Anyone using NFC dots/tags/skip with their new X? Does it work with phone off and locked?

[sholzer]

I am new to NFC coming from my Razr Maxx (non HD). So far I've been really enjoying the Moto X, but if I could take advantage of NFC to quickly unlock it would make my life a lot easier. During the day I wear my phone in a holster/shell combo deal so my phone is protected but I can easily access it. I would LOVE to know the following:

A - If I put an NFC tag/stick inside the holster would it unlock it when I slid it out even though the phone screen was off? I'm on exchange and my phone locks quickly. Any ideas? I also read some people having a "trusted BT source" but A, I don't want to leave BT on all day at work and drain my battery and B, then I'm in the position where I am charging another device often which I don't want to do.

B - will NFC tags work with the plastic shell I have on my phone or do they have to be touched to the back side real close?

I saw this kickstarter for an NFC ring which seemed cool but I don't believe its out yet and its not terribly stylish . In their demo and a few others I keep seeing them hit the power button so I am not terribly optimistic.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Travisimo]

I'm having mixed results with the NFC tag and stickers. Like noted in many of the reviews, the unlocking process is somewhat finicky. If the screen is already on, it works almost always with issue. It's when the screen is off that is sometimes just does not want to unlock when touching a tag or sticker. So sometimes you have to turn on the screen first and then touch your NFC, which is almost as time-consuming as putting in your pin and/or pattern. As for attaching the tag to a holster, it might work but again I am skeptical because you really need to touch it in a particular spot for it to work - I don't think it would be as easy as you imagine by just sliding it up against it as you remove it from a holster. I'm going to try the tag tonight on my pants pocket and see how it works as I take my phone out of my pocket. I too am not optimistic. It's a neat feature when it works, but the trusted Bluetooth devices is a much handier feature, IMO.... if only it worked with trusted WIFI networks as well.

 

[thegrants82]

I'm having mixed results with the NFC tag and stickers. Like noted in many of the reviews, the unlocking process is somewhat finicky. If the screen is already on, it works almost always with issue. It's when the screen is off that is sometimes just does not want to unlock when touching a tag or sticker. So sometimes you have to turn on the screen first and then touch your NFC, which is almost as time-consuming as putting in your pin and/or pattern. As for attaching the tag to a holster, it might work but again I am skeptical because you really need to touch it in a particular spot for it to work - I don't think it would be as easy as you imagine by just sliding it up against it as you remove it from a holster. I'm going to try the tag tonight on my pants pocket and see how it works as I take my phone out of my pocket. I too am not optimistic. It's a neat feature when it works, but the trusted Bluetooth devices is a much handier feature, IMO.... if only it worked with trusted WIFI networks as well.

Just use llama or tasker either one of those can get rid of the lock screen when you're on whatever wifi you want to specify. I am using llama and it bypasses my lock screen when I'm at home on my wifi.

~ Sent from my Moto X ~

 

[sholzer]

Can tasker work even if corporate exchange locks me up? Seems like an easy solution. One I've been looking for forever. Maybe tags are better for resting bedside turning off sound or something simple. Just wanted an excuse to use tags lol

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk 4

 

[Travisimo]

Just use llama or tasker either one of those can get rid of the lock screen when you're on whatever wifi you want to specify. I am using llama and it bypasses my lock screen when I'm at home on my wifi.

~ Sent from my Moto X ~

Have you noticed any battery drain when using these apps for this purpose? I think I remember trying this with a previous phone and it both drained battery faster and was very finicky (didn't work all the time). I might give it a try, but I'd prefer a native way to do it if Moto ever adds it in an update.

 

[zeroexpiry]

I have the same issue with corporate exchange. It disables NFC Unlock. The only way around it without rooting is to use Touchdown or another type of app that contains all the mail, contacts and cal within its own app, which sucks

Can tasker work even if corporate exchange locks me up? Seems like an easy solution. One I've been looking for forever. Maybe tags are better for resting bedside turning off sound or something simple. Just wanted an excuse to use tags lol

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk 4

 

[chrisdiaz73]

I have the same problem, and I just settled on using touchdown, and on my work computer use google sync to sync my calendar to utilize google now and the meeting silencer feature. Touchdown is eh, but usable....I hate that my corporate account locks me out of NFC and trusted bluetooth, if anything it makes things like driving safer, but hey, no one can break into my emails

 

[ied0135]

I have the moto skip and a few other tags around my house that I use regularly. They have all worked best when the phone screen is on. Locked or not. When the screen is off and locked is where it doesn't like to work as well. That's something I feel like a future software update could fix.

The app I use, which has been amazing is NFC Task Launcher. Free too!

