Secret Tips For… Google Allo
Send messages privately, block annoying contacts and annotate your photos
Make your messages private
Google Allo ( https://allo.google.com) is an instant-messaging app (for IOS and Android) that lets you use Google search within your messages. For example, ask a friend if they want to go and see a film and Allo will automatically provide details about what’s showing at local cinemas.
Among its other features is the secure and discreet incognito mode. This encrypts your messages so no one (including Google) can read them apart from the intended recipient. In incognito mode the ‘message received’ notification will not display your (the sender’s) name, nor will it show a preview of the message’s contents.
To use incognito mode tap the New Chat icon (the speech bubble in the bottom left), then ‘Start incognito chat’ and select a contact from your list. The incognito mode will last for an hour by default, but it can be extended to as much as a week. To change this, tap the timer icon and select an expiry time (see screenshot below left), then tap save. When the time has elapsed, all content in the secure chat will be deleted beyond retrieval.
Block or mute annoying contacts
If you’re receiving lots of irritating messages from a particular person, you can block or mute them. To do this, find that person in Allo’s contact list and long-press their name until a small pop-up window appears (see screenshot above right). Select ‘Turn off notifications’ and you won’t be notified when that contact sends you a message (though you will still receive the message). Alternatively, select Block and the contact will no longer be able to send you messages. Repeat this to unblock the contact.
Draw on photos
To send photos using Allo, tap the ‘+’ icon (at the bottom left) when you are taking part in a conversation, then tap the middle icon of the five that pop up along the bottom of your phone’s screen. To annotate the image before you send it, tap the pencil icon that appears. In the editor, select the pencil, then the colour you want, and swipe over the image to draw whatever you want on it. To add typed text to the image tap the ‘A’ icon and type your message. Tap the tick when you’ve finished, then the arrow icon at the top right to send your photo.
Send a voice message
Rather than fiddling around with your onscreen keyboard, you can convert your speech to text by tapping the microphone icon while in conversation. To do this, long-press the microphone icon and your speech will be recorded as audio and sent to everyone in the conversation. This is a great option when you want to relay long instructions, for example, that would take ages to type using your phone.
Change the size of emoticons
Love them or hate them emoticons seem to be here to stay, so if you do love them why not get the most out of them? To send an emoticon while you’re taking part in a chat, tap the smiley-face icon. To change its size, long-press the Send button (the arrow icon) and a slider will appear. Swipe up to make the emoticon larger and down to make it smaller. When you release your finger the message will send with the emoticon at your chosen size.