[:en]We’ve seen Google grow from a small company developing a search engine to one known for its groundbreaking work, developing not only technology for today but also self-driving cars and virtual reality platforms for the future.
Rich Miller of Data Centre Knowledge estimated that in 2011 Google was running more than one million data centres around the world. Not bad for a company that started off as a research project by two PhD Stanford University students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in 1996.
On 21 September they added a new phone-based chat application, Allo, to their list of innovations.
Much speculation has been made as to why Google would launch a stand-alone app that can only be used on mobile devices and can’t be integrated with other devices. Some claim Allo is their attempt at breaking into the Indian market, the 3rd largest in the world after China and the US. And as we all know, censorship in China doesn’t allow much in the line of western technology, hence Google’s focus on India.
One of the advantages of using Google products is that it can be accessed over all platforms with your Google account. This is not the case with their latest brainchild. Allo won’t recognise you as a Google user. In fact, you have to register anew, without an option to register with your Gmail address. Allo, like Whatapp, uses your mobile number as a form of recognition instead of an e-mail address.
Allo does not replace the less-than-perfect Google Hangouts. It doesn’t do video chat or send SMSs. Another app, Duo, which is used exclusively for video, was released at the same time as Allo. So why install Allo at all? There are some positive points to be made.
Google’s machine learning technology might be the main reason why Allo downloads passed the million mark this week. Allo introduces Google Assistant, an integrated, smart search bot embedded in your chat. It enables access to information without opening an additional tab or alternatively, you can start a private conversation by typing @google and asking a question. Think of it as Siri for Android, only more efficient.
Other nice-to-haves include whisper/shout, a tool enabling you to change the size of your text by holding down the Send button and dragging your finger upwards. Not revolutionary, but possibly useful if you’re in a hurry.
If verbal communication is not your strength, Allo has a large collection of sticker packs you use to express yourself with visually. The new Ink feature also allows you to draw on or add text to photos.
On a practical level, Allo uses Smart Replies, a tool which apparently thinks for you. By tracking your most used phrases and words, it predicts what your replies might be. Almost like autocorrect, only more clever and less embarrassing.
Lastly, there’s Incognito mode.
Initially, when Allo was announced earlier this year, Google claimed that conversations would automatically be deleted after a specific time, as set by you.
However, when Allo was released this week, Google changed their mind. They announced that the current version of Allo will store messages indefinitely on Google’s servers to enable them to collect data to improve their products. Unless you decide to delete your messages, they will stay on Google’s servers. It’s this announcement that prompted Edward Snowden to warn the world against installing Google Allo.
The good news is you can still use Incognito Mode, which is end-to-end encrypted and will not store your messages. A good thing if you are sensitive about your data being potentially accessible to a third party or if you are Edward Snowden.
Google Allo can be downloaded from the Google Play store.
SOURCES:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Allo
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/09/google-allo-is-incomplete-but-assistant-is-the-companys-future/
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/new-product/google-android/what-is-google-allo-what-is-google-duo-google-allo-available-now-3640590/
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/09/google-allos-limitations-explained-in-one-word-india/
http://www.androidauthority.com/google-allo-717745/
http://www.techradar.com/how-to/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/how-to-use-google-allo-1329437
[:af]Google het gegroei van `n maatskappy wat `n soekenjin ontwikkel het, tot een wat nie net tegnologie vir vandag nie, maar ook selfaangedrewe motors en `n virtuele realiteit platform vir die toekoms, ontwikkel.
Rich Miller het in 2011 op die Data Centre Knowledge webwerf genoem dat Google op daardie stadium reeds meer as een miljoen datasentrums regoor die wêreld besit het. Glad nie sleg vir iets wat in 1996 begin het as twee PhD Stanford Universiteitstudente, Larry Page en Sergey Brin, se navorsingsprojek nie.
Op 21 September is ʼn nuwe foongebaseerde kletstoepassing, Allo, bygevoeg tot Google se lys innovasies.
