Stock Keyboard or SwiftKey 3

**Dolfan058** · 08-09-2012, 09:17 AM

So I've owned SwiftKey for a while, and always used it shamelessly, as Stock keyboard on android devices were terrible.

But along came Jelly Bean with its "predictive text" keyboard and excellent voice dictation software.

So I gave it a shot, and after over a month of using it, I'm in love with voice dictation, but lukewarm on the predictive text (SwiftKey is far superior here). SwiftKey though, is not without faults. From what I recall when I last used it, their voice dictation was terrible, and I'm seeing reviews that it lags pretty badly in Chrome.

I'm pretty torn on what to use, so I've compiled a pro-con list

PRO - Stock Keyboard:

Voice dictation is AWESOME! Super quick to use as functionality is baked right into the keyboard and OS
Predictive text is not bad
Google is (hopefully) gathering data on our typing, which will improve how we type, as well as can be synced across multiple Google devices

CON - Stock Keyboard:

Predictive text not as good as SwiftKey
No Return Key, other small functionalities missing
No method to sync with Facebook, Google, etc to learn our typing data
Maybe Google is NOT collecting our typing data, which means all the effort I'm putting in "to make this better" is going to waste

PRO - SwiftKey 3

Predictive Text is second to none, also has smart spaces. It's awesome at texting.
Return Key!! And other added functionalities
Syncs with Facebook, Google, etc.
REALLY does learn your typing and makes you better as you go along

CON - SwiftKey 3

Voice dictation not as good as Stock Keyboard, slow to access, not nearly as responsive. Sometimes refuses to fill in words
Apparently VERY laggy in Chrome
Does not sync data across devices. Have to use SwiftKey Tablet for Nexus 7... although I don't think Stock Keyboard does this either
Data not backed up to Cloud. You delete SwiftKey, you lose all the typing data it learned from you (such as Typing Heat Map, etc). Not sure if Google is doing this, but it's a feature they could have implemented.

Thoughts on this list? What do you use and why?

As of now, I'm personally still sticking with Stock until proven SwiftKey is clearly the better option.

(I have both phone/tablet SwiftKey apps purchased, so it's not a matter of "wasting" money to buy them. It's purely a matter of which is "better")

**TechFitGJ** · 08-09-2012, 10:21 AM

Jelly Bean keyboard. I've used SwiftKey 3 in the past (there were issues with the keyboard in the ROM I flashed) and it's nice but not quite on par with the Jelly Bean keyboard and even the ICS keyboard.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

**robmalt1** · 08-09-2012, 10:25 AM

I also own Swiftkey 3. I agree that predictive text is better and my thumbs find it easier to type on. I use the stock keyboard because it's bug free. Swiftkey does not work correctly with all applications. It's that simple for me.

**Jonneh** · 08-09-2012, 12:02 PM

I continuously switch between SwiftKey 3 and Multi-Ling Keyboard.

And use Thumb Keyboard on my tablet, lol.

**skyrockett** · 08-09-2012, 12:42 PM

i use SwiftKey 3 it sometimes lags though// i wanna try thumb keyboard. How is it? too bad they dont have lite version of it.. and SwiftKey 3 offers one for smart phones one for tablets that's kinda lame 8 bucks.. not much but it would a lot more nicer to pay just 3.99 and not spend extra 4 bucks for the same keyboard

**skyrockett** · 08-09-2012, 12:56 PM

ohh i didnt know you can have a refund.. so i just tried thumb and predictions work like in TouchPal which is free,, i sticking with Swiftkey 3

**sting7k** · 08-09-2012, 12:57 PM

If you could change the button size like you can with Swiftkey I would probably use the JB keyboard. The keys are too small for this big screen.

I do like swiftkey a lot. Sometimes it is a little fussy in some apps but it's still really good. I like the shortcuts for numbers and characters. It's predictions, corrections, and assistance also are really really good. I don't use the dictation or voice typing so can't comment either way.

**craZDude** · 08-09-2012, 01:50 PM

I love SwiftKey 3, but i have encountered a couple bugs pop up now and then.

First, in Chrome it does lag some, especially when trying to type something into the search bar.

Second, in messaging when I'm typing a message and the keyboard is up but the screen turns off, the predictive portion of the keyboard just disappears, and it doesn't auto correct. This is fixed by lowering the keyboard and bringing it back up again. Mostly a minor annoyance.

Overall, I tried using Jelly Bean keyboard for a few minutes and I just couldn't type nearly as fast.

**jean15paul** · 08-09-2012, 02:11 PM

You can use both SwiftKey and stock voice dictation. That's what I'm doing.

