Looks like AI hardware is the hot thing in tech for 2024! Here are the things I’ve seen in the marketplace so far. Wonder if anyone has heard of any others?
Humane AI Pin:
Style: Star Trek Pin Communicator
TLDR: ex-Apple folks leading the company, has a laser projection screen, costs $699 plus a subscription.
Rabbit R1:
Style: Real Life Pokedex
TLDR: Industrial design from Teenage Engineering who are awesome. Is pioneering the concept of a “Large Action Model” whereby you can teach the device to do all kinds of interactions not previously possible with an assistant. First 100k pre-orders come with a year of Perplexity AI Pro as a bonus (worth $200) - cost is only $200, no subscription. Over 60k sold in three weeks, stole the show at CES trade show.
Rewind AI Pendant:
Style: Minimalist Future
TLDR: The most minimal device of the lot. Basically an always on microphone. Everything you see or hear in a day will get logged to an app for review. Final pricing not confirmed but you can reserve a spot in line for $59.
Tab AI Necklace:
Style: Like Rewind but friendlier
TLDR: Always on therapist and life coach. Also an always-listening device. $600 which includes a year of service, service $50 a month after that.
Having read about all of these, and watched a lot of videos, I’m most impressed with the Rabbit R1 so far and will definitely pre-order one. The “Teach Mode” ability is the thing that sold it for me. I think it offers a lot of potential for automating very unique tasks.
There’s also apparently word that OpenAI are entering this market directly and working with Jony Ive on the hardware. So that will be one to watch.
I sort of like this, but can’t see how it could be used positively in the long run. I’d sort of hope it became a two mates watching the Simpsons together in a summer park kind of vibes.
I love this if for no other reason than it’s like a more modern tamagotchi
This terrifies me.
EDIT: I’m absolutely sure my current tech is already doing this covertly by the way, but this seems a little too 1984 for me.
I must have missed that bit as I am not seeing anything an app on the phone couldn’t do. However I can think of plenty of things you can’t do on this device that you can do on a phone.
Also I am presuming you already have a mobile and a number? Who is going to switch their mobile number to this thing or pay another ongoing subscription for a separate number when they already have a smartphone and possibly a watch. And that is after spending $700 on this device.
No I watched the whole video and really can’t see the point in this device for someone who already has an iPhone or Android phone hence why I made my original comment. This device is doing nothing an app on the phone couldn’t do, has severe limitations, and will be a total flop
The video was only so long because the device takes an age to respond
Today I learned smartphones don’t have cameras. Point is they could have easily made this an app on a smartphone rather than build a whole expensive device that needs its own internet connectivity and subscription.
Plus who wants all their emails or whatever read out to them in public. And the bit that really got me is they basically admit that you need visual information and not just audio by having it project info onto their hand. By that point you might as well just be holding your iPhone in your hand. What a nonsense product.
My point is what is the point of this device and the cost of it when it could just be an app. Hence my comment “I am not seeing anything an app on the phone couldn’t do”
First, the AI stuff. I’m dubious about how good it would be in practice (and I note much of this is beta). If you’re calorie counting, not all donuts are equal. If you want fashion advice, surely you’re going to want to view the alternatives on a screen, and know something about price/availability? Again, though, I’m not sure how good AI would currently be at matching $random_garment to my physique and whatever else I’m wearing.
Second, the pin itself. Anyone wearing this in the office would be insufferable. Outside, I’m dubious the speaker/mic would be good enough. The projection feels pretty basic (why would you want the nvidia stock price on your hand rather than a performance chart on your phone?)
There’s scope for some really clever AI stuff but, in the short to medium term, it’s just not good enough to be voice only. I think we’re a long way away from AI planning my whole holiday, or even just the train or flights. The next step, for me, would be AI that plans it and offers me an itinerary/shopping list/reservations to confirm/tweak.
I watch this all with interest and I don’t deny there is some cutting edge boundary pushing going on here, but I don’t think AI pin is a product that will survive the test of time.
I think a lot of this will come around to what I think it’s a very apt quote “the best camera is the one you have with you”
These devices are better for doing some things but in the same way a laptop is better than my phone too. But when I’m ooot and aboot, my phone will win because it’s with me and the other expensive gadget is at home.
Here’s where I am at. Honestly, right now, I personally can’t see why I would buy an A.I Pin or a Rabbit or anything like that when I always have the iphone within reach
Now there might be a time in the future where I’m riding a bike or something and I’m using that device (not the phone) to transcribe, or tell me the forecast etc.
But currently I’d just use Siri, it basically does enough for me.
And this is a test in front of the CEO, so the fact that he’s still gone on to say conceptually it’s great but how it works is not worth it is something.
He’s on of the most brutal acid tests out there, love watching him brutally rip apart new and old things, so I’d expect him to be pretty anti-positive.
Equally, if it was really that great, he is the guy that would say it is, so…
