I tried out OpenAI’s new AI keypad — which will be fun for some coders and slightly mystifying to everyone else
I tried out OpenAI’s new AI keypad — which will be fun for some coders and slightly mystifying to everyone else
我试用了 OpenAI 的新款 AI 键盘——这对部分程序员来说很有趣，但对其他人而言却有些令人费解
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. OpenAI 上周发布了其首款硬件产品——一个专为搭配 ChatGPT 使用而设计的精致小键盘。这款名为“Micro”的设备是与专业键盘设计商 Work Louder 合作开发的，本质上是一款极具工匠精神的办公新奇玩意儿，许多科技爱好者会对其爱不释手，但其他人可能会感到有些困惑。
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. OpenAI 进入硬件市场的过程并非一帆风顺。几周前，苹果公司起诉了这家 AI 实验室，指控其窃取商业机密，这无疑开启了一场注定旷日持久的法律战。与此同时，有关 OpenAI 正在开发另一款智能家居产品的消息也引发了关注，据称该设备旨在与 ChatGPT 配套使用，且由前苹果工程师开发。
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. 在法律纠纷解决且 OpenAI 更宏大的硬件愿景实现之前，这家初创公司目前能拿出的产品就是 Micro——一个显然是为了取悦科技行业“码农”而设计的时髦小键盘。OpenAI 向 TechCrunch 发送了一台 Micro 测试机。当你第一次拿到这个键盘时，最直观的感受就是它非常结实——结实到如果这个 AI 配件最终没能派上用场，它完全可以充当一个镇纸。
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. Make of that what you will. 你可能还会注意到（不止我一个人这么说），它的包装——一个洁白无瑕、外观简洁优雅的盒子——非常有“苹果味”。你怎么解读这一点都行。
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. You can pair your Micro with your computer either through a Bluetooth connection or a USB cable. 该键盘的布局在顶部设有六个磨砂质感的“智能体（agent）”按键，可以自定义用于执行 ChatGPT 或其智能编程工具 Codex 内的特定任务。下方是六个命令键，用于控制这些程序。你可以通过蓝牙连接或 USB 线将 Micro 与电脑配对。
Perhaps the most convenient thing Micro offers is a button for voice dictation — meaning you simply tell the app what you want done and it will get busy working on your behalf. Just hold down the dictation button and start talking. When you’re done, tap the “send” button next to it to submit your request. Micro 最方便的功能或许是语音听写按钮——这意味着你只需告诉应用程序你想做什么，它就会开始为你工作。只需按住听写按钮并开始说话，说完后，点击旁边的“发送”按钮即可提交请求。
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. 你可以在 ChatGPT 内部自定义 Micro 键盘，通过 Micro 选项卡，你可以调整从按键灯光亮度到绑定在这些按键上的特定命令和项目等所有设置。
Hard-core coders — the device’s actual target audience — haven’t exactly embraced it. Reviews by Redditors have largely negative, with one Reddit user calling it “a prank and not a real product,” and others saying serious coders won’t touch it. A review by the smaller independent outlet Aftermath was even harsher, calling the $230 price tag hard to justify next to cheaper DIY and off-the-shelf alternatives. (The title of that review: “OpenAI’s expensive macropad feels engineered to piss me off specifically.”) 硬核程序员——该设备的真正目标受众——并没有完全买账。Reddit 用户的评价大多是负面的，有人称其为“一个恶作剧，而不是真正的产品”，还有人表示严肃的程序员根本不会碰它。小型独立媒体 Aftermath 的评论更为严厉，称 230 美元的定价在更便宜的 DIY 和现成替代品面前很难让人接受。（该评论的标题是：“OpenAI 昂贵的宏键盘感觉就是专门为了惹恼我而设计的。”）
It’s definitely the case that new users may need some time to figure out how Micro works and what to do with 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. When you combine that with the dictation button, it makes the whole experience considerably more efficient and enjoyable. 毫无疑问，新用户可能需要一些时间来摸索 Micro 的工作原理及其用途。一旦我弄清楚如何按照自己的喜好对键盘进行编程，我发现它其实挺有趣的。你可以将不同的 ChatGPT 会话分配给特定的按键，从而轻松地在各种项目之间切换。当你将其与听写按钮结合使用时，整个体验会变得更加高效和愉悦。
But there’s still a learning curve. Micro’s buttons are color-coded. White means an agent is idle, blue means it’s thinking, green means a task is complete, and red means there’s been an error. You’ll need to memorize that, along with memorizing which specific projects are coded to each key. 但它仍然存在学习曲线。Micro 的按键采用颜色编码：白色表示智能体处于空闲状态，蓝色表示正在思考，绿色表示任务完成，红色表示出现错误。你需要记住这些颜色含义，同时还要记住每个按键对应哪些具体项目。
The big question is whether the Micro keypad is functionally easier to use than just continuing to work on your laptop. In short: Why would I spend a week learning how to program and operate this thing when I already know how to use my computer’s mouse and keyboard? 最大的问题在于，从功能上讲，Micro 键盘是否比直接使用笔记本电脑更方便？简而言之：既然我已经知道如何使用电脑的鼠标和键盘，为什么还要花一周时间去学习如何编程和操作这个东西呢？
Ultimately, your experience with the Micro will depend heavily on how much you use ChatGPT. Since I don’t use AI much day to day, I’m probably not the target audience for it. That said, if you’re a ChatGPT power user, have $230 to spare, and like vintage-looking hardware with clicky buttons, Micro probably isn’t the worst purchase you could make — it might even brighten your day a little. 归根结底，你对 Micro 的体验很大程度上取决于你使用 ChatGPT 的频率。由于我日常并不怎么使用 AI，我可能不是它的目标受众。话虽如此，如果你是 ChatGPT 的重度用户，手头有 230 美元闲钱，并且喜欢带有清脆按键声的复古外观硬件，那么 Micro 可能并不是一个糟糕的购买选择——它甚至可能会让你的生活增添一丝乐趣。