Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app • Hacker News Board

Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app

#131

Post by headmelted » Wed, Sep 21, 2016, 6:42 AM UTC

0xmohit wrote: post #86

Open Whisper Systems partners with Google on end-to-end encryption for Allo. https://whispersystems.org/blog/allo/

Dare I say that I'm actually a little disappointed by this?

I get where Moxie is coming from, and that he doesn't have the PR machinery that Facebook and Google do to really push Signal to the mainstream, but these are advertising companies.

When OWS takes this work on they're giving a tacit Moxie stamp of approval to the implementation, that could well change after OWS has moved on to other things.

tldr; History tells me not to trust these companies motives in the long term, and I don't see why Moxie should either.

Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app

#132

Post by urda » Wed, Sep 21, 2016, 6:42 AM UTC

prdonahue wrote: post #25

AceJohnny2 wrote: post #11

So. Why make this a separate app? Why isn't this in Hangouts?

Because Hangouts is a bloated POS? Everyone I know who works for Google states this (and I can concur from using it at work).

You do realize that's basically what's going to happen with this app yes?

I'm pretty much done with Google IM products. I have a few contacts that will keep using hangouts, but for the rest I either have them on Facebook or iMessage.

Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app

#133

Post by dkarapetyan » Wed, Sep 21, 2016, 6:43 AM UTC

scottmf wrote: post #129

The technology behind the feature is great, don't get me wrong. But there's something so empty about the Labrador response. I want a discussion with a human. Not a human-curated conversation of algorithm-determined responses. Simple human conversation isn't as much of a problem-to-be-solved as they seem to think it is.

This falls in an interesting uncanny valley. If you know the person on the other end is using allo who are you really talking to? The average google bot response powered by deepmind or the actual person on the other end?

Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app

#134

Post by dx034 » Wed, Sep 21, 2016, 6:44 AM UTC

dalbin wrote: post #41

In many countries, "allo" is the first word of a phone conversation. But Google Allo doesn't do any phone call, I think it will confuse users. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/All%C3%B4

Especially because the two biggest competitors (FB messenger and Whatsapp) have phone calls in their chat apps. I think a lot of people will be disappointed finding out that you can't use voice in Allo.

Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app

#135

Post by hueving » Wed, Sep 21, 2016, 6:45 AM UTC

toephu2 wrote: post #112

chias wrote: post #81

I really wish they wouldn't overload terms that they themselves invented. In Chrome, "incognito" means we don't save your local history, but it does not add to the transport security. Here, "incognito" means you've got end-to-end encryption (and presumably also doesn't save local history). Why on earth would you re-use the same term when naming two things with similar (thus easily confused) consumer-visible attribute…

You must live in a bubble or have never worked at a large company before. There are two totally different teams building these products. Is it really that inconceivable for them (yes, even Google) to make this oversight?

Are you trying to suggest there are employees at Google that don't know what incognito mode is in chrome? More specifically, every employee that worked on this project?

Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app

#136

Post by MrQuincle » Wed, Sep 21, 2016, 6:47 AM UTC

notatoad wrote: post #64

Guest98123 wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not have end-to-end encryption except for replies that begin with '@google'? That should be the best of both worlds.

but assistant is supposed to be reading all the messages in the conversation, in order to provide relevant replies. why not just use one of the many other apps that does provide end-to-end encryption, if it's something you want? Some feature sets are simply not compatible. If people keep insisting on end-to-end, google will implement it and then scan all your replies on either end and send them to their servers after…

The assistant can reside on your phone, either integrated in the app or communicating with the app. You will have end-to-end encryption.

It is just a definition of what "end" means. The phone? The app? The screen? Your eyes? With real end-to-end encryption nobody should be able to read over your shoulder and it should be delivered directly to your retina.

Note that such an assistant can itself be connected to the internet again.

Personally I'm not against a setup like this. I have encrypted communication through corporate servers, but would like to open up my end to this or other parties.

Edit: I didn't mean you didn't say this already, just wanted to explore the point you already made.

Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app

#137

Post by harry8 » Wed, Sep 21, 2016, 6:48 AM UTC

jotux wrote: post #72

So now google has Voice, Messenger, Hangouts, Allo, and Duo all with overlapping functionality? I wish they would just focus on making Hangouts work really well.

and their jabber, which used to be useful for desktop IM got converted into an sms replacement forced on everyone against their will who uses android.

Upshot now if you use xmpp like you always did it's received as sms which is probably not what you wanted. Thanks google.

So get into bed with them by all means, but don't be suprised once you're tied up they flip you over.

Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app

#138

Post by spdionis » Wed, Sep 21, 2016, 6:49 AM UTC

spacehunt wrote: post #115

piyush_soni wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll use everything Google, but Duo has been the most stupid video chat app I've ever used. That's because in countries where the common household internet is still not that fast, it 'aggressively' pauses (completely removes) the video for long intervals in every few minutes citing slow connection. That's a frustrating experience. I generally get around 10-12 Mbps speed (which is on the higher side in India), and my…

What's the uplink speed on the other end (presumably 4Mbps is downlink)? That would be a more limiting factor in the quality of the video you see on your end. But then I recall we had working video chat a decade ago with only a few hundred Kbps...

> But then I recall we had working video chat a decade ago with only a few hundred Kbps...

This! Even in appear.in, which is one of the most stable, I encounter connection problems almost daily.

Is it because all these new apps have to go through the browser stack?

Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app

#139

Post by harry8 » Wed, Sep 21, 2016, 6:52 AM UTC

harry8 wrote: post #137

jotux wrote: post #72

So now google has Voice, Messenger, Hangouts, Allo, and Duo all with overlapping functionality? I wish they would just focus on making Hangouts work really well.

and their jabber, which used to be useful for desktop IM got converted into an sms replacement forced on everyone against their will who uses android. Upshot now if you use xmpp like you always did it's received as sms which is probably not what you wanted. Thanks google. So get into bed with them by all means, but don't be suprised once you're tied up they flip you over.

Oh and encryption. That's not default like it should be, it's a "Mode within" that you have to select. Which people won't because of the hassle and mass surveillance continues.

If they made the bloody thing properly encrypted end to end all the time I could forgive them for their blatant bait and switch, for keeping everyone's email searchable by the nsa in gmail (whether you use it or not, your mail is there) and all the rest. But no, surveillance is what google do and they're addicted to it.

Do no evil, yeah they announced they dropped that, didn't they?

Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app

#140

Post by eggie » Wed, Sep 21, 2016, 6:53 AM UTC

lazzlazzlazz wrote: post #49

putlake wrote: post #8

I'm surprised Google Duo hasn't become more popular. It's a great cross-platform video chat app. I especially like the feature where you can see the other party before you answer their call. I have taken calls because of that feature that I otherwise wouldn't have. It's better than FaceTime because it works on Android. It's better than Skype and Google Hangouts because your cellphone number is your identity; you don'…

Facebook Messenger has all of those advantages and even more, since your name is your identity and not something that requires exchange like a phone number. I suspect the "video preview" feature will come soon to Facebook Messenger, which has been developing quickly.

Yes, but you have to have a facebook account...