Jelly Bean keyboard is lousy

[thecapsaicinkid]

Difficult to input certain words, slow and fiddly to go back and correct incorrect words, multiple presses required to add new words and most annoyingly, differing layouts between different devices.

As an example, try typing a single letter and then a word quickly such as 'I think'. It seems to be almost universally praised but I can't help but feel it's not quite ready.

Pleas forgive any errors in this post.

[vshah]

try swiftkey, a lot of people like it.

[thecapsaicinkid]

I prefer (that word took 3 attempts) Swype but I can't be bothered to go through the awful installer.

Oh and would it kill developers to add a few ducking swear words to my custom dictionary so I don't have to spend ages teaching my phone how to cuss like some sort of irresponsible older brother.

[Red Storm]

There's only one stock JB keyboard, so differing layouts means you're seeing different custom keyboards from manufacturers.

Stuff like "I think" is incredibly simple and quick on the JB keyboard.

[thecapsaicinkid]

Originally Posted by Red Storm

There's only one stock JB keyboard, so differing layouts means you're seeing different custom keyboards from manufacturers.

Stuff like "I think" is incredibly simple and quick on the JB keyboard.

Not true, the layout differs rather needlessly between form factors. For example the Nexus 4 has digits along the top keys, the 7 doesn't.

Words cannot be input shortly after a single character word on my Nexus 7, it registers as one word.

[Red Storm]

Ah, that's what you meant. I don't have a Nexus 7 to compare to anymore, but no issue typing fast on my Nexus 4, be it touch typing or gesture.

[thecapsaicinkid]

Odd, the single character bug isn't on the N4's keyboard.

[TuxDave]

So what's happening when you're typing "I think"? Is it auto-correcting it to one random word or something?

[thecapsaicinkid]

I get 'it'.

So 'a car' ends up as 'ac'. Works if you do it slowly I think.

[ChronoReverse]

I've been trying out Kii recently (it's in open beta) and I'm liking it overall more than Swiftkey.

Swiftkey still has the best prediction but Kii seems to respond quicker whiling having more options to customize.

It also has a regular numbers layout which is something a certain AT forum member vehemently hates in Swiftkey. The ability to add the numbers row into the primary keyboard along with split-keyboard layouts is gravy.

[pm]

I really liked the Jelly Bean keyboard on the Nexus 4 but only when I used it in "swype" mode where you don't lift your finger while "typing" and just move your finger back and forth over the top without lifting up and drawing lines across the letters. I thought it worked pretty well and about the only words that I struggled with were ones like "too" where you had to hit the same letter twice.

[soccerballtux]

Originally Posted by thecapsaicinkid

Difficult to input certain words, slow and fiddly to go back and correct incorrect words, multiple presses required to add new words and most annoyingly, differing layouts between different devices.

As an example, try typing a single letter and then a word quickly such as 'I think'. It seems to be almost universally praised but I can't help but feel it's not quite ready.

Pleas forgive any errors in this post.

Join me and many others not at all happy with google and android.

[chadashcroft22]

I suggest kii keyboard the best keyboard I have ever used. It's beautiful and crazy fast with great word prediction. https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...utmethod.latin

[NikolaeVarius]

Originally Posted by thecapsaicinkid

Difficult to input certain words, slow and fiddly to go back and correct incorrect words, multiple presses required to add new words and most annoyingly, differing layouts between different devices.

As an example, try typing a single letter and then a word quickly such as 'I think'. It seems to be almost universally praised but I can't help but feel it's not quite ready.

Pleas forgive any errors in this post.

"I think" works just fine. I haven't used the JB keyboard in quite a while and got it the first time at full typing speed. I think your kb is bugged.

[basslover1]

Originally Posted by thecapsaicinkid

Difficult to input certain words, slow and fiddly to go back and correct incorrect words, multiple presses required to add new words and most annoyingly, differing layouts between different devices.

As an example, try typing a single letter and then a word quickly such as 'I think'. It seems to be almost universally praised but I can't help but feel it's not quite ready.

Pleas forgive any errors in this post.

When I type "I think" as "Ithink" it auto-corrects the space. Not sure what the problem is really.

My only issues with it is the placement, I always hit b/n instead of the spacebar and m/l instead of backspace. Sometimes it can auto-correct an unnecessary "n" into the space I wanted, but usually it doesn't.

Also, I'm not sure if this will make a difference for you, but I turned off next word prediction, because I like there to be punctuation after tapping the space bar instead of another word. It will still predict the word you're typing and auto-correct for you, however.

