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Users can type in a wide variety of other languages by creating virtual keyboard layouts

Users can type in a wide variety of other languages by creating virtual keyboard layouts

Vote: (42 votes)

Program license: Free

Developer: Google

Version: 10.2.0.2

Works under: Windows

Vote:

Program license

(42 votes)

Free

Developer

Version

Google

10.2.0.2

Works under:

Windows

Pros

  • Supports over 90 languages and is consistently adding more
  • Simple to use with your physical keyboard and there are many keyboard layouts to choose from
  • You can draw a character and this tool will figure out the right language for you

Cons

  • Minor bugs that occur every now and then
  • The automatic suggestions are only for certain languages

Google Input Tools is a virtual keyboard browser extension for your desktop computer. Unlike your physical keyboard that has set keys, this one can be changed to work with over 90 different languages and supports regional dialects and accent marks. This keyboard also automatically corrects many words and you can create custom automatic corrections if you find yourself frequently misspelling the same word.

Consistently Updated

Google Input Tools is a consistently updated tool that always has new features. It first started with just a handful of languages but now has over 90 and is expected to have more in the future. It's easy for the updates to be distributed since this is a browser extension. This works best with Google Chrome, but it also works with other browsers as well. Not only that, but it makes it easy to browse websites in other languages and communicate properly with the right characters and accent marks.

Offline Use

Google Input Tools works both online and offline. Even if you lose your wireless connection for some reason, you can still access the virtual keyboard, choose any of the 90 or more languages and type the characters you want with that keyboard. It's best to download language packs that you know you'll be using beforehand to ensure there are no problems with offline use.

Initial Setup

This tool is even easier to use than it looks. The keyboard is simple to navigate and you should have no problem selecting the proper language and dialect from the provided drop-down menu. You can also change the layout to make typing even easier. Choosing the language should be simple if you know what you want, but there will be times where you don't know what language you want to use. For example, you might see a certain character on a website and you won't be sure if it's Japanese, Chinese, Korean or another language.

You can access an illustration box where you can manually draw the symbol or letter. Google Input Tools will then tell you which language it belongs to. This makes it very simple to identify any language and then to type in the proper one. The last thing you want to do when composing official emails or communications is use the wrong language.

Using the Virtual Keyboard

Using a virtual keyboard on a phone or tablet is easy. Not only are your fingers right there next to the keyboard, but it's usually the only option you have so you've adapted to using this. Using a virtual keyboard on a computer is a little more tedious. If you have a touchscreen computer, then you can touch the keys. If not, then you have to use your mouse to select the characters. This might be fine for small messages, but it can take a long time to compose full emails or other communications.

You can also use your physical keyboard in tandem with the virtual one. The virtual keyboard is made to correspond with your physical keyboard and all the keystrokes on your physical keyboard will be done in the language of your choosing. Just make sure that the language is set properly otherwise you might use the wrong characters.

Each language has several keyboard layouts to choose from. This is especially true with languages that use many characters, like Japanese and Chinese. Choose the layout that works best for you and start typing on your keyboard.

Faster Typing

Many mobile and desktop programs now suggest phrases and words to make your typing even easier. This is common in your native language and many users love this feature because it allows you to send text messages or write documents faster than ever. Google Input Tools has a similar feature but it does it in the language of your choosing. This isn't available in every language yet, but you can expect this to become a more common feature with all the languages.

This feature will look at what you're typing and will determine what you're trying to say. Just like with your native language, this won't always be correct. At the same time, this can be good if you aren't fluent with the language is it can create grammatically correct sentences or more easily convey your idea. If this feature is available in your selected language, then there's no harm in trying it out. The list of suggestions can range from a few words or sentences to many depending on what you're typing.

Quickly Switch Between Languages

Speed is another great feature of this program. You can switch between languages in seconds. It doesn't matter if the languages are remotely similar or completely different. The keyboard will change and you'll be able to compose your message in the language of your choosing.

The only thing that might take more than a few seconds is choosing the keyboard layout that you prefer, but that's only because you need to make a decision. The program itself can switch between languages and layouts in mere seconds.

Minor Bugs

There isn't much bad to say about this browser extension, but there are some minor bugs that need to be ironed out. Sometimes the keyboard will lag when you're typing with your physical keyboard. There are also times when the automatic suggestions either make no sense or are in characters that don't correspond to any human language. These are rare, but sometimes you'll notice these issues. This problems often correct themselves in a few seconds when they do appear.

Pros

  • Supports over 90 languages and is consistently adding more
  • Simple to use with your physical keyboard and there are many keyboard layouts to choose from
  • You can draw a character and this tool will figure out the right language for you

Cons

  • Minor bugs that occur every now and then
  • The automatic suggestions are only for certain languages