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Unlock Your Android Phone With Open Source Wearable NFC

Posted by timothy on from the now-attach-it-to-your-gun dept.

coop0030 (263345) writes "Becky Stern at Adafruit has created a guide on how to create an open source NFC ring or other wearable to mod and unlock your Android phone. From the tutorial: 'Unlock your phone by just picking it up! No more pesky password or gesture PIN, just scan an NFC tag! This guide covers creating an NFC ring, putting an NFC tag in your nail polish, modding your Android installation to read tags from the lockscreen, and creating an automation toolchain to unlock the phone when the desired tag is scanned.' There is also a video that demonstrates how it works."

28 of 81 comments (clear)

  1. Unlocking a phone.... by Glasswire · · Score: 5, Funny

    Boy, and I'd always heard it was a lot harder than that to get an unlocked phone

    1. Re:Unlocking a phone.... by jeffmflanagan · · Score: 2

      >No, most phones don't have locks on them.
      >They wouldn't be much use, as phones are intended neither to hold valuable objects

      Are you posting from 1990? Of course phones hold valuable info and have locks on them.

  2. NFC Rings by mythosaz · · Score: 3, Informative

    You can grab NRC tag rings fairly cheaply at most of the Hong Kong importers.

    One of many examples:
    http://www.dx.com/p/smart-nfc-...

  3. Wallet by J-1000 · · Score: 2

    You can also just put an NFC sticker in your wallet. Works pretty well. Admittedly, it's often more natural just to swipe in my pattern. And if you keep your phone and wallet in the same pocket you'll be prone to butt dialing.

    1. Re:Wallet by camperdave · · Score: 4, Funny

      You can also just put an NFC sticker in your wallet.

      She: "Maybe we could go out for drinks on Saturday"
      He: "Let me check my schedule" - pulls out phone and waves it around near his butt - "Yeah, I'm free"
      She (disgusted): "You pig! I'll never go out with you!"

      Wallet may not be the best place for that tag, although it probably beats placing it in your belt buckle.

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
  4. Do not want by PvtVoid · · Score: 3, Funny

    I don't know about anyone else, but when I pick up my phone, I want it to work. Every time. This kind of interlock just adds another point of failure. Suppose a bunch of thugs (you know who I mean) are in my house, and I need to call the police?

    If these things are ever sold anywhere, by anyone, it will be the first step in a slippery slope by which the phone grabbers will gut the First Amendment right to call anybody I want, any time. How long before the FCC demands a remote kill switch?

    1. Re:Do not want by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      I don't know about anyone else, but when I pick up my phone, I want it to work. Every time. This kind of interlock just adds another point of failure. Suppose a bunch of thugs (you know who I mean) are in my house, and I need to call the police?

      In Europe you can call emergency services from a locked phone. Not sure if that feature is crippled at your place.

    2. Re:Do not want by OverlordQ · · Score: 2

      > Suppose a bunch of thugs (you know who I mean) are in my house, and I need to call the police?

      You mean the emergency call button that is on every recent smartphone?

      --
      Your hair look like poop, Bob! - Wanker.
    3. Re:Do not want by oodaloop · · Score: 2

      Suppose a bunch of thugs (you know who I mean) are in my house, and I need to call the police?

      No, I don't. But if you want to call the police, on your and anyone's phone, just dial emergency. That's available on every phone with no login.

      If these things are ever sold anywhere, by anyone, it will be the first step in a slippery slope by which the phone grabbers will gut the First Amendment right to call anybody I want, any time.

      Whoah, which Constitution are you reading? The one written a hundred+ years before the invention of the phone? You do not have any right to call anyone you want any time you want.

      --
      Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
    4. Re:Do not want by OzPeter · · Score: 2

      Its as if I heard the sound of hundreds, nay thousands of *whooshes* all at once.

      Well played sir.

      --
      I am Slashdot. Are you Slashdot as well?
    5. Re:Do not want by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 3

      No we don't. We're going to need more info to see if you're referencing associates of yours, or are maybe some kind of racist, since the ignorant conservatives use "thug" as code for black people, and we don't know if you're one of those awful people.

      I have never in my life heard the word "thugs" used as a "code for black people". That's the honest truth.

      I have, however, heard people who call themselves "progressives" use the term as a code for conservatives. That's also just the honest truth.

      Disclaimer: I am not a "conservative," so don't waste everybody's time by going there.

    6. Re:Do not want by camperdave · · Score: 2

      I don't know about anyone else, but when I pick up my phone, I want it to work. Every time.

      Then you shouldn't get a cell phone. What you should get is a psychotherapist to help you deal with your paranoia issues.

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    7. Re:Do not want by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      It's a comment on Gun Locks. Ahaha, most people are stupid.

