v0.8.2

rowboatlabs/rowboatv0.8.2Jul 28, 2026by ramnique

AI Summary

This release introduces a Spotlight-style quick-ask bar for global access, enhances push-to-talk functionality with popout controls, and resolves issues regarding dropped responses and Windows startup behavior.

Key Highlights

  • Spotlight-style quick-ask bar allows asking questions from any app using ⌥⇧Space.
  • Push-to-talk controls improved with popout text input and floating UI above fullscreen apps.
  • Screen recording permissions are now smoother and settled once per call.
  • Assistant efficiency improved by answering trivial messages directly without tool calls.
  • Windows start-at-login now registers correctly and survives updates.

New Features

  • Spotlight-style quick-ask bar with voice input.
  • Global push-to-talk functionality.
  • Popout text input for calls.
  • Floating quick-ask bar above fullscreen apps.

Full Release Notes

## What's new

**✨ Ask Rowboat from anywhere.** Press ⌥⇧Space in any app and a Spotlight-style quick-ask bar appears. Type your question — or hold right ⌘ to speak it — and the answer streams right back into the bar, with a live status line showing what the agent is doing. The question lands in your current Rowboat chat, so nothing is lost: hit "Open in Rowboat" to jump into the full conversation, or "+" to start a fresh one. You can also toggle voice responses and screen sharing without leaving the bar. On macOS Tahoe the bar is rendered in native Liquid Glass.

**🎙️ Push-to-talk calls.** Hold right ⌘ to talk during a call — release to send. Calls gained a popout text input, clearer controls with tooltips, and the popout and quick-ask bar now float above fullscreen apps instead of getting lost behind them.

**🔐 Smoother permission prompts.** Screen Recording permission is settled once at call start for every mode, permission alerts are audible and bring themselves into focus, and screen share in the packaged app is now reliable.

### Also in this release

- Calls no longer lose responses — dropped utterances and voiceless replies are fixed, and every reply is spoken from its first line
- The assistant answers trivial messages directly instead of firing off unnecessary tool calls
- Windows: start-at-login now registers correctly and survives app updates
- Global push-to-talk works reliably in packaged builds