The Playable Report this week focuses on hardware. This may come as no surprise, as the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was just last week, which always gets us thinking about the new tech we had no idea our world needed.

Two devices, in particular, have captured imaginations for very different reasons. One offers the potential future of vision-based computing, entertainment, and interaction. The other fully attempts to reimagine how humans engage with technology. Both will be available this Spring.

Anyway, let’s get into it…

The device news you need to know about:

• Rabbit R1 keynote captures attention and imaginations

• Apple announce the Vision Pro release date

• CES 2024 review courtesy of Wired

Rabbit Tech announce the R1 at CES

This has somehow upstaged Apple's announcement of the Vision Pro launch date, and before I learned about this, it definitely wasn't something I was asking for. But since hearing Rabbit's keynote at CES about it on Tuesday, I have already pre-ordered one, and I am excited for it to arrive. Apparently, the R1 is shipping on Easter 2024, so I can experience it myself.

Just to back up for a second, the R1 is a handheld AI "companion." The R1 boasts a charming, colorful design (co-developed with Teenage Engineering) and a conversational AI system that promises natural language interactions and a "teach me" mode for personalized learning. The R1 is primarily voice-controlled but also features a 2.88-inch touchscreen, a control wheel, a camera, and speakers, offering a diverse range of interaction methods.

The most compelling promise from Rabbit Tech is that the R1 will be able to actually do things for us, like booking restaurants, Uber rides, or holiday plans.

In the presentation at CES, Jesse Lyu called out speed and privacy as key features. The R1 houses a proprietary Large Language Model (LLM) that claims to process information and execute tasks 10 times faster than conventional AI assistants. While I would be the first to agree that Siri and Alexa have a lot of room for improvement, I have never faulted their speed. On the user data front, R1 also claims to prioritize privacy. It boasts offline processing capabilities, third-party app authentication, and a transparent approach to data handling.

The vision is to create a portable AI-powered device that we can communicate with naturally - via voice, rather than entering into the app-based user interface that has become ubiquitous across iPhones, Android devices, PCs, and now VR tools.

Rabbit initially limited the R1 to 10,000 units, then quickly sold out after the CES announcement. This scarcity factor, coupled with the R1's groundbreaking features, has ignited a fierce desire among tech enthusiasts to be among the first to experience this potential AI revolution.

Why should you care? 

This feels like the next step…

Ever since Apple introduced the world to the graphical user interface (GUI) in 1984, the way humans interact with technology has been primarily through screens.

Whether it be a smartphone, PC, gaming console, or a coffee machine, the actions a human desires are accomplished by performing a direct manipulation of the graphical elements on a screen.

However, sci-fi visions of our future conjure up notions of an all-knowing computer that responds to our thoughts or commands and executes the necessary tasks. Think "Her," Hal from "2001: A Space Odyssey," although AI developers everywhere would probably appreciate it if we didn't mention Stanley Kubrick's 1968 classic anywhere near their businesses. The Rabbit R1 feels like it could be the next step toward achieving that state.

If we learn to interact with technology without a screen, or if technology learns to better interact with us, it could unlock the next wave of products - both hardware and software - and usher in a new era of innovation.

Innovation, as we think of it today, tends to happen within a screen-based paradigm that is our norm. The PC, the smartphone, the smartwatch, the smart TV, and VR, all are screen-based ecosystems. The Rabbit R1 has the potential to be something different.

Apples confirms the Vision Pro release date

In true Apple fashion, they announced the Vision Pro is coming on February 2nd with a powerful advertising video. The news is exciting, as it means we are one step closer to understanding if the Vision Pro can usher in a new era of spatial computing or even provide a reboot of virtual reality.

As a reminder, the Apple Vision Pro has generated a lot of excitement since its announcement in June 2023. The Vision Pro is a mixed reality or spatial computing headset, meaning it can blend the real world with virtual experiences. Apple is positioning this as a new frontier in computing, and Apple's sleek and stylish design has many people eager to try it out. However, mixed reality or augmented reality in a headset is a feature of Meta’s Quest 3 and Pro and was a foundational piece of the Magic Leap hardware offering. But this... this is Apple.

The Vision Pro boasts 23 million pixels per eye, which is far beyond the resolution of any current VR or AR headset. This promises incredibly realistic and immersive experiences, and it is this quality that I think we all should be eager to experience.

A major key to driving adoption is that the Vision Pro is designed to work seamlessly with other Apple devices, such as the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. This could amplify adoption in a way that other VR/AR/MR device makers have failed, making it a powerful tool for productivity, creativity, and communication.

Of course, there is also some skepticism about the Vision Pro. Some critics argue that it is too expensive, too bulky, and not powerful enough to truly live up to the hype. It remains to be seen whether the Vision Pro will be a game-changer or not.

Either way, you will likely need to wait a bit longer to find out. The Vision Pro is currently only available by pre-order, and there is a long waitlist.

Why you should care?

Rather than telling you to care about the technical capabilities, slick design, or the potential for future spatial applications, I want to go back to that advertisement.

Apple uses iconic 'heroes' from cinema history to normalize the headset. They show us examples of characters placing something over their eyes as they prepare to do something amazing. From Iron Man and Luke Skywalker to Superbad and SpongeBob, Apple compiled a series of recognizable and often beloved figures placing goggles, a helmet, or a facemask over their eyes. The sequence ends with Doc Brown from Back to the Future uttering, "Road? Where we're going, there are no roads."

You should check out Apple’s “Get Ready” ad here.

This approach speaks to the most important thing I believe the Vision Pro will do. It has the potential to normalize the act of wearing a piece of technology that goes on our face and covers our eyes. If Apple can succeed in making a headset-based computer a generally accepted new device, it has the potential to lift up an entire industry.

But before we start celebrating, Google failed at this, and Microsoft tapped out. Others are still in the fight to make VR, Mixed Reality, or Spatial Computing more mainstream in 2024.

Wired’s Best of CES 2024

I didn’t go to CES in Vegas this year, but Wired’s had a load of reporters there. Their report from CES is a good overview of some of the products they profiled. You can find it here.

Why should you care?

CES is where companies debut their latest and greatest creations, from sleek smartphones and futuristic home appliances to mind-blowing concepts like flying cars and holographic displays. Imagine witnessing the unveiling of the the Rabbit R1 or catching a glimpse of Supernal’s future of transportation, all under one roof.

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