The Worst Product I've Ever Reviewed... For Now

Marques Brownlee
14 Apr 202425:03

TLDRIn this review, the Humane AI Pin is dubbed the worst product the reviewer has tested due to its numerous flaws. Despite its innovative concept as a wearable AI assistant with a unique gesture-controlled interface, the device suffers from slow response times, frequent inaccuracies, poor battery life, and a steep price tag. The gadget's standalone nature, lack of app support, and heavy reliance on cloud processing make it a cumbersome alternative to smartphones, ultimately falling short of its potential.

Takeaways

  • 🤖 The Humane AI Pin is a wearable computer with an AI assistant, designed to be a standalone device without pairing to a smartphone.
  • 💰 It costs $700 plus a $24 monthly subscription for data, services, and online storage.
  • 🔍 The AI Pin features a camera, microphone, touch pad, projector, and gesture control, aiming to interact with the world around the user.
  • 🔋 The device has its own battery and can be charged with 'boosters', but suffers from poor and inconsistent battery life.
  • 📞 It can make phone calls and send text messages, but the functionality is often hindered by slow response times and inaccuracies.
  • 📷 The built-in camera takes photos and 15-second videos, but the quality is poor and noisy.
  • 🔍 The AI's ability to answer questions and perform tasks is frequently slow and incorrect, often requiring internet connectivity.
  • 🤔 The device's user interface, involving a projected screen on the user's hand, is innovative but hard to read and requires a learning curve.
  • 📵 The AI Pin does not connect to a smartphone, which limits its access to personal data and the ability to sync with existing user preferences and habits.
  • 📵 There are no apps available for the AI Pin, restricting its functionality compared to a smartphone.
  • 🚫 The reviewer concludes that the AI Pin is currently not a good product due to its numerous issues and recommends that consumers skip it for now.

Q & A

  • What is the Humane AI Pin and what is its primary function?

    -The Humane AI Pin is a wearable computer with an integrated AI designed to assist users throughout their day. It is about the size of a large watch and features a camera, microphone, touch pad, and a projector for gesture control. It is intended to be a standalone device that can answer questions, provide recommendations, make phone calls, send text messages, and perform other tasks.

  • How much does the Humane AI Pin cost and what additional costs are involved?

    -The Humane AI Pin costs $700, and there is an additional monthly subscription fee of $24 for data, services, and online storage.

  • Does the Humane AI Pin connect to a smartphone?

    -No, the Humane AI Pin is a standalone device and does not pair with a smartphone. It has its own internet connection and phone number.

  • What are the hardware features of the Humane AI Pin that make it impressive?

    -The build quality of the Humane AI Pin is impressive, featuring a solid aluminum body, strong magnets for attachment, and a 'booster' that acts as an additional battery. It also includes a well-made charging case and a desktop charging puck, as well as built-in lights and a pin light notification system.

  • What is the AI Pin's multimodal capability and how does it work?

    -The AI Pin's multimodal capability allows it to use its camera to see and interact with the world around the user. It can scan the room, analyze images sent to the cloud, and provide information based on its surroundings.

  • How does the AI Pin handle language translation and what is the process like?

    -The AI Pin can translate languages in real-time using a two-finger gesture. It auto-detects the language, translates it to English, and allows the user to respond, with the AI Pin translating the response back to the original language.

  • What issues does the reviewer face with the AI Pin's performance and reliability?

    -The reviewer experiences slow response times, incorrect answers, server timeouts, and issues with the AI Pin's understanding of queries. The device also has problems with battery life, overheating, and inconsistency in performance.

  • How does the AI Pin's camera and video functionality compare to expectations?

    -The camera and video functionality of the AI Pin is underwhelming. The photos and videos are noisy, have a square-ish aspect ratio, and are limited to 15 seconds in length.

  • What limitations does the AI Pin have in terms of app support and connectivity with other services?

    -The AI Pin has no app support and can only sync with four accounts: Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Tidal. It lacks access to services like Uber, Spotify, WhatsApp, and email, which are commonly used on smartphones.

