Write your own NFC tags

NFC is slowly but surely starting to invade products and our surroundings in a bigger way. The technology first started appearing on handsets a couple of years ago but the applications were limited for early adopters. Whilst mobile banking and contactless payment have arguably been the biggest drivers to getting the technology in more products and helped to educate the average consumer, utilising NFC now for personal tasks is by no means difficult.

Many accessories such as wireless speakers, headsets and game controllers are using NFC to make the pairing process much more simple. The connections are actually handled by Bluetooth (and Bluetooth 4.0 compatibility is starting to become standard now – a post for another time), but NFC makes the process of trading the relevant Bluetooth keywords between device and accessory invisible to the user so the pairing appears automatic. This instantaneous sharing of data is really the heart of NFC and its applications – something that, with a little imagination, can be employed to improve your productivity or just to have a little fun!

NFC tags are relatively cheap to buy (especially in bulk) and also reusable, so once you have data on them they can always be rewritten. Clove have for sale a batch of 10 clear sticky tags or 6 hard hanging tags available in different colours. The NFC tag is known as the ‘passive’ part of a pair. It requires no power and so can be left attached to a desk, stuck to the dashboard of your car or even incorporated into a poster or clothing. When an ‘active’ NFC device with power (such as your smartphone) comes into range, then the data on the tag is transferred, which can have an effect on the device, such as changing settings, loading an app or directing to a website. So how do you get data on to a tag?

For personal use there are some useful apps that will allow you to customise your NFC tags – just what you can do depends on your device, permissions for Android differ from Windows Phone for example, but the apps offer an intuitive method to understanding NFC. For Android devices I would recommend NFC TagWriter by NXP, the same company whose NFC tech has been employed by Samsung and Asus in their previous Nexus devices. Windows Phone users may want to check out NFC Tag Writer by Mike Francis, or Nokia’s own Nokia NFC Writer if you have a Lumia device. Those on BB10 can use the BlackBerry/RIM Smart Tags app.

Most apps will allow you to encode basic information into a tag and rewrite it. Some simple tags could:

• Change profiles – a tag on a meeting room door will turn everyone’s phone to silent when swiped across, one on your bedside table enables your personal night time profile.
• Change settings – a tag on your car dash disables Wi-Fi and then enables GPS, Bluetooth and maybe data.
• Make a call – A bit more advanced, how about a personalised physical address address book or desk poster, with a tag under each image or entry. Just tap the phone to the entry to make a call or send a message. Alternatively a preloaded message could be on the tag; you just the have to select a recipient(s).
• Direct a device to a URL – Becoming common in smart advertising, posters and other materials. This could send a user’s device to a website, or maybe to an app download page on the relevant store. Not so interesting for personal use as you can probably bookmark a frequently visited page on your browser, but this is one example of how bulk encoded tags can be put to use.

The above is where permissions can vary. For instance Android allows NFC tags to turn Wi-Fi and other settings on and off directly, however the Windows Phone API will currently only let NFC tags bring up a prompt  for the user to complete the action. The potential is endless, and the combination of NFC with a device’s other features are very powerful, the Bluetooth pairing I mentioned earlier is a great use in new accessories. If you want to use NFC for a business perspective then there are companies that can provide NFC tags in bulk, sometimes pre-loaded with information and ready for use without you having to write them yourself. They can also be supplied cheaply as unobtrusive sticky pads on long rolls. If however you simply want to start learning, then an app like the ones mentioned above and a set of your own hardened reusable tags is a cheap bit of fun!

The post Write your own NFC tags appeared first on Clove Technology’s Blog.

Clove Technology’s Blog – for the latest news, reviews and advice on smartphones, tablets and accessories.