• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Anyone Tried NFC Task Launcher?

I will play around with them when I get mine and let everyone know.

I will program the tags with the app and then uninstall the app and see what happens. I wonder if the program also puts a check in there for the application and if its not present on the device, brings you to the market to download/install it?
 
there is a free app by NFC Task Launcher that reads and does the task, but can not write. I think you would need a task launcher app if you program the tag to open a program, etc. If you program the tag with urls, contacts and such I would think you would only need the NFC, otherwise how would they use these for advertising in the future? At the end of the day, I'm creating these tags for me and not my friends, so I don't think it'll bother me too much needing an app to launch them.
 
So, presumably, the tagstand tags with their manager encoding on there would be enough for ICS to be able to re-write using Task Launcher on 4.0.2. Right? I read something about having dummy code in NDEF format before you could do it.
 
Schex13 said:
So, presumably, the tagstand tags with their manager encoding on there would be enough for ICS to be able to re-write using Task Launcher on 4.0.2. Right? I read something about having dummy code in NDEF format before you could do it.
Click to expand...

That's what I heard that 4.0.2 can overwrite the TagStand manager. You just need something to be encoded on it and then can overwrite.

4.0.2 cannot start with a blank tag.

I will confirm when I receive mine (hopefully today or tomorrow).
 
JC13 said:
there is a free app by NFC Task Launcher that reads and does the task, but can not write. I think you would need a task launcher app if you program the tag to open a program, etc. If you program the tag with urls, contacts and such I would think you would only need the NFC, otherwise how would they use these for advertising in the future? At the end of the day, I'm creating these tags for me and not my friends, so I don't think it'll bother me too much needing an app to launch them.
Click to expand...
Correct. The free version allows you to read tags created with the pay version of NFC Task Launcher.

You could just create regular NFC tags, such as things that will open up a web page, etc. I guess I could create two tags... one simple one that opens a link to download NFC Task Launcher free... and the SECOND one with my Wifi. :rolleyes:
 
Let me clear some things up :)

1.) What's up with writing NDEF tags in ICS?
The issue with writing tags is ICS related. From 4.0 to 4.0.2 you cannot format a blank tag to NDEF. This is fixed in 4.0.3 (confirmed). Once a tag is formatted for NDEF messages you can write WHATEVER you want on it (as NDEF) as long as the tag is not write locked. Therefore, any tags that you purchase preformated NDEF (with a URL, text, anything) will work with any of the market apps that write NFC tags (as they all leverage the same write library and use NDEF).

Tags from Tagstand or anywhere else that are pre-formatted and not write locked will work fine (most shops do NOT write lock, touchatag does, don't buy those).

2.) Does everyone need to buy the app?
No, there is a free version of NFC Task Launcher for executing only. This was added so that *everyone* didn't need to buy the app to use the programmed tags.

I could add an automatic link to the NDEF Messages so that everyone would see a Smart Poster link if they don't have the app installed, but that's an extra 30 or so bytes that would be added to every tag. For people with Ultralight or Ultralight C tags this represents almost all or a significant portion of available space for programming the tag. As a result I did not do this as I wanted to leave as much space as possible for programming actions (some things like launching an app require quite a few bytes).

Other

I do all development on a Nexus S and a Galaxy Nexus - so no worries about incompatibilities there. I just pushed an update to fix some UI issues (things got too small due to the increased PPI and not using scaling width/heights) on the GN.

If you have any other questions I'll subscribe to this thread, just let me know.
 
krohnjw said:
Let me clear some things up :)

1.) What's up with writing NDEF tags in ICS?
The issue with writing tags is ICS related. From 4.0 to 4.0.2 you cannot format a blank tag to NDEF. This is fixed in 4.0.3 (confirmed). Once a tag is formatted for NDEF messages you can write WHATEVER you want on it (as NDEF) as long as the tag is not write locked. Therefore, any tags that you purchase preformated NDEF (with a URL, text, anything) will work with any of the market apps that write NFC tags (as they all leverage the same write library and use NDEF).

Tags from Tagstand or anywhere else that are pre-formatted and not write locked will work fine (most shops do NOT write lock, touchatag does, don't buy those).

2.) Does everyone need to buy the app?
No, there is a free version of NFC Task Launcher for executing only. This was added so that *everyone* didn't need to buy the app to use the programmed tags.

