This new thing happens with Gboard when you connect a physical keyboard to your Android tablet

If you no longer like conventional laptops and desktops, you can always try something that is far from new as a concept, but is certainly exotic: a physical keyboard on a tablet.

And if you do (on an Android tablet), you'll get some cool new features with the latest Gboard version 13.6+ (via 9to5Google). Keep in mind that the new feature is not yet present on every Android tablet there, and is gradually unfolding.

So what is it all about? Well, a new Gboard toolbar appears when you connect a physical keyboard to the slate. It doesn't matter whether the keyboard is connected wirelessly (via Bluetooth, for example) or with a cable via USB: the new toolbar appears.

It is shaped like a pill and can be moved anywhere on the screen; by default it appears at the bottom of the screen so as not to interfere with what you are typing.

The report points out that the toolbar provides a strip of suggestions (like that offered by the virtual Gboard), which was previously only accessible if the full software keyboard was open (which meant less screen real estate , because the virtual keyboard takes up a considerable amount). of room). There is a button to collapse the toolbar to a vertical pill on the left/right edge (it can also be moved there), as well as quick access to the emoji picker, which opens in a phone-sized floating user interface with smiley faces and the rest of the gang.

In Gboard's “Physical Keyboard” settings, users can enable or disable this new toolbar, if they wish. There are also preferences for Emojis in the toolbar, suggestions while typing, auto-capitalization, and auto-correct.