  • Why does the reviewer believe that smartphones are superior to the AI Pin in most situations?

    -The reviewer believes smartphones are superior due to their ability to perform tasks faster, easier, and with higher quality. Smartphones also have better integration with the user's life, including knowing the user's preferences and schedule, and offering a more seamless user experience.

  • What potential future does the reviewer see for the AI Pin and what would be necessary for it to succeed?

    -The reviewer sees potential for the AI Pin to become a powerful standalone device in the future. However, for it to succeed, it would need to overcome its current limitations, improve performance, and possibly integrate more closely with smartphones in the meantime.

Outlines

00:00

🤖 Introduction to the Humane AI Pin

The script introduces the Humane AI Pin, a futuristic wearable computer resembling a large watch. It is equipped with an AI assistant, camera, microphone, touch pad, and projector for gesture-controlled interaction. The device is standalone, not pairing with smartphones, and comes with its own internet connection and phone number. Despite its innovative concept, the reviewer expresses disappointment in its current state, citing numerous issues that make it difficult to use and less practical than expected. The price is a significant barrier at $700 plus a $24 monthly subscription for data and services.

05:00

🔨 Hardware Impressions and Functionality

The reviewer acknowledges the impressive build quality of the AI Pin, noting its solid aluminum construction and dense feel. The device comes in three colors and includes various sensors, a camera, microphones, and a laser projector. The 'booster' acts as an additional battery and attaches magnetically to clothing. The charging case and accessories are well-made, and the device features a touch of elegance with its top lights and pin light notifications. However, the AI Pin's functionality is marred by its cumbersome user experience, slow response times, and inaccuracies in its AI's understanding and responses.

10:01

🔍 AI Pin's Multimodal Capabilities and Limitations

The AI Pin is described as a multimodal device capable of answering questions, recognizing images, and remembering user inputs. It can take photos and short videos, which are automatically uploaded while charging. The device also features a projector that turns the user's hand into a screen for a 3D UI experience, controlled by hand gestures. Despite these advanced features, the AI Pin struggles with accuracy and speed, often providing incorrect or delayed information. The lack of app support and the device's inability to perform basic tasks like setting timers or alarms are highlighted as significant drawbacks.

15:02

📵 Smartphone Superiority and AI Pin's Shortcomings

The reviewer emphasizes the superiority of smartphones over the AI Pin in nearly every aspect. Smartphones offer better performance, ease of use, higher quality, and a broader range of functionalities. The AI Pin's standalone nature means it lacks the personalization and integration with the user's life that a smartphone provides. The device's battery life is criticized for being poor and inconsistent, requiring constant attention and swapping of boosters. The heat generated by the device and its weight are also noted as discomforts when worn for extended periods.

20:04

🚧 The Future of AI Pin and Its Current State

The script speculates on the future potential of the AI Pin, suggesting that its creators at Humane may intend for it to become a powerful standalone device. However, in its current state, the AI Pin is hindered by its ambition to be future-proof. The reviewer shares personal experiences where the device occasionally worked as expected, but these moments were fleeting and did not outweigh the overall negative experience. The AI Pin's unique features, such as hands-free video recording, are mentioned, but the reviewer ultimately advises against purchasing the device in its current form, citing the need for significant improvements.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Humane AI Pin

The Humane AI Pin is a wearable computer described as an 'ultra futuristic' device in the script. It is designed to assist users throughout their day with an integrated AI that can answer questions, make phone calls, and send text messages. The device is standalone, meaning it does not pair with a smartphone and has its own internet connection and phone number. The concept is central to the video's theme, which critiques the device's current functionality and potential.

💡Wearable computer

A wearable computer is a portable device that can be worn on the body and is capable of performing various computing tasks. In the context of the video, the Humane AI Pin is a form of wearable computer that incorporates AI to interact with its user and the environment. The script discusses the innovative yet problematic aspects of this technology.

💡AI assistant

An AI assistant, or artificial intelligence assistant, is a software program that can perform tasks and provide information through conversational interaction. The video script highlights the AI Pin's role as an AI assistant that is supposed to be helpful but often falls short in its current state.

