Keyboard replacement

[alpha2k]

Since swype is trial I was looking for an alternative to it. I have tried a lot of keyboards that are swype style but I find that swype tends to have the best predictions for me.

I wish you could port over the swype that comes installed with tw, (not the Samsung KB but the swype version they have).

So any suggestions?

 

[hiredgun]

Today is your lucky day because not only am I a keyboard "nut" but I am a "predict" nut too, lol. What I am using now and I just can't say enough about is the FREE keyboard Touch Pal X!!! It has a great predict on it, and learns user "slang" quite quickly! It also gives you the option to swype on it if you want, but I haven't gotten the hang of that yet! The "!" and "?" signs can also be accessed by "flicking" the corresponding letter key, but it does take a little practice. It also let's you chose from several sizes of keyboard layouts and I use "giant" I think or what ever the biggest on is called, lol, and it cuts way down on mistakes. It's probably got a lot of other neat features I haven't even explored myself yet too! You can get it from the good old Google Play store, and like I said it's totally free. Give it a test drive and you won't be sorry, Vin.

 

[electricpete]

When you try alternate keyboard, keep in mind they can have access to sensitive data. This one also has a lot of permissions. too. I'm not saying it's a problemr, just wanted to mention it as there is some risk for any installation...each can judge potential risks vs benefits for themselves

 

[Digital Controller]

Swiftkey is always a good alternative. I know I was using it until Swype fixed its battery issues.

 

[Italo]

My first android phone had Swype pre-installed. I've tried most of the popular gesture typing keyboards: SwiftKey flow, SlideIt, Kii, Google. I ended up buying Swype. It's just more accurate for me, and has the best "feel."

 

[chanchan05]

Swype is a purchase you won't regret.

 

[hiredgun]

As long as we are the subject of keyboards, I was just wondering if the different keyboards "share" the user dictionary. For example, if I used Swype for a few months then changed to Touch Pal X would the "slang" words I saved in the user dictionary already be there for the second keyboard or would I have to save them all over again?

 

[funkylogik]

I just discovered the other day that google keyboard has swipe. Im not good enough at qwerty to use swipe though lol so i dont know how well it does it

 

[chanchan05]

Different keyboards don't share dictionaries that I know of.

 

[BigRedGonzo]

When you try alternate keyboard, keep in mind they can have access to sensitive data. This one also has a lot of permissions. too. I'm not saying it's a problemr, just wanted to mention it as there is some risk for any installation...each can judge potential risks vs benefits for themselves

I have found that keyboards tend to have a lot of permissions. In looking into this I found that any phone function that may need a keyboard to be used during its operation causes the keyboard to need those permissions. Since you can add a contact during normal phone operation, i.e. adding the current number to your contact list, the kbd needs access to the phone.

 

[funkylogik]

Most permissions have logical explanations but i remember a popular keyboard was found to have a key logger in it. Cant remember if it was a play store version or a pirated one(?)

 

[Clementine_3]

I just discovered the other day that google keyboard has swipe. Im not good enough at qwerty to use swipe though lol so i dont know how well it does it

It does quite well actually. It's what I'm using mostly now.

I have Kii, Swiftkey and Swype but tend to use Google's. I'm still waiting for the perfect kb though. I love Kii's customizability but it's not as accurate at predicting. Swiftkey's predictions are good but it doesn't have emoji (yeah, I have a lot of iPhone folks that like that). If the Google kb was just a bit more customizable (size, color etc.) or Swiftkey gets emoji I will be very happy! But for right now Google wins for me.

 

[funkylogik]

Yeah, my keyboard of choice on my phone is Smart Keyboard in an oldschool t9 layout lol but on my 7" tab ive stuck with Google in qwerty layout. Youre right though it could do with some customisation

 

[hiredgun]

After seeing all the people in this thread that use Swipe I decided to give it a try since it comes pre-installed in my Galaxy Mini. Mine must be an older version though because the predict words come out on top of the screen image and not along the bottom as it normally does with other keyboards. All the tutorial videos on you tube show the second version, with the predict choices at the bottom. Any one know where I can find a tutorial on the version I have? Vin.

 

[electricpete]

Long press on Swype key and press help. Should be help in your version.

The website has tips on the newer version.

http://www.swype.com/category/tips/


I've used both versions. There's not a huge difference.....the old version was much better!

 

[hiredgun]

Long press on Swype key and press help. Should be help in your version.

The website has tips on the newer version.

Swype | Tips


I've used both versions. There's not a huge difference.....the old version was much better!

Thanks man I'll check it out right now!!

 

[Stuntman]

Since swype is trial I was looking for an alternative to it. I have tried a lot of keyboards that are swype style but I find that swype tends to have the best predictions for me.

I wish you could port over the swype that comes installed with tw, (not the Samsung KB but the swype version they have).

