Android's Best Keyboard Apps

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There was a lot of buzz recently when iPhone users finally got access to third-party keyboards with Apple's iOS 8 push. But as any Android user has long known, choosing your own keyboard is as essential as downloading a photo editing app with just a little more power than the onboard camera's editor. In fact, here are three keyboards every Android user should know about. Give each one a try, and let us know which is your favorite. Source: Twitter user SwiftKey

Swype

Swype

The Swype keyboard revolutionized texting on smartphones, and iPhone users were mighty jealous of it until it finally became available on iOS 8 this year. Drag your finger (without lifting it) across the keyboard to spell out words, and Swype ($1) will spell it out.

Minuum

Minuum

Wish you could see more of your text and email threads? Wish no more. Minuum ($2) condenses your keyboard into one line and uses autocorrect to intelligently decipher what you're saying.

Plus, for smartwatch users texting on tiny screens, an Android Wear version of Minuum is available as a limited preview.

SwiftKey

SwiftKey

The SwiftKey (free, with paid themes) keyboard learns your typing habits to turn the gobbled letters you just typed into words that actually make sense. The software stores your learned keyboard use in the cloud, so if you ever get a new phone and reinstall the app, all the data on how you type and the words you most frequently use will be right there in your SwiftKey account. It also offers powerful customization tools, allowing users to rearrange keys or support multiple languages at once.