TouchSurf® Custom Browser

What good is the Internet if it is too dangerous to present to the public? PIKinc. addresses this issue with the TouchSurf® Custom Browser. This piece of software is the keystone of the PIKiosk's architecture.

More than a standard browser run in kiosk mode.

TouchSurf® is chocked full of navigation solutions to govern the use of the PIKioskTM.

Click on screenshot to enlarge.

There is no URL entry bar. This keeps would-be surfers from misusing the PIKiosk as their own personal web terminal.

A filtering mechanism is built right in to the browser configuration interface. You can select sites to limit the user to, or sites to forbid access to.

You may allow printing of any page or web-based content. You may also collect a fee for pages printed. Patrons can use either coins or credit cards for payment.

A help section is also built into the browser's main interface detailing how to use hyperlinks, navigate frames, showing descriptions of toolbar buttons and more.

A timeout feature set to the library's specifications is included. Patrons are given the option to continue after x seconds of inactivity. Then the TouchSurf® Browser reverts to an attraction loop screen saver slide show designed to attract users as they pass by. The slide show consists of 10-12 slides advertising the library/municipalities and PIKiosk features.

A higher percentage of system resources are devoted to the TouchSurf® Custom Browser. This makes for faster surfing and delivers the information to the user at a rapid pace. (Actual loading times depend on data line speed, server traffic, and several other variables. Faster times are based on a side-by-side comparison between the TouchSurf® Browser and I.E. 3.02).

Smart functions can be coded into web pages i.e., create a hyperlink on a county home page which uses the PIKiosk's phone features to dial a county office.

The TouchSurf® Custom Browser also serves as the main menu interface so there is no time wasted waiting for the browser application to launch.