this post was submitted on 15 Nov 2023
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Hello, could someone recommended a keyboard for android that is a bit smart in predictive typing? I used to like swiftkeybefore it was bought by microsoft. Not that swiftkey itself was much better but I was not so privy conscious at that time.

I recall swiftkey would require access to your texts and emails to train itself to your predictions.

Is there some similar foss keyboard where all the data then remains local?

I know swiftkey has an incognito mode, but then it stops learning from your typing.

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[–] [email protected] 51 points 1 year ago (16 children)

I use a openboard + native library for flow typing. I was long time gboard user but open board is now best for me. https://github.com/Helium314/openboard

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

So helpful, I've been trying to find a replacement for gboard for so long that has the gliding functionality, plus clipboard and easily accessible microphone for speach to text typing (using Futo).

Can finally really consider replacing Gboard for good.

Than you!

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

Openboard is my go-to as well. I like how customizable it is as well. I need bigger keys otherwise i fat finger everything lol.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Do you know where we can get the apk?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)
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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Oh neat, I had no idea someone was upgrading Openboard. I thought it was abandoned.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago

Last update was 3.Nov.2023 but use OpenBoard debug from Helium 314 from github and use Optanium for upgrade on android. https://github.com/ImranR98/Obtainium

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[–] [email protected] 42 points 1 year ago (11 children)

Florisboard

The developer has hit a bit of a roadblock reworking a back-end system and is requesting help, but it has a great feature set already and is super customisable.

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago (18 children)

On GrapheneOS ironically you can just use whatever keyboard and disable network permissions. Android is great

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago

florisboard not perfect, but a good choice.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

I also use AnySoftKeyboard (installed from F-Droid, BTW) but IMO it kinda sucks. In particular, it often tries to autocorrect things to capitalized proper nouns, which is almost always exactly the wrong thing to do.

Frankly, I'm reading this thread in hopes of finding something else to replace it.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Does it have a predictive function? Based on what?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I use AnySoft as well--it has a predictive word function that seems to work just as well as GBoard's (albeit I haven't used GBoard since 2017)

The interface is different (e.g. swype left on the entire keyboard for numbers), but give yourself a week or two to adjust--most things can also be fine-tuned from the settings app

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Gboard and blocked network

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (7 children)

Make sure to click the voice to text icon (and maybe enable in settings?) before disabling network permissions. It will download the model and do voice to text off line. It works alarmingly well.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

Best keyboard I ever used and need - Hacker's Keyboard: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.pocketworkstation.pckeyboard

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Sadly not a whole lot of good options, other than the other one already mentioned here.

However I've got my hopes up for the upcoming keyboard app by FUTO. (Louis Rossman announced it on his YT channel a few vids back )

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No update in over a year. Is the project still maintained?

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Does it have the option to have a separate number row? I didn't see it in the preview images.

Nevermind, I'm blind.

Added number row support to more languages

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I tried thumb key and it just took too much effort to get used to. Not to mention it basically requires using one thumb instead of two, so it's possibly slower.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

and also has no predictions, which really slows it way down since you have to type out each long word the whole way through instead of just getting it to the point of uniqueness and clicking the suggestion.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Go to F-droid and get your keyboard from there. (If you don't have F-droid installed you should)

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I haven't installed something outside of it for ages. I used the foxy client for a long time, and recently droid-ify

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

There are good and save keyboards in F-Droid, but, well, the problem is Android itself. F-Droid is essential to obtain apps which respect privacy, but this only patch some holes when Google itself control the entire OS.

Mobile phones and privacy is an oximoron, because of this, I never use my phone for important data.

  • Review apps on Exodus Privacy
  • Desactivate GPS/Localisation service, at least if you dont use it
  • Review permissions of all installed apps and set them to desactivate after use in the app settings
  • Disconnect WiFi when you go offline
  • Don't use public WiFi, at least without VPN, even if it is only a free one (eg. like Calyx, FOSS, trustworthy, no account, encrypted, without datalimit, but only 1 server from the Calyx institute, anyway save enough for an occasional use, Techradar review).
  • Common sense (the user is the biggest privacy hole)
[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I use the last Swype apk with network access blocked in NetGuard, because I can't go without swipe typing. The personal dictionary still works.

I found with gboard and swiftkey the dictionary didn't save words without network connectivity.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

I use OpenBoard and is very happy with it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I use Typewise. A swiss company, by far the best keyboard layout and they don't use any data from what you type.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)
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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Unexpected keyboard, was meant for termux but can be used for daily use. It’s difficult to get the habit of key positions though.

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