FnKey – macOS dictation with real-time Deepgram streaming

Summary: FnKey is a Rust-based macOS menu bar app that streams audio to Deepgram Nova-3 for instant transcription. Holding the Fn key activates the mic, and releasing it pastes the transcribed text with no batch delay. It falls back to Groq Whisper if needed and is open source under GPL-3.0.

What it does

FnKey streams audio in real time to Deepgram Nova-3 via WebSocket while the Fn key is held, providing immediate transcription upon release. It uses Groq Whisper as a fallback and activates the mic only during key press for privacy.

Who it's for

Users seeking instant, privacy-focused voice typing on macOS without transcription delays.

Why it matters

It eliminates transcription wait times common in batch-mode dictation tools by streaming audio live for immediate text output.