Easy Phone Automation with NFC Tags

More and more smart phones are coming out with NFC capability. But what does that mean for you? A few things: the ability to send data over a very small distance to another phone, the ability to use your phone as a wallet, and the ability to read and write NFC 'tags'.

NFC stands for 'Near Field Communication' and is more or less an RFID (think of the anti-theft tags on clothing) that can engage in two way communication. Some neat things about NFC is that the tags are unpowered and don't have to make contact with the reader to work (though they must be very close).

This instructable will show some ways I've made my mobile life simpler by using NFC tags to automate some functions on my phone. My hope is that you will find them useful or that you will come up with your own ideas. Cool factor aside NFC tags can be very useful and practical.

Sorry apple fanboys, the NFC party is Android only for now. I'd bet money you'll see it in the iPhone 5 though.

Step 1: What You'll Need

Getting started with NFC tags for phone automation is easy and pretty cheap.

You will need:

• An phone with NFC functionality
• The NFC Task Launcher app for Android ($1.99)
• Some NFC tags- I got mine from TagStand*
• A little creativity

*There are a few different type of NFC tags. To be on the safe side get NDEF preformatted tags, unless you know your phone works with unformatted tags. Also, type 2 tags will work with future iterations of NFC, so consider those. Finally, check the capacity of the tags. Simple tasks require little memory, but swtich tags with multiple tasks can require a more than the 48 bytes available on some tags.

Comments

[thehumble1]

I know that Samsung uses the same NFC standard for most operations but does use pee peer to peer WiFi instead if Bluetooth for their beam function.

I have a nexus 4 and am going to get a pack of tokens and am looking around for ideas. These look nice as does a swap in my daughters' room so I can drop the brightness when putting them to bed.

I also saw a case with NFC that switches it either to vibe or loud. I'll keep looking because I'm sure there are a few more brilliant ones out there. Thanks again.

[thault]

Lol so where's the money because the iPhone 5 didn't have NFC. It didn't have much at all really. Now I'm rolling the galaxy s3 so I can use these tags : D

[phillycodehound]

I was very big on QR Codes but I think I've fallen for NFC tags now. I think there is a time and place for both though.

Thanks so much for the tutorial.

[CandyLV]

Extremely Useful! Thanks a lot!

[ecks51]

Two things:

1) Why the petty 'fanboys' jab?

2) NFC will not be included in any iOS device.

[CYNICALifornia]

1) It was meant to be playful, not pretty. If you see malice in the comment there's not much I can do for you.

2) I'm sorry to hear that, if it is true. Where did you get that info?

[ecks51]

1) I don't think 'Fanboy' was ever a term meant to be used as a joke. A difference of opinions.

2) Until recently there had been no indication that Apple had much interest in it, but rumors have picked up about prototype iOS devices sporting NFC. No telling if it'll make it into the next gen. iPhone. If it does I just hope there's an easy way to disable it.

[amason9]

Newer Blackberries come with NFC - that said they're likely to go bankrupt soon so that might not matter.

[CYNICALifornia]

BB definitely had their day. Truth be told, I helped my inlaws make the jump from their BB's to the Evo LTE.

[DreamingSheep]

BB's aren't doing all that bad, youth culture is starting to be a huge market for them because of BB messenger being free. No, I'm certanly an Android fan and got a few of my fam to switch from BB & Apple so far.

P.S. Thanks for the ideas, I'm tempted to use two tags for on/off functions (if it's possible) in case I forget what my phone's set to (very likely to happen). So have one outside my bedroom to turn on silent as I walk in and one as I exit to turn up the volume..

[CYNICALifornia]

It's totally possible. I'm just keen on efficiency and try to use a few tags as possible.

[ethan1701]

Looks like samsung are offering exactly this on the new S3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8Pbhgl-_LmA
Glad to see it can easily be done with any NFC enabled phone!

[CYNICALifornia]

Yeah, when I heard about Sammy's brand new TechTiles it made me giggle just a little, since I had already put this up.

I know their 'tiles' are nothing more than branded NFC tags, but I am curious if their app plays nice with NFC Task Launcher.

[dkelley1]

My phone is NFC challenged. :-( However I have been able to accomplish this using 'Locale' for Android http://www.twofortyfouram.com/ Also perfect app for times when you aren't near tags.

[Marno1]

What kind of e-reader do you have ?

[CYNICALifornia]

Kindle Touch. Currently reading: http://www.engineerguy.com/elements/index.htm

[angieb1008]

This is very cool but I can do all these things on my Droid Bionic phone with Llama. My husband and daughter got their phones after me so theirs has a trigger program already built in to do all the things you are are doing with the tags.

[CYNICALifornia]

Llama looks very cool. I especially like that it doesn't suck down power using GPS.

For my purposes I think the NFC tags are better suited, but it is neat to see all the different solutions developers have come up with so solve the problems we face.

[laekrits]

great stuff! new and interesting ways to get our eyes off the screens and back up into our surroundings.. especially during transitions, when we should have other things on our minds (o:

[jeffeb3]

Glympse is a great program that sends your location to someone for a set amount of time (like 45 mins). I use it to let my wife know where I am on my commute.

[CYNICALifornia]

I've heard of it but haven't tried it out yet. Thanks for the tip.

[rimar2000]

This is very a useful info, thanks for sharing.