A first look at KuaiBoard for iOS 8

KuaiBoard 1

I’m having a lot of fun testing out different keyboards for iOS 8. Each one has a different feature that makes it special. Now all I have to do is figure out which one I’m most likely to make my go-to keyboard.

KuaiBoard is another third-party app that you can add to the list of default keyboards for iOS 8. This one is actually not a keyboard at all, but a template fill-in that you can use for quickly sending text that you repeat often with just one tap.

I write emails to a lot of people for my record label. In the body of the message, I pretty much write the same thing over and over again. I even have an email template document on my desktop so I can copy and paste the paragraphs into a message.

This app makes it possible for me to use the same email template on my iPhone or iPad without having to open any documents or copy and paste any text.

KuaiBoard 3

As I mentioned above, this app is not a keyboard. When you are ready to add text to a message, email, or document, instead of the keyboard, you will see the “snippets” or premade text clips that you will have created ahead of time.

Here is how it works. Open the app, follow the steps to set the app as one of your default keyboards in iOS 8 (allow full access), and then open the app again to begin creating your snippets.

On the right side of the screen, you will see a list of demo “TextBoards,” with examples of what you can write. Tap the plus (+) symbol to create your own snippet. In this mode, select a different keyboard than KuaiBoard (Apple’s, for example), and type out the template that you will use. The clip can be as few as two or three words, or as long as multiple paragraphs.

So, you can create clips for sending text messages, like “Where you at, dog?” or full email templates like requesting a replacement beer for the one you found a mouse in.

KuaiBoard 2

Then, when you need the snippet, switch to KuaiBoard and tap the card you wish to use for one-tap typing.

The app also includes a form-fill feature that will make it easy for you to fill out information on websites faster, like name, address, email, etc. You can either fill the “MeBoard” manually, or allow access to your contacts list to use the information you already have stored in your iOS device.

It also includes a location feature so you can send a link to your current location on either Apple Maps or Google Maps (your choice) with a single tap.

The app does not allow you to include links or have special fonts or different colors. I tried copy-and-pasting a paragraph that included a link into a TextBoard and the link did not copy over.

This is a niche feature app. It is definitely not for everyone. It is really more of a companion app to whatever other default keyboard you use. If you can imagine times when you wish you could tap a button to send a sentence, paragraph, or whole letter, this is the app for you. I know I’ll use it on a weekly basis.

KuaiBoard is available on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch for $1.99. Download it in the App Store today.

Check out these other iOS 8 keyboard apps