Sony's Xperia SmartTags app now in Android Market, useless until SmartTags are launched

Sony's Xperia SmartTags allow you to use the NFC technology on your phone to quickly change the settings on the device to match a certain theme. The tags themselves will be sold in packages of four for $30. You can hang one on the wall of your office, for example, and once you tap the phone to the SmartTag, business settings are activated. For example, you can program the tag to have Wi-Fi on, ringtone high and the calendar app launched. Come home and tap the tag you have in the living room to have the browser launch the Google News and Weather app while keeping the ringtone on high and Wi-Fi enabled. And just before its lights out, you can tap the tag in the bedroom to launch the alarm app, put the phone into silent mode, turn Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS off.

What is required is an NFC enabled phone, the SmartTag app now available, and the actual SmartTags which are not yet available. And the phone must be running Android 2.3.7 or higher. The tags should be available at the same time that the Sony Xperia S launches, which would be the beginning of next month in the U.K. according to the last word we have heard.

We have a couple of videos for you to look at, the first being the official teaser from Sony that shows you a day in the life of a SmartTag user. The second comes from U.K. retailer Clove which had an Nexus S for the NFC support, and a SmartTag to use for this demonstration.

source: XperiaBlog, AndroidMarket via MobileSyrup