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Good news for those wanting to get a taste of Android 4.2’s all new Gesture Typing keyboard. Developer Honso has just uploaded a fully functioning version of the AOSP keyboard you’ve been dying to get your thumbs on. The Swype (and soon, SwifKey) challenger works great with Google’s new swipe function, allowing you to use either gestures or traditional tap-to-type method.
Keep in mind this is ICS and Jelly Bean only (for now). If you’re the Play Store link is showing your ICS device as incompatible, hang in there as the app is fresh off the Play Store. The dev also mentioned he’s attempting to backport the keyboard all the way back to Gingerbread which is good news.
UPDATE: Looks like there was an update pushed out just moments ago that added greater device compatibility for ICS devices. If you’re having issues, drop the dev an email.
Thanks, Shaydlife!
Beautiful, I just came on here to find some more info about keyboards and 4.2.
I got 4.2 on my Galaxy Nexus today (OTA), but apparently I lost SwiftKey in the process. Anyone else had the same experience?
How weird. Google’s cock blockin.’ Lol
Either that or something went wrong during the installation. I hope I didn’t loose any other apps along with that.
I lost my Shazam.
Says “your device isn’t compatible”
Same here.
The dev just updated the app in the Play Store, so try again.
Still not working :-(
Wow….my Tegra 3 HTC One X isn’t compatible
Cool how about a new Google Search with Google Now built in.
While they’re at it, how about making Google Voice not an utter piece of garbage.
Google Voice was just updated! Doesn’t force close on Android 4.2 anymore. But yeah… I guess it doesn’t stop it from sucking. Lol
It’s not compatible with any of my devices. (One of which is running on 4.1)
I really hope it doesn’t require 4.2 because that would just be pointless…
LOL It doesn’t. Android 4.1. It just came out today, so bookmark it and check back once the dev works device compatibility out.
Not compatible on my Sony Tablet S, either. :(
it comes in the 4.2 gaaps so I think that is a given.
I tried it but it was HORRIBLY inaccurate on my S3 haha
Really? Workin’ great on the GNote.
I tried typing “Google is great” with the keyboard and…well it wasn’t even close. Tried the same thing with Swype and it was perfect….meh
It takes some getting used to but give it a chance and you will be pleasantly surprised.
Not compatible oh well SwiftKey is awesome beehotch
Well that seems pointless out of my devices the only one it is compatible with is my Nexus 7 with 4.2 installed..
I can’t see ditching Swiftkey at all in the near future
I’ve been using the official one for a couple of days now. Its pretty awesome. Now Id just love some 4.2 Roms for my S3! Love it on my Gnex.
not compatible with my One S. bleh
For some strange reason I can’t stop using this Samsung keyboard on my note 2. It’s like swift key but with swype. Does anyone else agree?
I was surprisingly disappointed in this for one reason…unlike swype, TouchPal, SwiftKey and SlideIT – you can’t long press the qwerty keyboard to use common punctuation such as “?” or “/”. Rather you have to switch to the symbols keyboard. Seems like this alone makes this keyboard less efficient
Or more efficient if you’re quick with the taps.
Yes you can – just press and hold the full stop key and wallah !
I stand corrected. you are correct! It will take some getting used to, but it is a pretty effective way to get to symbols. Now, if I can just find the dang user dictionary and edit it.
I’m actually liking this more than swype, which is surprising! swype has better gesture predicting but 2 things I really love: 1 if its wrong on the prediction hold down the middle word and a whole box comes up to select from and 2 one of the big problems with swype was when actually finger typing and it still thinking you’re swyping and it severely screwing up the text, this can differentiate MUCH better from gesture typing an tapping …. very excited about this!
Good points :)
“[…] was when actually finger typing and it still thinking you’re swyping […]”
You haven’t been using Swype for a while then, because I’m actually composing this comment with it by only swiping one word out of two and it works flawlessly.
It’s great that Google added swiping to the stock keyboard and it works very well, but in my opinion Swype is still ahead because of the way it handles punctuation and thanks to its editing shortcuts.
