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Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

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Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#71

Post by zamfi »

lovehashbrowns wrote: post #62

They have this feature but closing the lid on a MacBook or even putting it to sleep allows Bluetooth devices to stay connected. Heck, a MacBook even while in sleep mode will connect to Bluetooth devices. As far as I can see, this requires a third-party app to fix. Can an application still use the microphone on a Bluetooth device that’s connected?

Not just Bluetooth but Wi-Fi too. It’s literally on the network while asleep and unplugged. Not 100% of the time, but very often.

Drains the battery fast too.

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#72

Post by lxgr »

lovehashbrowns wrote: post #62

They have this feature but closing the lid on a MacBook or even putting it to sleep allows Bluetooth devices to stay connected. Heck, a MacBook even while in sleep mode will connect to Bluetooth devices. As far as I can see, this requires a third-party app to fix. Can an application still use the microphone on a Bluetooth device that’s connected?

> Can an application still use the microphone on a Bluetooth device that’s connected?

I don't see why not, given that it's also possible to use external wired microphones in clamshell mode.

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#73

Post by supermdguy »

dvirsky wrote: post #67
lovehashbrowns wrote: post #62

They have this feature but closing the lid on a MacBook or even putting it to sleep allows Bluetooth devices to stay connected. Heck, a MacBook even while in sleep mode will connect to Bluetooth devices. As far as I can see, this requires a third-party app to fix. Can an application still use the microphone on a Bluetooth device that’s connected?

This has to be the most annoying thing in MacOS. My laptop, soundly sleeping in my backpack, takes over my bluetooth headphones all the time.

I hate that this isn't configurable by default, but bluesnooze solved this for me: https://github.com/odlp/bluesnooze

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#74

Post by captainkrtek »

lovehashbrowns wrote: post #62

They have this feature but closing the lid on a MacBook or even putting it to sleep allows Bluetooth devices to stay connected. Heck, a MacBook even while in sleep mode will connect to Bluetooth devices. As far as I can see, this requires a third-party app to fix. Can an application still use the microphone on a Bluetooth device that’s connected?

Found this, https://github.com/odlp/bluesnooze/ looks to solve this problem.

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#75

Post by tbarbugli »

dvirsky wrote: post #67
lovehashbrowns wrote: post #62

They have this feature but closing the lid on a MacBook or even putting it to sleep allows Bluetooth devices to stay connected. Heck, a MacBook even while in sleep mode will connect to Bluetooth devices. As far as I can see, this requires a third-party app to fix. Can an application still use the microphone on a Bluetooth device that’s connected?

This has to be the most annoying thing in MacOS. My laptop, soundly sleeping in my backpack, takes over my bluetooth headphones all the time.

I had the same, switching to Airpods “fixed” this problem. I doubt Apple will ever do something about this, bt audio works fine as long as you use iPhone, Macbook and Apple pods

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#76

Post by Ensorceled »

lovehashbrowns wrote: post #62

They have this feature but closing the lid on a MacBook or even putting it to sleep allows Bluetooth devices to stay connected. Heck, a MacBook even while in sleep mode will connect to Bluetooth devices. As far as I can see, this requires a third-party app to fix. Can an application still use the microphone on a Bluetooth device that’s connected?

The best part is that closing the lid seems to put it into a "supershitty Bluetooth" state: I can be listening to music/podcast/audiobook from my phone, which is in my pocket, close the laptop and suddenly start getting "Connection Lost" every 20-30 seconds until I go back to my laptop and turn off bluetooth.

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#77

Post by tagyro »

lovehashbrowns wrote: post #62

They have this feature but closing the lid on a MacBook or even putting it to sleep allows Bluetooth devices to stay connected. Heck, a MacBook even while in sleep mode will connect to Bluetooth devices. As far as I can see, this requires a third-party app to fix. Can an application still use the microphone on a Bluetooth device that’s connected?

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

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#78

Post by causi »

lovehashbrowns wrote: post #62

They have this feature but closing the lid on a MacBook or even putting it to sleep allows Bluetooth devices to stay connected. Heck, a MacBook even while in sleep mode will connect to Bluetooth devices. As far as I can see, this requires a third-party app to fix. Can an application still use the microphone on a Bluetooth device that’s connected?

God I love having a laptop with proper S3 standby.

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#79

Post by philsnow »

crazygringo wrote: post #27
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…

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 w…

> The microphone is located inside the left speaker grille anyways, so it would be terribly muffled in clamshell mode anyways

I don't think the hardware disable is meant as a UX convenience ("let's always disable it in clamshell mode because it sounds terrible"), as that could have just been done in software. It's meant for people privacy-conscious people who want to see a closed laptop and be able to assume it's not recording.

Meanwhile, I'm looking at this throwaway aside in the article:

> (The camera isn’t disconnected in hardware, because its field of view is completely obstructed with the lid closed.)

and thinking to myself that somebody is going to figure out how to record audio given just the "completely obstructed" view of the camera.

There's a long history of attackers reliably detecting logging keys with audio using just inter-keystroke latency and some histograms, or easily figuring out PINs tapped out on a phone screen because the OS doesn't bother putting access to accelerometers or gyroscopes behind an app permission. Attackers get very creative, especially when they're told that something is "impossible".

Re: Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

#80

Post by kube-system »

victor106 wrote: post #38
kube-system wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When it comes to privacy, for the vast majority of users, sane defaults are better than requiring the user to take manual action.

Exactly!!! This might seem like I am an Apple fanboy but I am not, I have plenty issues with Apple products but when it comes to Privacy Apple is the only company amongst the big tech we can trust. Microsoft, Google, Facebook are all anti-privacy and just about using dar patterns to steal users info. It’s disgusting.

I wouldn't leap that far, I'm just talking about the lid switch on a laptop here.
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