The Worst Product I've Ever Reviewed... For Now

Marques Brownlee
14 Apr 202425:03

TLDRThe Humane AI Pin is a futuristic wearable computer that has garnered mixed reviews. It is a standalone device with its own internet connection and phone number, designed to assist users throughout the day with an AI assistant, camera, microphone, and gesture-controlled projector. Despite its innovative features and solid build, the device suffers from slow response times, inaccuracies, and poor battery life. It is also criticized for its weight, limited app support, and the inconvenience of having to charge it frequently. The reviewer suggests that the product is currently more of a hindrance than a help, and while there are glimpses of potential, it is not yet ready for mainstream use. The summary advises against purchasing the device based on its future promise, and instead, to wait for significant improvements.

Takeaways

  • đź“Ś The Humane AI Pin is a futuristic wearable computer with an AI assistant, but it's also considered the worst product the reviewer has tested in its current state.
  • đź’° The device costs $700 plus a $24 monthly subscription for data, services, and online storage, which the reviewer finds to be a steep start.
  • 📱 It does not pair with smartphones and functions as a standalone device with its own internet connection and phone number, which is both a unique feature and a limitation.
  • 🔍 The AI inside can answer questions, make phone calls, send texts, and perform translations, but it often provides incorrect answers and is slow due to reliance on cloud processing.
  • 🔋 Battery life is a significant issue; the device requires frequent charging and attention to the battery, which is inconvenient for the user.
  • 🔥 The device tends to overheat, which raises concerns about its safety and comfort for everyday use.
  • 📸 The built-in camera takes low-quality photos and videos, and the projector feature, while a technical marvel, is not very practical or readable outdoors.
  • 📵 There are no apps available for the device, severely limiting its functionality compared to a smartphone.
  • 📱 The reviewer emphasizes that smartphones are superior in almost every way, making the AI Pin's standalone approach a significant disadvantage.
  • đźš« The device has a learning curve for its gesture-based UI and is not as intuitive or seamless as using a smartphone.
  • ❌ The reviewer advises against purchasing the device currently, suggesting it's not a good investment due to its many shortcomings and the superior functionality of smartphones.

Q & A

  • What is the Humane AI Pin?

    -The Humane AI Pin is a small, wearable computer with an AI inside that can assist you throughout the day. It's about the size of a large watch and features a camera, microphone, touch pad, and a projector for gesture control.

  • How much does the Humane AI Pin cost and what does the price include?

    -The Humane AI Pin costs $700, plus a $24 a month subscription plan for the data, services, and online storage that come with it.

  • What are the main issues with the Humane AI Pin according to the reviewer?

    -The main issues include slow response times, frequent inaccuracies, poor battery life, overheating problems, heavy weight, lack of app support, and the inconvenience of not being able to connect to a smartphone.

  • How does the AI Pin's projector feature work?

    -The projector feature works by activating the built-in laser projector, which projects a UI onto the user's hand. The user can interact with the projected interface using hand gestures, such as moving the hand to select items and pinching to select.

  • What does the reviewer suggest as the biggest problem with the AI Pin?

    -The reviewer suggests that the biggest problem is the overlap between the AI Pin's capabilities and those of a smartphone, with the smartphone outperforming the AI Pin in every aspect.

  • Why does the reviewer think the AI Pin does not connect to a smartphone?

    -The reviewer theorizes that Humane may want the AI Pin to eventually become a powerful standalone device, and connecting it to a smartphone could hinder this future vision.

  • What is the reviewer's opinion on the AI Pin's hardware quality?

    -The reviewer appreciates the craftsmanship of the AI Pin's hardware, noting that it is solid, well-made, and impressive, which is the best part of the product.

  • What is the AI Pin's unique feature for first-person video recording?

    -The unique feature for first-person video recording is that the AI Pin can be placed in the center of the user's chest to capture videos, providing a hands-free and frictionless method of recording.

  • Who might consider buying the AI Pin despite its flaws?

