It can be a mild bother. Such as if you were one of the people who relied on Amazon or Google to log into Mediocre’s sites and you got sorted into one of the MorningSave groups who could log in only via Facebook or username, back when that was getting tested.
A/B Testing is not the same thing as psychological testing.
Testing shades of blue in the Google logo is better than testing shitty click bait headlines, is better than Facebook’s mood testing, which was outright unethical.
My least favorite testing is Google.
My example is Google Voice (unified communications)
The idea is you get 1 number and it rules everywhere, set it up to call your home, tablet, cell, work. So I meet Bob on the street and I give him my 1 number.
There is an Android and PC app called GoogleVoice to send messages from your phone, tablet, PC as your GV number, no matter what your actual phone number is.
They stopped work on the PC GV app.
Then they stop updating the GV app.
Then they integrate GV in Hangouts. (OK, I guess I need to use hangouts now) At the time no one wanted to use hangouts. Hangouts uses SMS and GV. This means you can send text messages from your GV phone number.
Now Hangouts SMS is being discontinued. So you would think to yourself I should use the Google Voice app as my default SMS app right? Wrong. You can not use GV as your default SMS app on Android.
Here’s a list of devices that we’ve verified will work with Project Fi:
Nexus 7 - K009 (2013 US LTE)*
Nexus 9 - 0P82300 (2014 US LTE)
iPad Air 2 - Model A1567 (2014)
iPad Mini 4 - Model A1550 (2015)
iPad Pro - Model A1652 (2015)
Galaxy Tab S - Model SM-T807V (2015)*
Pixel XL Model G-2PW2100 (North American version)
Pixel Model G-2PW4100 (North American version)
Nexus 5X Model LGH790 (North American version)
Nexus 6P Model H1511 (North American version)
Nexus 6 Model XT1103 (North American version)
*Requires a “nano SIM to micro SIM” adapter (see below).
Other devices:
Data-only SIMs may work with devices that aren’t on our list. Devices need to be unlocked and work with T-Mobile (GSM radio). You can order a data-only SIM and test it out. However, we may not be able to help activate or troubleshoot these other devices.
Note on phones: If you set up a data-only SIM with a phone, you will have access to data, but you won’t be able to make calls and texts across the cellular network.
RCS (Rich Communication Services) is an advanced messaging standard.
When carriers (and apps, though it’s not accessible for integration yet) support this, people would be able to send messages using data.
If a person isn’t on a carrier (or use an app) which supports it, it will be a regular text, even if the sender can use RCS.
It allows for media of larger file sizes to be sent, as well as: see if a person read the text, and see if a response is being typed.
Think along the lines of WhatsApp I guess.
The advantage for Google in this is that by using RCS, they (Google) don’t need to create a unified messaging app, since people would be able to use any messaging app which they want.
Of course though, currently it’s only on Android Messages, and in the US, the only carrier which supports it is Sprint.
I use Hangouts because that’s the only way I can speak with certain people for whom I don’t have phone numbers, as well as the fact that since my plan doesn’t include Canada, I can use the dialer extension app (which should really just get baked in) to call certain people as well as text then and other people.
Google wants to push Hangouts for enterprise use, though that’s still a bit unclear until Google makes an announcement.
No.
Google has been silent with regards to their new strategy for messaging.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
In Google Messages, RCS capabilities are optional.
(There’s a prompt on the home screen when it’s first available, though it can be skipped.)
@f00l I used allo and duo for a day on day 1 and then returned to Hangouts, when I got asked by the people I texted ‘why are you asking me to try the new messaging app? Do you want me to use it instead of my app, how do I do that?’ I realized the app sent a request to the user to use the new app. Noped right the fuck out and uninstalled.
A link above has a comment above that really says it all:
"How innocent we once were, at the time when we witnessed Talk, Voice, SMS and G+ Messages become a single product, fulfilling all our dreams.
Undone in naught but a few years, with this final limb being ripped from the body."
I would add Unified communications and video phone to the above.
With all the analytical data you would think google should know we want easy fast and simple.
and works everywhere and doesnt kill good features and isn’t super annoying and interfaces with normal cell protocols in the normal way.
And they are perfectly capable of doing this. Why don’t they?
When google version of this stuff starts looking more like it was designed for being wonderful and useful instead of mysterious and annoying, I might start using it more or something.
Also, there’s a comment in the Disqus thread which reads as follows:
“Release 2 of the RCS universal profile which is to contain the needed information for third-party apps (Like Textra) to utilize RCS features will be released very soon.”
