Photokeys app review: customize your keyboard

Introduction

There are tons of apps dedicated to transforming your keyboard allowing you to add color to messages and text, as well as stickers, emojis, emoticons, and more. Just do a simple search in the store for an "emoji keyboard" and you'll be bombarded with results. So we’ve taken care of some of the legwork for you and taken the Photokeys app for a test run and we’re ready to share all the highlights and fun this app has to offer. And yes, before you can even ask it, this one can be used on all your iDevices – iPod touch, iPad, and iPhone, so you’ve got a whole lot of flexibility ahead of you.

By using the Photokeys app you'll be able to create your own personalized keyboard theme as well as have access to the emoticons. In a sea of options, this one manages to stand out on its own and really capture the attention of users.

Thinking Outside of the Box

Just like so many others, I find myself constantly playing around with the look of my messages by using color, emoticons, and stickers. I don't know if it actually makes my messages and comments appear more intriguing, but I'm convinced it helps. So, with that said, finding an app that can help in that regard has become somewhat of a project for me. Coming across the Photokeys app was exciting because it offers a different kind of user experience and added features that you just don’t find in similar apps.

The whole idea of playing with and customizing the theme of your keyboard is a really cool one. It makes your device, experience, and the look of the messages unique to you and allows your personality to shine through. As the developer has explained, this one is ideal for that user that never seems to be satisfied with walking the straight and narrow and enjoy changing things up on a regular basis.

Breaking it Down

The Photokeys app uses a very simple concept. You begin by taking a picture, then you use a color out of that photo, go ahead and play around with color combinations, and then create something totally custom looking to use as your keyboard theme. Use this customized keyboard in various apps on your device, such as SMS messaging, Instagram, and more. Think about it, each time you open an app your keyboard is going to reflect your current mood.

“The idea of Photokeys popped up when we'd been thinking about the easiest and instant way of making color keyboard themes," said the developer Appyfurious. “We had done research on color matching and developed an algorithm that matches colors according to their compatibility. You can take any image and use its original colors for keyboard backgrounds, keys, and other theme parts.”

It’s a unique idea and it’s definitely getting a great reception from users so far.

There’s nothing worse than an app that promises to perform a fairly straight-forward task that has been made to be overly confusing and convoluted. Nothing could be further from the truth with this Photokeys app. It’s clear this isn’t the first rodeo for Appyfurious, as they seem to have mastered how you set up an app in a user-friendly and inviting manner. The developer has other offerings under its belt such as My Fonts, Live Wallpapers & Themes, and Hands Off, all of which provide a function/utility of some sort, making them focused on this area.

Let Yourself Get Creative

The sky is the limit when it comes to the colors and combinations you want to make so go ahead and get creative. Don't expect to grow tired of the app anytime soon. The fact that there are so many different color combinations really helps to keep it interesting. I mean let’s face it, in an average day you probably send out at least a few messages a day, so isn’t it fun that you can look at a different keyboard as often as you want? Change it based on your mood, your activities, the season, any criteria you want to use.

Another fun aspect of the app is the “quick access emojis”. Yes, the app is all about custom keyboards but the emojis end up being my personal favorite part. Adding cute emojis and emoticons is sure to capture the attention of the recipient, and it can add personality to an otherwise dull message. Because they are quick to access, you're more likely to use them as it isn't a hassle to find them. Just be prepared for a fair amount of browsing since there are more than 100 of them. Over time, you’ll probably find a few favorites you use on a regular basis.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• The app allows you to customize your own custom keyboards
• There is an unlimited amount of color combinations available
• Take a photo or use one from your Camera Roll and take a color right out of it
• Use your custom keyboard in any other app you want
• Make use of the quick access emojis and emoticons
• The app features predictive input
• The app offers auto-correct
• The app never gets tired or boring
• It’s great if you get bored of the same keyboard all the time and like variety

Cons

• The app isn’t a free offering
• It seems like you would probably get more use out of this one on larger screens like the iPad where you’re more likely to take and store your photos

Say Yes to Uniqueness

When it comes down to it, the Photokeys app for your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad is really about saying yes to uniqueness. It’s about deciding that your standard looking keyboard just no longer does the trick, and that you want more from it. This user-friendly option is sure to let your inner creative persona out and make it possible to present itself in the form of a custom keyboard.