Google has released a messaging app that is worth trying: Allo. The app was announced in May, and it is now available to the public. Allo is a little different than your standard app, and integrates Google search into the mix to act as an assistant.
The app comes after the release of Google’s Duo app.
Allo doesn’t include video or audio calls, but the app does provide group chatting, message expirations and stickers. The message expiration feature is a lot of fun for users, and it provides an extra complexity to messages.
Users can now put an expiration on messages, such as “Billy, I’ll be going to the movies in 30 minutes, would you like to come?”
This message could be set to expire in 30 minutes, so Billy will either respond before the person leaves to go to the movies, or he won’t see the message at all.
Allo is a “smart app.” It uses artificial intelligence and learns the user’s behavior. The app will analyze conversations you’re having, and it suggests additional things for you to say to keep the conversation going.
Even when pictures are sent to you, the app will make a suggestion on what to say. “What a beautiful baby” may be a suggestion provided when a friend sends a baby picture to you. And if someone asks you how you’re doing, a bubble will pop up suggesting responses.
Using Ai, the app will learn what you would respond with to certain questions.
Think of the app as learning to mimic your natural speech. Suggestions are used with bubbles that users can click to send the message.
Google can be used inside of the chat using “@Google.” This would allow you to search for movie times or a local restaurant all inside of Allo’s chat window. Messages are encrypted, and there is also an “incognito” feature, which allows for further privacy measures.
The app is ad-free, and is available for iOS and Android.
