What is this? Touch file transfers here. How to transfer data via NFC via Android Beam. Reading and writing tags

You can transfer web pages, photos, videos, contacts, and directions from one Android device to another simply by tapping them together (in most cases, you need to match the back panels).

This requires both devices to support Near Field Communication (NFC). They must be included NFC functions and Android Beam, and device screens must be unlocked.

How to make sure NFC and Android Beam are enabled

NFC and Android Beam are enabled by default. To check if they are disabled, follow these steps:

You can also disable NFC and Android Beam using these instructions.

How to Share Data Using Android Beam

First, unlock the screens of both devices and make sure NFC and Android Beam are turned on. Then:

If your device does not have an application to view the received content, it will open a page in Google Play, where the user can download this application.

How to attach devices

Sometimes devices need to be placed next to each other in a certain way:

• Nexus 7. Place another device near the "u" in the Nexus logo.
• HTC One Google Play Edition. Place the HTC logo on the bottom of the other device.

To find out exact location NFC module, look at the device diagrams

Sharing files on Android is now possible “from anywhere, anywhere!”, as the creators of this wonderful program say. The problem of sharing and transferring files worries many Android smartphone users, because standard features for transferring files can often be incomprehensible, complex, or simply refuse to transfer certain documents. However, with new program Send Anywhere (File Transfer) for Android can get rid of all these problems! The program is different simple interface, which will be understandable even to novice users of mobile devices, and you don’t even have to log in, but only enter a special generated password that will ensure the security of the transfer.

The program allows you to receive and transfer files not only from Android, but also from iPhone, iPad or personal computer and a laptop. Now you can quickly and easily share any folders or files or files, including photos, videos, documents and even applications, and the program has no limits for transferring or receiving files.
Peculiarities:

• Simplicity. No registration or login required. It couldn't be simpler! All you need is a 6-digit key to pair your devices.
• No fees or restrictions. Send files of any type and size as many times as needed. There are no restrictions on the amount of data you can send, and the service is completely free to use.
• Reliability. Securely send files from your device without using the cloud.
• Anonymity. Share photos and documents without revealing personal information.
• Cross-platform. Full support for Android and other operating systems for mobile devices, PC platforms, Chrome extensions and web browsers. ().
• Optimal path for data. Regardless of whether you are connected to Wi-Fi networks or to cellular network, the files will be transferred via the fastest path.

How to Use

Dispatch

1. Select the file or files you want to send and click the yellow paper airplane button.
2. A 6-digit key will be generated and sent to the receiving device.
3. Remain in standby mode.

You also have the option to send a push notification to a nearby or recently used device.
The 6-digit key is only valid for 10 minutes. If that's not enough, you can transfer your files within 24 hours.

Receipt

• Once you receive your 6-digit key, enter it to begin transferring data.
• Use the data you receive.

Login to skip multiple confirmations. If you're signed in on each device, you can share files between devices without entering a 6-digit key or having to click Accept to receive the files.

The combination “NFC” (Near field communication) is increasingly found in specifications modern smartphones and tablets. In this article we will try to consider this interface from the point of view practical use, so that readers can independently draw their own conclusion about the need to have it on their phone.

In testing, we used two smartphone models that have already been reviewed in detail on our resource: Acer CloudMobile S500 and Sony Xperia acro S. We would also like to point out that most of the information, including the programs and use cases described, will only apply to Android smartphones. It is this operating system that is today the most “friendly” when it comes to working with NFC.

Introduction

At first glance, it may seem that numerous wireless interfaces today already cover all possible popular tasks and scenarios, so another option is simply not needed. However, if you look at the development modern technologies, you can see that more and more attention is being paid to energy consumption issues, especially if we're talking about O mobile devices. In particular, version 4.0 of the well-known family of Bluetooth protocols is precisely aimed at reducing battery costs. The second point worth mentioning is that not every task requires a long range. It happens even the other way around - you want to explicitly limit the distance between interacting devices. In addition to the obvious reduction in consumption, this also affects safety. And a similar remark can be made about the volume of transmitted data. So the idea of ​​a slow wireless interface running on short distances and characterized by low energy consumption has a right to exist.

The starting point in the history of NFC development can be taken in 2004, when Nokia, Philips and Sony announced the creation of an interaction interface to develop and standardize various devices, based on touch. However, the first versions of the specifications were created a little earlier. Perhaps, by modern standards, the technology can be considered very young (if you do not take into account the history of RFID), but it is already quite often found in real products and services. In particular, at the Mobile World Congress 2013 held at the end of February, many stands and demonstrations were devoted to this topic.

