Is anyone familiar with the specifics of how Circle to Search (linked) works? I was looking for a FOSS alternative to the google circle to search tool and came across it. It seems to describe its implementation in a clear way on the GitHub page, but I have not validated that it does actually operate using that architecture, or that it keeps to its promises about not caching info that is pulled from its third party OCR tools.

On android it asks for "advanced permissions" which I presume are needed to take screenshots and share these with the third party OCR service. Since I havent validated how it works though, I wanted to check if anyone else has before I provide it those permissions.

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[–] 2 points 7 months ago*

App doesn't appear to work at all.

Might work with the floating button, but I won't activate it to test.

The accessibility option it needs is unclear, it just sent me to the android accessibility setting tab with no idea what needs to be done there, if anything.

It didn't replace my default assistant when I tried to change it.

Circletosearch says to double tap the status bar? Why? That doesn't do anything?

I didn't see anything sketchy about the app, but it doesn't appear to be functional, so meh. Maybe try again after they've worked on it some more.

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  • 2 comments in c/android@lemdro.id view that post
    [–] 1 point 7 months ago

    This app is not free. You are the product and the data is the payment. Every feature is engineered to maximize your engagement and by extension the value extracted from your attention. Calling it free because the subscription is optional is like calling a casino free because you can also just watch other people gamble.

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  • [–] 0 points 7 months ago

    Circle to Search is a solution to a problem nobody asked for. Googles actual innovation strategy has been copying Apple features in a worse way and calling it ambient computing. The actual useful features get deprecated because they do not serve engagement metrics. This is not intelligence, it is design theater.

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