As to working with a case on, couldn't tell you. I won't be using one on my moto X. I haven't noticed any difference in battery life, and as this thread here says, I only saw the moto skip being finicky. The android tags I bought have been spot on 100% of the time. Just find the spot your phone likes.

http://forums.androidcentral.com/moto-x/311762-nfc-tags-whatcha-got.html

 

[goldkear]

A holster user concerned with style. That's new. ;-) just teasing.

To answer your question, I don't think putting the sticker inside the holster probably would not work as intended. The phone would be constantly exposed to the tag and would possibly unlock frequently and erratically. It may also ignore the tag unless you pull the phone away and tap it again.

In terms of the case, it may interfere with NFC, as I have seen this occur before. The phone needs to basically physically touch the tag, and even a thin case can be too thick.

Edit: to answer the question about tasker: its battery drain really depends on how you have it set up and how many hardware features it's actively using. For something like what was mentioned, you can have it run in the background and use about as much battery as any other background app.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[bdlmotox]

Another problem is that since I enabled NFC, there is a constant sound that is an NFC notification. Total annoyance and there does not appear to be way to disable it.

 

[dmark44]

Another problem is that since I enabled NFC, there is a constant sound that is an NFC notification. Total annoyance and there does not appear to be way to disable it.

Constant sound at all times or only while a tag is behind the phone (ie. Stuck on a dock, etc.)?

Sent from my Moto X

 

[dmark44]

B - will NFC tags work with the plastic shell I have on my phone or do they have to be touched to the back side real close?

I have been using a Keychain tag and sticker tags while a Cimo TPU case is on my phone. The key chain has even worked when I've tapped on the back of the iOttie cradle I use in my car. I've been using a set of NFC tags by WhizTags.


Sent from my Moto X

 

[bdlmotox]

The sound typically is heard when I bring the phone out of lock status. Oddly, no skip dots or the skip clip have been anywhere near the phone; I've been unlocking with a pattern. The sound will chime two or three times usually. I turned off NFC and haven't heard the sound once.

 

[PiggyMiddle]

I have not been able to find anything that allows NFC to unlock the phone. I do not have the Skip belt-clip thing though.

However, Trusted BT device works with a Samsung HM1300 earpiece/microphone thing. It holds the phone unlocked while the HM is turned on. It is **supposed** to also lock it when it loses signal but that is not happening if I leave the HM on a desk walk out of range. The phone stays unlocked.

It is also **supposed** to unlock when you come back into range but that does not happen either.

However, the lock/unlock when switching the HM on/off works great and now I only enter the PIN once a day. I do NOT like looking a dork with that thing on my ear all the time so I carry it in my pocket. Not a full solution to the issue but it works - kinda.

 

[bdlmotox]

I'm thinking the NFC notification tone was only playing because I didn't have anything paired with the phone. I went through the process again and it isn't making the noise now. It's possible that turning off NFC removes all previous pairings, so perhaps the phone was just looking for something to NFC with, even though I had paired the dots and skip with it before.

 

[bdlmotox]

Also, you can only unlock the phone with NFC while on the lock screen...so by the time I've gotten that far (pressed the power button), it might actually be easier to simply swipe my pattern than find my way to wherever I have a dot placed or put the skip clip.

 

[SiliconFiend]

Also, you can only unlock the phone with NFC while on the lock screen...so by the time I've gotten that far (pressed the power button), it might actually be easier to simply swipe my pattern than find my way to wherever I have a dot placed or put the skip clip.

The Skip clip has a magnet in it, which I believe is the key difference which allows that particular tag to trigger the phone to unlock from screen-off, but in my experience it's not 100% reliable. It improves when the unlock screen is displayed, but it works best (screen on or off) after a fresh reboot. I think I have actually gotten the Dots to work from screen-off, but only occasionally. Certainly not frequently enough to rely on it.

 

[bdlmotox]

The Skip clip has a magnet in it, which I believe is the key difference which allows that particular tag to trigger the phone to unlock from screen-off, but in my experience it's not 100% reliable. It improves when the unlock screen is displayed, but it works best (screen on or off) after a fresh reboot. I think I have actually gotten the Dots to work from screen-off, but only occasionally. Certainly not frequently enough to rely on it.

I was able to get the NFC dots and the skip clip to unlock from screen off after a reboot also after reading your post also...definitely not reliable and easier to swipe my pattern. The skip clip was more reliable vs the dots in my testing also.

 

[bdlmotox]

Doh!

The source of the repeating NFC notification sounds has been found. I have an Incipio Watson folio case which has credit card slots. One of the cards I was keeping in it has...you guessed it...an NFC chip. Blissful silence is now mine.

 

[PiggyMiddle]

definitely not reliable and easier to swipe my pattern. The skip clip was more reliable vs the dots in my testing also.

Have to agree, after my DIY mentioned in another post here, the Skip-style thing is more cumbersome than a swipe pattern, well, other than having to press the on-button first.

I tried with and without a TPU case and it made little difference to the reliability of Skip approach. Nice toy, but now sits abandoned.