[android] Android tablets for schools, how does the Market work?

[nLinked]

If a school was to get Android v2.3+ tablets for staff or students, would staff and students individually have to register an Gmail account to use Android Market? Or is there a way the ICT dept. can manage app deployments to tablets so no registering required?

[CyberNerd]

You can links the market to a google apps account, owned by the school.

Bigger issue is getting it through your proxy/firewall.

[GrumbleDook]

In EMBC land we have had to open a fresh port to allow outbound traffic to the marketplace. We had a similar issue with Apple, but at least they changed it so that it would work over HTTP.

[nLinked]

You can links the market to a google apps account, owned by the school.

Bigger issue is getting it through your proxy/firewall.

That's good. This looks interested although not a tablet: Business & Education - Chromebook

[SimpleSi]

In EMBC land we have had to open a fresh port to allow outbound traffic to the marketplace.

 

An RBC OPENING a port so people can use ICT

 

Could you pass this onto the other ones and explain that the world has not come to an end

 

Si

 

BTW What port/protocol is needed so I can contact CLEO/Lancs and ask them?

[JonWPS]

In EMBC land we have had to open a fresh port to allow outbound traffic to the marketplace. We had a similar issue with Apple, but at least they changed it so that it would work over HTTP.

 

Don't think I ever got back to you after this change was made. Works a treat so thanks for helping us with this.

 

I believe it was 5228, although I may be wrong.

[gpe5732]

We've set up a master account and placed it on the Android devices we have. We have only piloted 30 for Dell so far. The biggest problem we've had is there's no solution for locking them down. If I had to guess, I would assume the teacher does not even use them anymore due to the inability to stop them from accessing any application they'd like. Doesn't help that the tablet had games pre-installed that can't be removed.

[GrumbleDook]

Don't think I ever got back to you after this change was made. Works a treat so thanks for helping us with this.

 

I believe it was 5228, although I may be wrong.

 

I wasn't trying to hint but ... ;-) If you are happy to give a 10 min rundown about what you have done so far at the next NetworkNorthants meeting?

[GrumbleDook]

An RBC OPENING a port so people can use ICT

 

Could you pass this onto the other ones and explain that the world has not come to an end

 

Si

 

BTW What port/protocol is needed so I can contact CLEO/Lancs and ask them?

 

Within EMBC the network is setup to allow global changes like this, but it took a few months to examine all the issues around it, whether there would be any change (i.e. like Apple did where they changed it so you didn't need the extra ports open) which would then leave it open and unrequited ... or they star adding even more ports ... it is a slippery slope.

 

RBCs do routinely share information at a national level as part of the NEN Technical Group so things like this can easily be circulated anyway ... but it is easier for some RBCs to make the change than others ... in the same way EMBC couldn't provide the reverse proxy / VPN access that some other RBCs provide.

 

I'll speak to the EMBC Tech Consultant though and see if he can ask the other RBCs about what they are doing to allow mobile devices / other OSes on school networks.

[jvolzer]

We've set up a master account and placed it on the Android devices we have. We have only piloted 30 for Dell so far. The biggest problem we've had is there's no solution for locking them down. If I had to guess, I would assume the teacher does not even use them anymore due to the inability to stop them from accessing any application they'd like. Doesn't help that the tablet had games pre-installed that can't be removed.

 

Did you find a good solution for locking down the devices? Did you just go with a stand alone app locker? What age range are the students where you're using these? It's been a couple of months since your post, so I'm curious to know if/how much the teacher is using them.

[enjay]

Accessing Market isn't your biggest problem - preventing people from buying games and other apps through it is bigger. Being unable to lock devices down or specify a proxy server also rank above the Market in a list of hurdles.

[jvolzer]

Accessing Market isn't your biggest problem - preventing people from buying games and other apps through it is bigger. Being unable to lock devices down or specify a proxy server also rank above the Market in a list of hurdles.

 

That seems like an easy fix. Just use one of the many applock apps to block market from runnung without the passcode being entered.

[jpaterson]

How do all of these issues compare with those when using iPads?

