I tried out OpenAI's new AI keypad - which will be fun for some coders and slightly mystifying to everyone else
OpenAI's fancy new AI keypad will be a lot of fun for some, while many others are probably not going to touch it. OpenAI launched its first piece of hardware last week - a fancy little keypad built to pair with ChatGPT. Micro, which was developed in collaboration with specialty keyboard designer Work Louder, is essentially an artisanal workplace novelty that many tech enthusiasts will love and that may leave everyone else a little puzzled.
Key Takeaways
- OpenAI's entrance into the hardware market hasn't arrived without drama.
Several weeks ago, Apple sued the AI lab and accused it of trade theft - kicking off what's certain to be a long-simmering legal battle.
- The other thing you might notice (and I am not the only one to point this out) , is that the packaging - an immaculate white box with a sleek, clean aesthetic - is pretty Apple-coded.
The keypad's layout involves six frosted "agent" keys at the top of the pad, which can be customized to carry out specific tasks within ChatGPT or its agentic coding tool Codex.
- You can customize your Micro keypad within ChatGPT itself, where a Micro tab allows you to adjust everything from the brightness of the light from the keys to the specific commands and projects you want tied to those keys.
Hard-core coders - the device's actual target audience - haven't exactly embraced it.
- Once I figured out how to program the keypad to my liking, I found it was actually pretty fun.
You can assign various ChatGPT sessions to specific keys, which then allows you to easily toggle back and forth between all of your various projects.
- The big question is whether the Micro keypad is functionally easier to use than just continuing to work on your laptop.
OpenAI's entrance into the hardware market hasn't arrived without drama. Several weeks ago, Apple sued the AI lab and accused it of trade theft - kicking off what's certain to be a long-simmering legal battle. Meanwhile, news of another smart home product in development at OpenAI has also raised eyebrows, as the supposed device - which is being built to pair with ChatGPT - was reportedly developed by former Apple engineers.
Until the legal battle works itself out and OpenAI's broader hardware ambitions materialize, the most the startup has to offer is Micro - a funky little keypad clearly engineered to delight the tech industry's code monkeys. OpenAI sent TechCrunch a Micro test unit. The first big thing you notice when initially handling the keypad is that it's a sturdy little device - enough so that if the AI accessory thing doesn't end up working out, it could easily double as a paperweight.
The other thing you might notice (and I am not the only one to point this out) , is that the packaging - an immaculate white box with a sleek, clean aesthetic - is pretty Apple-coded. The keypad's layout involves six frosted "agent" keys at the top of the pad, which can be customized to carry out specific tasks within ChatGPT or its agentic coding tool Codex. Below them are six command keys, which can be used to control those programs.
For more details please read the original article at TechCrunch AI.
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