NFC usage

[JasonC]

Has anybody made use of the NFC capabilities yet with the OX? if so how is it working?

 

[JasonC]

Ok I guess no one has tried this yet! Well I've ordered some Sony Smart Tags which I should get next week hopefully so, I'll let you know how well they work

 

[NikkiC]

Has anybody made use of the NFC capabilities yet with the OX? if so how is it working?

Can i be really honest here by saying......I have no idea what you are talking about!! lol

Can you enlighten me some? (this is my first android so still have lots to learn!)

 

[JasonC]

I'm sure someone can reply with a more technical answer but basically, the One X has a little chip inside called NFC (Near Field Communications), which can transmit and receive data (a bit like Bluetooth) but with a very short range (Centimetres). You can use this chip to read other items that have this chip inside, such as other phones, you can then transmit data between these 2 items wirelessly by holding them next to each other.

SmartTags by Sony are basically customisable chips which you can program to say start a certain app or setting so, if you want to turn wifi off as you leave the house you could just touch your phone against the tag and wifi will be turned off, this is a simple case scenario but apparently you can make them turn multiple apps/settings on/off all at the same time.

 

[craftycarper]

I tried to "Android Beam" a file to a friend yesterday, we both had NFC turned on, and when he selected the file (mp3), and chose the share option, he gets an option to send via NFC, however if i do the exact same thing on my phone i don't get the option to send via NFC?
Do you have to select the send via NFC option, or do you just hold both phones together and it will automatically send

 

[JasonC]

I haven't used it all myself yet but, looking in the settings you need to make sure it is turned on because it isn't on by default. It then tells you that by holding the 2 devices next to each other the App you are using will determine what gets beamed.

 

[crookloq]

where do you get smart tags from, i really like the sound of this NFC stuff, and are they easy to set up?

 

[JasonC]

I ordered Sony ones from expansys.co.uk

 

[gibbs1984]

How do you know what shops use it for payments etc?

I haven't used it yet because none of my friends have a phone with NFC, although my mum has the One X too so I'll try it with hers.

 

[JasonC]

How do you know what shops use it for payments etc?

I haven't used it yet because none of my friends have a phone with NFC, although my mum has the One X too so I'll try it with hers.

I'm not sure about using it for payments, I think you need Google wallet for that. I've used my bank card with the wireless method though and it's pretty cool

 

[craftycarper]

I tried to "Android Beam" a file to a friend yesterday, we both had NFC turned on, and when he selected the file (mp3), and chose the share option, he gets an option to send via NFC, however if i do the exact same thing on my phone i don't get the option to send via NFC?
Do you have to select the send via NFC option, or do you just hold both phones together and it will automatically send

Well, for some reason or another mine has now decided to start showing the "NFC Tapping" via share options on files i choose to send, although it then says it needs bluetooth turned on to send via NFC.

I thought this was a new way of sending files between phones, not just bog standard bluetooth!.......

And if i was to just Bluetooth the file i could sit anywhere in close proximity to the recieving phone, but to "beam" it, the phones literally have to be touching

FAIL.

 

[El Presidente]

Well, for some reason or another mine has now decided to start showing the "NFC Tapping" via share options on files i choose to send, although it then says it needs bluetooth turned on to send via NFC.

I thought this was a new way of sending files between phones, not just bog standard bluetooth!.......

And if i was to just Bluetooth the file i could sit anywhere in close proximity to the recieving phone, but to "beam" it, the phones literally have to be touching

FAIL.

NFC = Near Field Communications, which is why you have to be close

For sending files between phones etc, bluetooth is definitely the better option.

When they announced NFC one of the things they said you could do with it was walk past a movie poster, swipe your phone over a certain part of it and it would show you the trailer. So until I see gimmicky stuff like that being commonplace, NFC is pretty pointless to me.

 

[craftycarper]

NFC = Near Field Communications, which is why you have to be close

Aye, i get that bit.

NFC is pretty pointless to me.

Totally agree with you on that bit pal.

 

[s.m.knipe]

Well, for some reason or another mine has now decided to start showing the "NFC Tapping" via share options on files i choose to send, although it then says it needs bluetooth turned on to send via NFC.

I thought this was a new way of sending files between phones, not just bog standard bluetooth!.......

And if i was to just Bluetooth the file i could sit anywhere in close proximity to the recieving phone, but to "beam" it, the phones literally have to be touching

FAIL.

Nfc sends tiny data packets (think of it like say, twitter that has a size limit on postings; to post longer content -files bigger than say, 512kb- you share a link that is instructions to get to an article or posting, in this case the Bluetooth transfer protocol to handle the larger file), initiating the transfer, and if larger than a URL link (ie sharing an app either opens the app or shares the link to it in the Play Store, but sharing music or photos needs Bluetooth), it sends instructions for the transfer to initiate.

The reason, in short, is that nfc is limited to small packets of data because the transmitting device is powering the antennae for both the transmitter and "receiver" (usually your device). That is how the tags do not need batteries and how the technology was designed. Google simply found another creative use for it with Android Beam

 

[JasonC]

Here's a quick Vid of Android Beam - How To Use Android Beam (NFC) - YouTube

As mentioned above, it's not used for sending files by the looks of it so, it will use Bluetooth in those situations, it looks a very good way of sending other basic info though like web pages etc as shown in that video.

I wouldn't say NFC is pointless, it has it's own uses, and being able to change multiple settings on your phone with NFC tags sounds a brilliant use of it to me. Widgets are good for turning BT, Wifi on/off etc but the tags should make doing this even easier.

 

[JasonC]

Oh and here's a quick vid of how the tags work - Xperia Smart Tags - YouTube

 

[JasonC]

I got my Xperia SmartTags yesterday and they work really well, much better than I thought they would My only criticism would be that you have to unlock the phone before they work, but it's still a lot easier than switching on/off the items individually. Oh also, they are like keyrings but, the little hole that is meant to go on the ring is a little small and it won't go on my any of my keyrings, this would have been useful so that I could carry the tags around with me if needed.

You get 4 in a pack and they are named Bedroom, Home, Car and Office out of the box, but you can rename them using the Sony SmartTag app. The Sony app works pretty well but there are other apps you can use to program the tags, although when using one of these I did manage to wipe one of my tags stopping it working with the SmartTags app luckily this other app stored the history of the tags you scan which then also lets you restore the tag, I did this and all was fine again