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Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

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Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#81

Post by Grimm665 »

skybrian wrote: post #29

This is a tangent, but is there a good keyboard app for Android that doesn't have emoji? I'm tired of hitting the emoji button accidentally and having emoji show up in autocomplete.

You can do this with the Google Keyboard. Long-press the comma on the left side to open the settings menu, and then it's Preference > "Show emoji key switch". Set that to off and it should hide it under the same comma key long-press.

Edit: I should say this is Android 10 on Pixel 3a, not sure about other versions/manufacturers.

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#82

Post by MikeHolman »

vanderZwan wrote: post #73
aitchnyu wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Windows apparently has the system dialog "how likely are you to recommend Windows 10 to a friend or colleague?" with a score from 1 to 5.

Since I don't really use Windows that often I cannot really judge how bad this is. Does it also link you to Facebook or Twitter to recommend it if you give it a 5 star rating? Internal surveys are something different from trying to trick people into recommending a product on Twitter.

No, it doesn't link to social media. It's just an internal survey.

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#83

Post by vanderZwan »

skybrian wrote: post #29

This is a tangent, but is there a good keyboard app for Android that doesn't have emoji? I'm tired of hitting the emoji button accidentally and having emoji show up in autocomplete.

If you are willing to put some effort into learning how to use it, you could give MessagEase a try:

http://www.exideas.com/ME/index.php

(I'm using it because in my particular case predictions and autocorrect of other keyboards always backfired, plus swiping on those big buttons works better than trying to hit the right tiny qwerty button)

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#84

Post by nokcha »

gnode wrote: post #36
magashna wrote: post #2

Seems malicious on Google's part since middle finger is official unicode

The hypocrisy of Google notwithstanding, I'm not sure why something being included in Unicode should have any bearing on its societal acceptance or consequently its age rating. The Swastika exists as a Unicode character, yet is outlawed in Germany, along with other Nazi-associated symbols (Strafgesetzbuch section 86a).

The swastika symbol in Unicode is the Buddhist/Hindu swastika, not the Nazi swastika (which is tilted at 45°).

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#85

Post by papln »

Shades of "We do not support competitors' products."

Malign neglect -- build a regulatory system that is valid in principle, but it implemented in a complex enough way that it tends to fail often, which has a tendency to scare off consumers, and subject everyone except yourself to it. People will tend to choose your product to avoid the hassle.

You see it everywhere, from non-Pixel Android phones trying to keep with new OS versions, to Windows and MacOS API churn and "secret APIs".

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#86

Post by papln »

netsharc wrote: post #3

I use Gboard, and today it had a strange prompt on the bar above the keyboard: "Do you like typing German?".. I was curious and I pressed it, it lead to a prompt where there was text I could copy paste and I guess post on my social media, about how much I enjoy using Gboard... So you fucking want me to advertise for you, Google? And for what reason? Does someone want their promotion/bonus and for that they have to re…

Don't leave us hanging...Do you like typing German? Do you type German at all?

> Does someone want their promotion/bonus and for that they have to reach x downloads?

10x yes.

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#87

Post by papln »

drusepth wrote: post #11

>At first glance a spokesman agreed with us that the situation looks odd. Seems like someone messed up somewhere and is probably being resolved. In all honesty though, no app with IAP (especially easy-to-access IAP or IAP that can't be locked by a parent) should get an E rating. Fleksy should get a higher age rating for this reason, not because of an emoji.

How convenient that "someone messed up", supressing installs of a competing product, with no compensation for the error.

Under-12s can't have a Google Account of their own, so they can't spend money, so why would IAP be dangerous? The purchase part is behind a 13+ wall.

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#88

Post by papln »

vzaliva wrote: post #77
magashna wrote: post #2

Seems malicious on Google's part since middle finger is official unicode

The word "fuck" is in the dictionary. That does not mean it is universally appropriate.

Should dictionaries be put behind the counter so only adults can access them?

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#89

Post by daxelrod »

vzaliva wrote: post #77
magashna wrote: post #2

Seems malicious on Google's part since middle finger is official unicode

The word "fuck" is in the dictionary. That does not mean it is universally appropriate.

Continuing this metaphor: what age rating would you give to a dictionary containing the word "fuck"?

Re: Google’s Play Store gives a worse age rating to Fleksy, a Gboard rival

#90

Post by Chris_Chambers »

__jal wrote: post #40
judge2020 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pretty standard method to obtain new users, but I don't think Google is unable to advertise their keyboard on their own.

Pretty bullshit method. Any software that wastes my time begging me to market for them gets uninstalled, period. I don't know why anyone puts up with that.

Do 99% of people actually share your view, though? For example, if we went by HN comments, we’d assume there’s no way anyone would ever buy a MacBook with a Touch Bar. People don’t seem to mind being abused when they aren’t wise enough to perceive the abuse.
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