Gboard update allows keyboard to automatically chose emoji placements

Source: Google

Sometimes things are better expressed in emojis, at least I think so. And Google wants to make this process easier for Gboard users. It's introducing an "emojify" button on its keyboard. When you type out your sentence, hit the button and watch it shuffle through preferred emojis and their layout before sending your reply. The feature is now available in the beta version of the app in English and is expected to roll out to all users in the coming weeks.

Google has also added new Emoji Kitchen mashups for the season. This seasonal update brings what it says are the "best parts of fall to share with your Northern Hemisphere friends." Yes, that includes a pumpkin-spiced emoji.

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Google Translate automatically switches Gboard to appropriate language

Google Translate gets a handy feature that automatically switches Gboard to the language you need for text entry. Say the default language for the device is English, but you'll be translating from Spanish. Gboard will auto switch to Spanish but will then return to your default language when done. This helps make typing more accurate and saves users time from having to manually go into Gboard's settings.

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Gboard to let you combine two emojis on Android

Ever wanted to send someone a cactus monkey emoji? Well, Google's Gboard keyboard will let you do just that. With the new Gboard Emoji Kitchen, you can combine two emojis to create unique or super-specific emoji. These hybrids though won't be sent as a traditional emoji but as a sticker instead. And Google has selected which emojis you can pair since these had to be created manually. The feature should be rolling out widely to Android users over the next few days, but Google hasn't said if it'll be coming to iOS, too.

Source: Android Authority

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