So I've just flashed the factory image for lollipop on my Nexus 5 and was initially disappointed that the trusted device functionality didn't seem to be working.

I'd added both sides of my ring and also a credit-card sized tag as trusted NFC tags, hoping they'd bypass the lockscreen. But on turning on, swiping up to reveal the lockscreen, and then tapping a tag I was getting nothing, nada, zilch. I didn't even get the familiar 'bad read' sound. Cue sad face.

A bit of research however revealed how it is supposed to work, and will hopefully save someone that disappointment time. The tag must be touching when you turn the phone on, and when you then swipe up the lockscreen will be non-existent. Happy days.

It may just be me, but it seems to read better too. My ring is on my index finger and it is easy to hold the phone naturally with the ring over my sweet spot, so as soon as I turn the phone on it is just unlocked ... no more waving, sweeping, tapping or trying to activate across a small sweet spot.

Alright then @johnyma22 , you asked for it ...

I also have a Nexus 5, and I've been running a QA failed SB for around a month now as a day-to-day unlock ring: it sits on my finger 24/7 and I expect it to unlock my Nexus 5.

To begin with it was very hit and miss and for maybe 2 weeks half the time I'd give up in frustration and just use the PIN, or swipe on the tag in my slip case. With time though I've learnt:
(a) it is very sensitive to the tag being square on my finger. If the ring has rotated even a couple of mm it makes a read impossible. Fortunately my SB has now had some wear and the underside of the metal has some bare metal where the plating has worn off, so I can tell which tag is 'down' and whether it is in the right position.
(b) my sweet spot is small and can benefit from a slow movement of the ring through the field if I don't get an immediate read.
(b) Rings works best at a 45' angle (i.e. tag not horizontal or vertical to horizontal axis of phone, but at 45'). Fortunately I wear the ring on my left index finger and so it is easy to hold the phone in my left hand with the ring on the exact spot and at that angle without effort.

Now my success rate is probably around 95%, and I don't often need to reach for the emergency tag or use the PIN.

Prefer pictures to words? Watch a video here.
The real-quick getting started guide

Because you don't want to read more than is needed, and just want it to work.

Having trouble registering your app? See the section below.

Very first thing: go and disable your existing lock-screen (Settings > Security > Screen Lock > None) because you're intending to use the NFC Unlock App as your lock-screen.

1. Start the 'NFC Ring Unlock' app
2. Tap 'Device Security' section
3. Tap 'Manage Keys' section
4. Tap the icon in top-right which is a key with a + sign
5. Scan the ring-inlay you want to use as unlock key
6. Give it a name, description, picture or whatever. Make sure 'enable' is on, and 'save'
7. Repeat steps 4, 5 and 6 with another NFC tag so that you have a backup! Either use one of the extra inlays if one came with your ring (and keep it in your wallet), another ring inlay (if you have more than one ring) or a different kind of NFC tag if you have one.
8. Go back to 'Device Security'
9. Toggle 'Enable/Disable' in the top bar.
   Note as of time of writing this is not an intuitive UI and if you see the text 'disable' that doesn't mean the security is disabled, it means 'click here to disable'. Likewise 'enable' means 'click here to enable', and doesn't mean security is enabled
10. Check the 'Use with No Lockscreen' option
11. Go back to the homepage of the NFC Ring Unlock app
12. Tap 'Application Security'
13. Tap 'Manage Application Passwords'
14. Enter a pin
15. You're done

Extra Info

• You can't store information on a tag and use it as an unlock tag

• Even though 'Check Security Level' gives a warning about using a pin, setting a pin in the 'Manage Application Passwords' is useful for two very good reasons: (1) you don't have to use your Google account password in an app you may not trust, and (2) Google account authentication can not take place in Airline mode, because it needs to contact Google servers. Without a password you could lock yourself out of your phone if you enter Airline mode

• To remove a key from the 'Manage Keys' section just swipe it off the screen

• Once you have your basic functionality working you can play with the 'Manage Call Behaviour' section to decide how the phone should be locked/unlocked when making or receiving calls

• If you don't set a pin as backup then you will use your Google account login to bypass the unlock screen. If you have 2-Step Verification enabled this can be problematic. You can go to [Google security page] 1 to disable 2-Step verification

• For information on how to use 2-Step Authentication with the NFC Ring Unlock app see [this post by Lokki] 2

Registering the app

• Original backers will have received a registration code for the app by email with a subject line of Your NFC Ring Unlock App Access Code. This contains the verification code you need to enter once you've installed and opened the app for the first time, along with the email address you registered with (also contained in that email)

• If you've lost that email you can [reset your validation code] 3 and get a new code to use

• You can also get an unlock code by using the NFC Ring Control App. Tap the 'Register' option and follow the instructions

@johnyma22
The post here ...
http://blog.nfcring.com/unicorn/with-pride-of-lion-kickstarter-update
... seems to have an over-eager spam catcher in place. I've been able to comment before without problem, but it seems no-one is able to comment on this particular post.

