Tom’s Guide:
There are two kinds of people: those who have needed tech support, and those who constantly give it over the phone to their friends and families. Both know how tricky and complicated this process can be, but Chalk — a new AR app launching today on iOS (for free) — looks to save the day.
Built by Vuforia, the company behind the tools used by the majority of augmented-reality apps, Chalk operates much like a videoconferencing call, connecting the cameras between two remote smartphones. (It’s iOS-only to start.) The only difference is that both use the rear-facing camera, so the person getting help can show the device or software they’re confused by, and the other person can draw on it.
This is one of those apps that really show off the upside of AR. I would have loved to have something like this when I did tech support.
Ouch, mandatory access to my contacts? No Thank You — at the moment you can’t even continue without giving this permission!
I agree. I was hoping in iOS 11 Apple would have added more fine-grained control. Right now it’s pretty much all or nothing. For photo access, for example, I’d sometimes like to give access to one photo, or for one minute, or write-only permission, but none of those things is possible. You either deny, or you give full read-write access until you manually turn it off.
For me, pretty much any app that wants that access is a non-starter, because I don’t have reason to trust them. There’d be nothing to stop them from slurping up my entire photo library or contacts list.
I think the granularity of one photo, one minute or write only in iOS would be great! However, I have to say that iOS permissions haven’t been too bad and that its upto the developer to allow the user to continue or not if the app does not have the necessary permissions. In the case of the mentioned ‘Chalk’ app above, it won’t even continue without Contacts access.
For example: the Chase Bank app allows me to continue even if I don’t give it my Contacts access, I just have to manually type in Contacts and emails.
You’re right about that. The ones that need photo access, though, have no workaround other than to allow it, then disable it as quickly as possible after the task is complete.
I went ahead through to see what happened. As far as I can see, it only brings up a list of your contacts so you can choose people to notify and download the app. It doesn’t do any automatic notification; yes, I don’t know what it does at their end.
I agree they should just allow entry by hand of Chalk-specific contacts, though.
So instead of a remote session app, which lets me see exactly what goes on on the remote PC and lets me fix it directly, I should instead get this app which shows me a photo of the remote screen? Subject to whatever hand unsteadiness, insuffucient resolution, or screen glare the person on the other end happens to supply? And then for complex problems, I have to talk them through the solution?
Absolutely.
No.
Thank.
You.
You are taking the most narrow view possible. Sure, when people have problem on their system, and the system is up and running and has internet access, remote login support is great.
How does that help you when the system is down?
How does that help you when the problem is network related (can’t access network or internet)?
How does that help with hardware related issues like installation or repair?
If you’ve never had to do that over the phone, you are one very lucky person, but I would have KILLED for an app like this.
Given that the demo on the link is showing ‘how to operate a coffeemaker’ I think it’s obvious that this isn’t designed for situations where a remote session would work or even apply.
The original recommendation post NEEDS to be updated with the rather crucial information that (a) the app has a hard-and-fast requirement to have full access to all of your contacts, and (b) the company’s privacy and usage policy is less than reassuring. The number of startups that have used personal data for capital and revenue purposes is as long as Manute Bol’s arm.
I would love to use this app but I will not under these circumstances, and would never recommend it to anyone unless they want to back up their device, wipe it, download the app (preferably with a throwaway Apple ID), use the app, then restore their phone … all of which make the app not really worth using in the first place.
Great idea. Sleazy realization. Lame.