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> It feels like we need to wait for the underlying technology to advance before we can get to the next set of interesting products. Probably. I think we've hit

> It feels like we need to wait for the underlying technology to advance before we can get to the next set of interesting products. Probably. I think we've hit a plateau with user interfaces for most connected gear. Sticking a physical scroll button on what is essentially a phone buys me nothing but annoyance. Phones just kind of do what we want and have an acceptable enough interface that the alternatives get in our way. The Humane Pin added the laser display but ... nobody wants it? This is starting to feel like sticking a spoiler on a phone and pretending it adds value. Maybe VCs are impressed by this stuff, I don't know. If there were a magic version of this it would have the model and processing onboard. That's obviously extremely cost prohibitive right now, but that's what it's going to take to create a real AI-powered assistant: * I need it to work without network latency. * I need multiple forms of input/output depending on the context. * I don't need Teenage Engineering's usual form-over-function design. I need the form to be out of my way most of the time. It's great that people are experimenting in this space. It's less great that people are getting multiple millions in funding and selling a phone and web service as an "AI device." This will hurt future development.

fennecbutt 2y ago
Because the implementation of the laser display sucks (imo) bc we need better technologies for it. So more waiting. Same thing for ultra wide fov ar glasses, I'd kill for those.
anonymoose33282 2y ago
> It's great that people are experimenting in this space. It's less great that people are getting multiple millions in funding and selling a phone and web service as an "AI device." This is the best two-sentence summary I've seen so far. People tend to forget just how many wacky flip phones and PDA-type devices had to come and go before the touchscreen smartphone as we know it came into being. Which is what these new AI gadgets remind me of. However, the difference I see now versus 20 years ago is that companies today are just trying to get the most cash and deliver the cheapest product (and pocket the difference), rather than stick with their product and reinvest into R&D.
fragmede 2y ago
imo that laser display is awesome and I want one, but it's hobbled by the software. I'd gladly pay $700 if it was open and wasn't locked to their ecosystem.
- brk 2y ago
  Even considering it does not appear to work well in bright settings, and can't map the laser beam to uneven surfaces? Conceptually, the idea could be interesting, but the implementation shown appears that it would not work well in most real life settings.
  - fragmede 2y ago
    Like the first gen Apple watch, or a convertible car. it doesn't work in a lot of scenarios, but for the ones where it does, it absolutely shines. A generation or three later, it'd be better, for sure, but early adopters have to give up some things to be that early. I just don't know why they had to force it to be independent of your smartphone this early in its lifecycle. It's an accessory, like a smartwatch, and sure, a later generation could operate independently, just like there's an LTE Apple watch, but that's not where they are yet.
    - fennecbutt 2y ago
      What brand new/emerging technologies did the 1st gen Apple watch use? Apple mostly waits until a technology is proven, if they try something new they usually bury it. See the failure of "AirPower". Or something like "vision pro" mostly all been done before apart from the weird ass screen that shows people's eyes for some reason that everyone hates and will definitely not appear in v2. Apple is a terrible example of innovation for the most part.
    - brk 2y ago
      I’m not sure it’s even at that stage yet. It’s more like very early proof of concept than limited demand consumer ready product.
wkat4242 2y ago
> Sticking a physical scroll button on what is essentially a phone buys me nothing but annoyance. Strange thing is, it's actually a touchscreen. But the only thing that they let you use it for is the input keyboard. Saw this in a review on YouTube, I don't have one

fennecbutt 2y ago

Because the implementation of the laser display sucks (imo) bc we need better technologies for it. So more waiting. Same thing for ultra wide fov ar glasses, I'd kill for those.

anonymoose33282 2y ago

> It's great that people are experimenting in this space. It's less great that people are getting multiple millions in funding and selling a phone and web service as an "AI device." This is the best two-sentence summary I've seen so far. People tend to forget just how many wacky flip phones and PDA-type devices had to come and go before the touchscreen smartphone as we know it came into being. Which is what these new AI gadgets remind me of. However, the difference I see now versus 20 years ago is that companies today are just trying to get the most cash and deliver the cheapest product (and pocket the difference), rather than stick with their product and reinvest into R&D.

fragmede 2y ago

imo that laser display is awesome and I want one, but it's hobbled by the software. I'd gladly pay $700 if it was open and wasn't locked to their ecosystem.

brk 2y ago
Even considering it does not appear to work well in bright settings, and can't map the laser beam to uneven surfaces? Conceptually, the idea could be interesting, but the implementation shown appears that it would not work well in most real life settings.
- fragmede 2y ago
  Like the first gen Apple watch, or a convertible car. it doesn't work in a lot of scenarios, but for the ones where it does, it absolutely shines. A generation or three later, it'd be better, for sure, but early adopters have to give up some things to be that early. I just don't know why they had to force it to be independent of your smartphone this early in its lifecycle. It's an accessory, like a smartwatch, and sure, a later generation could operate independently, just like there's an LTE Apple watch, but that's not where they are yet.
  - fennecbutt 2y ago
    What brand new/emerging technologies did the 1st gen Apple watch use? Apple mostly waits until a technology is proven, if they try something new they usually bury it. See the failure of "AirPower". Or something like "vision pro" mostly all been done before apart from the weird ass screen that shows people's eyes for some reason that everyone hates and will definitely not appear in v2. Apple is a terrible example of innovation for the most part.
  - brk 2y ago
    I’m not sure it’s even at that stage yet. It’s more like very early proof of concept than limited demand consumer ready product.

wkat4242 2y ago

> Sticking a physical scroll button on what is essentially a phone buys me nothing but annoyance. Strange thing is, it's actually a touchscreen. But the only thing that they let you use it for is the input keyboard. Saw this in a review on YouTube, I don't have one