Enable SwiftKey as your default keyboard.
Whenever you're typing, a little keyboard icon will show up in your notification bar.
If you want to use the stock voice dictation, pull down the notification bar and tap the "choose input method" notification (i.e. the keyboard), and select google voice typing. You will temporarily switch to the stock voice dictation, and when you're done, it will go right back to SwiftKey without needed to manually change it.

**Dolfan058** · 08-15-2012, 03:11 PM

Well, I think SwiftKey saw this thread or something because they appear to have resolved every issue mentioned in this thread.

Downloaded it again and am giving it a go. Takes some getting used to coming from JB layout, but it's nice having true auto prediction again, as well as smart punctuation, etc. Having a quick button for voice dictation is nice too. Doesn't bother me that it's linked with the comma key.

Anyone else have any thoughts on the SwiftKey / stock keyboard debate? I really wanted to like the stock keyboard, but I'm already finding myself typing a lot faster after 10 minutes of using SwiftKey than after several weeks of using stock keyboard. I love that it auto inserts apostrophes, like in "it's" (JB would always spell it "its" whether it was supposed to have the apostrophe or not, I hated that)

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

**craZDude** · 08-15-2012, 05:53 PM

Hmm, even with this latest update I'm getting g a bit of lag in Chrome, and the messaging bug where the prediction goes away if the screen turns off while the keyboard is still up is still there (also in Google voice).

**uscsailor** · 08-15-2012, 06:42 PM

I used SwiftKey on froyo and gingerbread, but dumped it on ICS and jelly bean. After the recent update I am back to using it, and it couldn't be any better. Voice typing works great, and on CM 10 it seems to be faster than the stock keyboard. I'd definitely recommend that you give SwiftKey another try.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

**PWC Realtor** · 08-15-2012, 11:35 PM

SwifKey with Jelly Bean has been for me a complete disaster. Unfortunately I just checked Amazon App Store and no update available so I'll hold out final judgement until i get to try SwiftKey 3.0.1.

**skyrockett** · 08-15-2012, 11:41 PM

3.0.1 just came out today

**PWC Realtor** · 08-15-2012, 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by skyrockett

3.0.1 just came out today

I know it's just that so many talk like it's SwiftKey over stock just based on the reviews. I'm just holding out judgement until I get to use it myself

**dancing-bass** · 08-16-2012, 09:31 PM

I quickly ditched the stock keyboard for GO's keyboard when I was still on ICS.

I don't have Swiftkey 3, just the freebie Beta version. I've been using that a lot lately. Frankly I prefer either GO or Swiftkey. Not for anything other then the size/layout of the keys seems to suit my thumbs better. My biggest beef with GO Keyboard is the added "toolbar" that sits just above the top row of the keyboard. If they'd get rid of that or at least hide it, I'd like it much better.

Both GO and Swiftkey have "longpress for punctuation" . To me this is a huge advantage over the stock keyboard.

**skyrockett** · 08-27-2012, 10:12 AM

i bought both versions for my gnex and nex7! They both ran out of trial mode so i had to buy them because i got used to swiftkey.

**Dolfan058** · 08-27-2012, 11:26 AM

Anyone else having the "our servers are busy" bug in the personalization section?

Can't sync with Google or twitter, but Facebook works fine. Only way to fix this bug so far is to reinstall app. Extremely annoying, but I'm just going to wait for an update that hopefully fixes this issue.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

**Its Bubba** · 08-27-2012, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by Dolfan058

Anyone else having the "our servers are busy" bug in the personalization section?

Can't sync with Google or twitter, but Facebook works fine. Only way to fix this bug so far is to reinstall app. Extremely annoying, but I'm just going to wait for an update that hopefully fixes this issue.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

A.I. Type Keyboard ...its very Nice...Swiftkey is now my second choice...
Both Stella in my books

Its Bubba

"Stubborn In Your Bones"

**vor** · 08-27-2012, 03:49 PM

I still love Swype over everything else, just make sure you turnoff auto correct. When they set that as default I almost gave up on it till I found the setting for it.

**Zeinzu** · 08-27-2012, 11:29 PM

Used Swype for years. Have had Swiftkey for a long time and have tried it again recently with the Swiftkey 3 update. Went back to the stock keyboard in 4.1.1. IMO it's just the best.

Sent from my Stock AOSP Android 4.1.1 Galaxy Nexus.

**Wolfroid** · 08-31-2012, 06:19 AM

Am still on stock ICS 4.0.4 so I don't know how is the stock keyboard from JB, but for me, SwiftKey 3 is my keyboard of choice any day.

Am so used to it, that, when I type on stock Android (my wife's, or any other) I feel like in a maze with all that wrong typos.

We all now what keyboard on ICS is like!?!