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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

#521

Post by tdkl »

themacguffinman wrote: post #512
8ytecoder wrote: post #466

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

For Google, the web is the desktop. They have a Google Music desktop client: it's any standards compliant browser (yes, it has access to files and filesystem sync). And because it's the web, it supports Windows, Mac, or Linux.

Of course, there aren't any ads to be served on the desktop, you could be shudder offline.

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

#522

Post by Spakman »

JensRex wrote: post #493
reitanqild wrote: post #341

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Used to be my main reason to promote Telegram. Of course now that Facebook owns Whatsapp and has decided (again) to show users what fools they where and who is the boss, all the more reasons to promote Telegram, matrix, irc etc ;-)

This is why I use Telegram, and why I don't use Signal. I love the desktop client. My hands are big, and I've always hated writing on phones. On my computer I can blast away messages on my glorious mechanical keyboard.

It's not without a few (non-dealbreaker, at least for me) bugs but Signal-desktop works well.

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

#523

Post by Spakman »

Flip-per wrote: post #208

So if Allo, Whatsapp and Signal itself use the protocol and implementation of Signal, wouldn't it be possible to freely choose one of these clients which then can communicate with all other clients?

I'm afraid not. Federation isn't supported at all as far as I'm aware. It was on the Signal roadmap early on, but things have changed:

https://whispersystems.org/blog/the-ecosystem-is-moving/

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

#524

Post by JensRex »

Spakman wrote: post #522
JensRex wrote: post #493

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is why I use Telegram, and why I don't use Signal. I love the desktop client. My hands are big, and I've always hated writing on phones. On my computer I can blast away messages on my glorious mechanical keyboard.

It's not without a few (non-dealbreaker, at least for me) bugs but Signal-desktop works well.

Last time I looked, Signal Desktop required Chrome, which I won't use for privacy concerns.

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

#525

Post by DanTheManPR »

corobo wrote: post #519
tw04 wrote: post #440

Earlier quoted context omitted.

XMPP was just to crack the egg. They had to dangle a big enough carrot to get users to switch. They knew once they had them switched that it would be VERY unlikely users would go back. So... lockdown! And they were right, how many people have switched back to AOL/MSN/Yahoo? I know I haven't.

I switched to FB Messenger because it's on mobile and desktop, and everyone I talk to is there. If MSN wasn't dead I'd probably still be using that. Edit: Oh and more recently Discord has taken over my friend group's urge to talk with voices.

If only FB would release a proper desktop client for their messaging services. They could own that space.

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

#526

Post by corobo »

DanTheManPR wrote: post #525
corobo wrote: post #519

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I switched to FB Messenger because it's on mobile and desktop, and everyone I talk to is there. If MSN wasn't dead I'd probably still be using that. Edit: Oh and more recently Discord has taken over my friend group's urge to talk with voices.

If only FB would release a proper desktop client for their messaging services. They could own that space.

I use messenger.com more often than I use Facebook at this point. I know it's not technically a desktop app but you could probably set up a shortcut with something like (assuming chrome. Don't know if FF has the same feature)

"path\to\chrome\chrome.exe" --app=https://www.messenger.com

Edit: Actually testing that, that's actually pretty neat. I'm going to do that when I get home!

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

#527

Post by MrMullen »

MrMullen wrote: post #511
coda_ wrote: post #500

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But, within Allo, can you ask the assistant "What's on my schedule?" and get an answer? I know that's not what you were saying, just curious if that part works for you.

I did that it said it can't link to my account. I have not checked yet (My Admin password is locked up at home), but I think my account might not be configured to allow it.

Checked last night, can't link Allo assistant to my Google Apps calendar. Lame.

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

#528

Post by prodigal_erik »

Periodic wrote: post #412
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…

Part of the problem is that they want to change the backends too. Hangouts had a lot of problems. Allo is their way of trying to create a clean slate and break away from the legacy of Hangouts. They can still keep Hangouts for some things, but they want to focus on a product that will get picked up by your average mobile user. People these days like using phone numbers for identification and a lot of users don't ever…

>break away from the legacy of Hangouts

Hangouts itself was supposed to be the "look at all the stuff we can do if we abandon XMPP" rewrite. And it's only three years old. How can they need to do it again?

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

#529

Post by iknowstuff »

baldfat wrote: post #344
tim333 wrote: post #326

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also "desktop" is much less stuck on desks than it was. I'm typing this from an 11" macbook air lying on the grass in a park tethered to 4G via the phone so the thing's pretty mobile although it's "desktop" from the software point of view. I think that may be where the futures headed rather than people just using ios/android.

No I 100% mean desktop. I still have never personally bought a laptop (Work gives me them). I prefer the faster machines with dual monitors and awesome mouse and keyboard ready to go all the time.

You will find that the vast majority of people doesn't care for faster machines. I think Microsoft's Continuum is the way to go. People will just connect their huge displays + mice/keyboards to their phones to avoid the trouble of syncing data.

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

#530

Post by theshrike79 »

degenerate wrote: post #368
fzzzy wrote: post #295

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It really is devaluing the brand. Bring back Google Talk.

Google Talk was perfect. PER-FECT. Of course they killed it!

They didn't even properly kill it, they just let it slowly stagnate.

Like they're doing with Hangouts now. No real new features have appeared in years.

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