When it comes to typing on touchscreen, the default keyboard in Android is a let down. Although some of the manufacturers like Samsung have managed to provide a better keyboard in their devices but most of the manufacturers have still not laid any stress on improving the writing experience. Thanks to the big screens and feature rich environment provided by Android, android tablets and phablets are slowly replacing the mini-laptops. Apart from these 2 reasons, another reason that contributes to growing demand and popularity of tablets is the portability factor. These slim cardboard like equipment are so easy to carry and work on that you would prefer them for internet and email and even blogging on the go. I have been writing and preparing large documents and blog posts on my tablet and have tried almost every other keyboard application available in the Play Store. Here are the few things you should consider while investing in a keyboard application for your Android phone/tablet.
1) Do you really need it?
While most of the people do not perform heavy typing on their smartphones, these phones have become a part of the life for others. If you spend a lot of time on your phone typing stuff and messages and are not really comfortable with the current layout of the keyboard, you definitely need a android keyboard application. The best android keyboard for you will be one that suits all your needs.
2) Type or Slide?
The latest fad in the keyboard application is the slide feature. This means that you do not need to lift you finger from the keyboard while typing. Although this increases the flow and is fun but in my honest opinion it is a bit slower than typing (conventional way of using a keyboard). If you are looking for a typing kind of a keyboard, the best android keyboard is the Go keyboard which is available for free in the Play Store. But if you like the idea of not lifting up your hand from the keyboard and want to get rid of constant screen tapping, slide kind of keyboard is for you. There are many android keyboards that fall under this category and perform a similar function. The two that I would suggest is the Swype Keyboard or the SwiftKey Keyboard.
3) Use it on your phone or tablet?
After selecting the type of the keyboard, you need to figure out if you would be using the application on your smartphone, tablet or phablet? If you are using it on your smartphone (screen size being less than 5"), you do not need worry much about the keyboard you are going to buy. But in case, you are buying one for the tabley/phablet (screen size more than 5"), you need to understand that when you hold the tablet in the landscape mode, the keys/buttons in the middle part of the screen are practically impossible to reach unless you have long fingers or make adjustments in the way you hold the tablet which can be a pain and reduce the ease of use. Thus the best android keyboard for a tablet would be one which understands this problem and adjusts the keys in this manner. For this same reason, I am using SwiftKey Keyboard which moves the keys on the sides and the middle stays empty thus allowing you to keep on typing non-stop. Another good alternative for SwiftKey application is the Thumb Keyboard. It also solves the problem by moving the keys on the side while displaying the keys that you do not need much in the middle.
4) Try before you buy
The competition forces in the market are good for the consumers. There are so many keyboards available in the play store that most of the developers are providing a limited time free version of their keyboard application. This makes sure that you get to try the best android keyboards in the play store before you buy them. The trial period is usually 7 days but it may vary depending upon the developer. I would suggest you to try 2 or 3 different android keyboard applications and find the best one for yourself.
Conclusion
Before you invest your money into any keyboard application, I would strongly suggest you to try atleast 3 keyboard applications. While an application might work like a charm for me and my device, it might fail to impress you or may lag on your device and hence not perform as expected. Slide kind of keyboards are in at the moment but I am still waiting for the ones that will recognize handwriting. It will make typing and tapping so much easier.
If you have any queries or suggestion, feel free to comment below.
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