This sign can be found on devices with NFC technology

The formal characteristics of the interface are as follows: operation at a distance of several centimeters, maximum speed information exchange is about 400 Kbps, full-duplex data exchange is supported, operating frequency is 13.56 MHz, connection establishment time does not exceed 0.1 s, operating mode is point-to-point. It can be seen that these parameters radically distinguish NFC from other popular wireless interfaces.

If we talk about devices, in addition to active controllers in NFC, there are also passive options (they are usually called tags) that receive power wirelessly from the active controller. One example is modern cards for travel on public transport. Tags are simply data storage, typically less than 4 KB in size. Most often, they only provide read mode, but there are also options with write support.

One of the simplest options for a passive NFC tag

The compact size of the controller and its low consumption allows NFC to be implemented even in small designs such as SIM cards or cards microSD memory. However, for full operation it is necessary to use a special antenna. In phones it is usually located on the back of the battery cover or built into back panel, if the device does not have a removable battery.

The NFC antenna is often placed on back cover smartphone

The short range can have a negative impact when using tablets - finding the right place to “position” may not be as easy as we would like. To solve this problem, some manufacturers mark the location of the antenna with a special sign. As for the range, in our case the connection worked at a distance of no more than four centimeters - both between phones and with a passive tag.

From a security point of view, the developers did not implement elements of protection against interception and relay attacks. This of course makes it difficult to implement secure solutions, since it requires the applications themselves to be more secure. high level. Note that in fact, such a well-known protocol as TCP/IP behaves similarly. So from a practical point of view, losing a phone without additional protection with customized payment system programs seems more dangerous than intercepting communications.

Perhaps the most important thing to know about NFC today is that the interface itself does not provide any real practical use cases or solutions. Unlike, for example, Bluetooth, whose profiles clearly describe how to transfer a file, how to connect a headset or provide network access, NFC is only a base, and direct operation scenarios are provided by additional software which works through it. On the one hand, this opens ample opportunities for developers, and on the other hand, it is a problem for them when ensuring the interaction of different applications and devices.

Interestingly, any programs installed on a smartphone or tablet can register with operating system as NFC related event handlers and then when externally "called" you will see standard menu“How do you want to carry out this action?” Since some NFC use cases involve convenient automation of actions, it is advisable not to overload the device with such utilities.

The NFC Forum tries to help with this uncertainty by proposing standardization of protocols for certain scenarios (notably NDEF for storing short messages on tags and SNEP (Simple NDEF Exchange Protocol) for exchanging information between devices), but practically determining the compatibility of specific devices is usually hampered by a lack of detailed information from the manufacturer and diagnostic tools. Another helper is here Google company, which proposed in latest versions Android own Android development Beam. It allows you to exchange certain types of information between compatible devices.

Android Beam

First, you need to make sure that both devices have NFC enabled, Android Beam active, and their screens are unlocked. On the models we tested, NFC only works if the screen is on and the device is fully unlocked. But perhaps other devices will use a different algorithm. In any case, the active interface requires very little battery power to operate, and so far the described approach seems quite reasonable. One option to simplify your work is to disable the lock screen. In this case, to identify the tag, it will be enough to simply turn on the smartphone. Another inconvenience is the need to confirm the operation by touching the screen after the devices find each other. This is not always easy to do without disrupting communication, especially when both devices are in the hands of two different people.

The next step is to select one of the applications on the device from which you plan to transfer. In particular, these may be:

• Google Chrome - transfer the current open link;
• YouTube client - transfer of a video clip (as a link);
• Google Maps— transfer of place or route;
• Contacts—transfer a contact card;
• Google Play - application transfer;
• Gallery - transfer of photos.

Next, bring the devices closer to each other. When a partner is detected, you will hear a tone on the sending device and the desktop image will shrink. At this moment, you need to touch the screen image and hold your finger until you hear the second signal - about a successful transfer.

