We’ve heard a lot about how Google android apps on Chrome Operating system certainly are a big offer , however when you first end up looking at the Google Perform Shop on a dual-purpose gadget, it can be hard to understand where to begin.

Chromebooks were already quite capable without Google android apps within the equation, in the end, and several of the Enjoy Store’s hottest titles are also obtainable in web-app equivalents. Certain, you can install the Search engines Docs Google android app or the Twitter Google android app onto a Chromebook , but you’d progress and much more complete experiences through the use of either service’s web-centered counterpart. Why bother?

The trick would be to find out which Android apps actually enhance Chrome OS in a meaningful way – either by completing a gap in the platform or with the addition of something new and practical in to the experience. However in a ocean of overlapping titles and mobile-particular utilities, singling out this type of selection isn’t always simple.

That is why I’m here to greatly help. I’ve spent a lot of time coping with Chromebooks and with them as both efficiency and entertainment equipment. I’ve explored the accessible Android app choices and pinpointed the applications that broaden a Chromebook’s capabilities in actions that matter. I’ve actually gone on business journeys carrying only an Android-app-allowed Chromebook for several of might work and (ahem) procrastination requirements.

Focus on the titles beneath – all free, unless or else noted – watching your Chromebook transform from the cloud-centric notebook into the platform-defying all-purpose gadget .

(When you’re completed here, by the real way, do not forget to consider some Linux apps for the Chromebook , too. Those can more extend your computer’s efficiency powers – in a few different but equally fascinating ways.)

Paperwork, spreadsheets, along with other file-oriented work

Microsoft Term , Excel , and PowerPoint

We’ll kick items off with apparent of the bunch: If Google Docs doesn’t reduce it for you personally and Microsoft’s Office On-line offering is similarly inadequate, the Android variations of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are the thing you need precisely. They’re completely featured and fantastically acquainted , so long as you possess an Workplace 365 or Microsoft 365 subscription – plus they fill up a formerly unaddressable void still left by Microsoft’s lackluster internet options.

JR Raphael/IDG

Microsoft’s Android Workplace apps certainly are a great method to obtain a more capable word digesting encounter on a Chromebook. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

OfficeSuite Professional

Require a desktop-caliber office suite minus the recurring charge? MobiSystems’ OfficeSuite Pro may be the next-best factor to Microsoft’s standard-bearer. The app expenses $20, plus yet another $10 for a font pack you will most probably need. (And remember: As soon as purchased, you may use the scheduled plan on any Android gadget as well.)

Xodo PDF Readers & Editor

Xodo does a very important factor and does it properly: It creates it dead easy to compose on, highlight, and annotate PDFs. If you want to complete forms by tag or hand up the casual document on your own Chromebook, this totally free and easy-to-use app – furthermore my suggestion for the best PDF manipulation system for Android gadgets – may be the one for you.

Strong Explorer

The indigenous Chrome OS Data files app is okay, but you can provide yourself greater file administration power with Strong Explorer, an Android file supervisor app that’s optimized for Chrome OS assistance. Solid Explorer enables you to use a two-panel look at for simple dragging and dropping of documents between multiple locations – together with your regular local storage space, the certain section of your storage focused on Android app use, and cloud-based storage space from a selection of compatible providers. It could connect to your own private or business WebDav or FTP server, too, and it enables you to add extra layers of encryption to data files in virtually any of those locations.

JR Raphael/IDG

Note administration

Microsoft OneNote

OneNote users, take notice: The Android edition of OneNote – my pick out for the best fully-featured Google android note-using app , notably – one-ups its web-based comparative by providing offline usage of your notes alongside enhanced handwriting assistance. If you’re making use of OneNote with a Chromebook, it’s really worth having around.

Search engines Keep

Google’s note-taking service includes a perfectly functional web edition , however the Keep Google android app presents some noteworthy advantages. And foremost first, exactly like with OneNote, the Google android version of Keep enables you to view and use your notes even though you’re offline – that could be a important substitute for have, at minimum in a few theoretical future planet where we are all traveling again.

