How can the hardware not support it? Does the phone audio go directly
from the radio chip to the speakers or something? Not through ALSA and
so on?
Local call recording would be a very cool feature. Probably one of
those features that everyone except the phone user hates though, like
tethering.
That's really lame. What about the microphone? Is that inaccessible
too? Here's a list of cool things you could do with access to the
audio streams. Are they all impossible (even with a rooted phone)?
* Call recording
* Voice-changing (i.e. gender changing, hollywood effects, etc.)
* Local voicemail
* Telemarketing filter (i.e. for unknown numbers they have to type
your name or something)
* Custom 'busy' messages (e.g. "Sorry, I am in a meeting at the
moment, I'll call you back.").
* Feeding the voice streams to other devices, e.g. hi-fi & microphone.
* I'm sure there are others I haven't thought of...
Actually if you can't get access to the streams how are bluetooth
headsets implemented?
Not in the UK. From http://www.retellrecorders.co.uk/legal/home.htm
"Can I record telephone conversations on my home phone?
Yes. The relevant law, RIPA, does not prohibit individuals from
recording their own communications provided that the recording is for
their own use. Recording or monitoring are only prohibited where some
of the contents of the communication - which can be a phone
conversation or an e-mail - are made available to a third party, ie
someone who was neither the caller or sender nor the intended
recipient of the original communication. For further information see
the Home Office website where RIPA is posted.
Do I have to let people know that I intend to record their telephone
conversations with me?
No, provided you are not intending to make the contents of the
communication available to a third party. If you are you will need the
consent of the person you are recording. "
Not that its legality is really relevant to this discussion.