Contactless Attendance Tracking with $65 Tablet

For unattended, contactless attendance tracking, we usually recommend iPads because of their stability, the availability of mounting hardware, and the good scanning performance of the front camera when using our apps Kiosk Mode.

Recently, we took a look at the Amazon Fire 7 tablet, which costs only $65 in single-unit quantities. Compared to the minimum price tag for a new iPad at $329, it was a cost-effective alternative, especially for temporary use. Thus, we decided to run some tests.

The Fire 7 tablet (9th generation) runs the Fire OS, which currently is based on the Android operating system. Amazon devices are generally not compatible with Android apps and don’t have access to the Google Play Store. Therefore, we emailed a link to CodeREADr’s Android APK to side load it. [Contact us if you need our Android APK.]

The app loaded without issue and the scanning performance was good for such an inexpensive device. Using the front and rear cameras, scanning QR codes with moderate complexity was accurate and quick. Other 1D and 2D barcode types were also scannable, though only with our SD PRO scan engine.

Unlike other iOS and Android OS devices, this tablet is not ideal for scanning complex barcodes because neither the front nor rear cameras have auto-focus. Nonetheless, even without auto-focus, scanning was more than adequate, especially with QR codes.

• Offline (“on-device”) recording or validation (optionally with our curated service “Check-In/Out“).
• Auto Sync to the cloud in the background.
• Kiosk Mode with a PIN for authorized access only.
• Front camera scanning (an in-app setting or pre-configured if SD PRO is enabled).
• Configure the device or in-app settings to keep the screen on and lock rotation.

We recommend using the SD PRO scan engine in the Framing Mode. Then, the attendee can clearly see where to present their ID. If using our standard camera scan engine, limit scanning to QR codes on the Advanced step. If using our SD PRO camera scan engine, limit scanning to QR codes or the specific barcode types you’ll be scanning.

There are many ways to mount the tablet, including locking frames like those offered by the company “Armour Dog“. The Amazon Appstore has several free apps to keep the screen on which we found useful. Also, Fire OS options like “Do Not Disturb” and “App Pinning” could be useful, depending on your intended use.