Gboard gets Material Design tweak in server-side update

If you noticed some changes in Gboard, Google did a little tweaking. The keyboard now has some Material Design tweaks injected into it. The new “Enter” button has a more rectangular border with rounded corners. The cards and GIFs section also gets this same rounded-corner treatment. And GIFs now have a vertical scrolling menu. There are also new emoticons added to Gboard along with a list of categories to make it easier to search for the emoticon you want to use. It’s a server-side update, so if it hasn’t made its way to you, unfortunately, you can’t force it. You’ll just have to wait to get your hands on those new emoticons.

Source: Android Police

Gboard is testing offline voice typing

If you wanted to dictate a message using Gboard, you previously needed to be connected to the internet to do so. But what if there are times you aren't online and you want access to this feature. Or you'd rather not send out your voice data to Google? Well, Gboard is testing out offline voice typing. This video hows how it works and it seems to be working pretty well. Also, it doesn't take up that much space at 85MB. Google hasn't officially pushed this feature out so they might be working out some of its kinks. 

Source: XDA Developers

Gboard introduces floating keyboard to Android app

While not exactly a new, groundbreaking feature, a new floating keyboard mode is coming to Gboard on Android. Version 7.6 of the app will let place the keyboard where you want to. If you want to use it, just head over to the expanded menu option on the top left corner of the keyboard. When you have this on, you can freely move the keyboard where you want to and resize it if you want. 

Source: XDA Developers 

Create ‘Mini’ sticker versions of you on Google’s Gboard

With Google slowly phasing out its Allo chat app, some of its features have been making its way to its other products. One of these is the newly launched “Mini” stickers coming to Gboard. These first debuted on Allo as “selfie stickers” but now you can create “Mini” versions of yourself on iOS and Android via Google’s keyboard app. Gboard will let you take a selfie and combines machine learning, neural networks, and artist illustrations to create the best possible Mini version of you that you can use as stickers. These Minis take into account things like your skin tone, hair color and style, eye color, facial hair, and face shape.

Once you take a selfie, it’ll then generate an avatar and pack of 100 stickers that you can use. The designs even come in Bold and Sweet modes so you have a sticker to use when you don’t want to use words to express how you feel. The gif above shows how you can create your own Mini sticker. It hasn’t rolled out to our device yet but we’re expecting it to come soon.

Source: Engadget