[enjay]

How do all of these issues compare with those when using iPads?

 

Many of the issues (security, application management, charging, etc) are common to all tablets. I imagine that iPads are harder to lock down, however, as that is contrary to the Apple ethos.

[jpaterson]

Many of the issues (security, application management, charging, etc) are common to all tablets. I imagine that iPads are harder to lock down, however, as that is contrary to the Apple ethos.

 

So either way, Apple or Android, they're still a bit of a headache in the education sector, from an administrative perspective?

[tonyd]

Apple do actually support enterprise deployment and lockdown for their devices - Apple - Support - iPhone - Enterprise. I am not aware of anything like this for Android, but then I have not looked either.

 

But, it still does not get around the fact that they are inherently personal devices, so not ideal for sharing. I think our best hope is Windows 8 - if the tablet version can be joined to the domain then it could be exactly what we are all looking for...

[enjay]

So either way, Apple or Android, they're still a bit of a headache in the education sector, from an administrative perspective?

 

Pretty much :-)

 

Not an impossibility, but not a simple thing to deliver either. There will be problems, and compromises needed by both teachers and IT Support, however I wouldn't rule them out off-hand. Look at what you can do, what you can't do, and then compare all that against the school's desire to have tablets.

[jvolzer]

So either way, Apple or Android, they're still a bit of a headache in the education sector, from an administrative perspective?

 

There are multiple factors in play and it depends on what you want to accomplish and how the devices are used. Managing Windows computers is quite a chore, so I'd definitely not say that tablets are a headache by comparison.

 

There are two issues being discussed here: lockdown and app distribution

 

For app distribution on Android, Market will work if you add the same Market account to all the devices. When you use your browser (rather and on-device) to add paid or free apps to your account you'll get a drop down of all devices registered to the account so that you can add to all of them and push the app to that device. If it's an account with a credit card attached, there's a new feature in Market that allows you to add a PIN code to have purchases approved. Nice!

 

For lock-down purposes, there are bunch of app-lock programs that can do the trick, requiring a PIN to access anything on the lock-list, including system settings.

 

All of this assumes we're talking about shared devices. If you get to a 1-to-1 situation where all students have their own device, then there's as much need. For example, my company helped a local school acquire inexpensive tablets that were issued to every student. They keep them all year and are allowed to put their own Market account on it and pretty much do anything they want, as long as they keep it in working order to be able to access the Internet for research and on-line text-book access during the day at school. It becomes almost "hands-off" for the IT department, other than keeping the WiFi up and running (and beefed up to handle the load). Rather than worry about network access for things like local storage, students simply use Google Docs, so the IT department doesn't have to manage that either. Dropbox and Box.Net would be other ideas.

 

So the app management and lock-down is primarily for shared use environments. My company is exploring products to manage groups of these centrally, beyond what's described above though, so I may have more to report later.

 

In terms of Windows 8, I have little hope if it means all of the traditional labor-intensive things involved with managing Windows computers...viruses, spyware, the need to re-image yearly due to slow down, not to mention boot-up time, reboots, etc. etc.

 

As far as Android vs. iPad, obviously the iPad is much more heavily used right now and does have some better tools like automatic app installation in the background. There will also be more/better apps for some areas such as assistive technology, making them great for special ed classrooms. On the other hand, iPads can be twice the cost of an Android tablet if you know where to look, making it easier to reach the 1-to-1 ratio with Android. For example, the same school we helped acquire 7" tabs last year for under $200 ea. is now piloting a 10" android device that will cost under $300 USD in bulk, and that's for a nice IPS screen (same as iPad) and Android 4.0 ICS (beta currently installed). Compare that to to $500 to $600 USD minimum for iPads and you can see whey they are experimenting with it.

 

Remember that the whole market is new for this, so things will evolve rapidly in the next year or two. Pilot sites will be invaluable.

[enjay]

Remember that the whole market is new for this, so things will evolve rapidly in the next year or two. Pilot sites will be invaluable.

