I need some expert advice

Hi

I need some IT advice.

I am writing some new software for the club which we would like to run on android tablets (rather than PCs).  The tablets need to run in "kiosk" mode - i.e. locked down to one web page (full-screen - chrome browser), device always on, screen dims if not used for a while - but touching the screen gets it back.

I know how to do this on PCs, but looking into how to do this on android devices it is clear that I need advice from somebody who has more experience of android.  There appears to be a boatload of apps out there for doing this but they all seem to do way more than we need and have complex licensing schemes to match.  I'm looking for something more suitable for our situation.

Does anyone at SYC have knowledge of configuring android devices - or do you know someone who might be able to point me in the right direction.  

thanks

Mark

Hi Mark, if only I could help you - alas though my brain has limited capability concerning such things and still trying to catch up with Information Technology and moreover - my iPad !  ! Anything VERY simple then I would be glad to lend a hand ! 

Hoping you’re family are all well and that you manage to get things sorted !

Hope the hole in your Merlin’s foredeck now happily to the correct proportions ?

All good wishes,

Paul .

Thanks Paul - all well at home. Spinnaker chute is now MUCH bigger.  Lots of other small tweeks have also been finished and boat polished to a high gleam.  Just need to rig it all up and find out which bits that used to work no longer do so!.  Fingers crossed that we will still be able to do Salcombe Merlin week. 

I'm just hoping that there is someone out there who has some experience of configuring android tablets as my experience is rather biased towards the other end of the computing scene.

Mark

Android 5 (lollipop) and above had the ability to "pin" an app which blocks access to all other apps

If required the device's lock code can then be entered to unlock the rest of the device.

www.androidrecovery.com/blog/how-to-use-...pinning-android.html

However this would only pin the app and if you used chrome this would allow access to the web in general.

Something like

play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.greyshirts.firewall

f-droid.org/en/packages/org.jak_linux.dns66/

Would allow you to lock down the sites visited

Further options, although most seem to block rather than allow sites individually:

techwiser.com/block-websites-on-android/

Hi Alex

Thanks for the advice.  It seems there are a number of possible apps for running a kiosk browser with a single website.  The remaining problem is how to have the tablet be available for immediate use without having to press the "on" switch and go through the startup page.  I need the tablet to be always on while he battery has power (will be continuously charged with solar power), but with a dimmed screen after no use for say 20 minutes - but touching the screen returns full brightness to the web screen.  The "settings" options allow control of when the screen dims - but I can't stop it going to sleep, requiring the user to press the on button.

Does anyone know how to do this?

Mark