After a profitable unveiling at CES, Rabbit is letting journalists check 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 cell machine with AI at its middle.
While we’re nonetheless ready on in-depth evaluations (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 a substitute on a voice interface and projector, whereas the R1 has a 2.88 inch display screen (although it’s meant for use for rather 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. Both, in keeping with TechCrunch’s Brian Heater, present the worth of excellent industrial design.
It feels like neither the Ai Pin (which bought some really scathing evaluations) nor the R1 makes a totally convincing case that it’s time to exchange our smartphones — or that AI chatbots are one of the best ways to get data from the web. But if nothing else, it’s thrilling that the {hardware} business feels extensive open once more. Press play, then tell us when you’re enjoying to attempt both the R1 or the Ai Pin!
