Not since Magic Leap has a “next-generation” hardware company been so hyped while showing so little. Everyone in the tech world has been freaking out about this new pocket protector thing that wants to “replace your smartphone.” It’s called the “Humane AI Pin.” As far as we can tell, it’s a $700 screenless voice assistant box and, like all smartphone-ish devices released in the last 10 years, it has some AI in it. It’s as if Google Glass had a baby with a pager from the 1990s.
It’s a voice assistant box equipped with a microphone and speaker, requiring a button press for interaction rather than an always-on listening mode. The device also features a camera, intended to be mounted on clothing at chest level, potentially making users appear as if they are consistently pointing a camera at others. Despite claiming to be “screenless,” it incorporates a 720p laser projection system that serves as a monochrome screen, projecting a smartwatch-like UI onto the user’s hand. This UI displays basic elements such as a circular media player or scrolling text and can be interacted with through hand gestures like tapping fingers together. Everyone in the tech
The Humane AI Pin aims to replace smartphones but takes a different approach by eschewing support for apps. Instead, it runs on the Android-based “Cosmos” OS, offering predetermined features and services without the flexibility of third-party apps. The device is limited to the functionalities provided by Humane, and users won’t have the option to install additional apps. For example, music playback is limited to Tidal, a service with a relatively small market share. While logos for Slack, Microsoft, and Google are displayed on Humane’s “Cosmos” page, the extent of third-party functionality remains unclear.