Hello G-Board, bye Futo

pizzadequeso

After many months of frustration with Futo (low accuracy and slow voice input), I ditched it for Google's Gboard.

Here is what I did:

I installed it using a reputable APK source. Did not allow network permission when installing. Went immediately to settings and opted out privacy intruding features. Allowed network, downloaded voice input office capability. Ungraded network permission.

It works super well right now. Typing and voice input both work flawlessly. Gboard does take about 400 mb of storage versus 2000mb 0 by futo keyboard. but overall I'm very happy.

The only question I have is if gboard talks to Google Play services in background and transmit my data out?

23Sha-ger

pizzadequeso The only question I have is if gboard talks to Google Play services in background and transmit my data out?

They don't transmit sensetive data. They transmit telemetry which is metadata. The voice input can work offline.

Eumenia

pizzadequeso The only question I have is if gboard talks to Google Play services in background and transmit my data out?

If you have any proprietary app in the same space, then all the other proprietary apps without network permissions can just push their data with inter Ppocess communication to the networking enabled app, which can then upload it.

I would only rely on apps not having the network permission, if they can only talk to apps that either don't have the network permission and/or trustworthy

Vincent96

pizzadequeso Sadly you're right, Gboard is the best keyboard right now and has been for ages. I gave FUTO keyboard a go too but it's nothing compared to Gboard.

GosGrape

pizzadequeso what's the reputable apk source and how did you verify it?

W1zardK1ng

Eumenia This is not entirely true, app devs has to write it in a way that to which app it can communicate. this can be done for oss app also, fossify had it(not using their apps now so cant check it)
Normally apps from same company does this, like apps from meta can communicate each other.
And what data is being shared through IPC is also unknown, mostly its some minimal info and not whole app data. IPC is not designed to bypass network restriction through another app,

Eumenia

W1zardK1ng This is not entirely true, app devs has to write it in a way that to which app it can communicate. this can be done for oss app also, fossify had it(not using their apps now so cant check it)
Normally apps from same company does this, like apps from meta can communicate each other.
And what data is being shared through IPC is also unknown, mostly its some minimal info and not whole app data. IPC is not designed to bypass network restriction through another app,

If the source code is closed then we can't check how is written, but its wouldn't need sophisticated code to log the inputs and then push them over IPC

gristle-cause

I see these posts pop up often enough to make me curious. What GBoard features make it the king? Is it just the Google STT engine?

I seldom use anything but the letters, numbers, symbols, and emoji keys. From my POV, every mainstream keyboard is basically identical. Some space keys have different heights, I guess

chisc

gristle-cause
I'm an ex-GBoarder, now on Heliboard.
A keyboard is more than just buttons.

Hardly surprising surely - some people prefer the proprietary correction/prediction engine it uses over the OSS offerings, maybe they think it qualitatively better or they're just used to how it behaves.

Google TTS isn't unique to GBoard (other KBs can utilise 'Speech Recognition and Synthesis from Google') but the TTS is smooth with GBoard.

pizzadequeso

gristle-cause What GBoard features make it the king?

"I typr very fast andi mistypo leeters in every sentence."

This is what you would see if I used FUTO. I then have to correct it manually. But G-board does it for me nearly perfect. Also offline voice input is faster and also more accurate.

Eirikr70

I use FUTO keyboard for swiping in French, english and Italian. I have been using GBoard for a while. I must admit that FUTO's accuracy for swiping in French is far behind GBoard. But hey, GBoard starts with a G, and I have GPlay services installed.

de0u

Eumenia If the source code is closed then we can't check how is written [.…]

That's not entirely accurate. It is possible to decompile code, and malware analysts do it routinely. It's actual work, but it's not impossible.

de0u

The claim was "If the source code is closed then we can't check how is written" (Eumenia). Saying that it's inconvenient, or potentially illegal, or that one is unwilling to provide "free security audits for proprietary software", may all be true, but are not the same as "can't".

Eumenia [It's] illegal in many jurisdictions to decompile (Its legal in the EU but I think it's illegal in the US).

Those seeking legal advice for a specific circumstance in a specific jurisdiction should consider consulting an attorney practicing in that jurisdiction about that circumstance. That said, here is some information about the complicated situation of reverse engineering and the DMCA: https://leppardlaw.com/federal/computer-crimes/evaluating-the-role-of-reverse-engineering-in-dmca-compliance-under-us-federal-law/

Eumenia

de0u That's not entirely accurate. It is possible to decompile code, and malware analysts do it routinely. It's actual work, but it's not impossible.

Yes, it's possible, but their a few points

Its a lot harder then if you would have received the source code directly
Its illegal in many jurisdictions to decompile (Its legal in the EU but I think it's illegal in the US)
The incentive to study the code is a lot smaller because you can't use it if you find something useful and why should you do free security audits for proprietary software instead of doing the same for FOSS software where it's less work and you can use anything you find?

tux_

What is the point of a third party keyboard? Isn't the one Android ships with good enough?

Vincent96

tux_ Are you talking about Heliboard? It's theme is unappealing and it's not got swipe typing so there's 2 reasons why someone would seek an an alternative.

Eumenia

tux_ Isn't the one Android ships with good enough?

Honesttly the default keyboard is very bad.
It not even has space bar cursor control

mmobder

tux_ Isn't the one Android ships with good enough?

Tolerance to inaccurate typing (because of protective glass/film, etc - Gboard is almost perfect in it, FUTO is not there yet either, unfortunately), lack of voice input, lack of alternative symbols, lack of floating mode, weaker dictionary/prediction (at least it looks so to me).

I use FUTO atm as I try to avoid google services as much as possible, and it's okeish, though when I use gboard on other devices, I immediately notice the difference.

tux_

Vincent96 I suppose. The idea of using a different keyboard never crossed my mind, and using a proprietary Google solution seems a regression regardless of the additional features it may offer.

becomeparmesan

Vincent96 in case you wanna give it a try: you can adapt the theme (even import some, so I guess there are some done by others?) and you can swipe type which they call glide typing, see here https://github.com/Helium314/HeliBoard/wiki/FAQ

Vincent96

tux_ GrapheneOS users often block the network permission for Gboard.

Drum1973

Was using Gboard before but since I switched to GrapheneOS I'm using Heliboard. I'm satisfied with it, but I kinda miss swipe writing. Also I was making a lot of typing mistakes on Heliboard. Not sure is it because of Pixel 9 Pro touch screen or app. I increased keyboard size for 10% and it's more accurate now, but still not perfect.

GrouchyGrape

Drum1973 you can add Google's swipe library to heliboard. Makes it 90% as good as gboard in my opinion.