Block Apps installation

[fireshaper]

I work at a hospital and we are considering purchasing Android devices for our staff to use around the campus to receive tickets for jobs that come up for their areas. Are there any good apps that we can use to lockdown the devices so that internet, movie, etc., use could be blocked?

We wouldn't be putting them on the domain, just having them connect to our open wi-fi to check email and to use the Citrix client if needed.

 

[operant]

Yep - but in a slightly different package. Parental control apps.

Android Parental Control - Android app on AppBrain

That seems to be what you're looking for. You can block out the market, browser, etc.

You can also get mobile nanny which would enable you to monitor usage of the phones.

That's what I'd do in your situation at least.

 

[PSkeptic]

You can join them to a segregated Wifi network, and use DansGuardian (Or a similar content filter) at a central point, all without worrying about client configs.

 

[wildtouch83]

You can join them to a segregated Wifi network, and use DansGuardian (Or a similar content filter) at a central point, all without worrying about client configs.

That was my initial thought. Why block it at the client level when you can block this stuff at the network layer. I think that would be a more secure approach and a better one for administration.

 

[johndexter2011]

I am looking to lock down my daughters Android as well. I would like to use it to block sites, but don't care about movies. Plus I would like to see her texts if I get suspicious. Where is a place I can find that?

Thanks

JD

 

[fireshaper]

We have tested a few apps and nothing gives us quite the fine tuning that we would like. Every security app out there just lets you locate, lock and wipe devices, there's not much to do with setting policies on the devices or anything.

Is there any way that we can push policies to the devices (through a web client or similar) that will allow us to lock out certain apps from running, use firewall settings on the browser, and get data usage?

 

[vanderfield]

Is there any way to block the ability to install apps on an android phone or tablet (2.2, 2.3 & 3.0). I want to deploy a number of these devices in a corporate environment (some of which will have vpn access to the network) and I am not comfortable with the idea that a user can download and install anything they like.

I am aware of the content filter in the Market, but I don't think that will give me the ability to stop the installation of all apps.

Thanks.

 

[Lombardi]

How can I hide apps, or lock apps so that they cannot be accessed? Without having to lock the whole phone...

 

[dylo22]

There's an app for that. I think one is call applock. There are other alternatives. I don't use them so I can't say which one is good.

 

[SpeakerBox]

I'm an android fanatic, long time lurker and first time poster. Ok, here's my dilemma. I'm thinking about buying 3-4 android based tablets(not sure which ones yet) for my restaurant to hand out to use while people eat. Person gives me a drivers license, I give them 30 minutes with the tablet to check email or whatever. Now, my concern is that they may set a password or something to that effect and try to lock me out of my own tablet. I know I could just wipe it and start over but are there any other options as far as maybe an app goes? I've hacked and modded my DX out the wazoo so I'm not afraid to get into the tablets either to get them where I want them to be. Basically, all I want them to be able to do is access the internet, view documents that are attached in emails so pdf's and the like, and possibly youtube and I probably wouldn't run anything above 2.2 on it seeing as how any tablet running 3.0+ smoothly is expensive and not even an option. Now if an android tablet isn't capable or the software hasn't been written by anyone to make this happen, what would you recommend? The only other thing I can think of is to get a windows based tablet but I've never put my hands on one and don't know if they allow traditional "administrators" to create a user account for them to log in with. I'm pretty sure if the tablet is just a more mobile version of Win 7 then I'd be able create a user account and set time limits and the like. I'd really prefer android but I'd settle for something stable enough to run just the web via wifi and what not. Any and all advice is helpful and greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Get something that you can put CM7 on, then don't flash Gapps, no email mainly just good for web browsing, if you want a few games on them then you can sideload them.

 

[SpeakerBox]

Get something that you can put CM7 on, then don't flash Gapps, no email mainly just good for web browsing, if you want a few games on them then you can sideload them.

As long as this won't have anything I don't want in the dock or on any of the home screens then I'd be happy with it. Also, what's a cheap tablet that has a multitouch screen that you'd or anyone else would recommend? Since these will need to be somewhat cheap to replace I'm hoping to stay below the $150 mark on each unit. I've been thinking about something like a pandigital or even a refurbed nook color and just rooting those to be full out android tablets. I'll check out the tablet section as I had before to see what my options are with those two but I'd like something relatively cheap that will keep my customers interested in being here for a while ya know.

 

[Joe Dirt]

A rooted nook color is a real winner.

Barnes & Noble Nook Color - CyanogenMod Wiki

 

[SpeakerBox]

Awesome, thanks for the advice man, I'm looking into it as we speak!

 

[A.Nonymous]

A rooted nook color is a real winner.

Barnes & Noble Nook Color - CyanogenMod Wiki

That's a good option 'cuz it boots off the SD card. Tape over the SD card slot and you can't get into it. I would be reluctant to hand a $250 device to diners at a restaurant though.

 

[SpeakerBox]

That's a good option 'cuz it boots off the SD card. Tape over the SD card slot and you can't get into it. I would be reluctant to hand a $250 device to diners at a restaurant though.

I honestly don't think it would be a problem. For one it's a higher end restaurant and we'll have their drivers license so I doubt they'd do anything with us having all their info ya know. At least I'm hoping most people think like I do. Also, they'll most likely be refurbs so I'm looking at about $150 shipped each if this deal goes through but we'll see. If not, then I'll be looking for something else tablet wise. I may go super cheap and get one of the real knockoffs (like $99 knockoff, lol)since it'll be strictly for web browsing. I realize the experience won't be the greatest but hey, you can check your email for free while you eat lunch so people can't complain if they lag a bit. I haven't really mapped it out 100% yet but I have a good idea of how it's all gonna work if I can get these pretty cheap.

 

[gear42]

As others have mentioned there are applications that allows blocking applications at the client level, but if you want to do it on many devices, you can find SureMDM on the Google Play Market. You can push password policies to devices, block apps on them, track on map, remote lock and wipe etc. all from a central console.

You can use SureMDM for centralized control of Android devices. You can block installation of applications, block launching of apps, remote lock and wipe and many other things.

If its just one phone there are many free apps like one suggested above. If there are bunch of phones that you want to secure you can look at SureMDM.

You can use it to lock all Android applications except the browser.

 

[NightAngel79]

Merged several threads about the same topic together and cleaned out duplicate posts

 

[mable]

As others have mentioned there are applications that allows blocking applications at the client level, but if you want to do it on many devices, you can look at SureMDM. You can push password policies to devices, block apps on them, track on map, remote lock and wipe etc. all from a central console.

You can use SureMDM for centralized control of Android devices. You can block installation of applications, block launching of apps, remote lock and wipe and many other things.

If its just one phone there are many free apps like one suggested above. If there are bunch of phones that you want to secure you can look at SureMDM.

You can use it to lock all Android applications except the browser.

I found the following link that explains how to lock Google Play, almost Apple style, using just Settings.
How to Block Google Play / Android Market from Inappropriate Downloads
This is easy and any layman can do it I suppose. So the PIN is all that the IT administrator needs to maintain for the hospital tablet case and locking Google Play from child case.

Another way to hide certain applications from certain users, is something similar to Windows profiles/users. People in one profile can only see a certain set of apps..
For that I'm sure there are apps..