The Rabbit R1 has been sitting unused on my shelf for the past two months after failing to live up to my initial expectations. Jesse Lyu, the CEO of Rabbit R1, promised more than he delivered with the device. While some features like Vision, which allows the Rabbit R1 to identify objects and languages, are impressive, others like ordering Uber and DoorDash or launching Spotify songs did not work well. Additionally, the Rabbit R1 faced a security flaw according to The Verge, which Rabbit claimed was due to illegally acquired API keys. The company has since revoked the affected keys in response to the breach. Despite these issues, Rabbit has issued extensive updates to the R1 device, introducing a “beta rabbit mode” to enhance its capabilities.
To test the beta rabbit mode, I asked Rabbit to suggest film and book recommendations, create a travel itinerary for Athens, hunt for deals on the Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer, and analyze the nutrition label of a snack. The device initially provided satisfactory responses, but upon retesting some features, I found that the responses had become more rudimentary. However, the Rabbit R1 did impress me with its ability to curate a useful travel itinerary for Athens. It also helped me find a discounted price for the air fryer, although I later found an even better deal elsewhere.
Overall, the Rabbit R1 has shown potential with its beta rabbit mode, but there are still some kinks that need to be worked out. I would be interested in seeing improvements in future iterations of the device, such as a brighter screen for better visibility in different lighting conditions.