Rabbit R1 review: A $199 AI toy that fails at almost everything

I hate the Rabbit R1. It’s yet another sign that standalone AI gadgets, like the Humane AI Pin, are fundamentally useless devices meant to attract hype and VC funding without benefitting users at all. It’s like trying to build a skyscraper on quicksand: Today’s AI models are great for parlor tricks, but they’re ultimately untrustworthy. How do you create a device around that?

The Rabbit R1’s big selling point has been its “large action model,” or LAM, which can supposedly understand what you say and get things done. But really, that’s just marketing speak. At the moment, the R1 can barely do anything as an AI assistant. And the few tasks it can actually accomplish, like placing DoorDash orders, are faster and easier to tackle on your phone. You know, the device we already own that can tap into AI features and fast cellular networking.

Rabbit R1 review: A $199 AI toy that fails at almost everything | DeviceDaily.com

Rabbit

Rabbit R1

The Rabbit R1 is a cute AI gadget, but at launch it’s riddled with issues and terrible battery life. When phones can handle similar AI tasks, the R1 doesn’t do enough to justify its existence.

Pros

  • Cute design by Teenage Engineering
Cons

  • Inexplicably terrible battery life
  • AI functionality often doesn’t work
  • Services like Uber don’t work
  • Tiny screen
  • Scroll wheel is annoying to use
  • Useless speaker

$199 at Rabbit

I’ll admit, the Rabbit R1 looks adorable, but that’s mostly down to the design magic of Teenage Engineering, a company that can make a simple tripod look desirable. The R1 is clearly building on the Playdate, another tiny square gadget from Teenage Engineering. Instead of that game handheld’s iconic crank, the R1 has a far less satisfying scroll wheel. Its glossy plastic case also feels a lot cheaper and thicker than the Playdate, almost like what you’d expect from a child’s toy.

Rabbit R1 review: A $199 AI toy that fails at almost everything | DeviceDaily.com

Rabbit R1 review: A $199 AI toy that fails at almost everything | DeviceDaily.com

Rabbit R1 review: A $199 AI toy that fails at almost everything | DeviceDaily.com

Rabbit R1 review: A $199 AI toy that fails at almost everything | DeviceDaily.com

Rabbit R1 review: A $199 AI toy that fails at almost everything | DeviceDaily.com

Rabbit R1 review: A $199 AI toy that fails at almost everything | DeviceDaily.com

Rabbit R1 review: A $199 AI toy that fails at almost everything | DeviceDaily.com

Rabbit R1 review: A $199 AI toy that fails at almost everything | DeviceDaily.com