Rabbit, which is a Santa Monica-based startup, has recently announced its new artificial intelligence or AI assistant, called Rabbit R1, at the CES or Consumer Electronics Show 2024 event in Las Vegas. This device comes with a touchscreen display of a 2.88-inch size & it runs on a MediaTek processor. R1 can perform several tasks, like playing music, sending messages, ordering groceries, and so on.
However, you need to know that Rabbit CEO Jesse Lyu is behind the idea of its manufacturing. His desire was to return to those days when people could use phones easily. Let’s dig into this article to learn what Rabbit R1 is— as it is not a Smartphone (not exactly) & not a Personal Voice assistant like Alexa (though it kinda is).
What Is The Rabbit R1 AI Assistant?
Rabbit R1, which was launched at the CES 2024 event, is a handheld AI assistant. It is co-designed with Teenage Engineering and looks like a walkie-talkie. In order to add a retro feel, it is available in a square design & eye-popping orange. The device is equipped with a camera, a control wheel, speakers, & microphones. Besides, the memory of this device is 4GB, whereas the storage capacity is 128 GB. It can run on a 2.3GHz MediaTek processor. While it weighs light, its size is only half of the size of an iPhone 15.
However, it does not come with any apps like the iPhone 15. Rather than that, connecting to the apps is possible on the mobile. Rabbit OS is the operating system on which the R1 is operated. It runs on an artificial intelligence model called a Large Action Model or LAM. This model helps to perform tasks by navigating all interfaces. LAM can also respond to voice commands. You can use it to manage household tasks and answer queries.
What Is Special About Rabbit R1?
The main aim of Rabbit R1 is to provide a more focused & less intrusive digital experience. Another thing that can draw people’s attention is its dedicated training mode. Users are able to teach the device the way to interact with certain commands. All credits go to the LAM, the purpose of designing which is to make it adaptable, and allow it to learn as well as to interact with new apps. With the help of the feature, expanding the capabilities of the device is possible beyond pre-installed apps. Because of the training aspect, R1 becomes versatile and can be used for several interactions.
How To Pre-order Rabbit R1?
Its price is $199, and you can get this available for pre-order from the official website: rabbit.tech. By late March, the company intends to begin shipping smart devices. According to the announcement from Rabbit, it has already sold out two batches of ten thousand Rabbit R1 devices. People who want to buy this can get it from the website from the third batch, which is available to pre-order now, and expected to be delivered around May to June 2024.
Its first batch of ten thousand units was available for pre-order when the device was announced at the CES event, on 9th January 2024. Those 10000 units sold out very quickly, so the second batch of 10,000 units was made available shortly after. This device is available to order from the website in the following countries: the US, Canada, the UK, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, South Korea, and Japan.
Why Is It So Popular, And How Do You Get One?
While the first batch of 10000 units was sold already, the second batch was scheduled for March, and it’s now sold out. Its design purpose is to change the way humans interact with technology. At the CES 2024 event, the IoT or Internet of Things was a major recurring theme. So, several companies focus on integrating with the existing OSs like iOS or Android. Each and every startups as well as big company try their best in order to make your phone connected to a suite of tech inside your house; therefore the nostalgic simplicity of the Rabbit R1 has been an instant hook.
Rabbit R1 Features:
It comes with several new features which can deliver a unique living experience to users:
- Versatile:
It can do different tasks. For instance, it checks your fridge for leftovers, books a ride, gives helpful suggestions, and so on.
- 360° Camera:
The 360° Camera of R1 helps to analyze surroundings for actions. Also, it prioritizes your privacy by retracting it into its shell, when you are not using the device.
- Connectivity:
It includes a SIM card slot & a USB-C port. These make sure that you can experience seamless connectivity.
- All-Day Battery:
The All-Day Battery ensures that R1 will always be ready for your requirements.
Rabbit R1— Hardware:
It is available in a compact design. Its size is so small that you can hold it in the palm of your hand. The weight of this device is 115 grams, about 4 oz. Now, this is available in one design only. So, you are unable to pick up this in many colors.
R1 is equipped with a far-field mic embedded and default speakers. Its integrated 360-degree camera is known as the Rabbit Eye. Once you touch the screen, you are able to interact with elements. An analog scroll wheel exists at the device’s side.
A push-to-talk button is there on the AI assistant’s right side. You can use this any time when you are willing to talk to the AI assistant on the device. You do not need any “hey Google” or “hey Siri” wake commands. Once you double-tap the button, it will activate the on-board camera.
Along with the 2.3GHz, MediaTek Helio processor, it features an “all day” battery life, which has already been mentioned. You can charge the battery using a USB-C charge cable & power adapter. However, keep in mind that these aren’t available in the box. Therefore, it is essential to use those which you already have.
Rabbit R1— Software:
The bright orange casing offers Rabbit R1 a cute look. Its software makes it stand out in the market. Have you already used ChatGPT or Google Bard? Then, you should know that Rabbit OS is something similar as it is able to both perform tasks & answer questions.
Jesse Lyu, the Rabbit founder and CEO, displayed in the CES keynote demo that it can do the following things:-
- Check stock prices
- Answer philosophical questions,
- Play music on Spotify
- Order a pizza,
- Book an order,
- Plan a vacation, & so on.
Ensure that you have connected the Rabbit OS with several services and apps. And you can do this through a web portal. Services to which you can connect the AI assistant are Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Expedia, Uber, eBay, and Amazon.
This model does not track users in any way or store login information of users. It can easily connect you to your required apps. However, we still do not know how these activities are done via the cloud.
More Details:
You can get to know from Rabbit’s privacy page that once you interact with Rabbit OS, it will assign you a dedicated environment for your LAM. The AI assistant also does not store passwords for these services. Instead, when it attempts to execute any task, it will ask for permission. It is mainly those activities that involve sensitive actions like payments.
The AI assistant is able to handle real-time translation, communication, etc. Also, it helps to analyze pictures. You can get quicker responses from Rabbit R1 than from other generative AI bots. It also enables you to shake the device in order to bring up an on-screen keyboard.
You can teach the AI assistant new skills, such as how to visit online stores and order groceries for you. Therefore, it will do this task itself the next time. Rabbit said that there is no intention to replace your phone with R1. The maker only wants it to be used alongside phones. Remember that it is unable to check social media browse YouTube, or allow you to organize your email. So, the smartphone is likely to stick around for a while yet.
The Bottom Line:
In this article, we have discussed almost every detail about Rabbit R-1, which has been introduced by Santa Monica-based startup Rabbit. R1 is equipped with MediaTek processor & 2.88 inch touchscreen display, and is able to perform several functions & emerges as a very reliable AI assistant. It provides practical solutions for regular living. You can secure Rabbit R1 today in order to embrace a brilliant living experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Rabbit R1 do?
According to the maker of this device, Rabbit R1 has the capability to learn the app’s usage on your behalf. So, you can play music on Spotify, order a pizza, or book an order by just tapping on a button or a spoken request.
Ql. How much is Rabbit R1?
$199 is the price of Rabbit R1, which is based on a ‘Large Action Model’. It is able to understand your intentions and behavior. For pre-order, this one is available on the company website.
How to buy Rabbit R1?
You need to navigate to the official Rabbit website in order to get a hassle-free pre-order experience. Securing your device is possible via the pre-order option, which is available on the website.
