Many Android device manufacturers (and all Chromebook providers) cooperate so that Google Workspace apps are readily available on Google Play supported devices.
If your Android device doesn't have Google Play store readily available, see Alternative-Platforms.
Assuming that your device has Google Play installed, the sections below describe:
Onto Android or Chromebook devices
Essential Apps
Spaces for Google Chat
Complementary Apps
Onto Windows or Linux computers
Chrome browser
Google Meet
Google Chat Standalone App
Spaces for Google Chat
For Android devices, Google provides a guidebook on how to Download apps on your phone.
From the Apple App Store, the essential Google Services used in the Conversation are:
Google Chat, particularly for Spaces for Chat where group threads on Android are followed.
Google Drive, easing the finding of shared folders on Android
Google Meet for video calls
For Chrome browser, instructions are available to Download & install Google Chrome browser for Android.
Use Chrome with multiple profiles on iPhone and iiPad, to keep your lab.csrp.institute account separate from any personal accounts
Not necessary as mobile apps for the Conversation, but potentially helpful as alternates from the computer desktop are:
Gmail (or Set up email in the Outlook for Android app, or Set up email app on Samsung phone or tablet)
Google Calendar (or Merge or combine calendars on Outlook Mobile , or Sync Samsumg S Planner (calendar app) with your Google account )
Google Docs for shared text notes
Google Sheets for shared class schedules
Google Slides for shared presentations
(We aren't using Google Classroom, for structuring day-to-day schedules at the 2025n1 Banathy Conversation)
Chrome browsers on Windows and on Linux are extended versions of the open source Chromium project, with the Blink rendering engine.
Microsoft Edge is built on the Blink rendering engine and Chromium codebase.
Firefox is built on the Gecko rendering engine.
Using a Windows or Linux computer, with an Android mobile device, enables a feature to Sign in & sync in Chrome across devices
Download the installation file for Google Chrome
Use Chrome with multiple profiles on Computer Desktop, to keep your lab.csrp.institute account separate from any personal accounts
For Google Workspace, accounts on lab.csrp.institute, Google "provides one-to-one support for Chrome core functionality".
Firefox works without client side encryption in Meet, nor offline access to apps.
Safari and Microsoft Edge work without offline access to apps.
There's a playlist for a Google Meet Course, but advanced features (e.g. recording, livestreaming, whiteboarding) aren't available.
For most participants, video #4, "Google Meet: Manage audio and video" might be most relevant
Sometime before a session on your computer, you can self-check your browser configuration to Connect your video & audio with https://meet.google.com .
With a Chrome browser on a computer desktop, finding the tab with Google Chat can be annoying, when many tabs are active.
An icon in the dock/taskbar panel/ will show up as a Progressive Web Apps, if you Install the Google Chat standalone app.
The least familiar app for most people will be Spaces for Google Chat, announced with significant enhancements between September 2023 and March 2024.
There is a playlist of Google Chat Course, with the shortest video of 34s, and the longest at 4m07s.
Skipping over basics, Conversation participants may want to jump on the playlist to video #12
12 -- Google Chat: Join a Space
13 -- Google Chat: In-line threading
14 -- Google Chat: Collaboration in Spaces
Drop by and say hello in the Water-Cooler Space on Google Chat for lab.csrp.institute!