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Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

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Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#251

Post by shortcake27 »

wyager wrote: post #223
tagyro wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is actually meant to keep the connection to a Bluetooth keyboard/mouse when using the computer in clamshell mode.

They don't let me use an HDMI display without external power while closed, so why let me use bluetooth without power?

The opposite is also true. You can’t officially use a Macbook in clamshell mode (eg, as a headless media server) even when connected to power. When you close the lid without a connected display, the official MacOS behaviour is to put the computer to sleep. You need a third-party tool to prevent it from sleeping.

Yet when my Macbook is asleep in my bag with no peripherals attached, my headphones will connect and wake the Mac.

The left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. It literally makes no sense.

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#252

Post by officeplant »

mgkimsal wrote: post #232
freemanofthewan wrote: post #206

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This "why" has been growing since Steve passed. I have been an Apple user for 20+ years. The experience has been slowly going downhill for the last 5 years. I think they survived on Steve's vision for the first couple of years after his passing. The brains behind Apple are still there, clearly, M1, M2... the vision is missing. The why's you mention seem to be those unpolished pieces Steve would never have allowed the…

This is why I (and many others) I think still have some fond memories of Snow Leopard, marketed as 'bug fix' release. That feels like the last time there was a united push to polish up existing stuff without throwing in 'new' things.

I just remember being glad it was only $29.

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#253

Post by chrisfinazzo »

officeplant wrote: post #248
chrisfinazzo wrote: post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This was one of the first things I disabled with Continuity. As for why, it's not that complicated. 1) It's a distraction. I am also one of those people who turned on "Silence unknown callers" to send everyone I don't know to voicemail. If it's important, you'll get a message there. My phone either lives in my pocket or is on the desk next to me, so it's very unlikely I'd miss something. 2) At least with AirPods, alt…

Idk how you live without silence unknown callers. I get an upwards of 20 spam calls a day interrupting me otherwise while using the phone.

I do use it, not sure how that was unclear.

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#254

Post by kaba0 »

krastanov wrote: post #229
kaba0 wrote: post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can’t they just touch the sensor like 3 times and then make you tell the password?

I think you got this backwards. The 5th amendment means that the state can not force you to share information you have in your head, e.g. you can not be forced to give a password. But the state can force you to give a physical key, harware token, or a biometric read.

Oh yeah, for some reason my brain reversed the logic, thanks! :D

Though certain EU courts can “make you give up” your password, as far as I know. Nonetheless, security is only good when it is used — widely-used biometrics with a potentially stronger password (due to not having to enter it all the times) is statistically safer for the population over everyone having “password1” as a secret. Especially with a good fallback like emergency mode on iphone/apple watch. Afterwards only the password can unlock the device, and it is a single long press of two hardware buttons.

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#255

Post by yamtaddle »

shortcake27 wrote: post #239
yamtaddle wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems like a hard choice between two kinds of behavior that will annoy two different sets of people, and are mutually exclusive.

There used to be a option to disable bluetooth devices waking a Mac. It was removed a couple years ago. I can kind of understand because this would also prevent a keyboard/mouse waking the Mac, which isn’t ideal. I assume a lot of people were turning this setting off then complaining their Mac won’t wake. However, if a Macbook is sleeping and closed with no peripherals attached, I can’t see any use case for waking fr…

Sleeping but plugged into a monitor, while closed, would be one. For other cases, I suspect it's more about making sure the device(s) can be used almost instantly after waking.

Does seem like it'd be nice if the behavior were something you could toggle, though.

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#256

Post by officeplant »

chrisfinazzo wrote: post #253
officeplant wrote: post #248

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Idk how you live without silence unknown callers. I get an upwards of 20 spam calls a day interrupting me otherwise while using the phone.

I do use it, not sure how that was unclear.

Ah sorry, My brain completely fumbled your sentence.

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#257

Post by shortcake27 »

tagyro wrote: post #92
porbelm wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

...and they could make it so it stays on only of there's an external display connected, but then communication could be disabled by the person who stole your laptop. So Find My would not be able to find and more importantly report a location.

> ...and they could make it so it stays on only of there's an external display connected Not always, my monitor goes to sleep and turns off. At this point, macOS should turn Bluetooth off? How would I wake the computer then? I would have to open it. > Find My would not be able to find and more importantly report a location. That might be another reason why Bluetooth stays on. On a laptop, I'd rather have Find My work…

> Not always, my monitor goes to sleep and turns off. At this point, macOS should turn Bluetooth off? How would I wake the computer then? I would have to open it.

So I’m not sure about turning off bluetooth entirely, but waking via bluetooth should be turned off when the laptop is closed without a display attached. There is no use case for waking via bluetooth without a display.

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#258

Post by hoosieree »

samstave wrote: post #66
janniks wrote: post #2

I 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…

>> "Apple silicon-based Mac" What does "silicon-based" - mean? What other computer is not 'silicon-based'? -- Is there a way to mechanize the HW detachment of microphone connections at will while using the machine open? That would be great - if you had a physical switch on the side of machine, which physicall moves the mic wire a mm away from the contact. --- Weird thing - I put tape over my webcam at all times, unle…

Silicon-based, not to be confused with those nice vintage germanium-based Apple products from the '60s.

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#259

Post by O__________O »

CryptoBanker wrote: post #12

This title is slightly confusing. I was thinking that closing my MacBook disables this privacy feature

Title was updated, but for context, prior to editing by HN mods, HN’s title for the post read, “Closing your MacBook hardware disconnects microphone, safety/privacy feature” — was confusing edit made by OP; current title now mirrors title on Apple.

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#260

Post by chrisfinazzo »

officeplant wrote: post #256
chrisfinazzo wrote: post #253

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do use it, not sure how that was unclear.

Ah sorry, My brain completely fumbled your sentence.

No worries,

I had to reread my own sentence to make sure I wasn't being a complete moron.

NOTE TO SELF: COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE

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