Presence sensing coming to Windows Insider

[AGTDenton]

Something to be mindful of when buying laptops & portable devices in the near future.

Microsoft is rolling out a new Windows 11 preview build for Insiders in the Beta Channel today that introduces new privacy settings and developer APIs for devices with a "presence sensor" built in. Presence detection is a new feature that allows Windows devices and apps to recognize when someone is present in front of their device, and offer unique experiences based on that detection.

Not all Windows PCs are equipped with a presense sensor, but for devices that are, today's preview build adds a number of privacy setting options to the Windows Settings app for configuring which apps have access to the presense sensor API. The API itself was introduced with the Windows 11 2022 Update, and Microsoft says it's adding more APIs in the latest preview builds.

https://www.windowscentral.com/softw...ont-of-your-pc

[Saracen999]

I doubt anybody here will be surprised by my reaction.

First, yet another reason to avoid W11.

Second, this kind of thing ought to be STRICTLY opt-in only, but knowing MS it won't be.

Thirdly, my mindset is such that one (but not the most important by any means) reason for buying my present laptop is there ISN'T a built-in webcam. At all. Which makes it hard for software or the OS to enable it. I have microphones turned off, except/unless when I want them, which so far has been never, on this machine.

I remain to be convinced how this kind of feature will EVER be something I want enabled, but can easily see why I don't want it present at all, let alone on by default.

Yup, predictable, wasn't it?

Thanks for the heads-up, AGT.

[Ttaskmaster]

So.. if I'm on Shuttle Tydirium, approaching the forest moon of Endor, will it sense the presence of Darth Vader for me...?

[ik9000]

So.. if I'm on Shuttle Tydirium, approaching the forest moon of Endor, will it sense the presence of Darth Vader for me...?

no, but clippy will appear saying "It looks like you're playing a game and from the furrowed brow and mild perspiration you're beginning to get stressed. Would you like me to open Cortana to find ways to help cope with stress?"

In so doing the game will minimise, Clippy will take the mouse priority and Cortana will already have opened bing and be sharing your data with a selection of sponsored clinicians.

[Jonj1611]

no, but clippy will appear saying "It looks like you're playing a game and from the furrowed brow and mild perspiration you're beginning to get stressed. Would you like me to open Cortana to find ways to help cope with stress?"

In so doing the game will minimise, Clippy will take the mouse priority and Cortana will already have opened bing and be sharing your data with a selection of sponsored clinicians.

10 years ago I would have said that's crazy talk. Today however......

[Saracen999]

...

In so doing the game will minimise, Clippy will take the mouse priority and Cortana will already have opened bing and be sharing your data with a selection of sponsored clinicians.

And they think that that happening will help cope with stress? Only in the way that someone pouring a gallon of petrol down your shorts and then handing you a lit match would "help".

Something tells me they need to upgrade the "I" bit of their AI.