While the real life applications of near field communications technology have yet to become common (as they are in Japan), many companies are already showing early support for the technology. Google’s Nexus S is a high profile smart phone that clearly advertises its NFC capabilities, but it is not alone. Apple has already invested in the innovation early this 2010 –though it has yet to update the hardware on its devices. Nokia is also known to be a supporter of the technology.
But what good is having NFC technology around especially for folks who simply do not believe in the concept of e-commerce and electronic locks? –which are the two most often cited examples of NFC technology application. With the buzz about the need for digital security, it would be a very difficult sell for tech companies to say that their mobile devices are more secure than their key chains (after all, a mobile phone is more likely to be stolen).
NFC is not only used for secure transactions, the technology can also be used for a wide variety of functions as well. The most basic one is to confirm a person’s presence or proximity. NFC phones can be used as a substitute for membership cards in certain establishments – pretty much like Foursquare without having to activate your GPS. What makes this even better is the fact that you have to be literally in the exact place (not just the same building) as the close proximity of NFC requires it.
Advertising will also change thanks to NFC. Pass your mobile phone over that little ad poster in the market and you will get a URL to see further details. The same application of NFC technology can be used to deliver other relevant information about a wide variety of products and services instantly.
Posts Tagged ‘Apple’
Google’s Nexus S Pushes NFC Technology Forward
Tuesday, December 21st, 2010Today’s Top Mobile Headlines
Monday, December 20th, 2010
Nokia is suing Apple for 24 counts of patent infringement. The case has been filed in several countries counting the UK, Netherlands and also in Germany as well. As expected, Apple has responded to the lawsuit by filing a counter lawsuit against the Finnish phone maker. With this being their fourth legal battle against each other, the process is starting to look familiar, hopefully, this case gets resolved as soon as possible.
RIM has announced that they have shipped a massive 14.2 million units, and the company has also reported a massive growth of 40% in profits. While the BlackBerry brand still remains a niche name, many are hoping that the new QNX powered BlackBerry Playbook might change the reputation of the company name.
Microsoft has confirmed that the Windows Phone 7 mobile platform will be receiving a massive update. According to reports, the new update will be coming in the summer of 2011 (around August and September), and by massive, we mean large enough to warrant getting a name. Aside from adding HTML5 and better Silverlight compatibility the update is expected to bring many more features to the OS. The new update has also been nicknamed as the Mango.
Speaking of the Windows Phone 7, Microsoft is not planning a new version of the OS until much later; which means that the currently announced 7.5 update will be all that users can look forward to next year. It is believed that the new version, Windows Phone 8 will be launching on 2012.
Google’s Android Honeycomb has been designed specifically for touch screen tablets. So far, there is no confirmation yet on when the OS version will be released (especially with 2.3 Gingerbread being just released just a while ago). At this point, many believe that the Honeycomb OS will be designated with version 2.4.
News Tidbits: A Quick Bite of Mobile Updates
Tuesday, December 14th, 2010
The white version of the Samsung Android smart phone, the i9000 Galaxy S has just been made available in Germany. It has been out in the UK and in Spain for quite some time now, but if you missed it, they currently have plenty of stock in Germany.
Google’s Nexus S is now on pre-order availability. Orange, T-Mobile, Vodafone and O2 are all offering the handset and if you want it on for free on contract, the cheapest available is a 35 Pound monthly tariff good for 24 months.
Local users of the Samsung Galaxy S under Orange and T-Mobile will be sad to know that the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update will not be available until this coming January. The delay has gotten quite a reaction from those who are initially excited about the new update but considering that the wait should is not that long, this is still good news.
Apple’s latest issue with Jailbreaking seems to have taken an odd turn as they have just disabled a crucial API feature in the iOS: the specific function shut off is the one that specifically identifies which handsets are jailbroken and which are not.
This new decision has led to many into believing that Apple is taking a step away from its strong stance against the practice of jailbreaking though many also fear what this would mean for the many game and app developers that rely on online sales in order to make a profit. If Apple does cease to stand against jailbreaking, piracy on the iPhone is certain to spread. Many believe that the decision by Apple is heavily influenced by the fact that the US government has deemed jailbreaking to be a completely legal practice.
Finally, the initial specs of the new Motorola tablet has been confirmed, aside from having a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 CPU, Andy Rubin’s little gadget sports a 1280 x 800 resolution, 7 inch capacitive touch screen, a 5 mega pixel camera and of course, the Android Honeycomb OS.
Apple iOS 4.3 and White iPhone Coming Soon
Tuesday, December 7th, 2010
The Android 2.3 Gingerbread is about to arrive; further pushing the operating system further along the evolution the ladder. Its Cupertino based rival, the Apple iOS is not about to be left behind in this time and age. The new OS is reported to be getting a new system before the end of the year rolls out.
