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Smart android keyboard respecting privacy? (lemmy.world)
submitted 7 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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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.

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[-] [email protected] 51 points 7 months ago

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

[-] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago

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.

[-] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago

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!

[-] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[-] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

Futo, I didn't find on fdroid or github, where can I looking for it? Thanx

[-] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

You need to add the repository to fdroid

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[-] Tramdan 3 points 7 months ago

Do you know where we can get the apk?

[-] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago

On the releases tab of the project ;D

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[-] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

Oh neat, I had no idea someone was upgrading Openboard. I thought it was abandoned.

[-] [email protected] 10 points 7 months ago

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

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[-] [email protected] 42 points 7 months ago

Florisboard

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.

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[-] [email protected] 20 points 7 months ago

On GrapheneOS ironically you can just use whatever keyboard and disable network permissions. Android is great

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[-] [email protected] 17 points 7 months ago

florisboard not perfect, but a good choice.

[-] [email protected] 10 points 7 months ago

I use AnySoftKeyboard

[-] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

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.

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[-] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago

Does it have a predictive function? Based on what?

[-] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

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

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[-] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago

Best keyboard I ever used and need - Hacker's Keyboard: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.pocketworkstation.pckeyboard

[-] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

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 )

[-] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago

openboard

[-] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago

No update in over a year. Is the project still maintained?

[-] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

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

[-] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago

Go to F-droid and get your keyboard from there. (If you don't have F-droid installed you should)

[-] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

I haven't installed something outside of it for ages. I used the foxy client for a long time, and recently droid-ify

[-] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

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)
[-] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago

https://github.com/dessalines/thumb-key/

The best, on F-Droid.

[-] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago

I tried thumb key and it just took too much effort to get used to. Not to mention it basically requires using one thumb instead of two, so it's possibly slower.

[-] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago

and also has no predictions, which really slows it way down since you have to type out each long word the whole way through instead of just getting it to the point of uniqueness and clicking the suggestion.

[-] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago

I use the last Swype apk with network access blocked in NetGuard, because I can't go without swipe typing. The personal dictionary still works.

I found with gboard and swiftkey the dictionary didn't save words without network connectivity.

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[-] Steamymoomilk 5 points 7 months ago

KryptEY is pretty secure

https://github.com/amnesica/KryptEY

[-] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago

I use OpenBoard and is very happy with it.

[-] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

I use Typewise. A swiss company, by far the best keyboard layout and they don't use any data from what you type.

[-] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

Is it open source?

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[-] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

Unexpected keyboard, was meant for termux but can be used for daily use. It’s difficult to get the habit of key positions though.

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this post was submitted on 15 Nov 2023
157 points (95.4% liked)

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