We tried the options listed, and almost all of them really work. Even that our devices were released by different manufacturers, did not stop them from finding common language. But a few comments are still worth making. There are no problems with routes in Google Maps, but the option with a place is not very interesting, since only the current map display is transmitted. The dot marked on the screen of the original phone does not reach the recipient. The situation can be corrected by using the Addresses application, which transmits data correctly. When sending contacts, the photo is lost, since from a technical point of view the transmission format corresponds text files vcf. If we talk about applications, then you can send not only those installed on the phone, but also simply open cards on Google Play. Books and other content from the store are similarly supported. Naturally, we are talking about transferring links, and not the downloaded or, especially, purchased elements themselves. There was a problem with sending photos: the Sony device was unable to work with this type of data. The official wording is “The recipient's device does not support large data transfers via Android Beam.” Here is the first sign that the interface is young or that the technical specifications of the devices are insufficiently detailed. Formally, we have both NFC and Android Beam in two devices, but in practice their real capabilities differ significantly, and this can only be found out by checking. What can we say about less famous manufacturers - their version of implementing this technology can be completely unpredictable.

By the way, as for the most Android work Beam. The description of the technology indicates that data transmission uses Bluetooth communication after initial coordination of settings via NFC. Considering that all working formats required a really small amount of transferred data, NFC speed was quite enough for them, but for photographs it would have been clearly not enough. So we can assume that Sony has not implemented the switch to a faster interface. It is not possible to understand whether this problem is software (remember that this device has Android 4.0.4 installed) or hardware.

We also tried to send our own music and videos in the same way from their respective apps, but nothing appeared on the receiver.

Reading and writing tags

The described Android Beam uses the ability to transmit and process short information messages. However, in reality, they can not only be transmitted from the phone, but also read from passive tags. In some ways, this technology is similar to the well-known QR codes that are read by a phone camera. At the same time useful information(for example, a link to a website page) takes literally several tens of bytes. Tags can be used by companies, for example, to promote their products or services. Considering the compact size of the passive tag (more precisely, its thickness is comparable to a sheet of paper - due to the antenna, the area will still be significant, no less than a five-ruble coin), it can be placed almost anywhere: on a box with a product, in a magazine, on an information sheet. counter and other places.

Passive NFC tags can be manufactured as key fobs

If we talk about making tags with our own hands, then this is a completely feasible scenario. To do this, you need to purchase clean blanks and use a special program for your phone to write down the required information on them. For example, we bought several different options: a sticker of minimal thickness, a protected plastic circle and key chains. All of them had a very small amount of memory - only 144 bytes (there are also 4 KB options on the market). The number of rewrite cycles was not specified, but for most application scenarios this parameter is not critical. To work with tags, we can recommend NXP Semiconductors programs - TagInfo and TagWriter.

The first will allow you to read data from the tag and decrypt information according to the NDEF standard, and the second will help you create your own tags. Several NDEF sub-options are supported: contact, link, text, SMS, postal message, telephone number, Bluetooth connection, geographic location, local file link, application launch, URI. Please note that when creating a record, you need to take into account the amount of data stored. For example, a contact photo can take up several kilobytes, messages or text can also easily exceed 144 bytes. By the way, the NFC TagInfo program from NFC Research Lab with a special plugin can read and show you a color photo from a biometric passport. With a data volume of one and a half dozen kilobytes, reading them via NFC takes about 20 seconds. An additional level of protection in this case is provided by the need to specify some passport details to read data from the chip.

Note that automatic processing of read tags depends on the content. In particular, sometimes additional confirmation is required to carry out the action itself. For example, in the case of SMS, a completed message form opens, but the user must actually confirm the sending. But the recorded web link can immediately open in the browser. Any automation is associated with a loss of control, so the described capabilities should be used carefully, since by simply replacing or reprogramming tags, attackers can redirect you to a fake site instead of the original one. We did not find any standard OS settings to limit such autorun (unless you disable NFC itself).

Another important point when using tags in public places is protection against overwriting. When recording a tag, you can set a protection flag that will block all attempts to change the information, but it will no longer be possible to remove it. So the label will be used in read-only mode in the future. For home use, in most cases this is not very critical.

Let's mention a few more programs for recording tags:

Using ready-made tags to control the device

One of the active participants in the NFC implementation process is Sony. Its devices come pre-installed with the Smart Connect program, which supports working with original Sony tags. If you wish, using the SmartTag Maker utility, you can create them yourself from blank blanks. The system uses the NDEF URI format with encoding of the label number/color in the text link. In total, the system provides up to eight tags, which are designated as “home”, “office”, “car”, “bedroom”, “listen”, “play”, “activities”, “watch”.

Variant of original Sony SmartTags

The Smart Connect program itself works not only with NFC tags, but also with other devices connected to the phone, including headsets, power supply, Bluetooth devices. It’s quite convenient that the standard settings already correspond well to the above scenarios. In this case, the user can reprogram all circuits; each of them specifies a set of conditions and actions.

