Everything you need to know about Google Allo

The very best by Google is here! If you have been jostling to find one resource that provides consolidated information about the newly launched Google Allo, Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered messaging app that was announced alongside Duo, during its annual I/O event in May, this year, here we are.

There are several apps connecting people to their contacts – ranging from the most popular, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, to Hike, Hangouts and Viber, to name a few, Google decided to enter the market with its revolutionary and more personalized new messaging app that boasts artificial intelligence system, as well as other new features such as end-to-end encryption, voice messages, and sticker packs.
So, what is the app all about and how it is different from existing messenger applications that you have on your smart devices? Let’s find out:

Google Allo signup and account creation

Just like our very own Whatsapp, the process to sign up on Allo is pretty simple. It uses your mobile number, so you can use it to send instant messages to anyone in your phonebook, along with other Allo users. You can also sync your Gmail account with the app, and keep track of mails and important meetings with built-in AL powered by Google Assistant, the assistive technology. This feature makes it unique.

App interface and design

Google is known to keep the interface of all their products user-friendly. Regular Google users would not take long to figure out app’s interface, settings and features. The overall interface is pretty basic and seamless for any user to get acquainted to.
"Allo is a smarter messaging app, with machine intelligence and our natural language processing advances from search," explains Fulay. "Smart reply – which we first built for Inbox gives real time suggestions to quickly reply to a message based on your responses, and it learns over time."

Security

You can also use Allo in incognito mode, where your text messages will not be logged and the chat gets fully encrypted. However, this also restricts some smart features. To combat this problem, Allo plans to keep only temporary message logs, in order to improve the Google Assistant and Smart reply features. Allo offers an Incognito Mode, which means you get to access not only end-to-end encrypted messages but also value added features like expiring chats and private notifications. Benefit? You can keep all yours messages safe, as well as control how and when to permanently delete them from your device. Basically, you get additional controls over the privacy of your chats.

Smart Reply

One of the well-noted, distinctive features of Allo is its ability to send smart replies. "I actually miss this when I'm not using Allo," adds Fulay. "If I use any other messaging app I miss this because it really keeps the conversation going."
However, smart replies can take a week of training for someone to make the most of this feature. Fulay also demonstrated smart replies to show how they work effectively. He shows us how it responds to a picture and a number of common messages by offering a suitable and quick response.

Google Assistant

Finally, Siri like experience for Android users! If you have used chat bots like Slack, it won’t take you much time to get acquainted with the in-built virtual assistant that Allo has to offer.  You can call on Google Assistant at any time just by typing "@google" in Allo. For example, if you and your friend are making plans to visit a Chinese restaurant in your area, you can simply type in your query in the chat window to bring up these results. Google Assistant will proactively suggest options to your queries at the bottom of the app's messaging window. That means you no longer have to leave your messaging app to do a quick Google search for your favourite restaurants, Coldplay concert details, movie time and so on. You can simply copy the information from the bottom window to your chat window and share it with your friends. Allo's Google Assistant can get everything done in the app itself. During the launch of the app in May, Sundar Pichai, Google CEO said, “Think of the assistant, we think of it as a conversational assistant, we want users to have an ongoing two-way dialogue.”

Why would you use Google Allo?

You might want to give it a try for the amazing set of new and powerful features that this messaging app has to offer. Most distinctive features have been described above…and all of it is available totally free of cost.

Google Glass 2.0 is real, and here are photos to prove it

The next generation of Google Glass, Google's head-mounted wearable display, is the real deal.

A filing to the Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. government body that must review and approve personal electronics like phones and wearables, reveals photos of the device's external design, along with internal circuitry (see below) and also a basic user manual. The filing also includes a statement on company letterhead authorizing a third party to help get Google through the FCC's authorization process.

A new edition of Google Glass signals a possible new direction for the company's stalled and stagnant wearable, especially if it winds up in use as a business tool rather than as product for everyday buyers, as blog 9-to-5 Google reports.

