NFC tag success with TecTiles

After first failed NFC experiment I started to look for some more compatible NFC tags. After some quick search on shops (I wanted to get tags quickly and not wait for long time to receive them), I found Samsung TecTiles EAD-X11SWE as the most suitable choice. They are white 25mm x 25mm NFC Tag Stickers sold as accessory for Samsung phones (5 tags cost around 15 Euros). After checking that they were really second generation compatible with my Samsung S4 mini I bough them.

They worked well. Getting started helped to get started.

Samsung TecTile is an app lets you read and write TecTile NFC tags. You can create TecTiles to change settings on your phone, launch applications, update social status, or even make phone calls or send text messages automatically.

The first tests with TecTile app was success. I could get selected application to launch or change phone profile when then touch the tag. I plan to use those tags to for example turn device on Silent when I placed it next to bed and on car hands-free mode when I place the phone on the phone holder in the car. I thinks I use TecTiles app for this instead of some other alternatives like Trigger.

On thing what I wanted to try with NFC tag was making a tag for a business card that opens web browser to ePanorama.net when you touch NFC phone with it. After some testing I could not easily to get TecTile app to do what I wanted. Fortunately there are other software to try. After testing several of them I found that NFC TagWriter by NXP is a very good software to program and read NFC tag contents. With that I could easily make a tag that opens web browser pointing to ePanorama.net.

16 Comments

  1. QR Code when you can’t use NFC « Tomi Engdahl’s ePanorama blog says:

    [...] Tomi Engdahl’s ePanorama blog All about electronics « NFC tag success with TecTiles [...]

    Reply
  2. Tomi Engdahl says:

    7 Misconceptions About NFC Testing
    http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1324887&

    Near-Field Communication is different from other wireless technologies, yet it’s complex and requires production testing.

    Near Field Communication (NFC) technology will soon become a mission-critical enabling technology in the devices and services we use on a daily basis. NFC has already proliferated into public transit systems, letting millions of travelers rapidly gain access to subways, buses, ferries, and planes.

    The following misconceptions are commonly held when it comes to NFC testing.

    Misconception No. 1: NFC is similar to other wireless technologies, such as WiFi and Bluetooth.
    Misconception No. 2: NFC is a low-cost, simple radio. There is no reason to test it.
    Misconception No. 3: Pass/Fail testing using a “Golden Unit” is all you need for NFC. Anything more is overkill and too complicated to implement in manufacturing.
    Misconception No. 4: Pass/Fail with a Golden Unit is the shortest way to test; anything other than pass/fail would decrease my factory throughput.
    Misconception No. 5: Sample testing is fine for NFC devices.
    Misconception No. 6: The NFC standard used in my market is all I need to implement from a test perspective.
    Misconception No. 7: I have decided to test. Now I need to ensure both the NFC digital protocol is working for each unit, as well as the analog.

    Reply
  3. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Brand protection with a bonus: RFID secures assets while increasing customer engagement

    What really sets RFID apart, though, is that RFID can do what no other anti-counterfeiting technology can – create deeper, more meaningful relationships with your customers. RFID is different because it not only protects your brand, it adds value, too.

    - See more at: http://blog.nxp.com/brand-protection-with-a-bonus-rfid-secures-assets-while-increasing-customer-engagement/#sthash.di5OiPU3.dpuf

    Reply
  4. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Download From NFC Datalogger, No App Required
    https://hackaday.com/2021/09/23/download-from-nfc-datalogger-no-app-required/

    The plethora of wireless technologies has made internet-connected devices the norm, but it’s not always necessary if you don’t need real-time updates. Whether it’s due to battery life, or location and range constraints, downloading data directly from the device whenever possible might be a viable solution. [Malcolm Mackay] demonstrates an elegant solution on the open source cuplTag temperature/humidity logger, using any NFC-enabled smartphone, without requiring a custom app.

    https://www.crowdsupply.com/cupl/cupltag

    Reply
  5. Tomi Engdahl says:

    NFC Performance: It’s All In The Antenna
    https://hackaday.com/2021/11/10/nfc-performance-its-all-in-the-antenna/

    NFC tags are a frequent target for experimentation, whether simply by using an app on a mobile phone to interrogate or write to tags, by incorporating them in projects by means of an off-the-shelf module, or by designing a project using them from scratch. Yet they’re not always easy to get right, and can often give disappointing results. This article will attempt to demystify what is probably the most likely avenue for an NFC project to have poor performance, the pickup coil antenna in the reader itself.

    Reply
  6. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Ota hyöty irti puhelimesi ominaisuuksista – Näin hyödynnät NFC-tunnisteita kotona
    NFC-tunnisteiden avulla voi esimerkiksi lähettää automatisoituja viestejä tai helpottaa vieraiden liittymistä kodin langattomaan verkkoon.
    https://www.iltalehti.fi/digiuutiset/a/e363fce5-01cf-42f0-8cac-c6978ce2e371

    NFC-tunnisteita voi käyttää helposti monien pienten asioiden automatisointiin. Tunnisteiden käyttämiseen ei vaadita erityisiä taitoja vaan pelkkä älypuhelimen ja itse tunnisteen omistaminen riittää, Lifehacker kertoo.

    NFC-tunnisteet ovat tarroja joiden sisälle on lisätty near field communication -teknologiaa. NFC-teknologia on monille tuttu esimerkiksi Apple Paysta ja Google Paysta. Teknologian avulla laitteet voivat lähettää viestejä toisilleen lähes välittömästi.

    Aluksi NFC-tunnisteilla ei ole mitään määriteltyä käyttötarkoitusta. Tunnisteet voi kuitenkin säätää tekemään lähes mitä tahansa, mihin Android- tai iPhone-puhelin pystyy.

    Eräs Instagram-sisällöntuottaja esimerkiksi kommunikoi koiran ruokkimisesta kumppaninsa kanssa nfc-tunnisteiden avulla. Aina kun he syöttävät koiraa aamulla he skannaavat tunnisteen, minkä jälkeen puhelin lähettää viestin, jossa kerrotaan, että koiralle on annettu ruokaa.

    Place NFC Tags in Your Home to Automate Daily Routines
    From simple automations to complicated processes, NFCs can streamline your life.
    https://lifehacker.com/place-nfc-tags-in-your-home-to-automate-daily-routines-1850725431

    Everyone likes efficiency: If you can simplify a task, especially a task you need to do multiple times every day, your life becomes that much easier. NFC tags can help you turn these types of repetitive obligations into simple automations, and you don’t need many tech skills to start. In fact, all you actually need is a smartphone and a tag.

    Once you have your tags, it’s time to program! If you have an iPhone, you can use the Shortcuts app to create an automation for your NFC tag. To access the NFC editor, open the app, tap “Automations” at the bottom of the display, choose “Create Personal Automation,” then tap “NFC.” From here, scan your NFC tag, give it a name when it connects, then hit “Next.”

    If you’re on Android, you’ll need a third-party solution to get started, like NFC Tools. Luckily, NFC Tools is basically ready to use once installed, so no priming required.

    At this point, you can absolutely tinker with Shortcuts or NFC Tools yourself to make your NFC tag do whatever you want it to. Simple actions won’t be hard to program, as each app has obvious options for you to use. NFC Tools, for example, has a list of different actions you can choose from, while Shortcuts suggests a handful, and offers the rest from an “Add Action” button. However, for more complicated actions, you’ll probably need to search for a guide, as you can string together intricate and powerful automations that won’t be as obvious to beginners.

    Reply

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