It ’s not often in our current human race of consumer tech that we see all - new Cartesian product family emerge . Smartphones , smartwatches , and tablets are all well - defined thing at this decimal point , even with the birth of foldables in recent old age . When a unexampled iPhone or Galaxy phone comes out , you know what to expect .
The Rabbit R1 was supposed to be something new : the earth ’s “ unproblematic computer ” and a more convenient fellow traveler to your smartphone . It had a flash appearing at CES , was at once eye - catching with its way-out orangeness design , and promised to show in a novel earned run average of AI - powered gadgets .
Trying to do something new in the mobile tech world takes a lot of guts , and it ’s something I have tremendous respect for . But after living with and using the Rabbit R1 , I ca n’t recommend anyone go out and buy one . In all my year of reviewing mobile tech , the Rabbit R1 is — without a doubt — one of the spoilt equipment I ’ve ever used .
Joe Maring / Digital Trends
Rabbit R1: design and hardware
We ’ll set about on a positive note — and it ’s quite literally the only confident part of this review . The Rabbit R1 is cute !
design in coaction with Teenage Engineering ( the same company behind thePlaydatedesign ) , the Rabbit R1 ’s excogitation is very much going for the retrofuturism aesthetic , and I adore it . The orange paint caper is blindingly orange , the ringlet bicycle and button have a friendly charm to them , and the small straight shape is just cunning .
The mental synthesis is evenly great . The button is satisfying to press , spinning the roulette wheel to rotate the television camera is a genius melodic theme , and I love being able-bodied to take out the SIM tray with just my finger — no SIM remotion tool required .
Joe Maring / Digital Trends
regrettably , other aspects of the R1 ’s hardware leave alotto be desired . The external speaker , as nice as it look on the back of the R1 , vocalise downright terrible . Even at about 50 % volume , the R1 ’s speaker is shrill , deformed , and has zero depth to it . It ’s ok for reading answer to questions you ask , but as a music player , it ’s abysmal .
The Rabbit R1 ’s intent is very much going for the retrofuturism aesthetic , and I adore it .
likewise bad is the camera quality . The R1 has an 8MP camera . It ’s only used for the R1 ’s Vision mode ( more on that below ) and ca n’t currently be used for rent photos or recording videos . But the R1 does save a snapshot every sentence you use the Vision style , and the photos arebad . Rabbit has plans to add telecasting name to the R1 down the route , but ease up the television camera computer hardware here , I ca n’t envisage ever want to use the R1 for that .
Joe Maring / Digital Trends
There ’s also the issue of battery lifespan . just put , it ’s middling at best . On one twenty-four hour period with the Rabbit R1 , I commence with 100 % battery life a little after 9 a.m. and had just 6 % remaining at 6:15 p.m. The R1 was dead by 7 p.m. Rabbit issued a software update on April 30 that was supposed to improve unfounded battery performance “ up to 5x . ” It seems to be a chip well , but it ’s still not great . set about my mean solar day with 100 % battery at 9 a.m. on another day , the R1 was down to 45 % at 5 p.m. Keep in mind this was with me using the R1 exclusively on Wi - Fi — with no data point connexion — and with very circumscribed interactions throughout the day .
Rabbit R1: voice commands
The primary way of life to use the Rabbit R1 is to ask it questions with your representative . You press and contain the side button , issue your dubiousness / bid , and secrete the button when you ’re done — just like a walkie - talkie .
What types of questions can you call for the R1 ? In brusque , anything that comes to mind . Similar to AI chatbots like ChatGPT , the R1 issupposedto be able to handle any and all questions you fuddle at it . I wrote “ supposed ” in italics because , in practice , it does n’t always get these interrogation right-hand . In fact , it very often fumble the most basic of head .
How so ? Here are just a few lesson :
Are there instances where the R1 has given me a correct solution to a question ? sure . When I asked it aboutFallout 5‘s liberation day of the month , it provided a thorough explanation of Bethesda ’s farsighted game ontogeny time , how the developer is currently working onElder Scrolls VI , and why that may mean noFallout 5until the 2030s . It also accurately told me when the next Detroit Tigers biz was and whether they won last night ( include the correct score ) .
The problem here is that the R1 is ill-timed enough clock time that I simply do n’t swear it about anything at this decimal point . Like so many AI gadgets / services , the R1 confidently tells you an solution to a question , even when it could be completely awry . Not only is that troublesome for a world that ’s already struggling with how to treat misinformation , but on a much more basic storey , it also means the R1 is n’t a helpful assistant . If I have to double - train its answers to my questions with a Google search on my earpiece , why not use my phone in the first place and save myself some sentence ?