Named as model GG1 on the FCC documents, the device appears to hew closely to the original Google Glass Explorer Edition. In other words, it will look like a set of eyeglass frames with a screen floating above your eye.

A previous patent from November depicts a version of Glass that looks like a squiggle of a device that would hug only half your head. Google apparently isn't ready for that future of Glass yet.

Unconfirmed rumors from 9-to-5 Google and The Wall Street Journal suggest that the new edition of Google Glass will have a larger prism, a sturdier design and include an Intel Atom processor. It could sell directly to businesses.

Google Glass has had a rough ride so far. Launched in 2012 for developers and then in 2013 for buyers, Google Glass was widely received as expensive and invasive, the latter because people feared they were being photographed or recorded without knowledge or permission. Google stopped selling its first Glass edition in January 2015.

Allo and Duo news: what we know about Google’s all-new communication apps

Google has two apps on the way that have been highly anticipated since the search giant announced them at its developer conference in May: Allo and Duo. Duo is already out, and Allo should be out this summer. Seeing as summer is now in full swing, rumors have begun to spread about some additional features and Google’s messaging strategy.
But just what will the new apps look like? And how will they function in the grand scheme of Android? Google Duo, of course, has now been released, and for more information about it, head here.

Related: Google transparency report: Government asks for more user data each year

Google Assistant integration

It’s becoming increasingly clear that Google Assistant will be a big part of Allo. You will, for example, be able to treat Assistant like a chatbot to find out information from the web and do things like order food. A recent report from Android Police also suggests that you’ll be able to use Allo to interpret voice messages into text. That is to say that when you’re chatting with Allo, you’ll be able to either type things to the assistant, or tap the microphone and chat to it like you would in any other Allo chat. Assistant will then transcribe your message into text, then do what you asked it to. That’s especially helpful for times when you’re not connected to the internet — Allo will hold on to what you asked it, and then answer it when you’re finally reconnected to the internet, so you won’t forget about what you were asking. No more “can’t reach Google at the moment.”

Allo is also highly anticipated for its encryption methods. Another recent report suggests that the app’s incognito chats will have disappearing messages that work like Snapchat. Chats in incognito mode will be end-to-end encrypted, and each participant will get unique identification keys. There is, however, a drawback to using incognito mode — you won’t be able to use Google Assistant. Part of the mode also includes private notifications. Instead of a preview of the message appearing in the notification, the notification will simply say that “you have a new message.”

Will Allo actually be called Allo?

Before these new reports, we heard from Reddit user LTNGNX on the Android subreddit claiming to be an “experienced Google tester” says he has been testing Allo and Duo since before Google I/O when they were announced. LTNGNX says he is breaking his nondisclosure agreement by discussing the apps, but he isn’t offering proof via screenshots since “that’s actually how companies discover who’s leaking stuff they shouldn’t.”


Another Redditor going by therdav3 says after tearing through the app’s APK, Allo is actually a code name for the app’s real name — “Messaging.” This makes sense if it’s going to be a default app, but we cannot verify the user’s claims. Therdav3 also says Allo offers SMS support and “will determine whether or not your message can be sent via SMS or their proprietary system based on whether the other person is online.”

Allo and Duo could eventually be the death of Hangouts and Messenger

Google has a number of messaging apps out right now, and with two more on the way many suggest that there are simply too many un-deletable communications apps on Android. If rumors are anything to go by, however, Allo and Duo may be the only ones you’ll need.


Reddit user LTNGNX says that Allo and Duo will end up being the default communications apps in Android Nougat, and that the “messenger app” will eventually be phased out. Therdav3 says this means Google Messenger will be replaced — an odd move considering that app is less than two years old. The two apps are directly competing with iMessage and FaceTime.

With Allo being such a high priority, what happens to Hangouts? LTNGNX says the video conferencing and messaging app will be “phased out little by little on mobile devices,” but it will still be around because it’s used by businesses.

