Rabbit R1 Review: The Delicious Failure of the Portable AI Assistant

The Rabbit R1 is a portable AI assistant that promises to make your life easier and more connected. However, despite its promise and charming design, this device seems to fall well short of expectations. In this article, we will take a detailed look at the features, strengths and, unfortunately, numerous weaknesses of this $199 gadget.

The Rabbit R1 is designed to be a pocket-sized AI assistant. Its main function is to act as an intermediary between your voice and your smartphone, allowing you to use voice commands to perform a variety of tasks. Among its stated functions are the ability to order food, book cabs through Uber, play music from Spotify, and use artificial intelligence models to recognize objects and texts. In theory, it should make it easier to manage daily tasks without having to use the phone directly.

The Rabbit R1 was designed by Teenage Engineering, known for their innovative and eye-catching designs. The device is small, pocket-sized, and has an aesthetic that resembles a futuristic toy. However, the aesthetic appeal does not compensate for the cheap feeling given by the plastic materials used. Its glossy finish looks more like a child’s toy than a high-end electronic device.

The Rabbit R1 has a scroll wheel, an accept button, a small rear speaker, and a 2.8-inch touch display. There is also a 360-degree camera that, although interesting, cannot be used for taking normal photos but only for tasks related to artificial intelligence. The interface, however, is mainly controlled by thumbwheel, which can be frustrating and unintuitive.

The main strength of the Rabbit R1 is its AI (Large Action Model), designed to understand natural language commands and perform tasks automatically. However, in practice, the device offers a disappointing user experience. The tasks it can perform are limited and often slower and less efficient than using a smartphone or computer.

Although the display is touch, most operations require the use of the scroll wheel, making interaction with the device cumbersome. Even when using the touch display, such as to enter a Wi-Fi password, the keyboard is so small as to be almost unusable. One of the major shortcomings of the Rabbit R1 is its battery. Initially, the device ran out of charge in about four hours. A recent update improved this slightly, bringing the battery life to about eight hours, which still does not cover a full day of use. This range problem, combined with the need to recharge frequently, drastically reduces the practicality of the device.

The Rabbit R1 promises to facilitate the use of services such as Uber, DoorDash and Spotify through voice commands. However, these features are often unreliable or completely unusable. The Uber app, for example, does not work in many regions and when it does work it is extremely slow. Even ordering food through DoorDash is a complicated and limited process that often requires the use of a smartphone to complete the order anyway.

The user interface of the Rabbit R1 is slow and unintuitive. The scroll wheel does not respond well, making it difficult to navigate menus. In addition, many promised features are still not available or do not work as they should. This creates a frustrating experience that makes the device more of a burden than a help.

The Rabbit R1 is a classic example of a device that promises much but delivers little. Despite its fascinating design and some innovative ideas, its disappointing performance and frustrating interface make it difficult to recommend. With a price tag of $199, there are many other more effective and reliable options available on the market. The promise of a portable AI assistant that can simplify daily life is enticing, but the Rabbit R1 fails to deliver on this promise.