I could add an automatic link to the NDEF Messages so that everyone would see a Smart Poster link if they don't have the app installed, but that's an extra 30 or so bytes that would be added to every tag. For people with Ultralight or Ultralight C tags this represents almost all or a significant portion of available space for programming the tag. As a result I did not do this as I wanted to leave as much space as possible for programming actions (some things like launching an app require quite a few bytes).

Other

I do all development on a Nexus S and a Galaxy Nexus - so no worries about incompatibilities there. There will be an update rolling out soon that will fix some of the UI issues on the GN.

If you have any other questions I'll subscribe to this thread, just let me know.
Click to expand...
Let me say... You're awesome. I love seeing developers n forums like these. I will be buying the app once I get my tags.
 
Roroco said:
Let me say... You're awesome. I love seeing developers n forums like these. I will be buying the app once I get my tags.
Click to expand...

I just bought the app after getting my tags from tagstand. Want to thank both the developer and tagstand.
 
Just bought Task Launcher and waiting on my tagstand tags.

Thanks for developing this awesome application though!
 
BiggestManEver said:
Dev, can you please post some of the more interesting ideas for nfc tags you've come up with?
Click to expand...

I don't come up with many, most are by others :)

I use:
  • One in a car dock to set up my car profile (Enable BT, Disable Wifi, Start Car Home, set Media volume max)
  • One in my office to disable BT, enable Wifi and connect to my wireless network
  • One on my laptop for quickly configuring and enabling tethering.

Those are really the reason I wrote the app (for personal use initially). Most other features have come as user requests.

Some other uses I've seen are:
  • On a night stand to set ring profiles and alarm
  • Configure wifi network for guests
  • Used to fire configured Tasker tasks (which does a number of things)
  • Used to automatically check in to Latitude / Foursquare
  • Placing an NFC tag on each page of a cook book that contains the time to cook to easily set an alarm for baked / roasted dishes (This change came in 2.18 to make the alarm time a dynamic offset).
  • At an office desk to automatically toggle a work appropriate "work" ring profile and another to toggle back to the not as work appropriate profile
 
Here are some ideas I was thinking of...

Location of RFID Tag: Car Dock
- Turn on Bluetooth (And connect to the Bluetooth in the car automatically if possible).
- Turn on GPS and WiFi (for tracking) too.
- Turn Media through BT all the way up
- Start Music app

Location of RFID Tag: Front door valet
- Turn ringer up
- Turn on Wifi

Location of RFID Tag: Wallet This one could be interesting.
- Unlock phone
- Open Google Wallet when I touch the phone to my pocket.
- Maybe toggle a few settings too.

Location of RFID Tag: Office Desk
- Turn phone ringer and notifications down to minimum.
- Turn on Wifi

Hopefully I can reverse these setting when scanning the phone again... I haven't played with it yet (waiting on the tags), but I am pumped to get trying.

Anyway... Just my first thoughts.
 
Roroco said:
Here are some ideas I was thinking of...

Location of RFID Tag: Car Dock
- Turn on Bluetooth (And connect to the Bluetooth in the car automatically if possible).
- Turn on GPS and WiFi (for tracking) too.
- Turn Media through BT all the way up
- Start Music app

Location of RFID Tag: Front door valet
- Turn ringer up
- Turn on Wifi

Location of RFID Tag: Wallet This one could be interesting.
- Unlock phone
- Open Google Wallet when I touch the phone to my pocket.
- Maybe toggle a few settings too.

Location of RFID Tag: Office Desk
- Turn phone ringer and notifications down to minimum.
- Turn on Wifi

Hopefully I can reverse these setting when scanning the phone again... I haven't played with it yet (waiting on the tags), but I am pumped to get trying.

Anyway... Just my first thoughts.
Click to expand...

Toggling GPS isn't possible :( The API isn't available and the exploit that leverage the power manager widget was fixed in 2.3.x. So that doesn't work anymore. Otherwise that looks OK.

For toggling between two states you can set up a profile. Profiles leverage saved tags (create a Task tag and save it, then add it to a profile). The way it works is that when a profile tag is read it contains Tag A and Tag B to execute. If the last tag read was Tag A then it executes Tag B, otherwise it executes Tag A. So on the first read Tag A is executed, the second Tag B.
 
krohnjw said:
Toggling GPS isn't possible :( The API isn't available and the exploit that leverage the power manager widget was fixed in 2.3.x. So that doesn't work anymore. Otherwise that looks OK.

For toggling between two states you can set up a profile. Profiles leverage saved tags (create a Task tag and save it, then add it to a profile). The way it works is that when a profile tag is read it contains Tag A and Tag B to execute. If the last tag read was Tag A then it executes Tag B, otherwise it executes Tag A. So on the first read Tag A is executed, the second Tag B.
Click to expand...

