Alternative keyboards for /e/?

Using /e/OS Applications
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Does anybody has a suggestion for an alternative keyboard (FOSS) for /e/?
For now, I am terribly missing Google’s Gboard for a simple reason: Just writing seamlessly in three different languages and still getting spellchecking without being obliged to swap manually to another language.
Or am I just doing s.th wrong?

5 Likes
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I have the same issue, where’s the auto detect feature?

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The only keyboards I know are AnySoft Keyboard and Simple Keyboard

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it’s possible to download the apk of any keyboard you want and install it!

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eg https://apkpure.com/nl/gboard-the-google-keyboard/com.google.android.inputmethod.latin

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Fleksy is a good Keyboard. And it respects our privacy (not Gboard’s case…)

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Even if I didn’t read all the description, looks like Fleksy isn’t open source and has 6 trackers :wink:

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So they’re lying about privacy ?

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There’s no way to know, but there is a risk.

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@Rik @Anonyme @ralxx
Does Gboard have keystroke logging or trackers?
Google Analytics?
I would have to suspect something like that…:confounded::face_with_hand_over_mouth:

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2 trackers but 17 permissons are requested, no clue what else is logged, but there’s a built-in Gxxxxe Search. I blieve it is not unlikely that data is being processed somehow… somewhere.

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Yes it has.

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17 permissions!!!:face_vomiting:
ok, that’s crazy
Definitely sounds like it’s logging info!

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@Anonyme thank you! This is horrible to see. Wow, they really did a good job making it…:confounded:

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But I have to admit, it is a very very well thought piece of code. I used it until very recently (after haved switched off most privacy related addons) and it is the only part from my previous ROM that I really miss.

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Yes, I get that! It’s really hard to let go something that’s made to be attractive.
Best of luck to you in finding a keyboard that’s privacy friendly and looks good!

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I got this idea, I merged 2 languages into one pack. Dutch and English. In my first attempt I glued 2 full language files, but then the language pack did not build. So then I used 2 50k word files (Dutch and English). Then it did compile, and I like the result. So I’m going to share here . Note not all the words are in the file because of the size limit. But I make less typo’s now :). If the feedback is positive maybe I’ll make more language mixes.

If you want to try:
remove your current AnySoft Keyboard language (Dutch), then install from link, and deselect the English keyboard. After that you have only the dutch keyboard selected, and can type Dutch and English.

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I asked Fleksy. It is here for what we think.

Here’s the answer in french :slight_smile:

“Si vous regardez toutes les apps avec des in-apps purchases. Nous devons avoir les trackeurs Google. C’est le Play Store qui l’oblige. Ads est uniquement utilisé pour collecter des fleksycoins dans un instant précis. Exodus n’explique pas le pourquoi malheureusement…”

They say that Fleksy is considered as an app with “in app purchases” because of fleksycoins and trackers are an obligation from Google/Play Store. They say that “sadly Exodus doesn’t explain the reason of trackers’ presence”…

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Thanks for finding that out. I just checked out the app page in YALP. There’s a slice of the description that caught my attention:

PRIVACY The warning message that says Fleksy may be able to collect “all the text you type, including personal data like passwords and credit card numbers” is part of the Android operating system that appears when any third party keyboard is enabled."

This just reconfirms my gutt feeling: Espacially a keyboard app should be nothing but Open Source software.

2 Likes
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Cool. Great idea. Gonna test that next week.