[Tutorial] [4.0 +] [Beginner] Using Google Keyboard; the Settings

For beginners –Using Google Keyboard; the Settings
For modifying Indonesian Dictionary
See http://forum.xda-developers.com/andr...esian-t3215118

Google keyboard is present in all Android phones. It is good, and fast, and highly accurate. If you know how to handle this keyboard, it will be your favorite keyboard. Let’s start using the keyboard by tweaking its settings.

• The settings can be displayed by long pressing on comma, on the lower left bottom, of the keyboard


• On the pop-up menu, touch “Lollipop 123 Keyboard Settings”


• you will be presented with the main keyboard settings page

• For languages, I use English (US) only. The Indonesian language is not selected for two reasons: (a) this will be incorporated in a separate personal dictionary, and (b) because there is no sliding/gesturing facility if you choose this language. Make sure all other languages are disabled as that will interfere with the smoothness of the sliding.


• Preference: well, that is my preference. Make sure to enable Voice Input, as that is the ultimate input method, often better than sliding (will be discussed separately).


• Themes: choose yourself


• Custom Input Styles: get rid of them all. Delete.

• Gesture Typing: I use that settings.


• Phrase gesture is a facility to type one word by sliding, and then slide to space key, and slide the next word. I found it not very convenient as I use shortcuts very often.


• Text Correction: this is the one that you will use very often, especially the Personal Dictionary. You are presented with several choices in this menu.


• Block offensive words: works with English only; this blocks words like “f u c k” etc. But as most phones are used for personal conversation, I don’t think it is necessary to enable it. As I use Indonesian for every day chat, that also does not bother me.


• Suggest Contact Names: the keyboard app will read the names of your contacts and will use it in the dictionary.

• OK. Let’s start tweaking and touch the Personal Dictionary setting. I mainly use “For all languages” dictionary. Words are added to the English (US) dictionary as you type in the keyboard and added words from there.


• In practice, to me, there is no difference whether a word is put in one dictionary or the other. All is treated alike as I only use one language, i.e. English.


• When you touch either setting, a list of dictionary words is displayed, together with its shortcut, if any.


• I touch the word “abaikan” and a separate page is displayed. Here I change the shortcut to “abaikn”, You may think that it only shorten the word by one letter; but in fact if you use sliding/gesturing, it reduces two strokes. From 6 strokes to 4 strokes, that is practically a 33% increase in efficiency.

• Add-on dictionary: make sure emoji is installed, and uninstall other dictionaries.


• There are a lot of Emojis in Google keyboard, such as arrows (right, left, up, down), smilies, physical notations (degree in Celsius or Fahrenheit), etc. You will miss that if you don’t install it.


• Advanced setting: You can show up the Google keyboard icon in your phone main screen while you are playing with this app. And hide it from the screen when finished.


• Back to Text Correction: in the bottom of the menu there is “Next word suggestions”. I usually disable it as it is not good enough and I use mainly Indonesian language (that the Google keyboard can’t suggest).

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• That is all, friends ...