Category: Google Gboard

Gboard for Android has another update rolling out, bringing the ability to make GIFs from text as well as support for 28 new languages.  The update is version 7.4.19 for those keeping score at home and is out in the Play Store now.

First up in this update is the ability to make a GIF from Text.  Gboard has had the ability for users to make their own GIFs for some time now but it was always photo based.  Now you can make one from text as well.

There is little question as we sit here at the end of July 2018 that Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are critical parts of our lives.  Regardless of if you use a smart home device like Google Home, there are likely dozens of apps on your phone that have some AI or ML element to them.  Google apps, most certainly fit in this statement with apps like Google Gboard.

But every once in a while the AI goes awry and well, it can be kind of funny at times.  We’ve seen it before in Google Photos where some really scary photo stitching has happened.  Now we can add this little risque gem from Gboard.  Just type in “Sit on” while in a text message or Google Doc and watch the magic.

One of the best things about Android Messages for Android is Smart Replies.  If you aren’t familiar, Smart Replies allows for one-tap replies to text messages received, relying on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to give you the appropriate answer options.  Now it seems that Google is building this same AI/ML into Google Gboard to enable it to work across a wide range of messaging apps.

The feature is still very much in development so don’t look for it in the stable release of the keyboard app just yet.  Instead, the team over at XDA has done a tear down of the latest beta of the Gboard app and has discovered the code to support Smart Replies across multiple different messaging apps.

Google Gboard, the keyboard app from the Mountain View company, has a new update rolling out that brings some improvements and new language support.  The updated build is version 7.31 for those keeping score at home and should be widely available at this point.

A few months ago, in May, Gboard gained the ability to create your own GIFs using your phone’s camera.  With this update, you can add text to your GIF.  This allows you to make them a bit more personalized.

A new update to Google Gboard is rolling out over the next few days that will bring support for 20 new languages to the keyboard.  Those language additions include two of the most requested of Google:  Korean and Chinese, both traditional and simplified.  The addition of the languages brings the total languages supported by the app to over 300, covering 74% of all of the world’s languages according to Google.

Google has a comprehensive list of all of the languages supported by Gboard.  You will note in the list that there a few that do not have an available dictionary to download.

Google Gboard, the keyboard app that is now native on a wide range of Android phones, has a big update rolling out this morning.  The update is version 6.8 for those keeping score but given the number of improvements and changes, this really feels like a major “dot oh” release.

The headline new feature for the app is Handwriting input support.  Now you can use a stylus or your finger to write instead of typing on the QWERTY keyboard.  Previously, to use handwriting input, you had to have a separate app.  If you are wanting to have this new input method in your install of Gboard, you will need to make sure you enable it.

To enable, open up the Gboard app settings and then tap on the Languages section.  At the bottom, tap the “Add Keyboard” button then tap on English (US).  The first option you see should be a Handwriting keyboard.  Select it then tap the Add button.  This will now make it an option on the keyboard.

Now to an app where you would type and you should see a globe icon on the keyboard next to the space button.  Tap that icon and you should alternate between your normal keyboard and the handwriting panel.