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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

#461

Post by jeppebemad »

Rebelgecko wrote: post #441
jeppebemad wrote: post #379

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For me at least, the messenger is still working on Facebook.com, also on messenger.com. I'm sure it does for you too?

Here's what I get when I try to view my messages in the browser on my phone: http://m.imgur.com/oSuv6NH If you force the desktop version of the page it works, but is awkward. Instead I use a web wrapper that has some other nice features, like showing me my messages with formatting that scales well to my phone's screen size

My bad, I only considered desktop access. I'm interested to know the name of he wrapper though.

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

#463

Post by gallerdude »

mmanfrin wrote: post #462

I just don't understand why. Encryption and stickers and gifs are things you could add to hangouts easily. 'Assistant' is just a wrapper for google now in a less convenient form. What is the point.

After playing around with it for a bit, Google Assistant is the killer app.

I wanted to show my friend Bill Wurtz's wonderful "History of Japan" video. So I just typed "@google bill wurtz japan".

Google Assistant immediately added the video to our chat. So this seems super nice if you just thought of something you want to show a someone.

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

#464

Post by stepanhruda »

marcosdumay wrote: post #408
stepanhruda wrote: post #333

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Either you are misinterpreting those people, or they are wrong. The point is we were doing 100% of everything on desktop. However it turns out mobile is a better platform for >50% of tasks, that's why it's king.

> it turns out mobile is a better platform for >50% of tasks For the tasks we do >50% of the time, maybe. But no way it's better for >50% of the tasks.

I'd agree with you, wrong choice of words on my side.

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

#466

Post by 8ytecoder »

TuringNYC wrote: post #254

Not 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…

Google has been very noticeably anti-desktop for a while now. They sure bet the future would be mobile/chrome OS like devices or they hate desktop development.

I love Google Music but there is no desktop client for it and without a desktop client integration with hardware keys or caching/downloading/syncing music like spotify or iTunes is impossible.

It's the same story with Google Photos. I love it but they decided to shutdown picasa web albums and I don't think they'd ever build a desktop client.

Google operates differently from the rest. It's not for people like us who use a desktop/laptop.

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

#467

Post by patrickaljord »

calinet6 wrote: post #309
soylentcola wrote: post #300

Earlier 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…

My lord, why isn't Allo just Hangouts 3? They had an established userbase, a name, a brand, and useful cross-platform tools already. I get the desire to start fresh, but that's a lot of established traction in a very crowded market to just throw away.

> They had an established userbase, a name, a brand

While I agree with first two, Hangouts was a terrible brand with a bad rep on UX (too slow on Android, complex UI etc), it was kind of like Google's Internet Explorer. They had to get rid of the brand for consumers at least especially younger ones that are the prime target (the Snapchat generation if I may say). I agree though that Hangouts has a better reputation with the corporate world even though Slack is kind of eating their lunch minus the video part where they're still king I think.

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

#468

Post by digi_owl »

TuringNYC wrote: post #254

Not 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…

I liked it back when Facebook had a XMPP gateway for the messaging, as then i could set up Pidgin on my Linux desktop to keep in touch with the relatives.

This is why open protocols exist, ffs...

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

#469

Post by teach »

falloutx wrote: post #450
protomok wrote: post #430

Earlier quoted context omitted.

+1 Once they add a Windows or Linux client I'll give Allo a try. To me it's a bit distracting to abruptly interrupt a coding session and pull out my phone. Lately I've been trying to minimize distractions and stay in a terminal or development IDE as much as possible. I mentally view distractions similar to latency when accessing memory, something like: Look up info in terminal or IDE - comments within code, man pages…

faved this.

It's one of the social norms on HackerNews that "low-value" comments like "Love it! Thanks!" and "favorited" are discouraged. Although such comments are polite to the commenter, they add nothing but noise for all the other readers of the thread.

Instead, it seems to be preferred that you simply upvote the comment instead of replying.

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

#470

Post by falsedan »

calinet6 wrote: post #309
soylentcola wrote: post #300

Earlier 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…

My lord, why isn't Allo just Hangouts 3? They had an established userbase, a name, a brand, and useful cross-platform tools already. I get the desire to start fresh, but that's a lot of established traction in a very crowded market to just throw away.

  > why isn't Allo just Hangouts 3
Ghost of Emu in the machine [0][1]

[0]: https://techcrunch.com/2013/10/22/emus-android-texting-app-m... [1]: https://techcrunch.com/2014/08/06/google-acquires-emu-an-im-...

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