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Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)
21–30 of 405 posts
Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)
#22I was recently trying to figure out whether the microphone is usable when using my notebook in clamshell-mode. Turns out Apple added a privacy/safety feature to all Apple silicon-based Mac notebooks and Intel-based Mac notebooks with the Apple T2 Security Chip. It will hardware disconnect the microphone when the lid is closed, based on the lid sensors. Pretty cool safety feature!! Even though I'm sad I can't use my m…
The correct solution would be to have a hardware kill switch for the microphone (and camera). This is exactly what Purism laptops offer.
No, that's not the "correct solution". It's another valid solution, with a different set of costs and benefits.
Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)
#23I was recently trying to figure out whether the microphone is usable when using my notebook in clamshell-mode. Turns out Apple added a privacy/safety feature to all Apple silicon-based Mac notebooks and Intel-based Mac notebooks with the Apple T2 Security Chip. It will hardware disconnect the microphone when the lid is closed, based on the lid sensors. Pretty cool safety feature!! Even though I'm sad I can't use my m…
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Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)
#24I wish Apple would think about MacBook screens when the lid is closed. Too many times I've had to wipe clean the display after opening because the keys leave shapes on the monitor.
Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)
#25I was recently trying to figure out whether the microphone is usable when using my notebook in clamshell-mode. Turns out Apple added a privacy/safety feature to all Apple silicon-based Mac notebooks and Intel-based Mac notebooks with the Apple T2 Security Chip. It will hardware disconnect the microphone when the lid is closed, based on the lid sensors. Pretty cool safety feature!! Even though I'm sad I can't use my m…
The correct solution would be to have a hardware kill switch for the microphone (and camera). This is exactly what Purism laptops offer.
I'd rather have an LED on the same circuit as the microphone. If it's live, it has to send current through it. Easy to observe.
Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)
#26On the topic of closing and opening your MacBook, has anyone else had an issue where with an M1 any time they open it from sleep the cursor moves at like 20hz until you close it and open it again? It’s been driving me mad and I can’t find anything about it online.
I had an issue that drove me mad where if the battery went to 0% (and macOS went into hibernate), I would then plug it back in and the mouse cursor would be quite... jittery. Almost to the point of unusable at the worst of it. macOS 13.1? appears to have solved this problem. Better late than never.
Same here
Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)
#27I was recently trying to figure out whether the microphone is usable when using my notebook in clamshell-mode. Turns out Apple added a privacy/safety feature to all Apple silicon-based Mac notebooks and Intel-based Mac notebooks with the Apple T2 Security Chip. It will hardware disconnect the microphone when the lid is closed, based on the lid sensors. Pretty cool safety feature!! Even though I'm sad I can't use my m…
The microphone is located inside the left speaker grille anyways, so it would be terribly muffled in clamshell mode anyways.
Note this is in contrast to previous models where the microphone had a tiny hole on the left edge (next to USB-C ports) and it could be used in clamshell mode.
Which at first I thought felt like a downgrade... but the reality is that your laptop isn't usually in a good position for mic pickup when it's closed anyways -- people often keep it off to the side or something, under a monitor riser, etc. While the speaker grille location, being front-facing rather than side-facing, is far better for picking up voice when using the laptop normally. And that anybody using a mic in clamshell mode usually already has one in their webcam or AirPods or headset or a dedicated mic anyways.
So all in all it seems to work out pretty well.
Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)
#28Earlier quoted context omitted.
The correct solution would be to have a hardware kill switch for the microphone (and camera). This is exactly what Purism laptops offer.
A cool feature on laptops would be a jumper you could physically disconnect, and a tiny window (on say, the bottom of the laptop) to verify it hasn't been reconnected.
If you need a window on the case of your laptop to verify that your hardware hasn't been tampered with, you've got bigger problems.
Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)
#29I wish Apple would think about MacBook screens when the lid is closed. Too many times I've had to wipe clean the display after opening because the keys leave shapes on the monitor.
wash your hands
Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)
#30On the topic of closing and opening your MacBook, has anyone else had an issue where with an M1 any time they open it from sleep the cursor moves at like 20hz until you close it and open it again? It’s been driving me mad and I can’t find anything about it online.
Holy crap, same! I had the issue on my M1 MBP and now am having the same issue with my M2 MBA. Please anyone help if they know how to fix it.