In my search for good keyboard that support AMOLED mode, I found out about FlorisBoard which looks perfect to me. It even supports Halmak Keyboard Layout, which I didn’t expect to find at any Android Keyboard.

Which make me ask, How is this keyboard not popular?

  • jherazob@beehaw.org
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    2 hours ago

    MUCH prefer AnySoftKeyboard as it has niceties like easy switching of language on the fly, arrow keys and other stuff like that, i just wish the autocomplete was not worse than not having any as it actually wastes your time showing you whatever incorrect and extremely unlikely suggestions it wants instead of something that actually follows what you’re writing

  • cockmushroom@reddthat.com
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    3 hours ago

    I, for one, prefer Unexpected Keyboard because it has alt, ctrl, fn, and easy access to all the symbols i need for English and Portuguese. Sadly, it lacks some emoji, but i never used them much beforehand; just feel like i’m missing out lol.

    the basic idea is that you tap a key, and drag towards an optional character you want to use, to enter it. here’s a preview:

  • Lauchmelder@feddit.org
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    5 hours ago

    I want a keyboard that can do both, English/German typing, and Japanese IME. So far all FOSS keyboards I’ve tried can do only one of the two well, and I don’t want to switch between different keyboards for those two things.

    I’m open for recommendations if you have any tho! I

  • ryven@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    12 hours ago

    Serious question: what problems does the default keyboard have that Florisboard is trying to solve? I’ve never looked at the Android keyboard and thought “I wish this worked differently,” except maybe when I switch languages by accident.

    • curiousfurbytes@programming.dev
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      9 hours ago

      It depends on the phone’s brand. Samsung’s keyboard is way different from Motorola, for example. The other reasons would be the possibility of customization, and for privacy-minded people, as the keyboard is basically a very sensitive entry point

    • leopardpuncher@beehaw.org
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      4 hours ago

      Heliboard is fantastic ❤️

      • glide typing.
      • multiple languages at the same time (without switching).
      • extremely customizable in nearly every way.
      • customize long-press options for each key with multiple / list of options. For instance, I’ve extended the number keys row with my most-used emojis, so holding ‘1’ gives me a pop-up with ‘❤️😍😘🥰’, 2 gives ‘🙂😊😃😄’, etc.
      • ‘snippets’ via custom dictionary with shortcuts (typing ‘xx’ shows my primary email for 1-click insertion, ‘yy’ shows secondary email; endless possibilities). Possible with most keyboards, though.
      • and so much more.

      I haven’t found anything that comes even close.

    • Not a newt@piefed.ca
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      15 hours ago

      In addition to glide typing, Heliboard also has some of the best layout customization options out there, such as the option of disabling context-dependent menus. I HAAAAAATE how other keyboards change the keys available on the period key menu on URL bars. I use colons and forward slashes way more often than “.com”, which I use… well, never.

  • fonix232@fedia.io
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    13 hours ago

    There’s a very simple explanation to every “how is (niche technological thing) not more popular?” questions, and that is simply… Most people are perfectly happy with the defaults.

    Don’t take this Fediverse instance and the people who interact with it as an example. Even Reddit’s tech subs are very niche serving, most of the responders will be people who live and die with tech… which does NOT represent the great majority of people.

    Said great majority is perfectly happy with their phones as is. The default keyboard is 99% of the time perfectly usable. So people don’t even feel a need to change. Therefore niche keyboards will have very little popularity. Even big ones like SwiftKey.

  • bonn2@lemmy.zip
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    12 hours ago

    I really like the ethos of Florisboard, but their spell check is just not in a state that makes it usable for me.

  • ORbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    15 hours ago

    I’ve become dependent on SwiftKey. Unfortunately, it’s invasive. I block network access on the app. It works great without it. It adjusts sensitivity and accuracy based on your typing habits, fixing mistakes over time that I make incessantly on other keyboards.

  • spit_evil_olive_tips@beehaw.org
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    17 hours ago

    How is this keyboard not popular?

    their front page explicitly says “Currently in beta state” and according to their docs installation via Google Play requires joining a beta tester group.

    that means a random user searching “keyboard” on the Play store isn’t going to see it. likewise if a friend told you “I use Florisboard” and you searched for it by name in the Play store. if you’re not already in the beta test group the direct link to the app page literally 404s.

    it’s certainly available to power users who already know they want it, but it’s sort of pointless to ask why it’s not popular at this stage of its development.

    • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      13 hours ago

      WEEEEELLLL that’s what Fdroid is for and my friends with android all already have fdroid because “youtube downloaders be there” is all I had to say.

      They just like the google keyloggerboard.

  • SnokenKeekaGuard@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    17 hours ago

    Got a shit tonne of experience with open source keyboards. Literally the only kind of app I can say I have good enough experience to have an opinion on and heliboard has hands down been the best.