Current Events > Humane's new "AI Pin" seeks to replace smartphones

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/8/23953022/humane-ai-pin-price-specs-leak

Humane has been teasing its first device, the AI Pin, for most of this year. Its scheduled to launch the Pin on Thursday, but The Verge has obtained documents detailing practically everything about the device ahead of its official launch.

What they show is that Humane, the company noisily promoting a world after smartphones, is about to launch what amounts to a $699 wearable smartphone without a screen that has a $24-a-month subscription fee and runs on a Humane-branded version of T-Mobiles network with access to AI models from Microsoft and OpenAI.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/b/b8e9f3ab.jpg

The Pin itself is a square device that magnetically clips to your clothes or other surfaces. The clip is more than just a magnet, though; its also a battery pack, which means you can swap in new batteries throughout the day to keep the Pin running. We dont know how long a single battery lasts, but the device ships with two battery boosters.

Its powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and uses a camera, depth, and motion sensors to track and record its surroundings. It has a built-in speaker, which Humane calls a personic speaker, and can connect to Bluetooth headphones.

Since theres no screen, Humane has come up with new ways to interact with the Pin. Its primarily meant to be a voice-based device, but theres also that green laser projector weve seen in demos, which can project information onto your hand. You can also hold objects up to the camera and interact with the Pin through gestures, as theres a touchpad somewhere on the device.

The Pin isnt always recording or even listening for a wake word, instead requiring you to manually activate it in some way. It has a Trust Light, which blinks on whenever the Pin is recording.

The documents show that Humane wants the Pin to be considered a fully standalone device, rather than an accessory to your smartphone. $699 gets you the Pin, a charger, and those two battery boosters. But the real story is that it costs $24 per month for a Humane Subscription, which includes a phone number and cell data on Humanes own branded wireless service that runs on T-Mobiles network, cloud storage for photos and videos, and the ability to make unlimited queries of AI models, although were not sure which ones specifically.

Humane didnt respond to a request for comment.

The Pins operating system is called Cosmos, and rather than operate as a collection of apps, Humane seems to be imagining a more seamless system that can call up various AIs and other tools as you need them. It sounds a bit like ChatGPTs plugins system, through which you can attach new features or data to your chatbot experience which tracks with reports that the Pin would be powered by GPT-4.

The documents weve seen say the Pin can write messages that sound like you, and theres a feature that will summarize your email inbox for you. The Pin can also translate languages and identify food to provide nutritional information. There is support for Tidal music streaming, which involves an AI DJ that picks music for you based on your current context. It will also offer AI-centric photography features, but its not clear what that means.

Humane clearly intends the Pin to be a self-contained and simple wearable, but there is a way to manage the device: a tool called Humane.center, which is where youre meant to set up and customize your device before you start wearing it. Its unclear whether this is a website or a phone app, but its how you access the notes, videos, and photos you collect while youre wearing the Pin.

Humane is set to announce the device officially tomorrow, at which point we might get more answers about when the Pin will ship, how well it will work, and whether theres really a case to be made for a smartphone without a screen.

Huh. Neat.

I dont think I really get it. Maybe after they show it off. But without a visual display, it can't fully replace a smart phone. I can't watch videos on it

Zikten posted...

I dont think I really get it. Maybe after they show it off. But without a visual display, it can't fully replace a smart phone. I can't watch videos on it

It projects them.

I don't see this going anywhere.

brestugo posted...

$699 wearable smartphone without a screen that has a $24-a-month subscription fee and runs on a Humane-branded version of T-Mobiles network with access to AI models from Microsoft and OpenAI.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/31ee620c.jpg

I could see this being really cool in the future, but as is it doesn't sound great. Having to swap batteries during the day would be a pain and projecting images onto your hand doesn't sound like a suitable replacement for a screen.

brestugo posted...

It projects them.

Then it's an absolute no. It's already obnoxious when people don't wear headphones in public, now they're meant to be projecting video too?

With pricing like that it should offer something competitive to smartphones, but I fail to see it.

A projector instead of a screen is a massive downgrade. Same for voice control without typing.
..or photography without being able to see a preview of what you're shooting.

Vague claims about its AI capabilities sound more like buzzword marketing.

The tech does sound intriguing. If it gains any traction, I'm sure we'll see third party competitors that make similar devices, without the $24 sub, which connect to our phones and function similarly to smart watches.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/d/d1dffed2.jpg

What I want is tech that projects a display in rhe air in front of you that only you can see or hear. It would be synced with your brain. So you could be watching a video but people around you would just see you staring at nothing

And you could tap at the display too and it would act like a touch screen. But people just see you poking the air

So the ai describes the porn to me, with words? Sounds too much like reading no thanks

Zikten posted...

What I want is tech that projects a display in rhe air in front of you that only you can see or hear. It would be synced with your brain. So you could be watching a video but people around you would just see you staring at nothing

And you could tap at the display too and it would act like a touch screen. But people just see you poking the air

That would be something. Not sure how they could pull that off though.

I do think success or failure for this thing is riding on how user friendly and intuitive this "projection" part is.

brestugo posted...

That would be something. Not sure how they could pull that off though.

It's definitely not possible with current technology. But I believe it will be possible eventually. Like probably before the end of this century

Zikten posted...

It's definitely not possible with current technology. But I believe it will be possible eventually. Like probably before the end of this century

Remember in the first Star Wars, they were playing/watching some game on the Millenium Falcon? Doesn't sound so farfetched now.

Sounds useless, tbh. Just give me a phone.

brestugo posted...

It projects them.

Like the Virtual Boy?

Phoro posted...

The tech does sound intriguing. If it gains any traction, I'm sure we'll see third party competitors that make similar devices, without the $24 sub, which connect to our phones and function similarly to smart watches.

Yeah, in 20 years, this is probably going to look just like those brick-like early cellphones do now compared to today's capabilities.

Sounds like something that would work well with XR-enabled glasses.

a smartphone without a screen seems dumb

Nah I'm good.

pegusus123456 posted...

Then it's an absolute no. It's already obnoxious when people don't wear headphones in public, now they're meant to be projecting video too?

It's a green laser so maybe only meant to project text. A full color projector would be very hot and not last long on those tiny batteries.

Zikten posted...

What I want is tech that projects a display in rhe air in front of you that only you can see or hear. It would be synced with your brain. So you could be watching a video but people around you would just see you staring at nothing

And you could tap at the display too and it would act like a touch screen. But people just see you poking the air

Huh, the kid's wired with nano machines.

Hornezz posted...

With pricing like that it should offer something competitive to smartphones, but I fail to see it.

A projector instead of a screen is a massive downgrade. Same for voice control without typing.
..or photography without being able to see a preview of what you're shooting.

Vague claims about its AI capabilities sound more like buzzword marketing.

Those first reviews will be interesting.

Zikten posted...

What I want is tech that projects a display in rhe air in front of you that only you can see or hear. It would be synced with your brain. So you could be watching a video but people around you would just see you staring at nothing

And you could tap at the display too and it would act like a touch screen. But people just see you poking the air

So basically, a VR headset?

Sounds interesting, but I don't think we're ready for this type of replacement yet, nor do I really think the tech is there.

Screen less phones likely won't catch on until we've either mastered 3d hologram tech, or everyone is wearing ar glasses.

They tried phones with projectors like 10+ years ago. No one bought them

Id rather just have AR glasses. Its cool they are trying something different though

so you pay $24 a month to have an a.i. scrap everything about you and sell it include your voice likeness

lol

brestugo posted...

But the real story is that it costs $24 per month

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/36819663.jpg