Apart from those directly involved with its development, I doubt anyone is cheering for this device as enthusiastically as I am. My fascination with technology can be traced back to the futuristic gadgets showcased in Star Trek. From the iconic flip-top communicators to the sleek badges worn on our clothes, and now to the concept of fully functional mobile computers with holographic displays, the promise of a tech-driven future has always captivated me.
Enter the Humane AI pin—a modern interpretation of Star Trek’s tricomm badge, tailored for 2024. It’s marketed as a smartphone designed to free us from the grip of constant screen usage, offering a wearable computing solution that fosters connectivity without creating a digital barrier between us and the world around us. It’s a bold idea grounded in practicality, but its launch comes at a time when skepticism towards artificial intelligence is on the rise. Moreover, the trend away from subscription-based gadgets presents another obstacle. Yet, perhaps most importantly, the device simply doesn’t offer enough in terms of functionality.
But the AI pin’s most compelling feature lies in its hardware. Humane has clearly poured a lot of thought into creating a device meant to be worn daily. It’s impressively lightweight at just 34 grams, and it offers magnetic backing options for easy attachment to your shirt. You don’t necessarily need one of those fancy Star Trek jackets from Volante Design, but hey, it adds to the experience! The magnetic backs come in different styles, including a simple latch, a sturdy clip, and the incredibly handy booster. This booster acts as a self-contained battery, discreetly charging the pin through your shirt while attached. Plus, when you buy the complete package, you get two boosters and an egg-shaped charge case for topping up on the go.
Thinking back to my experiences with the Samsung A500 two decades ago, getting multiple batteries with a phone wasn’t always a good sign. And let’s address one of the pin’s downsides upfront: battery life isn’t exactly impressive. However, the Perpetual Power System is a stroke of genius in tackling the challenge of powering such a tiny device. And the fact that all of this is included at no extra cost certainly softens the blow of the $6.99 price tag. As for the pin itself, it’s made of aluminum with either a polished or anodized bezel, depending on your color preference. The touchpad, crafted from Gorilla Glass Victus, has a satin finish and offers IPX4 rain resistance. Just a heads-up: while it’s great at repelling rain, it won’t fare well against splashes from soup dumplings or oil, so handle it with care.
Tucked neatly inside its small frame are all the usual elements you’d find in a smartphone. There’s a tiny battery, a Snapdragon 720G chip running the show, speakers, microphones, and a 4G LTE radio. Plus, it’s got Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, and an accelerometer for good measure. On top of the pin, there’s a larger visor housing the optical array, featuring a wide-angle camera, depth sensor, and a laser projector that acts as the pin’s main display. But it’s not just about functionality—the pin also sports LEDs: a small one in the corner to indicate its activity, and a trust light on the front, showing that Humane takes trust seriously. Unlike other smart gadgets, the pin doesn’t listen in all the time. You’ve got to press and hold the touchpad to start a conversation. And while you’re talking, the trust light glows orange. Let go, and both the microphone and light switch off. When you snap a photo or take a 15-second video with a double tap, the trust light turns green. In today’s world, where privacy is a big concern, Humane’s cautious approach is a relief. And even if you wanted to snoop, the pin’s limitations mean it’s just not possible. As for its inability to record audio notes, the AI pin’s response always seems a bit melancholic, adding a quirky touch to its personality.
Alright, let’s talk about the laser first. But hey, before diving into that, I gotta say, I’m loving this whole concept. You tap the pin to wake it up, stick your hand out, and boom! Your hand turns into a mini home screen. Move your hand around, and it’s like you’ve got this little cursor following you. Clicking is as simple as tapping your fingers. The home screen gives you the basics like time, date, weather, notifications, and what’s around you. But here’s the kicker: give your hand a little shake, and bam! You’ve got access to more apps like phone, messages, camera, music, and settings.
To go back, just clench your fist, and to turn it off, you either drop your hand or wait for the pin to cool down, which it does quite often, unfortunately. See, projecting a 720p image onto your palm with a Class 2 laser sucks up a ton of power, so you only get about 6 to 9 minutes of projection time each time. And what’s really annoying? The laser’s brightness. It looks crazy bright in some shots, but step outside, and poof! It’s like it disappears into thin air, making it useless.
And let me tell you, that’s a real downer when you need it, like when you’re trying to unlock the pin after taking it off your shirt. It’s smart though, ’cause it stops anyone from swiping it and getting into your stuff. But here’s the kicker: the only way to punch in your unlock code is with the laser. Picture this: you’re out at a table, and you gotta excuse yourself to find some shade just to unlock your $700 AI pin. Talk about peak Silicon Valley vibes. Trust me, it’s a headache you don’t want to deal with.
It’s not all that surprising that the laser has its limitations. Humane’s vision isn’t centered around constant laser use anyway. They’re more about providing an alternative to screens, encouraging us to engage more with the world around us. The primary way to interact with the pin is through voice commands, and it’s pretty well-executed. Call quality is clear, akin to using the speakerphone on a Galaxy Flip 5. Plus, the $24 monthly cellular plan, courtesy of Humane through T-Mobile, covers unlimited calls and texts necessary for using the pin. Admittedly, it’s not loud enough for bustling environments or private enough for sensitive conversations in public, but Bluetooth connectivity offers some flexibility. Pairing with Nothing Ear 2 buds, for instance, lets you keep your calls and playlists to yourself. Even without buds, the AI pin is handy for streamlining tasks.
