Why I Wanted The Rabbit R1 To Win: A Comprehensive Review

The Rabbit R1 launched to a fair amount of excitement, but not without its fair share of disappointment. As someone who had attended the product’s launch event and purchased the R1 myself, I felt compelled to explore the reasons behind the product’s underwhelming reception. In this article, I will explain why I wanted the Rabbit R1 to succeed, and why, despite its potential, it fell short.

The Timing of the R1’s Launch

The Rabbit R1 debuted at CES 2024, a time when tech enthusiasts were already overwhelmed with niche, AI-driven gadgets that seemed more like gimmicks than useful tools. Among these was the Rabbit R1—a small, colorful device, promising a simple but powerful feature: the “large action model,” which would allow users to delegate tasks like ordering food or hailing a car. This feature alone made the Rabbit R1 stand out from the crowd, especially considering the more complex and failed attempts from other companies, such as Humane’s AI Pin. However, despite the promising vision, the timing of the R1’s launch couldn’t have been worse.

The Vision Behind the Rabbit R1

The R1 was not meant to be a smartphone replacement. Its price of $200, along with the lack of a subscription model, was appealing. The promise of simplifying life through voice commands to handle everyday tasks like ordering food, hailing a car, and playing music sounded incredibly enticing. The launch event, hosted in a modest hotel ballroom, featured CEO Jesse Lou, whose passion for the product was undeniable. While the launch video might have tried to project an overly polished image, Lou’s authentic enthusiasm won over the crowd. It was refreshing to see a tech CEO so grounded and willing to engage with the audience honestly.

What Went Wrong with the R1?

Despite its charm, the R1 turned out to be an unfinished product. The main feature, the “large action model,” was supposed to make it easy for users to automate actions by simply pressing a button and asking the device to perform tasks like ordering from DoorDash, hailing an Uber, or playing music on Spotify. However, in practice, none of these features worked reliably. In fact, the DoorDash and Uber integrations failed consistently, and Spotify’s functionality was broken in several different ways. These issues were so pervasive that they led to widespread disappointment, especially among early adopters who had high expectations.

The Promise of the Large Action Model

Despite the R1’s flaws, the idea behind the large action model was still appealing. The concept of automating tasks with a simple voice command was something that felt truly innovative. Being able to ask the device to take me to my favorite restaurant or order food from my go-to spot was something that could have simplified daily life in ways that most other gadgets don’t. However, Rabbit failed to deliver on this promise, leaving users with a product that, while ambitious, was far from functional. Even worse, reports suggested that Rabbit was using an off-the-shelf automation solution, raising doubts about the company’s actual ability to execute its grand vision.

Boredom with Tech and Why I Wanted the R1 to Succeed

One of the main reasons I wanted the R1 to succeed was my personal desire for more fun and exciting gadgets. Since 2016, I’ve reviewed countless devices, many of which felt like slight variations on the same thing—smartphones, tablets, wearables—each iteration more or less the same. Foldables had briefly sparked excitement, but now even they had become iterative. The R1 offered a glimmer of hope in a world where gadgets had started to feel like more of the same. I wanted the R1 to be the disruptor it promised to be—something truly fresh, even if it was just a fun toy.

The R1’s Unfinished Nature

Ultimately, the Rabbit R1 was a victim of being too early to the market with a concept that wasn’t ready. While its quirky design and limited feature set were appealing, it was clear that the device was simply not functional enough to justify its purchase. As much as I wanted the R1 to succeed, the reality was that its features, like the large action model, didn’t work reliably, and its use case wasn’t compelling enough to make it a must-have gadget.

Final Thoughts: Should You Buy the R1?

Despite its flaws, I still think the Rabbit R1 could have been a great product if it had been properly finished. At $200, it’s not an enormous investment, but it simply doesn’t deliver on its promise. While the concept of teaching an AI to perform tasks for you is exciting, we will likely see better versions of these features from larger tech companies like Apple and Google in the near future. It’s unfortunate because, despite its potential, the R1 is currently little more than a novelty—a gadget that failed to live up to the hype.

Why I Hope for Better from Rabbit

I don’t want the Rabbit R1 to be remembered as just another failed attempt in the world of tech. I hope that the company will learn from its mistakes and come back with a more refined product in the future. If Rabbit can perfect the features it promised, it could truly change how we interact with our devices on a daily basis. Until then, I wouldn’t recommend buying the R1—no matter how cute or promising it seemed at first.

About the Author:

This review was written after spending several weeks with the Rabbit R1, purchased at the product’s launch event in New York City. The review sample was bought independently, and I received no compensation from the manufacturer for this article.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, while I really wanted the Rabbit R1 to succeed and revolutionize the tech space, the product simply wasn’t ready. It’s a prime example of how exciting concepts can falter when rushed to market without proper refinement. For now, we’ll have to wait for the next big innovation. Hopefully, Rabbit will come back with a better, fully functional version of the R1—or something even more groundbreaking.