Hello, could someone recommended a keyboard for android that is a bit smart in predictive typing? I used to like swiftkeybefore it was bought by microsoft. Not that swiftkey itself was much better but I was not so privy conscious at that time.
I recall swiftkey would require access to your texts and emails to train itself to your predictions.
Is there some similar foss keyboard where all the data then remains local?
I know swiftkey has an incognito mode, but then it stops learning from your typing.
The developer has hit a bit of a roadblock reworking a back-end system and is requesting help, but it has a great feature set already and is super customisable.
I just had the time with it, honestly. So many things are broken, like spelling and dictionary integration. I know the dev is reworking some things, but even the last release doesn’t work very well. Respects privacy, sure. Works well, naw.
Just installed last week, and the dictionary integration with two different languages works fine for me. Autocorrect is not yet supported, if I remember correctly.
I haven’t tried it yet and indeed I just read his post from 3 weeks ago on how to get back on better tracks. I will give it a try but I couldn’t see from its description that it would go beyond its focus on privacy, at least for the moment
Currently florisboard doesn’t have prediction nor autocorrect prediction.
Due to complications in the development of that feature (either too heavy to run or not smart enough for prediction…) and the development of the app got stuck, until maybe recently where it seems to get some dev attraction on some topics.
Tho the prediction is still stuck. So you won’t have yet prediction or smart things in this keyboard.
Where did you read his post?
Florisboard git > discussions (in the menu should be after pull requests)
Well what else do you need tho, it has glide typing, incognito move and auto correct is in development although would take a while. It’s not perfect but it’s already very much a fully decked out keyboard or it will be once suggestions are added.
I use a openboard + native library for flow typing. I was long time gboard user but open board is now best for me. https://github.com/Helium314/openboard
Openboard is my go-to as well. I like how customizable it is as well. I need bigger keys otherwise i fat finger everything lol.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Oh neat, I had no idea someone was upgrading Openboard. I thought it was abandoned.
Last update was 3.Nov.2023 but use OpenBoard debug from Helium 314 from github and use Optanium for upgrade on android. https://github.com/ImranR98/Obtainium
So helpful, I’ve been trying to find a replacement for gboard for so long that has the gliding functionality, plus clipboard and easily accessible microphone for speach to text typing (using Futo).
Can finally really consider replacing Gboard for good.
Than you!
Holy crap, I didn’t know about this fork before now. I kinda thought that OpenBoard was sorta… abandoned at this point, but seeing the improvements from this fork just made me go and try it again. Normally I just use GBoard with it’s connections disabled (CalyxOS, so that is possible to do in a secure way), but trying this out now to see if I can dump Gboard entirely.
Not sure I trust a random repo here. I dont have the skill to look through the code. In this regard I prefer - after all - gboard. The changes me login credentials get stolen by google are smaller than the chanches I am duped into installing a random keyboard from github. Just based on my threat model and my skillz.
On GrapheneOS ironically you can just use whatever keyboard and disable network permissions. Android is great
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Or you could just use software that is actually free/libre. Graphene os misses the point
Yes of course, but for example people that dont know the language yet and need suggestions. What do you mean by that?
The problem with graphene is that is shamelessly promotes proprietary software. They have build tools to try to make it safe to run non-free programs (proprietary software) but that entirely misses the point.
When you run non-free software you do not control the program, it controls you. There is no way to know what it really is doing and you can’t make changes to it or even see what it is doing.
I agree and also avoid using their Sandboxed Play Services. Their values are security and “making sense”. Its great to have the play services and store just working but as user apps. You can isolate them in a work profile without a problem.
There is no alternative, their point is that microG is not FOSS but a hacked together version of the proprietary play services parts, it may be verrry insecure as it needs to run as system app and often doesnt get updates. And it still talks to Google and actually sends lots of data.
Their approach is very economic. They ship regular play services, framework and store, but with a compatibility layer. This saves efford a lot and avoids breakages or blocking services (Aurora) over time.
Literally everyone can run GrapheneOS, thats the point. You dont need to use the sandboxed Play, but if you need it, it works.
It annoys me too that their preinstalled apps all suck.
- AOSP filemanager is needed for portals ans USB, but it sucks
- that gallery??
- clock is old and damn blue
- sms app uses very old runtime, showing a warning
- aosp contacts
They promote Vanadium and literally installing binaries from some random Github release.
F-Droid basic uses the new libraries and should be preinstalled as user app. They have reproducible builds now.
And I wont use Vanadium, as it doesnt support Firefox Addons. It may be hardened in some way but without Noscript and Ublock in my eyes no browser is really hardened if it can run every Javascript or block all, breaking 90% of websites.
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Gboard and blocked network
Make sure to click the voice to text icon (and maybe enable in settings?) before disabling network permissions. It will download the model and do voice to text off line. It works alarmingly well.
No update in over a year. Is the project still maintained?
There’s fork that gets updates
Thanks for the suggestion, this openboard fork has been great the last two weeks.
