Recently google released very cool GBoard keyboard app, which provides Google’s search capabilities to a keyboard. In addition, it brings features like GIF sharing, emoji search, glide typing and more. However, the keyboard is only available only for iPhone users, because we are used to Google bringing its cool new offerings on its own Android platform first.

While Google plans offer GBoard to Android soon, there’s a cool keyboard app called Slash Keyboard (Free) you can use on Android, which is like GBoard.

What makes Slash a great GBoard alternative?

• Third Party Service integration

GBoard brings Google Search integration, which gives you search and send locations, videos from YouTube, images, news, weather reports, sports scores and much more. GBoard is cool but Slash keyboard includes a variety of third party services integrated into its keyboard. The third-party services accessible in Slash include Amazon, Google Search, Maps, YouTube, Twitter, Contacts, NY Times, GIFs from Giphy, Foursquare, Spotify, Apple Music and more. So, after you begin using Slash, you won’t need to switch among various apps to share something to people you are chatting.

• .Custom Slashes

If you use a certain phrase or message regularly, you can create a custom “slash”. This brings a message available at a tap from your keyboard, so you don’t have to type it all over again and again. For example, you can create a custom slash dubbed “/wru” with the shortcut as “Where are you?”. So, when you type /wru from the keyboard, it will automatically turn to Where are you?

What Slash lacks when compared to GBoard?

• Emoji Search

GBoard brings the ability to search for emojis. If you can type an expression like “Anger” and you will be shown angry emojis. Slash lacks this ability, so if you like this feature, you will have to wait for GBoard to arrive on Android.

• Swipe typing

Now swipe typing is the standard in most keyboard apps, so it’s no surprise that GBoard packs in the functionality. But, Slash lacks this feature and that could be a deal breaker for some.

Set up and use Slash keyboard

Step 1:

When you first open up Slash, the app will ask you to enable the keyboard. To do it, go to Settings-> Language & input and tap on “Current keyboard” and hit the “Choose Keyboards” button. Here, go ahead and enable “Android Keyboard (AOSP)”.

Note: While Slash says, you will find the keyboard in the list with the name “%s”, we found it as Android Keyboard (AOSP).

Step 2: 

After you have enabled Slash, the app will ask you to switch from your current keyboard to Slash. You can do that by hitting ‘the link’ app shows you or by going to Settings->Language and input->Current keyboard.

Step 3:

After you are done, the app will open up and you will see all the slashes for different services along with your own custom slashes. To create a custom slash, you can tap the “Create a slash” button at the bottom. You can even turn off a slash by simply toggling it off from the main page of the app. On the Settings front, the app includes the usual keyboard options like auto-capitalization, text correction, theme etc.

When it comes to using the Slash keyboard, it’s simple. The keyboard looks similar to Google keyboard but adds a shortcut bar at the top for emojis, GIFs, search and the third-party services you choose to have. You can just tap on one of the shortcuts to start using a third-party service right from the keyboard. You can even type a “/” to get a list of all slashes. Also, when you share a YouTube video or a place from Foursquare, they will go through as a link from Slash. To customize the shortcut bar, just press the three-dot button on the right end.

Install: (Free)