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kiosk mode - lock users in an App

sorry but the curiosity is killing me..... How do you prevent people from walking out with one of the iPads?
 
Have you looked at the iPhone Configuration Utility? (Looks like it supports iPad too.)
http://www.apple.com/support/ipad/enterprise/

You can use that to lock down an iPhone OS device to a certain degree. (I've only briefly played with it, not being an enterprise business myself. :) )

You can turn off:
- Safari
- YouTube
- iTunes Music Store
- installing other apps
- camera
- screen capture

You can lock it to a specific wifi network, you can lock down email accounts, a few other things too.
 
Using a jailbroken iPad you will have access to the IncarcerApp application, which prevents the use of the home button in software for any app you might be in, and works using Activator- an application which can bind actions to various gestures.

You can bind IncarcerApp to a suitable obscure gesture or sequence so that customers would be locked into your otherwise entirely legitimately developed sales assistance application.

Jailbreaking is currently a trivial process that takes approximately 10 seconds, including the connection/disconnection of each iPad.
 
Certainly on the iPhone once you've jailbroken it you can run SBSettings and select "Hide Icons" to turn on or off the icon for an app (including "apps" like Settings). I don't have my ipad at hand at the moment, but SBSettings certainly works on it and I'm quite sure you could then hide every single app on the ipad apart from the one you want to run. Not sure if you can also disable the spotlight functionality for those who know their way around an idevice...
 
bigjnyc said:
sorry but the curiosity is killing me..... How do you prevent people from walking out with one of the iPads?
Click to expand...

make sure they turn them in before they leave. RFID if I have to, pretty cheap actually to implement from what a friend in the field tells me.
 
this is great. Just signed up for Elance today, going to get some quotes. also probably going to try iphoneappquotes.com. I'll keep the thread posted.

- Kross
 
We posted the Job on elance, and have began to work with a developer. So far the developer has been up-front, saying "the only way to disable the home-button, is to have the app relaunch-automatically as soon as the home-button closes it. We are seeking to build a case that hides both buttons and locks onto the iPad.



- Kross
 
Wow over $1000! You must be getting multiple iPads, and at 500$ each, you must have a lot of money :p
 
Hydrocity said:
Wow over $1000! You must be getting multiple iPads, and at 500$ each, you must have a lot of money :p
Click to expand...

we are serious about offering this to our clients. We will start with a few iPads and see how it goes. This is a large investment for our small company, but we think user experience could result in positive returns.

Also, we decided that instead of making a "test program", that only played videos. We might as well invest the extra money now to get the App how we want it, so that we can expand in the future without having to pay for a complete re-write.

I'm anxious to see how this project turns out for us; and i will keep this thread posted. thanks again for all the insight.

- Kross
 
after much research...


The ONLY way I'm aware of, to lock a user within an App without Jailbreaking the iPad, is to make the App relaunch automatically after the user presses the home button. (note: this can only be done outside of the App store, only for personal Apps, installing them ad-hoc with a small business dev license for up to 100 iPads)

The home button will simply bring up the main iPad screen, then jump back into the App. We are hiring a developer today to start work on the App.

- Kross
 
Kross said:
after much research...


The ONLY way I'm aware of, to lock a user within an App without Jailbreaking the iPad, is to make the App relaunch automatically after the user presses the home button. (note: this can only be done outside of the App store, only for personal Apps, installing them ad-hoc with a small business dev license for up to 100 iPads)

The home button will simply bring up the main iPad screen, then jump back into the App. We are hiring a developer today to start work on the App.

- Kross
Click to expand...

http://smallbusiness.aol.com/2010/0...ger-restaurant-goes-all-in-with-social-media/

Is this you?
 
mklnk said:
There are a few book-jacket style cases that cover the bezel and have a little cutout for the home button. Might be as easy as getting one of these cases and putting the ipad in upside down so the button is covered.
Click to expand...

tru, we've thought about this.... but we all agree, the case must be professional looking. Stuck in upside down would be odd looking.

What we do know:

there is a huge demand for using iPads in the business setting. Some people want to use them to pass out during presentations so that everyone can follow-along, but without giving them the option to exit the presentation.

Others have similar needs to what my company is looking at doing. Using them for customers, to enhance the interactive experience and promote sales, etc.

Currently, Apple is not providing a way to "lock users in the app" or goin into "Kiosk Mode", as others are calling it. However, a case that locks around the iPad is in high demand. We are looking at creating a case ourselves. In fact, today I am contacting a few companies that make iPad cases. Very curious on what their thoughts are. I truly hope someone is making these already. Judging by my research, the demand is there to support a locked case.

- Kross
 
mklnk said:
http://smallbusiness.aol.com/2010/0...ger-restaurant-goes-all-in-with-social-media/

Is this you?
Click to expand...

No, thats not me. However, thank you for posting the link. The link shows the growing demand for a "kiosk mode" for the iPad.