When news of a rare earthquake hitting New York City came in, the pin quickly provided details—a magnitude 4.8 quake with the epicenter west of Manhattan. After experiencing such an event, it’s only natural to call your mom, right? Talking to her while doing laundry, all without needing to hold a phone or wear earbuds, was a convenience. Unfortunately, the pin did have its downside—it overheated after just half an hour of use.
Your pin needs to cool off for a bit. Bye, Mom.
Actually, this call has been interrupted a few times already. The pin seems to have worse reception than my phones; it drops calls in my kitchen where my phones don’t. But I’m setting aside the worry. Lead? No, not lead. What rhymes? Dread. Yeah, dread.
Dread.
Words that rhyme with lead: dead, dread, med, and am.
But I’m setting aside the dread. It’s not just the heating issues, which Humane says they’re fixing, or the battery problems that led to them sending me replacement samples for the boosters. The most frustrating thing about the pin is what’s supposed to be its main selling point: AI. It uses a mix of language models, including OpenAI, Microsoft, WOLF from Alpha, to answer questions and do tasks seamlessly. But my experience falls short. The closest I’ve come to its promise is asking it for cat facts while playing with my cats. Or throwing random questions at it without worrying about exact phrasing like you do with Google. “Translate the title of this book.”
“The title translates to ‘In Quarantine’.”
All your interactions, from questions to photos, are stored at humane.center, a handy hub for managing your pin. It’s a cool feature, but not without issues. Sometimes the pin surprises me with correct answers, like ferry schedules, but often it misses the mark. The ferry time it gave was wrong, causing me to miss it. And forget relying on it for eclipse timing; it was off by over an hour. This is the problem with AI, isn’t it? For every cool thing it does, it messes up five others. “Your AI pin cannot redial without recipient information. To redial, specify the last call made or the recipient’s number.”
And if that’s not enough to drive your blood pressure up, texting with this thing is a nightmare. “Reply to Jeremy Liser.”
Multiple matching contacts found. Which one do you mean? Mobile.
It’s the same thread. Jeremy Lister, mobile. Sending the message.
Even receiving texts is a pain. “Read David Kogan’s message.”
David Kogan said, “I refuse to talk through the device.”
I hardly have enough time to recount all the issues I encountered trying to text via voice. Not only am I advising against it, but I’ve also confirmed similar problems with other reviewers. I even reached out to the company for their input as I was finalizing this video. I’ll include their response in the comments.
Regarding time constraints, I haven’t even touched upon the camera yet. Let me share some samples while I wrap things up.
The idea behind the AI pin is to seamlessly integrate smartphone functionality in a less intrusive manner, allowing us to stay engaged in our real lives. When you consider the ambitious nature of this mission, Humane’s incorporation of imagery from the real-life Space Program into its branding makes perfect sense. This product is akin to a moonshot—it’s not merely an app or accessory for your phone because those concepts aren’t grand enough for a team as ambitious as this one. Despite the bugs, the boldness shines through. Asking the pin to summarize my messages is a remarkable time-saver, surpassing the virtual assistant capabilities of Apple, Google, or Amazon. I eagerly await features like calendar integration.
However, at launch, there’s no support for calendars, reminders, timers, health tracking, turn-by-turn directions, or music providers other than Tidal. Not to mention, there’s no alarm clock functionality either. These features are promised to come soon, along with camera optimizations and battery improvements. After a week with my AI pin review unit, I understand why multiple batteries are included—I needed every single one to last through the day. Even my charging case was depleted by day’s end. Additionally, if the pin’s battery dies, it takes up to 20 minutes to power back up.
It’s puzzling why Humane chose to launch the pin in its current state, but the answer likely boils down to necessity. Review devices should be ready for evaluation upon receipt—a principle I always adhere to. Consequently, I can’t recommend the AI pin in its current form, but I’ll continue to cover its progress. I purchased a long-term retail sample to replace the review unit, underscoring my commitment to its development. Despite its shortcomings, the $24 per month subscription, offering unlimited LLN queries, voice, text, and data, isn’t a bad deal.
Furthermore, I’m eager to see how close Humane can get to its goal of replacing the smartphone. While I’m convinced people aren’t eager to be rescued from their phones, I believe the stagnancy in the smartphone market presents an opportunity for new, deserving ideas. While the AI pin falls short for me currently, I have faith in the team behind it.
Ultimately, being part of this journey into the future, witnessing missions like this unfold, and sharing them with you is why I’m in this field. This video reflects my experience with an AI pin review sample provided by Humane over ten days. The company didn’t compensate me for this coverage, and I never grant manufacturers control over my content. Stay tuned for my upcoming coverage on the Rabbit R1 in the AI space, and I’ll resume my foldable and vintage phone videos once this wave of gadgetry recedes. Until then, from Michael Fisher, Captain Two Phones on Threads, thanks for watching, and stay mobile, my friends.