“Rabbit R1” is not intended to replace smartphones. Rather, it aims to be an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered virtual assistant that can do certain things better than a smartphone.
Provided by: Richard Peterson/CNET
That’s the promise of this little orange handheld device I tried out after its big announcement at CES in January. Now that the first lot has reached users, it’s time to see if it lives up to the hype.
But first, let’s take a look at what’s inside the box. Once I’ve taken the time to set up and try out this $199 AI device, I’ll share my thoughts with you.
The rabbit r1 comes in a cardboard box designed to look like a rabbit’s face when opened (ears on top, eyes and nose in the back). There are only two things inside: the r1 itself and the included protective case.
The case is like a cassette tape case and bends back to become a kickstand. This is part of the rabbit r1’s retro design. The hallway leading to the rabbit r1 launch party venue was lined with vintage gadgets and toys, including Tiger Electronics’ Pokedex and a transparent Game Boy Color.
Provided by: Richard Peterson/CNET
There was no charging cable included in the rabbit r1 box. Like most electronic devices, the rabbit r1 is powered by a lithium-ion battery, so you can charge it using a USB-C cable and power adapter. Still, most devices, even smartphones whose packaging is much slimmer than they were a few years ago, come with cables, even if they don’t include power adapters.
Provided by: Richard Peterson/CNET
rabbit r1 is part of a new wave of AI devices that will start appearing in 2024, following the success of chatbots such as ChatGPT. Unlike the software installed in smartphones, the R1 runs on a technology the company calls large-scale action modeling. This is probably a reference to large-scale language models (LLMs) in text-based AI. This means the software is trained to learn how to use apps and services like a human, so you don’t have to manually interact with the apps to do anything, the company says.
Prior to the release of the rabbit r1, a much-talked-about AI-equipped device called the $699 (approximately 110,000 yen) “Ai Pin” by Humane, which also aims to reduce dependence on smartphones, has been released. However, Ai Pin’s reputation is generally unfavorable. Reviewers are skeptical of these strange AI devices that are meant to complement, and in some ways replace, smartphones.
This article was originally published by Red Ventures overseas and edited for Japan by Asahi Interactive.
