Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Spectacle App VS Hacker's Keyboard

Compare Spectacle App VS Hacker's Keyboard and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Spectacle App logo Spectacle App

Move and resize windows with ease.

Hacker's Keyboard logo Hacker's Keyboard

Are you missing the key layout you're used to from your computer when using an Android device?
  • Spectacle App Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-18

Important note: Spectacle is no longer being actively maintained

  • Hacker's Keyboard Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-03

Spectacle App features and specs

  • User-Friendliness
    Spectacle App offers an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, which allows users to quickly understand and navigate through its features without a steep learning curve.
  • Efficiency
    The app provides keyboard shortcuts for managing window sizes and positions, enhancing workflow efficiency and minimizing the time spent on window management.
  • Customization
    Users can customize the keyboard shortcuts according to their preferences, making the app versatile and adaptable to different working styles.
  • Free to Use
    Spectacle App is available at no cost, providing powerful window management features without any financial barriers.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project, Spectacle App allows users to contribute to its development and modifications, promoting community collaboration and transparency.

Possible disadvantages of Spectacle App

  • Limited Development
    The app is no longer actively maintained, which may result in compatibility issues with newer operating systems or a lack of new features over time.
  • Basic Functionality
    While effective, Spectacle App offers relatively basic functionality compared to some commercial window management tools, which may have more advanced features.
  • No Multi-Monitor Support
    Spectacle App lacks robust support for managing windows across multiple monitors, which can be a limitation for users with complex setups.
  • Potential Bugs
    As an open-source project without ongoing maintenance, users might encounter bugs or glitches that will not be addressed through official updates.

Hacker's Keyboard features and specs

  • Full Keyboard Layout
    Hacker's Keyboard offers a full 5-row layout, including arrow keys, numbers, and punctuation, which is beneficial for users requiring more than the standard mobile keyboard functionality.
  • Customizable Key Settings
    The keyboard is highly customizable, allowing users to tweak key sizes, colors, and functions to suit their specific needs and preferences.
  • Multiple Language Support
    It supports a wide range of languages and layouts, making it a versatile choice for users around the world who need to type in different languages.
  • ASCII Control Characters
    The keyboard allows easy access to ASCII control characters, which is particularly useful for developers and tech enthusiasts.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source, it allows users to inspect the code, contribute to development, and ensure no unwanted data collection or malware is present.

Possible disadvantages of Hacker's Keyboard

  • Complexity
    The extensive options and settings may be overwhelming for some users who prefer a simpler keyboard with fewer features.
  • Interface Design
    The default design and layout might not be as polished or aesthetically pleasing compared to other modern keyboards, potentially impacting user experience.
  • Learning Curve
    New users might need some time to get used to the full 5-row layout and extensive functionality, especially if they are accustomed to simpler keyboards.
  • Performance
    On some devices, the keyboard might not be as responsive or fast compared to other lightweight keyboard alternatives, possibly lagging during intensive typing sessions.
  • Battery Usage
    Due to its extensive features and customization options, the Hacker's Keyboard might consume more battery than simpler, less feature-rich keyboard apps.

Analysis of Hacker's Keyboard

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Hacker's Keyboard is considered a good choice for users who need a more versatile and feature-rich mobile keyboard. It has received positive feedback for its customizability and for providing a familiar keyboard layout for those who frequently switch between desktop and mobile devices.

Why this product is good

  • Hacker's Keyboard is highly regarded because it provides a complete keyboard experience similar to a desktop keyboard. It includes arrow keys, function keys, and other special keys that are typically absent on mobile keyboards. This makes it especially useful for tasks that require command-line input or precise text editing on mobile devices.

Recommended for

    Hacker's Keyboard is recommended for power users, developers, IT professionals, or anyone who frequently uses terminal applications on their mobile devices. It's also a great option for those who prefer a traditional keyboard layout or need additional keys for specific tasks.

Spectacle App videos

Demo of Spectacle App for Mac

More videos:

  • Review - Spectacle App Showcase: Window Management, Manipulation, & Organization for Mac (2017)

Hacker's Keyboard videos

No Hacker's Keyboard videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Spectacle App and Hacker's Keyboard)
Window Manager
100 100%
0% 0
iPhone
0 0%
100% 100
OSX Tools
100 100%
0% 0
iOS Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Spectacle App and Hacker's Keyboard

Spectacle App Reviews

Moom vs Magnet vs Spectacle
While custom sizes can only be done with Moom, the predefined window sizes are provided by Magnet and Spectacle out of the box, but can also be configured manually with Moom. It’s also possible to assign keyboard shortcuts. So, in this case, if you want all the features, Moom can do them all.
Source: medium.com

Hacker's Keyboard Reviews

We have no reviews of Hacker's Keyboard yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Hacker's Keyboard should be more popular than Spectacle App. It has been mentiond 6 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Spectacle App mentions (4)

Hacker's Keyboard mentions (6)

  • No Alternative of Google keyboard in Dictionary, word prediction and Autocorrect
    I use 3 different keyboards 1. For the daily stuff Android Keyboard (AOSP) 2. For when I need Ctrl-C, maths symbols and operators when SSHing into my RPI's Unexpected keyboard https://github.com/Julow/Unexpected-Keyboard. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • iPhone physical keyboard from ex-Crackberry guy
    I've tried all kinds of portable physical keyboards but for programming on android you can't beat Hackers Keyboard https://github.com/klausw/hackerskeyboard I've got a fork working with Android 14. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Does any one know where I can download a mobile Na'vi keyboard
    I forked the Hacker's Keyboard app on GitHub tweaked it, and compiled it. (using Android Studio). Source: almost 2 years ago
  • A pocket sized open-source AR device for the imaginative hacker
    Does not work with Hacker's Keyboard (https://github.com/klausw/hackerskeyboard). It closes itself after a few deciseconds, whereas usually the permanent notification feature can be tapped to open and use a keyboard anywhere. Or maybe I haven't tried using it on the new Android 11 yet and yet another of my favorite hacks broke.... Now that I try it elsewhere,... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Using your phone as a software development platform
    I used to code NodeJS services on my phone quite a lot when I was commuting to an office. I used Termux - https://termux.dev/en/. It was brilliant, and worked far better than you'd think it would. The main problem was the keyboard because the stock Android one doesn't support a lot of symbols. I solved that with https://github.com/klausw/hackerskeyboard. - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Spectacle App and Hacker's Keyboard, you can also consider the following products

Greenshot - Greenshot is a free and open source screenshot tool that allows annotation and highlighting using the built-in image editor.

AnySoftKeyboard - Android (f/w 1.5+) on-screen keyboard for multiple languages.

ShareX - ShareX is a free and open source program that lets you capture or record any area of your screen...

Gboard - Google-powered keyboard with search, GIFs, emojis and more!

Magnet Window Manager - Magnet Developers

Fleksy - Fleksy is the #1 private, white-label virtual keyboard SDK, enabling companies to create unimaginable products.