Question Addressing the Issue of Google Apps being limited and scaled back in functionality on NONGoogle tablets

[clhjr]

I am enjoying my new Idea Tab Pro. It is, as advertised, pretty nice for the price. HOWEVER, AFTER MY FIRST 3 WEEKS OF GETTING USED TO IT, I just got around to
Taking a look at the Google productivity apps. I was watching an introductory tutorial. I could not follow the tutorial because I found out that my Google docs app
Is limited, scaled back in features and benefits on this ideotab Pro tablet. It is still a usable editor, but not the full Google app when downloaded to the Lenovo device.

Looking for advanced users and geeks, moderators to address this issue. Are there workarounds? Hacks? Can I sideload the apks necessary to make this work. I did that with another tablet prior to this to fix a deficit.

Thanks for all the input and help in advance.

 

[B. Diddy]

I don't believe the Google Docs app for Android is any different on the Idea Tab Pro compared to any other Android tablet like my Pixel Tablet. The Android apps for Google Docs and Sheets (and probably Slides -- I rarely use that one) have always been somewhat limited compared to the web version. If you want all the features, then use your browser and go to the respective websites (docs.google.com/document for Google Docs and docs.google.com/spreadsheet for Google Sheets).

 

[Golfdriver97]

I don't believe the Google Docs app for Android is any different on the Idea Tab Pro compared to any other Android tablet like my Pixel Tablet. The Android apps for Google Docs and Sheets (and probably Slides -- I rarely use that one) have always been somewhat limited compared to the web version. If you want all the features, then use your browser and go to the respective websites (docs.google.com/document for Google Docs and docs.google.com/spreadsheet for Google Sheets).

I have always found the mobile app version to be a bastardized version of the web version. I don't even create anything on mobile anymore; I do that on my PC, and only view on mobile.

Case in point: I have a spreadsheet that acts as a checking account register. I make all my entries on my computer, and only view them on my mobile when I need a reminder on how much is in my bank account. Sometimes, I try to make an entry, and it is so clunky, that I only do one and then decide to wait until later.

 

[clhjr]

I have always found the mobile app version to be a bastardized version of the web version. I don't even create anything on mobile anymore; I do that on my PC, and only view on mobile.

Case in point: I have a spreadsheet that acts as a checking account register. I make all my entries on my computer, and only view them on my mobile when I need a reminder on how much is in my bank account. Sometimes, I try to make an entry, and it is so clunky, that I only do one and then decide to wait until later.

Thanks. My Google AI led me astray here. It somehow planted the idea that on a Google branded tablet I might not have this experience. However, it did also suggest that on a full PC desktop version I would have access to a different experience. That probably is true, but I wanted that experience on my tablet. That is there reason I asked the additional question about any hacks or tweaks that might open it up. It is not really a big daily deal to me. I am not a big user of those apps, but I always like to explore the possibilities and alternatives when I run against limitations. Some of you know what I mean. It is like a game making sure one knows the real limits and possibilities with these digital toys.
Thanks.
If anyone is a power user of these apps, speiccally docs, and know something else to add to this story, I would appreciate it.

 

[B. Diddy]

To clarify, the "full PC desktop version" is simply the web version on a desktop browser (like Chrome). This can be duplicated on a tablet by going to the URLs that I shared for Google Docs and Google Sheets on the tablet's browser.

 

[Golfdriver97]

In reality, an app is just a shortcut to a specific site that is preemtively set for mobile device.

 

[clhjr]

Hey Diddy and any others interested in this topic: Is the mobile tablet version of Google Docs as extensive as the full desktop version. Here is a link to the answer that Google's Gemini AI gave me. Give a read and let me know what you think?

‎Gemini - Potato Sprouts and Cooking Safety

Created with Gemini

g.co

Google Gemini AI argues that the version for mobile use is necessarily compacted and streamlined. He also says that even asking for the desktop version in settings will not fully recover. This does not mean the Google editor is not great to use and robust...just lacking in places.
And did you know that every stroke you make in a Google document is auto saved to the cloud. Google has it. So, if you are writing your great novel or saving notes on a great invention, Google has it. With Google there is no way to work around and simply "save as " to your on board storage. Google has it! They are so aggressive that even if you make a simple stroke and do not give it a title, Google saves it. So, you can have a lot of very small saved files with no name if you began a doc and did not finish it or quit. So, if you start a doc and don't want it to take up any cloud storage space, go to drive, find them and delete them.. PCs still do not forcce this issue. You can "not save" and select interanal storage or their cloud.

Well, the potato sprouts and cooking is hilarious. I will try to repost the discussion about Google docs. And, if you like baking potatoes, the information above may be interesting.