There’s a chance that’s won’t be the case, though. A report from Android development forum and blog XDA refutes LTNGNX’s claims. “Neither Hangout nor Messenger will be going anywhere,” a source told the website. “Allo only supports Allo messages at this time. There is no cross-app messaging, Google Voice or SMS support.”

Will Allo have Google Voice and SMS integration?

There are conflicting reports about whether or not Allo will include integration for Google Voice and SMS integration.

“[These] two apps are very important for Google and things will be done little by little mostly to avoid even more drama with the [European Union] and their shenanigans,” Reddit user LTNGNX writes. “How do I know all this? I’m a third level beta tester, breaking an NDA and risking a lot trying to bring some facts and hopes to r/Android.”

LTNGNX claims that multiple versions of Allo are reportedly being tested by beta testers. Some testers may have Google Voice integration built into their version of Allo, while others may have different features. So if this information is true, the ultimate decision lies with Google as to which variant tests the most positively.

Related: Hands on with Android Nougat Developer Preview 5

LTNGNX claims that Allo will have SMS and Google Voice support, and “Allo will be associated to one device only, at least at first. It will be, eventually, expanded to web and more devices” — meaning Allo will be attached to only one phone number at launch, like WhatsApp. It seems as though based on LTNGNX’s claim, the lack of multi-device syncing is due to issues with Incognito Mode. Google Voice features, LTNGNX says, will come to Allo and Project Fi, but it may be a while. We may also see a web and Chrome OS version of Allo over time, and there is reportedly a tablet version being tested as well.

Users will be able to switch between Allo and Duo within the app to instantly video chat and vice versa, LTNGNX claims. Allo and Duo also may gradually roll out before Android 7.0 Nougat so that Google can get early feedback.


We shouldn’t have to wait too long to see whether any of this information is true — Duo has already been released, and Allo should be out before summer ends in mid-September. We will update this post if we learn more, and when we hear back from Google. If you want to read more about the Google Assistant-powered Allo messaging app, you can read our post about it here.

Android N Developer Preview 2 Includes New Vulkan 3D Rendering API

Among the top new features of the recently released Android N Developer Preview 2 is Vulkan, a new 3D rendering API which Google helped to create as a member of the Khronos Group.  

Vulkan is a new generation graphics and compute API that provides high-efficiency, cross-platform access to modern GPUs used in a wide variety of devices from PCs and consoles to mobile phones and embedded platforms. 

For developers, it offers a significant boost in performance for draw-call heavy applications. Vulkan’s reduction of CPU overhead allows some synthetic benchmarks to see as much as 10 times the draw-call throughput on a single core as compared to OpenGL ES. 

Combined with a threading-friendly API design, which allows multiple cores to be used in parallel with high efficiency, this offers a significant boost in performance for draw-call heavy applications.

Vulkan support is available now via the Android N Preview on devices which support it, including Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P.  According to a recent blog post, the Android team reports there are many similarities between OpenGL ES and Vulkan, but Vulkan offers these new features for developers:

- Application control of memory allocation: Vulkan provides mechanisms for fine-grained control of how and when memory is allocated on the GPU. This allows developers to use their own allocation and recycling policies to fit their application, ultimately reducing execution and memory overhead and allowing applications to control when expensive allocations occur.

- Asynchronous command generation: In OpenGL ES, draw calls are issued to the GPU as soon as the application calls them. In Vulkan, the application instead submits draw calls to command buffers, which allows the work of forming and recording the draw call to be separated from the act of issuing it to the GPU. By spreading command generation across several threads, applications can more effectively make use of multiple CPU cores. These command buffers can also be reused, reducing the overhead involved in command creation and issuance.

- No hidden work: One OpenGL ES pitfall is that some commands may trigger work at points which are not explicitly spelled out in the API specification or made obvious to the developer. Vulkan makes performance more predictable and consistent by specifying which commands will explicitly trigger work and which will not.

