In the ever evolving world of mobile devices, NFC (Near Field Communication) is the latest buzz word. Recently ailing mobile phone manufacturer Nokia touted NFC as the USP for three of its recently launched phones.
What is NFC?
Near Field Communication (NFC) is a wireless connectivity technology that enables convenient short-range communication between electronic devices. It allows for simplified transactions, data exchange, and wireless connections between two devices in close proximity to each other, usually by no more than a few centimeters. The technology allows short-range data transfer, usually at a distance of 10 cm or less. In other words, Near Field Communication can quickly swap information between devices. This technology is included in electronic devices in the form of a small chip.
A user puts the back of an NFC-enabled device against the back of another NFC-enabled device and the device automatically recognises it, thereby showing a prompt on the screen to read or write information to the device.
What all can it do?
The NFC technology is not new, but it has been creating a buzz recently. While, there are a few handsets that possess this technology, but the adoption of NFC and its integration into smartphones is expected to go mainstream in the next 12-24 months. Here's what NFC can enable users with:
1. An NFC enabled device can work as an RFID (radio frequency identification) tag scanner. It reads information embedded in the form of RFID tags in media such as posters, billboards, brochures, leaflets, menus and other such material. For instance, if you visit a restaurant and scan the menu card by touching your phone or tablet to it, you may be presented with the link to an interactive, animated menu on your phone, with detailed descriptions of menu items, their reviews by other users and, perhaps, even videos of their preparation.
2. This new technology has the potential to replace plastic money with a phone. Once the information that is carried in your credit card is stored in your NFC enabled phone, you can simply touch your phone to a terminal in the same the way as you scan your credit card, and make payments.
3. Thirdly, NFC-enabled phones can be used to easily exchange data. Tap one NFC device to another to instantly share electronic business cards. This can replace visiting cards, as it only requires you to touch your phone to that of someone else, and your virtual business card is transferred to another device with one tap on the screen. Similarly, sharing photos and other media with others become easy.
4. With NFC, you can easily bring devices together to be automatically prompted to initiate Bluetooth pairing by a tap on each screen. Otherwise, pairing two Bluetooth devices involves navigating menus to enable Bluetooth, scan for a device, initiate pairing and then enter the pass code on each device.
NFC-enabled phones
Here is a list of NFC enabled handsets:
1. Google Nexus S
2. BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930
3. Nokia C7
4. Samsung Galaxy SII(only comes with NFC in Korea.)
5. Blackberry Curve 9350, 9360 and 9370
6. Huawei Sonic a.k.a Turkcell T20 in Turkey
7. Samsung Wave 578
8. HTC Ruby (The phone is said to be made available from October 12 from T-Mobile in the US.)
9. Nokia N9
10. LG T530(available in France as the 'LG Ego')
11. Nokia 701
12. Nokia 700
13. Nokia 600
14. Sonim XP1301 Core NFC
15. Mobiwire Cosyphone
16. Samsung S5230 NFC
17. Samsung S5260 NFC
18. Sky Vega Racer from Pantech
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