Cheap bluetooth device for use with Android's Smart Lock

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MurrayM

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#204738 15-Oct-2016 09:44

Does anyone know of any cheap bluetooth devices that I could keep in my car and use as a trusted device for Android's Smart Lock feature?

My car doesn't have built-in bluetooth and my Fitbit One (which I carry everywhere with me) isn't supported.

I guess all I need is something that transmits a bluetooth signal and doesn't really do anything else.

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#1651489 15-Oct-2016 10:00

Get one of these and get streaming music at the same time...

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MurrayM

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#1651493 15-Oct-2016 10:51

hairy1:

Get one of these and get streaming music at the same time...

Thanks, but I don't have any music on my phone and don't usually listen to it in the car, so the music streaming isn't at all useful to me.

freitasm

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#1651499 15-Oct-2016 11:02

But it is a cheap Bluetooth device you can pair with your phone for your purposes, even if you don't want to listen to music.

richms

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#1651500 15-Oct-2016 11:04

Spend a bit more and get a lighter socket one so you have fewer wires in the way and things bouncing around, but yeah those will probably be the cheapest powered thing. You might be able to get away with one of those cheap bluetooth tracker things but they have a battery and they run flat pretty quickly and for a few bucks saving probably not worth it.

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MurrayM

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#1651503 15-Oct-2016 11:15

richms:

Spend a bit more and get a lighter socket one so you have fewer wires in the way and things bouncing around, but yeah those will probably be the cheapest powered thing. You might be able to get away with one of those cheap bluetooth tracker things but they have a battery and they run flat pretty quickly and for a few bucks saving probably not worth it.

So you think something like this or this would work? I can't seem to find anything that sits in the lighter socket, but I'm probably searching for the wrong term.

freitasm

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#1651509 15-Oct-2016 11:17

These trackers can generally be paired but not sure they hold a connection, do they?

MurrayM

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#1651515 15-Oct-2016 11:27

freitasm:

These trackers can generally be paired but not sure they hold a connection, do they?

Yeah, that's what I was worried about. That's the problem with my Fitbit, it only connects to my phone every so often (once every several minutes or even longer) to transmit my steps, so isn't useful for what I want.

You might be right, the music device might be the way to go even if I don't use the music part of it. I guess I don't have to have it connected to the car stereo, it can just sit in a glove-box. But I've just re-read the specs and it has a rechargeable battery that lasts for 8 - 10 hours, or 15 hours in standby. Doesn't say if it has an on/off switch (so I could have it on only when I'm in the car). So basically I'd need to charge it every day, or have it connected to my car lighter socket (more wires!).

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richms

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#1651529 15-Oct-2016 11:48

scottjpalmer

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#1651550 15-Oct-2016 12:37

Bear in mind you'll have to tell your phone not to use it as an audio/headset device otherwise once it pairs you won't hear your phone ring, the phones microphone and headphone won't work in a call, etc.

richms

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#1651555 15-Oct-2016 13:04

My phone still rings when connected to bluetooth devices? But yeah, if you do use that "phone call" feature you will have to disconnect the headset profile in the bluetooth stuff. If you play music thru the 3.5mm for better quality then that seems to take care of not using the bluetooth output automatically.

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tieke

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#1651580 15-Oct-2016 13:35

Wouldn't it be simpler to just have an NFC tag or sticker in the location where you sit your phone? (Assuming your phone has nfc of course). They're very cheap (you can pick them up for less than a dollar), and use no power - you could also combine them with Tasker to put your phone into a "car" mode.

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#1651594 15-Oct-2016 14:29

The OP doesn't want to go into car mode, he wants to use the car as a token to unlock the phone. The NFC won't do it.

MurrayM

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#1651600 15-Oct-2016 14:38

Thanks for all the replies guys, you've given me plenty to think about and investigate!

tieke

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#1651604 15-Oct-2016 14:45

freitasm:

The OP doesn't want to go into car mode, he wants to use the car as a token to unlock the phone. The NFC won't do it.

The car mode was sort of a bonus - I thought nfc tags would unlock the same way as bluetooth does, as when I go into my Android Smartlock settings I have NFC tags listed in the same "Trusted Devices" location as Bluetooth devices. I'll find a tag and try it out.

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#1651605 15-Oct-2016 14:45

freitasm:
The OP doesn't want to go into car mode, he wants to use the car as a token to unlock the phone. The NFC won't do it.

My phone Vodafone ultra will do smart unlock with nfc

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