Apple’s iOS 4.3 will be featuring plenty of new features –in particular, for the iPod Touch and the iPhone OS. Some of you might remember that the previous patch, version 4.2 provided features for all systems, but focused mainly on the missing features on the Apple iPad touch screen tablet.
Aside from the new version of the iOS, another update from Apple has also been reported as well. A recently released bit of information is certain to make some of you folks happy: the white iPhone 4 is back in production and will be released soon.
While we still cannot grasp why so many people are so excited about the plain looking, all white version of the Apple iPhone 4, the bottom line is that it is expected to roll out by spring of 2011. It will certainly be a long wait, but the release is at least certain. The only thing we can hope for now is that the new smart phone version will also have a fixed antenna –unlike the original iPhone 4 that suffered from the issues that were later regarded as the antennagate.
With the rivalry between Apple and Google growing stronger by the minute, it cannot be helped that the newly launched Microsoft Windows Phone 7 mobile platform remains pretty much in the back with low sales results –which is quite a surprising result as it was originally expected that he competition would be a three way fest between all the companies involved.
The Next in Mobile Tech: Tablets and Gaming
Tuesday, December 7th, 2010
Tablets are now the next big gadget to own at home. Sure, they certainly serve a lesser practical purpose than a smart phone or a net book, but they are so convenient that not having one seems to be pretty close to a sin.
The Apple iPad has shown the world how easy it is to just pick up a tablet, browse the latest news updates, send a quick email, check your social networking account and even read a digital book in just one sitting, using just one device –all without both the hassle of fiddling around with a net book.
Samsung takes it a little further with the Android Galaxy Tab. This touch screen tablet may be smaller, but the size is so ergonomically sound that reading eBooks for long periods is preferable on the Tab than on the iPad –mostly due to the iPad’s significantly larger size.
Flash support is another major issue. There are plenty of great websites on the internet that use Flash content –not only for media, but also for navigation purposes as well. In this sense, Apple’s web experience is lacking one very important aspect.
The Galaxy Tab has just hit the 1 million sales mark recently and is a testament to how strong the importance of ergonomic design and Flash support is to the tech industry.
Sony Ericsson’s new Zeus smart phone (also called as the Z1) has been shown in a new video. This new vid highlights the use of the Android 2.3 Éclair OS on the new handset. The gaming controls have also been shown off, showcasing a directional pad and control buttons.
The only thing lacking now is the Playstation brand –which seems to be out of the question and makes one wonder what sort of game this new device will be able to attract. Without SCE backing the device, the gaming phone would hardly be impressive at all.
Everything Mobile: the Top Headlines
Monday, December 6th, 2010
3 UK has confirmed the prices for their iPad tariffs. While not that many people are now interested in Apple’s touch screen tablet (mostly due to the lack of Flash), the prices that 3 is offering will certainly make some think twice. The device is subsidized at a low price of 199 Pounds under a 25 Pound monthly tariff –which is great value considering the monthly allowance.
Of course, the MVNO is not the only one offering the 9.7 inch tablet. Tesco has also confirmed that they too have the iPad in stock and will be offering it on credit –making the device readily accessible. T-Mobile and Orange UK are also offering the iconic gadget as well.
Carphone Warehouse is not only offering the iPad tablet (they have it at 429 Pounds, SIM free), but they are also going to be exclusively selling the Nokia C6-01 Symbian smart phone. It’s a great dual combination of tablet and smart phone, which means that if you’ve got enough on your holiday spending budget, this might be a good choice, unless you are waiting for the iPad 2.
Apple is actually killing interest in the original iPad thanks to their official statement implying that the iPad 2 is already in the works. The device will be sporting a built in camera as well.
Speaking of Apple’s gadgets, a new app for the iPhone has been created allowing consumers to check if the products or brands they support practice humane measures for the production, packaging and shipping of their goods. The anti-slavery app acts quite similar to a green app (which informs buyers if the product has been produced by a green company).
If this is the future of consumerism –providing buyers with instant information that allows them to support products based on their principles, then smart phones are truly enabling our society to become better each day.
Coming Soon: Newer Tech for Mobiles
Thursday, December 2nd, 2010
When Windows Phone 7 was first announced in this year’s Mobile World Congress, Steve Ballmer left out the fact that there would be no copy and paste. The issue was not brought up until several months later and much to the dismay of expectant fans, it came true when the mobile platform finally came out last October.
But now, it seems that the WP7 OS really needs cut and paste technology. It is a simple function that has left many wondering why it was never put in the platform to begin with. In any case, Microsoft has already seen the light and that is why they are adding in the feature for an upcoming OS update due to come out early next year.
Of course, copy-pasting is not going to be the only new feature implemented in the update. According to reports, the new OS will be getting an update so massive that we might as well call it the Windows Phone 8. So far, no other exact details regarding the upcoming changes have been revealed, but we are certainly excited about it.
