OpenAI Micro: the $230 AI Keypad Coders Aren't Rushing to Buy

Last week OpenAI released its first hardware device — the Micro, a small keypad add-on built together with custom-keyboard studio Work Louder. It's essentially a pricey work gadget for enthusiasts: some tech geeks will love it, while everyone else will probably just be puzzled by it.

OpenAI's move into the device market is already dogged by controversy. A few weeks ago Apple sued the lab, accusing it of stealing trade secrets — the start of what promises to be a long fight. At the same time, OpenAI is reportedly also developing a smart home device to pair with ChatGPT, allegedly with former Apple engineers working on it.

What the Micro actually is

TechCrunch reviewer Lucas Ropek got a test unit. By his account the device feels genuinely solid — “if this whole AI-accessory thing doesn't pan out, it'll make a great paperweight.” He also noted that the flawlessly white box bears a suspicious resemblance to Apple's signature aesthetic.

The top face carries six matte “agent” keys, configurable for specific tasks in ChatGPT or the coding tool Codex. Below them sit six command buttons for controlling those programs. The Micro connects over Bluetooth or via USB. A dedicated key handles voice dictation: just hold it down, dictate your task and hit “send.” Everything is configured right inside ChatGPT — from backlight brightness to mapping commands and projects onto the keys.

A cool reception

The target audience — programmers — wasn't impressed. On Reddit the reviews are mostly negative: some called the Micro “a joke, not a real product,” others insisted serious developers wouldn't touch it. The independent outlet Aftermath was even harsher, deeming the $230 price tag unjustified next to cheaper DIY and off-the-shelf alternatives; the headline of their review declared that OpenAI's macropad “seems designed specifically to piss me off.”

Ropek himself, once he'd gotten the hang of programming the keys, admitted that the device is actually pleasant to use: you can assign separate buttons to different ChatGPT sessions and jump quickly between projects, and dictation makes the work more convenient. But the learning curve is steep — you have to memorize the color coding (white — the agent is idle, blue — it's thinking, green — the task is done, red — an error) and which project is pinned to which key.

The central question goes unanswered: is working with the Micro any easier than with a familiar mouse and keyboard? “Why spend a week learning this thing when I already know how to use a computer?” the author sums up, conceding that he rarely uses AI himself and therefore probably isn't in the target audience. That said, for a heavy ChatGPT user willing to part with $230 and fond of vintage clicky buttons, the purchase isn't the worst, he says — the device can even brighten your day a little.

Source: TechCrunch