Google’s Android keyboard hits version 5.0, now has fine cursor control

[FlyingPenguin]

Okay, if you're like me, you hate the native Android keyboard. I've been using Swiftkey since forever, but it does have issues: it runs noticeably slower than the native keyboard, and I also find it's less accurate detecting which key I'm pressing. I live with that because it's so much better a keyboard than the native one... until now.

Google just released a new native keyboard and it's AWESOME. It's arguably BETTER than Swiftkey.

It pretty much does everything swiftkey does (similar hold and swipe for sub-keys like the exclamation), and has good prediction, but the KILLER feature is a fine cursor control: you can move the cursor back and forth quite incrementally by swiping the space key left or right. It's BRILLIANT. You can also swipe the delete key backwards to delete a whole word. Very handy.

Moreover, the key accuracy feels VERY good. I have fat fingers and most phone and tablet keyboards give me problems, but this is very good.

It wasn't available yet on the Play Store so I grabbed the APK from APKMirror.com (link is in the article). You do need to know whether your phone is running a 32 bit or 64 bit processor though, and temporarily allow apps from unknown sources in the Android security settings, or just wait for it to appear in the store.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/05/ ... -and-more/