Hello, could someone recommended a keyboard for android that is a bit smart in predictive typing? I used to like swiftkeybefore it was bought by microsoft. Not that swiftkey itself was much better but I was not so privy conscious at that time.

I recall swiftkey would require access to your texts and emails to train itself to your predictions.

Is there some similar foss keyboard where all the data then remains local?

I know swiftkey has an incognito mode, but then it stops learning from your typing.

  • Pantherina@feddit.de
    224·
    1 year ago

    On GrapheneOS ironically you can just use whatever keyboard and disable network permissions. Android is great

      • Pantherina@feddit.de
        1·
        1 year ago

        Isnt that a root-only app?

        Because if it uses the internal VPN feature, EVERY system app can bypass it, and the Captive Portal app and others certainly do.

        Only GrapheneOS fixes that afaik, providing their own Servers for captive portal, connectivity check, SUPL proxy server (strips off data and Google still has to manage because monopoly)

      • Pantherina@feddit.de
        6·
        1 year ago

        Yes of course, but for example people that dont know the language yet and need suggestions. What do you mean by that?

        • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
          26·
          1 year ago

          The problem with graphene is that is shamelessly promotes proprietary software. They have build tools to try to make it safe to run non-free programs (proprietary software) but that entirely misses the point.

          When you run non-free software you do not control the program, it controls you. There is no way to know what it really is doing and you can’t make changes to it or even see what it is doing.

          • Pantherina@feddit.de
            7·
            1 year ago

            I agree and also avoid using their Sandboxed Play Services. Their values are security and “making sense”. Its great to have the play services and store just working but as user apps. You can isolate them in a work profile without a problem.

            There is no alternative, their point is that microG is not FOSS but a hacked together version of the proprietary play services parts, it may be verrry insecure as it needs to run as system app and often doesnt get updates. And it still talks to Google and actually sends lots of data.

            Their approach is very economic. They ship regular play services, framework and store, but with a compatibility layer. This saves efford a lot and avoids breakages or blocking services (Aurora) over time.

            Literally everyone can run GrapheneOS, thats the point. You dont need to use the sandboxed Play, but if you need it, it works.

            It annoys me too that their preinstalled apps all suck.

            • AOSP filemanager is needed for portals ans USB, but it sucks
            • that gallery??
            • clock is old and damn blue
            • sms app uses very old runtime, showing a warning
            • aosp contacts

            They promote Vanadium and literally installing binaries from some random Github release.

            F-Droid basic uses the new libraries and should be preinstalled as user app. They have reproducible builds now.

            And I wont use Vanadium, as it doesnt support Firefox Addons. It may be hardened in some way but without Noscript and Ublock in my eyes no browser is really hardened if it can run every Javascript or block all, breaking 90% of websites.

            • LoveSausage@lemmygrad.ml
              1·
              1 year ago

              I like that they don’t foce apps on me , I’d rather install what I need myself. F-droid is not the best app as I see it. I use neo store so do not want extra bloat.

              Regarding Firefox , you are either running chrome/vanadium or chrome/vanadium plus Firefox. Since webview. So what you have with Firefox is at best the in use browser features. Open a link in an app and you still use the webview. Firefox on android has it issues as well (sandboxing) . So 1+1 = 2 issues. Using a VPN / DNS with adblock makes ublock unnecessary.

          • Skimmer@lemmy.zip
            71·
            1 year ago

            The problem with graphene is that is shamelessly promotes proprietary software.

            How does GrapheneOS “shamelessly promote” proprietary software? I don’t think I’ve ever seen them do this. Maybe you’re referring to Sandboxed Play Services? But that isn’t “shamelessly promoted” or recommended, it isn’t even included in the OS, its just an optional app that can be installed for those who need it.

            They have build tools to try to make it safe to run non-free programs (proprietary software) but that entirely misses the point.

            I assume you mean Sandboxed Play Services again? That’s far from the only feature or benefit that GrapheneOS gives. They do much more work than just Sandboxed Play Services or making it safe to run “non-free” programs. They make it safe to run ANY program, regardless of license.

            • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
              12·
              1 year ago

              You just proved that they promote proprietary software though. Like it or not they encourage users to not seek freedom which is something I can not promote

                • Good_Idea_Poorly_Realized@sh.itjust.works
                  2·
                  1 year ago

                  Agreed with Mr random. Graphene gives users options, it’s literally the cleanest phone install I’ve ever seen, there is no extra fluff installed. The users have to choose what they install. Full agency . We should celebrate more options for users.

  • Lunch@lemmy.world
    8·
    1 year ago

    Sadly not a whole lot of good options, other than the other one already mentioned here.

    However I’ve got my hopes up for the upcoming keyboard app by FUTO. (Louis Rossman announced it on his YT channel a few vids back )

  • volleyballcrocodile@lemmy.world
    5·
    1 year ago

    I use the last Swype apk with network access blocked in NetGuard, because I can’t go without swipe typing. The personal dictionary still works.

    I found with gboard and swiftkey the dictionary didn’t save words without network connectivity.

  • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
    51·
    1 year ago

    Go to F-droid and get your keyboard from there. (If you don’t have F-droid installed you should)

    • BeatTakeshi@lemmy.worldOP
      3·
      1 year ago

      I haven’t installed something outside of it for ages. I used the foxy client for a long time, and recently droid-ify

  • GenEcon@lemm.ee
    41·
    1 year ago

    I use Typewise. A swiss company, by far the best keyboard layout and they don’t use any data from what you type.

  • nfsu2@feddit.cl
    3·
    1 year ago

    Unexpected keyboard, was meant for termux but can be used for daily use. It’s difficult to get the habit of key positions though.

    • BeatTakeshi@lemmy.worldOP
      1·
      1 year ago

      I tried it, but couldn’t find basic stuff like how to type áàâ from the letter a… Also no predictions

      • nfsu2@feddit.cl
        2·
        1 year ago

        Here, its with the secondary functions of letter D, J and N. Yeah no predictions is not a feature but I like to scroll trough text with the space bar and delete backwards. Plus if you hold a key it keeps going like a regular keyboard which I like. Overall I think its a good option for composing emails if you get the hang of it.

        • 22rw@feddit.de
          2·
          1 year ago

          The first two features mentioned are also available with OpenBoard (the Helium-Something fork) afaik

    • Cethin@lemmy.zipEnglish
      6·
      1 year ago

      I tried thumb key and it just took too much effort to get used to. Not to mention it basically requires using one thumb instead of two, so it’s possibly slower.

      • aesopjah@lemm.ee
        7·
        1 year ago

        and also has no predictions, which really slows it way down since you have to type out each long word the whole way through instead of just getting it to the point of uniqueness and clicking the suggestion.

  • FreshLight@sh.itjust.works
    31·
    1 year ago

    If your phone is rooted you can use any standalone keyboard app you like as long as you block it’s internet access

    • auth@lemmy.ml
      72·
      1 year ago

      you dont need to be rooted to block app’s internet access though

      • FreshLight@sh.itjust.works
        1·
        1 year ago

        If you do not have an LSposed framework or similar (formerly knows as Xposed Framework) you can either use Adaway for blocking the phone from reaching websites (keep in mind that this is globally, though) or e.g. AFWall+ for preventing single Apps to connect to the internet (Apps that don’t try to get internet access are not shown is the list provided by AFWall+).

        If you have LSposed or similar I believe it is possible to install XprivacyLua. This was/is(?) a very powerful tool to manage every single access an app is trying to get. Why would a sketchy chinese calculator app need access to the contacts and the internet even though this was never allowed in the system settings?

        • AtmaJnana@lemmy.world
          1·
          1 year ago

          OP can’t use adaway or AFWall+ without root.

          I’m in the same boat as OP (I have a device without root for the first time in a long time) and I miss both apps. I do use a pihole+VPN for what adaway does. But there’s no real replacement for AFWall/iptables without root. As pointed out, though, you can block individual apps in some modern versions of android. Fortunately, I have that.