Editor: Aeneas is sleepy
【New Zhiyuan Guide】The first AI hardware Ai Pin, which is said to replace a smartphone, has come out in the spotlight!However, after everyone tried it, they gave a one-sided bad review: the operation is complicated and can't be learned, and it will be overheated and shut down after 3 minutes, too slow, too stupid, no response, and it can't be seen clearly outdoors...... It seems that smartphones will have to wait a while longer to be eliminated.
The much-anticipated ChatGPT version of the iPhone is finally available!
Recently, there has been an overwhelming discussion of Ai Pin.
Half a year ago, this product debuted with many names - the world's first AI hardware product, Sam Altman's investment, OpenAI technical support, former Apple employee husband and wife, hundreds of members of the team are Apple genes, and it was named "2023 Invention of the Year" by Time before it was released......
Whichever one is taken out, it is shocking enough. Are our smartphones going obsolete? Scenes from sci-fi blockbusters coming true decades in advance?
Who would have thought that after such a dreamy start, the foreign media who had been looking forward to it for half a year and finally got the product trial almost unanimously gave an evaluation -
It's too stretched, 4 points can't be more!
The initial problems it exposed include but are not limited to: overheating and shutdown after 3 minutes, the operation interface is too complicated, the speed is slow, the success rate is low, and the screen projection cannot be seen clearly outdoors......
The hardware fee of 699 dollars and the subscription fee of 24 dollars per month, just buy this?
The evaluation title given by the foreign media of Pinyipin, Yishui is like this:
"The first blockbuster AI hardware in history is a spicy chicken through and through"
"It seems that smart brooches can't replace our smartphones"
《Humein AII Pin测评:还差得远呢》
"This $699 wearable with a $24 monthly fee will hopefully free you from the shackles of a smartphone. The only problem is: it doesn't
」
Of course, there are some more submissive (but limited to the headline), such as this article in the New York Times, "Ai Pin wants to free you from your phone".
Product Engineer Angry Comment: Ai Pin Will Change History
In response to the media influx of ridicule and criticism, Ken Kocienda, Head of Product Engineer at Humane, responded with a lengthy post on X.
The gist of this long article is this-
I've seen everyone's comments about Ai Pin.
Over the course of my career, I've developed several 1.0 products, such as the first generation iPhone. So this situation, I've been through it before.
I'm proud of Ai Pin, I love this gadget. It's hard to create something new, and with Humane, a top team, we turn that dream into reality.
Of course, you are not obligated to care about our pride, at the end of the day, the tech product needs to bring benefits to the people who buy it, and the time and money benefits must be greater than the cost of the product, which is our goal.
In my opinion, the evolution of computers is not over yet. Its potential to help humanity in everyday life is far from being realized.
LLM is an improvement on par with CPUs. A few decades ago, the development of the first CPU inspired people to make operating systems and turn them into models, inspiring the creation of the personal computer. Today, we are in a similar moment, and AI is changing, much faster than the PC of a few decades ago.
It is from this historical perspective that we have built Ai Pin.
I think social media nowadays encourages exaggerated swearing, and the spicier and sharper the better. People poke holes in every little detail and point fingers, but no one can deny that AI is going to change everything.
Is Ai Pin sometimes frustrating? Yes. Are our laptops and smartphones sometimes frustrated? Yes, nothing is perfect in the world. Our new AI operating system is a new landscape worth exploring, but it's not magic.
I feel like I can trust my instincts. A few years ago, I made an auto-correcting touchscreen keyboard for my first iPhone, and at the time many people had a lot of doubts about the concept. Sure enough, over time, most of humanity on Earth embraced this usage.
Are you interested in AI changing the way information is interacted, are you interested in changing some of your technical habits to find better usage? Do you like cool new gadgets? If so, definitely try the Ai Pin.
Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, co-creators of Humane, explain: "Ai Pin and its AI operating system, Cosmos, is the starting point for the ambient computing story. 」
Today is not the beginning of the story, but the first page of the prologue.
We've laid out an ambitious blueprint that includes software optimizations, new features, expanded partnerships, and our software development kit. All of this will make Ai Pin smarter and more powerful over time.
