Cortus and SST show off low power SOC with NFC secure element uses

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Cortus and SST show off low power SOC with NFC secure element uses

Cortus and SST are showing off a new low power system on chip (SOC) at Embedded World 2012 that could change the industrial design of NFC in smartphones. We don’t need to tell you that everyone wants smaller smartphones with less power consumption. In an era of convergent capabilities and a focus on keeping everything small, competitive OEMs are forced to constantly improve the power consumption and the size solutions take up on a board.

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Galaxy Note has NFC onboard AT&T locks it, Ma’Bell’s Galaxy Note Fails

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Galaxy Note has NFC onboard AT&T locks it, Ma’Bell’s Galaxy Note Fails

Just a couple of weeks ago at CES, Samsung told NFC Rumors that the Galaxy Note did not have NFC capabilities. We took a spin around the Android OS and at the software level at least, this appeared to be confirmed. However, Samsung has now done its own tear down on the LTE device and what do we see? Yep, NFC is there. The IC can be clearly seen and the back cover sports an NFC antenna. This means Samsung was either not telling the full truth at CES or their show staff had no idea what was going on. Samsung Tomorrow reports that the specs of the torn down device exactly match the version heading to AT&T. So what gives?

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TazTag shows off the TazPad and NFC smart monitors at CES

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TazTag shows off the TazPad and NFC smart monitors at CES

It was last year at CES that a startup French firm called TazTag first showed of its TazPad NFC tablet concept. It wasn’t the firm’s first foray into NFC and, in fact, they were known in Europe for kiosks that supported NFC interactions and transactions. Since then, the TazPad production NFC tablet, with a helpful sprinkling of ZigBee, has been deployed to integrators and the orders just keep coming in according to executives at the firm. Of course, the fact that NFC can be read on both side of the device, its AuthenTec fingerprint scanner and its low price didn’t hurt its chances any. The fact that the TazPad was the first NFC tablet to hit the market globally also gave it a certain fame and a lot of coverage, including here on NFC Rumors.

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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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Mobile World Congress NFC rumors leaking left, right and center

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Mobile World Congress NFC rumors leaking left, right and center

Mobile World Congress is coming up this next month, and rumors are rife over here at NFC Rumors about all kinds of announcements that are likely to be made. We have been so busy with our CES coverage that we have just been stacking them up, but we know you love some good rumors from industry insiders, so we thought we would let some fly. As usual our NFC rumors come from individuals on the inside of the industry. Yep, those in the know. They tell us what they can, but often have to leave out some details so they don’t identify themselves with specific knowledge that only a few know. So, think what will you of the rumors, and let’s just see which ones come to pass.

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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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Shots of AT&T LTE Samsung Galaxy Note outed, said to feature NFC

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Shots of AT&T LTE Samsung Galaxy Note outed, no official word on NFC but tipsters show a board that is rumored to be from the Note with an NFC IC onboard

These are official leaked shots of the jumbo sized AT&T LTE Samsung Galaxy Note. Last week Sam Mobile reported that it had proof that the AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note would harbor an NFC chip. A recent trend with NFC smartphone announcements is to not feature NFC at all. AT&T and other Isis members have attempted to keep the NFC ability just until Isis is ready to roll, and hence we see a lot of NFC smartphones launching and have to wait until they get tear downs to see whether NFC is actually onboard.

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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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Who wants a half price Verizon Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone?

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Within the space of a few hours the Samsung Galaxy Nexus for Verizon has lost half of its purchase price

We knew the Samsung Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone wouldn’t last at the premium price of $299 for very long, but even we didn’t think its price would be cut in half within a few hours of launch on Verizon. It has though, and Amazon are currently retailing the Samsung Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone for a very tempting $149.99. That gets you the Android Ice Cream Sandwich touting, Face Unlock biometric boasting, Android Beam slinging pure Google experience phone.

Source: Amazon

Via: BGR

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Seven barriers to the growth of NFC mobile payments?

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Seven barriers to the growth of NFC mobile payments?

BillingViews today published a report / presentation called “The Seven Barriers to Mobile Payment Adoption” that primarily focuses on NFC payments and adds a dash of QR codes for good measure. BillingViews describes itself as “the global home for billing expertise and intelligence in the communications and media industries.” We can’t say we are feeling the report and disagree with it on a few levels. We do agree that there are barriers, we are just a little at odds with some of BilliingViews’ seven reasons.

