AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II rocking NFC after custom ROM

Posted by Seth Planck

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AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II rocking NFC after custom ROM

As you may well know the AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II has dormant NFC capabilities. They are only dormant because AT&T has had NFC locked off at the software level and that has frustrated many NFC fans in the States. All because of Isis, yada yada yada… We knew custom ROMs were available, but we had never thought to write a post about it until some of the UPM RFID team let us know they had managed to enable NFC in their Samsung Galaxy S II on AT&T. We still think it’s crazy that an NFC tag firm like UPM RFID had to go through installing a custom ROM in the first place to use an NFC smartphone, but that’s another discussion for another day. So, if you are one of the unfortunate souls who have an AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II know that you can enable NFC on your phone by following some instructions and downloading a couple of pieces of software.

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Amazon BlackFriday deal busts NFC smartphones down to 1 cent

Posted by Seth Planck

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Amazon BlackFriday deal busts NFC smartphones down to 1 cent

Amazon has busted all smartphones it stocks for Verizon, AT&T and Sprint, including a few NFC smartphones, down to a penny up until Cyber Monday. So, if you have wanted that NFC Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket 4G that rocks LTE or a BlackBerry Bold 9930 ready for BlackBerry Tag when it is released soon, now may be the time to make the jump. All deals require an eligible upgrade or a new line of service and you have to, of course, sign on with a 2 year contract. Amazon is even paying you $100 if you take a mobile hotspot as part of your agreement, as long as the phone you chose supports the feature. So, if you play your cards right you could find yourself being paid $100 for getting the NFC smartphone of your choice.

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AT&T doesn’t care that you want NFC turned on in Samsung Galaxy S II

Posted by Seth Planck

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AT&T doesn’t care that you want NFC turned on in Samsung Galaxy S II

AT&T has elected to not have the NFC in the Samsung Galaxy S II switched on. In doing so, we look at what this means for consumers, what it means for NFC and what it in turn means for AT&T. The redeeming quality of the AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II was that it has an NFC chip built in, and the mobile network operator has had the chip turned off. This raises the question – would this affect you purchasing the NFC phone when you can’t use the NFC chip you have paid for?

AT&T decided they didn’t want to go for the beautiful 4.5-inch screen that T-Mobile and Sprint opted for. They also decided their customers wouldn’t have the opportunity to benefit from that 1.5 dual-core processor that other competitors can boast. However, the one thing that the phone had over the Sprint phone was that it has an NFC chip built in which would have enabled social NFC actions, pairing with peripherals and sharing contacts. It could have also enabled payments too, but it appears because Isis is not quite ready to control your finances and market that you will not be getting any NFC goodness from the Samsung Galaxy S II at this time.

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AT&T NFC Samsung Galaxy S II $199 October 2nd

Posted by Seth Planck

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Get your AT&T NFC Samsung Galaxy S II for $199 which launches on October 2nd

Okay, it’s official AT&T has confirmed it will launch its version of the NFC Samsung Galaxy S II on October 2nd for the princely sum of $199 and a two-year-ball-and-chain contract. As we mentioned over the weekend, our sources are indicating that the NFC will be turned on, or at least it is very likely at this time that NFC will be turned on in the NFC endowed Samsung Galaxy S II hero phone.

It may not be surprising that the AT&T NFC Samsung Galaxy S II will launch on October 2nd considering that we have just heard that the iPhone 5 media event will happen on October 4th, but if the new iPhone doesn’t come with NFC it probably won’t effect the buying decision of people that would have bought an NFC Android device like the Samsung Galaxy S II anyway.

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AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II, NFC will be turned on [Exclusive]

Posted by Seth Planck

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AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II, NFC will be turned on [Exclusive]

AT&T has had a struggle on its hands over the last few weeks with regards to the NFC Samsung Galaxy S II. On one hand, AT&T could block the feature for the time being and not allow anyone to get any NFC goodness. This would allow them to maintain control over the NFC experience until Isis is ready to be deployed and it can produce greenbacks.

On the other hand, they know that it is a feature customers want. The risk AT&T faces with leaving NFC off is that if Big Red leaves NFC turned on in the Samsung Droid Prime, AT&T could lose customers. Decisions, decisions, what to do? Maniacal control, or giving consumers what they want without a monetization plan deployed? You can understand their dilemma. Well, lucky for us we have sources close to the matter that have let us know which way the wind is blowing inside Ma’Bell. From what we are hearing it is looking like the AT&T version of the Samsung Galaxy S II is very likely to have its NFC turned on at launch. Our sources for this rumor are solid, but we always caveat by saying this is a rumor at this point and seeing will be believing.

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AT&T does have an NFC Samsung Galaxy S II after all, Sprint does not

Posted by Seth Planck

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AT&T does have an NFC Samsung Galaxy S II after all, Sprint does not

Just when the world seemed cold and harsh, the team at Engadget turned our frown upside down by discovering that the AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II does have NFC support after all. We had reported sometime ago that Samsung was expected to ship models of the NFC Samsung Galaxy S II with the near field communications chip turned off and it was then up to mobile network operators to decide if and when they wanted it activated and this appears to be the case for AT&T. It was also surprising when there was nary a mention of NFC in the press releases issued yesterday for the release of the United States’ Samsung Galaxy S II. Further compounded by the fact that we saw an NFC Samsung Galaxy S II come through the FCC some time ago and things just weren’t adding up.

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Samsung Galaxy S II launch imminent in Canada on Bell, SaskTel & Virgin Mobile

Posted by Seth Planck

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Samsung Galaxy S II launch imminent in Canada on Bell, SaskTel & Virgin Mobile

Yes, you saw it correctly, the Samsung Galaxy S II superphone has release dates in Canada and they aren’t far off, which leads us to wonder. Don’t you love those days when you walk outside, smell the clean air and revel in the fact that the crime rate is minuscule, or that healthcare is free and good? Or, perhaps do you prefer the days when the Samsung Galaxy S II is going to be launched imminently and you know the Yanks won’t even get a look in? You know, the days when you know it’s good to be Canadian. We wish we could feel that, but we are in the States and can only look north green with envy, barricade ourselves in our homes with guns protecting our $700 bottle of pills. Only the bloody British can laugh at us all.

Samsung Galaxy S II Launching for as little as $79.99 in Canada

Canada may be America’s hat, but that appears to be only because that is where the brains are. We want to know how the Canadians have wrangled this year’s most anticipated phone before America even has credible rumors of a release and then have managed to get it for $80. Yup, SaskTel will let you walk away with a Samsung Galaxy S II for $79.99 and won’t even call the police. Well, as long you sign a 3 year contract that is. No official launch date as yet, just that the phone will be available in the coming weeks.

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