1. Getting Started
When you receive your Beacon in the mail it is already activated and ready to customize! Quickly set up your first notification right out of the box.
Setting up your first notification
For Basic Subscriptions:
1. Go to www.simplebeacon.io
2. Log into your account and click on “My Beacon”
3. Enter a New Title and New Link
4. Select which Notification Type you would like (more info on notification types)
5. Click “Update”
6. Your Simple Beacon has now been updated with the info you entered!
For Premium or Pro Subscriptions:
1. Go to www.simplebeacon.io
2. Log into your account and click on “Beacon List”
3. Click “Edit” on the Simple Beacon you would like to update
4. Enter a New Title and New Link
5. Select which Notification Type you would like (more info on notification types)
6. Click “Update”
7. Your Simple Beacon has now been updated with the info you entered!
2. Verifying Notifications
To verify that your Simple Beacon is sending your new information first make sure that you have Bluetooth and Location Services enabled on your Android device.
Check your notifications by sliding from the top of your screen down. If you do not see your notification don’t be worried as it is pretty easy to figure out what is up! Follow the steps below:
1. Often, if you already have Bluetooth turned on it has not scanned for new Beacons since you just updated your Beacon’s information. The easiest way to fix this is to turn off Bluetooth then turn it back on. Once it is turned back on your Android device will scan again for Beacons and display your Beacon in your Notifications.
2. If turning off/on Bluetooth doesn’t work try putting your phone in its locked or sleep state for a few moments then wake it up. Usually, when you wake it up it will scan for Beacons and display your Beacon in your Notifications.
3. If the two previous steps don’t work, let’s figure out if your Beacon is being heard by your phone by setting up and using the “Nearby” service on your phone.
– On your phone go to SETTINGS -> GOOGLE -> NEARBY
– Swipe down in the middle of the screen to refresh the current Notifications that are available. Still not there? Click on the gear icon and make sure that “Nearby links available” is turned on. (This should be on by default)
NOTE: For easy access in the future click on the 3 vertical dots then click “Add to Home screen” to add a short-cut to the “Nearby” service.
If you are still not seeing your notification, see the (Troubleshooting) Section.
3. Notification Types
You have the flexibility to have your Notification open in a few different Android Apps which can increase how positive the response to your content will be.
Facebook: By entering a Facebook Page ID the Notification will take the user directly to that Facebook Page on their device’s Facebook App. Please note that currently only Facebook Pages are supported, NOT Facebook personal Profiles.
YouTube: This will open a YouTube video directly in the user’s YouTube App. You can only use this with YouTube videos, not YouTube Channels or Playlists.
Chrome Webpage: This will open a website in the Chrome Web Browser App.
Webpage: This will open a website in the user’s default web browser. Please note that this method is a different way of sending a notification to someone’s device. There is a pro and con of using this method. PRO: The Favicon of the website will usually be displayed as well as the website URL (your branding). CON: This type of notification will generally be of a lower priority and usually may not show up on the lock screen, sleep screen or in the notifications bar. Please note: the URL must start with HTTPS and will not work with HTTP sites.
Disable: This setting turns off all notifications from your Simple Beacon.
4. Tips and Tricks
The following outlines some tips and tricks to getting the most out of your Simple Beacons
Location: The rule of more: MORE PEOPLE = MORE NOTIFICATIONS. Seek locations for your Beacons where you can target the most number of people. Just make sure that if you are leaving your Beacon somewhere that you have permission to do so.
Range: In open air our Beacons have a very long range. Since Bluetooth uses high-frequency radio signals putting your Beacons behind or inside of solid objects can reduce their range. Large structures can have a large impact on your range so it is always advised to test our your Beacon locations to see if the signal range is acceptable.
Name and Location: On your Beacon setup page you are able to enter a custom “Name” and “Location” for each Beacon.
– Name: A good way to track your Beacon without having to read its serial number. Some of our customers use colored stickers with the corresponding color as it’s “Name.” For example, a red dot sticker on one of your Beacon’s might be associated with a Beacon Name of “Red.”
– Location: Once you deploy Beacons you might not always have them in front of you to figure out which one you want to change. Entering a custom “Location” can help you remember where each Beacon is. For example, if you are a Realtor and have your Beacon at a certain listing you can have the “Location” set to “Smith Home.”
Notification Boosting: This is probably the most valuable tip for your Beacon performance. The Google Nearby service which displays notifications on your potential customer’s phone will rank your notifications based on the quality of the content. One such way they do this is by assessing how many times the same Title and Link combination is clicked. To boost your desired notification’s Google Nearby rating it is highly advised that you click on the Notification displaying on your personal device often. This will cause the Google Nearby system to make the determination that your Title/Link combo is effective and that it should be received with a higher priority. In short, the more times the same Title/Link combo are clicked, the higher priority it will have.
5. Troubleshooting
If you find yourself running into trouble, please…
1. Read through this User Guide in its entirety
2. Look for “Click for Help” pop-ups throughout the Simple Beacon website
3. If you still are having a technical issue, please email info@simplebeacon.io with your Beacon Serial number and a detailed description of your issues. Please include your contact info and a phone number. We will quickly get back to you.
Battery Replacement
After a few years, your battery may need replacing. If so, pop off the back plastic cover using a small flathead screwdriver. Carefully remove the circuit board from the case and remove the battery by pushing it out of its battery slot. Replace with a new CR2450 Battery and carefully put back together. (Please note that the circuit board had 2 small locating holes that the plastic case lines up into.)
6. Technical Information
Beacon (Simple Beacon SB1)
– Technology: Google Eddystone
– Radio: Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE, Bluetooth Smart)
– Range: Up to 75 meters (246 feet)
– Battery: CR2450 Lithium (replaceable)
– Battery Life: ~ 30 months
– Operating Temperature: 10°F to 140°F
– Operating Relative Humidity: 10%-80%
Minimum Requirements to receive Notifications
The following requirements are necessary for a target phone to receive a notification. Please note that the majority of Android devices currently in the marketplace meet all of these requirements by default.
– Android 4.4 or higher
– Bluetooth Services turned on
– Location Services turned on
– Nearby Services Running
FCC ID and STATEMENT
– FCC ID: 2AB4P-IB004-N
– FCC STATEMENT: This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.