Time Added to the Hourglass: XPERIA Ion uses NFC to Save Consumers Time

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Time Added to the Hourglass: XPERIA Ion uses NFC to Save Consumers Time

Let’s chat it up about the Sony Xperia Ion, the LTE version of the Xperia S, available on the AT&T 4G network. Earlier this year in January, following CES we did a piece on Sony’s NFC speakers for Xperia NFC smartphones, which you can find here. With 4G compatibility, the phone can be used on GSM/GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+ where LTE is not available on AT&T. The device is part of the new generation of NXT series (next generation) smartphones and displays a 4.6-inch 720p HD Bravia Engine screen. A 12MP camera that goes from having the device off to snapping a picture in 1.5 seconds by holding down on the dual-stage camera shutter button and 1.5 GHZ dual core processor with Android Gingerbread this quarter to upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich during the second quarter. In holding the device, we notice the Sony Ericsson’s signature human curvature back (metal, not plastic like the XPERIA S) that allows users to grip the XPERIA Ion comfortably in their hands.

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SITA Lab and Orange get together to trial NFC at airport models

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SITA Lab and Orange get together to trial NFC at airport models

SITA Lab and Orange have recently got together to look further into the use cases for NFC for passengers, airlines and the security at airports. The thought of giving an NFC ticket at the airport is not a new concept. However, apart from a couple of airlines trialling NFC with stickers and apps, we are yet to see anything truly ubiquitous and usable for users across the globe. The SITA and Orange research project developed NFC apps for smartphones that allow NFC boarding passes, security check-ins, lounge check-ins and checked them out with real technology to show how NFC holds the possibility to streamline airport processes, improve security and generally make travel less frustrating for flyers. This is in part because IATA and the GSMA have developed industry use cases for NFC that cover check-in, security access, boarding and lounge access. NFC boarding pass information can be loaded securely to the travel wallet from online, over the air or at a kiosk.

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BlackBerry 3G Playbook with NFC leaks out with 2012 roadmap

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BlackBerry 3G Playbook with NFC leaks out with 2012 roadmap

BlackBerry has had its 2012 roadmap leak this week and among an assortment of NFC smartphones there was a BlackBerry Playbook that rocked on HSPA+ 3G, and is likely to feature NFC if the leaked presentation slides are to be believed. We reported just the other day that BlackBerry had supported NFC in a big way which, since Nokia has said goodbye to NFC at the moment, means the Canadian firm is sitting in pole position for supporting the technology throughout their devices. That support appears to now extend to the firm’s Playbook tablet. The first Playbook came sans 3G data connectivity and was billed as the iPad killer. But without a few fundamentals, like unified mail, the Playbook struggled against the iPad and lately the Android-based devices.

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Duly Note[d]: The Galaxy Note is missing at least one very important “note”

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Duly Note[d]: Something the Galaxy Note failed to “note”

The rumors were answered at CES about the new Samsung Galaxy Note LTE for AT&T. The smartphone-meets-tablet device, or “superphone”, definitely created something to talk about. The two-in-one is available in carbon blue and ceramic white with AT&T. The highly talked about 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED touchscreen display crushes its competitors (HTC Titan and Nexus S) in size and appearance. The touch of 4G LTE is an added bonus especially for the U.S. market.

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Yale demos NFC door locks solutions at CES for Android, iOS and BB

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Yale demos NFC door locks solutions at CES for Android, iOS and BB

We have reported on Yale and their NFC door locks before. However, we have now seen the locks in action and have far more details about how Yale (an ASSA ABLOY company) plans to bring their solutions to market. The Yale NFC door locks are an exciting prospect because they represent quality products for access control that are built for consumers. Yes, later this year we will be able to cost effectively buy NFC door locks for our homes, offices, and anywhere else we would like to secure and use access control facilities.

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Sprint Galaxy Nexus and LG Viper hands-on during private CES event

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Sprint Galaxy Nexus and LG Viper hands-on during private CES event

As you may or may not have heard over at CES, Sprint announced that it is going to carry the Galaxy Nexus and the LG Viper NFC smartphones. Well, photographs and details have been very thin on the ground. This is especially true of the LG Viper, which wasn’t even present at the LG booth at CES. What many people didn’t know is that Sprint held a private event over at CES and we were invited. The Galaxy Nexus and the LG Viper were there for some hands-on time and we had the opportunity to play a little.