As a condition, you can use tag identification or device connection, and you can additionally limit the operating time of the circuit. The set of actions is quite wide, it includes launching an application, opening a link in the browser, launching music, adjusting volume and mode, connecting a Bluetooth audio device, sending SMS, call, control wireless interfaces, brightness adjustment and other actions. Moreover, they can also be assigned to exit this mode, which is carried out by repeated recognition of the tag, by a new event/tag, or by the expiration of a specified time interval.

But in fact, it is not necessary to use Sony branded tags - you can also find use for ready-made tags that do not allow information to be overwritten. For example, these could be used transport cards. The fact is that each of them has its own unique identifier, which can be tied to certain actions special programs. Possible reactions may include operations such as changing the profile, enabling/disabling interfaces, and many others.

There are several utilities for this scenario in the Play Store, let's mention a couple of them:

Let us remind you that you should not install several similar programs at once. This mode will not add any convenience, since when a tag is detected on the phone screen, a dialog box will appear asking you to select a program to process it.

While searching for programs for working with tags, we also came across another class of utilities that may be of interest if there are recordable tags. These programs use their own original recording format, which only they can work with. In this case, the set of possible actions is almost no different from those described above:

Let us recall that in present moment The tag can be read only when the device is unlocked. So the scenario “came home, put the phone on the nightstand - automatically switched the profile, turned off the call and Bluetooth, set the alarm” will require some actions from the user. This behavior still slightly limits the capabilities of programs.

Exchange information between devices

With the exception of Android Beam, the scenarios described above assume the operation of a single phone with a tag or a specialized terminal. If we talk about the direct connection of devices with each other, then the main issue here is compatibility. Of course, in the case of products from one manufacturer, especially a large one, that manufacturer has the opportunity to simply install the appropriate program in the firmware. But if the devices are produced by different manufacturers, everyone will have to use the same utilities. And it’s not at all a fact that your partner will have the same program installed as yours.

Considering that NFC's own speed is very low, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi is usually used to quickly transfer files, and NFC only works at the stage of negotiating connection parameters and establishing a connection. To test this scenario, we tried several file transfer programs on our devices that claim to support NFC.

Send! File Transfer (NFC) free version Allows you to share photos, music and videos. You can use NFC or QR codes to establish communication. Transfer is carried out via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi (if both devices support Wi-Fi Direct, which in the used Sony phone it didn't turn out). As a result, we were able to see a speed of 65 KB/s, which, of course, is too low even for photographs.

Blue NFC, as the name suggests, also simplifies file sharing over Bluetooth by replacing the power-on, search, and pairing steps with touch and NFC sharing. The speed of operation is not very high - at the level of the program mentioned above.

File Expert HD also uses Bluetooth, but the speed is already 100-200 KB/s. True, in fairness it is worth noting that this program has many other file sharing modes.

Conclusion

As of the spring of 2013, we can say that NFC technology already confidently occupies a place in modern high-end and mid-level smartphones. Interest in it can be indirectly assessed by the number of programs in the Play Store: there are already several hundred free projects alone. Given market dominance (especially in terms of number of models) Android platforms, it is the one that is most popular today for NFC devices. On iOS regular funds for NFC is not provided, but Windows Phone 8 has significantly limited NFC capabilities for third-party applications.

NFC technology itself has several features that allow it to occupy a unique position:

• contactless data transfer;
• work only over short distances;
• the ability to exchange information with other devices or passive tags;
• low cost solutions;
• low power consumption;
• low speed data transfer.

Currently, for smartphones and tablets, there are three most relevant options for using NFC: exchanging data between devices (contacts, applications, links, photos and other files), reading tags with special information and changing device modes/settings/profiles, quick pairing with peripheral devices(for example, headsets). In the first case, you can try working with the standard Android program Beam or install alternative options. They can be useful if necessary high speed exchange (via Wi-Fi), but require the same program on every device.

Passive tags can be used almost anywhere, from posters to magazines to product tags. They can contain information about the product, a link to the website, Wi-Fi settings, contact information, geographic coordinates or other small amount of data. The spread of this method of information exchange directly depends on the number of compatible devices users have. This scenario can be compared with common QR codes, which today are, perhaps, still simpler in terms of implementation and more popular.

