Help NFC (Near Field Communication) Discussion

[OstrichSaK]

Given that I leave Wifi and BT radios on 24/7, and I get 1% battery drain every 2 hours when phone is on standby, I'd say that whatever battery life required for these radios to stay on is negligible. However, if your personal observations differ, then by all means, shut them off when you know you don't need them. I do this with 3G all the time. And 3G hogs a ton of power, especially if your signal strength is poor.

So with these tags, I assume you need to bring your phone within inches of proximity for the NFC to trigger, correct?

Like I already said....

Without getting into a debate about how much battery is used...

Of course your phone doesn't show much battery use from WiFi in standby since most ROMs disable WiFi in standby. For people like me who use their phone a lot (I carry two full charged batteries to swap out daily) every little bit helps. You're saying that as long as people don't ever use their phone it won't be a big deal. Kind of counter-intuitive to most who bought a phone to use it. Once again, let's not turn this informational thread into a debate of what is already known. I think the most important part of what I said was the last part:

...ANY battery use for something you're not using is unnecessary.

Don't derail this thread with an argument over how much is too much when for those interested in this ANY amount is too much. Especially if they're not using it. Kind of like arguing that leaving your car idle while you go grocery shopping doesn't really use that much gas. To some ANY amount of gas use when you're not actually driving or even using the car is wasteful.

With this item you can easily set your phone to enable or disable with a simple swipe of the phone so if you have it then why wouldn't you want to have it disable or enable options you use or don't use at home? Seems that the battery life saved is a bonus and I'm sure anybody reading this thread would also be interested since there seemingly is no real downside to doing this.

 

[3vodroid]

I got mine here: TagsForDroid.com

Because they have a neat little Android graphic on them

Nice! I thought they would cost alot more.. And thier rewritable.... So cool

 

[xusxmarinesx]

I can't seem to get my NFC working with a Verizon galaxy nexus but works fine with another EVO any ideas

 

[novox77]

So I saw NFC Task Launcher mentioned earlier in the thread for writing to tags. I see a bunch of apps in the Market that can write, but it seems like not all of them can create the ability to automate tasks, which is what makes these tags so powerful to begin with. What's the limitation here? Is it simply a developer oversight with the app? Are there different types of tags? Or does the phone have to support it?

 

[OstrichSaK]

Cool I'm gonna see if I can figure it out... I'll be honest I don't have a complete understanding for how it all works... But I'm learning... Lol

Yeah, I don't even have the phone yet so I can't even attempt it at this point to offer support. If you solve the riddle post back so people like me can hit the ground running once our phones show up.

 

[EarlyMon]

So I saw NFC Task Launcher mentioned earlier in the thread for writing to tags. I see a bunch of apps in the Market that can write, but it seems like not all of them can create the ability to automate tasks, which is what makes these tags so powerful to begin with. What's the limitation here? Is it simply a developer oversight with the app? Are there different types of tags? Or does the phone have to support it?

The tag and the phone simply share a small amount of data, after that, it's up to the appropriate app to take appropriate action.

From the FAQ -

This guy should be able to help with any questions....:thumbup:


https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jwsoft.nfcactionlauncher

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jwsoft.sharenfc

JWK Software - NFC Based Mobile Apps

[APP] 5/9 NFC Task Launcher 3.4.0 - xda-developers

If you're looking for a variety of task-launching apps, I think that the holdup is because this is all in its infancy, relatively speaking.

 

[Rose4uKy]

Ok so you buy the tags and then you have to have NFC task launcher correct? I am getting tags now. And one tag can do two things? Like one for when I leave my house and then when I get home from work a second swipe does something totally different? Dumb question but do you have to take you phone off to use tags and to use the google wallet? And then you keep thay NFC on all the time too correct? I'm splitting the tags with a friend and I think 5 a piece will be fine bedroom, car, leaving house, and work. That's 4 then I'll have an extra one. I think that's all my questions but I am getting them from the same place as you I had the page bookmarked from last week.