Speaking of OS updates, the Apple iOS will be getting its own overhaul. This time, as opposed to bringing new phone features, the OS update will be streamlining the system’s overall power consumption settings: in short, it will make your iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch battery last longer. This has been made possible with a new technology that manages bandwidth by allowing it to “sleep” from 3G communications when not needed.
Apple also has another surprise for the tech industry as they have revealed the manufacturer of the camera for the iPad 2. While the actual information about Largan Precision is not all that impressive, the real news here is that Apple is more or less confirming the iPad 2 and more importantly, they have also confirmed that the tablet will finally have a built in camera.
iPad 2 Rumors Circulating
Monday, November 29th, 2010
It is pretty much an accepted notion that Apple is slowly losing its foothold in the tablet industry. Slowly, but far too fast for the Cupertino based company. While they have had a pretty strong start with the launch of the iPad –being the first commercial tablet available, the sudden arrival of so many other tablet devices running the rival OS, Google Android, has left iPad users wondering if they should shift devices.
There are plenty of reasons to give up the iPad. Despite the larger screen size, the 9.7 inch screen has proved vastly inferior to the 7 inch touch screen of newer devices (such as the Galaxy Tab from Samsung). The reason for this is sheer ergonomics, while the visual quality of the screens did not vary as much, the weight did. Since tablets are mostly used for browsing and reading, the act of holding up the device for long periods of time has made the larger iPad harder to handle. Of course, the lack of many features such as USB support, a camera and even Flash support has led to many wondering if the iPad is even worth the expensive price tag.
Rumors that a new iPad is in the works have been spreading online in the past couple of days and looking at the content, one cannot help if they are musing of disappointed Apple iPad owners. The new features include video phone capabilities, USB support and larger storage space. So far, no official word from Apple has been given about the iPad 2 making most of the current information as unconfirmed rumors.
BlackBerry’s Playbook is about to be launched soon, and the Galaxy Tab is already making strong sales (which will certainly increase one the price slash gets in); in most aspects, the original iPad will not be able to compete with the Android tablets (even when the iPad is subsidized later on)
A Closer Look at the iOS 4.2 Update
Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010.jpg)
The new iOS update is officially out (after several weeks of waiting and a few delays slowing it down) and here is the quick summary of everything that users can look forward to.
First off, be aware that this update is primarily targeting iPad users over those who only have an iPhone or an iPod Touch. Apple has made no specific comment regarding this matter, but apparently, it seems that recent statements saying that the iPad is nothing but an oversized iPod Touch has needed some amending from the Cupertino based company. In any case, expect that most of these new features are only good for the touch screen tablet.
The iPad will now have multitasking features thanks to the OS update. This feature is pretty much the same as the one in the iPhone 4. This means that this is actually pseudo multi-tasking; given how Apple tends to cut features short, this is already more than what we can hope for when it comes to getting features that are actually practical.
Another important iPhone 4 feature that got implemented with the iOS 4.0 update is the use of folders. As to why it was not part of the features brought over initially to the iPad, we have no idea. But it is finally here now and it will spare users that endless stream of icons as users tend to fill up their menus with an overload of apps.
The consolidated inbox of the iPhone 4 also makes an appearance here as well. This is particularly useful for folks who happen to have multiple email accounts and would like to have all incoming mail sent to a single viewing area.
Of course, the update also brings features for other devices as well, the MobileMe remote access service is now free, AirPrint and AirPlay are now available, and the iPhone gets customized message alert tones per contact.
iPad 2 Launch Date Rumoured
Monday, November 22nd, 2010Tablet fans have something new to be excited about: the launch of the iPad 2. And while knowing the release date is certainly exciting, there is very little else that is known about the new tablet device from the Cupertino based company aside from the fact that it will come out on February 2011.
The original iPad pretty much set the basic standards for the tablet experience, but even that has been surpassed in the past couple of weeks as the Samsung P1000 Galaxy Tab came out and showed the industry how much they were missing out with the iOS’ lack of Flash support. This mean that all Flash related content online would be blocked by an image placeholder.
Even stronger is the argument that a Flash player application for the iPad managed to sell over a million in just a single weekend –even iPad owners have announced that they too want to get Flash support as well.
That is quite unlikely to change however. Even the iPad 2 will almost definitely not support the web format either. With Steve Jobs ever stubborn about sticking with the “no-to-Flash” campaign, this will be the official stand that Apple will have on the format for a long time to come.
If the iOS is not your thing and the Google Android just will not fit your style, then you might want to consider trying out the RIM made BlackBerry Playbook. The device is to be launched March of next year –just a little after the iPad 2 launch date.
The PlayBook uses a modified version of the BlackBerry OS 6 called the QNX, from what we have seen so far, this looks like a stylized OS 6 with even more focus on the touch based controls. Media playback and web browsing will be very important features on this device though the lack of a physical keyboard accessory is really throwing us for a loop since that is a specialty for RIM.