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Mogomra
Nov 5, 2005

simply having a wonderful time

Endless Mike posted:

Don't worry. Maybe Google will finally make a true knockoff iMessage in their 2017 messenger app.

Yeah, that's my hope as well.

Needing a data connection makes me think Allo wont work with Android's Battery Saver mode either. Not that I have any concrete info there. Just seems likely.

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jokes
Dec 20, 2012

Uh... Kupo?

Endless Mike posted:

Don't worry. Maybe Google will finally make a true knockoff iMessage in their 2017 messenger app.

I wouldn't be surprised if Google ramped up their obsolescence scheduling and put out a couple new messaging apps to gently caress with allo by the end of the year.

I tried out allo. It's good between Android users, the SMS relay for iOS users is very weird. If it includes true SMS I'd probably consider using it more, but there's no reason to use it really. FB messenger and WhatsApp are better because more people use them, and at least WhatsApp is end to end encrypted without having to go incognito but whatever. It's just a whatever app.

I think the thing I care about most in google messaging nonsense would just be configuring hangouts to allow MMSs over 300KB because a screenshot on my phone snaps pictures at like 1MB. If I could just change that one setting I'd just use hangouts for the rest of my life-- if anyone's managed to change that (especially with the really dope Fi integration), I'd be in your debt.

Thermopyle
Jul 1, 2003

...the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt. —Bertrand Russell

Allo is a fine messaging app if you ignore the fact that what makes a messaging app good is like 95% network effects (aka who the gently caress are you going to chat with on a totally new chat network).

Taffer
Oct 15, 2010


It's completely shocking to me that they'd release a messaging app that doesn't tie in with your google account and can only be used on a single device, and it has to be your phone.

I mean, this is Google so I was expecting it to be awful, but this is really unreal. Who the hell is going to use this over the countless superior alternatives? Among which are other Google messaging apps.

Agoat
Dec 4, 2012

I AM BAD AT GAMES
Lipstick Apathy

Knifegrab posted:

Oh god it doesn't use SMS :qq: this is clearly the worst thing ever (literally no one I know uses SMS)

It does have SMS though

Luchadork
Feb 18, 2010

Take a look at the masked man
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know
Chris Benoit killed his family
Allo made little to no sense when it was announced and now that it's out it seems to make even less sense.

Bhodi
Dec 9, 2007

Oh, it's just a cat.
Pillbug
Does google honestly think desktop integration and multiple devices is not worth keeping up with? Either they are really confused at what users habits are or I am a very atypical user.

Sir Lemming
Jan 27, 2009

It's a piece of JUNK!
I'm normally a pretty big Google apologist but this one is definitely a headscratcher. They've yet to make a compelling case for why Allo shouldn't tie in with your existing Google accounts and basically replace Hangouts. Messaging that relies only on your phone number and can only be used on your phone is called SMS. (Except of course, this requires internet instead...) One might suggest that they're afraid to step on Hangouts' toes, but that's certainly never stopped them before.

They'd really be better off just imitating Facebook Messenger entirely. This feels different for the sake of different.

nocal
Mar 7, 2007
Installed Allo this morning. It does have SMS, and it does tie into your google account. That said, I sent a sticker to my iPhone-using wife. She was prompted to download Allo.

She says, "What is Ollo?"
"Oh it's some new messaging service."
"Uggggh I hate that I have to have 30 loving apps to communicate!!"

So as you can imagine, Allo will be a runaway success.

Mogomra
Nov 5, 2005

simply having a wonderful time
I've been talking to my brother for a few minutes on Allo, and it's pretty much just "Well, I guess this puking sticker is kinda funny in a childish way."

I tried texting myself from Allo, and it came through from a short code. Then Hangouts told me it would cost money to reply to it. That is streamlined as gently caress, and not a super lovely experience at all.

Academician Nomad
Jan 29, 2016
I don't know you guys, I hear kids like emojis.

