Amid the popularity of Meta’s Muse AI agent app, Mark Zuckerberg has introduced a new dedicated device to assist users with the AI agent, called the Muse Charm. According to the company, this palm-sized gadget gives users a new way to interact with the AI without depending on a smartphone entirely.
What Is Meta Muse Charm?
Zuckerberg unveiled the Muse Charm at the company’s Connect conference. This device has a small OLED touchscreen measuring around 2 inches. The design of this device looks like a modern version of the Tamagotchi digital pets that gained popularity in the 1990s, according to Bloomberg.
Users can talk with a virtual Muse character displayed on the screen. The character can be customised, including its appearance, clothes and voice. Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth described the device as an early experiment rather than a major new product line. He said, “It’s cool, it’s fun, it’s neat, it’s weird, it’s different. There’s nothing like it.” Bosworth also called it “the classic v0”, suggesting that Meta sees this as an early version of a new type of AI device.
The gadget comes with front and rear cameras. These are mainly designed to provide Muse with visual information that can be analysed by the AI. Users can also use the device to capture photos and videos. It has microphones, speakers, music and video playback, a USB-C charging port and a fingerprint sensor. A built-in 5G modem allows users to access Muse even when they are away from Wi-Fi. However, the device does not support traditional phone or video calls.
Reportedly, Zuckerberg said during the presentation that the device would go on sale by December, ahead of the holiday season. Meta has not yet revealed its price. Bosworth said the company is still working out the cost.
The first version is expected to target dedicated Muse users. Meta may develop future versions if people respond positively to the concept. Bosworth stressed that the Charm is not the centre of Meta’s AI hardware strategy. “Obviously, you expect more people to use Muse through their glasses and through their phone than through a dedicated charm device,” he said.
