Anyone who has ever frantically fumbled for the mute button during a Zoom call knows the pain of keyboard shortcuts that change with every app. Project Mirage's Dune, a three-key aluminum keypad the size of a stick of gum, promises to end that chaos by plugging into your MacBook's USB-C port and offering customizable physical buttons. At $119 (soon $149), the gadget changes context based on your active app: in meetings, it toggles mic, video, and brings the window forward; in Excel, it handles copy, paste, and undo; in Chrome, it refreshes, jumps to the URL bar, and pastes. Developers can even use it with VS Code or GitHub for merge, approve, or close pull requests. The device is built to match your specific Mac model (M2 Air or later, M1 Pro or later, macOS 15 Sequoia+) so it sits flush with no gap. It draws power from the laptop, so no battery or charger needed.

But here's the catch: the keys are a little too eager. The reviewer accidentally unmuted themselves or killed their camera just by brushing the device while reaching for a coffee mug. It's a minor annoyance for a device that otherwise feels nice, if a bit resistant. The companion app lets you configure shortcuts per app or system-wide, syncs with your calendar to remind you of meetings, and even lets you write Python scripts for deeper customization. If coding isn't your thing, Dune integrates with Claude Desktop: just describe the shortcut in plain language, and Claude writes the script. The reviewer built a shortcut that pulls up a company brief from its website - handy for investors - and another that converts images to JPEG. Both were easy but required some back-and-forth debugging with Claude.

The app includes a marketplace for skills made by other users, though currently it's sparse and you can't preview a skill before assigning it to hardware. Project Mirage needs to add more suggested skills. Compared to rivals like MuteMe (mute only) or Stream Deck (business macros), Dune offers easier customization on both hardware and software - assuming you don't mind the accidental unmuting.