 

[clhjr]

Well, the potato sprouts and cooking is hilarious. I will try to repost the discussion about Google docs. And, if you like baking potatoes, the information above may be interesting.

‎Gemini - Potato Sprouts and Cooking Safety

Created with Gemini

g.co

If the above link does not say about Google doc, then it could be Google does not want me sharing it. The funny thing about the potatoe link is that in between the potatoe discussion and Google docs, there was a discussion about the chemicals found on meteorties and one about a firefighter that died in the 911 Tower attack. So, very interesting that Google made that error to jump back to potatoes. But, here goes again. I cannot tell if it is the right one until I click 'POST". Right now it is only an alpha-numeric reference number which is not helpful. Sorry.

 

[clhjr]

‎Gemini - Potato Sprouts and Cooking Safety

Created with Gemini

g.co

If the above link does not say about Google doc, then it could be Google does not want me sharing it. The funny thing about the potatoe link is that in between the potatoe discussion and Google docs, there was a discussion about the chemicals found on meteorties and one about a firefighter that died in the 911 Tower attack. So, very interesting that Google made that error to jump back to potatoes. But, here goes again. I cannot tell if it is the right one until I click 'POST". Right now it is only an alpha-numeric reference number which is not helpful. Sorry.

OK. I sought clarification from Gemini. Thea above link will take you to the discussion about Google docs. But, you have to scroll down through the first two or three discussions to get to it.
Let me know if you find the discussion????? Please.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Part of the reason that Gemini referred back to an earlier part of the discussion is that you didn't start a new discussion for a new topic. No big deal, but it can get confusing.

Now, as for a to-do list, like a checklist, you can see if Google Keep might serve a better purpose. You can open Keep, click the '+' sign on the lower portion of the screen, then a menu will pop up vertically from that button. Click 'List' and a note with checkboxes will appear. you enter the list item that you want, then click return on your keyboard. that finalizes the list item (you can edit it later), with an outlined checkbox. you can toggle that checkbox on and off. Once you check all the items, I believe it moves it to an archived folder Not sure if that is still the case. It did this in the beginning and I use this format of Keep for a grocery list, and what I do to stop it from moving anywhere is I make a bunch of check items that are spacers (these entries are in all caps and called LINE BREAK or something conspicuous to remind me to not check that off).

 

[clhjr]

Part of the reason that Gemini referred back to an earlier part of the discussion is that you didn't start a new discussion for a new topic. No big deal, but it can get confusing.

Now, as for a to-do list, like a checklist, you can see if Google Keep might serve a better purpose. You can open Keep, click the '+' sign on the lower portion of the screen, then a menu will pop up vertically from that button. Click 'List' and a note with checkboxes will appear. you enter the list item that you want, then click return on your keyboard. that finalizes the list item (you can edit it later), with an outlined checkbox. you can toggle that checkbox on and off. Once you check all the items, I believe it moves it to an archived folder Not sure if that is still the case. It did this in the beginning and I use this format of Keep for a grocery list, and what I do to stop it from moving anywhere is I make a bunch of check items that are spacers (these entries are in all caps and called LINE BREAK or something conspicuous to remind me to not check that off).

Two responses 1 & 2, of course.
1.) about the referral back to earlier conversations. Actually. No. That is not the reason. Why did 3 prior conversations get copied?? This may be of interest to many others. The reason that it copied three different conversation is not that a new discussion was not started. Essentially, in Gemini Google, each question is like a new thread starter. It either continues the conversation you are in or it can be a question that starts a whole new topic/thread. Each AI response as icons for copying that one response. And, of course, you can touch and select and do it manually. However, I did not want to cut and paste the whole AI reponse into this thread. Way too much space. So, I saw the "create link" icon. And, I thought great, it will not take up much spacce in the forum and anyone can use the link to see Gemini Ai's discussion of differences between desktop Docs and MObile Docs and even the Docs when you use the docs.google.com. The reason that docs.google.com will not give you all the desktop view (and some features) is that the server formats the view for a mobile device when requested on a mobile device according to Gemini. Now, we all know Gemini can be wrong. But, back to the link I created and copied into the forum. You probably have already guessed. That link was to the whole page with 3 existing conversations. So, there you have it. The whole story as I understand it. So, that is why, if you read it, you also had to scroll past the potato conversation, etc. to get to the Google doc conversation. Thanks.
Let me know if you have anything to add.
2.) Golfdriver97, you are right about Google Keep. I had tried it to make a "to do"list and turn it into a widget so it would stay on the home screen with my "to do" list. I could not figure it out. But, at your suggestion, I went back and looked again. It worked. I had used keep before for just notes, but I could not get it to work when I tried it as a widget for a "to do". But, it works like a champ now!!!
Thanks.