Joe Maring, section editor for Digital Trends, wrote, “It’s supposed to be a simple companion for my phone, yet the R1 often asks me to use my phone when asked to perform the most basic tasks.” Taking the rabbit R1 out for a walk, The biggest drawback here is not the slow interface or lack of functions, but what it adds to the day-to-day life of an average user.
At this stage, that’s not much, mainly because a budget Android phone can perform similar tasks with apps – whether it’s AI tasks like summarizing an email chain or ordering a burger. “It could have been an AI app at best.” This is a recurring topic in online forums about the R1. And it looks like the R1 proves that point.
Rabbit R1’s Android secret
Android expert Mishaal Rahman got his hands on a launcher’s APK file, which allowed him to run the R1’s software on a Google Pixel 6a. In the most basic terms, an APK is all the code that makes up an Android app. A launcher is essentially a block of software that controls how the phone’s home screen and app drawer system looks and works.
In the case of R1, the situation is a bit confusing. As Rahman explains Android Authority, the Rabbit R1 runs what can essentially be called a launcher based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). Notably, Rabbit’s research overview does not mention AOSP or its Android affiliation. Only after Rahman’s story came out did Rabbit confirm that the R1’s software is built on AOSP, the main framework behind Android. In simple terms, the R1’s software is basically just an Android app.
The company has repeatedly emphasized that the AI gadget runs on Rabbit OS, which is based on the Large Action Model (LAM). It is a type of foundation model that is trained to perform certain tasks, such as converting touch and voice input into an activity and responding accordingly. In the case of R1, that all happens in the cloud, as AI tools like ChatGPT take your text input, run it through the cloud, and then provide a response.
With all due respect – while most non iOS consumer devices run on modified AOSP as clients, I don’t think you understand that client APKs can be duplicated and bootlegged while all the actual service resides on the cloud? And why is that bootleg APK not working? now try. https://t.co/tZJd96AbWv
— Jesse Lyu (@jessechenglyu) 1 May 2024
Interestingly, the device on which Rahman installed the APK package was blocked using IP address or device identifier, which was confirmed by the company’s CEO. Jessie Lew,
“Rabbit OS and LAM run on the cloud with very specific AOSP and low-level firmware modifications,” the company said in an official release. statement, Apart from confirming the AOSP foundation, the company has also clarified that it is aware of “unofficial Rabbit OS app/website emulators”, and such bootlegged APK files will not allow access to the Rabbit OS system.
some curious things
Specifically, according to this, someone allegedly dumped the source code of Rabbit R1 hacker news Forum discussion, but the linked GitHub resources have been removed. A YouTube handle by the name Arthur (@Chained Tears) shared a video in which an allegedly jailbroken R1 was seen running the Android version of Discord minecraftBut it has since been removed.
Okay, so people have already cracked the Rabbit R1 and figured out its Android. The guys dumped the APK and I got it working (with root and some mods) on a standard ass phone LMAOW. pic.twitter.com/QMnGohgbeF
—Marcel (@MarcelD505) 30 April 2024
Another post that has now been removed from Reddit had someone run popular games Apocalypse Rabbit on R1. A person with access to the APK tells Digital Trends that it was decompiled and run on an official Android emulator. This is a tool that Google provides to developers to test their Android apps before widespread deployment.
— Jade (@noteuclaise) 30 April 2024
a reddit PostAgain from a deleted account, claiming to be running Rabbit OS desktop, Digital Trends can also confirm that copies of the APK and some instructions on workarounds were passed through Reddit communications. Another person, who did not want to be identified, told us that the Rabbit team was aware of the APK circulating for a few days.
As a security measure, Rabbit has now begun verifying International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers to confirm hardware keys and even making adjustments to cloud endpoint terminals through software patches. Has also started. Without a cloud endpoint, it would not be possible to access the LAM on any unlicensed hardware.
It seems that the Rabbit R1 is essentially booting two Android app instances, one that handles the system updater functions and another that sits behind the launcher interface. Thus, it seems like the R1 is essentially acting like a piece of hardware to run an Android app, while all the bespoke AI-powered work happens in the cloud where the LAM resides.
What makes this so ironic is that, despite Rabbit promoting Rabbit OS as a new, native operating system, it is actually not to do Nothing we haven’t seen before. It can look at the weather, check stock prices, search the Internet, etc. It’s everything that could make you say, “Why don’t you use an app for that,” and now, it looks like Rabbit OS is actually just that.
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