Does anyone know of a modern #Android phone which allows call recording without root?
I'm currently on an aging 5T running #LineageOS and can record calls just fine - a button in the dialler lets me record straight from the line. I don't need to put it on speaker and record via the microphone.
(Looking for 1st hand experience, not search results. No need to reply to discuss the legality of call recording. I need root-less for online banking etc.)
I've decided to give it a week with Google's default OS before flashing anything fancy.
I set it up without a Google account and it didn't complain. Rummaging around in the settings and most of the defaults are sensible and privacy preserving.
So far, the only slightly annoying things are:
Order of the navigation buttons (but can't be changed on Grapheme either).
Hardcoded launcher info screen - filled with news / YouTube. Can't be removed.
No rear swipe sensor.
The #Pixel8Pro camera app is excellent. So customisable.
The temperature sensor is an absolute joke. I thought it might be FLIR - but it is literally just a single point reading which needs to be 5cm away from a surface. Pointless.
Google software gets increasingly needy once you log in. Basically fine until then.
Google Wallet is still magical. Probably the thing I'll miss the most when I install Grapheme.
They're quite nifty. I haven't tried out the noise cancellation and transparency mode - but audio quality is great. Spatial audio is a nice gimmick.
Tap and swipe controls are accurate and work on both sides.
But, OMG, Big G is desperate for you to use their assistant. I quite like Amazon Echo for home control, but I can't think of a single occasion where I've wanted to speak to my phone.
OK, turns out I did have noise cancellation out - it was drowning out the sound of my laptop fan.
Very effective!
Wonder what it is like in a noisy office?
I decided to play around with #GoogleAssistant.
Voice recognition is excellent.
TTS is terrible - sounds tinny and awful. I played with a few different voices, all crap.
"Hey Google, open YouTube" works,
"Hey Google, open Gmail" gives "Opening emails is not supported on this device." WTF?
"Hey Google, translate into French" works.
But now, if I say "Hey Google, translate into German," it just says "Salut Google, traduis en allemand" and I can't find a way to exit it!
@Edent There is a fair bit of on-device AI processing, though. It takes a noticeable moment from the first preview to the final stored image. The camera lenses and the camera app (625 MB) are amazing.
My #GrapheneOS on #Pixel8Pro going well so far.
Software updated.
Bluetooth paired, headphone controls work.
eSIM installed - but didn't connect. Removed and reinstalled seems to have worked. But had to manually select network.
Regular SIM connected to 5G.
Better try installing my regular apps.
Boring work mode stuff can wait until my holiday is over!
@Edent I don't have a screen here to test with my phone, but I've seen that behaviour when sharing a screen via WiFi. But yeah, probably a stupid proposal anyway since you've obviously tried that...I just remember me not realising that for longer than I am proud of with WiFi and rotation lock on... 😂
@Edent it works a bit differently to turning your phone.
You need to place one hand either side of the external screen, gently raise it slightly from the desk, rotate it a quarter turn, place it gently down on the desk again and let go with both hands.
@accudio
as per that github thread, uninstall you're current version, install the older version.
You have to do through verification again, bit of works.
For now!
@jawnsy
No, we just live in a country which makes it easy to automatically switch banks.
A strong government regulator has meant that retail banking is free, switching is painless, and banks will provide monetary incentives to attract customers.
@Edent at least there is an alternative to switch to another bank
But if you're an immigrant, have just one smartphone, and has to switch to eVisa because Home Office decides to go fully paperless since 2025? "Nah nah, get lost, you're doomed"
@Edent interestingly they provide an open banking API (https://developer.starlingbank.com/) so it might be possible to build your own app without their restrictions. It's missing a few bits of functionality like adding new payees but might do for most things.
My understanding was it depended upon the jurisdiction of where you are at. LineageOS killed the feature for legal reasons. I have an old 1+5T and it no longer works. Nor does it work on an 8T. This is Australia. @Edent
@Edent#SailfishOS (which is Linux + Android compatiblity layer) can record calls out of the box. No experience with online banking apps, but I heard some are working, some aren't.
Add comment