BreakingModern — You don’t realize it, but a touchscreen keyboard is something you use every day. The stock keyboard that came with your device is probably quite useable, but there are other options and some of them are pretty spectacular. Here are three of the best Android touchscreen keyboards.
SwiftKey Keyboard + Emoji
This is one of the most-popular keyboards on Android and with good reason. SwiftKey’s prediction methodology is one of the best. It learns how you type to predict the correct results and does so with impressive accuracy. It has a wide variety of languages available and you can switch between three different languages right in the keyboard. It also has a split keyboard for thumb-typers. SwiftKey gives the user complete control of the layout, too. It used to be a paid app but is now free. You have a choice of several free themes, but you will have to pay for some of the more-popular themes, like Frozen.
Swype Keyboard
Swype is another established keyboard with a great following. It was the first keyboard that uniquely allowed you to type using only one finger. You simply move your finger from one letter to another without lifting it off the touchscreen. It even inserts spaces between words automatically.
Swype is also excellent at predictive typing. It learns your typing style and any unusual names or phrases you use regularly and inserts new words into a dictionary for future use. Like SwiftKey, Swype has been around for quite a while so it has developed a great set of features and customization options. You’ll find it has great gestures, support for multiple languages, bilingual support on a single keyboard — and you can set the key size that is best for your fingers. Swype will even predict a corresponding emoji when you type a word. It also comes with Dragon voice recognition so you can dictate instead of typing. There are a wide variety of themes available, some at an additional cost. Swype also has great accessibility features. There is a free version of Swype that is good for 30 days, after that you can upgrade to the paid version for $.99.
TouchPal Emoji Keyboard & Theme
TouchPal has many of the features the other keyboards mentioned here have, including multiple languages, the ability to use a Swype-like drag of your finger across the letters and you can use gestures. TouchPal has one of the best selections of themes (over 100) and lets you pin customization options right to the keyboard. TouchPal is known for its speed. It even lets you put a speedometer right on the keyboard. Like Swype, it also has a large selection of easy-to-use emojis. It is, without a doubt, one of the most-fun keyboards. TouchPal offers in-app purchases and you can get all of them in a premium version that has a seven-day free trial.
A keyboard is personal. What your neighbor likes may appeal to you or not. So try a few. You’ll be sure to find one you like.
For BMod, I’m Sandy Berger.
Featured image credit: © James Thew / Dollar Photo Club
All screenshots: Sandy Berger
March 2, 2022
Also don’t forget the Google Keyboard, and of course, Hacker’s Keyboard. Personally I use swiftkey full time. It’s prediction engine and skins are the nicest I think.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.pocketworkstation.pckeyboard&hl=en