The Rabbit R1 launch party, reserved for press and early adopters who managed to secure an RSVP, was held at the funky, retro-futuristic TWA hotel in Queens, New York.
And yes, Mashable was there.
Jesse Lyu, CEO of Rabbit, walked out on stage to many "woos!" and "yeahs!" from avid fans. Why were they so excited? This ambitious man is determined to wean us off apps — for good.
No more navigating through pesky drop-down menus and employing countless taps to simply order an Uber or grab DoorDash. You could simply use your voice to do those things with your Rabbit R1.
The Rabbit R1 can also tap into the "Rabbit Eye," which is really just the camera, to identify objects in front of you and describe them. It can also "listen" to audio and summarize it for you. And really, that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Although Lyu had the audience standing for about one hour and 12 minutes (people complained that their feet and back were hurting), I can't deny that he dropped some gems during the presentation.
1. The Rabbit R1 ships with a travel case that doubles as a kickstand
The $199 Rabbit R1 comes with a travel case in the box, allowing you to stuff it in your pocket or bag without worrying about scuffs and scratches.
It can already stand on its own due to its flat edges, but it's worth noting that the travel case also doubles as a kickstand, giving it a more convenient angle for interactions.
Just make sure that you put the Rabbit R1 in the case in a way that aligns with the labeled diagrams on the case.
For example, the Rabbit R1's camera should align with the labeled squircle on the case that says "Rabbit Eye." If you don't put it in the right way, you may find it difficult to remove it (I learned from experience).
2. It uses shaking gestures
To access the Settings menu, you need to shake the Rabbit R1 like you've got maracas in your hand. (I tried it myself and it worked like a charm).
To fire up the camera, you simply need to double tap the button on the right. To issue a prompt or command with your voice, you can long press the same button.
Keep in mind that the 2.88-inch display isn't a touchscreen; you'll need to use the scrolling wheel to navigate the UI.
3. It can digitalize your handwriting
In the demo, Lyu showed a handwritten chart on a table.
Using the "Rabbit Eye," Rabbit R1 "saw" the chart and transformed it into a digitalized chart.
Finally, it sent the chart to Lyu's email as a downloadable .csv file.
4. It has a virtual keyboard
Lyu said that many people have been asking him to include a virtual keyboard with the Rabbit R1, so at the launch party, he announced that he decided to make this oft-asked request a reality.
I've tried the keyboard. There's barely there haptic feedback, and yes, it's quite comfortable to type on. There's even a blinker, too, making it easy to select where, exactly, in the field you'd like to type.
It's also worth noting that it supports wireless keyboards, too, via Bluetooth.
5. Play Spotify
The Rabbit R1 can play music for you via voice commands, but it has to be connected to a Spotify account — and yes, it must be a paid account.
Apple Music and Amazon Music support may be on the way.
6. Order food, but only with one app
So far, the Rabbit R1 only features support for DoorDash.
You can use the companion browser website (i.e., The Rabbit Hole) to connect your DoorDash account to the Rabbit R1, allowing you to order from any restaurant you desire (as long as they're open).
Rabbit is working on bringing UberEats support to Rabbit R1, too.
7. Hail a rideshare
At the launch party, the audience watched Lyu call an Uber to a random location in Manhattan with the Rabbit R1.
He had to quickly cancel the order, though, as it was just for a public demo.
Support for Lyft appears to be on the Rabbit R1's roadmap, too.
8. Merch for carrying the R1
Sure, you can put the Rabbit R1 in your pocket, but what if, one day, the outfit you're wearing doesn't have any?
Lyu announced that the Rabbit team is working on rolling out merch that makes the R1 more wearable, including a crossbody bag, a funky fanny pack, and a black shirt with a pocket tailor-made for the Rabbit R1.
9. A wearable?
It looks like Lyu teased a wearable at the event, but he was unwilling to divulge more details other than showing an image of a blurry wrist-bound gadget and making us fantasize about a future in which we can direct AI by simply pointing to what we need.
Stay tuned for Mashable's first impressions of the Rabbit R1. In the meantime, check out more things the Rabbit R1 can do here.
Topics Artificial Intelligence
