NFC (Near Field Communication) is a great feature that we feel is severely underutilized. If you have a fairly recent Android phone (Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Motorola Moto X, HTC One, etc), chances are it comes with NFC. Currently none of the iPhone models support NFC but it is expected to be available with the iPhone 6. A full list of phones that support NFC can be found here. Surprisingly, there has been very little promotion on the benefits of NFC.
NFC is a short-range, low-powered link that allows transfer of small amounts of data between 2 devices that are placed close together. NFC can be used by e-wallet apps to easily transfer money or make quick electronic payments. It can also be used to make quick setup changes on a smart phone. To do this, we need NFC tags that can be programmed to do all kinds of cool tricks with your phone.
NFC tags are plastic tags with an NFC chip embedded inside. The tags also have an adhesive back so that it can be stuck in places where you need to setup your phone. For example, you can have a tag in your car that is programmed to switch on your phone’s GPS and Bluetooth, turn on the Google Maps app and switch on the driving profile so that incoming messages will be read to you and all voice calls are routed to the car’s audio system via Bluetooth. So each time you get into your car, all you have to do is tap your phone on the NFC tag, and everything is instantly configured.
Another example is to have one in your office. You can set it to switch off mobile data and connect via the office WiFi to save on battery and data. Or you can have another that reduces volume or put the phone to vibrate that you can tap on just before you go for a meeting.
There are tons of uses for the NFC tag in the car, at work, in the living room, in the study, etc. You are not limited to sticking the NFC tag to fixed locations. You can stick it to your keychain or to your wallet for example.
Best of all, NFC tags are fairly cheap. A pack of 10 NFC tags costs less than $20 and they are reusable. If you no longer need a particular tag’s function, you can just reprogram it.
Where to Buy NFC tags 10 Pack plus Keychain
