During CES 2024, California-based startup Rabbit Inc. unveiled its brand new mobile device that aims to change the way people interact with smartphone user interfaces through artificial intelligence.
It’s called Rabbit r1, but before we get into what it does, let’s go to a recent keynote video because it provides important background information. Company CEO Jesse Lyu says modern smartphone interfaces are not intuitive. He says there are far too many apps that don’t interact with each other. Lyu isn’t a fan of having to jump from app to app to app just to complete simple tasks, so Rabbit Inc. tried. create a device to automate all these processes, and that device is the r1.
Personal assistants
Inside is a Large Action Model, LAM for short. It’s an AI model with the ability to learn how users interact with apps so it can replicate the same behavior. The software can understand complex interactions without the need for an additional API (Application Programming Interface) to guide them. This technology serves as the basis for the company’s own operating system, called Rabbit OS.
Rabbit OS allows users to create automated scripts known as ‘rabbits’ to perform tasks via voice commands. These assistants behave in the same way as Google Assistant. The main difference from Rabbit’s gadget is that all tasks are performed through a single interface. You don’t have to open apps and log in to do just one thing.
Rickrolled by #AI at #CES2024 😂Love the @rabbit_hmi r1 (and @teenageengin33r!!) though@rickastley @CES #IoT #design pic.twitter.com/Yxt2vfWwVVJanuary 9, 2024
For example, let’s say you want the R1 to do your shopping. First, you record the process of launching a grocery app, choosing what you want, and then proceeding to checkout. The next time you need to buy food, you can instead take out the r1, press the button on the side and verbally command it to perform the same actions as your previous grocery shopping experience. That’s the essence of how it works.
The scripts you create can even be monetized and distributed in the startup’s new store, the Rabbit Hole.
Hardware specifications
As for the hardware, the small device is reportedly about the “size of a stack of Post-it notes” and weighs 115 grams (about 4 oz). It comes with a 2.88-inch touchscreen, a push-to-talk button, as mentioned above, and a scroll wheel for navigation. Under the hood, the Rabbit r1 is powered by a 2.3GHz MediaTek Helio P35 processor and an all-day battery. Other notable features include mobile connectivity support plus an AI-powered rotating camera.
The Rabbit r1 is available for Pre-order now in Luminous Orange. It will cost you $200 “with no additional monthly subscription required.” According to the official page, it can interact with music, rideshare, and shopping apps, to name a few. US orders will ship in late March and international orders will ship later this year. An exact date has not been given.
In a sense, the Rabbit r1 is a sleek smartphone that leans more heavily toward AI. It will be interesting to see how it competes with the tech giants’ models. Can it hold up from toe to toe, or is it seen as nothing more than a toy? It’s hard to say.
Check out Ny Breaking’s list of the best smartphones for 2024.