I can't be the only one thinking in (12 + x) months, where x is between 0 and 24, there will be a post on the same blog: "Say goodbye to Google Allo".
Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app
311–320 of 543 posts
Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app
#312I 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…
For most people, in both cases "incognito" means "porn mode". Chrome: "Won't save your (porn) history" Allo: "features like discreet notifications and message expiration" (ie, for sending naked pics) The transport layer security is great too, but for a lot of people "message expiration" is the key feature.
I believe it's a bit different.
It could be different for shared computers, but, I think, for porn browsing on one's own hardware, incognito mode is more about having a separate (ephemeral) browser profile, so you aren't accidentally sharing your kinks on Facebook and Google won't (visibly, at least) associate it with your main browsing profile and won't show you relevant ads there.
A comparable feature for the IM world would be "alter ego"/pseudonymous mode, where your contacts aren't provided with your identity information (google account/phone numbers/etc - not even your "normal" name or nickname), but a throw-away identities, yet you still have a convenience of using a single app. Not really private in a sense your favorite TLA won't know you, but good enough in a sense your peers won't know you. I don't think any IM system does that, without setting up separate accounts.
I mean, "self-destructing" messages weren't there in a lot of systems, and users perfectly know how to delete SMS or emails they don't want to keep - and saving the ones they do. Not to say "message expiration" is a myth (haven't they learned it with Snapchat already?)
Maybe that's just my view of things, though.
Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app
#313Earlier 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.
"Clusterfuck" is a perfect description.
No one is saying that the clusterfuck isn't valuable, profitable, or useful. They're just saying it's a clusterfuck.
The LA freeway system is a clusterfuck, but without it the city wouldn't work. We can still criticize LA's lack of a good transportation system, and recognize that something more organized would be, well, better.
Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app
#314Earlier quoted context omitted.
Exactly this: I wanted to send an annotated Google Map to someone. I started whilst on a train trip and with a series of silly screenshots (using an offline map app after having my network go up and down etc.) I got about half way done in 20 minutes. I got to my desk and restarted from scratch and got it done in about a minute. Obvious I know. My point is my strange use-case (an annotated map) was an artifact I could…
> Unless someone has (1) identified a mass need exactly the same as yours, and (2) made an app that does exactly that you are out of luck. While this may be particularly true of mobile right now , I feel the above statement is, and has always been, true of software in general. It's still early days for mobile, despite the amazing capability that's already there. It will get there eventually.
Until someone releases a revolutionary new way of interacting with a mobile device, larger devices—with dedicated, larger, more comfortable input and output methods—will always be more efficient. Software isn't the issue.
Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app
#315Earlier quoted context omitted.
Without brand it's hard to stand out in the crowded messaging space.
Two easy ways to stand out: 1. Brand 2. Money If they took this approach it would require a much more concerted marketing strategy.
Well they happen to be in the marketing business so...
Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app
#316Earlier quoted context omitted.
The Google approach would be great, if they just separated it from the Google brand. Like, when Unilever launch a new detergent, they give it a totally separate brand. If it fails, they drop it quietly, and if it succeeds they can roll it out worldwide. I wish Google would do the same. Launch this as 'allo', with the fact that it's from alphabet buried in the small print. Once it's been doing well for a couple of yea…
Without brand it's hard to stand out in the crowded messaging space.
I think danohu's point was that with branding, it's hard to stand out in the crowded Google messaging space.
Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app
#317Not sure how common this is, but everyone at both school and work these days shifts seamlessly from mobile to dekstop and back. This has been one of the main reasons we tend to use WhatsApp and Slack, even for corporate communications as silly as that sounds -- because you can type long messages on it on the keyboard/desktop but also have access to it on the go. What I don't understand is -- given Allo had a blank sl…
This is exactly why so many of my friends and family use Hangouts née Gmail Chat. We can use it in the browser at work just by keeping Gmail open in a tab. No IM applications to install or concerns about whether we're running Windows, OSX, or whatever. Then the conversations follow when you log off whatever desktop or laptop you're on via the mobile app. About half of us use Android so it either comes standard or you…
Breaking facebook messenger out into its own app was the best decision facebook ever made!
I chat via messenger a lot more than I check my newsfeed, and when I check my newsfeed I don't care about messages. Perfect split for me at least :)
Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app
#318Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is exactly why so many of my friends and family use Hangouts née Gmail Chat. We can use it in the browser at work just by keeping Gmail open in a tab. No IM applications to install or concerns about whether we're running Windows, OSX, or whatever. Then the conversations follow when you log off whatever desktop or laptop you're on via the mobile app. About half of us use Android so it either comes standard or you…
> We can use it in the browser at work just by keeping Gmail open in a tab. There's also https://hangouts.google.com/
Yes, good point -- forgot to mention that. That is a 3rd widely-available option across all three silos (Android/iOS/Desktop).
Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app
#319Not sure how common this is, but everyone at both school and work these days shifts seamlessly from mobile to dekstop and back. This has been one of the main reasons we tend to use WhatsApp and Slack, even for corporate communications as silly as that sounds -- because you can type long messages on it on the keyboard/desktop but also have access to it on the go. What I don't understand is -- given Allo had a blank sl…
Definitely doesn't make sense. I use hangouts constantly. It is my default app for SMS and chatting with family. I like having one consistent thread between different desktop devices, as well as mobile. Yes Slack has replaced it for work, but that's no good for family, at least not mine. Until this has desktop support there is no reason for me to buy in. Why not have (one of) the most important feature of hangouts (a…
For SMSs too? On my Android, the new(ish?) message app ("Messenger") now wanted control of SMSs back from hangouts. Another silly reversal, and another silly messaging app from Google.
Fourth time lucky?
On that topic, when is the inbox app replacing the gmail app?
Maybe never and that's good, given that sometimes I cannot download attachments with the inbox app that I can happily download from the old gmail app right away.
Re: Say hello to Google Allo: a smarter messaging app
#320The useless predictive reply stuff makes it feel more like a tech demo than an actual product. Why on Earth would I want a machine actually expressing sentiment for me, even if it's really cool that it can?