As mentioned above, even though carriers in the USA and Canada are using RCS, right now it is only compatible with Android Messages.
With the next stage of the RCS universal profile being released though, other apps would be able to take advantage, which is good, since different people have different preferences for using SMS/MMS.
@PlacidPenguin
I am still wondering why they wanna kill SMS in Hangouts. If I go to the trouble of getting a separate hangouts phone number, I wanna number that does calls and text. : /
(Which is good for me since I can use it to make calls (though it requires Hangouts Dialer) and texts to people in Canada. The irony though is that while I need to use GV to contact people in Canada, with my carrier, I can be in Canada and use my regular number to contact the US since there is no roaming charge.)
I always end up in the testing groups for websites that are rolling out their new touch screen friendly sites with oversized UI and inefficient navigation. One example would be Spotify.
It can be a mild bother. Such as if you were one of the people who relied on Amazon or Google to log into Mediocre’s sites and you got sorted into one of the MorningSave groups who could log in only via Facebook or username, back when that was getting tested.
Like Morningsave and email headers? Whatever.
Like how travel companies charge more if you’re visiting their site from an Apple computer?
Fuck em if they can’t take a joke.
@f00l. That’s my saying, lolol
I like skewing the results of these kinds of tests by selecting the “see comments” option and then not commenting with my real answer.
A/B Testing is not the same thing as psychological testing.
Testing shades of blue in the Google logo is better than testing shitty click bait headlines, is better than Facebook’s mood testing, which was outright unethical.
@InnocuousFarmer
Hey, FB testing gets incredible results!
Such as:
I am not in the mood for Facebook. Haven’t been for some weeks.
Fuck 'em if they can’t take a joke.
See? Now I call that a scientifically meaningful result.
My least favorite testing is Google.
My example is Google Voice (unified communications)
The idea is you get 1 number and it rules everywhere, set it up to call your home, tablet, cell, work. So I meet Bob on the street and I give him my 1 number.
There is an Android and PC app called GoogleVoice to send messages from your phone, tablet, PC as your GV number, no matter what your actual phone number is.
They stopped work on the PC GV app.
Then they stop updating the GV app.
Then they integrate GV in Hangouts. (OK, I guess I need to use hangouts now) At the time no one wanted to use hangouts. Hangouts uses SMS and GV. This means you can send text messages from your GV phone number.
Now Hangouts SMS is being discontinued. So you would think to yourself I should use the Google Voice app as my default SMS app right? Wrong. You can not use GV as your default SMS app on Android.
WTF Google?
@caffeine_dude
Android Police has an app icon timeline of how many messaging apps Google uses for Android.
Gotta find it (not so easy).
Also, while Hangouts is removing SMS, it will still support it for Project Fi subscribers as well as those who use Google Voice.
http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/05/22/sms-support-hangouts-officially-ends-today-excluding-project-fi-subscribers/
@PlacidPenguin
@caffeine_dude
Ok, I see that Google Voice is ending as a separate thing and merging completely into Hangouts in June?
And in the meantime, Hamgouts killed SMS?
Huh?
If i were using Hangouts, SMS might be the main reason. Did they really kill it?
Confused about what Google’s up to.
Found the timeline.
It’s not worth sharing since it’s 4 years old and doesn’t include Allo and Duo.
@PlacidPenguin
Can you enlighten us a little?
I thought 'Allo was kinda an extended Ok Google.
Is that not right? What is Allo?
What is Duo?
@f00l
Hangouts killed SMS for one’s regular carrier (non- Project Fi) number.
As to what they’re up to, they’re working on expanding use of RCS.
@f00l
Allo and Duo.
@PlacidPenguin
Talk to us like we’re stupid.
(Ha ha ha no comment!)
What is RCS?
What is the direction of Hangouts? Why do they expect people to use it w no SMS if the person is not a Fi user?
Whatever happened to the “one number for anywhere” concept if the one # is not a Fi number?
Is Fi still limited to Nexus and Pixel phones?
Is cell data on Fi still expensive?
What does the user lose and gain when Voice gets rolled into Hangouts?
Why do they expect non-Fi people to use Hangouts for their general communications, if there is no SMS?
I am so confused.