RJWaters2
Dec 16, 2011

It was not not not so great
What app should I use to sync some calendar events between 3 people's phones?

Drunk Tomato
Apr 23, 2010

If God wanted us sober,
He'd knock the glass over.

RJWaters2 posted:

What app should I use to sync some calendar events between 3 people's phones?

Have you tried Allo? Heard it's really good

Mogomra
Nov 5, 2005

simply having a wonderful time

RJWaters2 posted:

What app should I use to sync some calendar events between 3 people's phones?

I've got a shared Google calendar with my wife, but I don't know about only syncing specific events.

Of course you could always just create a new shared calendar specifically for sharing events between 3 Google accounts (and then their phones) but that might be a little more work than it's worth depending on how much you need to do that.

ClassActionFursuit
Mar 15, 2006

Mogomra posted:

I've got a shared Google calendar with my wife, but I don't know about only syncing specific events.

Of course you could always just create a new shared calendar specifically for sharing events between 3 Google accounts (and then their phones) but that might be a little more work than it's worth depending on how much you need to do that.

This is the proper solution. It's clunky in that everyone needs to use that calendar instead of their own for those specific events but that's the workflow.

Kheldarn
Feb 17, 2011



https://twitter.com/RonAmadeo/status/778470188156981254

Lowen SoDium
Jun 5, 2003

Highen Fiber
Clapping Larry

Lowen SoDium fucked around with this message at 16:46 on Sep 21, 2016

FunOne
Aug 20, 2000
I am a slimey vat of concentrated stupidity

Fun Shoe
I'm impressed by the Google Assistant implementation and integration. And with my one buddy I was able to test it and it did seem super convenient to have those results directly integrated into the chat.

And I was able to do the direct-message to Play Services thing with him where on his end it showed up as an Allo Message prompt with a button to install the service or to simply reply.

I too am disappointed with the SMS relay, only because I have Fi, so I would figure at least for this tiny group we'd have proper SMS integration.

So far I like it, not switch all my friends over from WhatsApp after winning that argument, but enough to switch some of my friends from Hangouts over.

The Reddit hivemind is insane. They have ultra-nerd use cases and get all twisted when something doesn't support it.

Also, 90% of the complaints with both SMS, Allo, and other poo poo would be solved if they just rolled out a native Chrome-Android notification sync service so you could reply or carry on a conversation from the desktop.

WhyteRyce
Dec 30, 2001


https://twitter.com/RonAmadeo/status/778473252691726336

RJWaters2
Dec 16, 2011

It was not not not so great

Mogomra posted:

I've got a shared Google calendar with my wife, but I don't know about only syncing specific events.

Of course you could always just create a new shared calendar specifically for sharing events between 3 Google accounts (and then their phones) but that might be a little more work than it's worth depending on how much you need to do that.

Cool thanks, it's for roommates work/events scheduling so that'll work fine

teagone
Jun 10, 2003

That was pretty intense, huh?

I guess Google servers are getting hammered? I just want to try Allo to see if I'll use it over Hangouts but I keep getting the "Oops, we cant reach Allo servers" error :(

Nevermind. Got it. Used it for a couple conversations. Meh. I'll stick with Hangouts. I also didn't realize there isn't a desktop implementation for Allo to continue conversations on my Mac at work, PC, or my C720.

teagone fucked around with this message at 20:25 on Sep 21, 2016

mango sentinel
Jan 5, 2001

by sebmojo
What does Allo mean for the future of Hangouts?

Thermopyle
Jul 1, 2003

...the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt. —Bertrand Russell

mango sentinel posted:

What does Allo mean for the future of Hangouts?



Google has nebulously said Hangouts will be focused on "the enterprise"...whatever that means is anyones guess.

vyst
Aug 25, 2009



Thermopyle posted:

Google has nebulously said Hangouts will be focused on "the enterprise"...whatever that means is anyones guess.

Probably something like Lync or BBM

Endless Mike
Aug 13, 2003



Hangouts to be renamed Allo for Business and be completely incompatible with Allo.