I wonder why Google hasn't released the GPS toggle API. That is an odd one. Anyway... Thanks for the info. It is still Greek to me, but I catch on quickly. I can't wait to start tinkering.
 
Very cool. I might try this to enable Bluetooth every time I get in the car for podcast listening, then have one at my desk at home and work that shuts it off to conserve a little juice. Etc, etc, etc.
 
krohnjw said:
Let me clear some things up :)

1.) What's up with writing NDEF tags in ICS?
The issue with writing tags is ICS related. From 4.0 to 4.0.2 you cannot format a blank tag to NDEF. This is fixed in 4.0.3 (confirmed). Once a tag is formatted for NDEF messages you can write WHATEVER you want on it (as NDEF) as long as the tag is not write locked. Therefore, any tags that you purchase preformated NDEF (with a URL, text, anything) will work with any of the market apps that write NFC tags (as they all leverage the same write library and use NDEF).

Tags from Tagstand or anywhere else that are pre-formatted and not write locked will work fine (most shops do NOT write lock, touchatag does, don't buy those).

2.) Does everyone need to buy the app?
No, there is a free version of NFC Task Launcher for executing only. This was added so that *everyone* didn't need to buy the app to use the programmed tags.

I could add an automatic link to the NDEF Messages so that everyone would see a Smart Poster link if they don't have the app installed, but that's an extra 30 or so bytes that would be added to every tag. For people with Ultralight or Ultralight C tags this represents almost all or a significant portion of available space for programming the tag. As a result I did not do this as I wanted to leave as much space as possible for programming actions (some things like launching an app require quite a few bytes).

Other

I do all development on a Nexus S and a Galaxy Nexus - so no worries about incompatibilities there. I just pushed an update to fix some UI issues (things got too small due to the increased PPI and not using scaling width/heights) on the GN.

If you have any other questions I'll subscribe to this thread, just let me know.
Click to expand...

Thanks for clearing things up. I'm excited to give this a try. I just have to wait until after the holidays so I have some money again.
 
So...I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I believe the tags I got from tagstand are pre-programmed. If I try to write on in the task launcher software, it doesn't recognize it. So I tried programming a simple text one in the tagstand manager, and if I tap my phone to it, nothing happens still. any ideas?
 
So I had 3 actions assigned, I tried a few times, and then I got an IO error, indicating the size was too large. So it's obviously seeing it. I deleted an action, and now I'm back to getting nothing when I tap. :(

ETA: Down to one action, same error, either too large, the device wasn't in constant contact (it was) or it's not supported. :( Other people are using the tagstand hobbyist kit, right?
 
Sigh. Nevermind. I cannot brain today. Was using the ultralight tag, which is very small, couldnt even fit one action. I recommend NFC tag ino app, very helpful for detmining what size the tag is and all that. :)
 
clb2196 said:
Sigh. Nevermind. I cannot brain today. Was using the ultralight tag, which is very small, couldnt even fit one action. I recommend NFC tag ino app, very helpful for detmining what size the tag is and all that. :)
Click to expand...

Ultralights are very small :) They will work well for toggling interfaces, but for wifi setup or launching packages there just isn't enough space on the tag.
 
krohnjw said:
Ultralights are very small :) They will work well for toggling interfaces, but for wifi setup or launching packages there just isn't enough space on the tag.
Click to expand...


So I have learned :D I got a mix of tag types and didn't know which was which. The tag info app is helpful to see how much space each tag has.

And thanks for looking into the alarm clock pro issue for me, that's the main action I want for my home dock. :)
 
clb2196 said:
So I have learned :D I got a mix of tag types and didn't know which was which. The tag info app is helpful to see how much space each tag has.

And thanks for looking into the alarm clock pro issue for me, that's the main action I want for my home dock. :)
Click to expand...

I found the issue - it's fixed. They just HAD to include caps in their package name.....I'll push the fix in 2.19 (probably after the holiday as I was to clean up a few things before pushing another update).
 
krohnjw said:
I found the issue - it's fixed. They just HAD to include caps in their package name.....I'll push the fix in 2.19 (probably after the holiday as I was to clean up a few things before pushing another update).
Click to expand...

I'll keep an eye out for the update. Thanks!

I've got tags in my car and office now. For this alone I wouldn't trade this phone for anything in the market. I really do hope nfc catches on more here in the US.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom