Keyboard for Android devices launched now as a standalone App by Google

Google yesterday announced that the Google Keyboard will be available as a downloadable App for Android devices.  Though the new keyboard may not be as good as Swype or a SwiftKey keyboards already available for Android devices, but knowing Google, these guys now have a serious competition.  

The announcement came through a Google+ post which said that the new keyboard will offer  "Gesture Typing".  Gesture Typing in Google's words is Typing which lets you glide through letters to form a word, just lift your finger to enter a space.  Google also said that the keyboard will have  automatic error correction, and word predictions. 

You can also tap the microphone to compose messages with Voice Typing when you’re on-the-go. Together with dictionaries for 26 languages (plus keyboard layouts for a dozen more), it provides a fast, accurate, and reliable typing experience.

The best is yet to come from Google for this is just a foray into the world of keyboards.  However one issue I have with the new keyboard is that it is available only for Android devices running 4.0 and up.  This being Google's own product, it could have made the keyboard support available for Android devices starting 2.3 and up as majority of low budget smart phones still fall in that category.  

However that does not take away anything from the Google for out thinking and out smarting the competition, namely SwiftKey and Swype who will soon feel the heat of the search giants entry into keyboard Apps. Right now the Keyboard is available to English speaking countries and other languages will be added soon. To download your Google's own Android keyboard visit  Google Play here.

If your country is not yet supported due to region restrictions download the keyboard from following sites :

Mirror 1

Mirror 2

Mirror 3

Mirror 4 (Latin)

This one was not a April Fool prank; Swiftkey update actually has a Easter Egg in Android, try it

You may have smelled the screen for Google Nose or read the Youtube obit and about the subsequent non existent winner of Youtube championships, but this one is as real as it gets.  Download the new Swiftkey from Google Play and check this out.

A video released by the Swiftkey on April Fool's day was meant to be a prank.  In the video, the staff of Swiftkey show of some great Harlem shake moves while tilting their screens.  The tilt apparently forms some words and this gag actually exists in the updated version released on 26.3.2013.  This is supposed to be Easter Egg in the Swiftkey for Android devices.

Watch the video from the Swiftkey and check it out yourself

And this video was posted by Motodroidlite on Youtube giving out the tutorial for using Tilt.

And to actually do it yourself, activate this feature on your SwiftKey Keyboards,  type in “Tilt” and long-press on the word in the prediction drawer. Once you click on “SwiftKey Tilt”, the pinball will appear on the screen and you can move it around and enjoy doing the shakes like the Switfkey staff.

Come to think of it this actually may be a great innovation and may be the future of keyboards.  Download the updated version of Swiftkey here at Google Play and see for your self.

Please post your comments on this App.

Vijay Prabhu