Android kiosk
Recommended Android tablets and phones for Agoo, kiosk lock-down with screen pinning or a dedicated device, stands and power.
Agoo is in early access. This page describes the feature as it ships to early-access organisations; screens are illustrative.
Most tablets in Ghana run Android, and Agoo is built to run well on affordable ones. The Agoo Kiosk app for Android ships in P6, with the same screens as the iPad app.
Recommended specs
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| Android version | Android 9 | Android 12 or later, still receiving security updates |
| Memory (RAM) | 3 GB | 4 GB or more |
| Screen | 8 inches | 10 to 11 inches |
| Front camera | Any | 5 megapixels or better, for clear visitor photos and reliable ID scanning |
| Storage | 32 GB | 64 GB |
| Connection | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi plus a SIM slot (LTE) for a backup data connection |
| NFC | Not needed | Needed only if staff will tap cards on this kiosk |
| Google Play | Required | Agoo Kiosk installs from Google Play |
Many budget tablets don't have NFC. If you plan to use staff cards, check the specification before you buy, or use an NFC-capable phone at the staff entrance.
A phone works well for guard mode at a gate: something with a good rear camera for scanning passes and plates, and a battery that lasts a shift.
Set up the tablet
Do this before you pair it.
- Update Android and all apps in Google Play.
- Sign in with a Google account for your organisation's devices, not someone's personal one.
- Turn on automatic app updates in Google Play, so Agoo Kiosk stays current.
- Lengthen the screen timeout to the maximum in Settings → Display.
- Turn off notifications from other apps.
- Turn on Find My Device (Google) or your manufacturer's equivalent, in case it goes missing.
- Install Agoo Kiosk from Google Play and allow camera access.
Kiosk lock-down
There are two levels. Start with the first; move to the second for any tablet in a public place.
Screen pinning (quick)
Android's built-in screen pinning keeps Agoo Kiosk on screen until someone unpins it with the device PIN. The steps are in Pair a kiosk. It takes a minute, but a restart (for example, after the battery runs flat in a long power cut) unpins the app until someone pins it again.
Full lock-down
Setting the tablet up as a dedicated device (Android's Device Owner and Lock Task mode) locks it to Agoo Kiosk permanently. It survives restarts, hides the home and recent-apps buttons, blocks the status bar, and lets Agoo keep the screen on and manage updates. Our Kiosk Lite kit arrives set up this way.
Start from a freshly reset tablet
A dedicated device must be set up straight after a factory reset. Back up anything you need, then reset the tablet in Settings → System → Reset options (the name varies by manufacturer).
Create a dedicated-device code
In Console → Devices → Pair a device, choose the site, gate and mode, and turn on Set up as a dedicated Android device. The Console shows a setup QR code.
Scan it from the welcome screen
On the tablet's first welcome screen, tap the same spot six times to open Android's QR setup. Connect to Wi-Fi when asked, then scan the QR code. The tablet installs Agoo Kiosk, locks itself to it, and pairs to the gate.
Undoing full lock-down
To use the tablet for anything else, unpair it in Console → Devices and factory-reset it. Plan for this before you lock down a tablet you may want back.
If your organisation already uses an Android enterprise management (EMM) service, you can deploy Agoo Kiosk as a dedicated-device app from there instead.
Stands and power
- Stands: a lockable desk stand that tilts the screen towards the visitor and leaves the front camera clear, or a floor stand for lobbies without a counter. The Kiosk Lite kit includes a desk stand.
- Placement: away from direct sunlight and with the light in front of the visitor, not behind them.
- Charging: keep the tablet on charge all day, with the manufacturer's charger. Cheap chargers often can't keep up with a screen that's always on.
- Battery care: if your tablet has a battery protection setting that stops charging at about 85% (Samsung calls it Protect battery), turn it on. A tablet kept at 100% for months wears its battery faster.
- Backup power: put the charger, router and printer on a UPS or inverter if you have one. Check battery levels in Console → Devices after a power cut.