    -Someone who wants to spend as little time as possible with a screen in their hands, or on their phone, might consider buying the AI Pin, despite its flaws.

  • What does the reviewer recommend regarding the purchase of the AI Pin?

    -The reviewer recommends that nobody should buy the AI Pin at its current state and advises against buying a product based solely on the promise of future updates.

  • What is the reviewer's final verdict on the AI Pin?

    -The reviewer concludes that the AI Pin is currently the worst product they have ever reviewed, but they respect the attempt to create something new and wish the team behind it good luck for future developments.

Outlines

00:00

🤖 Introduction to the Humane AI Pin

The Humane AI Pin is a futuristic wearable computer that is standalone, with its own internet connection and phone number. It features an AI assistant, a camera, microphone, touch pad, projector, and gesture control. Despite its innovative design and impressive hardware, the device is criticized for its high cost, cumbersome user experience, and lack of smartphone integration. The review highlights the device's potential but emphasizes its current shortcomings.

05:00

đź“· Multimodal Capabilities and Limitations

The AI Pin has multimodal functionality, allowing it to use its camera to interact with the environment and answer queries using cloud-based AI. It can take photos and videos, remember information, and translate languages in real-time. However, the device struggles with accuracy and speed, often providing incorrect or delayed responses. The review also touches on the device's battery life issues and the inconvenience of frequent charging.

10:01

🔋 Battery Life and Hardware Concerns

The AI Pin faces significant criticism regarding its battery life, which is described as poor and inconsistent. The device is said to get warm or even overheat, causing discomfort and concern for its wireless charging efficiency. The hardware, while well-made and dense with features, is considered too heavy for comfortable, prolonged wear, and the device's standalone nature limits its functionality compared to smartphones.

15:02

📱 Smartphone Superiority and Device Overlap

The review emphasizes the smartphone's dominance and the AI Pin's inability to compete with modern phones in terms of speed, quality, and ease of use. The device attempts to replicate smartphone functionalities but falls short, lacking essential apps and services. The lack of integration with existing smartphone ecosystems is seen as a significant drawback, making the AI Pin less practical for everyday use.

20:04

🚧 Future Ambitions and Current Shortcomings

The AI Pin is viewed as a product hindered by its own future ambitions, designed to be a powerful standalone device but failing to deliver in its current state. The review suggests that the device's refusal to connect with smartphones is a strategic choice to avoid future complications. Despite a few useful features, such as hands-free reminders and first-person video recording, the overall experience is marred by the device's current limitations. The reviewer advises against purchasing the device until it significantly improves.

Mindmap

Keywords

đź’ˇHumane AI Pin

The Humane AI Pin is a wearable computer with an integrated AI assistant. It is described as an ultra futuristic device that the reviewer finds to be the worst product they have reviewed so far due to numerous issues. The device is supposed to help users throughout their day by answering questions, providing historical facts, personalized recommendations, and assisting with tasks like brainstorming or remembering things. However, the reviewer experiences significant problems with its functionality and usability.

đź’ˇWearable Computer

A wearable computer is a computer worn on the body that has the ability to interact with the world around it. In the context of the video, the Humane AI Pin is an example of a wearable computer. It includes a camera, microphone, and a touch pad with gesture control, allowing the user to interact with it in various ways. The wearable aspect is central to the product's concept, aiming to provide a hands-free computing experience.

đź’ˇAI Assistant

An AI assistant, or artificial intelligence assistant, is a software program that performs tasks or services for a user, typically by understanding natural language voice commands. In the video, the AI assistant within the Humane AI Pin is intended to be a helpful companion that can answer questions, make phone calls, and send text messages. However, the reviewer finds the AI's performance to be slow and inaccurate, often leading to frustration.

đź’ˇGesture Control

Gesture control is a method of interaction with a device using physical hand or body movements. The Humane AI Pin features a projector that creates a screen on the user's hand, allowing for interaction with the device through specific hand gestures. This innovative approach to user interface is intended to be a new style of control, but the reviewer finds it to be somewhat cumbersome and less intuitive than using a smartphone.