Here's a video of that kiosk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54XwvJPO5KY

Clearly, businesses want to use the iPad as a customer interaction tool, but don't want to just pass out you-tube-playing-machines. =-)

hope someone comes up with a solution soon. In my opinion, it seems most viable for the solution to be a case that covers the power and home-button, as well as locks on the iPad.

(just found this, lol... progress I guess)



- Kross
 
We are confident that a "locked case" or some sort of other solution will present soon.

We have started developing our application, which will be useless until we find a solution to block both buttons.

If anyone can lead me in the right direction of someone developing a case, or other software solution (without jailbreaking), we'd love to hear about it.

We don't want to jailbreak, simply because.... We think its probably a bad idea to put so much trust in a software "hack". The cydia software could crash the iPads, kick out of the app, etc etc etc. Who knows when we'd have to upgrade. Also, if we opened a new store and wanted iPads, and at the same time a new software came out that hadn't been jailbroken, we'd be out-of-luck for buying new iPads. Hinging our business on hoping all firmwares are hacked, or jailbroken, seems to be a bad business move. Our opinion anyways.

- Kross
 
just found this company. Trying to contact them, has promise.

http://www.modulrcase.com/


EDIT: Just spoke with Jay, from modulrcase. Currently they have no products that block the home and power buttons, and no plans to make any "business related" cases until 2011. The 2010 plan is stick with consumer grade. Just like the thousands of other iPad case manufacturers. I linked him to this thread.

I'll admit, I have no clue of what-it-takes to produce a case. But seems-to-me, if I was already making hard iPad cases, it couldn't be too hard to simply not cut out the material around the home-button and power-button. The locking option would, admittedly, be harder to implement. But at this point, I'd settle for a non-locking case that just covered the home and power buttons. If the user REALLY wanted to hit the home button, they could rip off the case and do it, but most probably wouldn't.

Can I convince any case makers out there? Being different by providing an extremely niche product offering is a great idea! (ideally the exact case I want, lol) /worth-a-try


- Kross
 
Kross said:
just found this company. Trying to contact them, has promise.

http://www.modulrcase.com/


EDIT: Just spoke with Jay, from modulrcase. Currently they have no products that block the home and power buttons, and no plans to make any "business related" cases until 2011. The 2010 plan is stick with consumer grade. Just like the thousands of other iPad case manufacturers. I linked him to this thread.

I'll admit, I have no clue of what-it-takes to produce a case. But seems-to-me, if I was already making hard iPad cases, it couldn't be too hard to simply not cut out the material around the home-button and power-button. The locking option would, admittedly, be harder to implement. But at this point, I'd settle for a non-locking case that just covered the home and power buttons. If the user REALLY wanted to hit the home button, they could rip off the case and do it, but most probably wouldn't.

Can I convince any case makers out there? Being different by providing an extremely niche product offering is a great idea! (ideally the exact case I want, lol) /worth-a-try


- Kross
Click to expand...

I can't imagine the case would be that hard to fabricate. Have you tried contacting anyone about getting them custom made?
 
mklnk said:
I can't imagine the case would be that hard to fabricate. Have you tried contacting anyone about getting them custom made?
Click to expand...

I haven't yet, no. Honestly I wouldn't know where to start. Any suggestions? We would definitely consider custom making them.

I would think the only stipulation would be they need to be made out of a hard material. A soft covering would allow the buttons to be pushed even if they were covered. So if I can find someone to make that, I'd be all for it. Price allowing anyways.

Any ideas on where to start looking for someone to custom make them?

- Kross
 
Kross, I would suggest you contact a local industrial designer, they should be able to design and know how to fabricate the enclosures you are looking for.

who knows you might find a small market to sell the enclosures too to other people.
 
munkees said:
Kross, I would suggest you contact a local industrial designer, they should be able to design and know how to fabricate the enclosures you are looking for.

who knows you might find a small market to sell the enclosures too to other people.
Click to expand...

any idea on how to go about finding that? "industrial designer for hire?" into google? Really out-of-my-area, if ya know what I mean. But I'm not oppose to it.

- Kross
 
Kross, this is an interesting thread. I hope you keep it updated with your progress and the end-result.
 
Kross said:
I haven't yet, no. Honestly I wouldn't know where to start. Any suggestions? We would definitely consider custom making them.

I would think the only stipulation would be they need to be made out of a hard material. A soft covering would allow the buttons to be pushed even if they were covered. So if I can find someone to make that, I'd be all for it. Price allowing anyways.

Any ideas on where to start looking for someone to custom make them?

- Kross
Click to expand...

The industrial option is a good one, however if you haven't strolled thru Etsy.com you might find someone there that can make something too. I saw some really nice leather ones, and there might be someone that can get you what you need.

I do think that working with someone in the industrial side might be a nice shoot off biz for you/them though.

Gee, so I want to come check out what you end up! Just a short road trip away :D
 
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