It stands for Near Field Communication.
It is used for a variety of things, such as contactless bank cards, mobile payment systems, and security cards.
For us all that matters is that when your phone is close enough to it, a few cms, it can detect the passive tags in the coasters and give them a little jolt of power so that the tag can send a small amount of data, your WiFi details, back.
Basically, it's magic.
You can do loads of stuff!
NFC tags essentially just hold text, formatted in certain ways so that devices know what to do with them. For example you could hold a link to your website or a funny cat video, your contact info, a map location, social network info, or any number of other things.
We use the NTAG216 tags which have a large storage capacity of 888bytes.
No, but it makes it easier.
If you provide your WiFi details when you purchase something I can have the item pre-setup and ready to use when you get it however if you'd prefer you can order it blank and then set it up yourself when you get it.
This also means if you're purchasing as a gift your recipient can also set it up themselves.
You can do loads of stuff!
NFC tags essentially just hold text, formatted in certain ways so that devices know what to do with them. For example you could hold a link to your website or a funny cat video, your contact info, a map location, social network info, or any number of other things.
We use the NTAG216 tags which have a large storage capacity of 888bytes.
They hold your drinks as well as share your guest WiFi details.
Then when you're allowed, and feel comfortable enough, to have guests inside your house again they can tap their phone on a coaster to join your WiFi and then put their drink somewhere without leaving yet another condensation ring.
Don't have a guest WiFi? Don't worry, you can still use them with your main WiFi however it's a good idea to set up a guest WiFi anyway for security.
Nope. They can still hold your drinks.
Also, you can write your new details to the coasters yourself whenever you want by just setting them up again.
The tags themselves probably don't like water however they are embedded in the cement so they should be fine.
Cement is naturally fine for spillages and and condensation from your glass etc however they also come with a resin coating, unless you ask for it to not have one, which will add extra protection to both the coaster and any phones that are tapped on them.
Yes, but they'll have to set it up themselves.
Don't worry though, it's very easy and full details will be provided in the package and here.
Yes, in time.
I'm planning on making cups, containers, candles, canvases, chapter markers ( book marks ), cards, coffee tables.
Basically anything that begins with a C that I could place NFC tags inside.
Not really no. But we all need a little magic don't we?
If you really want, I can always make you a dumb coaster? Just get in touch.
Sort of.
Apple are a little behind with NFC when compared to Android. As long as you have an iPhone XS or newer you can support background reading i.e. tapping your phone on something and reading the tag without having to use a seperate app, however they don't support direct WiFi sharing/joining.
Instead when an iOS user taps their phone on your item it'll open a weblink to our website so they can download a Mobile Configuration File that allows them to join your WiFi.
It's not great but sadly that's Apple for you.
When the time comes that Apple supports the WiFi record it should "just work", as long as they don't require some specific Apple-only format but I'm sure they wouldn't do that, surely?
For the base item they are grey, because well, cement.
I will be adding extra paint colours as I go but if you have anything specific just ask and I'll see what I can do.