Does it have the option to have a separate number row? I didn’t see it in the preview images.
Nevermind, I’m blind.
Added number row support to more languages
I use AnySoftKeyboard
I also use AnySoftKeyboard (installed from F-Droid, BTW) but IMO it kinda sucks. In particular, it often tries to autocorrect things to capitalized proper nouns, which is almost always exactly the wrong thing to do.
Frankly, I’m reading this thread in hopes of finding something else to replace it.
same
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Does it have a predictive function? Based on what?
I use AnySoft as well–it has a predictive word function that seems to work just as well as GBoard’s (albeit I haven’t used GBoard since 2017)
The interface is different (e.g. swype left on the entire keyboard for numbers), but give yourself a week or two to adjust–most things can also be fine-tuned from the settings app
I’ll give it a try, thanks
florisboard not perfect, but a good choice.
I use Typewise. A swiss company, by far the best keyboard layout and they don’t use any data from what you type.
Is it open source?
I’m guessing that it isn’t. So don’t use it.
If your phone is rooted you can use any standalone keyboard app you like as long as you block it’s internet access
you dont need to be rooted to block app’s internet access though
This is depending on the OS one is using so I did not mention that it is possible on some operating systems
that was about android
Not rooted for once in a long time, but I’ll think about it. How do you restrict an app’s access?
You don’t need root for it, it’s in the app info page
I don’t see the same thing on android 12.? Only restrict background data.
Same on android 13. There’s not even a “Mobile data & Wi-Fi” category, just “Mobile data.”
You could use an app like NetGuard to block internet access, but I’ve not found that to be a very practical solution, especially for VPN users.
Edit: Looks like it’s a Samsung thing.
I really wish I didn’t have a Samsung. What a horrible way to treat consumers, removing a basic function of the OS.
I’m on 13 and I have it. Your ROM probably disables it.
What can be done about that, besides rooting my phone?
It may depends on your rom/os brand. On my device (oxygen os 13.x), I can restrict access somewhere deep into mobile network settings (the translation may not be good as I have it in French) :
Settings > mobile network > data consumption > network access.
And here I see all apps. I can restrict mobile network, WiFi or both.
Same on Android 13
I’m on Android 13 and I have it. Your ROM probably has it disabled.
Seems like it’s not available in Samsung’s OneUI.
Samsung doesn’t want you blocking their
spywarepointless apps.
Not there on 14 with pixel, but it shows only 1mb used with is likely even I search for gifs
If you do not have an LSposed framework or similar (formerly knows as Xposed Framework) you can either use Adaway for blocking the phone from reaching websites (keep in mind that this is globally, though) or e.g. AFWall+ for preventing single Apps to connect to the internet (Apps that don’t try to get internet access are not shown is the list provided by AFWall+).
If you have LSposed or similar I believe it is possible to install XprivacyLua. This was/is(?) a very powerful tool to manage every single access an app is trying to get. Why would a sketchy chinese calculator app need access to the contacts and the internet even though this was never allowed in the system settings?
OP can’t use adaway or AFWall+ without root.
I’m in the same boat as OP (I have a device without root for the first time in a long time) and I miss both apps. I do use a pihole+VPN for what adaway does. But there’s no real replacement for AFWall/iptables without root. As pointed out, though, you can block individual apps in some modern versions of android. Fortunately, I have that.
I use OpenBoard and is very happy with it.
KryptEY is pretty secure
Unexpected keyboard, was meant for termux but can be used for daily use. It’s difficult to get the habit of key positions though.
I tried it, but couldn’t find basic stuff like how to type áàâ from the letter a… Also no predictions
Here, its with the secondary functions of letter D, J and N.
Yeah no predictions is not a feature but I like to scroll trough text with the space bar and delete backwards. Plus if you hold a key it keeps going like a regular keyboard which I like.
Overall I think its a good option for composing emails if you get the hang of it.
Go to F-droid and get your keyboard from there. (If you don’t have F-droid installed you should)
There are good and save keyboards in F-Droid, but, well, the problem is Android itself. F-Droid is essential to obtain apps which respect privacy, but this only patch some holes when Google itself control the entire OS.
Mobile phones and privacy is an oximoron, because of this, I never use my phone for important data.
- Review apps on Exodus Privacy
- Desactivate GPS/Localisation service, at least if you dont use it
- Review permissions of all installed apps and set them to desactivate after use in the app settings
- Disconnect WiFi when you go offline
- Don’t use public WiFi, at least without VPN, even if it is only a free one (eg. like Calyx, FOSS, trustworthy, no account, encrypted, without datalimit, but only 1 server from the Calyx institute, anyway save enough for an occasional use, Techradar review).
- Common sense (the user is the biggest privacy hole)
Sadly not a whole lot of good options, other than the other one already mentioned here.
However I’ve got my hopes up for the upcoming keyboard app by FUTO. (Louis Rossman announced it on his YT channel a few vids back )