Been using swype off and on for the past 2 years, as well as swiftkey… and been using swype most recently for the past 4 months or so. Swype has gotten better at normal two finger typing, but still there are times where, if you are rapid typing, it thinks you are swyping instead of typing and severely screws up your text input, atleast in so of my experiences…. but again it has gotten better….
With the 4.2 keyboard it feels much more “stable” when two finger regular typing, even at a rapid pace, again in my experience… I keep switching back and forth to compare.
Ok, so I don’t type fast enough to experience it. ^^
Yeah, the stock keyboard is better for typing, but it’s not what I use Swype for…
The only things I type are keywords, e-mail addresses or URLs, and I deliberately type it slowly to avoid typos.
If you want to be fast, why type when you can swipe?
Edit:
I just learned a sentence to type it as fast as possible using the last version of Swype, but I’m not able to reproduce the issue you’re describing.
The only thing I noticed is a little bug with the pop-up “window” displaying the letter you’re pressing on, which sometimes moves to the next letter instead of disappearing, but it doesn’t affect the text input in any way…
I’ve been using this since the gaaps link for 4.2 was posted on here and despite some getting used to as I’ve been using Swype for the last 2yrs I do quite like it. I like the multiple choice box as others have stated, and I like how you know what word is going to be used as it spells it out for you whilst typing. I’ve never used Swiftkey so don’t know what this has that it did/nt.
This keyboard works amazingly on my GS3. Almost better than the stock galaxy s3 keyboard
the stock gs3 keyboard is abysmal…
installed and works on my evo lte with ics. but still force closes if i try to add to the dictionary. all this guy did was put the apk up on the play store.
Just put this guy on T-Mobile Note II. Love it but I wish it had a dedicated number row like the Samsung stock note II keyboard. The only reason I switched was because I couldn’t stand the keyboard switching to ‘one-handed mode’ all the time no matter how many times I disabled it in the settings.
I’m more excited for Swiftkey Flow to be released. The word prediction is better and you can long-press for symbols on the main keyboard.
Apps seem to be removed form Play Store :(
Looks like the keyboard has been pulled off from Google play. :(
is a keyboard like this the same as the keyboard thats part of the update itself? What I’m trying to understand is how the stand alone carries the same dictionaries / built in legacies that the total upgraded package comes with and whether it effects the performance of the keyboard. On a personal note, i’m luving the new board…….excellent corrections/predictions, nice layout, look and feel, and the ‘swype’ feature is decent
Play Store Link says “We’re sorry, the requested URL was not found on this server.”
Well that was a quick and not-unexpected takedown…
I can wait to NOT use the keyboard when it’s part of CM10.1 + 4.2 gapps, since swype > all, having already tried ’em all.
lol nice double negatives. I’m curious why they took it down since 4.2 is out already and people have Nexus 4s. Either way I’ll have my Nexus 4 in the next few days.
I’ll be curious to see how Swiftkey Flow pans out.
Play Store Link is dead, Google removed the app?
took me a while to figure out how to “gesture” apostrophes! only reason im like this more than swype is because of the damn option of using google’s voice control over swype’s dragon. overall, google’s new keyboard is a much improved and desirable. The only downside is that it doesn’t support some foreign languages like mandarian. i know my wife will have to stick to swype until then.
I still haven’t figured it out, do tell!
The link doesn’t work now…
Link to play store not working, please update…
Its pulled from the play store. Was about to leave feedback. I keep getting an error popup on my screen
Can someone pride a link to the APK?
I actually lyk this more than swipe. I don’t use swipe but it fixes my little issue. When I’m laying down on the couch and my tablet is on the floor, using one hand is kinda tedious to type. But since I can swipe, it won’t be no biggy. LoL!! Facebook early in the morning. =.P
I don’t really need no advance swiping all the time, so this helps a lot!!
I need to get this on my phone now. LoL!!
I’ve tried a few of these besides this particular one and so far “FlexT9” works the best for me. However, looking for a store link right now and not having much luck. Maybe they removed it for some reason. Here’s the company’s web page for those that are interested: http://www.nuance.com/for-individuals/by-product/flex-t9-for-android/index.htm
Oh, and I’m getting the page not found error as well. Oh well, eventually…
Not on the Play store. Does anyone have the apk?