Beyond that, the Keep Android app is well-suited to on-screen scribbling – with a stylus especially, your finger, or even whatever appendage you like – because of its built-in equipment and configurations for controlling the colour and thickness of one’s “ink.” It also has the capacity to add a selection of paper-like grid outlines into your information to make them feel just like more of an all natural writing environment.

Nebo

Talking about taking notes yourself, this $12 note-using utility is really a must-have for anybody who runs on the Chromebook with the stylus. Nebo offers you a powerful group of equipment for creating and drawing on your device’s display screen and having your words changed into regular, copy-and-paste-ready textual content. You can also draft diagrams and also have the app translate all your work into plain textual content, HTML, or perhaps a fully formatted Phrase document that’s prepared to be distributed to your team.

JR Raphael/IDG

Squid

Squid is less related to converting your handwritten information into text and much more about giving you the robust canvas for scrawling out there info and leaving behind it for the reason that pen-created form. It’s particularly optimized for reduced latency with stylus make use of and totally vector-based, too, so that you can create higher quality, scalable images fully. And anything you create within the app could be exported as a JPG, PDF, or PNG document or cast to the Chromecast-compatible display for an on-the-fly display even.

The app’s basics are free while certain advanced functions – the opportunity to import PDFs, for example, together with the options to utilize the highlighter and shape tools for editing – can be found within an optional $1-a-30 days or $10-a-year premium subscription .

Conversation and organization

Microsoft Outlook

Stuck surviving in Microsoft’s e-mail universe? Depart Outlook’s lackluster web edition behind and present yourself the pleasure of utilizing the Android app rather. It offers offline usage of your e-mail and is quicker than its browser-based brother noticeably.

Messenger

If you depend on Facebook’s Messenger program for any type of professional communication, utilizing the standalone Android app is infinitely much better than keeping the entire Facebook website open up all day (or picking right up your phone whenever a new message will come in). It’s Facebook messaging minus the relax of Facebook, essentially. What more should you know?

Search engines Calendar

Google Calendar’s internet interface may feel acquainted, but the Google android version of the continuing service has the more sophisticated and touch-friendly interface – also it works offline, too, something the net version surprisingly even now doesn’t do. Particularly if you’re accustomed to making use of Calendar on your own phone, you’ll appreciate getting the app on your Chromebook, only if for occasional use actually.

Trello

Trello lovers, pay attention: You’ll absolutely want Trello’s Google android app on your own Chromebook for just about any touch-oriented organizational function. It’ll ensure it is feel like you’re focusing on a tablet rather than clumsily attempting to claw around an internet site together with your finger – and it’ll enable you to access your data if you are offline.

JR Raphael/IDG

Google Jobs

Google’s own Tasks assistance isn’t probably the most powerful job supervisor around, but if you want using it, the Duties Android app will be a good addition to your Chromebook setup. It enables you to treat Jobs as its standalone program, for just one – instead of getting bundled into Gmail, as it generally will be on the desktop computer – and it’s with the capacity of working offline.

General efficiency and security

Authy

Two-factor authentication can be an important solution to protect your most significant accounts, and Authy’s among the best options on the market for generating and managing 2FThe codes. In order to be able to accessibility codes from your own Chromebook along with your phone, the Authy Android app may be the real way to take action.

Search engines One

There is no shortage of commendable VPN solutions that’ll run straight within Chrome, but if you are already spending money on Google’s Google One subscription service – gives you extra storage space across all Google providers for less than two bucks per month – you automatically access Google’s very own VPN for encrypting all your data transfers. Even though Google doesn’t actively market this reality, you can install the Google One Google android app on your own Chromebook and activate that function.

Who knew?!

Google Maps

Maps’ web interface is not any slouch, however the Android app offers you a slew of time-saving touch gestures in addition to useful extras like traffic alert notifications. And – yup, you guessed it – it could work offline as needed.

