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Replace Your Smartphone Keyboard
Posted March 13, 2019
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.touchtype.swiftkey&hl=en_US
by Curt Price
This one is primarily for Android phone users due to the locked down nature of Apple's iOS, many of Swiftkey's cool & useful features aren't allowed because it's a 3rd party app in the iOS ecosystem.
Swiftkey is a 3rd party keyboard app that can replace your stock Android keyboard. I've been a Swiftkey user for years and whenever I get a new phone, Swiftkey is one of the first apps I stick back on there.
Why?
1) Customizable
Within Swiftkey, you can add arrow navigation arrow buttons (which comes in handy for precise editing of text), add a row of number keys so they're always visible (instead of using a function key to bring up the number keys), you can change the size, shape, color of the keys...or download themes for the mood you are in or for the time of year (Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc).
2) Word Predictions
Swiftkey learns what you say and how you say things...so it can fairly accurately predict what you are typing and gives you options to choose from to finish words and entire sentences, which is a nice time saver.
3) Sync Across Devices
When you get a new phone, you don't have to start over with word predictions or set it back up the way you had it. You can back up your settings and it's learned behaviors so you can pick right up where you left off on your new phone.
4) Clipboard
Whenever you copy text, it will save that text for up to an hour. So you can conveniently select from various things you may have copied if you want to paste them somewhere.
5) Swipe & Gestures
Swiftkey supports the swipe method of typing. If you haven't ventued into swiping, you should try it. It's like magic...and it can save you a ton of time typing. You just drag your finger over the keyboard, across all the letters in a word, and it magically knows the word you want (95% of the time).
6) Undock The Keyboard
Want the keyboard in the middle or top of the screen for a bit? You can undock the keyboard and put it wherever.
7) Shortcuts
You can save frequently used words or phrases and insert them quickly and easily by adding a clip.
8) Quick Punctuation
Long press a key to insert punctuation. Each key has a secondary function as a punctuation mark. Just long press to insert that punctuation. It beats pulling up a second screen full of punctuation keys.
9) Stats
You can see most used words, the amount of time saved by using Swiftkey, typing heatmap, words predicted, words flowed, taps saved, etc. Kinda neat.
Download: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.touchtype.swiftkey&hl=en_US
