Google's short-lived messaging service, Allo, is going the way of Google Reader, Google Health, and the Dodo bird. It's not a surprise — Google began porting and integrating some of the more interesting features (like Google Assistant and web support) from Allo into Messages app for Android earlier this year, signalling that Allo's time may be short. Yesterday, Google confirmed that it will soon be ceasing Allo support entirely in favour of the more widely-used Messages.

Facebook has two messaging platforms - Messenger and WhatsApp. While imagine many people would have accounts with both services, figures released in parallel with Facebook's quarterly earnings report revealed that WhatsApp boasts over a billion users each day. Messenger has over a billion monthly users.

Someone you're interested in dating gave you their number and asked you to text them. Hard part is over, right? Wrong: your entire romantic future here could be determined by your first few text messages. Here's the best way to approach texting someone you want to date, according to the experts.

Congratulations Google Voice loyalists. Your time has finally come. After years of languishing on the vine, Google has finally updated its phone service with a new look and some new features for its Android, iOS and web clients.

Google's Allo is packed with useful features, not the least of which is Google Assistant, which brings a lot to the table. Even so, it takes a lot to make someone switch from what they're using now, especially if their friends use it. What's your favourite texting app? Are you sticking with it?

You know you should use two-factor authentication everywhere you can, but there's also "two-step" authentication, which may come off like the same thing. They're really not. Here's the difference, and what you should know about both.

Android: If you've used Facebook Messenger for a long time, you might remember the glory days when it could handle your SMS messages, too. For some reason, Facebook took this feature away, but it's back in the latest Messenger beta.

Android: Previously mentioned hands-free driving app Drivemode has a lot of great features, but it just added a great one -- the ability to respond to messages in almost any texting app with your voice. SMS is included, but so is Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Gmail.

Android/Android Wear: Talkey analyses your incoming text messages and intelligently generates plain-language responses appropriate for the message. It's ideal for when you're busy and don't have time to type a long message, and it even works with a tap from your Android smartwatch, if you have one.

Google's voice commands are excellent at making texting easier. Recently, Google made this even better, adding an answering machine-style command that allows you to read your last five messages.

Pushbullet has been gradually getting more SMS-related features over time, but now it's finally getting the big one. The app can now show you all your conversation threads, which means it could effectively replace a dedicated desktop SMS app like MightyText.

Android/Mac: Apple's Messages app on a Mac is a neat way to chat with your iPhone without having to pick up your phone. However, it never worked if you have an Android device -- until now. SMS Integration for iChat allows you to send and receive text messages from an Android phone via Messages.

Ever type out a message, hit send and immediately regret it? OS X Daily points out that if you're quick enough, you can enable Aeroplane Mode to cancel that message from being sent.

A draft ruling from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) over the prices mobile networks can charge each other for transmitting calls and texts has been widely reported as meaning those services are going to get cheaper. Guess what? That's not going to happen.

Mobile data is nearly ubiquitous, but there are still times when you find yourself outside the coverage area or don't want to chew throw your miserable allowance. SMSmart can do basic searches, get directions, search Wikipedia and perform more tasks using SMS.

Group messages get a little messy if you use them with a lot of different people, but The Sweet Setup reminds us that one of the new features in iOS 8 is the ability to name those messages. Once you do, it's a lot easier to find what you're looking for.

Hi Lifehacker, Is there a messaging app which connects all other messaging apps? I know many people using WhatsApp, Viber, Hangouts or just plain SMS. Is there an app in which I can connect them all?

Stories of teens taking and sending a naked picture of themselves with their phones have been all over the news media in recent years. The outcome? Shocking, according to reports which have suggested that humiliation and sometimes even suicide can follow.

It hss been a while since Android's default Messaging app got some really good updates. Google has a new, updated Messenger with better sharing and number blocking.