JR Raphael/IDG

Duet Display

Perhaps you use your Chromebook together with a Mac or Windows computer. If so, Duet Display may be the tool for you personally just. Install the app on your own Chrome OS device and install the companion program on your own other computer, as well as your Chromebook can turn right into a wireless second display for the PC or Mac. Hey, you don’t need to choose – you could have the very best of both global worlds!

Firefox or Opera

Speaking of getting the best of both global worlds, if you want the Chrome OS environment but sometimes end up needing to start to see the universe via an alternate lens, understand that it is possible to install secondary browsers by snagging their Android versions. (If the entire desktop -level browsing experience is what you’re after, then the Linux versions are what you will need.)

     <div id="drr-container" class="cat ">

    <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/3234533/android-apps-for-chromebooks-the-essentials.html" class="page-link prev" rel="prev"><i class="ss-icon ss-navigateleft"></i> Previous</a>


    <span class="page-numbers">

            <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/3234533/android-apps-for-chromebooks-the-essentials.html" class="page-link ">1</a>

            <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/3234533/android-apps-for-chromebooks-the-essentials.html?page=2" class="page-link current">2</a>

    </span>
    <span class="current-page">
        Page 2
    </span>

        <h2 class="toc" id="toc-5">Multimedia work</h2><h4><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.photos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Google Photos</a><strong><br /></strong></h4>Google's cloud-based photo storage service is first rate, and the Photos Android app is significantly simpler to use compared to the Photos website - particularly if you're making use of your Chromebook as a tablet. Interface aside, getting the Photos Android app on your own Chromebook lets you have images from your own computer supported and synced to Photos automatically, if you'd like, and <a href="https://www.aboutchromebooks.com/news/google-photos-may-be-coming-to-the-chrome-os-files-app-on-chromebooks-but-theres-a-catch/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">signs suggest</a> it'll soon enable you to integrate your Photos storage straight into the Chrome OS Files app for even easier image management.
 

Snapseed

The primary Photos app has some decent editing tools, but if you wish to take your image editing up a notch, grab the also -Google-made Snapseed. It has a great deal of advanced tools for polishing up photos such as a pro but in a means practically anyone can master.

JR Raphael/IDG

(If you want video editing on Chrome OS, incidentally, a Linux app is actually the strategy to use .)

Reading and streaming

Amazon Kindle or Google Play Books

Irrespective of which electronic reading service you’d like to focus your eyes on, viewers the Android apps in this department put the web-based offerings to shame. Both these Android e-book experiences offer you swipe-based turning, touch-friendly features, and better overall user experiences – so why keep ’em around not?

Netflix , Hulu , or YouTube

Heads-up, video streamers: The Android versions of Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube all enable you to download content for offline viewing – an attribute you will not find on the services’ regular websites. Exactly the same is true for most other streaming apps, too, though you’ll needless to say require a subscription to the service involved for this to use (despite having YouTube, in which a YouTube Premium membership is necessary for offline viewing).

If you one, though, grab the associated app, bunch some videos before the next business trip, watching your MacBook-toting colleagues ogle with envy.

Pocket Casts

Keep up with your preferred podcasts on your pc with Podcast Media’s exceptional Pocket Casts app, which automatically syncs your preferred shows and listening progress across all of your different devices and makes programs designed for offline listening. The Android version is absolve to use and saves you from needing to pony up 10 bucks per year for the standalone web player .

JR Raphael/IDG

Spotify or YouTube Music

With music, too, the big draw for choosing a service’s Android version is offline support, which typically isn’t available by way of a web interface (and, in the entire case of YouTube Music, isn’t available anywhere apart from in the mobile app).

Hey – sometimes, the proper song is a requirement of getting work done practically.

      This short article was published in Oct. 2017 & most updated in March 2021 recently.          

 

     </div>