Exploring Third-Party iOS Keyboards: Snippety, Bitmoji, SwiftKey AI, and Grammarly

Custom Keyboard Functionality on iOS

• 💡 Apple added third-party keyboard functionality to iOS, allowing users to use alternative keyboards beyond the built-in option.
• ⚠️ While once popular, the use of third-party keyboards has slowed on iOS as Apple's native keyboard has incorporated many of their features.
• 🚫 TextExpander, a popular snippet management keyboard, is no longer available in the App Store.

Snippety: Advanced Snippet Management

• 🧩 Snippety is a powerful snippet management tool available as a third-party keyboard for iOS and iPadOS, with a Mac version also available.
• 🗂️ It organizes snippets into collections (folders) and offers a search function, with options to dismiss the keyboard after insertion or sort snippets by name or last used date.
• ⚡ Advanced features include JavaScript snippets, placeholders, AI assistants, auto-incrementing numbers, calculated dates, hyperlinks, and multi-select menus for dynamic snippet creation.
• 💰 Snippety is available for $29.99, unlocking all features including the Mac version.

Bitmoji Keyboard: Fun and Personalized Cartoons

• 😂 The Bitmoji keyboard offers personalized cartoon avatars for sending messages, distinct from standard emojis or iMessage apps.
• 🎨 Users can create Bitmoji based on their likeness and use pre-designed Bitmoji messages or generate them based on typed phrases.
• 🌟 A fun feature allows Bitmoji messages to include friends who also use Bitmoji, creating shared cartoon scenarios.
• 🆓 This keyboard is available for free in the App Store.

Microsoft SwiftKey AI Keyboard: Reliability and Features

• ✅ Microsoft SwiftKey AI keyboard is highlighted for its reliability, especially during iOS beta issues, and features an easily spotted emoji button and a built-in paste button.
• 🌍 It includes a GIF search and a translator function, allowing users to type in one language and send it in another.
• 🤖 For enterprise users, it offers Copilot AI integration, though this feature may be restricted by mobile device management settings.
• ⚙️ The keyboard supports swipe typing and has options for create and camera functionalities.

Grammarly AI Writing Keyboard: Enhancing Communication

• ✍️ The Grammarly AI Writing keyboard focuses on improving writing by checking for spelling, grammar, usage, and mechanics, offering suggestions for enhancement.
• 🗣️ It provides features like tone suggestions, vocabulary enhancements, and rewriting capabilities to make communication more concise or confident.
• 💼 The keyboard is particularly useful for professional communication, integrating with apps like Slack and Teams.
• 🛠️ It serves as a handy tool for users who rely on Grammarly for polished writing, providing access wherever they type.

Managing Custom Keyboards and AirPods Cleaning

• ⚙️ Custom keyboards can be managed in the iOS Settings app under General > Keyboard > Keyboards, where users can add new keyboards and reorder existing ones.
• ⚠️ It's crucial to grant full access to third-party keyboards in settings for full functionality and to allow paste access in the app's specific settings to avoid frequent prompts.
• 👂 For AirPods cleaning, the Belkin AirPods Cleaning Kit uses distilled water and micellar water to break down oils and earwax, with micellar water's properties attracting fats and dirt.

App Picks: PopSocket MagSafe Stand and Pet Libro Water Fountain

• 📱 Rosemary's pick is the PopSocket MagSafe Stand, a $40 accessory that functions as both a phone grip and a stand, with swappable decorative tops.
• 🐶 Mikah's pick is the Pet Libro water fountain, featuring inductive charging, a built-in scale for water consumption tracking, quiet operation, foreign object detection, and an alternating 15-minute cycle to keep dogs comfortable.