After a profitable unveiling at CES, Rabbit is letting journalists try out the R1 — a small orange gadget with an AI-powered voice interface. This comes simply weeks after the launch of the Humane Ai Pin, which is equally pitched as a brand new type of cellular machine with AI at its heart.
Whereas we’re nonetheless ready on in-depth opinions (versus an preliminary hands-on) of the R1, there are some fairly clear variations between the 2 units.
Most noticeably, the Ai Pin is screen-less, relying as an alternative on a voice interface and projector, whereas the R1 has a 2.88 inch display (although it’s meant for use for way more than typing in your WiFi password). And whereas the AI pin prices $699, plus a $24 month-to-month subscription, the R1 is simply $199. Each, in response to TechCrunch’s Brian Heater, show the value of good industrial design.
It appears like neither the Ai Pin (which bought some truly scathing reviews) nor the R1 makes a totally convincing case that it’s time to exchange our smartphones — or that AI chatbots are one of the simplest ways to get info from the web. But when nothing else, it’s thrilling that the {hardware} trade feels huge open once more. Press play, then tell us when you’re enjoying to strive both the R1 or the Ai Pin!
