Rabbit R1 REAL-LIFE 24-HOUR TEST | Can AI gadgets handle a busy day?
TLDRThe Rabbit R1, an AI-powered device, is tested for a day to evaluate its effectiveness as a smartphone companion. Despite its appealing design and quick responses to simple queries, the R1 falls short in several areas. The device struggles with music playback control on Spotify, has a poor Bluetooth connection, and provides inconsistent results when searching for local coffee shops. Its DoorDash ordering feature works surprisingly well, but the R1's conversation summarization is limited without desktop access. Vision mode, designed to identify objects and answer questions, performs inconsistently. Battery life has improved with updates, but controls for volume and brightness are cumbersome. The R1's usefulness is questioned as many of its functions can be better performed on a smartphone, leading to a disappointing overall experience.
Takeaways
- 📱 The Rabbit R1 is marketed as a supplemental device to smartphones, not a replacement, featuring a retro design and a reasonable price tag.
- 🔋 After an update, the R1's battery life improved significantly, showing only a 3% drain after an hour of non-use, aiming to last the whole day on a full charge.
- 🎵 The device handles basic Spotify commands well but struggles with more complex interactions like adjusting the music queue or playing specific playlists.
- 🤔 The R1 often provides inconsistent answers to the same queries over different days, such as identifying the closest coffee shops, indicating issues with its location services.
- 🍴 It can execute specific app-based tasks like ordering from DoorDash, but the experience is hit-or-miss, suggesting limited app integration.
- 🔍 The device's 'Vision mode' for identifying objects and providing relevant information appears underdeveloped and often offers trivial or incorrect data.
- 🛠️ The R1 is frequently updated, indicating ongoing improvements, but its basic functionality still requires refinement for daily reliance.
- ⚙️ The interface and control mechanisms of the R1, such as the multi-function button and scroll wheel, are criticized for being less intuitive compared to typical smartphone interactions.
- 🔄 Despite its standalone nature, the R1 heavily depends on cloud processing, raising questions about its efficiency as an independent gadget versus a mobile app.
- 👎 The reviewer concludes that the R1, while having potential, currently does not offer enough utility or reliability to justify its cost or replace common smartphone functions.
Q & A
What is the Rabbit R1 and how does it position itself in the market?
-The Rabbit R1 is a bright orange AI-powered companion device that has gained attention for its retro-inspired design, reasonable price, and quick responses to straightforward research questions. It is marketed as a speedy companion to your smartphone rather than a device designed to replace it.
What are some limitations of the Rabbit R1 at launch?
-The Rabbit R1 has a limited set of launch day features, and it does not always provide accurate answers to questions. It also lacks certain functionalities that users might expect from a smartphone, leading some to question why it isn't just an app instead.
How does the Rabbit R1 perform in terms of battery life after the first comprehensive update?
-After Rabbit's first comprehensive update, the R1's battery life improved significantly, with the device being able to last through a full day of use with around 35% battery remaining, which was a substantial improvement from its initial performance.
What issues were encountered when using the Rabbit R1 to stream music on Spotify?
-The R1 had difficulty controlling music playback, with no easy way to manage the queue of songs or skip within a track. Additionally, the Bluetooth connection was unstable, with stuttering audio, and the device only supported mono playback.
How accurate was the Rabbit R1 in providing sports scores and information?
-The R1 showed mixed accuracy in providing sports scores. In one instance, it correctly reported the Baltimore Orioles' game result, but it often struggled with the score, sometimes providing scores from previous games or failing to pull up a score at all.
What was the experience like using the Rabbit R1 to order food through DoorDash?
-The R1 successfully ordered food from a local Vietnamese restaurant through DoorDash. However, the process was easier because the user had a specific order in mind. The R1 may struggle with more complex orders or larger menus.
What are the limitations of the Rabbit R1's conversation recording and summarization feature?
-The R1 can record and summarize conversations in real-time, but it cannot replay recordings or display summarized notes on the device itself. Users must access these features through a desktop computer, as the Rabbit Hole does not currently work on mobile devices.
How did the Rabbit R1 perform in its vision mode for identifying items?
-The vision mode allowed the user to point the camera at items and ask questions, but it struggled to provide useful information beyond what could be discerned with the naked eye. It was unable to identify track listings on a record album, for example.
