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

Posted by Cole Jones

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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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The fall and rise of ViVOtech, their NFC ecosystem and your pink slip

Posted by Seth Planck

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If ViVOtech is not on your short list for NFC POS terminals, wallets and other services you should be fired!

ViVOtech – they’re the firm that sells NFC POS terminals, right? Wrong. Gone are the days where ViVOtech can be categorized as just a payments hardware firm who have niched themselves in NFC. These days ViVOtech are an NFC ecosystem unto themselves. After parting ways with Verifone, ViVOtech found themselves between a rock and a hard place. From what we hear had that old problem of more cash going out than was coming in. No different to most of America at this point then!

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V.me is Visa’s NFC mobile wallet coming early 2012

Posted by Seth Planck

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V.me is Visa’s NFC mobile wallet coming early 2012

V.me, haven’t heard of it? You soon will. Visa has branded its NFC mobile wallet to be called V.me and it is said to be coming on early 2012. Visa said in May that its Visa Wallet was coming this fall and that appears to have been put back. Visa has been developing its own NFC mobile wallet product for sometime, but the credit card giant always said it would be more than just a NFC wallet. V.me rolls a PayPal type service, a shopping cart solution, and an NFC mobile wallet into one product line that doesn’t just accept Visa. It accepts MasterCard cards and can be funded straight from bank accounts, just like PayPal.

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Open Mobile Summit tackles NFC this year

Posted by Seth Planck

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Open Mobile Summit tackles NFC this year in San Francisco, the fun starts November 2nd

The big topics being covered this year at the Open Mobile summit will be NFC and 4G in North America, where Light Squared CEO, Sanjiv Ahuja, will give the keynote speech.

The Open Mobile Summit conference is coming up fast and the organizers have just confirmed that Light Squared CEO, Sanjiv Ahuja, will be giving the keynote speech tackling subjects like the company’s planned fully open LTE network and NFC. NFC is due to give mobile commerce a massive boost and newly created and expanding LTE 4G networks are providing data access that is turbo boosting mobile internet beyond what has been available before.  The convergence of fast data and mobile payments is changing the very structure of commerce and the way consumers interact with the world around them and in many ways goes hand in hand.

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U.S. Files Antitrust Complaint to Block AT&T and T-Mobile Merger

Posted by Seth Planck

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U.S. Files Antitrust Complaint to Block AT&T and T-Mobile Merger

This morning Bloomberg is reporting that the U.S. government has sued to block AT&T‘s attempted acquisition of T-Mobile USA stating that the merger would “substantially lessen competition” in the mobile network operator market. AT&T Inc. proposed a $39 billion acquisition earlier this year and has faced challenges from Sprint stating that the deal is anti-competitive, and it now appears that the U.S. government agrees. In fact, Sprint’s CEO, Dan Hesse, testified before members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, voicing opposition to the proposed takeover of T-Mobile by AT&T.

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Steve Jobs resigns as Apple’s CEO and an era that won’t be repeated comes to an end

Posted by Seth Planck

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Steve Jobs resigns as Apple’s CEO and an era that won’t be repeated comes to an end

There have been whispers about Apple’s Board of Directors looking for a replacement for Steve Jobs (if there could be such a thing) for months now. However, the sad day has dawned and Steve Jobs has stepped down as the CEO of Apple Inc. I think we all know that Steve Jobs has battled with health problems over the last few years and he leaves Apple, after founding it and then coming back in the best state it has ever been. That achievement will probably never be eclipsed at the company. Steve recommended that Tim Cook takes on the role of CEO at Apple from this point on.

Steve Jobs resignation letter

I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.

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RewardLoop loyalty programs via QR and NFC POS adapter

Posted by Seth Planck

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RewardLoop mobile loyalty programs via QR and NFC POS adapter

Today RewardLoop announced a mobile loyalty programs with a twist, it works off an adapter that sits between your POS terminal and receipt printer, so in essence creates an NFC POS adapter for QR code and NFC loyalty programs.

No new POS terminal required for RewardLoop loyalty programs
RewardLoop has released an NFC POS adapter for loyalty programs. The novel approach allows any business to set up a loyalty program with very little investment and low monthly fees. Merchants and retailers simply add loyalty products to their POS system and in turn add those products to each sale. When the receipt is printed, the adapter intercepts the printing data and adds a QR code at the bottom of the printed receipt. The QR code is a one time use, secure code that a customer can scan. The customer is then directed to RewardLoop’s cloud based system. After setting up an account, all a customer need do is scan QR codes from their receipts every time they make a purchase to collect points. The cloud based portion of RewardLoop also manages redemption securely and allows service and retail based businesses to concentrate on their business and not the management of a loyalty programs. The adapter also has the ability to connect to an NFC reader which will go live when NFC has more of a substantial hold on the market, RewardLoop said. RewardLoop’s turnkey mobile loyalty programs are ideal for independent and chain merchants alike, including coffee shops, restaurants, retailers, local service providers, and other high purchase volume / frequency categories.

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