Microsoft's Controversial 'Recall' Feature is Already Experiencing Some Issues (cnbc.com)
- Reference: 0175534957
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/24/2325257/microsofts-controversial-recall-feature-is-already-experiencing-some-issues
- Source link: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/23/microsofts-recall-photographic-memory-search-has-issues-in-test-build.html
- Recall can be enabled or disabled from "Turn Windows features on or off". We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.
- You must have Secure Boot enabled for Recall to save snapshots.
- Some users experience a delay before snapshots first appear in the timeline while using their device. If snapshots do not appear after 5 minutes, reboot your device. If saving snapshots is enabled, but you see snapshots are no longer being saved, reboot your device.
- Clicking links within Recall to submit feedback may experience a delay in loading the Feedback Hub application. Be patient and it will display.
CNBC adds that according to Microsoft Recall "won't work with some accessibility programs, and if you specify that Recall shouldn't save content from a given website, it might get captured anyway while using the built-in Edge browser..." But [2]those aren't the only issues CNBC noticed :
> - While you might expect that your computer will be recording every last thing you look at once you've turned on Recall, it can go several minutes between making snapshots, leaving gaps in the timeline.
>
> - Recall allows you to prevent screenshots from being made when you're accessing specific apps. But a few apps installed on my Surface Pro are not shown on that list.
>
> - When you enter a search string to find words, results might be incomplete or incorrect. Recall clearly had two screen images that mention "Yankees," but when I typed that into the search box, only one of them came up as a text match. I typed in my last name, which appeared in eight images, but Recall produced just two text matches.
>
> - Recall made a screenshot while I was scrolling through posts on social network BlueSky, and one contains a photo of a New York street scene. You can see a stoplight, a smokestack and street signs. I typed each of those into the search box, but Recall came up with no results...
>
> - The search function is fast, but flipping through snapshots in Recall is not. It can take a couple of seconds to load screenshots as you swipe between them.
[1] https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/11/22/previewing-recall-with-click-to-do-on-copilot-pcs-with-windows-insiders-in-the-dev-channel/
[2] https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/23/microsofts-recall-photographic-memory-search-has-issues-in-test-build.html
It doesnt even work (Score:3)
But the solution is to 'reboot' after 5 mins? Lmao.
Who wants this? (Score:5, Interesting)
From the, "solving problems I don't have" department, and forwarded to the "just because we doesn't mean we should" department, who the hell actually wants this feature? My first reaction was, "no", and that was before taking a second to think about all the security related BS it implies. The amount of money and time MS is wasting on this must be staggering.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
> The amount of money and time MS is wasting on this must be staggering.
Yet another example of what happens when a company has too much money, too many people and completely incompetent management.
It's not for you. It's for training AI models. (Score:3)
Obviously, to put as many people as possible out of work, and also ready made LEO fodder they can double dip from easily.
Re: (Score:2)
Probably just trying again to train some AIs.
In the western world they long term probably won't get away with that.
But there are other countries that use windows boxes.
So.... (Score:2)
What customers actually want this feature? I'm curious. All I've heard is negative feedback about this thing. Did anyone actually ask for it?
Re:So.... (Score:4, Insightful)
> What customers actually want this feature? I'm curious. All I've heard is negative feedback about this thing. Did anyone actually ask for it?
I imagine Microsoft wants this more than anyone else. I imagine it could be used to provide MS with universal telemetry for everything a user does on a system even in third-party apps w/o any MS telemetry built in. Sure MS doesn't say they will use it for this *now*, but ... So, good for them, not for us... /super-cynical
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
>> What customers actually want this feature? I'm curious. All I've heard is negative feedback about this thing. Did anyone actually ask for it?
> I imagine Microsoft wants this more than anyone else. I imagine it could be used to provide MS with universal telemetry for everything a user does on a system even in third-party apps w/o any MS telemetry built in.