What are some of the Rabbit R1's features that could be improved based on the user's experience?
-The R1's controls for volume and brightness adjustments were cumbersome, requiring two hands and multiple steps. Additionally, the device's Bluetooth connectivity was unreliable, and its ability to provide accurate and useful information was inconsistent.
What functionalities does the Rabbit R1 lack that are commonly expected from a smartphone?
-The R1 cannot perform tasks such as setting alarms, timers, sending text messages, video calling, or checking live sports scores. These omissions make it less practical as a standalone device.
What is the overall verdict on the Rabbit R1 after a day of testing?
-The Rabbit R1 is a device with potential but falls short in its current state. It offers a few successful functionalities but is inconsistent and often fails to enhance the user experience significantly over a smartphone.
Outlines
📱 R1 Device Overview and Initial Impressions
The R1, an AI-powered companion device, has gained attention for its retro design, affordable price, and quick responses to simple queries. Marketed as a smartphone companion rather than a replacement, the R1 has faced criticism for its limited features and occasional inaccuracies. The author tests the R1's battery life, post-software update, and notes the lack of wireless charging and included accessories. The device's performance with Spotify is mixed, with good command recognition but limited playback control. The R1 struggles with consistency in providing correct sports scores and identifying nearby coffee shops.
🎵 Spotify Streaming and Bluetooth Connectivity
The R1's Bluetooth connectivity is described as poor, with music streaming issues including stuttering and mono playback. The device's ability to order food through DoorDash is tested and found surprisingly effective, despite initial skepticism. The R1's conversation summarization feature is highlighted, but its limitations are noted, as users cannot access recordings or notes without a desktop computer. The author expresses frustration with the R1's inconsistent performance and lack of core phone functionalities.
🔍 Testing R1's Vision Mode and Connectivity Issues
The R1's Vision mode is tested for identifying album covers and providing track listings, with mixed results. The device struggles to connect to a phone's hotspot, impacting its ability to provide information. Despite a significant software update improving battery life and responsiveness, the R1's controls for volume and brightness are criticized for being overly complex. The author reflects on the R1's performance, noting its occasional successes but more frequent failures and unresponsiveness.
🤔 The R1's Value Proposition and Recommendations
The author concludes with uncertainty about the R1's practical applications and recommends potential buyers to save their money for the time being. The R1 is described as a device with high aspirations but an experience that falls short. It is suggested that the R1's functions could be replicated through an app, providing a more intuitive user interface and without the need for additional hardware. The review ends by reiterating the R1's current limitations and the author's recommendation against purchase until significant improvements are made.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Rabbit R1
💡AI gadgets
💡Battery life
💡Spotify
💡DoorDash
💡Bluetooth headphones
💡OTA update
💡Vision mode
💡Mediatech processor
💡Smartphone
💡Real-time conversation summarization
Highlights
The Rabbit R1 AI-powered companion starts the day fully charged but lacks wireless charging and doesn't include a charger.
Limited app compatibility affects the R1's utility during a gym session, as it can't interface with popular workout apps.
The Rabbit R1 shows substantial passive battery efficiency, losing only 3% over an hour.
While the R1 handles basic Spotify commands well, it struggles with specific playback controls and queue management.
The R1's inability to understand dynamic playlist requests highlights its limitations in adapting to user preferences in real-time.
Inaccurate location services lead to unreliable recommendations for nearby coffee shops.
Despite its sporadic accuracy on sports scores, the R1 occasionally provides correct details about specific games.
The device experiences connectivity issues, impacting its utility for mobile internet use.
R1's DoorDash integration shows promise in ordering, illustrating an improved user interface.
The R1’s ability to record and summarize conversations in real time could be useful for capturing meeting notes, though accessing these notes is cumbersome.
Vision mode underperforms, showing difficulty in interpreting and providing useful information from images.
The Bluetooth connection for audio playback is poor, affecting the quality of the listening experience.
Major software updates improved the R1's battery life and responsiveness significantly.
Despite updates, the R1's controls for settings like volume and brightness remain convoluted and user-unfriendly.
The Rabbit R1's design, while appealing, doesn't compensate for its operational deficiencies and limited app ecosystem.