considering purchase, need to know if this possible with surface first, advice pls?

[billteale]

Hi there, working for a local chamber of commerce I have a website encouraging people to shop locally. I have made a touchscreen version of the site (Shop McDowell, Shop Local in McDowell County North Carolina) and put it on a large all in one touch screen computer. By using IE's kiosk mode,and removing the keyboard and mouse, we are able to place this touchscreen in a remote location for use by the general public as an information booth.

We want to do the same thing on a smaller scale using a tablet.

I found out yesterday that the Surface does allow IE in kiosk mode, but it seems that the touch screen allows the user to go back to the desktop, and perhaps change things in other ways.

Is there a way to make the surface device start up with IE in kiosk mode, and keep the window on the screen, disabling anything else?

I know this is pretty unusual, but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Bill Teale.

 

[jnjroach]

I've not seen Kiosk Mode in Windows 8, usually in the current eco-systems you would use Windows 8 Embedded for a Kiosk - Windows Embedded | Evaluate & Develop Microsoft | Intelligent Systems

 

[billteale]

I've not seen Kiosk Mode in Windows 8, usually in the current eco-systems you would use Windows 8 Embedded for a Kiosk - Windows Embedded | Evaluate & Develop Microsoft | Intelligent Systems

Thanks for the quick reply, I will look into that, but to be honest for a humble website designer (at first glance) windows embedded seems very complicated, and with us simply wanting to deliver a web page is it a little "s;edgehammer to crack a nut". I do appreciate any feedback you can give, especially if there is a simple solution? I fear there isn't though.

 

[jnjroach]

There used to be a group policy object that you could set explorer=ieexplorer.exe but I'm don't think you can replace the shell in Windows 8, you might be better served getting a Windows 7 tablet like the Series 7 that still has that ability. With Windows 8 if you log it in with a restricted user with only IE available and the one site is all it can get to that might work...

 

[billteale]

There used to be a group policy object that you could set explorer=ieexplorer.exe but I'm don't think you can replace the shell in Windows 8, you might be better served getting a Windows 7 tablet like the Series 7 that still has that ability. With Windows 8 if you log it in with a restricted user with only IE available and the one site is all it can get to that might work...

Thanks Jeff, so if I get a Series 7 tablet with windows 7 OS, I can do like I have done on the larger "all-in-one" touchscreen computer - namely set up IE in kiosk mode (witht eh relevant home page set up), and add it to the start up folder, would that then stop people going to the desktop?

 

[jnjroach]

Correct....

 

[magicrobots]

What about some free Kiosk software like this:

Public Kiosk Software (free) - Download

Haven't tried it myself, but might be worth looking into if you prefer the form factor of the Surface.

 

[Mr.NK]

According to the Verge. there will be a kiosk mode in Windows 8.1.

 

[machistmo]

All the Windows 8 Ultra Books at the local tiger direct are running one form or another of Kiosk that prevent you from seeing anything other than the specifications page for the PC the Kiosk software is running on. I am not sure what they use but I was just there yesterday looking at the latest crop of Ultra Books. I can find no native support for Kiosk on my Surface Pro at present. There are free apps called Kiosk Browser that works for one URL and Kiosk Introducer that all you to setup 10 links though I am pretty sure you are after more function than provided by these programs. These are just the apps in the Windows Store, I am sure there are other legacy products available.

 

[jnjroach]

Those Kiosks are created by Microsoft's Retail Technical Marketing Teams with input from the retail partner and the OEM. The are very special and take quite a bit of time to create.