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ZIK Parrot by Starck high-end NFC headphone prototype shown off at CES

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ZIK Parrot by Starck high-end NFC headphone prototype shown off at CES

Okay, the ZIK Parrot by Starck NFC headphones have been unveiled and we feel lucky enough to count ourselves among the first to see, and probably more relevantly hear them in action. Parrot contacted us before CES and told us that they had something to show us that we would be very interested to see. Turns out they weren’t just hyping. We have been in contact with Parrot for some time, and in that time the firm has hinted to us that they were indeed working on NFC speakers and NFC headphones. We knew whatever product the firm released would be high quality, but the innovation that Parrot showed off at CES surprised even us.

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White Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone hitting the UK February

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White Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone hitting the UK February

It was only a matter of time until Samsung couldn’t contain itself and produced a white version of the now legendary Galaxy Nexus. That seems to be the modus operandi these days for Samsung. Set a hero smartphone in to the market and then a few months later reignite interest in the product by producing it in white. It now appears the UK will be getting its hands on a white Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ 16GB model next month for a cool £415.00 ex VAT. Pocket Now reports it’s the same price as the normal grey version of the Galaxy Nexus.

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LG Prada 3.0 NFC smartphone dressed up in accessories hits catwalk?

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LG Prada 3.0 NFC smartphone dressed up in accessories hits catwalk?

Today LG and Prada unveiled the new LG Prada 3.0, which is a relatively well specified Android smartphone. However, Engadget is reporting that they have received leaked information that has let them know that the LG Prada 3.0 is an NFC smartphone. We combed through the press release after the LG Prada 3.0 was announced and couldn’t find any mention of it rocking some NFC goodness, but that doesn’t mean that under its covers there isn’t an NFC chip and antenna lurking just waiting to be discovered.

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NFC, wine, logistics and consumers sounds like a great evening

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NFC, wine, logistics and consumers sounds like a great evening with a twist thanks to eProvenance and Near Field Solutions

eProvenance and Near Field Solutions have got together and combined NFC, humidity sensors and wine together in a MacGyver style project to create a new value added service for consumers, and a tracking and environmental tool for the winery. NFC has more applications than any one person can imagine. We continue to be amazed and impressed with use cases and innovative projects that are finding new ways to use Near Field Communication with other sensors. It is projected that the internet of things concept that adds NFC to many other sensor types will become commonplace within the next few years. eProvenance and Near Field Solutions are making the internet of things happen today, and this could be the first step in how luxury perishable products are sold globally within the next few years.

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Expansys has the HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus up for pre-order $750

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Expansys has the HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus up for pre-order $750

Expansys has the HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone up for pre-order. So, if you are loving the thought of the Galaxy Nexus in your pocket, but need a GSM version that will work with AT&T or T-Mobile and you now don’t have to wait until Verizon’s exclusive comes to an end if you are willing to pony up $749.99. We don’t know when those pre-orders will be fulfilled as yet (and we think you must be hardcore to spend that much on an NFC smartphone), but Expansys will take your order if you want to be among the first to own a Galaxy Nexus GSM version in the States.

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Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone for Verizon official with specs and videos

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Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone for Verizon gets official with specs and videos

Finally, more details about the Galaxy Nexus are becoming available with a specification sheet and a multitude of videos. Interestingly, the Verizon Galaxy Nexus departs slightly from the version announced in Hong Kong earlier this month. The changes are subtle and revolve around a larger battery, which has no doubt been included because LTE is known to suck you dry of juice quicker than 3G. These differences also are related to the CDMA versus the HSPA+ version that Google showed off.

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BlackBerry Curve 9380 NFC smartphone trotted out by RIM

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BlackBerry Curve 9380 NFC smartphone announced

RIM wasn’t happy just outing its BlackBerry Bold 9790 today and also announced the BlackBerry Curve 9380 NFC smartphone to join the growing list of 9300 series handsets. In fact, aside from CDMA and GSM variants, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between these phones. So, did we need yet another BlackBerry Curve? Yep, we did and here’s why. Gone is the keyboard of the 9350, 9360 and 9370 and it’s replaced with a full size touch screen. Visually the BlackBerry Curve 9380 is more striking than the other Curves in the same line. It, of course, features NFC (Near Field Communication). Aesthetically, it takes styling cues from the Bold 9790 NFC smartphone that was also announced today. The BlackBerry Bold 9730 NFC smartphone is set to be more cost effective than its bigger Bold brothers and yet looks just as styled and capable. On the inside, the specifications aren’t terribly different to the other Curve NFC smartphone models.