Anyway, the point of the post: you asked for feedback on whether the 8% of backers who are still waiting fulfillment should be able to have a conversation with you guys and possibly change rings (if that is what is causing the delay).

My view is yes, because if some of the backers are like me then they'll be held up by a ring that wasn't one they actually ordered anyway! Two of the three rings I'm waiting for have been auto-swapped because of production problems (a double silver-CF ring and a Stealth Bomber), so if the replacements for them are what is causing the hold up then I'd gladly swap for anything else that is available. I doubt the SB replacement is the problem as that was just a grab-bag anyway, so my suspicion is that the auto-swapped white+white is the problem - especially after your post pointed some blame at white inlays. I wouldn't have chosen double-white (or even single white!) so to be held up by that doesn't make sense.
Also, while we're having a conversation about swapping a ring before fulfillment I might be able to request a size change on at least one of those rings. After having received a QA fail ring I think the sizes I chose in the order will be 0.5 too small ...

Change the 'Device Security' enable/disable toggle back to the standard UI toggle widget, which is clearer. Like this ...

Current text is ambiguous and not obvious it is a piece of UI that should be clicked on.

@Nas said:

I thought it was already decided that replacements would be sent out to those who ordered rings causing delays, in order to get at least some kind of rings to backers. Then vouchers would be made available at a later date to get a ring that is "more to your liking"

No, only for certain production-problem rings. So far the problems have been (a) CF rings get a replacement because CF failed (b) plated rings get a replacement because factory can't polish them (c) one-off or uncommon ring designs may get replaced (e.g. wood + purple inlay) as the factory has been crap at following their order list.

The latest update is more of a catch-all - and to deal with the remaining few percent. Of those few percent there may be just one ring causing the delay (from John's update the white inlay now seems to be the cause of QA fails) and so John was wandering whether people would want to swap out their problem ring for something that is in stock.

So which one is it now? Do I need to get in touch, or do I wait for my dispatch email with one of the replacements?

John asked for comments on the blog post, but people have been commenting on the update post and also in forum posts such as the one here.

Fact remains, its been almost a year since initial shipping date. And yet I have no clue on where my ring is and whats happening.

You'll see in the thread I linked to that someone has proposed a template of how they'd like this conversation to be structured. It seems pretty sensible and would answer things like 'what was my original order', 'what does my order look like now' (because of auto-replacements for CF/plated), 'what is holding up delivery' and 'what can I change to make it happen quicker'.

Remove the picture of a ring from the unlock screen, or make it optional.
I tried to change my unlock wallpaper, to something more cryptic that people wouldn't guess ("Scan retina now") and also has custom message asking 'what's the magic word' to throw people off the scent - but it still sticks a picture of a ring on the wallpaper. Kind of gives the game away about what to do to unlock.
I want people who steal my phone to be holding it up to their eye and talking bollocks to my phone :)

@mrbrown said:

1. the constant updates with bad news basically put me off the whole thing to be honest.
2. which is why I believe I probably missed any email regarding what to do about my changing my ring order again. Glad everyone grouped together to decide for me!

So help me to understand why I ended up with two rings being black/transparent and the other having both sides transparent?

I am NOT ungrateful, I am somewhat happy something has finally arrived, problem is its not what I agreed too, nor did I agree for anyone else to decide for me. So is it possible to get some control on what I want?

I don't mind about the colours not being available due to QA, but can I at least choose from what is available?

If another form was sent out asking this, I apologise for missing that, but I would of rather not received anything... to then have me then contact you complaining to then find I missed another change request because then I could of had the opportunity to change it again.

Yes, basically, when you got put off by the updates you missed a number of emails detailing what was happening with substitutions (because of the high QA fail rates).

You would specifically also have missed a **personal **email asking you directly how you wanted to deal with any rings in your order that were causing the delay. I can only assume if you didn't take that opportunity to engage in dialogue with support then they would just have given you what was readily available. So yes, you could have had control. You could have made the decision yourself rather than have others decide for you. And yes, you could have chosen from what was available. Maybe now you're engaging finally you can go through a returns process, but that isn't for me to say.

Out of all the ring options given at the start of the project, the ones shown on the current NFC Store are really the only ones that made it through the development process. I've got my fingers crossed that some more options appear (like a silver inlay) but time will tell.

@Zombiehug Yes, I believe you can. It is just an NFC tag, so you can write whatever you like to it within the memory limits of the tag.

• Show the version number somewhere in the unlock app. Otherwise you get the situation where customer is asked 'which version of the app are you using' and they just say 'the latest', without knowing if they're on the beta version or the 'release' version.