Our vision is that Cosmos will eventually be integrated into multiple devices and forms, opening up new ways to interact with all devices.
In this regard, most of the netizens who left messages expressed their encouragement to Humane.
"It doesn't matter what other people think, as long as you keep innovating and solving problems for humanity, you will reach beautiful places. I admire you for inventing such a thing!"
Some people also retorted that everyone's thoughts are still important, after all, you have to dig out their wallets.
"I still don't understand, how does Ai Pin represent the singularity moment when human-machine symbiosis fundamentally changes the human condition?"
Some people also said, why don't we simply skip this step and use ChatGPT for free directly on your mobile phone?
Let's talk about it briefly
The $699 AI hardware comes with a virtual assistant capable of getting data from OpenAI, Google, Microsoft and others to answer questions and perform tasks.
Externally, the Ai Pin is designed in the style of a brooch and is attached to clothing by a magnet.
It's much smaller than you might think: about the size of four coins stacked into a square, or the size of half a pack of chewing gum.
It also doesn't weigh much, about 55 grams, which is about the same weight as two AA batteries or a car key fob.
But it's very sturdy and designed to withstand drops and even occasional washing machine cleaning.
However, since there is no screen, users will first need to set up an account and other configurations by visiting Humane's website.
When using it, all you have to do is stretch out your palm, and the Ai Pin will project a green laser beam on it.
Whether it's unlocking your device, connecting to Wi-Fi, or displaying a transcription of a virtual assistant's answers, you can interact with it with this laser.
Among them, pulling the hand outward is to increase the number, pulling inward is to decrease the number, and the selection of each number is achieved by pinching the two fingers of the hand.
In addition to using the laser, you can also control it with finger taps and voice.
For example, holding down a finger on the Ai Pin will summon the assistant and ask it to add tasks to the to-do list.
It sounds very good, but the reporter of Gear Patrol said straight to the point that this "spicy chicken" smart brooch should not replace our mobile phones.
Is it because you are too arrogant, or is it because the investor is too stressed?
The $699 product was supposed to be a future replacement for smartphones.
That's thanks to a TED talk a year ago by Humane founder Imran Chaudhri, "Disappearing Computers – A New World You Can Take AI Anywhere."
At the time, Imran Chaudhri's captivating presentation sparked a huge amount of enthusiasm for new consumer-grade AI hardware.
Everyone is talking about how this device might be able to break our smartphone addiction. By taking our interactions with technology off the screen, we are free to enjoy life in front of us again.
Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMsQO5u7-NQ
And venture capitalists and tech evangelists are going crazy! The whole sales pitch smells of cocaine frenzy --
"They're using AI!" "A whole new form factor!" "The founder and team are all former Apple employees!" The explosive elements are instantly full.
As a result, within a few months, the hype of this product began to pull the crotch across the board.
Last November, Ai Pin's unveiling presentation was held very low-key, with only a video being released, and prominent tech outlets, including The Verge, were not invited.
To make matters worse, Pin made a very typical AI mistake in the demo – talking serious nonsense.
The best place to watch a total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 should be North America, but Pin says it's Australia.
Moreover, the attitude of investor Sam Altman is also interesting.
The news that he and legendary hardware designer Jony Ive had raised $1 billion to build AI-powered personal devices also made headlines.
It seems that Altman didn't want to put all his eggs in one basket.
After the official launch of the Ai Pin, Gear Patrol was "disappointed by the lack of innovation in mobile computing".
Technology can indeed change lives, but only if it can easily solve most people's problems.
However, when you put it on, the heat is hard to ignore, and the gestures for navigating through the various menus are so complex that even technical experts can't figure it out.
In conclusion, Humane never seems to have thought to listen to external feedback, nor does it seem to collect test data from third-party testers.
Of course, in the response of Ken Kocienda, the head of product engineering, he said that once he learned how to operate the Ai Pin, it would be easy.
But the reality is, are users willing to pay for this kind of operation product that takes a lot of effort to learn?
And the experimenters found that the Ai Pin was often unable to answer basic questions, or provided the wrong answers, and did not respond to gestures.
