Rabbit r1

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Rabbit r1
DeveloperRabbit Inc.
ManufacturerTeenage Engineering
TypeAI personal assistant device
Release dateMarch 2024; 4 months ago (2024-03)
Operating systemRabbit OS, based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP)[1]
Websiterabbit.tech

The Rabbit r1 is a ChatGPT-based, Android-powered[2] personal assistant device developed by tech startup Rabbit Inc, and designed by Teenage Engineering.[3][4] It is designed to perform various functions, including web searches and media control, using voice commands and touch interaction, that allows AI to be used to provide services commonly associated with smartphones and smart home devices; for example, ordering food delivery.[3][5][6]

Rabbit Inc was started by Jesse Lyu Cheng, a Xi'an native.[7][8]

The device was met with harsh criticism. Critics questioned its usefulness compared to a smartphone.

Hardware

  • Display: A 2.88-inch touchscreen for interactive user input.
  • Input: push-to-talk button to activate voice commands; Gyroscope; Magnetometer; Accelerometer; GPS.
  • Camera: 8 MP single camera, with a resolution of 3264x2448, allowing for the connected external AI to use Computer vision
  • Audio: Equipped with a speaker and dual microphones for audio interaction.
  • Connectivity: Supports Wi-Fi and cellular connections to access internet services.
  • Processor: Runs on a 2.3GHz MediaTek Helio P35 processor.[9]
  • Memory: Contains 4GB of RAM for operational tasks.
  • Storage: Offers 128GB of internal storage for data.
  • Ports: Utilizes a USB-C port for charging and data connections.

[3][10][6][11][12]

Software

The Rabbit r1 runs on Rabbit OS, based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), specifically version 13.[13] Lyu has claimed that Rabbit OS runs with a "very bespoke AOSP",[14] but this was disputed by Android Authority, after reverse engineering the device.[15][16][17] Android writer Mishaal Rahman found that the modifications from the original Android source code were so minimal, the Rabbit OS app could be loaded onto an Android smartphone.

The device employs a large action model (LAM), a type of large language model[18] designed to perform actions and assist with tasks like web searches, streaming music, and transportation services.[3][5][note 1] Perplexity.ai, an AI search engine, is used to respond to user queries and execute commands.[3][5] The personal assistant is also capable of various actions such as ordering a cab or playing music from Spotify - much like the average smartphone.[6][3]

Reception

Jesse Lyu, CEO and founder, at Collision 2024 by Web Summit in Toronto

Sales

Following its announcement at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show, over 20,000 units of the device were sold in pre-orders.[19]

Reviews

The r1 was met with strong criticism. Most reviews questioned what the device was able to do that a smartphone could not, while comparing it to the similar Humane Ai Pin. YouTuber Marques Brownlee called the device "barely reviewable".[20] Android Authority's Mishaal Rahman managed to install Rabbit r1's software on a Pixel 6a smartphone, after a tipster shared an APK file, concluding the r1's entire system is a single Android app running on a modified version of Android.[21] The Verge echoed the claims made by Rahman and compared the device to a Juicero.[22] In response, Lyu published statements confirming its use of Android, but denying that the r1 is an Android app. Mashable called its Vision features impressive, but "these praise-worthy features are overshadowed by buggy performance".[23] Ars Technica wrote a blog post claiming "the company is blocking access from bootleg APKs".[1] TechCrunch gave a slightly more positive review calling the device a "fun peep at a possible future", but could not "advise anyone to buy one now."[24]

Controversies

Funding

Rabbit Inc has garnered attention due to allegations surrounding its funding and the company's past projects. The company came under scrutiny when Stephen Findeisen, known as Coffeezilla on YouTube, published a video in May 2023, alleging that Rabbit Incorporation was "built on a scam". Rabbit Incorporation, initially named Cyber Manufacturing Co, rebranded just two months before launching the Rabbit R1. The company, under its former name, raised $6 million in November 2021 for a project called GAMA, described as a "Next Generation NFT Project." Jesse Lyu, the CEO of Rabbit Incorporation, referred to GAMA as a "fun little project."

Coffeezilla, who investigates influencer scams, highlighted old Clubhouse recordings of Jesse Lyu discussing the GAMA project. In these recordings, Lyu emphasized the substantial funding behind GAMA and its potential to be a revolutionary, carbon-negative cryptocurrency. Coffeezilla questioned the whereabouts of the funds raised for GAMA, estimating that approximately $1 million in refunds to investors remained unresolved. He suggested that the rebranding to Rabbit Incorporation and the shift to developing the Rabbit R1 were attempts to divert from the GAMA project's issues.

