The Rabbit R1 is handheld AI that aims to introduce a new sort of operating system instead by using voice commands to perform functions rather than apps. It is impressive in its interface design and its natural language recognition, however, the Rabbit R1 still lacks some more elements to be considered a true portable phone replacement.
Design and Interface
Born from the collaboration with Teenage Engineering, The Rabbit R1 is pretty only around the edges since it has a pretty odd form and a retro look. String its word together, the R1 is Small form with great styling because it has a striking orange color shell, 2.8 inch screen and barely any switch with a small 8 megapixel camera. Speaking of the interface, all of its interaction is greatly focused on voice input which is also supported with a scroller for basic navigation. Its mini screen and walkie-talkie type switch were effective in making the device interactive and enjoyable rather than restricting screen interaction. The absence of a standard screen make the R1 device not suitable for visual related tasks, the switch works great, but leaves a lot to be desired for amount of detail that can be reviewed.
Usability and R1 Compatibility
The R1 is a voice-controlled agent, capable of performing basic functions like ordering a Doordash or Uber, creating images, and conducting a visual web search. The great expectations that surround this device have been somewhat curtailed in that it currently supports only Spotify, Uber, Doordash, and Midjourney, thereby making it less useful as compared to carrying around smartphones. R1 runs Rabbit OS which allows the R1 to embed functionality through the internet application Rabbithole but, the options currently available are limited and do not allow for much flexibility. However, the developers intend to make Yelp, Amazon music and Apple music available for the device in subsequent upgrades. But as it is now the R1 feels rather constricting.
R1 Performance and Its Disadvantages
The performance experience of the R1 is moderate and has room for improvement; there are features which perform well while there are features which can be a let down. For example, the R1 is great at landmark recognition on things like the visual search feature but had trouble comprehending the Washington Square Arch. Perhaps this is in part because it was outputting its function through WiFi which sometimes was not stable. Ordering an Uber through the R1 was also quite inconsistent as one time Uber was not able to find inputted addresses and another time it failed to execute the order, meaning that for these processes the R1 is less preferred over a smartphone.
Battery Life and Usability
The worst aspect of the Rabbit R1 is its battery life which gets used up very quickly within just a few hours. While a software fix is expected to be implemented, this problem makes it an extremely constrained device. The settings can also be used with movements such as shaking the device to turn the settings on which is something new that users would have to get used to. Nonetheless, there are those specific functions, such as altering brightness via the scroll wheel, that provide a pleasant shift away from the standard touchscreen interface.
Final Verdict
R1 is certainly a long way away from replacing a mobile phone’s functions as it works on the idea of trying to be a very simple device without having the need to download apps. There have been clever predictions about a future where digital helpers solely controlled through AI would be the norm but under the current circumstances, it seems more of a gimmick than a product that is necessary. With more software installations and software updates, that device could evolve into a more practical device however for the time being, it is more suitable for people who enjoy technology and would like to experience cutting age AI technology.
