Each one of us has a ton of apps installed on our smartphones that we use daily to communicate with our family and friends. Sometimes, we use different apps to communicate with the same set contacts just to try a new app or a new feature. So bringing one more feature-rich messenger app in the market is Google with its new Google Allo!
Google already has a few chat apps in its portfolio such as the Hangouts and the recently launched Google Duo. Duo app was announced at the company’s 2016 annual developer conference – Google I/O. At the same event, the new Google Allo – instant messaging mobile app was announced as well. The Allo app is up for download on both – Android and iOS. The app also gets integrated preview edition of the Google Assistant. The Assistant is considered as an extension of the Google Now but it can engage in two-way conversations.
Speaking of the Google Allo, the app requires your mobile number unlike all the other apps of the Google ecosystem that requires you sync in your gmail account. This is new! Download the app from the Playstore (Android) or the Appstore (iOS). After installing and accessing the app the very first thing you do is register your mobile number that gets verified, further, you need to put a photograph as your display picture. This is a standard procedure for almost every other messaging app.
The interface is clean and simple and has the Google feel to it with colourful icons on the white background. Your home screen will have an ‘Options’ icon on the top left on the other side is the search to find your specific chat. At the bottom right is a messaging icon that takes you to your contact list for you to select a contact, Start a group chat/ incognito chat or have a word with Google Assistant.
The chat interface is pretty simple but the integrated Google assistant is a neat addition. While you are chatting with your friend or friends the Assistant is actively involved. For almost every interaction, it throws a few reply suggestions on the screen to save you a few seconds of thinking and typing. Users can also have atwo-wayy conversation with Google assistant in the form of a chat and it can pull any sort of information for you. For eg. While in the chat if you type ‘Let’s have dinner together tonight’, the Assistant fetches you information of the nearby restaurants. Just type @google to bring your Assistant into any group chat. And of course, you can also chat one-on-one with your Assistant in Allo.
The most interesting feature of Allo is the Incognito chat feature! It allows you to have a text conversation with your desired contact that is (as the app says) kept secret using encryption, expiring chats, amd private notifications. Users can set the expiry of the chat between 5 seconds and 1 week.
Other features include
- Photos/Video share
- Emojis
- Stickers Chat
- 25 custom sticker packs
Here’s a video of the Google Allo-
https://youtu.be/VXEkoXgb4bI
The folks at Google say,” With the Allo app you can make plans with friends. You can easily move from discussing dinner with friends to making plans for the night, right in your chat. Just add the Assistant to your group chat and ask for movie times, local restaurants and more. You can also research travel destinations, flights and hotels together with friends. Get answers. Get the latest info on everything from news, weather, traffic, sports, or your upcoming flights status. Ask the Assistant to send you daily updates on the information you care about. Have some fun. Ask your Assistant to share that funny YouTube video or play games with friends right in your group chat — for instance, you can compete to guess a movie title based on a series of emojis.”