- Multithreaded design, from the ground up: All OpenGL ES applications must issue commands for a context only from a single thread in order to render predictably and correctly. By contrast, Vulkan doesn’t have this requirement, allowing applications to do work like command buffer generation in parallel -  but at the same time, it doesn’t make implicit guarantees about the safety of modifying and reading data from multiple threads at the same time. The power and responsibility of managing thread synchronization is in the hands of the application.

Mobile-friendly features: Vulkan includes features particularly helpful for achieving high performance on tiling GPUs, used by many mobile devices. Applications can provide information about the interaction between separate rendering passes, allowing tiling GPUs to make effective use of limited memory bandwidth, and avoid performing off-chip reads.

Offline shader compilation: Vulkan mandates support for SPIR-V, an intermediate language for shaders. This allows developers to compile shaders ahead of time, and ship SPIR-V binaries with their applications. These binaries are simpler to parse than high-level languages like GLSL, which means less variance in how drivers perform this parsing. SPIR-V also opens the door for third parties to provide compilers for specialized or cross-platform shading languages.

- Optional validation: OpenGL ES validates every command you call, checking that arguments are within expected ranges, and objects are in the correct state to be operated upon. Vulkan doesn’t perform any of this validation itself. Instead, developers can use optional debug tools to ensure their calls are correct, incurring no run-time overhead in the final product.

Other new functionality with the Android N Preview 2 include:

- Launcher shortcuts: Now, apps can define shortcuts which users can expose in the launcher to help them perform actions quicker. These shortcuts contain an Intent into specific points within your app (like sending a message to your best friend, navigating home in a mapping app, or playing the next episode of a TV show in a media app).

An application can publish shortcuts and launchers can be expected to show 3-5 shortcuts for a given app.

- Emoji Unicode 9 support: Google is introducing a new emoji design for people emoji that moves away from a generic look in favor of a more human-looking design. If you’re a keyboard or messaging app developer, you should start incorporating these emoji into your apps. The update also introduces support for skin tone variations and Unicode 9 glyphs, like the bacon, selfie and face palm.

API changes: This update includes API changes as Google continue to refine features such as multi-window support (you can now specify a separate minimum height and minimum width for an activity), notifications, and others.

Stable Release of Android Studio 2.1 Supports Android N Developer Preview

The stable release of Android Studio 2.1 is now available and includes updates to the platform’s IDE wizards, build system and Android Emulator. The Android Studio development team says that the latest release provides access to new features and APIs of the developer preview including the new Jack compiler and Java 8 language support. Android Studio 2.1 includes performance improvements to Instant Run which provides faster edit and deploy build speeds.

Highlights of the new features to Android Studio 2.1:



N Developer Preview Support

For developers who want test and validate an app with the Android N Developer Preview, Android Studio 2.1 is the suggested IDE to do so. Developers can access the latest versions of the preview SDK, learn the functionality of new Java 8 support, and utilize the official Android Emulator able to run N Developer Preview Emulator System Images to help in with testing.


The Android Studio 2.1 release includes support for the new Jack compiler and support for Java 8. With the Jack compiler, lambdas, method references, compile-time type annotations, intersection types and type inference are available on all versions of the Android platform. Default and static methods and repeatable annotations are available on Android N and higher. To use Java 8 language features when developing with the N Developer Preview, developers need to use the Jack compiler.

Instant Run

Developers can access fast edits, builds and deploy cycles with Android Studio 2.0 as Instant Run now can now update incremental changes to app code much faster. Instant Run and general build speed are now faster due to two new features - incremental Java compilation and in-process dex.

In previous versions of Android Studio, a single line of Java code change will cause all the Java sources in the module to be recompiled. Now in Android Studio 2.1, incremental Java compilation is enabled by default to reduce compilation time by compiling only what is needed.


Build times are now faster by using in-process dex, which converts class files to dex files within the Gradle daemon process. This avoids the processing operation of creating separate dex processes. To use this feature, developers will need to increase the amount of memory available to the Gradle daemon to at least 2GB (1 GB is the default). This feature will help speed up both incremental and full builds.

Read More: https://developer.android.com/studio/intro/index.html