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RIM announces BlackBerry Bold 9790 NFC smartphone

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RIM announces BlackBerry Bold 9790 NFC smartphone

We have known that the BlackBerry Bold 9790 NFC smartphone has been coming for months now. For the longest time we knew this phone by its Bellagio code name, and there have been leaks galore revealing most of the specifications to the next BlackBerry Bold family member to boast NFC. However, now it’s official and RIM has confirmed all the rumors, videos and leaked shots. Being another member of the BlackBerry Bold family, the 9790 comes with slightly different features to its 9900 / 9930 brethren.

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Samsung announces Secu-NFC Chip, combines NFC IC with Secure Element

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Samsung announces Secu-NFC Chip, combines NFC IC with Secure Element

It’s a busy week at CARTES and Samsung just outed its new Secu-NFC Chip, which will no doubt cause some stirring within the industry. The new Samsung Secu-NFC Chip combines an NFC controller and a secure element into one unit allowing various advantages over current ICs. The secure element is the storage area in an NFC phone where personal and sensitive data is securely stored. That storage area isn’t directly accessible through your NFC phone’s operating system and secure elements generally have tamper proof features that ensure the memory locks up if someone attempts to access personal information without proper authentication. What makes Samsung’s announcement notable is that their new SENHRN1, or Secu-NFC Chip, combines both the NFC chip and secure element into one efficient chip.

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HTC Amaze NFC Android phone heading to AT&T

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HTC Amaze NFC Android phone heading to AT&T

NFC Rumors has learned that AT&T is planning to add the HTC Amaze to its growing list of NFC capable smartphones within the next few weeks. The HTC Amaze has already been on T-Mobile since October 10th, and it now appears that AT&T wants in on some of the well specified HTC Amaze action for its own network. However, like every other NFC smartphone that goes on Ma’ Bell, it is not clear at this point whether NFC will be enabled at the time of launch. AT&T has disabled Near Field Communication chips in every NFC phone so far, but rumors are suggesting the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus may be changing things over at the number two MNO.

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HTC Edge quad-core NFC phone coming March or April

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HTC Edge quad-core NFC phone coming March or April

Images and specifications for the HTC Edge quad-core NFC smartphone have leaked online, and if the rumors are true this new phone will be a beast. We have been waiting for quad-core super phones for well over a year now and it looks as if it will be HTC that delivers in the form of the HTC Edge. There has now been a plethora of NFC smartphones announced and as of yet, most are rocking Android. The HTC Edge could well represent the next bump in usability for smartphones, and from what we are hearing, the quad-core wonder phone will support NFC from the get go. In fact, if the rumors are correct the specifications for the HTC Edge set a new premium standard for smartphones that even the rumored Samsung Galaxy S III does not compete with.

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Verizon Galaxy Nexus NFC phone launch date leaked

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Verizon Galaxy Nexus NFC phone launch date

If you have been waiting for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus NFC phone to launch, we can confirm that you won’t be waiting much longer. Our sources have let us know that consumers will be able to pick up a Verizon Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone on November 21st at their local Verizon store.

From what we are hearing NFC services will be available but don’t expect to see Google Wallet or any other form of payments available on the phone. Word is that Isis is way behind on its deployments and Verizon has been locked into a legal stranglehold where it cannot bring any other NFC mobile wallet on board other than services that are to be offered by Isis. It appears that Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile may not be feeling so hot to trot with the deal they signed with Isis after all.

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Samsung Galaxy Nexus NFC phone announced for Verizon in US

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Samsung Galaxy Nexus NFC phone announced for Verizon in US

It’s official, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus has been announced and it’s an NFC phone of the hero flavor. There have been months of speculation, including false rumors and poets hinting at what the NFC Samsung Galaxy Nexus may hold in store for consumers. Now we know, and the waiting is nearly over before you have the next pure Google experience phone in your pocket. We do have to say though, that the webcast sucked. Obviously here at NFC Rumors, Near Field Communication is a key element we are interested in and tonight we learned that the mighty NFC is on board as you probably expected from Google. Not only that, but NFC is the core component of Android Beam in the Galaxy Nexus.

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NFC enabled Samsung Galaxy Nexus image surfaces ahead of today’s event

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NFC enabled Samsung Galaxy Nexus image surfaces ahead of todays Ice Cream Sandwich event

Need an NFC enabled Samsung Galaxy Nexus pick me up? As you will know at 9.30pm EST this evening we will get our first glimpses of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus / Samsung Nexus Prime. However this morning NTT DoCoMo jumped the gun a little and said that they will be one of the first MNOs to have and sell the Samsung Galaxy Nexus / Samsung Nexus Prime. Shortly after that statement an image “leaked” showing the Samsung Galaxy Nexus / Samsung Nexus Prime NFC phone in all of its glory which pocketnow received.