To change system settings Even tags without recording capabilities can be used with some programs, so many users will be able to try this scenario. However, it should be noted that in this case the set of options will be written in specific device, and transferring it to another device may be difficult. Most utilities for this purpose still require their own recorded tags, which allows them to store all the required information in encoded form directly in the tag (or cloud), so that to use these settings on another device, it will be enough to have the same program on it.

We did not consider in this article such NFC use cases as payment systems, electronic wallets and micropayments, tickets and coupons, transport cards and passes. These topics, especially the first, deserve separate consideration. We will try to return to them if there is reader interest and the spread of such solutions.

Make sure your device's screen is unlocked and the USB connection is set to file transfer mode. By default, the Charge Only option is selected. To ensure that your device is detected by your computer, select the file transfer mode each time you connect your device to your computer.

Setting the file transfer mode for a USB connection

1. Make sure your device is connected to your computer via USB cable.
2. On the Home screen, drag the status bar down.
3. Find and tap Charging your device via USB and then select File Transfer (MTP) .

• Make sure that you are using an original Sony USB cable designed for your device and that it is securely connected to the device and computer.

  Try connecting the cable to a different connector Computer USB and make sure that the device is connected directly to this USB connector. Do not use a USB hub or USB extension cable.

  Try using a different USB cable and make sure it is not damaged.

  If you're using a Mac, make sure you have Xperia app™ Companion for Mac OS. Mac computers do not support MTP, a plug-in required to transfer files between a computer and Android device™.

• Disconnect your device from your computer and clear your data system application"Multimedia storage". Restart your device and connect it to your computer.

  Clear media storage app data

  1. Go to your Home screen and tap.
  2. Find and tap Settings > Apps.
  3. Touch and Show system processes .
  4. Touch Media storage> Memory > ERASE DATA > OK.

First, you should decide why even bother with SuperBeam if you have a Network or a USB cable.

Here's another example. You are located in a decent establishment with free Wi-Fi. Hooray, you can share anything and any way you want, this is the Internet! But only in theory. In practice, even a wide channel quickly dissolves among all visitors, and each of them gets crumbs. It would be better if it didn't exist at all.

SuperBeam solves such problems in two ways:

• in the first case, direct Wi-Fi connection Direct without intermediaries;
• in the second, data transfer is carried out through a connection to a common router.

Wi-Fi Direct

Technology Wi-Fi Direct Supported by most modern Android smartphones. SuperBeam can establish such a connection without unnecessary hassle in just a couple of taps. Mobile application has a painfully clear interface, so there is no point in dwelling on it.

Let me just note that you can transmit not only video, but a wide variety of content. Phones are paired using QR codes, NFC touches or manual entry password.

Router

Do you need to transfer information from or to a computer or mobile gadget from Apple? In this case, Wi-Fi Direct will not work - you will have to connect to a shared Wi-Fi router after installing the appropriate client. At your service are programs for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, as well as an application for iOS.

Neither your limited traffic nor your connection speed will be affected - the Internet has nothing to do with it.

The program for Windows has the simplest possible structure, but for its operation it is important to have Java in the system.

And don't forget to open SuperBeam in your antivirus package or firewall.

Speed ​​and stability

Control measurements of time for transferring 1.5 GB of information gave the following results:

• from Windows PC to Android smartphone - 10:16 at 17–19 Mbit/s;
• between two Android smartphones - 05:46 at 27–40 Mbit/s;
• from Android smartphone to iPad - 08:45 at 18–20 Mbit/s.

Compare these numbers with the speed that your Internet channel passes through. Most likely, SuperBeam will win.

As for job stability, there are different opinions on this matter. Looking at Google Play, you can see a number of unflattering comments. However, we must take into account that problems often lie in the hardware and the straightforwardness of users. I can judge for myself: in a dozen transfers between an old laptop, Meizu MX4, OnePlus One, iPad Air and with the most ordinary router there were no problems. Yes, somewhere the speed sank and rose again, but there was no talk of breaks or freezes.

Conclusion

SuperBeam is a wonderful thing, the benefits of which will be felt by those who often transfer files between different platforms. The considered solution complements the popular one well: the first one is convenient for large files and in the presence of Wi-Fi, and the second - for small volumes with any Internet coverage.

Concluding the review, we cannot fail to mention that the full range of SuperBeam capabilities opens only after purchasing the application. To transfer information between mobile gadgets, it is enough to basic version, but if you want to work with a computer, you will have to spend a little money. Personally, after 15 minutes of dating, I gave $1.5 without hesitation. For my needs, SuperBeam more than justifies them.