Wrist Watch
Apr 19, 2011

What?

Wait, I thought allo wasn't going to support SMS.

So do Allo and Hangouts do the exact same thing, then? Both services let you use a chat service that also supports SMS if your friends don't use it, except the chat services are completely separate? Allo doesn't have a desktop version though, so what's the point? The whole learning what I normally say gimmick?

CrashCat
Jan 10, 2003

another shit post


so they were jealous of LINE and decided to make something even worse?

Sir Lemming
Jan 27, 2009

It's a piece of JUNK!

Wrist Watch posted:

Wait, I thought allo wasn't going to support SMS.

So do Allo and Hangouts do the exact same thing, then? Both services let you use a chat service that also supports SMS if your friends don't use it, except the chat services are completely separate? Allo doesn't have a desktop version though, so what's the point? The whole learning what I normally say gimmick?

Same thing broadly speaking, except Allo is tied to a phone number/device for some reason. And it doesn't support SMS, it just has a simplified way to convert SMS to Allo message, sort of like using SMS to tweet or whatever.

Desk Lamp
Jun 30, 2014
There are some nice ideas in Google's new messaging apps, but I hope they flop horribly and Google bakes their functions into Android like they should've from the start.

deong
Jun 13, 2001

I'll see you in heck!

FunOne posted:

They have ultra-nerd use cases and get all twisted when something doesn't support it.

Also, 90% of the complaints with both SMS, Allo, and other poo poo would be solved if they just rolled out a native Chrome-Android notification sync service so you could reply or carry on a conversation from the desktop.

I don't think its an ultra-nerd use case issue.
Really, I use hangouts 90% of the time. I just want something that can sync from desktop to phone to tablet to mini-fridge to iOS devices. Emojii are fine, but w/e. I use like 5. Stickers are dumb, but Hangouts has them already. I like the sms combined view, but hate that they hosed up contact pictures and never bothered to fix them.

Is there 1 feature of Allo that Hangouts didn't already do? It seems like its hangouts minus stuff, instead of just solidifying hangouts.

Thermopyle
Jul 1, 2003

...the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt. —Bertrand Russell

deong posted:

It seems like its hangouts minus stuff, instead of just solidifying hangouts.

TBH, this, in itself, is not a bad thing. Sometimes a less complicated app will be the more popular and intuitive app for most people. Nerdy engineers have this tendency to put in every feature they can think of someone wanting to use...but there's a real usability cost for every added feature.

I just have a hard time seeing how Google gets their user count from zero to high enough to make the app useful.

nimper
Jun 19, 2003

livin' in a hopium den

chocolateTHUNDER
Jul 19, 2008

GIVE ME ALL YOUR FREE AGENTS

ALL OF THEM
God Google, if you really want to compete with imessages why not develop some sort of API that hooks into your Google account, then force OEM's to implement it into their stock messaging apps.

This poo poo should have been done 3 years ago.

Sir Lemming
Jan 27, 2009

It's a piece of JUNK!
Oh it also cracks me up that Google Assistant, one of the only real selling points here, is "Preview Edition". That is the Googlest thing.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

DO YOU HEAR THAT? THAT'S THE SOUND OF ME PATTING MYSELF ON THE BACK.


chocolateTHUNDER posted:

God Google, if you really want to compete with imessages why not develop some sort of API that hooks into your Google account, then force OEM's to implement it into their stock messaging apps.

This poo poo should have been done 3 years ago.

They wouldn't have to force anything.

The SMS store is a system component so it's consistent between manufacturer builds of Android. All they would need to do is have a new process in play services monitor the DB for updates and forward them off to Google's servers.

Google could very easily build a superior version of iMessage with little effort, they just have chosen not to.

Wrist Watch
Apr 19, 2011

What?

Sir Lemming posted:

Same thing broadly speaking, except Allo is tied to a phone number/device for some reason. And it doesn't support SMS, it just has a simplified way to convert SMS to Allo message, sort of like using SMS to tweet or whatever.

