Android's NFC support is kinda lame

[Kanalua]

we use NFC tags at church for automatic transfer of the wifi ssid and WAP2 password. It works great. The tag is on a wall in one of the offices, not in a public area.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Sharing pics is neat, but there are easier ways to do that (that also don't require you to be next to the person you want to share it with).

NFC has much better uses anyway, and most of them use cheap programmable NFC tags: http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39...ive-ways-to-use-nfc-with-your-android-device/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VSOPD8VP_Q

That cnet link isn't working for me. Here's the google cache:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...our-android-device/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Interesting stuff. I could definitely see some good use for programming functions, like a "car mode", "work mode", "sleep mode", etc...

 

[dagamer34]

So essentially NFC tags are for a small minority. Sharing is maybe ok, but payments, the biggest thing has been a flop due to horrible implementation.

So what does this mean about NFC? That it's been a fail overall.

NFC has been around in a product for about two years. I think people forget how long it took for Bluetooth to really take off.

The product timelines for NFC chips means that in the beginning, an phone OEM needs to stick in discrete chips for support, costing more money, with few use cases. Over time (as in years), the tech gets integrated into combo chips such that you basically get the feature "for free".

The hardware is great and works fine, but software needs work. Like I said in the post before, NFC != mobile payments and mobile payments != NFC. Similarly, 3G wireless technology has been around since 2003, but was mostly useless until the iPhone came around because no one wanted to browse the web using WAP pages on a BlackBerry.

 

[rumpleforeskin]

3G wireless technology has been around since 2003, but was mostly useless until the iPhone came around because no one wanted to browse the web using WAP pages on a BlackBerry.

the iPhone had 3G?

 

[AznAnarchy99]

the iPhone had 3G?

The original iPhone did not have 3G. It was actually behind in implementing that but the networks themselves couldnt handle it yet anyways. NFC has worked for me with google wallet but except for the first time "cool" factor, its much slower than credit cards and I dont get the rewards from the credit cards that it gives. It was basically a debt card.

I tried sending a picture from a GN to a GS3 once and it failed. Meh.

 

[gorcorps]

I keep meaning to buy some of those programmable tags that will work with my phone. My schedule is all over the place so it's hard to set up profiles in tasker, and a little tag that sets my profile at work and in my car would be a nice (if small) convenience. Reading that cnet link it looks like there's even NFC door locks now. I could then tear open my smartkey from my Nissan and integrate the internals into my phone case, then I'd never need keys again! You know... until the battery died on my phone, or the door lock.

 

[jhansman]

Smartphone NFC is still in its infancy, which is why its mostly a gimmick or just crap.

This. Looks sexy cute on the commercials, but in reality...

 

[Atomic Playboy]

My fiancee and I got GS3s in the summer. We've used the "S-Beam" NFC functionality a couple times to share photos, and it's cumbersome and doesn't register half the time. It's a gimmicky feature at best, but if it can be expanded to allow for easy "swipe-to-pay" functionality, I could see the appeal. But I don't see that happening in the next couple years, during which time, newer and better phones with better technology will come out. So at this point, it's essentially useless.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I've used Google Wallet to buy things but it's definitely not more convenient than using your card.

The NFC is simply used for pairing the bluetooth on those accessories.

The problem the op has is that the program the GS3 uses to transfer stuff is only for other GS3 phones.

Some people keep their ID separate from their CCs so I can see someone just bringing their ID and their phone.

I've used Google Wallet, it works at a ton of places near me. It's cool because you can redeem coupons in the wallet app, load your rewards cards and your debit card. Then you can redeem a coupon, collect your reward points and pay all by just holding your phone up to the pad. Chase will also issue rewards if you register one of their on your Google Account cards use Google Wallet.

 

[Zaap]

Just ordered some NFC tags. I didn't realize before how easy they are to create using the phone itself. Can't wait to mess around with them, make a few for my car, office and home. Instead of just dismiss something as useless that I've never used, may as well try it for myself.

 

[ultimatebob]

This. Looks sexy cute on the commercials, but in reality...

Yeah... that shit in the commercials would NEVER happen in real life. Hell... NFC and S Share are disabled by default on the Galaxy S3 to save battery life... and most people probably don't even know how to enable it. With the time that it takes to find the NFC options in the settings menu, they could easily e-mail that picture over a 4G connection.

 

[sjwaste]

Really? I bought some tags and I use it to change profiles. I have tags in the car, at work, downstairs and in the bedroom. I use NFC Task Launcher to write a profile to the tag and change the profile when it gets read. Just that alone is convenient.

 

[ultimatebob]

Really? I bought some tags and I use it to change profiles. I have tags in the car, at work, downstairs and in the bedroom. I use NFC Task Launcher to write a profile to the tag and change the profile when it gets read. Just that alone is convenient.

I meant the whole "sharing pictures with your Galaxy S3 using friend by putting them back to back" thing.

 

[s44]

In NYC there are a *lot* of opportunities to use Google Wallet (every taxi and most big drugstores and supermarkets). Sometimes when I'm asked about it I feel like I'm in an unreleased Samsung ad (though I have the Nexus, not the S3).

 

[Zaap]

Really? I bought some tags and I use it to change profiles. I have tags in the car, at work, downstairs and in the bedroom. I use NFC Task Launcher to write a profile to the tag and change the profile when it gets read. Just that alone is convenient.

Same here. It's great sticking one behind the dock in my car (it still reads through it) and now when I mount the phone there car mode is launched automatically. I set it up with NFC Task Launcher as a switch so that a tap on exit and it switches back.