It is so slow to respond that it also reduces its usability in daily life.
Even innovative AI products can't be too arrogant about the world.
So, why is Humane in such a rush to launch such a product that is clearly not ready? Perhaps, it was forced by investor pressure.
And now, the pressure is on other AI hardware devices. After this failed release of Ai Pin, they had to come up with a good enough product to convince everyone that this was not another Ai Pin.
It's unique, but I only give it a 4
In this review, The Verge focused on two main issues.
The first is the macro: does the device have any practical use?
In fact, most of the time, users just want to see the time, remember something, or send a text message to the subject. But as soon as you turn on your phone, you will be distracted by TikTok, email, or other unimportant notifications.
At the same time, considering the inconvenience of operating a mobile phone when you are in a hurry, there are indeed many things that are suitable for other devices.
So, Ai Pin does offer some unique value.
And this leads to the second question: should you buy this device?
The answer is simple: no.
Although Ai Pin is an interesting concept, it is not perfect and has a lot of flaws.
Add to that the $699 price tag and a whopping $24 monthly subscription fee, and it's hard to get it out of the way.
Interaction in one word
One advantage of having the Ai Pin on your chest is that you can easily reach it with either hand and even wake it up with just a little finger.
By the way, if you put a coat over your clothes, or if you have long hair, there is a good chance that the Ai Pin will be blocked tightly.
Whenever you want to talk to the Ai Pin, just long-press the touchpad on the front of it and say a question or instruction without any wake words at all.
You can also perform certain functions with simple touchpad actions, just like you would with a computer keyboard shortcut: double-tap with two fingers to take a photo, and double-tap and hold to record a video.
It's reminiscent of Alexa and Siri a decade ago, when you noticed that the voice command "set a 10-minute timer" was much faster than opening your phone's clock app.
Of course, the Ai Pin can also be very conspicuous when using it — like when you're standing in front of a building and slapping your chest and talking to yourself.
However, if you want to do something more complicated, here's the problem — Ai Pin's user interface is too complicated.
For example, in the process of unlocking, you need to choose a number by moving your hand back and forth in a series of numbers, and then pinch together with your thumb and forefinger to confirm the choice.
Once unlocked, you'll see a home-like interface where you can check for new texts or calls, as well as check the time, date, and weather with a tap of your finger via the menu.
When scrolling the screen, you'll need to tilt your hands back and forth slightly.
When entering the settings, you'll need to move your hand outwards until a new circular menu appears. In this menu, you need to turn your hand like you have a marble in the palm of your hand.
It should be noted that your hand should not be too far away from the Ai Pin, otherwise the projection will be lost......
When it comes to projection, Ai Pin's "Laser Ink" function is the closest to the screen.
You can activate it by tapping the trackpad or by giving it voice commands to "show" something.
If you're communicating with Ai Pin, it's even simpler. At this point, just raise your hand and it will instead project the text onto your hand.
Every time the Ai Pin is ready to be projected, it will first cast a green dot to find your palm, yes it can only be the palm.
Despite only 720p resolution and only projecting green light, it works pretty well indoors.
However, in bright light outside, the projection is barely visible.
Not only is the speed slow, but the success rate is also low
Every time the Ai Pin tries to perform an operation, the request must be processed through Humane's servers.
If you're lucky, the process will be very slow, and if you're unlucky, you'll fail completely.
Ideally, Ai Pin still has a lot of amazing moments.
For example, a reporter stands in front of a restaurant, holds down the touchpad and asks, "Look at this restaurant and tell me how it reviews." 」
Ai Pin then takes a photo, activates the model to identify the scene in front of him, and then searches the web for reviews and gives feedback: "Tacombi has a high rating, and customers especially love their tacos and friendly service. 」
This process is very convenient and saves a lot of time and steps compared to operating it on a smartphone.
But most of the time, when you're done asking a question, you're stuck in endless waiting and end up with nothing.
In one test, Ai Pin couldn't identify which restaurant it was, even though there was a huge "Joe & The Juice" sign in front of him and a GPS chip on the device.
In addition to that, half the time when trying to make a call, it didn't make the call at all.
