Rabbit R1 review: Avoid this AI gadget

What if a gadget could order an Uber for you without having to go through your phone? You’d just use your voice. Or if you could order your favorite burger from a local restaurant, or see what food you could make at home just by pointing its camera at some ingredients? That’s the promise of the Rabbit R1, a retro-chic $199 AI device that looks way cooler than it performs. 

There’s lots of other things the Rabbit R1 promises to do using its so-called Large Action Model, from voice search and making AI generated images to live translations, music playback and voice recordings with summaries. I’ve been testing the Rabbit R1 for a week to see if it can live up to the hype, but the execution often falls way short on a device whose very premise is questionable in an age of AI-powered phones. It couldn’t even tell the correct time until an update. 

Update May 1: Rabbit has issued an update that addresses some of our complaints. There’s now a time option in the menu and Rabbit says that idle battery life has improved. Other enhancements include better GPS integration so the R1 knows your location during queries, improved music playback UI and better Bluetooth connectivity. 

Rabbit R1 review: Cheat Sheet

  • What is it? A handheld gadget powered by AI
  • How much does it cost? $199
  • Who is it for? Early adopters who don’t mind feeling like beta testers 
  • What does it do? Voice search, visual search via camera, generative AI images, book Uber rides and DoorDash food orders (in theory), voice recordings and summaries, language translations
  • What doesn’t it do? Email or text, take pictures or videos, set reminders or timers, support Spotify playlists. 
  • Should you buy it? No, at least not until the bugs are worked out and more features are added 

Rabbit R1 review: Specs

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Price $199
Display 2.88-inch touchscreen
CPU 2.3-GHz MediaTek MT6765
RAM 4GB
Storage 128GB
Speaker 2W
Connectivity Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 4G LTE
Ports USB-C
Battery 1,000 mAh
Size 5 x 5 x 3 inches
Weight 115 grams / 4 ounces

Rabbit R1 review: Design

The Rabbit R1 definitely stands out in a crowd, with a neon orange square design that’s reminiscent of an iPod-Tamagotchi hybrid. It’s a cheap plastic but that’s what you get for $199.

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)