Die bekendstelling van ʼn alleenstaande toepassing wat slegs op mobiele toestelle gebruik kan word en nie integreer kan word met ander nie, het egter almal aan die gons. Daar word gespekuleer dat Allo Google se poging is om ʼn deurbraak in die Indiese mark te maak, ʼn mark wat naas China en Amerika die grootste ter wêreld is. En soos ons weet, is China nie besonder toeganklik vir Westerse tegnologie nie.
Een van die voordele van Google-produkte, is dat dit toeganklik is oor platforms met jou Googlerekening. Dis nie die geval met dié nuutste wonderkind nie. Allo sal jou nie herken as ʼn Google-gebruiker nie. Jy moet van nuuts af registreer as ʼn gebruiker, ook sonder die opsie om jou Gmail-adres te gebruik vir registrasie. Soos Whatsapp, gebruik Allo jou selfoonnommer om jou te herken.
Allo vervang ook nie die minder-suksesvolle Google Hangouts nie. Dit kan nie video-uitsendings hanteer nie en ook nie SMSe stuur nie. Vir video-klets het jy Duo nodig, ʼn addisionele toepassing wat saam met Allo vrygestel is. So hoekom sal jy enigsins Allo installeer? Daar is darem pluspunte.
Google se masjienleer-tegnologie mag die hoofrede wees waarom Allo installasies die week die miljoenmerk verbygesteek het. Allo gebruik Google Assistant, ʼn geïntegreerde, slim soekbot wat deel vorm van jou kletsprogram. Dit stel jou in staat om toegang tot inligting te kry sonder om ʼn ekstra weboortjie oop te maak of jy kan `n privaatboodskap aan die assistent stuur deur @google te tik en ʼn vraag te stel. Dink daaraan as die Siri vir Android, net meer effektief.
Ander handige funksies sluit whisper/shout in – ʼn stukkie sagteware wat jou in staat stel om die teks in jou boodskap se grootte te verander deur die Send-knoppie in te hou en jou vinger op te beweeg. Nie iets wat jou lewe gaan verander nie, maar dalk nuttig as jy haastig is.
As verbale kommunikasie nie jou sterkpunt is nie, bied Allo ʼn groot versameling plakkerstelle waarmee jy jouself na hartelus visueel kan uitdruk. Die nuwe Ink-funksie laat jou ook toe om te teken of teks op fotos aan te bring.
Op ʼn meer praktiese vlak gebruik Allo Smart Replies, `n funksie wat vir jou dink. Dit voorspel wat jou reaksie kan wees op grond van jou meesgebruikte woorde en frases. Amper soos autocorrect, net slimmer en minder geneig om jou in die verleentheid te stel met verkeerde voorstelle.
Laastens is daar Incognito mode.
Google het vroeër die jaar met die Allo-aankondiging, genoem dat alle boodskappe outomaties uitgevee sou word na ʼn sekere tyd, soos bepaal deur die gebruiker.
Met die amptelike bekendstelling het Google sy deuntjie verander. Die nuutste is dat Allo alle boodskappe vir ʼn onbepaalde tyd op Google se bedieners sal stoor. Op dié manier kan Google die versamelde data gebruik om produkte te verbeter. As jy dus nie jou boodskappe uitvee nie, sal dit op Google-bedieners bly. Dis aankondiging wat Edward Snowden genoop het om die wêreld teen Allo te waarsku.
Die goeie nuus is dat jy Incognito Mode, wat end-to-end enkripteer is en nie deur Google gestoor word nie, kan gebruik. `n Goeie idee as jy Edward Snowden is of bloot sensitief dat jou data moontlik toeganklik vir ʼn derde party kan wees.
Google Allo kan afgelaai word op die Google Play-winkel.
BRONNE:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Allo
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/09/google-allo-is-incomplete-but-assistant-is-the-companys-future/
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/new-product/google-android/what-is-google-allo-what-is-google-duo-google-allo-available-now-3640590/
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/09/google-allos-limitations-explained-in-one-word-india/
http://www.androidauthority.com/google-allo-717745/
http://www.techradar.com/how-to/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/how-to-use-google-allo-1329437
