Jelly Bean update completely killed true hands free voice dialing.

Question

Regardless of the fact that S-Voice (as well as Google Voice dialing/search) is unable to recognize most of my contacts, it's also a fact that by definition, it cannot work as a true hands free voice dialer, which is defined as the ability to make a call without touching (or even seeing) the phone AT ALL.  This is due to the simple fact that neither S-Voice nor Google Voice dial/search allows you to say "yes" or "no" to a phone number confirmation prompt.  In other words, you need to see the screen at some point in order select the correct number to dial.  Prior to the Jelly Bean update, this issue was relatively easily solved by using a third party app -- I preferred an app called "Cyberon Voice Commander" -- to take over the voice dialing duties.  The first time you hit the Bluetooth button after installing the app, you could select the default program to respond to the BT button.  I simply selected the Cyberon Voice Commander app, and everything worked from this point forward -- I could dial a number without ever taking the phone out of it's case.
With the Jelly Bean update, however, this is suddenly no longer possible because S-Voice completely takes over the Bluetooth button, and does not allow another app to take over as the default.  The "launch by default" section for S-Voice in the application manager is now greyed out, and says "no defaults set" for S-Voice even though S-Voice is set as the default program to launch when pressing the BT button.  The only "potential" solution is to completey "disable" S-Voice via the application manager, which does allow you to select Cyberon Voice Commander as the default BT button press app, but there are two problems with this.  First, the default resets when turning the phone on even though you select "always" for the CVC app.  This means that you have to re-select the third party app as the default BT button app EVERY time the phone is turned off.  Second, disabling S-Voice is not a solution because I still would like to use it for things OTHER than voice dialing.  Disabling it completely removes it from the menu, making it unusable even for things that it is better at.
I cannot believe how hard S-Voice is being shoved down our throats.  Why would they make it mandatory?  The whole point of Android is that it's supposed to be "open" and allow users to individually decide on their own way of doing things -- i.e. to offer multiple approaches that suit your preferences rather than adopting a narrow minded "we decide what's best" attitude.  This is the whole reason that I moved away from Apple.  This S-Voice situation, however, is just ridiculous.  It's fine to push it as an "option," but please keep it OPTIONAL -- particularly given that it literally CAN'T do what other apps do (i.e. true hands free dialing.)
Larry

Answer 1

A few things you can try ... turn off the phone, remove the SIM card, wait a few minutes, then reinsert the SIM card and re-boot the phone.  Maybe a fresh connection to the network will improve the signal/call quality.
Do a system cache clear; it won't delete your data:
Power down phone
Hold volume up/down & power simultaneously until you see the Boot Mode Selection Menu
Use volume down to navigate to 'Recovery', use volume up to select
You should see screen with triangle and exclamation point next to an Android
Press volume up/down simultaneously to go into system recovery
Use volume rocker to navigate to 'wipe cache' and use power button to select
Once finished, use volume rocker to navigate to 'reboot system now' and use power button to select
If all else fails, back everything up, remove the SD card to be on the safe side, and factory reset the phone.  No, it's not a preferred option, but sometimes that is what it takes to 'clear out the cobwebs' after an operating system update.