[thecapsaicinkid]

Originally Posted by NikolaeVarius

"I think" works just fine. I haven't used the JB keyboard in quite a while and got it the first time at full typing speed. I think your kb is bugged.

What device? As I mentioned earlier, it only seems to be an issue on the Nexus 7.

Also to the previous poster, why would you type 'I think' as one word?

The holding for double letters doesn't work either. Try writing app, pausing on the P.

[Skurge]

Originally Posted by pm

I really liked the Jelly Bean keyboard on the Nexus 4 but only when I used it in "swype" mode where you don't lift your finger while "typing" and just move your finger back and forth over the top without lifting up and drawing lines across the letters. I thought it worked pretty well and about the only words that I struggled with were ones like "too" where you had to hit the same letter twice.

You can just make a loop at the latter you want it to type twice. Like you would slide from the letter T then once you get to the letter O, you just make a little loop.

[BrightCandle]

I have got better with the Nexus 7 keyboard but I still find editting a major pain the backside. Certain words are just always wrong and I don't find typing on it or the Samsung Galaxy Nexus particularly enjoyable or quick.

I watched the Kii video and I have to say its not exactly impressing me. The ability to move back and forth in text is nice but its two clicks away. It looks to be much slower than my existing speed achieve on basic android and I find swipe is much slower as well.

Screens are just a bad interface replacement for keyboards.

[DLeRium]

Honestly, the best keyboard at regular tapping is Smart Keyboard Pro IMO. We're talking about layout, multitouch, etc.

Yes Swiftkey has great prediction but it forces you to type a certain way with its dumb numpad layout for numbers. Yes you can say you like that, but every other keyboard in the world uses a row of numbers. Whichever you prefer, it'd be nice if Swiftkey allowed you to choose the row format instead of forcing you to a brand new method of typing. Also forcing space after picking a word is another issue I have with it.

So if SmartKeyboard Pro updated its prediction to be a bit better, I'd like it more.

But yeah, JellyBean has made the keyboard far more usable than before. I'm waiting for CyanogenMod to include the volume keys as a cursor adjustment option.

[ChronoReverse]

Originally Posted by BrightCandle

I watched the Kii video and I have to say its not exactly impressing me. The ability to move back and forth in text is nice but its two clicks away. It looks to be much slower than my existing speed achieve on basic android and I find swipe is much slower as well.

Kii has the option to set your volume keys as the cursor controls.

[BrightCandle]

Originally Posted by ChronoReverse

Kii has the option to set your volume keys as the cursor controls.

On its side I wouldn't exactly call the Samsung galaxies volume keys very accessible. Being on the underneath those are pain to get to, but maybe its marginally better than pressing with the thumb and trying to move the cursor into place.

All the default keyboard really needs is that when I click on a misspelt word that it highlights the whole thing for overtype. Its normally faster to just tap out the whole word than select with that stupid cursor but right now its not easy to select a word and kill it.

[DLeRium]

Originally Posted by BrightCandle

On its side I wouldn't exactly call the Samsung galaxies volume keys very accessible. Being on the underneath those are pain to get to, but maybe its marginally better than pressing with the thumb and trying to move the cursor into place.

All the default keyboard really needs is that when I click on a misspelt word that it highlights the whole thing for overtype. Its normally faster to just tap out the whole word than select with that stupid cursor but right now its not easy to select a word and kill it.

SmartKeyboard Pro allows you to select any word that you've typed so far and it will show the autocorrect options. Other keyboards only give you autocorrect options for the most recent word only.

[senttoschool]

The keyboard is one of the main reasons I switched to back to an iPhone.

Despite a larger screen, I made a lot more typing errors on my Galaxy Nexus no matter which keyword I used. And the corrections are poor. The iPhone does corrections with much better accuracy - at least for my style.

[ChronoReverse]

Originally Posted by BrightCandle

On its side I wouldn't exactly call the Samsung galaxies volume keys very accessible. Being on the underneath those are pain to get to, but maybe its marginally better than pressing with the thumb and trying to move the cursor into place.

All the default keyboard really needs is that when I click on a misspelt word that it highlights the whole thing for overtype. Its normally faster to just tap out the whole word than select with that stupid cursor but right now its not easy to select a word and kill it.

There's also the option to always show the arrow keys if you want that... most keyboards have that?

I do think that SmartKeyboard Pro's ability to select any word is nice though.

[thecapsaicinkid]

A keyboard lives and dies by its ability to quickly correct misspellings I think.