- Rabbit R1, AI gadget, runs on Android app, not requiring “very bespoke AOSP” firmware as claimed by Rabbit.
- Rabbit R1 launcher app can run on existing Android phones, not needing system-level permissions for core functionality.
- Rabbit R1 firmware analysis shows minimal modifications to standard AOSP, contradicting claims of custom hardware necessity by Rabbit.
This is one of those shitty products that you can see being shitty from a mile away, yet all the coverage and discussion around it gives it a life it otherwise wouldn’t have had.
It’s probably only because it’s co-designed by Teenage Engineering. Usually their devices get quite the fuzz.
Which is exactly like the “camera collabs” that phone makers sometimes do that end up being nothing more than marketing gimmicks.
Like the OnePlus camera “by Hasselblad” that is quality wise the same as any other smartphone camera in that price category.
They have so much quality audio equipment, it’s understandable why people would stump for this because of the Teenage Engineering (TE) involvement alone.
Funnily enough, despite being a TE enthusiast, this is my first time hearing that they had anything to do with this joke of a product.
…which kind of does make me sort look at TE like… wtf were you thinking? …and sort of definitely makes me question future endeavors from TE. Because this thing is a fucking joke.
Imo TE has always been a shady company in terms of business decisions. I still for the life of me cannot understand why the OP-1 is over 2 grand. It’s a music making machine with a cruddy keybed that’s not even volocity sensitive that’s also intentionally limited in terms of how you can use it.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I definitely think it’s a cool little device capable of doing cool things. But there’s no way in hell this tiny thing is worth 2k. You can spend 1/4th of the price on something like an elektron Digitakt or a polyend play and get very similar functionality in an arguably better more robust package.
TE are a boutique company that intentionally releases overpriced products so they can have this reputation of being a “premium” company. Just like Apple. If it weren’t for their pocket operators (which are arguably closer to being toys than actual audio equipment) I wouldn’t think they’d have anything remotely worth buying.
Side note: the playdate looks adorable. But, similarly to the OP-1, is very overpriced for what it does.
Hopes were set unreasonably high because the hardware designer has a great reputation. And the hardware seems well made (for the price) and certainly tries out some interesting new ideas. I love how the camera is physically blocked while not in use for example.
The software team has let this product down. Not surprising, but dissapointing.
The hardware team made a device that just couldn’t be turned into a good product no matter what the software team did. None of those AI-in-a-box devices are good products because they simply don’t have a reason to exist. Everything they can do, phones can do. If you have a phone, you don’t need one of those AI boxes, however if you buy one of those AI assistant things, you’ll still need a phone (which, again, can completely replace the AI box with no loss in functionality).