Do You Have that Colourful G Button?

Some good try in the works from Google. A Keyboard with Google search box? What more can all iPhone users ask for? Google’s latest iOS keyboard “Gboard” is not just a keyboard but it comes with an embedded search engine too. It lets you to type and simultaneously even search and share search results with images, GIFs, emojis right from your keyboard. Also the keyboard comes with Glide Typing or gesture typing.

So, What is Gboard?

Gboard is a virtual keyboard. Search enabled, infused GIF and rich emoji are the three major attractions of this keyboard app.

Search While You Text

Say you are texting your associate and you need to share an address. Until now you had to leave the app, open search, find the address and then copy the address and switch back to your conversation box and finally paste them there. Now with Gboard, all these tasks have become so easy and time saving. While texting you can just click the G button, carry on with your searches right from your keyboard and with just one tap you can share information and still continue with your conversation. The app is so simple and easy to use.

The keyboard supports emoji and even does GIF searching. You can easily send a link, share an image, or GIF, emojis, or share any information that you search right in your conversation without moving out of the screen every time. Yet another attraction to this app is that the keyboard remembers all words what you type and helps you with predicts and corrections in your future conversations. Such data are stored in your device.

How does that work?

After downloading the app, you will automatically get instructions on how to add it to your phone. Gboard appears with a G button from where users can search right from the keyboard.

# Once you hit search, Gboard sends your query to Google’s web servers and eventually Google processes your query and sends back the queries.

# You can now share your search results instantly within your conversation box.

# Moreover, with the smiley face next to the spacebar, users can search and drop emojis and GIFs.

# You can even swipe across the letters – a facility called Glide typing.

Gboard app follows the other big hits from Google like Gmail, Google Docs and Google Maps which are already famous among iPhone users.

Interestingly, this third party iOS keyboard app is absolutely free…

Currently all iPhone users in the United States can download this app from the Apple’s App Store. Bri Connelly, assistant product manager related to Gboard at Google mentioned in a post that the company is also planning to bring multi-language and country support in the future update. Though the company has not officially confirmed the availability of this app for Android users, speculations are there that Gboard app will soon be made available for Android users too in the near future.

Is It a Boon For iPhone Users?

Yes, since it offers a simple search and text option making the process so simple. By just tapping on the G icon, users can start their search without leaving their chat conversation.  There is absolutely no need to switch between apps to catch information.  Also with the Glide typing function, users can just swipe their fingers from one letter to another instead of hitting the keys one by one. Typing is faster in this case and less messy.

How different is Gboard from Google Now on Tap

Part of Android M Operating system update, Google Now on Tap is all about spot on answers fast and quick… It leverages machine learning and contextual search. It delivers instant answers once it detects a query on the user’s screen.  It just examines what happens on your screen and delivers action based on that. Google Now on Tap is just a Marshmallow only feature and that clearly states its restrictions to greater audience.  Users can just tap and hold the home button on the screen, and they will get the results in seconds. As a mind reader, it just gazes at your screen along with you and keeps track of all what you are doing with your phone…the emails, the music, the information that you are collecting, the tickets that you are booking and even the place where you are driving….and everything and quickly leaves contextual messages proactively. It is more like a Help Me button or a digital assistant sort of.

Gboard is a step further. It is a keyboard with built in search feature enabling users to search what they want right from the keyboard. Its search infused Keyboard is powerful enough to support all iOS users currently in the US to look up and share directly on to the conversation by just swiping. They can also find the right emoji and search for GIFs.

Gboard can be your alternate typing system…a clever keyboard app.