NFC Task Launcher (Android App)

**oj88** · May 16th, 2013 09:55 AM

I just have to share this.

If you have an Android phone, you might want to check out this app.

Near Field Communications (NFC) is becoming more than just a hype. Although it hasn't really taken off yet as far as e-commerce or e-advertisements are concerned. Rather, it's gaining more popularity in smartphone automation.

With the recent purchase of my phone, an Xperia Z, which incidentally has NFC, I started to become interested with the technology. In doing so, I stumbled upon an Android app called NFC Task Launcher. It's an app that allows you to run certain tasks whenever you tap on a particular NFC tag. So maybe, you could put a "workout" tag on your gym bag so when you tap your phone against it, it starts playing your favorite workout music or start a timer and/or open your workout app, etc. Tap it again after your workout and your phone goes back to its previous settings.

But that's just a third of what this app can do. Contrary to what the name implies, NFC Task Launcher not only responds to NFC, but it can also be programmed to respond when the phone connects to a Bluetooth device or WiFi network. So say, when you get to the office and your phone detects the office WiFi, it can set the phone ringer to loud, open your calendar app or corporate email, etc. You just tell it what to do under what circumstances.

In my case, I've set up a few tasks for NFC Task Launcher to do when it detects the handsfree Bluetooth from my head unit. So that when I get into the car and my phone gets a whiff of my HU's Bluetooth signal, it starts the Waze app and turns on WiFi Hotspot. Then, whenever I leave the car and the Bluetooth signal is lost or gets disconnected, it turns off the Hotspot function. (I still have to manually exit Waze, though. NFC Task Launcher can do it for you but it requires the phone to be rooted).

Like I said... Automation. As described above, here's how I've got it set up for my car:

I started by selecting a trigger, ie. NFC tag, Bluetooth, or WiFi:

I selected Bluetooth. It then shows you a list of paired devices. I chose my HU:

It then asks you to name that particular tag. I called this one "Start Driving", I set it to launch Waze and turn on Hotspot. I also created another tag named "Stop Driving" that will turn off the Hotspot when I leave the car.