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Recommended hardware for the entrance tablet
Two tested tablet kits for the punch clock — an iPad kit and an Android kit — plus the checklist any tablet has to pass before you mount it.
The kiosk is a web app, so almost any tablet made in the last few years will run it. What separates a tablet that works from one that becomes a daily chore is the mount, the power and the lock. Below are the two kits we recommend and have set up ourselves, followed by the checklist to run any other tablet through. Prices are rough US retail at the time of writing — they move.
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Kit A — iPad (the standard model) in a locking wall mount
Tablet: the standard iPad — the entry model, not the Mini or Pro — in the smallest storage size. Wi-Fi only; you don't need cellular. Mount: a locking enclosure that bolts to the wall and hides the cable, such as a Bouncepad Wallmount, Compulocks Space or Heckler Design wall mount sized for your iPad. Power: the iPad's own USB-C charger, run inside the mount's cable channel to a nearby outlet. Rough total: about $450–$600 per door. Why pick it: the best camera for Photo at each punch, the Guided Access lock comes back on its own after a restart, and Safari runs every kiosk feature including offline punching.
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Kit B — Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ (11-inch) in a locking wall mount
Tablet: Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ 11-inch (model SM-X230), Wi-Fi only, smallest storage — not the “Connected” or carrier versions. The previous Galaxy Tab A9+ (SM-X210) works just as well if you already own one. Mount: a locking enclosure for that exact model, such as the Compulocks Apex Enclosure for Galaxy Tab A9+/A11+ (part 11GAPX9B, fits both generations); Bouncepad makes one too. Check the model number on the box — other generations have different cut-outs. Power: a UL-listed USB-C charger (Samsung's 25 W EP-T2510, or Anker) with a 6 ft cable through the mount's cable channel; the tablet ships without one. Software: Chrome with the kiosk installed as an app, locked with Android's built-in App pinning (see Lock the tablet to the kiosk). If you want a harder lock — no unpin hint, hidden status bar, back into the kiosk by itself after a power cut — Fully Kiosk Browser is the optional add-on (the auto-relaunch needs its paid PLUS licence). Rough total: about $300–$400 per door. Why pick it: the lowest cost per door, a wall-clock-sized screen, and Google services on board, so Chrome and the kiosk keep updating themselves.
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Any other tablet: the checklist
A tablet is fine for the kiosk when it passes all of these. System: iPadOS 16 or newer, or Android 10 or newer with Chrome. Browser: Safari (iPad) or Chrome (Android) — not Samsung Internet, not Silk. On Android that means a tablet with Google services (Play Store on board); tablets without them can't run Chrome and need workarounds we no longer recommend. Camera: a working front camera if you plan to turn on Photo at each punch. Screen: 8 inches or larger so the PIN pad is easy to hit with a wet thumb. Power: it must live on a charger — a tablet that runs on battery dies the week someone forgets it. Network: full Wi-Fi bars at the mounting spot (test it with a phone before you drill). Phones are too small; don't use one.
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Where to mount it
Put the screen where employees already stop — next to the time clock they used before, the back door, or the schedule board — at about chest-to-eye height (around 55 inches / 140 cm to the center of the screen). That height makes the PIN pad comfortable and puts faces in the frame for punch photos. Keep it out of direct sun (the screen washes out and the camera squints) and away from the fryer line. Leave room on the wall for a small printed notice if you enable punch photos.
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Set it up in this order
1. Charge the tablet and update it to the latest system version. 2. Connect it to the store Wi-Fi, open safeshiftops.com/kiosk, and pair it — sign in as a manager and pick the location, or enter a pairing code (see Set up the entrance tablet). 3. Install the kiosk as an app and set the screen to stay on. 4. Turn on the tablet's single-app lock (see Lock the tablet to the kiosk). 5. Only then mount it on the wall — it's much easier to do steps 1–4 at a table.
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Bad Wi-Fi at the door? Go wired
Both kits can run on a cable instead of Wi-Fi: a USB-C to Ethernet adapter (with a pass-through charging port, so the tablet still charges) plugs into the tablet and into any network jack. Android and iPad both support it with no setup. Where no jack exists, a small Wi-Fi extender near the door is the next best fix. Either way, turn on Keep punching when Wi-Fi drops for the location so a dropout never loses a punch.
Good to know
- Buy the mount for the exact tablet model — enclosures are cut for one generation, and a tablet that doesn't sit flush will be pried out within a month.
- A locking mount only locks the hardware. The software lock (Guided Access on iPad, App pinning or Fully Kiosk Browser on Android) is what stops employees from leaving the kiosk — set up both.
- One tablet per door is normal. Kitchen and front of house often get one each; pair every tablet with its own code.
- Keep the box, the receipt and the mount key together in the office. Tablets do get replaced, and the next manager will thank you.
- Turn off automatic system updates during the day (iPad: Settings → General → Software Update → Automatic Updates; Android: Settings → Software update) so a restart never lands in the middle of a shift change.
If something goes wrong
Do you sell a wall-mounted time clock with a badge reader or face reader?
Not today — the kiosk runs on a tablet you buy, which keeps the cost per door low and lets you replace one in an afternoon. If you need a powered-over-Ethernet wall clock or badge readers for a larger rollout, contact support and tell us how many doors: we're evaluating dedicated clock hardware and would rather hear what you need first.
iPad or Android — which should we pick?
If you already own iPads or your managers are iPhone people, pick Kit A: the lock survives restarts and the camera is better. If you want the lowest cost per door or you're buying for many stores, pick Kit B. Both run the same kiosk with the same features.
Can we use the Amazon Fire tablet we already have?
It works, but we don't recommend buying one for a new setup. Fire tablets have no Google services, so there is no Chrome: the kiosk has to run inside Fully Kiosk Browser, which has been the least reliable setup we've seen in the field, and their cameras are weak, so punch photos come out dark. If you already have one, Set up the entrance tablet has the Fully Kiosk steps; when it's time to replace it, pick Kit B.
Does the tablet need a data plan?
No. Wi-Fi only is the right model for a wall-mounted kiosk; a cellular tablet costs more and the plan is wasted. If the store's internet is unreliable, a cable or a Wi-Fi extender is the fix, and Keep punching when Wi-Fi drops covers the gaps.
What about refurbished tablets?
Fine, as long as the model still receives system updates and the battery is healthy — a kiosk lives on the charger, but a swollen old battery is a safety problem inside a sealed enclosure. Apple's and Samsung's own refurbished stores are the safe sources.
How many tablets do we need?
One per place employees enter or leave. Most single-site restaurants use one at the back door; larger floors add one near the kitchen. Each tablet pairs separately and all of them share the same roster and rules.