1page.title=Interact with Nearby Users 2page.metaDescription=Use the Nearby feature to interact with nearby people, devices, and beacons. 3page.image=images/distribute/nearby_connections.png 4page.tags="users, nearby, engage" 5@jd:body 6 7<p>Create experiences that seem magical for users who are in close proximity by using the unique 8close-range and cross-platform capabilities of Nearby. Set up multiplayer games, ad-hoc groups, 9sharing, or collaborative sessions so that your users can work or play together more easily when 10they're close.</p> 11 12<p>Learn more about <a href="https://developers.google.com/nearby/">how to add nearby interactions 13to your app or game</a>.</p> 14 15<div class="wrap"> 16 <div class="cols" style="margin-top:1em;"> 17 <div class="col-4of12"> 18 <h3> 19 Messaging 20 </h3> 21 <img src="{@docRoot}images/distribute/nearby_messaging.png"> 22 <p class="figure-caption"> 23 Find nearby devices and share messages to enable rich interactions and collaboration 24 among users. 25 </p> 26 </div> 27 28 <div class="col-4of12"> 29 <h3> 30 Connections 31 </h3> 32 <img src="{@docRoot}images/distribute/nearby_connections.png"> 33 <p class="figure-caption"> 34 Discover other local devices and create connections that enable real-time, cross-device 35 experiences. 36 </p> 37 </div> 38 39 <div class="col-4of12"> 40 <h3> 41 Beacons 42 </h3> 43 <img src="{@docRoot}images/distribute/nearby_beacons.png"> 44 <p class="figure-caption"> 45 Receive messages from beacons using 46 <a href="https://developers.google.com/beacons/eddystone">Eddystone</a> and add context to 47 location-based apps and games. 48 </p> 49 </div> 50 </div> 51</div> 52 53<p class="note"><strong>Note:</strong> Nearby uses Bluetooth 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, and an 54ultrasonic modem to function over distances of up to 100 feet.</p> 55 56<h2 id="best-practices">Best practices</h2> 57 58<p>The following list contains some helpful tips and best practices that will help you set up 59and use Nearby effectively: 60 61<ul> 62 <li>Use Nearby features sparingly and only when they're needed because they can consume battery 63 life quickly (up to 3.5 times faster than normal). 64 </li> 65 66 <li>Invoke Nearby explicitly with a button, switch, or special screen, and provide a visual 67 indication when the features are actively sending or receiving content. 68 </li> 69 70 <li>Ensure that users are aware of the data that is made visible by Nearby before 71 they start using the features. 72 </li> 73 74 <li>Stop any publish or subscribe operations when the user exits the app or stops the 75 activity that requires Nearby. 76 </li> 77 78 <li>Use the <em>earshot</em> option, which uses only the ultrasonic modem to send and receive 79 messages, to limit the range of Nearby messages to about five feet when privacy is important. 80 </li> 81 82 <li>Accelerate the exchange of messages (when appropriate) by making one device the publisher 83 only, and all other devices subscribers. 84 </li> 85</ul> 86 87<h2 id="related-resources">Related resources</h2> 88 89<div class="resource-widget resource-flow-layout col-13" 90 data-query="collection:distribute/users/nearby" 91 data-sortOrder="-timestamp" 92 data-cardSizes="9x3" 93 data-maxResults="6"></div> 94
