Why is the internet crazy for the Rabbit R1?
The debut of the Rabbit R1 AI Assitant feels like a full-circle moment in tech. The existence of this palm-sized personal voice assistant comes from Rabbit CEO Jesse Lyu's desire to go back to a time when using a phone was simple. And that belief is catching on, as according to Lyu, Rabbit's AI-pocket gadget has sold out of its initial 10,000 units.
What the Rabbit R1 is or does is a hard question to answer. It's not a smartphone (well, not exactly), and it's not just a voice assistant like Alexa (although it kinda is). That's why ahead of another round of preorders in the spring, we took a deep dive into exactly what the Rabbit R1 does, how it works, and whether it can replace our smartphones.
SEE ALSO:24 gadgets from CES 2024 that you can buy alreadyWhat is the Rabbit R1 AI Assistant?
Unveiled at CES 2024, Rabbit R1 is a $200 handheld AI assistant with a 2.88-inch touchscreen. The device, co-designed with Teenage Engineering, resembles a walkie-talkie with its square design and eye-popping orange — adding to its retro feel. It includes features like a camera, a control wheel, speakers, and microphones. Additionally, it has 4GB of memory, 128GB of storage, and runs on a 2.3GHz MediaTek processor.
It's surprisingly light and only half the size of an iPhone 15. However, unlike the iPhone 15, Rabbit R1 doesn't have apps; instead, you can connect to the apps on your phone. Operating on Rabbit OS, the R1 runs on a Large Action Model (LAM), an AI model that can navigate app interfaces to perform tasks. It responds to voice commands and is capable of activities like booking rides, managing household tasks, and answering queries.
While it's not so different from what we already do with our smartphones, the purpose, according to Lyu, is to offer a more focused and less intrusive digital experience. Plus, what's cool is that, with its dedicated training mode, you can teach the R1 how to interact with certain commands, and it will do that going forward.
This is all because of R1's LAM, which is designed to be adaptable, allowing it to learn and interact with new applications. This feature means that the device's capabilities can be expanded beyond pre-installed apps, adapting to various user interfaces and functionalities. This training aspect enhances the R1's utility, making it a versatile tool for a range of tasks and interactions.
As The Verge notes in their hands-on with the device, how this will work in practice is unclear as the only working model that exists at this moment is the one Lyu owns. Despite its adaptability in what it can work with, at the end of the day, the R1 is still a glorified Google Assistant. But cute and orange.
Why is it so popular and how do I get one?
As of right now, you can't. As noted earlier, Rabbit announced that its initial order of 10,000 units has sold out. There was even a second batch scheduled for March that is now sold out as well.
Part of its swift and sudden popularity is that, in theory, the R1 is designed to fundamentally change how humans interact with technology. One of the big recurring themes at CES 2024 was the Internet of Things (IoT), with many companies focusing on integrating with existing operating systems like iOS or Android. Every startup and big company wants your phone connected to a suite of tech inside your house, so the nostalgic simplicity of the R1 has been an instant hook.
Just look at this tweet calling Lyu's announcement the "iPhone moment for the AI era."
Tweet may have been deleted
Or you can save your $200, seeing that tech wizards on X (formerly Twitter) have already rebuilt the Rabbit AI inside of a smartphone.
Tweet may have been deleted
See what I mean about things coming full circle?
(责任编辑:新闻中心)
-
29 Dive Bars, Saloons, and Taverns Where the Vibe Is Unbeatable
From hand-sculpted ice spheres to baroque cocktails made with everything from olive oil–washed gin t ...[详细] -
路政工作人员将受伤的小男孩送往医院雅安日报讯昨(27)日,在市公路路政管理支队的电脑上,工作人员无意翻出的一张照片吸引住了记者的眼球。这是一张拍摄于地震重灾区宝兴县灵关镇的照片。照片中两名身穿路政制服 ...[详细]
-
4月24日,灾区天全,震后注重防病防疫龙晓勇) 记者从天全县抗震救灾指挥部获悉,为切实做好地震灾后卫生防疫工作,确保卫生防疫工作有力有序开展,实现大灾之后无大疫,天全县实施了卫生防疫工作“包片”制度。 ...[详细]
-
2013年4月23日,全国总工会副主席、书记处第一书记陈豪同志对全总办公厅《全总信息》(第62期)《四川省各级工会全力投入“4.20”芦山地震抗震救灾工作》作出批示:四川省总及各级工会迅速行动,全力投 ...[详细]
-
2016's $400 GPU vs. 2019's $400 GPUs
Something we've been hearing a lot this year is that PC gaming is not in great shape, how there's a ...[详细] -
雅安芦山“4.20”7.0级地震牵动着全国人民的心,大家都想着要为灾区贡献自己的一份力。雨城区音乐家协会理事黄少翔这几天就特别的忙,不为别的,就为给灾区人民献首歌,鼓鼓劲。 见到黄少翔时,他正闭眼轻 ...[详细]
-
抢通生命线红眼圈、黑眼袋,眼睛周围掉皮,长短不一的胡茬显然是在匆忙之中刮的,头皮屑密密麻麻分布在油凝的头发上,应该是好多天没洗头了。5月2日,见到市交通运输局副局长曹孝君时,他看上去有点“衰”。但是, ...[详细]
-
25 日,天全县大坪中心校成为该县首个复课的帐篷学校,图为学生在帐篷学校里大声朗读。雅安日报讯“谁能描述一下麦穗是什么样的?”随着问题的提出,20多只小手齐刷刷地举了起来。25日上午,地震灾区天全县大 ...[详细]
-
TL;DR:Secure access to your favorite free porn sites with a VPN. The best service for unblocking por ...[详细]
-
4月28日,省纪委监察厅副厅级纪检监察专员于胜率省、市抗震救灾及灾后重建监督检查督导组第五组到石棉县检查指导工作。督查组一行深入棉城街道办事处川棉社区棚户区、紧急避险安置点进行了详细察看,对石棉县应对 ...[详细]