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The Humane AI Pin Launches Its Campaign to Replace Phones

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81–90 of 195 posts

Re: The Humane AI Pin Launches Its Campaign to Replace Phones

#81

I think the founders undermined this product with their launch strategy, first showcasing it on a TED talk briefly without fully exposing the hardware, then about a month later in a fashion show? Then now they make this half baked video that immediately goes into talking about the hardware yet the whole selling point of the device is the software Ai capabilities. People have been eagerly waiting to hear what this sec…

Had the same feeling. This had all the hallmarks of vaporware for me - something was introduced in a TED talk (that's a personal turn off). No clear definition or description. Then the fashion show, and for what? Building "buzz"? About what? Then I started hearing some chatter about it but still no info on what it is. I felt like someone wanted me to get excited about it but provided no value whatsoever.

Now, this thing's introduced and what? The laser interface seems clunky, no idea how it holds up on a bright day outside. Most of the interactions are done by voice which, at least for me, have never been satisfactory on way more powerful and polished devices. Then there's the privacy - I'm assuming that for this thing to work I need to give it access to everything. How long has this company been operating and battle testing its security? How good or bad its track record is with regard to selling my data? And yes, I know that my smartphone already knows everything about me. But those things are built by either Apple or Google which at least have some track record and I know what I can expect from them, more or less.

I still don't understand what am I getting here? What's the revolutionary, exciting thing? The AI? The lasers? The voice interface? The always-on-your-person?

If I remove the lasers, add a screen and a OpenAI/whateverLLM interface & integration I get what? An Apple Watch (or Google or whatever) that's 1-2 years out probably.

What's nice however that they're trying things. The laser thing does seem cool.

edit: Commas, sentence structure.

Re: The Humane AI Pin Launches Its Campaign to Replace Phones

#82
post #79
post #77

Communication seems to be a major selling point of the pin going by the demo, but I'm pretty certain it is impossible for it to work with iMessage, WhatsApp etc. in the way that is shown, so I'm wary about the actual advantages.

You can always reply to notifications. Just like non-apple smartwatches allow.

This is a standalone device with its own cellular connection. There is no smartphone involved and no notifications to reply to.

Re: The Humane AI Pin Launches Its Campaign to Replace Phones

#83
post #61

Yay privacy out of the window... AI wants to see and hear everything with access the Internet. Otherwise its hell of an interesting concept! Reminds me of the Robot Assistant in "flubber"

(i'm an investor in the company.) this is probably the most privacy-forward hardware device on the market—you have to physically be making contact with the device for it to begin listening (at which point an LED is prominently visible) and it will stop listening as soon as you break contact.

>it will stop listening as soon as you break contact

..or so they say

Re: The Humane AI Pin Launches Its Campaign to Replace Phones

#84
post #61

Yay privacy out of the window... AI wants to see and hear everything with access the Internet. Otherwise its hell of an interesting concept! Reminds me of the Robot Assistant in "flubber"

(i'm an investor in the company.) this is probably the most privacy-forward hardware device on the market—you have to physically be making contact with the device for it to begin listening (at which point an LED is prominently visible) and it will stop listening as soon as you break contact.

Honestly, I don't think the concern is this particular product or company, even if they can truly adhere to a privacy-first policy. For me the consideration is a slow erosion of privacy from any company or product. For instance: twenty years ago the idea that someone could quickly take a discreet high-quality video with something in their pocket wasn't possible. Smart phones made that possible, then we see things like Google Glass and now these accessory pendant devices will make it even easier. To be clear, I'm not against things like the Humane and Rewind pendants, I'm just curious about how they will impact society, especially considering how quickly we're moving without putting much thought into their impacts.

Re: The Humane AI Pin Launches Its Campaign to Replace Phones

#87

Their demo of AI Q&A in the announcement video (@3:36) is totally wrong. The Pin says the April 2024 total eclipse will be best viewed from Australia and East-Timor... Except the eclipse passes over the US and will be nowhere near Australia. The answer seems to be about a partial eclipse in April 2023. How was that not fact checked???

This is especially embarrassing because their logo is literally an eclipse and it's the name of one of their color options... Seriously??

They're not "color options" they are "colorways", you rube. And it doesn't come in three shades of grey, it comes in "Lunar", "Equinox", and "Eclipse". Those colors are worth easily $100 of the MSRP right there.

Re: The Humane AI Pin Launches Its Campaign to Replace Phones

#88
I can't see this being a hit in any significant way. You will NOT want to use this in public. Why would you want people listening to you dictate, which is the only input option? Why would anyone feel comfortable around you if you were wearing a camera badge?

Re: The Humane AI Pin Launches Its Campaign to Replace Phones

#89
post #64

I just don't get this, or any other "VUI"/voice-centric platform for that matter. The killer feature of the smartphone or watch isn't that it's the most convenient (which it is), it's that whatever you want to do on it is at least somewhat private. I don't want the guy next to me on the train to know I'm messaging Andrew, and he doesn't want to hear me message Andrew either. Asking me to speak out loud these commands…

I wonder where this dislike of talking to computers in public is coming from?

People often discuss private topics on a train, and don't care that others might be listening.

People talk loudly on the phone when in public. Some even talk on speaker phone.

But noone ever talks to Siri or Google or Alexa in public.

Why is that?

Re: The Humane AI Pin Launches Its Campaign to Replace Phones

#90
post #85

Is an apple watch already solving this, already has my phone number on a cellular plan, can easily text and call, has Siri (not the best, but can be improved), could use a ChatGPT app, can leave my phone at home, etc?

I think they're playing with the form factor. Your watch is, in a way, more obtrusive to use. Their gadget can record the conversation, take photos, take dictation hands-off and is also closer to your head.
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