But, how exactly is all this telemetry actually beneficial to Microsoft? I guarantee NOBODY inside Microsoft can explain, in detail, exactly what benefit is gained other than some extremely vague hand-waving and "sell more advertising".
It is literally nothing more than the old meme from years ago:
1. Collect massive amounts of data
2. ?????
3. Profit!!
Re: (Score:2)
> What customers actually want this feature?
The FBI, CIA...
What is the purpose? (Score:3, Interesting)
Besides stealing everyone's data?
Re: (Score:2)
Why would there be a need for another purpose?
It will end up like Cortana (Score:2)
Microsoft hasn't tested the underpinnings for long enough in real world use within other products. This massive oversight will be their undoing because if users see it running like crap when it finally hits GA, then users will turn it off.
To a consumer, Recall will be perceived to be crap if it: 1) Can't recognise text and objects in a captured snapshot to at the standard of Apple/Google Photos;
2) Can't be navigated anywhere near as quickly as the aforementioned tools for any reason;
3) Doesn't index or
Does Windows work without internet access? (Score:2)
Asking for a friend...
Re: Does Windows work without internet access? (Score:2)
Yes. I used it today for about five minutes without internet, and could use One Note.
Re: (Score:2)
> Yes. I used it today for about five minutes without internet, and could use One Note.
I was thinking more long term, like permanently. Sure, you would not get patches, but your risk profile would be very limited. Does Windows in a VM with no network act and work normally long term or does it complain?
Re: Does Windows work without internet access? (Score:2)
Yes, I run it in VM with no network access and it runs fine. The only nagging happens when 1) it complains about not having the latest virus definitions, and 2) it detects upgrades that it wants to install when network access has briefly been enabled.
Re: (Score:2)
Thanks!
Would Satya Nadella have this enabled? (Score:2)
Or does he have some special privilege to completely disable such features?
Or is he just using a Mac?
This feature is a privacy nightmare waiting to happen.
Re: (Score:2)
He's C Suite. He's probably using a mac lol. (And he wouldn't be the first , both him and Ballmer have been seen in public using macs and macos)
Not a chance in hell (Score:2)
If there is anything that would finally force me to give up Windows, this will be
the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back.
Giving up Windows means giving up a lot of software I use that is Windows only
and has either a poor Linux replacement, or none at all.
But this " spy on everything you do " bullshit will finally force me to make that
decision.
Re: (Score:2)
I read the Windows license agreement, and that caused me to decline to have, use, or install MSWindows around 1998. Linux didn't have a decent word processor yet, but I switched anyway. It took awhile to convince my wife, so we first switched to Macs, but after awhile I was able to convince her that that license agreement was also to be avoided.
Glorious! (Score:2)
How awesome is it that Windows users have the privilege of beta testing this wonderful new feature? Isn't it a marvelous world where users get to be unpaid beta testers for a feature which none of them asked for and most don't want? Kudos to Microsoft for making sure that said feature also renders their already flaky OS even more unreliable and less responsive. Golly gee, it's a great time to be alive!
Linux (Score:1)
This is just one more reason to use Linux
Complete quote (Score:2)
"Welcome to 2030. I own nothing, have no privacy, and life has never been better."
As expected (Score:2)
The right way to introduce a new, experimental feature is through something like the Windows Insider program where curious people volunteer to be beta testers.
The wrong way is to enable it by default and foist it on unprepared and clueless users
Am I the only one (Score:2)
...who still wonders about storage space?
I know storage is cheap, but I don't want my hd filled with 18 million screenshots of my desktop (aside from a host of other reasons I find this repellent).
Re: (Score:1)
You noob!
They are on Microsoft OneDrive!
Only response that makes sense. (Score:2)
"A strange game. The only winning move is not to play." aka "Wargames"
One word (Score:3)
Yuck
Re:One word (Score:4, Insightful)
Let me guess: This will be turned ON by default.
And will nag you if you try to turn it off.