Rabbit R1: Vision mode
The 2nd main element of the Rabbit R1 is its “ Vision style . ” twofold - tapping the R1 ’s button enables Vision modality . With the television camera active , you could compact and hold the button to ask the R1 dubiousness about what it “ ensure . ”
On a technical layer , the R1 ’s Vision manner can be rather impressive . It has described a act of scenes quite accurately and descriptively , as you could see in the examples below .
Just like spokesperson commands , though , there are other times when Vision gets thing amiss . It told me myHonor Magic 6 RSRwas , in fact , nota smartphone and was instead a photographic camera . It also tell me that my wiener — who is a pit bruiser / boxer mix — was a golden retriever on one function and a rottweiler on another .
Even in the representative where the R1 ’s Vision mode works well , I ’ve found it to be nothing more than a cool tech demo . Is ittechnicallyimpressive that I can repoint the R1 at my livelihood way and have it separate me it construe a “ cosy and colourful aliveness room ” with “ a brownish lounge and several comfortable - looking chairs ? ” I imagine so . But what am I really have from any of this ? How is this help me ? The short solvent is that it ’s not . The most useful scenario I ’ve find for the R1 is pointing it at plants to identify them , but as explain above , I do n’t desire the R1 , and I can already do this on any Android telephone set or iPhone . So , tell me — what ’s the point of any of this ?
Rabbit R1: DoorDash, Spotify, and more
The Rabbit R1 ’s third claim to renown is its connection system . Here , the idea is that you connect your login info from other apps / websites to the R1 so it can execute different tasks for you without you need to get lost in apps on your sound .
At the time of publishing , the only four available connection include Spotify , Uber , DoorDash , and Midjourney . Rabbit says Amazon Music and Apple Music are “ in development , ” while Airbnb , Lyft , OpenTable , Ticketmaster , and Uber chow are “ plan . ”
I ’ve been testing the Spotify and DoorDash Connections and … well , how do I put this ? They ’re embarrassingly big .
Using Spotify is passably dim-witted . Once your bill is link , you press and hold the button to ask the R1 to play music for you . you could necessitate it to flirt a specific Sung dynasty , an album , or music for a certain mood ( like a dinner party party or working out ) . Once a vocal is make for , you may weightlift the release to break / re-start the music . Sounds bare enough , right ? It should be , but itbarelyworks .
Sometimes , using the scroll wheel skip through Sung dynasty . Other meter , the wheel pushes the media actor down , returning you to the R1 ’s “ home screen . ” I ’ve repeatedly inquire the R1 to play a specific album , but it ’s incompetent of doing so . It will work a random trail from aforementioned album and then move on to a all different artist . I asked it to wreak the newest Vampire Weekend record album ( which isOnly God Was Above Us , liberate this past April ) , and it start playing the stria ’s first record album from 2008 . If you necessitate the R1 to “ skip to the next call , ” it recount you it ’s unable to do that .
DoorDash is just as bad . For starters , you ca n’t just say , “ Open DoorDash . ” If you do , the R1 will tell you it ca n’t open DoorDash . Instead , you have to say something like “ I ’m hungry ” or “ Order me McDonalds . ” From there , it often takesover a minutefor the R1 to lade its DoorDash interface and another 15 - plus arcsecond to load a store ’s menu ( which , for the record , often does n’t work and returns an fault message ) .
When it does decently laden , it only shows three useable stores / restaurants to set up from , with each place render only six item . Pressing the button while you ’re view an token shows a + icon , indicate it ’s been tot up to a go-cart . You then scroll to the bottom of the varlet to view your handcart and check out ( which is completely hidden and took me over a workweek to find ) .
The worst part ? You ’re unable to select your requital method when ordering , which can mean paying more for your lodge than you should be . For example , I get free DashPass with one of my Chase cards , which let me keep at least $ 5 per order when I employ it . I ca n’t choose that on the R1 , so I’malwayspaying more for my orders than if I just used the DoorDash app on my phone .
It ’s also worth mentioning that adding your story information on the Rabbithole ( what Rabbit call its land site for wangle your R1 ) is unelaborated , to say the very least . When you click the “ connect account ” clit , the Rabbit website opens a new window for the app ’s login , and it ’s very distinctly running on a remote desktop somewhere . When I used my Google account to lumber into DoorDash , Google told me I was lumber into a Linux gimmick in Boardman , Oregon . For a company that claims to be a bounteous advocator of security and privacy , nothing about this feels good .
Rabbit R1: user interface
Speaking of not feeling good , there ’s the Rabbit R1 ’s substance abuser interface . The R1 is powered by “ Rabbit OS.”Although it may have secretive roots to Android than we initially mistrust , this is still a new OS and UI for you to interact with . And it ’s a terrible one .
The R1 does have a touch screen , which you employ for entering your Wi - Fi word when plant it up . you’re able to also enable “ last mode ” to type questions to the R1 or else of talk to it . Outside of those two very specific case , though , the touchscreen does n’t do anything . Instead , you apply the wheel to scroll through menus and the button to choice point .
