Rabbit R1 Review: The Future is Cute, But Is It Ready?

The Rabbit R1 is the most interesting gadget of 2024. Designed by Teenage Engineering, it's undeniably cool. But what does it actually do?

Hardware: A+

The luminous orange square feels great in the hand. The scroll wheel is satisfyingly clicky. The "Push-to-Talk" button brings back walkie-talkie vibes. It stands out in a sea of black glass rectangles.

The "Large Action Model"

Rabbit OS promises to use apps for you. Instead of opening Uber, you just hold the button and say "Get me a ride to the airport."

When it works, it's magic. It found my location, got the price, and booked the ride in 15 seconds. No tapping, no waiting for the app to load.

When it fails, it's frustrating. Asking it to play a specific playlist on Spotify worked 50% of the time. Sometimes it just hallucinated a song title.

Rent or Buy?

This is the perfect device to rent. It's a glimpse into the future that isn't quite ready for a $200 commitment + data plan. Rent it for a month to experience the cutting edge of AI, then swap it for something else when the novelty wears off.