A user configurable "hardware" privacy switch is a contradiction in itself. If it can be controlled by software it can't do what the marketing claims 🤦
Otherwise, Mediatek soc... likely riddled by binary blob drivers and bad mainline kernel support, but lets see.
A user configurable “hardware” privacy switch is a contradiction in itself. If it can be controlled by software it can’t do what the marketing claims 🤦
One reason to have hardware switches is because the manufacturer doesn't want malware that has compromised the OS to be able to bypass it, and from this standpoint --- which is a very legitimate position --- then that's very much a real objection.
But another reason is because people don't want to rely on using an app on a touchscreen, but to have a convenient way to twiddle the thing without dicking around with the touchscreen, similar to why people complain about some modern cars lacking physical controls. Lets you flip it off in your pocket or whatnot. From that standpoint, it might be a reasonable design. That is, there it isn't "I'm worried about the OS being compromised", but "I just want a convenient way to kill access to software running at an application level to various sources of data".
I do think that it's important to make sure that consumers are not misled as to what guarantees the physical switch provides, though.
I agree that the limitations should be stated more clearly, but even a software configurable switch is desirable. In some apps, the button to turn on the camera is a bit too easy to accidently press for my liking. If someone calls and I'm in my pj's I don't want to accidently enable video.
Maybe. From what I've seen the UI looks pretty good and they advertise good Android app integration. The previous Jolla phone is very old and officially supported Sony phones are a mixed bag according to the forums. This could at least focus efforts again on a modern platform
Unfortunately for me my banking/financial apps are app only, no website (or very limited).
I don't use nfc payments either, but payment approvals come through the app.
12 Comments
panda_abyss@lemmy.ca · 20 pts · 252d
I want this shipped to Canada.
I want it entire government to transition to (a variant of) these things
Holy shit yes.
poVoq@slrpnk.net · 16 pts · 252d
A user configurable "hardware" privacy switch is a contradiction in itself. If it can be controlled by software it can't do what the marketing claims 🤦
Otherwise, Mediatek soc... likely riddled by binary blob drivers and bad mainline kernel support, but lets see.
tal@lemmy.today · 15 pts · 252d
One reason to have hardware switches is because the manufacturer doesn't want malware that has compromised the OS to be able to bypass it, and from this standpoint --- which is a very legitimate position --- then that's very much a real objection.
But another reason is because people don't want to rely on using an app on a touchscreen, but to have a convenient way to twiddle the thing without dicking around with the touchscreen, similar to why people complain about some modern cars lacking physical controls. Lets you flip it off in your pocket or whatnot. From that standpoint, it might be a reasonable design. That is, there it isn't "I'm worried about the OS being compromised", but "I just want a convenient way to kill access to software running at an application level to various sources of data".
I do think that it's important to make sure that consumers are not misled as to what guarantees the physical switch provides, though.
the_q@lemmy.zip · 7 pts · 252d
poVoq@slrpnk.net · 6 pts · 252d
False advertisement is never ok.
Fermion@mander.xyz · 4 pts · 252d
I agree that the limitations should be stated more clearly, but even a software configurable switch is desirable. In some apps, the button to turn on the camera is a bit too easy to accidently press for my liking. If someone calls and I'm in my pj's I don't want to accidently enable video.
prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 9 pts · 252d
Are these things any good?
exu@feditown.com · 8 pts · 252d
Maybe. From what I've seen the UI looks pretty good and they advertise good Android app integration. The previous Jolla phone is very old and officially supported Sony phones are a mixed bag according to the forums. This could at least focus efforts again on a modern platform
Hello_there@fedia.io · 3 pts · 252d
So when does it get steam and proton?
ChuckTheMonkey@fedia.io · 3 pts · 252d
And we'll get to play Skyrim on it
Im_old@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 252d
I need to find out if banking app (that requires google security attestation) work with this.
MagillaGorilla@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 252d
How would it work with Web-interfaces? Can we open a banking website and transact in that, if we ignore NFC payments?
Im_old@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 252d
Unfortunately for me my banking/financial apps are app only, no website (or very limited). I don't use nfc payments either, but payment approvals come through the app.