Oh and can you use your 10 dollar google wallet to buy apps? IK see NFC is 1.99 but if I can use the ten bucks to buy apps I may try that tasker. Someone said there's a trial on the persons website. But these tags sound cool. And I never have left my GPS on and don't use my NAV that often but I am going to leave it on from now on. Makes it easier. But I always turn off BT and Wifi
But everyone says the tag thing is easier than tasker so I want to try it 1st. But if I have to take my case off everytime to wave the phone I'm not gonna like that I bet.

Here you go
Tags for droid

I purchased a bunch of them and have written a few profiles with NFC Task Launcher and it is real easy and so far very handy IMO.

 

[Rose4uKy]

I downloaded the app to tell you what stores have it and McDonalds have it and I saw where a couple gas stations had it so I may use it for 10 dollars in gas. Was wondering if it had like a number on a credit card for you to put in online like to use for buying apps on your phone. But I guess you only use it to swipe at places with the pay pass. My niece texted me yesterday and said there vending machine at work had it and asked how to get pay pass and then she goes oh never mind I found out it's Sprint Phones only. I thought it was all new Google phones.

What store did you use it in..as my above post states my first attempt at using it failed miserably...lol

I am in my local Starbucks..they do not accept NFC google wallet transactions... I want to try this out so bad. But I can't find anywhere that has this technology in south jersey

 

[Rose4uKy]

Well since under settings at the top you don't actually have an on off gps toggle switch I am leaving mine on. Here lately I can get through my whole day at work without having to plug up my phone so today I'll see if it's the same with it on. I've heard before it doesn't matter if it's on and Wifi and BT I always turn off. My thing was at work whenever I get there I connect to our wifi and I always turned off mobile network/3G and I was told I never have to do that and I didn't know that. I was told it knows I am on wifi so that way when I turn off wifi when i leave work 3G auto connects. So now I leave mobile network on too with wifi but never used too at work or home.

That's too bad if true, although at the same time, I'm not sure why one would need to bother. The GPS function on Android phones is known to not consume any power when not actively being used, so disabling/enabling GPS is a non issue in my view.

I bought tags 10 of them 5 for me and 5 for my friend who bought us Clarivue screen protectors last night. But I was going to test and leave my GPS on and see the difference but the icon at the top didn't have the line going through it and I saw where a short time later my battery had drained more than normal so something was using my GPS so I turned it off. My friend said on facebook how you can check it maybe it's using your GPS he wasn't sure and I don't know but I;m good with turning it on only when I need to navigate somewhere.

 

[novox77]

I bought tags 10 of them 5 for me and 5 for my friend who bought us Clarivue screen protectors last night. But I was going to test and leave my GPS on and see the difference but the icon at the top didn't have the line going through it and I saw where a short time later my battery had drained more than normal so something was using my GPS so I turned it off. My friend said on facebook how you can check it maybe it's using your GPS he wasn't sure and I don't know but I;m good with turning it on only when I need to navigate somewhere.

Your GPS radio is only being used if you see the radar icon in your status bar. If it's blinking, it's still trying to trilaterate your position. If it's solid, there's a lock and your GPS is engaged. If you only see a compass-like icon in your status bar, that means that GPS is enabled, but the radio is on standby and not using any power.

I have left my GPS on 24/7 with my OG Evo and 3vo. I use my GPS almost daily to track my runs. I am very familiar with the draw on battery. There is absolutely no drain until the GPS is trying to lock on to satellites.

Here is my current status bar:

Note the compass icon and the radar icon. Only when you see the presence of a radar icon is the GPS radio using power. Otherwise, it's on standby, and may draw a negligible amount of power, nothing you could observe under the noise of other things drawing power.

 

[Rose4uKy]

My friends phone when he goes to NFC it shows on and checked but he can't turn it off. When he touches it and tries to turn it off the words are kind of grayed out and the check mark is lighter green instead of as dark. And his Android Beam doesn't even come on at all. He thinks he may have messed with a setting but he's not sure. Mine lets me turn it off and on and my android beam opens. Just wondering if anyone knows what's causing this.