Now have tags in my office and all over my house for various actions. Set up a tag near the front door that grants temp wifi access to visitors.

Anyone saying this isn't useful tech is either ignorant, or is playing the usual exaggeration game. (Because I have no use for one aspect of something, I'll just float that the entire tech isn't useful.)

 

[Silenus]

I just got two Galaxy Nexus for my wife and I. I have found the NFC android beam ability to be actually useful in real life. It's funny because things that are "cool" are so often just impractical or not that useful. But in this case between the two of us I've found that we use it here and there. For example:
1) My wife was missing a contact and needed to call someone right away. Literally faster than even reading the number to her...I pull up the contact touch my phone to hers and tap...she has the complete contact in her phone in a second.
2) I took a quick snapshot of my son. She says that a cute pic and wants it as her wallpaper. Text, email, G+ ? No, just hold up the phones up and beam it over.

I am looking for opportunities to use Google Wallet now. Going into NYC so I'll look out for where to use it!

 

[Raduque]

Really? I bought some tags and I use it to change profiles. I have tags in the car, at work, downstairs and in the bedroom. I use NFC Task Launcher to write a profile to the tag and change the profile when it gets read. Just that alone is convenient.

Same here. It's great sticking one behind the dock in my car (it still reads through it) and now when I mount the phone there car mode is launched automatically. I set it up with NFC Task Launcher as a switch so that a tap on exit and it switches back.

Now have tags in my office and all over my house for various actions. Set up a tag near the front door that grants temp wifi access to visitors.

Anyone saying this isn't useful tech is either ignorant, or is playing the usual exaggeration game. (Because I have no use for one aspect of something, I'll just float that the entire tech isn't useful.)

I won't say it's not useful, I just don't have any uses for it. I don't need or use profiles, I don't use car dock mode, and using my wifi isn't something that's on my guests mind when they come over.

For me, NFC is superfluous at best. No amount of "tags, profiles, apps!" talk is going to change that.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Anyone saying this isn't useful tech is either ignorant, or is playing the usual exaggeration game. (Because I have no use for one aspect of something, I'll just float that the entire tech isn't useful.)

Quite hypocritical considering what you said about the auto rotation issue on the Note 2.

 

[gorcorps]

Thought I'd bump this thread instead of creating a new one.

I bought a small pack of NFC chips to try on my galaxy s2. Once I found my OEM battery pack, I got it working. Apparently none of the 3rd party extended batteries I had support NFC which in itself is annoying, but anyway... Now that I have it set up it's pretty slick. In my car I have one that turns on bluetooth, disables wifi, and sets volume to max. On my bedside I have one that turns everything on silent except the alarm, sets an alarm for a specific time, and turns off wifi & sync. My work desk has one that turns on vibrate, turns off wifi (no public wifi here), turns off sync and enables juice defender (signal sucks and my battery is drained by the poor signal).

Works well. From what I read more of the 3rd party batteries are NFC enabled on the Galaxy S3, so if I get one that go smoother.

 

[sjwaste]

Thought I'd bump this thread instead of creating a new one.

I bought a small pack of NFC chips to try on my galaxy s2. Once I found my OEM battery pack, I got it working. Apparently none of the 3rd party extended batteries I had support NFC which in itself is annoying, but anyway... Now that I have it set up it's pretty slick. In my car I have one that turns on bluetooth, disables wifi, and sets volume to max. On my bedside I have one that turns everything on silent except the alarm, sets an alarm for a specific time, and turns off wifi & sync. My work desk has one that turns on vibrate, turns off wifi (no public wifi here), turns off sync and enables juice defender (signal sucks and my battery is drained by the poor signal).

Works well. From what I read more of the 3rd party batteries are NFC enabled on the Galaxy S3, so if I get one that go smoother.

That's because the SGS2 in the US (assuming i777) didn't ship with NFC as an official feature. I think it only got enabled through 3rd party efforts. So the aftermarket batteries didn't spend the extra cent to support it like the OEM one did. The SGS3 does support it officially.

At least, if I'm recalling all of that correctly.

 

[dagamer34]

I think NFC will be more widespread when it's included in wireless combo chips like this one from Broadcom: http://www.anandtech.com/show/6513/broadcoms-preces-sneak-peek-bcm-43341-nfc-combo-chip-and-more

Much like a lot of new wireless technologies (Bluetooth, WiFi, 3G, 4G, LTE, GPS, etc..) it's going to take a while before it actually becomes useful to everyone. Heck, there are still new car models that don't even have bluetooth built-in (which I find ludicrous).

 

[Red Storm]

It's a convenience that I do appreciate when the opportunity arises. I've used it more to share apps (take them directly to the market page), videos, webpages, and the odd photo.

 

[CVSiN]

works great here.. whole office has GS3s beam stuff left and right.
and NFC payment machines are everywhere almost all the grocery and drug and fast food places have capable machines.

 

[gorcorps]

works great here.. whole office has GS3s beam stuff left and right.
and NFC payment machines are everywhere almost all the grocery and drug and fast food places have capable machines.

They definitely don't around here :\

Too bad too. Of course Google Wallet doesn't even support my device so it wouldn't matter.

 

[ockky]

I love using GW on my Verizon Nexus. Being able to hike around town and not needing to bring my wallet (which consists of 1cc and my ID rubberbanded together) makes my life much better (i hate carrying things. Ex. i have 2 keys on my keychain)

Thank god for rooting and Google making it easy to by pass Verizon's dumbassry.