đź’ˇStand-alone Device

A stand-alone device is a piece of technology that operates independently without needing to be connected to another device. The Humane AI Pin is a stand-alone device with its own internet connection and phone number. It is not designed to pair with a smartphone, which the reviewer criticizes as a significant oversight, given the convenience and functionality that smartphones provide.

đź’ˇBattery Life

Battery life refers to the amount of time a device can operate before needing to be recharged. The reviewer expresses dissatisfaction with the Humane AI Pin's battery life, describing it as poor and inconsistent. The device requires frequent charging and the need to swap out 'boosters' (additional batteries), which adds inconvenience and detracts from the user experience.

đź’ˇMultimodal Interaction

Multimodal interaction is the use of multiple modes of input or interaction with a device. The Humane AI Pin is described as multimodal because it can respond to voice commands, touch, and hand gestures. While this feature could enhance the user experience by providing various ways to interact with the device, the reviewer finds the execution of these features to be flawed and not as seamless as expected.

đź’ˇSmartphone Comparison

Throughout the video, the reviewer consistently compares the Humane AI Pin to modern smartphones. They argue that smartphones are more capable, faster, and easier to use for the majority of tasks that the AI Pin attempts to perform. This comparison is central to the reviewer's critique, highlighting the device's shortcomings and the challenges it faces in a market dominated by smartphones.

đź’ˇSubscription Plan

A subscription plan is a type of service model where users pay a recurring fee to access a product or service. The Humane AI Pin requires not only an initial purchase price of $700 but also a monthly subscription fee of $24 for data, services, and online storage. The reviewer sees this as an additional barrier to adoption, given the device's current performance and the availability of free or lower-cost alternatives.

đź’ˇProduct Review

A product review is an evaluation of a product's features, performance, and value. In the video, the reviewer conducts a detailed product review of the Humane AI Pin, sharing their personal experience and assessment of the device. The review is negative, emphasizing the product's many issues and the reviewer's belief that it is not ready for consumer use.

đź’ˇFuturistic Wearable

A futuristic wearable refers to a piece of technology that is designed to be worn on the body and incorporates advanced or innovative features that are not commonly found in current products. The Humane AI Pin is described as an 'ultra futuristic wearable computer', suggesting that it represents the cutting edge of wearable technology. However, the reviewer's experience indicates that the device does not live up to its futuristic promise.

Highlights

The Humane AI Pin is a futuristic wearable computer that can be a distraction due to its many flaws.

The device is standalone with its own internet connection and phone number, allowing it to be used independently from a smartphone.

The AI Pin can answer questions, make phone calls, send texts, and assist with tasks like brainstorming or remembering things.

The wearable costs $700 plus a $24 monthly subscription for data, services, and online storage.

The build quality of the AI Pin is impressive, featuring a solid aluminum body and strong magnets for attachment.

The device has a camera, microphone, and a touchpad with gesture control for interaction.

The AI Pin can translate languages in real-time, making it a useful tool for communication.

The projector feature allows for a 3D UI interaction on the user's hand, though it can be challenging to master.

Battery life is a significant issue with the AI Pin, often requiring multiple charges throughout the day.

The device can become uncomfortably warm, potentially due to the inefficiency of wireless charging.

The AI Pin is heavy and noticeable when worn, especially with lighter clothing.

Photos and videos taken with the AI Pin are of poor quality, with a noisy and limited duration.

The device lacks app support, severely limiting its functionality compared to smartphones.

Smartphones are more capable and versatile, making the AI Pin's standalone nature a significant disadvantage.

The AI Pin's standalone nature means it doesn't have access to the wealth of personal data a smartphone does, hindering its effectiveness as an assistant.

The device's ambition to be a powerful standalone in the future may be its downfall in the present.

The AI Pin shows potential in certain scenarios, like hands-free note-taking or first-person video recording, but these are outweighed by its many shortcomings.

The reviewer suggests that no one should buy the AI Pin in its current state, but it could be considered by those wanting to minimize screen time, despite the trade-offs.