@lokki one of my original rings was a titanium with silver CF inlays, the intention being it would be kinda stealthy. With CF problems though that's changed to white, so not stealthy at al :)
From the video, I like the idea of a one sided ring. It was always about a more convenient unlock for me, rather than the fist-bump link transfer envisaged at conception (and given the fickle nature of everyone's phones I can't see that being that popular anymore, without first looking at what phone your intended recipient is using... "Oh moto-X? No sorry I can't fist bump your phone")

@johnyma22 Aaaargggh, you're making me look at javascript ... I told you what I thought about that!

@Corv Did you see this post? https://forum.nfcring.com/topic/259/google-2-step-authentication-is-not-scary#1884
I don't use 2FA myself so haven't had to worry about it, but maybe the info in that post will help you.

@JoRoid said:

**Does anyone know what maybe happening with these Rings?

I received an email that my order was in production, but that was 3 to 4 months ago or maybe longer.

...
Sorry if I am out of the loop and someone has already posted, normally I just wait and I do not worry about these things but I received an email and I am just worried the ring may have been lost.

That email back in March was sent to everyone (I think) and just said 'rings are now being produced'. It didn't really relate to specifics, I believe. So don't worry, it is not likely the ring is lost as you'd have been sent a more specific 'your ring has shipped' email when your specific ring was sent to you.
As for where the KS ltd edition fits into the production schedule, no idea. I'm not sure that's been stated anywhere. As a smaller run (compared to, say, black inlays) I can see that maybe it would be nearer the end just because you get a bigger win by producing all the 'normal' inlay rings first.

So looking at the code (you bad man you), it seems that yes - what is being rotated is the camera. Which means the lights/envmap will remain pointing at the same place on the model. Kind of like here ... http://threejs.org/examples/webgl_loader_stl.html ... note how the shadows move with the objects, and the dark part of the meshes is always the dark part.

It isn't so obvious on your ring version though because there isn't a background/floor and so no shadows cast to get reference.

I know nothing about three.js though but assume this is the culprit:

controls = new THREE.OrbitControls(camera);

Ideally the controls would rotate the ring model rather than the camera. In that way the fixed light positions would hit different parts of the ring as you moved the ring.

As for the envmap, something really neutral or maybe even just removed would show off the ring better IMHO.

@randumb I guess wood was one of the inlays the factory seemed incapable of delivering. I'm sure Tom or John (or someone else) will chip in with the state-of-play for substituted rings. They were mentioned in an update but I didn't pay that much attention to it.

EDIT: Ok, I looked it up ... this update here says this:

We’re at a point now with our factory where actually getting the correct order fulfilled by them is proving to be almost impossible. With that in mind, to keep things moving, some rings that had unique color options have had alternative colors supplied. For example if your order was a Titanium Ring with Red and black inlay covers and we didn’t get sent this exact color combination, then we will have replaced your ring with the closest match. (For example Red and Transparent inlay covers.) If you aren’t happy with this ring you can always return it or request a replacement. We appreciate this isn’t ideal, but from the feedback we have had with sending out replacement rings, we feel it’s the best possible approach in these circumstances.

... and I'd guess your wood inlay is one of those affected. If you aren't happy, request a replacement.

@8writer said:

Lokki, I don't think you've seen one of these - the NFC antenna on the back is absolutely HUGE!

Ironically that's probably the problem with these phones. It is a big mismatch in size with the ring circuit, and that makes the induction harder. Smaller is better when it comes to a phone antenna mating with the ring.

At a guess, because the update is called 'Kickstarter Update' and talks about backers, I'd say the free-temp replacement ring is for KS backers. Pre-orders are 'shipping june', so that could still be a month away if you're worried about having to wait much longer. Changing to a different ring isn't going to get you a ring by next week, for example. Whether they have a solution for the plated rings by mid/end June is debatable, and so closer to that time there may be an update for the Pre-Order customers.

Irrespective of that, if you want to change your pre-order to a different ring I don't imagine that would be a problem, but remember that support are going to be busy at the moment so may not get back to you right away.

I know it's been mentioned elsewhere, but I wanted to add my voice and latest report to using the Xposed Framework and the NFC LockScreenOff enabler module.

With a rooted Android (still stock ROM) and these two elements it's possible to use the NFC Ring to unlock the native Android lockscreens (pattern, pin, whatever). In fact it works better because it still unlocks even when giving a 'bad read' sound, presumably because it isn't interested in the contents just the UID.

The only thing to watch out for is that you'll get the 'new empty tag' message popup when you unlock, and some have suggested using the Disable NFC Tag Empty Message module, but that only works when lock screen is on ... so if you get two rapid reads the second could happen once lock screen is removed and you'll still see the message.
The best method I found is to just register the ring with the NFC Ring Unlock App, which will write something to it that no other app is interested in! Hey presto, you can unlock the standard lock and not get extra messages pop up.