Slash is a hot keyboard app and a great Android alternative to the iOS-only Google Gboard

Five days ago, Google released a slick new keyboard app for iOS devices called Gboard. It lets one easily do Google searches right from the keyboard itself, rather than switch between multiple applications and bother with copying and pasting. It's a very convenient app and it's made by none other than Google, which makes its absence on Android all the more confusing! Developers aren't sleeping in on this, though. While Google takes its time bringing Gboard to the Play store, the Slash keyboard can present a credible alternative on both Android and iOS.

Slash gives you quick access to things you find and share every day – stuff like photos, places, music, GIFs, stickers, emoji and others. Like any keyboard app, this one integrates with all messengers and social networks, including popular ones like Messages, Email, WhatsApp, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram.

Moreover, Slash is customizable. Users can create their own custom 'slashes' and use them as shortcuts inside text messages. Simply write '/command' and the app knows what to do. There are also three 'secret' features – cursor control, decorated texts, and random question & answer. There's also Twitter functionality – for example, you can type '@CNBC' or '@BBC' and get recent Tweets from these publications right inside the keyboard. This works with almost every Twitter account.

There are users out there already saying that this is the best keyboard app they've tried in years, so go ahead and grab Slash for your platform of choice.