My iPhone 15 Pro Max can do 48mp images and 4K/60fps video and do it nearly as good as professional photo and video equipment. That’s what it was designed for. Rabbit R1’s Eye is rated for 1090p/24fps video and 8mp photos. So why would a bleeding-edge, new-tech device be so far behind the spec curve? Simple: The main purpose of the camera is not to take photos or video. It’s an input device, just like the microphone. What does that mean? I’ve give two examples.
There always will be bad actors out there. You know: those who illegally take the advantage of opportunities. And today’s online privacy cracks and sketchy AI together present a huge opportunity. You have identity thieves and scammers who can use hacking combined with AI to automate their nefariousness. We’re also seeing signs that AI (by design or bad design) has taken it upon itself to collect data. Human data thieves know they’re breaking the law. And if you don’t program AI to work within the confines of the law, we can’t even comprehend the potential calamity.
I’m noticing a small trend among people who have pre-ordered Rabbit R1: The elderly are buying them. What? People who shun technology anxious to get a Rabbit? Well, as an oldster myself I can see why. Our phones are always with us, but not really easy-to-use for those born in the pre-internet and even pre-PC days.
Chapter 4: Don’t speculate a miracle and then expect it.
Hype is horrible thing. It sets up expectations that have never been stated. And Rabbit has had a lot of unplanned hype. If you want to know what Rabbit will really be capable of on day one watch the keynote.
But many people pre-ordered their Rabbit based on the expectation that it will make phone calls and send texts. Sorry to disappoint, but at least initially, it won’t. Yeah, it has microphones, a speaker, bluetooth, a camera and an on-screen keyboard, but phone calls, video calls and texts were never the purpose of Rabbit. Founder Jesse Lyu made it clear in the keynote that Rabbit is not a phone replacement. The mission statement says Rabbit’s goal is to create the simplest computer possible. But here’s where the hype comes in: Ask Google if Rabbit can make calls and it’ll refer you to a CNET article that says yes it can. The hype led to the hope that Rabbit was a $200 replacement for your smartphone. And of course that’s obviously way too good to be true.
Chapter 3: Virtual assistance, the next generation.
Though Rabbit can connect with multiple LLMs and spit out the answers to your question, its superpower is that it can do actions through its LAM. As you read this, humans are training Rabbit’s Large Action Model on many major services that have a web portal. In conjunction with a garden-variety browser, Rabbit can also follow you in doing a task on the web and then do it for you the next time. (Though it’s likely Teach mode will not be ready at launch.) At this stage of Rabbit’s development we’re dealing with simple, but very useful tasks, like “Deliver my favorite pizza”. But when company founder Jesse Lyu held Rabbit’s camera up to the fridge and told Rabbit to give him a recipe based on what he had in there, it’s easy to see that the LAM will be an aid to problem solving based on our individual needs.
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