So...Allo can send out SMS the same way I could SMS a tweet, but you can't actually receive SMS using Allo? Do I have this right?

Sorry, it's just confusing me because every time I check Allo seems to have even less features than I thought it did.

Thermopyle posted:

TBH, this, in itself, is not a bad thing. Sometimes a less complicated app will be the more popular and intuitive app for most people. Nerdy engineers have this tendency to put in every feature they can think of someone wanting to use...but there's a real usability cost for every added feature.

I just have a hard time seeing how Google gets their user count from zero to high enough to make the app useful.

They'll just tie it in to another major service they offer a la google + and artificially inflate their numbers that way if need be for metrics' sake

FunOne
Aug 20, 2000
I am a slimey vat of concentrated stupidity

Fun Shoe

deong posted:

Is there 1 feature of Allo that Hangouts didn't already do? It seems like its hangouts minus stuff, instead of just solidifying hangouts.

The answer to all questions is: Google Assistant.

Why did they build a new messaging platform? Google Assistant integration.

Why doesn't it do end to end encryption? Google Assistant.

Why do they think people will use this over WhatsApp et. al? Google Assistant!

Why can't I desktop in version 1.0? Google Assistant needs GPS!

Why don't you have these other features? Because the version we demo'd at I/O was just a mock up and didn't actually exist, we've been working this whole time to get here damnit. Its a shell for Google Assistant that we'll eventually make in to a real competitor. Maybe. Or something else.


And yeah, many of these complaints are just because we're all nerds. I mean, we're talking about phones on an internet messaging platform.

WhatsApp built a huge community without encryption, without desktop, hell, without web for a long time. Mobile only, no sync. Facebook messenger built its own user base without SMS and just phone sign up as well. Oh, and Snapchat. Oh, and Instagram too.

I suspect that was the argument for going mobile-first to build a decent tick-the-box chat platform around the Google Assistant integration then develop from there those other things.

That being said: What the gently caress is with the SMS integration? I mean, just leave it out if you're not going to even attempt to integrate with anything. I have Fi, just directly connect out to my SMS gateway instead of making another one! gently caress. Also, image compression is set to kill rather than just stun. I'd love a platform with the option to set it to NONE, but still, this is pretty aggressive. And the clean UI gets hosed sending screenshots of the app and other such edge cases.

Still, the direct message popup without install on other Android devices, when it works, is slick as poo poo. And the Google Assistant actually seems like it'd be pretty useful. That and reply suggestions.

Nitrousoxide
May 30, 2011

do not buy a oneplus phone



One useful thing that I'd like to see ported out of Allo is the suggested follow up commands for a Google search.

I think pretty much everything you can do in Google assistant can already be done via Google now searches right?

Teeter
Jul 21, 2005

Hey guys! I'm having a good time, what about you?

My office is under a parking garage and I get literally zero cell service. I use a hangouts # because it is the only way for me to get calls/text while I am at work. Initial testing with Allo seems to suggest that I can send SMS from my carrier # while at work now, though I can only receive them if it is my initial message that is replied to. Doesn't seem like it will pass anything else through

I'm so confused by all of this. All I want is an app that I can use to talk to my friends with using either my google or carrier #. Hangouts took a huge step back when they separated conversation threads.

Teeter fucked around with this message at 23:15 on Sep 21, 2016

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chocolateTHUNDER
Jul 19, 2008

GIVE ME ALL YOUR FREE AGENTS

ALL OF THEM

bull3964 posted:

They wouldn't have to force anything.

The SMS store is a system component so it's consistent between manufacturer builds of Android. All they would need to do is have a new process in play services monitor the DB for updates and forward them off to Google's servers.

Google could very easily build a superior version of iMessage with little effort, they just have chosen not to.

I would imagine there would have to be some work done by the OEM's to support things like message indicators (typing, read etc) stickers, "fun" features etc.

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