Always-on digital assistant for calling contacts?

AlanZ

I found myself in a situation where I need an always-on, voice activated, hands-free digital assistant. I don't require much functionality, just the ability to call contacts by speaking into my bluetooth piece (Hey, Siri type of deal). I found Dicio, but it requires you to touch the phone, so it is pretty useless. Does such a thing exist for GrapheneOS?

Thanks.

AlphaElwedritsch

AlanZ Does such a thing exist for GrapheneOS?

No, it doesn't

AlanZ

Really?
Nothing?

de0u

AlanZ I think that in any given four-hour period of time some fraction of forum members are asleep, or maybe at work... waiting 24 hours would let the planet spin once.

AlanZ

Looks like voice activated assistant that has system wide reach does not (and cannot presumably) exist in GrapheneOS. Unfortunately, this means back to iOS for me. It was nice while it lasted. Really nice.

matchboxbananasynergy

AlanZ I don't really see the purpose of constantly "threatening" to back to iOS, especially due to things we really have no control over. You're free to go at any time! :D

The way things currently work is that regular apps are not allowed to use "hotword detection" such as "Hey Google" etc.

That said, this is potentially changing with Android 15 according to this article:

https://www.androidauthority.com/android-15-voice-activation-3400208/

AlanZ

AlphaElwedritsch
Yeah, I figured... Unfortunately.

zzz

A victim of convenience 😢 sad to hear it
Hope to see you back on GOS another day!

AlanZ

zzz
Not really convenience... Truck driving + driver facing cameras + "Don't touch your phone or be disciplined".
😕
But there are a lot of things about iOS that I missed, I am not gonna lie.

matchboxbananasynergy

zzz I do think that's the wrong approach. "Victim of convenience". Smartphones should be convenient. GrapheneOS makes a ton of effort to improve security and privacy while being usable, compatible, and convenient, and I don't really agree with the attitude that people should have to "suffer" to use GrapheneOS.

It is true that some features that people want and can find elsewhere (i.e. stock Pixel OS or iOS) are not currently available in GrapheneOS for various technical or other reasons, but not having those things isn't a "rite of passage" to "weed out the weak-willed", so to speak. If we could have everything that Pixel OS has securely and privately, why not? That's a goal to work towards, not something to shun people for wanting.

Because 100% parity is unlikely to be possible given the fact that GrapheneOS has to carefully consider the security and privacy implications of implementing different things, people will always have a choice to make, to some degree. To those people, the only thing I can really say is that Pixel OS or iOS doesn't have 100% feature parity with GrapheneOS, either, and they should decide whether they value the features they find on stock or iOS more than those they find on GrapheneOS.

zzz

AlanZ
Ahh ok, my bad.
Really sorry to hear it, that's really scummy of them.
Employer mandated surveillance / bossware is degrading and awful.

For what's it worth, I maintain a work phone with stock in addition to my personal GOS phone for similar reasons.
Although bulky pockets are annoying, I've even come to enjoy the ability to compartmentalize this way. It keeps my GOS phone cleaner, too.
I understand that its not practical for everyone though.

Wishing you the best, I hope your employer rolls back the surveillance someday (change of heart? legislation? union action? 🤔).

zzz

longshots

From AlanZ :

Truck driving + driver facing cameras + "Don't touch your phone or be disciplined".

I assumed this meant an employment situation.
A lot of truck drivers are surveiled by their employers.
https://crackedlabs.org/en/data-work
https://pluralistic.net/2024/08/02/despotism-on-demand/

longshots

zzz Ahh ok, my bad.
Really sorry to hear it, that's really scummy of them.
Employer mandated surveillance / bossware is degrading and awful.

Not sure if he was referring to employer. In all States and Territories of Australia you can only use a mobile phone to make or receive calls while driving if it is in a cradle fixed to the vehicle and doesn't obscure your view of the road or if it can be operated without touching the phone e.g. by Bluetooth or voice activation.

AlanZ

matchboxbananasynergy

I don't really see the purpose of constantly "threatening" to back to iOS, especially due to things we really have no control over. You're free to go at any time! :D

Sorry my musings were perceived that way. In any case, I consider going back to iOS more of a threat to myself ; ). Seriously considering the two phones route.

zzz

matchboxbananasynergy

I don't really agree with the attitude that people should have to "suffer" to use GrapheneOS.

Really appreciate the reminder to avoid privacy masochism and gatekeeping, definitely didn't mean to identify with that attitude. Agreed that it'd be nice if GOS were maximally convenient, and could do voice assistant stuff reasonably privately and securely.

However I would clarify my intent -
It's well established that Apple and Google make design decisions to maximize convenience.
Simultaneously, they also make design decisions to lock users into walled gardens, create barriers for competitors, and push massive amounts of surveillance onto users in the name of profit.

The overarching business model of this duopoly is to take convenience hostage, in order to make money for their shareholders, increase their power, and further entrench their respective monopolies / duopolies.
The bargain to users is -
"Accept my privacy policy, or I'll kick you out of my very convenient walled garden, and you'll be out in the cold"

"Feudal Security" is a relevant term:
https://www.schneier.com/essays/archives/2012/11/when_it_comes_to_sec.html
https://www.wired.com/2012/11/feudal-security/

In the case of this thread specifically, the bargain from Google about their voice assistant is -
"Accept invasive permissions to use my corp's voice assistant, or overcome unreasonably expensive technical hurdles to implement it privately/securely under your control, or be forced to live without my product in a world that expects you to have this product"

Pure convenience on its own is a blessing.
Convenience taken hostage to push a bad business model is very sad.

Because 100% parity is unlikely to be possible given the fact that GrapheneOS has to carefully consider the security and privacy implications of implementing different things, people will always have a choice to make, to some degree. To those people, the only thing I can really say is that Pixel OS or iOS doesn't have 100% feature parity with GrapheneOS, either, and they should decide whether they value the feature they find on stock or iOS more than those they find on GrapheneOS.

100% agree