The best apps are the ones that address a genuine problem or void in our lives. Inbox made it easier to manage incoming email, especially from mobile; Chrome made it simple to keep browser tabs synced across multiple devices and platforms; and Photos made it feasible to store and manage oodles of images without worrying about limited local space.

Now we have Allo, Google’s new attempt at conquering the ever-crowded field of mobile messaging. Allo is the latest in a long and often confusing line of Google messaging apps. It has some interesting touches, like a context-based suggested reply system and an on-demand Google bot that lets you get info from the internet without leaving a chat.

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