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U.S. Cellular launches BlackBerry Curve 9350 NFC phone

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U.S. Cellular launches BlackBerry Curve 9350 NFC phone for free on contract with a new activation after a $100 rebate

U.S. Cellular are launching the BlackBerry Curve 9350 NFC phone for as little as free after a $100 mail-in rebate for new activations on contract that also purchase a data plan until November 20th. For U.S. Cellular customers who already have an account, the Blackberry Curve 9350 can be had for $49.99 after a mail-in rebate. The BlackBerry Curve 9350 NFC phone is available and can be purchased online or in-store now.

The U.S. Cellular BlackBerry Curve 9350 is an NFC phone, but…

There is no mention of NFC in the U.S. Cellular press release that announces the BlackBerry Curve 9350 on their network. This isn’t too surprising as NFC won’t be fully useful until RIM releases an upcoming update which will fix some issues that BlackBerry devices have had with NFC. The update is also said to enable the Secure Element that will allow NFC payments to be conducted. Since smaller regional carriers like U.S. Cellular are not part of Isis, they should allow open NFC traffic over their networks, which is a great reason to support regional MNOs.

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Motorola ELITE SLIVER and Motorola ELITE FLIP NFC headsets announced

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Motorola ELITE SLIVER and Motorola ELITE FLIP NFC headsets announced with Siri like capabilities ahead of Motorola event

Here’s a turn up for the books as Motorola announces its new Motorola ELITE SLIVER and Motorola ELITE FLIP NFC headsets that have iPhone like Siri voice recognition capabilities ahead of its Ice Cream Sandwich event. The question in our minds is why is Motorola launching NFC headsets when it doesn’t have NFC smartphones? I think we can all guess the answer to that one. Now we are getting excited.

“Seamless integration of elegant design and new ground-breaking technology make Motorola ELITE SLIVER and Motorola ELITE FLIP, the obvious choices for consumers from the tech savvy to the fashion conscious,” said Yossi Cohen, Senior Vice President of Companion Products at Motorola Mobility. “In designing these headsets, we built custom software to deliver new user experiences. Multiple technology advancements such as NFC, HD Audio Plus featuring wideband audio and My MotoSpeak provide an additional layer of superior and innovative functionality.”

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Panasonic BizPad NFC tablets announced in 7 and 10 inch flavors

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Yet more NFC tablets for Japan as Panasonic announces a 7 and 10 inch enterprise BizPad

Panasonic is launching their NFC tablets they like to call the BizPad in Japan, and they are coming in both 7″ and 10″ flavors. NFC tablets have been slow to make their way to the United States. Microsoft whet our appetites when the gave out NFC tablets at the Windows 8 Build Developer Conference and apart from that, nada, zip, nothing from any other manufacturer. Although we have heard whispers of an NFC tablet or two making their way to the States before the holidays. At this point, they are still vaporware.

We have already seen Sharp enterprise NFC tablets hit the market in Japan, and Panasonic seems to be following up with its own offerings. The two Panasonic NFC tablets are the 7″ LCD display toting BizPad JT-580VT, and the larger 10.1-inch LCD JT-581VT. Just like the Sharp NFC tablets that came before them, they are only available to the enterprise set. These non-identical twins are rocking Honeycomb instead of Froyo.

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Nokia NFC Luna Bluetooth Headset

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Nokia NFC Luna Bluetooth Headset

Nokia released its Nokia 603 Symbian Belle NFC phone today and what would a Nokia launch be without an accessory to match, which is why Nokia also launched the Nokia NFC Luna Bluetooth Headset.

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Pantech Sky Vega LTE NFC smartphone unveiled in Korea

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Pantech Sky Vega LTE and NFC smartphone unveiled in Korea

The Pantech Sky Vega LTE and NFC smartphone has been unveiled in Korea. It’s not often that we see a new competitor enter the smartphone market, and it is less frequent that we see one enter the market in the hero phone category. Pantech is not a new company, it has produced phones for quite some time. But the Sky Vega LTE is different. Pantech appear to have thrown away the rule book with their Sky Vega LTE, which is an all singing, all dancing NFC phone with some impressive specifications and pleasing aesthetic design.

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