The R1 ’s user interface is horrific .
As much as I lie with the scroll wheel , indiscriminately disabling the touchscreen is an vacuous decision . In the options menu , for instance ( which you’re able to only access by shaking the R1 ) , you have to use the wheel to scroll through the unlike choice and then select the page you want with the button . Why not just lease me tip the options page I desire to open ? Similarly , to conform the brightness or volume , you have to press and hold the button while scrolling the wheel up or down . As such , something as elementary as changing the presentation brightness or volume is a two - handed process . I should also point out that you may not exchange either of these with a voice instruction … on a twist that ’s supposed to be interacted with mainly through part .
There ’s also no back clit . In DoorDash , for good example , if you pick out a eatery , but desire to go back to view the other choices , you simplycan’t . alternatively , you have to go back home and then reopen DoorDash — which , as a reminder , means another moment or more of hold back for it to load .
Speaking of Rabbit OS , it often stops working for no clean-cut reason . Multiple times per day , and every single day I ’ve used the R1 , it now and again gives me a “ Ca n’t connect to Rabbit OS ” error subject matter after asking it a interrogative sentence . I ’ve also had multiple instances where the R1 did n’t show an wrongdoing message , but stop responding to all of my vocalism commands , forcing me to soft reset it . You do this by quickly press the side push button five times , and you should design on doing it a mint .
Rabbit R1: missing features
I ’ve spent the majority of this recapitulation hash out the Rabbit R1 ’s current features , but it ’s just as important to highlight everything itdoesn’tdo . For as much as hare gasconade the R1 ’s advanced AI capabilities , the ship’s company sure did block to include a lot of rudimentary features . At the prison term of writing this review , the R1 is whole missing all of the observe thing :
According to Rabbit , some of these feature are come this summertime , while others are either in ontogeny or plan for the futurity . That ’s fine and something to look frontwards to , but it does n’t justify Rabbit from transport the R1 in such a clear bare province . It does n’t weigh what AI models you ’re using if I ca n’t place a damn alarm or look at your calendar . It ’s 2024 , and these features should be table stakes on any connected equipment like this .
There ’s also the fact that even if Rabbit says it ’s planning on adding these thing , there ’s no warranty if or when they ’ll be useable . As the story always go , buy a merchandise for what it is today — not what a companionship says it will be in the future .
Rabbit R1: price and availability
The Rabbit R1 is useable for leverage now right away from Rabbit ’s internet site . It cost $ 199 and Rabbit says newfangled orders will ship in June . It ’s a much more enticing price than the $ 699 Humane AI Pin , and if you have disposable income to throw around , it ’s almost tempting enough to buy it “ just because . ”
One of Rabbit ’s large claims for the R1 is that it has “ no subscription , ” but that ’s not wholly reliable . If you want to use the R1 on the go without a Wi - Fi connexion , you ’ll need a SIM scorecard with an active data plan — which means adding another monthly fee with your wireless carrier .
If you desire to expend Spotify on the R1 , you may only do so if you have a paid Spotify account . Similarly , if you want to have the R1 apply Midjourney to bring forth AI images for you , expect to pay at least $ 10 per month .
Rabbit R1: verdict
If it was n’t percipient by now , there ’s alotwrong with the Rabbit R1 . With its poor - timber speaker and camera , slow performance , confusing operating system , undependable result , and long list of missing features , it ’s an extremely flawed mathematical product .
But that ’s not the most damnatory affair about the R1 . Let ’s say it had a nicer speaker , opened DoorDash faster , offered a more sensible UI , answered enquiry more accurately , and had things like an consternation and calendar . Even with all of that , the R1 still would n’t make sense . At the conclusion of the day , it ’s not doing anything more than what my phone is already open of . If anything , it does a fraction of the same things my phone does , but objectively sorry .
The R1 ’s construct is blemished , its foundation is misguided , and its carrying out is unfathomable .
If I want to talk to an AI for random questions throughout the mean solar day , the Perplexity appis free to download forAndroidandiOSand isthe precise same AI modelthe R1 uses for its internet searches . If I want to listen to Spotify or order solid food on DoorDash , those experiences are infinitely more gratifying on my phone . Plus , with my phone , I can still get telephone call , institutionalise text edition messages , watch a YouTube picture if I desire , or perchance even play some games .
As flawed as the Humane AI Pin is , itat leasthas a unique form factor that prepare it aside from today ’s smartphones . The Rabbit R1 is just another earphone - comparable gadget I have to bear in my pocket and take out to use as I do with my phone . The problem for Rabbit is that there ’s no conceivable office where I ’d ever choose the R1 over my smartphone . The R1 ’s conception is flawed , its foundation is lead astray , and its writ of execution is abysmal . And , regrettably , no amount of cute conception and burnished orange food colour can save it .
