I’ve been using NFC tags now for quite a while, equipped with trigger apps on the Samsung Note 3, and you have got a preset tap to activate a specific function or set of commands on your smartphone (Android – as Iphones don’t have built in NFC).
Kamor Tags (Image Courtesy of Amazon.com)
Whats nice about them is that you can buy NFC tags quite cheaply 8-10 USD and download programs such as “Trigger” which is able to write the commands or a set procedure list which can be run in the sequence that you program and then you are able to write a trigger to that small set of commands to a tag, therefore whenever you touch your phone to a NFC tag a set of commands occur.
E.g. My Going to Sleep settings :
Disabling the Bluetooth
Setting phone to Silent (without Vibrate)
Set Alarm Volume to 10
Setting Alarm Clock to 6:00 AM
[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7u1KCVah94Y/U_JMpzLgXMI/AAAAAAAAAq8/luIXXCSwS0o/s144-c-o/Screenshot_2014-08-18-21-56-01.png” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/107844231833704699910/MixedPosts#6048981530508811458″ caption=”GoingToSleep_TriggerApp” type=”image” alt=”Screenshot_2014-08-18-21-56-01.png” pe2_img_align=”center” ]
Then If I tapped it again in the morning :
Setting Ringer profile to normal
Set the Ringer volume to 15
Launch Whatsapp
Launch Gmail
Enable Bluetooth
[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HoTZrQlNuis/U_JM9CaHvII/AAAAAAAAArE/OmhabnReeJY/s144-c-o/Screenshot_2014-08-18-21-58-36.png” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/107844231833704699910/MixedPosts#6048981861014158466″ caption=”Trigger App” type=”image” alt=”Screenshot_2014-08-18-21-58-36.png” pe2_img_align=”center” ]
Setting the commands is as simple as you see in the above screen shot, the choices are endless. How many times have you wanted to photograph something but it took you a while to start the camera because you were in an app and your driving at the same time, now you can simply create a NFC tag to start the camera and then close the camera when you touch it again or start twitter or instagram or whatsapp. The uses are endless. Tell me what you would like to use NFC tags for and if you would like me to try a specific scenario to see if it works! ?
NB: If you want to purchase NFC tags make sure they are compatible with your handset as not all of them will work with all phones!
Here is the link to the NFC tags I purchased that work with the note 3 :
Here is the link to “Trigger” app, that is responsible for utilizing the NFC tags to run specific preset commands you set in the application.