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Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app

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

#191

Post by catdog »

kuschku wrote: post #111
kyrra wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google shut down XMPP support because none of the other large vendors were playing along. Because of how XMPP federation work, Microsoft could reach out to Google for presence and other information about friends, but didn't need to return the favor (they were doing one way federation). So it allowed for a "better" experience using other companies XMPP networks. Edit: Source for my beliefs on the above: http://www.ucs…

Facebook did provide XMPP service until the same time that Google ended it. So that’s definitely a wrong statement.

> Facebook did provide XMPP service until the same time that Google ended it.

They never supported federation.

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

#192

Post by wutbrodo »

shmerl wrote: post #188
wutbrodo wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you thinking of client-to-server federation? Google didn't cancel support for that (and supports it to this day: I still use pidgin here and there to connect to GChat). That's not what this conversation is about: Google's cancellation of server-to-server federation. Facebook definitely didn't support that at the time that Google cancelled it, and to my recollection, never did (though I may be wrong).

As far as I know Google didn't cancel server to server federation, but they refused to support encryption for it, and it's as good as cancelled, because most servers made it mandatory at some point. That's what caused all my contacts who use Google to disappear. Very annoying, and it's completely Google's fault. Anyway, the reason they left it to rot is because they abandoned XMPP for "greener pa$tures".

The distinction between "cancelled" and "effectively cancelled" is sort of orthogonal to what we're talking about here.

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

#193

Post by ithkuil »

pimeys wrote: post #174
kuschku wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The encryption for incognito actually is Moxie’s protocol, as used in Signal and WhatsApp. The one single good thing about allo.

Just recently there was a HN post about security bugs in Signal. Signal is open source and the bugs will be fixed at some point, but I wouldn't trust all these proprietary apps will follow the lead so fast.

If there is one think I'd trust about Google is them to be serious about security vulnerability.

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

#194

Post by flukus »

wutbrodo wrote: post #180
flukus wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The phone is generally a lot louder, and filled with a lot more "SORRY I MISSED THAT, I'M GOING THROUGH A TUNNEL".

So your problem is with "loud conversations", but you decided to use the very fuzzy proxy of "phone conversations" because........?

Because it's the because subset of loud conversations I'm subjected too. I also find it much more distracting when you can only hear one side of the conversation.

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

#195

Post by the_other »

floopidydoopidy wrote: post #144
77ko wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not quite: - Facebook Messenger combines all the functionality of Allo and Duo. - Whatsapp already has voice calling and is adding video soon (so I read on the internet) - iMessage and Facetime integrate in IOS much better than Google Duo does. In IOS, you go to a contact and press facetime. On Android, you go to a contact... then go back out to Duo and call them. WeChat, of course, does everything that all these app…

I feel like ICQ 98 was the pinnacle of chat applications. Floating contacts and email style messages... brilliance.

The "find random chat partner" feature was so addictive!

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

#196

Post by ygmelnikova »

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.

I see the Labrador type of responses would be very appealing to the ego of many. Why reply with "What kind of dog is she?" when you can reply "What a nice lab". And with the emoji prompt, you'll never find yourself on the wrong side of the status quo.

What's the end game? An AI agent that handles 100% of your communication for you? Forget 'Skynet'.. we'll call it 'Mother'.

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

#197

Post by barkingdog »

sidcool wrote: post #182
Mizza wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They still have their XMPP as well, but they never enabled SSL so it sends messages in plaintext and won't federate to modern XMPP servers/clients. What a clusterfuck of a company.

Calling Google a clusterfuck of a company is appalling. They would not do this without a strategic thought. Even Facebook has Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp and FB itself. All doing pretty well.

Those portfolios are not even remotely compatible. Hangouts is the only viable product there. Meanwhile, all of Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp and FB are each very strong products with extremely, almost worrisomely strong network effects. Clusterfuck is a bit vague and maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but you've got to admit that it's truly hard to think of Google as a company that makes best-in-class consumer software products anymore.

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

#198

Post by em500 »

andmarios wrote: post #181

> Google Allo makes it easier for you to respond quickly and keep the conversation going, even when you’re on the go. With Smart Reply, you can respond to messages with just a tap, so you can send a quick “yup” in response to a friend asking “Are you on your way?” Smart Reply will also suggest responses for photos. If your friend sends you a photo of their pet, you might see Smart Reply suggestions like “aww cute!” A…

> I hope one day it can imitate me so well I can delegate all my chats to it. It will be like a mini-me!

Next step is when both ends do this and cut out the human middle (wo)men.

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

#199

Post by newscracker »

jmolinaso wrote: post #150
Waterluvian wrote: post #10

Why isn't it always end to end encryption? I'm getting really paranoid and crochety in my old age of 29, as all I see is a tool to make me the product.

I'm back from that paranoia period, my conclusions: - In real life you have no privacy, but still you don't think about it (white pages, community hall inscriptions, driving license, medical history, ...), apart of white pages try to unsubscribe from any of them and see what happens. Internet made it just easier to track you. - your safety is based on 2 things your habits and the peers that know you and are willing t…

> what makes me feel secure about Google tools, is his business model, if they have a breach and expose people's data, they simply bankrupt, so their business relays heavily in security.

I wouldn't disagree with a statement that Google pays a lot of attention to security, but I doubt it would go bankrupt if there were a breach. There are many big companies that have suffered data breaches but haven't gone bankrupt yet. They just move on with some impact and/or some compensation to their customers, like identity theft protection.

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

#200

Post by icebraining »

sidcool wrote: post #182
Mizza wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They still have their XMPP as well, but they never enabled SSL so it sends messages in plaintext and won't federate to modern XMPP servers/clients. What a clusterfuck of a company.

Calling Google a clusterfuck of a company is appalling. They would not do this without a strategic thought. Even Facebook has Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp and FB itself. All doing pretty well.

How did that strategy work for Buzz, Wave, Lively, Jaiku, Meebo and Talk?

Their strategy seems to be throwing stuff at the wall and trying to get something to stick.

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