A buzzy portable AI assistant has sold its first batch of units in only 24 hours.
Rabbit, the company behind the device, said in a post on X, "When we started building r1, we said internally that we'd be happy if we sold 500 devices on launch day. In 24 hours, we already beat that by 20x! 10,000 units on day 1!"
Preorders for the second batch of the device are now open, with the delivery date expected to be between April and May 2024. Prices start at $199.
The pocket-size device, called Rabbit r1, is designed to use your apps for you.
The startup developed the r1 with voice control so users can engage with it in the same way as a walkie-talkie and teach it how to complete specific tasks.
The tech is supposed to offer a way for users to complete digital tasks such as booking flights or ordering meals without using a phone or laptop.
"Throughout history, we have tried to make the tools more intuitive," Jesse Lyu, founder and CEO of Rabbit, told Business Insider. "The shape of computers is constantly changing, from punch cards to desktops, and mobile phones: we are constantly trying to make computers more intuitive and imagine new ways to interact with them."
The launch has caused a stir on social media.
An analysis from GlobalData showed discussions around "rabbit r1" on Reddit and X spiked following the device's debut.
Smitarani Tripathy, a social media analyst at GlobalData, said discussions around the device were "diverse."
"Some contributors harbor doubts about the product's practicality and potential for success, expressing skepticism," she said. "While others are genuinely excited about the innovative design features it present."
In a post on X, Duane Forrester a VP at digital experience platform Yext, expressed some skepticism about the tech.
"Rabbit R1, a standalone LLM/LAM enabled device designed to replace your smartphone? Premise is…possible? The device is largish. I like the concepts, but I'm struggling to see me using this daily. Do I really want to always be talking out loud," he said.
