Summary: Allison Johnson, a seasoned tech reviewer, embarked on a quest to transform spare phones into her own AI wearable after observing the Humane AI Pin’s reception. Despite the Pin’s underwhelming performance, Allison aimed to leverage her collection of phones to craft a DIY AI gadget. Her experiment led to various prototypes, including repurposing a Motorola Razr Plus and utilizing Pixel Buds Pro wireless earbuds in conjunction with a Pixel 8 and Pixel Watch 2.
Key Points:
- Allison’s initial attempts involved attaching a Motorola Razr Plus to her shirt neckline, intending to use the Gemini assistant for hands-free operation. However, usability challenges emerged, such as the difficulty of accessing the voice assistant from the flip phone’s cover screen.
- Despite setbacks, Allison experimented with ChatGPT on the Razr, highlighting the limitations of conversing with an unseen AI chatbot.
- Transitioning to a Pixel 8 and Pixel Watch 2 setup, Allison found success by utilizing Gemini assistant through wireless earbuds, enabling seamless interaction while cooking.
- She emphasizes the practicality of integrating AI functionalities into existing devices like smartphones and wireless earbuds, suggesting they may outperform dedicated AI gadgets.
- Allison questions the viability of standalone AI hardware compared to the convenience and versatility offered by smartphones and accessories like earbuds.
Conclusion: Allison’s journey underscores the potential of repurposing smartphones and accessories for AI-driven tasks, highlighting the efficacy of leveraging existing technology rather than pursuing dedicated AI hardware. Her experience suggests that the future of AI wearables may lie in maximizing the capabilities of smartphones and accessories rather than introducing separate gadgets.
