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Near Field Communication posts

Qualcomm brings Near Field Communication to more mobile chipsets

by Darren Murph posted Feb 12th 2009 @ 8:29AM

As stellar as things like contactless payments are, short-range communications applications have generally struggled to gain adoption (Bluetooth notwithstanding). Qualcomm's hoping to change all that with its announcement that certain new products in its portfolio will arrive with NFC capabilities baked right in. The outfit's goal here is to "accelerate the commercial availability of mobile handsets featuring the short-range technology," but unfortunately, it has yet to publicly gloat about signing any partner deals with its Mobile Station Modem (MSM) chipsets. We'll be keeping a close eye out at Mobile World Congress for any NFC inclusions, but honestly, we don't have a great deal of hope that any North American handsets will be in the bunch -- if there's a bunch at all.

Rogers holds hands with RBC / Visa for mobile phone payment pilot

by Darren Murph posted Oct 30th 2008 @ 11:43PM

If you're tired of paying for random snacks and such the old fashioned way (you know, swiping your credit card and handing over your John Henry), Rogers Wireless feels your pain. While not the first mobile payment initiative to hit the Great North, this one has some pretty notable backers. Starting in mid-2009, Rogers, RBC and Visa will join together to allow customers "to pay for small purchases" so long as they're holding one of the "specially-equipped mobile phones that can be waved at Visa payWave-enabled checkout readers at select retail stores and quick-service restaurants in Toronto's downtown core." The pilot will utilize Motorola handsets outfitted with Near Field Communication (NFC) contactless chips, while Gemalto will be managing the transfer of credit card information from RBC to the secure SIM card. There's no word on plans beyond the trial, but here's hoping it does something more than just fizzle out.

[Via mobilesyrup]

Sony Ericsson's patent application for drag and drop NFC-style

by Sean Cooper posted Nov 20th 2007 @ 3:16PM

We're all about fanciful ideas, and Sony Ericsson's patent application for near-field communication (NFC) as a means of transferring files between devices certainly falls into that category. The application features -- at least in one scenario -- the ability to slide a file off your device's screen and have a neighboring device receive it as if you are simply handing a note across. Apart from issues like directional control potentially getting in the way -- and of course security -- this'd be an awesome use of this type of technology, and a brilliant way to cheat on tests. Now let's get that big touchscreen device to market, OK Sony Ericsson?

Nokia's 6131 does NFC

by Chris Ziegler posted Jan 8th 2007 @ 12:30PM

With all the hullabaloo going 'round about Cingular's increasing involvement in NFC trials, it seems like it's in manufacturers' best interests to start pumping out phones that can do the duty (read: GSM 850 and 1900 radios, please). Nokia's first to answer the call with an NFC-enabled version of the standard-duty 6131 clamshell, aptly named the 6131 NFC. An N76 it's not, but it still gets the job done with FM radio, microSD expansion, Bluetooth, and a 1.3 megapixel cam -- and, of course, that all-important NFC hardware for quick payments, wireless contact info exchange, or whatever nifty use cases the NFC folks can dream up. The 6131 drops this quarter for around $340 before carrier (and when we say "carrier," we think we probably mean "Cingular") subsidies.