So, there you are, composing a text message and you want to spice it up by adding a timely and topical GIF. On my Pixel, using Gboard, I can ass a GIF by tapping the four box icon, and tapping GIF. That leads to a small Search bar where you can choose to search for a custom GIF or use one of several suggestions. Before you even start typing, you can get a GIF by opening the Google Messages app and tapping the "Plus" icon inside a circle on the left side of the text field.
From the multiple options, select GIFs and you can search to include one that you'd like to send. Once you press the text field and the Gboard virtual QWERTY appears, you'll have to use the four box icon as discussed above.
You can send a trendy and topical GIF with Gboard's new feature
Now listen carefully. No one and I mean no one wants to send a GIF that isn't trendy or topical. According to Android Authority, in Gboard version 16.3.2.821569955-beta-arm64-v8a beta, a new button with an upward pointing trendline appears in the search bar of the keyboard's GIF menu. This is right next to the clock icon that opens your GIF history. Tapping on the button will call up a list from Tenor, the firm that currently supplies Gboard with its GIF links.
New Gboard feature gives users trendy GIFs at the tap of a button. | Image credit-Android Authority
The only difference is that the list you see from pressing the trendline button shows the most topical and trendy GIFs. Such GIFs suggested on Thursday included Halloween eve and Blue Jays. Not only was it the evening before Halloween, but the Toronto Blue Jays had just won Game 5 of the World Seres leaving the team just one win away from its first title since 1992. Of course, Toronto lost game 6 setting up tonight's Game 7 for all of the marbles.
Will you use the new Gboard GIF feature?
Yes. It's a great way to quickly find trendy GIFs.
75%
No. Who includes GIFS with their messages?
25%
Maybe. I'm not sure.
0%
Even though I have the right version of Gboard on my Pixel 6 Pro, the new trending GIF button has yet to show up on my handset. I'm looking forward to using this feature when it goes live because if you're going to spice up your messages with a GIF, use a trendy, topical one. Stay away from older, moldy GIFs that everyone has seen before.
Type faster on Gboard once you master Flick
Gboard also has added a new feature called Flick. This allows users to swipe down on a key in order to show a symbol or a number on the display. To enable Flick, go to Gboard and tap the gear icon which will bring up Settings. From there, go to Preferences > Shortcuts for "Flick keys to enter symbols: Touch a key and pull download to enter its hinted symbol." The symbol or number that appears when you use Flick is the same as when you have "Touch & hold keys for symbols" enabled and you long press a letter key to get a number or a symbol.
The Gboard settings menu allows you to enable the Flick feature. | Image credit-PhoneArena
Gboard has recently received several new features
For example, instead of a long press of the "R" key to get an equal sign, swipe down on the "R" key to get the same result. Make sure that you stay within the boundaries of the key. Flick is a feature that takes time to master because of you don't do it correctly, you'll end up glide typing. But once you have Flick down, you should be able to type faster using Gboard. Google has already widely disseminated the feature. You can also adjust the sensitivity of Flick from the Settings menu. Increasing the sensitivity of Flick makes it easier to use but could lead to an accidental input.
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Gboard has been the recipient of several recent updates with many using AI allowing users to automatically proofread and fix typos, grammar mistakes and more. You can also adjust the tone on a message you've typed to make it sound more formal, casual, expressive, or concise. Gboard users can now adjust the size of the font on Gboard keys from 85% to 200% of the default size. Lastly, users can remove the period and comma keys creating a wider spacebar and a cleaner look for the virtual QWERTY keyboard.
Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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