How much do you hate typing? The advent of large language models has rapidly advanced voice-to-text technology, with tools like Wispr Flow and Google's Pixel smartphones taking the stage. Now, a new startup, Relay, is entering the fray with a dedicated, portable microphone for high-fidelity voice-to-text anywhere.

Founded by Cookie Xu and Raymond Zhu, both former Nothing employees, Relay is building hardware specifically for voice transcription, aiming to solve the issues of volume and privacy that come with using software solutions in the office. Zhu explains: 'In the office, we never really could get the right volume for input. If I whisper too quietly, the Mac wouldn't be able to pick it up; too loud and my coworker next to me can hear.'

The company's software is already available for macOS, with plans to bring it to Windows, iOS, and Android. The desktop version is starting because Zhu believes conversations are most complex there. The software works by pressing the default function key (Fn) while in a text field, which activates the voice-to-text engine powered by Google's Gemini models. It can also perform contextual actions, or 'Skills', like messaging a colleague in Slack.

While the hardware, called the Relay Q, is not yet available, the beta version of the macOS app has some limitations. It can be inconsistent in transcription, sometimes missing punctuation or incorrectly translating sentences. However, it can be customized to follow certain patterns, making messages to your boss more formal and to friends more casual. The hardware is expected to resolve some of these accuracy issues, as it will be closer to your mouth and thus capture your voice more clearly.

The Relay Q is a cylindrical gizmo with a microphone at the end, which you can hold down to trigger Relay on your computer or phone. A double-tap can send the message. This device promises to revolutionize the way we communicate, but only time will tell if it can truly replace the keyboard in our daily lives.