When someone calls, Ai Pin will also direct the call to voicemail half the time, and it won't even ring.
Overall, for every successful interaction with the Ai Pin, there are three to four failures.
In this regard, the reporter said that the only thing that can really rely on Ai Pin these days is to tell the present time.
You have absolutely no idea what it's doing
One of the challenges with AI Pins, ChatGPT, and all other AI products is that you can't see how they work, so it's hard to figure out how to use them.
Proponents of AI say that's exactly what it's designed to do – technology should work automatically, without the user having to know exactly how to do it.
In contrast, the phones we're using provide constant feedback – colored buttons indicate where to tap, and we see an instant response with every touch, pinch or scroll. In simple terms, you can clearly see the various options and their results.
And when you use the Ai Pin, it's like you're making a wish to the stars: you can only close your eyes and hope that everything will work out. But most of the time, nothing happens.
In The Verge's view, today's Ai Pin is just a beta version, a prototype, and a proof of concept.
Maybe one day, it can become a killer product with all in one combination, but that time is not there yet.
First of all, you can only use 3 minutes
Similarly, Brian X. Chen, a reporter from the New York Times, did an in-depth review.
As he was about to go on vacation to Hawaii, he casually asked, "What do I need to bring other than a T-shirt and swim trunks?" as he was packing his bags.
Ai Pin很快建议道:「别忘了帽子和防晒霜。 」
Dialogue translation, indulge in silky smoothness
In addition to this day-to-day advice, Ai Pin also has one of the highlights – translating conversations into other languages.
Start by pressing a finger and then select the language you want to translate into, such as Mandarin.
Then, press two more fingers and say the English phrase, and Ai Pin will respond in Mandarin and vice versa.
On top of that, Ai Pin's translations into major languages such as Spanish, French, and Indonesian are quite accurate.
For example, in the following video of "English to Indonesian", my dialogue is as smooth as bringing a portable translator.
Visual features are better than nothing
In terms of visual capabilities, the Ai Pin uses the on-camera and AI to analyze the surrounding environment and tell you what you're looking at.
For example, take a bagel to it and ask, "Is this healthy?"
Ai Pin replied, "Bagels are not healthy because they are rich in carbohydrates, which may cause weight gain. 」
Later, you can also ask the question, "How do you make bagel better?"
Ai Pin can show you how to make a product from scratch.
However, while on vacation, when he asked what the name of the flower in front of him was, Ai Pin said, "This flower is yellow with red stripes on the inside."
The answer is correct, but the question is not answered.
Then his wife spoke, "This is a Solandra maxima. 」
There is no "any technology and live", just a simple photo taken with a mobile phone and uploaded to Google Images for search......
It's impossible to replace mobile phones
Similar to a smartphone, the AI PIN has a separate phone number and cellular data connection for making calls and playing music, while its camera can also be used to take photos and videos.
However, the Ai Pin's performance in these features not only does not surpass the smartphone it wants to "replace", but even inferior.
When you make a call, you can use the assistant to call the contacts in your address book, but if you need to dial a new number, you need to dictate the numbers one by one.
Both photos and videos are blurry and underexposed.
In terms of entertainment, only one very niche music streaming service is supported, Tidal.
In addition to that, when he tried to recall the name of a food truck near the resort that made loco moco, Ai Pin couldn't find any information either.
In the end, he turned on his phone and used the traditional search again.
Other hallucinatory problems, such as large models, are more sparse and commonplace.
For example, Ai Pin says that the square root of 49 is 49......
What's worse is that after about 3 minutes of use, the Ai Pin will automatically shut down due to overheating, which is completely less than the "theoretical value" of 9 minutes claimed by Humane before.
However, Brian says he still likes the sleek design and concept of the brooch.
But he would never spend $700 on an Ai Pin, let alone a $24 monthly subscription fee, as well as T-Mobile's data service.
Resources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/11/technology/personaltech/ai-pin-humane-openai-microsoft.html
https://www.theverge.com/24126502/humane-ai-pin-review
https://www.gearpatrol.com/tech/humane-ai-pin-negative-reviews/