8 ms·
Sounds like it's basically dead. The issue with messenger apps is that they're a dime a dozen, there are so many of them and they offer so much variability in s
by pogue 2mo ago
Sounds like it's basically dead. The issue with messenger apps is that they're a dime a dozen, there are so many of them and they offer so much variability in security, privacy, but most importantly usability and uptime. If your friends won't switch to them, there's almost no point in having them or using them.
- embedding-shape 2mo agoFor most IMs I agree, Briar is/was slightly different though, being P2P and E2E encrypted. There isn't many IMs out there supporting Bluetooth connections between users for example.
- rglullis 2mo agoBeing p2p, network effects are even larger: you have to convince not only your own friends to install and use, but also rely on enough density in your area?
- fwip 2mo agoYou only need to rely on density in your area if you have no other network - it will happily use mobile data or Wifi connections if you have them.
- ijustlovemath 2mo agoHelene survivor here. I will be spreading the word about this project and keeping some APKs for if the shit hits the fan again. FDroid being able to sync between local devices means all you need is to get fdroid onto someones phone. Wish they had an iphone app though!
- Vinnl 2mo agoDoesn't Briar itself provide functionality to share the apk via Bluetooth? So you don't even need F-Droid (though it's still good to have regardless, of course).
- lukeschlather 2mo agoThat doesn't help you if you're the only person with the apk on their phone.
- em-bee 2mo agowhy not? isn't all you need just bluetooth file upload to any other phone where you want to install it?
- bpicolo 2mo agoWhat's the range on bluetooth? If I can reach someone via bluetooth, can't I also just talk to them? Or is it longer than I realize?
- fhn 2mo agoI have smartphone in pants pocket and bluetooth headphones cut off all the time if that's any indication of how good it is.
- tehlike 2mo agoNever had my headphones drop off
- throw2ih020 2mo agoIf I put my phone in my right pocket the bluetooth module on the left side of my helmet will disconnect when I turn my motorcycle to the left
- chislobog 2mo agoI wonder if one side I very low power emitter designed to connect to the other head-side unit, presumably designed to connect to your device. Some bt headphones are designed with a weak unit and strong unit.
- throw2ih020 2mo agoThere is no left or right side to the helmet unit; the entire unit is on the left side of the helmet (right hand operates the bike's throttle, so the left hand is the free hand to operate the unit).
- dijit 2mo agoIt's really not very far, maybe 15 meters. I'm actually super annoyed that popular devices no longer show bluetooth signal strength at all... it's completely absent from the UI. Impossible to know how well connected my headphones are when I keep hearing popping or distortion... you need special apps to realise how weak the connection actually is (and how absurdly busy the environment is: there are so many bluetooth devices around us.. it's crazy!)
- raybb 2mo agoAnyone have an idea how good https://qaul.net/ https://qaul.net/ is? I saw it shared at dweb camp and it seemed like a pretty long term serious project for P2P.
- copperx 2mo agoBitchat is great, but I don't understand why it's Bluetooth only. I would think Wifi reaches further.
- unethical_ban 2mo agoBriar was unique in its ability to discover peers over local networks and Bluetooth - Very few if any other messaging apps do that. Unfortunately the security/usability tradeoffs mean it never was going to hit Whatsapp levels of use, but it certainly fills an important niche.
- mhitza 2mo agoStill receives, and for the foreseeable future will receive, security updates which is good enough for me to keep it installed on my phone.