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Thread ID: 149684 2021-03-26 08:28:00 covid19 scanner app and bluetooth questions Tony (4941) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1475846 2021-03-26 08:28:00 I am usually pretty careful about scanning in everywhere (apart from today when I accidentally left my phone at home - d'oh!) I have a couple of questions:

Am I the only person who's app seems to take forever to get to the point where I can do a scan? Maybe I just have an old phone (Galaxy A5).
I have bluetooth enabled as we have been asked to. Does that mean I also have to have the scanner app on all the time as well, or does it all just work automagically in the background?

BTW and slightly OT, but I'm sure I've seen several people just photographing the QR code rather than using the app. I guess they might start to wonder what is happening when they run out of storage.
Tony (4941)
1475847 2021-03-26 17:36:00 Less than 50% of the people I have seen entering shops even pretend to scan in. Pretending to is what your photographers are doing and I doubt that they are actually taking a photo anyway so storage is not a problem. CliveM (6007)
1475848 2021-03-26 17:50:00 I am usually pretty careful about scanning in everywhere

I'm not. If I lived in Auckland, maybe but I'm a bit over it.

1. I have a S10 and it's pretty quick, might be an older phone.
2. Unless we have an outbreak in Welly I won't bother with all that bluetooth palavar. Don't know the answer to the question.
allblack (6574)
1475849 2021-03-26 18:27:00 The problem is for All you I won’t both let until there’s an outbreak, is you’ve already got two week of this history you haven’t got recorded .

My iPhone se takes about half a second to get ready for scanning . And short of glare scans the code in about a second .

I have seen people with older and androids taking a while to scan but thats assuming it’s already up and ready .


Maybe a real simple solution if the phone is older and takes a while to get ready to scan is if going somewhere eg bunnings, start the app as you get out of the car so by the time you get to the door it’s ready .

Of course retailers could help this issue by having more that just a qr code at the door . So that while in the store if the phone wasn’t ready then you can scan later . I doubt exact entry time is all that important, just that you were there the same day within an hour or two . So minutes are a bit irrelevant
psycik (12851)
1475850 2021-03-26 19:37:00 Some don't have smart phones.......a few shops have that book to sign, our hairdresser for instance, in fact she only had the book. piroska (17583)
1475851 2021-03-26 19:57:00 Less than 50% of the people I have seen entering shops even pretend to scan in. Pretending to is what your photographers are doing and I doubt that they are actually taking a photo anyway so storage is not a problem.

That may be so, but I am sure I have seen people with a phone showing the QR code on the screen when it is clearly not the scanner app operating.

I note nobody has been able to answer my second question about Bluetooth. Surely somebody knows?
Tony (4941)
1475852 2021-03-26 21:07:00 My phones got a mind of its own :D sometimes it takes longer to load than others.

With the Bluetooth on the Covid site it states:


Once you have turned Bluetooth tracing on, it lets your phone exchange anonymous random keys with other nearby phones that also have Bluetooth tracing turned on. It’s like your phone is giving digital high-fives to other phones you are near. The Bluetooth tracing function records how close the other phone was, and for how long. It works in the background.

covid19.govt.nz Has a video showing how it works.

Look at it like if there's an outbreak in an Area, the Bluetooth can narrow it down to a smaller area, whether it be a couple of shops, Mall etc.
wainuitech (129)
1475853 2021-03-26 22:10:00 My phones got a mind of its own :D sometimes it takes longer to load than others.

With the Bluetooth on the Covid site it states:

It works in the background.

covid19.govt.nz Has a video showing how it works.

Look at it like if there's an outbreak in an Area, the Bluetooth can narrow it down to a smaller area, whether it be a couple of shops, Mall etc.
Well, yes, it works in the background, but there has to be some computing going on, and my question is, how is that initiated? Does it only work (in the background) while the Covid app is active, or does the Covid app set up the background process when it is installed so it operates independently?
Tony (4941)
1475854 2021-03-27 01:21:00 Well, yes, it works in the background, but there has to be some computing going on, and my question is, how is that initiated? Does it only work (in the background) while the Covid app is active, or does the Covid app set up the background process when it is installed so it operates independently?

In the Video in the provided link, in previous post has you'll see how it works :) About 3/4 of the way down the page.
wainuitech (129)
1475855 2021-03-27 01:47:00 In the Video in the provided link, in previous post has you'll see how it works :) About 3/4 of the way down the page.

Sorry WT, I should have looked at the link properly. It explicitly says "You do not have to have the app open for it to work.".
So that wraps all that up!
Tony (4941)
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