HeliBoard – Privacy-first open-source keyboard that works 100% offline (Gboard alternative)
11d 15h ago by sh.itjust.works/u/Digitalescapetools in digitalescapetooks@sh.itjust.works from sh.itjust.works
HeliBoard is a privacy-focused Android keyboard based on OpenBoard/AOSP.
Unlike many mainstream keyboards, HeliBoard works entirely offline by default, making it a solid alternative to Gboard or SwiftKey for users who want more control over their data.
GitHub: https://github.com/HeliBorg/HeliBoard
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=heliboard
More privacy-friendly tools: https://digitalescapetools.com/
Okay, this is amazing, you've convinced me to switch over for good. The last time I tried it, either it didn't have swipe input or I just couldn't figure it out.
For those who come after me, go into advanced settings and pick Load gesture typing library and give it this library: https://github.com/erkserkserks/openboard/blob/46fdf2b550035ca69299ce312fa158e7ade36967/app/src/main/jniLibs/arm64-v8a/libjni_latinimegoogle.so
(or whichever library you need for your phone/layout/language)
Disabling TLD punctuation replacement is such a huge deal for me. Also getting away from Google.
Testing, testing. It's not Google, but it's much better then the last time.
I honestly have been bugged by the fact that there is a corporation gathering data from every conversation I have on my phone.
OK, it requires a little more precision, but I can do this. I'm a sloppy swipist.
It's learning! I gave them 200 of the active gesture gathering because hell yeah, I want to help them develop a free glide library.
I did a bunch at first too.
It's crappy, but the stock one is, too. Hard to say which one is better, really. Both of them will sometimes not know an extremely common word or replace your text with total gibberish.
Been using it all day. It doesn't fell exactly the same and there prediction isn't customized, but it seems to be learning.
Tbh, pretty sure Google has user profiles for swipe because I'm realizing I used to just slop words into place by flailing at the keys and it would guess petty well. Here, after a few failed, I realized I was not actually spelling the word.
it's my back up, as in what my wife uses when typing on my phone… it's great
for myself I prefer flickboard, same deal for privacy and such, just a different style of keyb
this looks like exactly my kind of bullshit lmao I love customizations that make my phone utterly unusabe to anyone but me
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
Judge my vow, sphinx of black quartz
Fun. I geninely could get used to this. I've used HeliBoard for a long time, but I may make a permanent switch
I was looking for a swipe keyboard that wasn't google for my graphine phone. After not finding one I saw flickboard. Was on the fence, was it going to be hard to use? I installed it and crossed my fingers.
I would call it the modern solution of T9 typing. I can type with one hand not even looking at my screen and be fairly confident in what I type. The only thing I wish it had was dictionary support.
Absolutely, dictionary support would be awesome.
For me, I love that it's not the main standard. I love the look my wife gives me when she tries to use my phone and totally fails hahahaha... and I specially love my daughter's awe at how fast this old fart can type
I tried it because I got tired of making so many mistakes in the standard keyboards... loved it since
My wife too gets very annoyed about my keyboard and she isn't even trying to use it.
I have found that my typo rate is far lower as the key presses are more deliberate. But I am still quick with typing so that deliberate movement isn't much of a hinderance.
and emoji search is available via an optional emoji dictionary.
Immediate install.
I still don't know how to do this, as there seems to be no documentation
- Make sure your emoji menu button is enabled. (Settings -> Preferences, scroll to the Additional Keys section, enable Emoji key. An emoji menu key may also be added to the top bar via Settings -> Toolbar -> Select Toolbar Keys -> enabling Emoji.)
- If you do not already have an emoji .dict file installed, download your corresponding language(s) files from https://codeberg.org/Helium314/aosp-dictionaries/src/branch/main/dictionaries.I used emoji_en.dict. Then install it via Settings -> Dictionaries -> Add dictionary from file
I believe that was all I did to enable the emoji menu with a search. I do recall messing with some other emoji settings that I believe were unrelated.
"Then install it via Settings -> Dictionaries -> Add dictionary from file" Waaaaah! That's the missing piece! Thanks so much kind stranger!
I personally just long press the ↩️ button for a bonus emoji button.
Thank you for the dict file! I was wondering why I couldn't just ever search emojis -.-. Now I finally can!
I long press the 🌐 button for Futo Voice Input when I wanna voice-type. (Installed separately).
It just needs a gif selector
All its missing is GIF insertion and I'd be set
Does it have individual app colors? As in I'd like to use different flat background colors for each app so I can take the hex code of an app's main theme color and make the keyboard fit each theme.
E: OK, I just downloaded the keyboard. Swiping is a must for me, so this keyboard sadly isn't all that usable in my case. Great customization options, though! And the main idea of providing an offline keyboard is just the best!