So any suggestions?

If you like Swype, I would first recommend that you just buy the full version. If for whatever reason you do not want to or perhaps unable to purchase the full version, I would recommend the Google Keyboard. It has gesture typing just like Swype. For the time that I used it, the gesture typing is almost as good as Swype. Swype is just a little bit better, but Google is a good free alternative.

Other keyboards that allow gesture typing that I have used are Kii Keyboard and SwiftKey Flow. Both of these keyboards has a full version that you must purchase.

I am currently using Kii because it has a landscape layout that I like more so than that of any other keyboard I have used. The gesture typing is not quite as good as Swype. I would rate the gesture typing of Kii better than SwiftKey and not as good as the Google Keyboard.

SwiftKey Flow also allows gesture typing. I personally don't like it because after you gesture type a word, the suggestion line suggests the next word. Sometimes it gets the word I type wrong and I want to pick a different word from the suggestion bar for the current word not the next word.

 

[hiredgun]

If you like Swype, I would first recommend that you just buy the full version. If for whatever reason you do not want to or perhaps unable to purchase the full version, I would recommend the Google Keyboard. It has gesture typing just like Swype. For the time that I used it, the gesture typing is almost as good as Swype. Swype is just a little bit better, but Google is a good free alternative.

Other keyboards that allow gesture typing that I have used are Kii Keyboard and SwiftKey Flow. Both of these keyboards has a full version that you must purchase.

I am currently using Kii because it has a landscape layout that I like more so than that of any other keyboard I have used. The gesture typing is not quite as good as Swype. I would rate the gesture typing of Kii better than SwiftKey and not as good as the Google Keyboard.

SwiftKey Flow also allows gesture typing. I personally don't like it because after you gesture type a word, the suggestion line suggests the next word. Sometimes it gets the word I type wrong and I want to pick a different word from the suggestion bar for the current word not the next word.

I realize that everyone is different, but how long did it take you to get used to "swyping" with these different keyboards? I was experimenting with it last night my self, and it was extremely fast for smaller words, but with the longer ones I found myself getting lost will all that "tracing about" and it added a lot to my response time. Vin.

 

[apple2005]

It does quite well actually. It's what I'm using mostly now.

I have Kii, Swiftkey and Swype but tend to use Google's. I'm still waiting for the perfect kb though. I love Kii's customizability but it's not as accurate at predicting. Swiftkey's predictions are good but it doesn't have emoji (yeah, I have a lot of iPhone folks that like that). If the Google kb was just a bit more customizable (size, color etc.) or Swiftkey gets emoji I will be very happy! But for right now Google wins for me.

Swiftkey has included emoji in it's new version. For me swiftkey is the best keyboard. I have tried all but ultimately settled on swiftkey keyboard.

 

[Clementine_3]

Swiftkey has included emoji in it's new version.

It's still only available in the beta version, it's coming soon though.

 

[apple2005]

It's still only available in the beta version, it's coming soon though.

You can download the beta version from their website. It is working good.

 

[Clementine_3]

I'll wait 'til it's in Play. That's just the kind of gal I am

 

[Stuntman]

I realize that everyone is different, but how long did it take you to get used to "swyping" with these different keyboards? I was experimenting with it last night my self, and it was extremely fast for smaller words, but with the longer ones I found myself getting lost will all that "tracing about" and it added a lot to my response time. Vin.

I generally decide to use a new keyboard for a week to give it a good assessment. Often, it may take only a few days for me to really get a good feel of the keyboard and decide if I like it and how much.

I am personally not a fan of gesture typing. The reason is that I always have to pause after performing the trace and then check to see if it is the right word. I much prefer dual thumb typing in landscape. I find that I type with a better rhythm thumb typing.

I do gesture type on occasion. Usually, I do it if I am lying down on my side with the auto-rotate turned off or other occasion where it is not convenient to use both hands like in my car mount. I do find that for long words, if you make a mistake half way through, you have to start over. If you thumb type and you make a mistake half way through, just a backspace or two is all you need most of the time.

 

[electricpete]

I am personally not a fan of gesture typing. The reason is that I always have to pause after performing the trace and then check to see if it is the right word. I much prefer dual thumb typing in landscape. I find that I type with a better rhythm thumb typing.

Fwiw, I Swype everything first and then shift gears and go back and proofread....tapping each incorrect word for list of suggested corrections. Works for me....then again I never learned how to thumb type.

 

[hiredgun]

To all you "Swypers" out there, lol, I have a question. I've been trying to Swype more and more and I am having trouble hitting a double letter like the two "f's" in off for example. Any tricks or do you just go "anywhere" when you hit the first F and then come back to the second one? Other than that it's actually easier to do it correctly than I thought it would be and a lot more accurate than I thought it would be!