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xraydoc

Contributor
Oct 9, 2005
11,031
5,492
192.168.1.1
My Droid Razr Maxx HD is becoming more stock day by day.

I rooted it and disabled all the Verizon bloat.

Installed the new Google Calendar, new Google Music, latest Chrome beta, updated Gmail, added Nova Pro for a launcher (and the vanilla Android look), changed system icons to match the vanilla Android ones and now the "Nexus" stock keyboard.

I also tweaked the memory setting to release background apps' RAM faster when needed, so laggines with lots of open apps is way, way reduced. And it seems more stable, too (can't recall a crash in the last two months).

I'm quite happy!

(Still use my iPhone 5 as a daily driver though).
 

MegamanX

macrumors regular
May 13, 2013
221
0
it is a not a bad keyboard at all. I put it on my phone but my main one has been swiftkey since I switch to android little over 2 years ago.
 

PollyK

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 18, 2013
197
0
For a free keyboard, I like it. Best free keyboard out there. But after using SwiftKey, nothing compares. My opinion of course.
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
Too bad the google keyboard isn't available for the iphone :(

Too bad many keyboards aren't available for the iPhone.

----------

Something about swiping feels off on the stock Android keyboard. It's like it's... slow or something.

Just me? Typing on it feels great, though.
 

Dr McKay

macrumors 68040
Aug 11, 2010
3,538
271
Kirkland
Too bad many keyboards aren't available for the iPhone.

----------

Something about swiping feels off on the stock Android keyboard. It's like it's... slow or something.

Just me? Typing on it feels great, though.

That's the beauty of choice, for me the stock keyboard feels the best. I've tried Swype and swiftkey but didn't like them.
 

jeffe

macrumors 6502a
Feb 17, 2008
601
50
SO happy they released this. This is by far my favorite keyboard.

It's decent but I'm spoiled by having the numbers on top on the Samsung keyboard. Also, swiping feels slow.

Its been said before but you can swipe directly from the ?123 button to the numbers..works really well for easy access to those keys.
 

Dolorian

macrumors 65816
Apr 25, 2007
1,086
0
I like the stock Android keyboard better than Swiftkey personally. The first thing I did when I got my Nexus 7 was to install Swiftkey (as I use it on my SIII) but after getting frustrated with the constant lag and hangups I reverted to the stock keyboard and haven't looked back since. It is really nice.

I like what Google is doing with Android, separating app/services updates from core OS updates. I think it is their way of tackling the fragmentation issue.
 

LIVEFRMNYC

macrumors G3
Oct 27, 2009
8,878
10,987
Its been said before but you can swipe directly from the ?123 button to the numbers..works really well for easy access to those keys.

It's still not as quick. Only lets you quickly point to one number, then you have to do it again for each number.
 

Dolorian

macrumors 65816
Apr 25, 2007
1,086
0
The haptic feedback is pretty heavy on the GS4 compared to this same keyboard on the Nexus 4. It's almost irritating.

I think you can adjust the strength of the haptic vibration in the settings.
 

Kattym

macrumors member
Mar 13, 2013
41
0
PS. If Apple doesn't announce any sort of upgrade or revamp of the iOS keyboard on Monday, I will laugh, and then shake my head in sad disappointment. Wouldn't mind seeing some sort of swipe-like functionality, too. They're so behind in this department, it's absurd.

I wouldn't say they are SO behind, but it is a must for Apple to answer to this release )
 

F123D

macrumors 68040
Sep 16, 2008
3,776
16
Del Mar, CA
It's still not as quick. Only lets you quickly point to one number, then you have to do it again for each number.

Under advanced settings on the Google Keyboard, I changed the key long press delay to 200ms instead of the default 300 so pressing and holding to bring up numbers is a lot quicker.

I decided to download the swiftkey trial to give it a try as well and so far I'm liking the Google Keyboard more. Will use both for 30 days to see which one I end up liking better.
 

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,738
6,109
Under advanced settings on the Google Keyboard, I changed the key long press delay to 200ms instead of the default 300 so pressing and holding to bring up numbers is a lot quicker.

I decided to download the swiftkey trial to give it a try as well and so far I'm liking the Google Keyboard more. Will use both for 30 days to see which one I end up liking better.

Thanks for that!
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
I've personally gone back to Swiftkey.

The stock Android keyboard was impressive, especially for a free app. I could see it getting even better. Swiping feels a little slow -- not sure why. And the auto correction is good, but not Swiftkey-good. The predictive text also isn't as smart and reliable as Swiftkey. Once Swiftkey really learns how you type, it's incredible at predicting your words. Again, it's rare, but sometimes it'll finish full sentences for me.

I also dislike that you can't long press the entire keyboard for secondary symbols. This is something Google should be copying from Swiftkey and not Apple.

Having said that, Swiftkey could get better too. Flowing (aka swiping) on Swiftkey could use some serious improvements. It's near impossible to reliably Flow words with two letters in them unless it's specifically part of the sentence. For example, Flowing "too" VERY often gets me only "to." It's very annoying.

Anyway, kudos to Google for the keyboard improvements. It's a very nice option.
 

Chodite

macrumors 6502a
Sep 23, 2007
586
0
Baltimore, MD
Played with it for a day and am back to Kii.

Kii Keyboard takes SwiftKey, Swype and JellyBean (Google) keyboards and combines all of the best features from each into the best (IMO) keyboard available.
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
Played with it for a day and am back to Kii.

Kii Keyboard takes SwiftKey, Swype and JellyBean (Google) keyboards and combines all of the best features from each into the best (IMO) keyboard available.

34817204.jpg


Gonna have to give it a shot.
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
Early impressions of Kii Keyboard: very good!

It feels like stock Android (when you load it with the ICS theme) but with Swiftkey like features.

Very interesting. Going to use it for the next few days...
 
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