 

[CYNICALifornia]

I made an instructable on how I'm using NFC tage to automate my phone. Check it out:

Easy Phone Automation with NFC Tags

 

[Rxpert83]

I was just thinking about this today and couldn't remember for the life of me what they were called :smokingsomb:

 

[dr g]

Gonna put another one in my house for guests to access my wifi without me having to give them the password.

Is it actually possible to do this? I thought the action triggered by the tag is entirely on the device side, therefore you need to program the device with the password anyway.

 

[CYNICALifornia]

Is it actually possible to do this? I thought the action triggered by the tag is entirely on the device side, therefore you need to program the device with the password anyway.

Yes. check out the instructable I made on it.

My coming home/leaving home tag provides the wifi name and pass to whoever taps it.

Easy Phone Automation with NFC Tags

 

[dr g]

Yes. check out the instructable I made on it.

My coming home/leaving home tag provides the wifi name and pass to whoever taps it.

Easy Phone Automation with NFC Tags

Unless I'm missing something, that instructable doesn't say anything about the wifi password.

 

[OstrichSaK]

I've been using an AWAY tag and a HOME tag by the garage door for a while now on both my wife's phone and mine and it's been great. One thing to note is that you need the $1.99 app on EVERY phone that wishes to use these. Something I didn't think of before I attempted to make them work. To make this take off in popularity they need to make the app $1.99 for the ability to write tags and free for the ability to read them. I think this would a LONG way in getting everyone onboard with the NFC bandwagon and those who might not know/care about this that have a phone might be wow'd into buying the full version later. Scenario: someone comes over to my house and wants to get on WiFi with their phone. I ask what phone they use and what do you know... it's a phone with NFC and they had no idea what that was. Now, if I tell them they need to pay $2 to use my WiFi they're less likely to install it and more likely to make me come off of a password for them to manually enter. Instead if it were free to use I could have them install the app and them swipe a tag and now that they've seen it first-hand they're interested in having the same thing at their house and will likely order their own tags and pay the $1.99 for the app to do so. I just think the business model for this app is backwards and they would make much more money in the long run trying to gain popularity rather than nickle and diming anyone they can rather than draw those in who wouldn't otherwise know/care about this whole NFC craze. Just my 7 cents... adjusted for inflation.

 

[CYNICALifornia]

Unless I'm missing something, that instructable doesn't say anything about the wifi password.

The Tag: I wrote this tag as a switch tag so it will swap between the two states. They are:
Coming Home- Turn on wifi, connect to 'Dr.Strangelove' (My home network) and provide the network key (if you don't already have it), turn off vibration
Leaving Home- Turn off wifi, turn on vibration

I guess I called it the network key instead of wifi password. Sorry.

And OstrichSak, I see where you are coming from. Have you considered emailing your opinion to the folks that make the app? They may be receptive.

 

[OstrichSaK]

And OstrichSak, I see where you are coming from. Have you considered emailing your opinion to the folks that make the app? They may be receptive.

Good idea. Forwarded to the app developer.

 

[dr g]

The Tag: I wrote this tag as a switch tag so it will swap between the two states. They are:
Coming Home- Turn on wifi, connect to 'Dr.Strangelove' (My home network) and provide the network key (if you don't already have it), turn off vibration
Leaving Home- Turn off wifi, turn on vibration

I guess I called it the network key instead of wifi password. Sorry.

And OstrichSak, I see where you are coming from. Have you considered emailing your opinion to the folks that make the app? They may be receptive.

Hm. I must have read over that. I didn't see it in the screencaps, pretty cool that you can do that! So if I understand correctly, this is a totally different paradigm from Tectiles, which just have an ID code on them which you locally create actions in response to?

