• Drew@sopuli.xyz
    0·
    21 hours ago

    I’ve been using heliboard for more than a year without any issues. Only think I don’t like is the lack of emoji search(?)

  • pedroapero@lemmy.ml
    0·
    22 hours ago

    Could you specify wether these support physical keyboards? (showing only a toolbar when one is detected). I’m using the default proprietary Kika-keyboard on my device and it’s not great. Microsoft Swiftkey works but is not perfect and not FLOSS.

  • Eyedust@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    0·
    1 day ago

    I’ve been down this rabbit hole and here’s the haul from Wonderland:

    Conventional:

    • Heliboard - Has glide typing, but the available library is unstable and old. The most polished.

    • Florisboard - Currently under heavy development, but what’s there is more than usable and very well done.

    • Unexpected Keyboard - I actually love this one, but as a Fold user I need some auto correct. Uses swipe motions on each key for symbols and punctuation.

    Unconventional:

    • Thumbkey - A 3x3 grid using taps and swipes to type. I flip flop between this and Heliboard atm. Has circular motions to input caps or numbers. MASSIVE amount of layouts, including language, programmer, writer and more. Easy layout switch key on the fly.

    • Flickboard - Same setup as Thumbkey. This would be my go to ever since they added a landscape layout that smart switches on inner Fold screen, but there’s no separate key height for it, so you have to deal with non-uniform on one screen which isn’t easy to type on. Also has circular motion for caps. No numeric, but there’s the option of having a small number column.

    • 8vim - The only one of it’s kind since 8pen died. I’m learning this one and it’s great, but wonky on inner Fold screen. Its hard to explain, but you use circular motions around on X wheel to input whole words at a time letter by letter. Start center, drag out into a quadrant, rotate to get your letter, go back to center, without lifting go to your next quadrant for the next letter. When you’re done and back on center, let go to insert space, or you can move out into a quadrant then lift to end without a space. Takes a lot of getting used to.

      • Eyedust@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        0·
        23 hours ago

        Lol I know the pain. It takes a few days to get to acceptable typing speed, but you can get pretty fast (some report 56 wpm which is pretty good for a virtual keyboard).

        Just make sure you know what you want between Thumbkey or Messagease layouts. I started with Messagease layout and it was all good until I spotted some really nice Thumbkey programmer layouts and switched.

        • HotCoffee@lemm.ee
          0·
          22 hours ago

          Gonna stick with it for a bit, and check the other one out. Some words are already coming out quicker. Thanks for the tips

    • qaz@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      1 day ago

      Do you also know if any of them support multi language spell checking?

      • Eyedust@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        0·
        23 hours ago

        Heliboard has multiple dictionary support. Florisboard is still in development for this feature, from what I know. Unexpected Keyboard has none by design, being made for termux and programming.

        The unconventional list also has none by design, maybe because there’s less of a chance to fat thumb the keys.

        Heliboard would be your winner there, for now.

  • Ludrol@szmer.info
    0·
    1 day ago

    After trying couple of keybords (mostly AnySoftKeyboard and TypeWise [proprietary]) I have settled on Unexpected Keyboard due to easy switch of keybords to get to japanese keyboard and tts button.

    • CarrotsHaveEars@lemmy.ml
      0·
      1 day ago

      I used to use Gboard for Cantonese input. I downloaded fcitx5 reading your comment and tried it for some time. There are some features noticeably missing compared to Gboard.

      • top numeric row
      • single-hand mode
      • simplified and traditional characters selection#

      # Found it. It’s in the settings bar at the top of the typing area. Click it open and go deep inside it.

      What Gboard and fcitx5 both don’t have for Jyutping input is glide typing. I wish fcitx5 have it because it is really what could make me switch and not look back. Gboard in general has better finger tap detection/correction because duh Google had more data to train on. But I will definitely start using fcitx5 because being open source is sufficient for me to switch.

      For languages that isn’t supported by its plugins like Japanese, I have to keep using Gboard though.

  • m4m4m4m4@lemmy.world
    0·
    2 days ago

    I like Fossify’s, but I won’t recommend it - it has no predictive text and no symbols on its main keyboard, the first which is a huge deal for almost everyone. Not sure if they’re working on those or if it will never get those features, because if it had those two it would be the perfect keyboard because it’s so great in every other sense.

    • irotsoma@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      0·
      2 days ago

      I’ve been using Heliboard for a while. It does most that gboard does, but the predictions aren’t as good of course.

      • Static_Rocket@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        1 day ago

        Yeah, I’ve been using it for about a year now. It’s a little frustrating that it will learn my misspellings before it suggests a proper replacement, but otherwise I have no complaints. Direct upgrade over the stock AOSP keyboard.

        • JoeyJoeJoeJr@lemmy.ml
          0·
          1 day ago

          I’ve had the same problem with HeliBoard learning garbage. I just changed my settings though, and I think it should help:

          1. Open HeliBoard settings
          2. Open Text correction settings
          3. Scroll all the way to the bottom, and turn off “Add words to personal dictionary”

          If you scroll all the way to the top again, you can manually manage the personal dictionary, including adding words you do want, and deleting any junk that was added by mistake, before switching that setting off.