💡Gesture control

Gesture control refers to the ability of a device to interpret and respond to specific hand or body movements. The AI Pin features a projector that uses gesture control for user interaction, as described in the script, where the user's hand acts as a screen for the projected interface.

💡Subscription plan

A subscription plan is a type of service agreement where the customer pays a periodic fee to access a product or service. The script mentions that the AI Pin requires a $24 a month subscription for data, services, and online storage, which is a significant consideration in the overall cost of the device.

💡Standalone device

A standalone device is a piece of equipment that operates independently and does not require connection to another device to function. The AI Pin is described as a standalone device with its own internet connection and phone number, which is a key point of contention in the video's critique.

💡Cloud

In the context of computing, the 'Cloud' refers to remote servers used for data storage and access from anywhere with an internet connection. The video script discusses the AI Pin's reliance on the Cloud for processing requests, which affects its speed and reliability.

💡Battery life

Battery life refers to the duration a device can operate before needing to be recharged. The script criticizes the AI Pin's battery life as being poor and inconsistent, requiring constant attention and multiple charges throughout the day.

💡Multimodal

Multimodal refers to the ability of a system to process and understand multiple types of input or communication. The AI Pin is described as multimodal because it can process voice commands, visual data from its camera, and gesture controls.

💡Smartphone

A smartphone is a handheld device that combines the functions of a mobile phone and a computer. The video script frequently contrasts the AI Pin with smartphones, emphasizing that smartphones currently outperform the AI Pin in various aspects such as ease of use, functionality, and integration with existing user habits.

💡Laser projector

A laser projector is a device that uses lasers to project images or information onto a surface. The AI Pin includes a laser projector that allows it to project a user interface onto the user's hand, enabling interaction without touching the device directly.

💡Frictionless

Frictionless, in the context of technology, refers to an interface or process that is seamless and easy to use, requiring minimal effort from the user. The script discusses the AI Pin's attempt to provide a frictionless user experience but highlights the many points of friction encountered during its use.

💡Virtual assistant

A virtual assistant is a software agent that can perform tasks or services for a user, such as setting reminders, providing information, or managing schedules. The video script explores the potential of the AI Pin as a virtual assistant and the challenges it faces in delivering on this promise.

💡Overheat

Overheating refers to a device becoming excessively hot, which can be a sign of inefficiency or a potential safety hazard. The script mentions that the AI Pin has overheated on multiple occasions, indicating a problem with its thermal management.

💡Humane Center

The Humane Center is an online web portal mentioned in the script where all activities and data related to the AI Pin are synced and can be accessed. It serves as the central hub for managing the device's functions and history.

Highlights

The Humane AI Pin is a wearable computer with an AI assistant.

It is about the size of a large watch and has a camera, microphone, touch pad, and projector.

The device costs $700 plus a $24 monthly subscription for data, services, and online storage.

It does not pair with smartphones and operates as a standalone device with its own internet connection and phone number.

The AI assistant can answer questions, give historical facts, make phone calls, and send text messages.

The hardware is impressive with a solid aluminum build, strong magnets, and a well-made charging case.

The device has a multimodal feature that allows it to interact with the world through its camera.

It can take photos or 15-second videos and remember things you tell it to remember.

The AI Pin has a unique feature of translating languages back and forth through voice interaction.

The projector allows for a 3D UI interaction by projecting a screen on your hand.

The device is often slow and inaccurate in its responses due to reliance on cloud processing.

Battery life is poor and inconsistent, requiring constant charging and swapping of boosters.

The device gets warm and sometimes overheats, which can be concerning.

It is heavy and can be noticeable when worn, especially with lighter clothing.

The photos and videos taken by the AI Pin are of poor quality and limited in length.

The device lacks app support, limiting its functionality compared to smartphones.

The AI assistant is at a disadvantage as it does not connect to your phone and thus lacks personalization.

The AI Pin is currently not recommended for purchase due to its numerous issues and limitations.

The potential future of the device might involve it becoming a powerful standalone device, but it is not there yet.