 

[Rose4uKy]

I still can't wait to try this. I have to buy the app and then I bought some tags from Android tags for me and him to try and we want to do it together and just haven't yet. But the 1.99 app is the one to use with the tags right. And tags have memory is that it so they can only do so many things? I got like 10 tags I think for 15 bucks so I figured 5 would be enough. Gonna try it here soon!

 

[CYNICALifornia]

Hm. I must have read over that. I didn't see it in the screencaps, pretty cool that you can do that! So if I understand correctly, this is a totally different paradigm from Tectiles, which just have an ID code on them which you locally create actions in response to?

I'm not super keen on how the tectiles work, but if I understand you right, then yes. The task is encoded on the tag so that anyone with the NFC Task Launcher app can read and use then. For example, I wrote all the tags in the house with my phone, but my wife can utilize them because she has the app.

I still can't wait to try this. I have to buy the app and then I bought some tags from Android tags for me and him to try and we want to do it together and just haven't yet. But the 1.99 app is the one to use with the tags right. And tags have memory is that it so they can only do so many things? I got like 10 tags I think for 15 bucks so I figured 5 would be enough. Gonna try it here soon!

Yes, the tags only have so much memory. That's why I bought from tagstand, because they listed the memory for each tag.

Regardless, you are gong to love these things. They are much more than a gimmick and have true functionality.

 

[Rose4uKy]

Well I'll be trying it in the next day or to these tags are so small and mine have a little android on them. Is it a sticker so I stick it to the wall or the dash of my car? And your case doesn't have to be off to swipe it over the tag does it? If so I won't use them much. I just wanted to try it cause it seems cool and fun and I'm sure we will really like them. Waiting on a day me and him can get together and try them hopefully this week.

Yes, the tags only have so much memory. That's why I bought from tagstand, because they listed the memory for each tag.

Regardless, you are gong to love these things. They are much more than a gimmick and have true functionality.

 

[OstrichSaK]

I'm trying to create one of these for my bedside and having a bit of a problem doing a couple things that I'm trying to do.

First off, is there a way to make the tag a toggle of all adjustments? In other words, I want it to silence the ringtone & notification tone and turn vibrate off amongst other things and then enable them again in the morning with another swype of the same tag. I thought I read somewhere how you could do this but I'm not seeing the option(s) in NFC Launcher now.

Also, I'm having a difficult time getting it to launch the alarm clock app. I can have it launch the clock but then it takes a few more steps to get the alarm clock armed. Using an older version of the Clock that comes with previous versions of Android and Launcher Pro I can create a shortcut on my homescreen that takes me right into the alarm with a single press. Using this knowledge I select 'launch app' from within NFC Launcher and tell it the app is 'Clock' and then under that is a field for what within the app you specifically want to launch. I've tried 'Add alarm' which is the exact verbiage of that screen and nothing happens. I've even tried the text of the option I select from the homepage shortcut I created which is 'com.android.alarmclock.AlarmClock' and that also does nothing. I know the possibility is there but I can't seem to get it to work.

Lastly, if I'm unable to get the alarm clock launch to work as described in the previous paragraph another option would be the 'Alarms' section within NFC Launcher and then the timer one where I can set an alarm for 8hrs from whenever I scan the tag. This would be perfect but nothing I do disables the vibrate and I HATE the vibrate going off with my alarm because it's so loud and startling. I prefer a quiet audible alarm sound since I'm such a light sleeper. A phone rattling loudly on my nightstand jolts me into fight or flight mode... not a great way to start your day. :smokingsomb:

 

[CYNICALifornia]

Well I'll be trying it in the next day or to these tags are so small and mine have a little android on them. Is it a sticker so I stick it to the wall or the dash of my car? And your case doesn't have to be off to swipe it over the tag does it? If so I won't use them much. I just wanted to try it cause it seems cool and fun and I'm sure we will really like them. Waiting on a day me and him can get together and try them hopefully this week.

They are a sticker, but you can hide them. I put one inside a light switch plate, for example.

I have the case ($10 on Amazon) and my phone reads the tags just fine.

If you scroll up there is a link to an instructable I made that shows how I am using then.