In response to Coffeezilla's inquiries, Rabbit Incorporation clarified that the $6 million raised was indeed used for the GAMA project. The company explained that NFTs cannot be refunded unless the owner agrees to "burn" them on the blockchain. Rabbit Incorporation stated that the GAMA project was open-sourced and returned to the community, aligning with community feedback. They also noted that efforts to buy back NFTs were made to counteract malicious trading and maintain market stability.[25]

Security breach

In June 2024, Engadget reported that the Rabbitude team, a community reverse engineering project, had gained access to the r1's codebase revealing that the r1's software contained several hardcoded API keys in its code for ElevenLabs, Microsoft Azure, Yelp, and Google Maps,[26] allowing anybody to read every single response the r1 had ever given, including those containing the users' personal information.[27] Users reported that Teenage Engineering revoked the keys, rendering the devices useless, at least for the time being.[28]

References

  1. ^ a b Amadeo, Ron (2024-05-01). "Rabbit R1 AI box revealed to just be an Android app". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2024-05-05.
  2. ^ Zeff, Maxwell (2024-05-03). "The Rabbit R1 broke and a ChatGPT outage might be to blame". Quartz. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "The rabbit r1 will use Perplexity AI's tech to answer your queries". Yahoo Finance. 2024-01-19. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  4. ^ Townsend, Chance (2024-01-13). "What is the Rabbit R1 AI Assistant and why is everyone going crazy for it?". Mashable. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  5. ^ a b c "The Rabbit R1 Seems Cool, But What The Hell Is It?". Gizmodo. 2024-01-19. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  6. ^ a b c "Say Hello to Rabbit R1: A Tiny Orange Box That Trades Phone Apps for AI". CNET. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  7. ^ "How design drove $10M in preorders for Rabbit R1 AI hardware". Fast Company. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Chinese entrepreneur's AI-powered gadget Rabbit becomes surprise hit". South China Morning Post. 2024-01-22. Retrieved 2024-05-25.
  9. ^ "Rabbit R1 puts an AI-powered personal assistant in your pocket". New Atlas. 2024-01-10. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  10. ^ Chokkattu, Julian. "Rabbit's Little Walkie-Talkie Learns Tasks That Stump Siri and Alexa". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  11. ^ Picaro, Elyse Betters (2024-01-10). "What is Rabbit R1, is it powered by AI, and how exactly does it work?". Pocket-lint. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  12. ^ "rabbit — home". www.rabbit.tech. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
  13. ^ Brown, C. Scott (1 May 2024). "The Rabbit R1 has Android 13 under the hood". Android Authority. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  14. ^ Moon, Mariella (1 May 2024). "Rabbit denies claims that its R1 virtual assistant is a glorified Android app". Engadget. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  15. ^ Rao, Chethan (4 May 2024). "New details reveal why the Rabbit R1 should have been an app all along". Android Police. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  16. ^ Bar, Kyle (1 May 2024). "Rabbit's CEO says $200 AI companion is not an Android app". Quartz. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  17. ^ Rahman, Mishaal (4 May 2024). "No, you don't need a 'very bespoke AOSP' to turn your phone into a Rabbit R1 — here's proof". Android Authority. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  18. ^ "Toward Actionable Generative AI". Salesforce AI. 2023-06-27. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
  19. ^ Roth, Emma (2024-01-10). "Rabbit sells out two batches of 10,000 R1 pocket AI companions over two days". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-01-22.
  20. ^ Brownlee, Marques (29 April 2024). "Rabbit R1: Barely Reviewable". YouTube. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  21. ^ "Rabbit R1, a thing that should just be an app, actually is just an Android app (Updated)". Android Authority. 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  22. ^ Johnson, Allison (30 April 2024). "Turns out the Rabbit R1 was just an Android app all along". The Verge. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  23. ^ Gedeon, Kimberly (1 May 2024). "Rabbit R1 review: I can't believe this bunny took my money". Mashable. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  24. ^ Coldewey, Devin (5 May 2024). "The Rabbit r1 shipped half-baked, but that's kind of the point". TechCrunch. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  25. ^ Atkinson, Sophie (2024-05-22). "YouTuber Coffeezilla destroys Rabbit R1 AI company in latest investigation". ReadWrite. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  26. ^ "rabbit data breach: all r1 responses ever given can be downloaded". Rabbitude. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  27. ^ Moon, Mariella (26 June 2024). "Rabbit R1 security issue allegedly leaves sensitive user data accessible to anybody". Engadget. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  28. ^ "Rabbit put the R1's secret keys on the device and now your data has leaked". PivotToAI. 26 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  1. ^ It is believed[by whom?] that the Rabbit r1 uses ChatGPT as the main language model, rather than relying on a new foundational AI.[citation needed]
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