Mobile Device Requirements
Student devices matter in exactly one format: Pollster. Every other format is verbal participation with no student device involved.
This article covers what students need for Pollster, and what you need if you’re running the platform from a tablet.
For Students (Pollster Only)
Section titled “For Students (Pollster Only)”Any phone with a camera and a browser. iOS or Android, any reasonably current version.
Students scan a QR code on the display, which opens a voting page in their phone’s browser. There’s no app to download, no account to create, and no login.
What They Actually Need
Section titled “What They Actually Need”- A working camera to scan the code — most phone cameras read QR codes natively
- An internet connection
- A browser (every phone has one)
If a Student Can’t Participate
Section titled “If a Student Can’t Participate”No phone: pair them with someone, or have them tell you their answer and enter it.
Camera won’t scan: read the URL from the display aloud so they can type it.
No data and no wifi: the school connection may require accepting a captive portal page first. Have them open any website to trigger it, then scan.
None of these block the session — Pollster is the only format affected, and one or two students voting by proxy doesn’t change the picture.
For the Other Seven Formats
Section titled “For the Other Seven Formats”Students need nothing. No device, no link, no account. They watch the display and answer out loud.
This is worth saying to a class explicitly at the start, because students often assume they need to join something.
Running the Platform from a Tablet
Section titled “Running the Platform from a Tablet”You can run games from a tablet, with caveats.
It works — the admin interface and control screens are usable on a tablet browser.
But the dual-screen setup is harder. You need the control screen on your device and the display on a projector. On a tablet that usually means mirroring, which shows the answers.
If you’re teaching from a tablet, the practical approach is to connect the tablet to the projector and open only the display screen on the shared output, then use a phone or laptop for the control screen. Otherwise use a laptop.
Screen Size for Authoring
Section titled “Screen Size for Authoring”Building games — writing questions, importing CSVs, editing content — is much easier on a laptop or desktop. The editors involve a lot of fields, and a phone screen makes that tedious.
Author on a computer, run on whatever you have.
Next Steps
Section titled “Next Steps”- QR Code Access — the Pollster student flow
- QR Code Not Working — troubleshooting scans
- Display Setup — projector configuration