Guys, I spent 30 minutes on a long reply, but when I hit submit it disappeared. I'll give you the bad news in less detail.
The Skip and the Dots (sticky NFC tags) that come with it are write-protected 716 byte tags that read with the exact same data string I posted earlier (vnd.android.nfc....). My HTC One can read them with TagWriter.
I spent an hour trying to get either the Skip or a Dot to pair with the phone. The Maxx makes ZERO reaction to either one during the setup process. It acts as if there is no tag being tapped to the phone. The same thing happens with my Samsung 716 byte tags once they've been written to by the Setup app. If you present a blank writeable tag to the Setup app, it writes it with the vnd.android.nfc string, and will generally appear to pair to the phone, but after that, the tag acts like it's invisible to the Maxx. If I erase it with the HTC One, the Maxx will recognize it again.
The Setup app itself has no executables in it, it appears to just add the NFCAuthentication menu to Security, and then that menu calls a bunch of apps that should be preinstalled on the phone. I've listed them below from the Setup apk's xml strings:
Code:
uses-librarycom.motorola.motosignatureactivity+com.motorola.nfcauthenticator.NfcRingWizard8com.motorola.nfcauthenticator.NfcRingWizardSetupComplete-com.motorola.nfcauthenticator.ManagerActivity0com.motorola.nfcauthenticator.ManageTagsActivity7com.motorola.nfcauthenticator.ManagerDetailViewActivityAlertDialogActivityreceiverPolicyChangeReceiver
intent-filteraction1com.motorola.authentication.ACTION_POLICY_CHANGED-com.motorola.nfcauthenticator.NfcRingReceiver(com.motorola.nfcauthenticator.DELETE_NFC/com.motorola.nfc.action.ACTION_NFC_XRING_NOTIFY"android.intent.action.USER_PRESENT?D
I couldn't find any of those with ES File explorer, but without root, many of the folders on the device appear empty (permissions wrong?).
My guess here is that the Maxx doesn't have the necessary backend software to use the Skip. It recognizes a Skip programmed tag, tries to do something with it, but can't find the software it needs, so it acts like the tag is dead.
Disappointing to not have this feature, but I suppose the Moto X crowd feels the same about Qi charging.
I actually like the Skip itself, I could see myself clipping it to the top of my slacks pocket and the phone unlocking as I pull it out past the Skip. Would be cool, but with the Insite LBT505 as a Trusted Device, I don't really need NFC unlocking.
Too bad the Skip is write-protected, I could reprogram it for something useful to happen while pulling the phone out of my pocket. $20 down the toilet here, unless I can figure a way to program the HTC One with Tasker to do something with the tag when it sees the vnd.android string.