Keyboard applicationsfor better productivity on your smartphones
With the right keyboard app, you can type faster, search the web anytime without opening a web browser and enhance your productivity. Typing, reading or editing documents is a lot easier on big screen smartphones. It is one of the reasons why more and more people are switching to them. However, to get the most out of a big screen, you also need a dependable keyboard app. A list of some that can improve your typing speed considerably.
GBOARD (FREE; ANDROID, IOS)
Google has made several improvements in the Gboard app recently. To improve typing speed, it uses machine learning to provide phrase suggestions. Google has switched to an AI based neural spatial model for mapping the touch points on the screen to actual keys. So even if you haven’t tapped a letter properly, it will still identify the letter for you. Integration with Google apps means you can get weather, news and score updates on the keyboard app. The one-handed mode and the option to increase keyboard height can improve typing on small screen phones.
(KEYBOARD FOR EXCEL (FREE; ANDORID)
Another Microsoft Garage app, Keyboard for Excel is designed for users who work regularly on Excel sheets on smartphones. The keyboard is optimised for statistical input. The 10-key number layout is placed in the first of the keyboard, while the various symbols used in formulas for different calculations have been incorporated in the keyboard layout. To help user navigate between multiple columns instantly, Microsoft has added a tab key to it.
WORK FLOW KEYBOARD (FREE; IOS)
Developed by Microsoft’s Garage team, Word Flow keyboard comes with search option built into it. Users can search GIFs, places to eat, news weather forecasts and contacts on the smartphone. It supports swipe based text input and provides word predictions. You can switch to different keyboard layouts and themes. The arc mode puts all the keys on a curve allowing user to easily reach to the keys on a big screen. You can personalise it by applying wallpapers or themes on it.
THUMSTA (₹87; ANDROID)
Thumsta is a simple-looking keyboard meant help users type faster on bigger screens using a single thumb. The keys are arranged in an arc. The symbols and space bar are placed in the empty spaces around the keyboard. You can adjust the size of the keyboard and increase and decrease the size of the keys and shift the position of the keyboard form left to right if you type with your left-hand.