 

I think that is a really valuable point to remember. Yes, get tablets of some form now and play around to see what they can do, but don't then write them off for ever if they don't work out; set teacher expectations accordingly too. If you decide not to proceed at this stage, make a decent record of why you decided that, and then keep checking back to see if that problem still exists.

[jvolzer]

One more thing to add on Android Market. I see that they now have the ability to require a PIN for purchases. This is available in Market 3.1 and newer. I'm not sure when that came out though, as I just noticed the PIN feature on my phone. So this would help in the scenario where the generic school account is installed on all devices to allow the ability to push down apps. The PIN would prevent a student from buying on that account. An applock app would keep them out of market completely, but the PIN would be good if they needed to access their own account added to the device (which might be the case in a 1-to-1 setup).

[enjay]

I saw that too, and was similarly enthusiastic - a definite step forward.

 

Also, for personal use not school, I note that you can now charge apps to your phone bill rather than use your credit card. Not sure how much use that is, mind you!

[CyberNerd]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtDYpU4V4UQ

 

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.google.android.apps.enterprise.dmag ent

 

I don't see marketplace restrictions yet though

 

Allows Google Apps domain admin to set security policies for your Android device

Google Apps Device Policy is a device administration tool that allows administrators for Google Apps Premier and Education editions to set security policies for Android devices. This app will allow your Android device to comply with the security policies set by your admin.

 

Editions Supported: Google Apps Mobile Management is only available for Google Apps for Business, Education, and Government.

 

A new Mobile settings page has recently rolled out to Google Apps control panels. If you don't see these settings in your control panel yet, click here to determine which Mobile settings page you have.

Google Apps Mobile Management lets administrators enforce device policies over their mobile fleet using their Google Apps control panel, without the need for an on-premise device management server. Watch this video for an overview of mobile management.

 

Google Apps Mobile Management covers Android and Google Sync devices, which include iOS, Windows Phone, and other smartphones and tablets using Microsoft® Exchange ActiveSync®. BlackBerry devices and devices syncing to Google Apps using only IMAP or POP are not supported by Google Apps Mobile Management. Access Mobile Management by signing in to your Google Apps control panel and going to Settings > Mobile. Android devices need to have the Google Apps Device Policy app installed to show up under the Devices tab

 

Key Features

 

With Mobile Management, you can manage your mobile fleet with the following features:

 

Granular policies: Configure mobile settings at the organizational unit level

Device activation: Control what devices can connect to your users' Google Apps data

Device console: View all mobile devices in your domain connecting with Google Sync or Android Sync.

Application auditing: View all apps that access Google Apps data installed on an Android device. Apps auditing isn't supported on other operating systems, such as iOS and Windows Phone.

[enjay]

Note that it only covers Google Apps and on Android devices, so it wouldn't stop someone logging out of Google on the school tablet and logging into their own Google account, then installing stuff. Also, it doesn't cover teachers' iPhones or Blackberries which have their email on.

[LeightonJames]

Just to throw my two penneth into the mix.

 

On the subject of App Blocking. A good free App blocker is Sandbox by Famigo. It allows you to setup which apps are accessible and also allows you to prevent in game/app purchases and (if you use it on a device capable of making calls) blocks call options.

 

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.famigo.sandbox&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5mYW1pZ28uc2FuZGJveCJd

 

It allows you to specify which apps can and can't be accessed and it uses androids pattern unlock to provide security to the management side.

 

Regarding proxy support, Android has never really been built with Global App support for proxies however if your devices are rooted you can use ProxyDroid. another free app on the market

 

https://market.android.com/details?id=org.proxydroid&hl=en

[CyberNerd]

Note that it only covers Google Apps and on Android devices, so it wouldn't stop someone logging out of Google on the school tablet and logging into their own Google account, then installing stuff. Also, it doesn't cover teachers' iPhones or Blackberries which have their email on.

 

It does cover teachers iphones - a few appear in our Google apps domain with 'remote wipe' etc enabled. I've not told anyone at school about it though...

 

I've yet to check out how it actually works in practice, I'm going to ask the boss if we can buy a android tablet to look into it a bit further.