A $199 device promises to do almost everything we can already do with your smartphone, but in an automated way, with a single interface based on an artificial intelligence model. We are talking about Rabbit R1an absolutely innovative device that uses a different approach compared to classic integrations with third-party apps and the dependency of their APIs.
What Rabbit R1 is and how it works
R1 is the first product from an AI startup called Rabbit, founded by Jesse Lyu. It is a portable gadget that serves the purpose of simplify the use of appsallowing the user to be able to manage all applicationsi with a single voice or visual interface.
The device features a simple and attractive design, created in collaboration with the design studio Teenage Engineering. There is one 2.88 inch touchscreen, a camera, a wheel/button to navigate or talk to the built-in assistant, and a battery that lasts a full day. Inside, it has a 2.3 GHz MediaTek processor, 4 GB of memory and 128 GB of storage.
Rabbit doesn’t aim to definitively replace the smartphone (at least for now), but it has everything it takes to do so. With R1 we can listen to music, order food, call a taxi, chat with friends and more. Like a smartphone, you might think, but this is where the device surprises. In fact, R1 makes everything more simplified, intelligent and autonomous, thanks to the integration with l‘Rabbit’s Artificial Intelligence (we’ll talk about it specifically shortly).
Unlike your smartphone, R1 learns how apps work
The heart of the Rabbit R1 is its operating system, called Rabbit OSwhich is based on an artificial intelligence model called Large Action Model (LAM). The LAM is able to use existing apps for us, learning from how humans use them.
Unlike a smartphone, where apps are calibrated to work on a particular system, the R1 adapts to the app itself. LAM studies the interface, understands where the individual menus are and the usefulness of the individual buttons. If trained on Photoshop, for example, he can retouch a photo according to our instructions. And this is the big difference with a normal smartphone. Furthermore, since the system learns directly from the apps, no specific APIs are required. On paper R1 is a universal application controller.
The Rabbit R1’s interface is made up of a series of tabs based on categories, such as music, transportation, video calls, etc. You can interact with these tabs using voice, touch, or the scroll wheel. The LAM will understand what we want to do and will use the appropriate apps to meet your requests. You can also decide to train R1 on a specific app that the LAM does not yet know.
Rabbit R1 pricing and availability
The Rabbit R1 is available for pre-order on the official Rabbit website, priced at $199. The first supply of 10,000 units is already sold out, but it is possible to book a second shipment scheduled for spring.
