Available today from Samsung, $15 for pack of five tags
Samsung has announced the availability of its second-generation TecTiles tags, tiny writable NFC stickers that can be used to trigger various actions on a smartphone. For example, used with the TecTiles app, they can be programmed to check in on social networks, or toggle various settings on the device when it's within range.
TecTiles 2 are compatible with all NFC-enabled Samsung phones, and the company says they may work on other Android-based phones with NFC too, though it's making no promises. Unlike first-gen TecTiles, TecTiles 2 are fully compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S4. (Go figure.)
The tags are available today from Samsung's online store, priced at $15 for a pack of five, and they'll be starting to appear in brick-and-mortar stores from June. Hit the Google Play link above to grab the TecTiles app, or the source link below to buy the tags themselves.
More: Samsung TecTiles
Reader comments
Galaxy S4-compatible Samsung TecTiles 2 NFC tags now on sale
Useful as they may be, man, I'd just have a hard time spending $3 each for these. As if the profiteering on the phones themselves isn't enough, they have to charge what must be a markup of north of 6,000% (making the generous assumption that these cost a nickle to make).
I dunno, I'm just really getting tired of exorbitant profits being made on products with pathetically little support. Is there anything other product we'd spend $600+ on, only to have support for it all but abandoned within 6 to 8 months?
Try checking out NFC Task Launcher. You get 2 free tags just from tweeting and they are a lot cheaper to buy in app.
iF YOU NEED NFC STICKERS ,PLEASE COME HERE: http://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/Phone-NFC-Tags/325557_252360052.html
Maybe they will have a promotion to send us a pack if we register our S4's with Samsung like they did with the S3 and Note 2?
I just killed a v.1 TecTile trying to use it on a Nexus 4 wireless charger (to trigger a "docked" action). Wonder if these newer tags are any more robust...?
I don't have the TecTiles, but I have some other NFC Tags that I bought off Amazon. Tags Droid... droid tags... I dunno, something like that... Either way these little honeys work like a charm. Grabbed a random NFC controller/programmer app, programmed the tag quite easily and then poof.
It's fun too. I have a bunch of them, and to be honest, I'm not sure I have more to program them for!
The other fun thing is I use my Note 2 to set things up, and then my wife can access and use them just the same with her Galaxy S III. It doesn't matter what phone you are using, it is pretty simple. Loads of fun too.
I don't see how NFC tags can have compatibility issues. Regardless, you should definitely check out NFC Task Launcher instead. I've been using it on my ION and I look forward to seeing what else I can do when I potentially switch to an S3.
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/Phone-NFC-Tags/325557_252360052.html
Wait ... my old TecTiles aren't compatible with GS4? In what way? I don't have a GS4 (Galaxy Nexus), and this issue wouldn't keep me from buying one, but I should know beforehand what I'm in for. How did they manage to screw this up?
Samsung screwed it up by trying to make an open standard proprietary. Shocking...
I'm afraid you have it the other way around my friend.
I did a little digging around, and it appears that TecTiles 1 is based on the MIFARE Classic standard, which uses a proprietary security protocol owned by NXP Semiconductors (who makes the NFC controllers present in many of today's NFC enabled phones).
TecTiles 2 is based on NFC Forum based standard tags. The NFC controller in the Galaxy S4 is a Broadcom device that works with the open standard but doesn't work with the MIFARE Classic tags.
^^this. Also I think we are missing the bigger picture here: as with the first run of TecTiles, Samsung has made NFC Tags more available to the regular masses. Yeah they're more pricey, but there if need be. All I hear lately is Samsung does bad at this, Samsung shouldn't have done that. I came here for team Android. It's like a mini civil war between this OS these days :(
I found TecTiles in Dick Smith today for $4:89 I reckon for a pack. I have no idea what they are so bought my SView Flip case and left!
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/Phone-NFC-Tags/325557_252360052.html. Hope it's useful for you.