with the Humane AI Pin by using hand movements to navigate its projected interface. The device projects a mini screen onto the user's hand, and the user can select and interact with the interface by moving their hand in specific ways, such as rolling a marble in their hand to select an option and pinching to confirm the selection. This is a novel feature that the reviewer finds intuitive yet acknowledges its learning curve and practical limitations.

💡Stand-alone Device

A stand-alone device is a piece of technology that operates independently without the need for additional devices to function. The Humane AI Pin is a stand-alone device, meaning it does not pair with a smartphone and has its own internet connection and phone number. This is a key point of criticism in the video, as the reviewer argues that the device's lack of integration with smartphones makes it less convenient and more cumbersome to use.

💡Battery Life

Battery life refers to the amount of time a device can operate before needing to be recharged. The reviewer criticizes the Humane AI Pin's battery life as being poor and inconsistent, requiring frequent charging and swapping out of 'booster' batteries, which is inconvenient and detracts from the user experience.

💡AI Assistant

An AI assistant is an artificial intelligence system that performs tasks or services for users, such as answering questions, setting reminders, or providing information. The Humane AI Pin includes an AI assistant that is intended to be a helpful companion throughout the day. However, the reviewer finds the AI to be slow, often incorrect, and lacking the personalization and integration that a smartphone provides.

💡Smartphone Comparison

The reviewer consistently compares the Humane AI Pin to smartphones, highlighting that smartphones perform the same tasks better, faster, and more conveniently. This comparison is used to emphasize the shortcomings of the AI Pin, as it fails to surpass the capabilities and user experience of modern smartphones.

💡Projection UI

The Projection UI is a user interface projected by the Humane AI Pin onto the user's hand, allowing for interaction with the device without a physical screen. Despite being an innovative feature, the reviewer notes that it is not very readable, especially outdoors, and requires a learning curve to master the gestures needed for control.

💡Multimodal Interaction

Multimodal interaction refers to the ability of a device to use multiple modes of communication or interaction, such as voice, touch, and visual cues. The Humane AI Pin is described as multimodal because it can respond to voice commands, touch gestures on the pin itself, and interact with the environment through its camera.

💡Internet Connection

The Humane AI Pin requires an internet connection to function effectively, as many of its features and services are cloud-based. The reviewer points out that the device's reliance on an internet connection can lead to issues when connectivity is poor, resulting in slow response times and incorrect information.

💡Product Review

A product review is an evaluation of a product's features, performance, and value, often providing personal opinions and experiences. The video is a product review where the reviewer expresses their opinions on the Humane AI Pin, detailing its features, their personal experience using it, and why they consider it the worst product they've reviewed.

💡Subscriber Plan

A subscriber plan refers to a monthly subscription service that provides additional services or features for a product. The Humane AI Pin requires a $24 a month subscription plan for data, services, and online storage, which the reviewer includes in their criticism of the product's overall cost and value.

Highlights

The Humane AI Pin is a futuristic wearable computer that can be a distraction due to its many flaws.

It is considered the worst product the reviewer has encountered in its current state.

The device is a small wearable computer with an AI designed to assist users throughout the day.

The AI Pin costs $700 plus a $24 monthly subscription for data, services, and online storage.

The device does not pair with smartphones and operates as a standalone device with its own internet connection and phone number.

The build quality of the AI Pin is impressive, featuring a solid aluminum design and strong magnets.

The device has a touch pad and projector for gesture control, offering a new style of interaction.

The AI Pin can answer questions, make phone calls, send texts, and provide historical facts and recommendations.

The device's performance is often slow and inaccurate, with many requests relying on cloud processing.

Battery life is a significant issue, with the need to frequently swap out boosters and charge the device.

The AI Pin gets consistently warm during use, raising concerns about heat dissipation and wireless charging inefficiency.

The device is heavy and noticeable when worn, especially with lighter clothing.

Photos and videos taken with the AI Pin are of poor quality, with a noisy and limited 15-second video length.

The device lacks app integration, offering no access to popular services like Spotify, Uber, or Gmail.

Smartphones are identified as superior to the AI Pin in nearly every function, making the device's standalone approach a significant disadvantage.

The AI Pin's standalone nature means it doesn't have access to the wealth of personal data and preferences stored on smartphones.

The reviewer suggests that no one should buy the AI Pin in its current state, citing the friction and inconvenience it presents.

The device shows potential for the future but is currently held back by its ambition to be a powerful standalone device.

The Humane AI Pin represents a glimmer of hope for users seeking to reduce screen time but falls short in practical use.