@f00l
From the Project Fi website:
Here’s a list of devices that we’ve verified will work with Project Fi:
Nexus 7 - K009 (2013 US LTE)*
Nexus 9 - 0P82300 (2014 US LTE)
iPad Air 2 - Model A1567 (2014)
iPad Mini 4 - Model A1550 (2015)
iPad Pro - Model A1652 (2015)
Galaxy Tab S - Model SM-T807V (2015)*
Pixel XL Model G-2PW2100 (North American version)
Pixel Model G-2PW4100 (North American version)
Nexus 5X Model LGH790 (North American version)
Nexus 6P Model H1511 (North American version)
Nexus 6 Model XT1103 (North American version)
*Requires a “nano SIM to micro SIM” adapter (see below).
Other devices:
Data-only SIMs may work with devices that aren’t on our list. Devices need to be unlocked and work with T-Mobile (GSM radio). You can order a data-only SIM and test it out. However, we may not be able to help activate or troubleshoot these other devices.
Note on phones: If you set up a data-only SIM with a phone, you will have access to data, but you won’t be able to make calls and texts across the cellular network.
@f00l
RCS (Rich Communication Services) is an advanced messaging standard.
When carriers (and apps, though it’s not accessible for integration yet) support this, people would be able to send messages using data.
If a person isn’t on a carrier (or use an app) which supports it, it will be a regular text, even if the sender can use RCS.
It allows for media of larger file sizes to be sent, as well as: see if a person read the text, and see if a response is being typed.
Think along the lines of WhatsApp I guess.
The advantage for Google in this is that by using RCS, they (Google) don’t need to create a unified messaging app, since people would be able to use any messaging app which they want.
Of course though, currently it’s only on Android Messages, and in the US, the only carrier which supports it is Sprint.
@f00l
I use Hangouts because that’s the only way I can speak with certain people for whom I don’t have phone numbers, as well as the fact that since my plan doesn’t include Canada, I can use the dialer extension app (which should really just get baked in) to call certain people as well as text then and other people.
Google wants to push Hangouts for enterprise use, though that’s still a bit unclear until Google makes an announcement.
@PlacidPenguin
Are you on Fi?
Is Google discontinuing SMS over Hangouts in an attempt to push RCS?
Isn’t that a little premature? Won’t that push people away from Hangouts as a phone service?
Will google allow disabling of “message read” info and “typing” info and similar?
I allow that stuff on WhatsApp because I use WhatsApp for one person. And with that person it’s fine.
I’d have to up the privacy a lot if I used WhatsApp for standard messaging with everyone I might text.
Still trying to understand. Duh.
@f00l
No.
Google has been silent with regards to their new strategy for messaging.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
In Google Messages, RCS capabilities are optional.
(There’s a prompt on the home screen when it’s first available, though it can be skipped.)
@f00l I used allo and duo for a day on day 1 and then returned to Hangouts, when I got asked by the people I texted ‘why are you asking me to try the new messaging app? Do you want me to use it instead of my app, how do I do that?’ I realized the app sent a request to the user to use the new app. Noped right the fuck out and uninstalled.
A link above has a comment above that really says it all:
"How innocent we once were, at the time when we witnessed Talk, Voice, SMS and G+ Messages become a single product, fulfilling all our dreams.
Undone in naught but a few years, with this final limb being ripped from the body."
I would add Unified communications and video phone to the above.
With all the analytical data you would think google should know we want easy fast and simple.
@caffeine_dude
and works everywhere and doesnt kill good features and isn’t super annoying and interfaces with normal cell protocols in the normal way.
And they are perfectly capable of doing this. Why don’t they?
When google version of this stuff starts looking more like it was designed for being wonderful and useful instead of mysterious and annoying, I might start using it more or something.
@f00l
http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/06/07/google-wants-make-easy-carriers-interoperable-rcs-messaging/
Also, there’s a comment in the Disqus thread which reads as follows:
“Release 2 of the RCS universal profile which is to contain the needed information for third-party apps (Like Textra) to utilize RCS features will be released very soon.”
As mentioned above, even though carriers in the USA and Canada are using RCS, right now it is only compatible with Android Messages.
With the next stage of the RCS universal profile being released though, other apps would be able to take advantage, which is good, since different people have different preferences for using SMS/MMS.
@PlacidPenguin
I am still wondering why they wanna kill SMS in Hangouts. If I go to the trouble of getting a separate hangouts phone number, I wanna number that does calls and text. : /
@f00l
You can still use Google Voice in Hangouts…
(Which is good for me since I can use it to make calls (though it requires Hangouts Dialer) and texts to people in Canada. The irony though is that while I need to use GV to contact people in Canada, with my carrier, I can be in Canada and use my regular number to contact the US since there is no roaming charge.)
I always end up in the testing groups for websites that are rolling out their new touch screen friendly sites with oversized UI and inefficient navigation. One example would be Spotify.