    8. Re:Do not want by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Suppose a bunch of thugs (you know who I mean) are in my house, and I need to call the police?

      Why would you want to call more police to your house?

    9. Re:Do not want by AvitarX · · Score: 3, Informative

      I actually thought the grandparent was satire about gun safety (similar system for a smart gun caused death threats recently).

      You may or may not think it's funny, but I highly suspect the mods knew what was going on and thought it was funny, the poster I think clearly does not think like was posted.

      I'm not particularly disturbed by the mod, anymore than Jonathan Swift proclaiming we need to eat the poor.

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
    10. Re:Do not want by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 2

      You honestly read the grandparent and don't believe they weren't stereotyping? The fact that the grandparent was moderated to "funny" is a separate, disturbing fact in and of itself.

      Yes, I honestly read GP and I don't see any "stereotyping".

      I have honestly read your comment, and I do see stereotyping.

      Since when is "you know who I mean" a racist comment? In my opinion, assuming it was racist is both racist and paranoid.

      But that's just my opinion.

    11. Re:Do not want by Lumpy · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "Suppose a bunch of thugs (you know who I mean) are in my house, and I need to call the police? "

      the police will find your body when they arrive.

      The LAST thing you reach for is a phone if your home is being invaded.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  5. Getting an NFC tag to play with by Fencepost · · Score: 3, Informative

    If you don't happen to have any NFC tags around, Shell gas stations with their Circle K convenience stores are using them as their new "loyalty" tags. You won't be able to write to them, but you can certainly read the ID out of one.

    --
    fencepost
    just a little off
  6. Re:Given that my wife just found her wedding ring. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    You're wife didn't go back to her lover's place for six months to get it off the night stand?

    Sad that their relationship seems to be breaking down.

  7. Re:Given that my wife just found her wedding ring. by Charliemopps · · Score: 2

    The mailman was clearly on medical leave.

  8. It's easier than you might think. by Stealth+Dave · · Score: 3, Informative

    I've been doing this on my Galaxy S3 for over 9 months now using an NFC tag glued to my watch band. All you need is a rooted phone running Android 4.0.3 and above and a willingness to install an XPosed plugin or two. This link has all the details:

    http://forum.xda-developers.com/xposed/modules/mod-nfc-unlocking-based-t2478163

    TL;DR Steps:

    • ROOT YOUR PHONE (You'll have to Google this one yourself)
    • Install XPosed Framework
    • Install NFC Lock Screen Off Enabler module (you can find it in the Modules section of the XPosed Installer app)
    • Turn on NFC in lockscreen or screen off modes as desired
    • Register your NFC Tags to unlock your phone

    Much easier (and safer, IMO) than installing a modified system apk, and this method can also survive system upgrades provided that you maintain root. It will launch whatever action is set for that NFC tag (link, text, app, whatever), but you can use another XPosed module to supress the "Empty Tag" message on empty tags, if you so desire.

    The Adafruit link from TFA has some interesting ideas on how to squeeze your NFC tag into some interesting places, and you can also buy some pretty small NFC tags on your own. I bought 20 Midas nTag NFC tags on Amazon for $13 with Prime shipping, and they measure 19mm x 12mm. You can shave another 2mm off of either dimension if you're very careful with the trimming. That was more than small enough to fit on the clasp of my watch, or on the back of a plastic watch band.

    --
    Evil is as eval("does");
  9. Re:Is It Objectification...? by PPH · · Score: 2

    It's objectification only if you think it adds any accessor methods to them.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  10. Pebble by phorm · · Score: 2

    Pebble has an app that does something similar with Bluetooth. So long as your Pebble (watch) is in range and connected via BT, the phone is unlocked. As soon as it loses the connection it's back to pin-unlock mode.

  11. Re:Is It Objectification...? by nitehawk214 · · Score: 2

    It's objectification only if you think it adds any accessor methods to them.

    I prefer functional girls.

    --
    I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
  12. Re:I'm in love by nitehawk214 · · Score: 2

    I've been using black nail polish for years to cover blue LEDs on consumer electronics.

    The real question is; why do you have blue LEDs on your fingertips?

    --
    I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
  13. Re:jewelry lost too by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    I believe asking for jewelry has been a trade standard among muggers for some time already even.

  14. Re:I'm in love by Killjoy_NL · · Score: 2

    For wanking purposes. It's like fucking a router.

    or

    Why not? ;)

    --
    This is the sig that says NI (again)
  15. Motorola Skip by JStyle · · Score: 2

    For a number of motorola phones, this feature is already available. For $10, you get a clothing clip and 3 RFID stickers. Tap the phone to any of them, and it unlocks.

    http://www.motorola.com/us/mot...