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Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone launched on Verizon finally

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Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone launched on Verizon finally

Ah, what a relief to no longer have the need to speak about when Verizon will launch the Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone. It’s done, it has happened and it’s sans Google Wallet. For us, the Galaxy Nexus specifically on Verizon has lost its luster. But if you still have a penchant for your own slice of Ice Cream Sandwich, you can head over to the Verizon Wireless website or pop into your local store. Do remember it’s nearly the holidays though and try not to give the Verizon retail staff members a hard time. It’s not their fault Verizon has acted like a complete…[enter your description here].

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Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone launches 15th Dec? We’re so over this!

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Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone launches 15th Dec? We’re so over this!

Bored of hearing the next projected date of when the Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone will hit Verizon? We feel you. It all seemed exciting and fun at the backend of October when Google made the announcement with Samsung, but the subject has since become one of torture. Will it have NFC? How much will it cost? What size is the display? When will Verizon release it? Why is Verizon fighting with Google over Google Wallet? When will it launch? When will it release? How much will it cost? When will Verizon finally let it loose to the market?

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

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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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Taggle social NFC retail shopping is here for consumers and retailers

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Taggles social retail apps use NFC and barcodes to create a social shopping experience all based on Amazon’s web services

Word of mouth marketing has always been the most powerful form of marketing that has ever existed. If you add to the a viral expansion loop model some NFC, a massive database of UPC product codes, some social sharing abilities and shopping you end up with Taggle. Taggle is a new shopping service that allows consumers to scan bar codes, QR codes or read NFC tags associated with retail purchases and either review them or give them a star rating. Users of the mobile apps don’t even need to sign up for an account. Once a product has been scanned, the social bit happens and users can share their buys on Facebook and Twitter.

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Samsung to launch retina resolution super NFC tablet in February?

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Samsung to launch retina resolution super NFC tablet in February?

Word on the street is that Samsung is prepping a retina resolution super NFC tablet in February that’s due to be released at Mobile World Congress that features impressive specifications. This is a rumor reported over at BGR today. We all know the rivalry between Apple and Samsung has reached fever pitch and there is no love lost. With that in mind, hearing that Samsung is planning on launching a super high resolution NFC tablet before the iPad 3 gets out of the gate is probably not too much of a shock to many. The specifications of this rumored tablet could set it apart from the upcoming iPad 3. The rumor suggests that the new NFC tablet from Samsung will be launched at Mobile World Congress and not at CES. Although that said we received invitations for the Samsung press conference at CES and we wonder if Samsung might give us a sneak peek.

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Intel gets serious about NFC and upgrades NFC Forum membership

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Intel gets serious about NFC and upgrades NFC Forum membership

Today NFC scores another step forward in becoming ubiquitous as Intel upgrades its membership to the NFC Forum from a Principal member all the way to the top position of Sponsor level. First things first, this shows Intel’s intentions towards NFC .We have already caught sight of an Intel NFC tablet and the firm has also announced their intentions to support NFC and secure payments in their line of UltraBooks.

What makes the announcement of Intel upgrading its membership important is that the firm represents ubiquity across PC and Mac platforms. Its support of NFC represents mass deployment of NFC enabled devices that include PCs, tablets and laptops / netbooks. That alone will undoubtedly bring NFC capabilities to most users’ machines within the next few years. We have already seen Microsoft, Google, Samsung, Nokia, RIM and other large firms throw their support behind NFC, but very few have the clout of Intel. Because Intel is part of so many manufacturers’ product lines, the Intel announcement is as big as the Microsoft Windows 8 announcement in bringing NFC mainstream.

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Verizon taking a media beating over Google Wallet, plays coy

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Verizon taking a media beating over Google Wallet, plays coy about its intentions with regards to Isis

Well, it finally started – Verizon is being called to task about their position on Google Wallet and allowing consumers to use whichever services they want on their NFC smartphones. If you are a regular here at NFC Rumors, you will know we haven’t been keen about how Isis members have treated NFC and NFC services for consumers. However, the Galaxy Nexus has taken this industry known issue into the main gadget media today as consumers start to ask “can I use Google Wallet on the Galaxy Nexus?” The answer is no and Verizon are throwing mud in different directions to try and relieve themselves of any blame, and what they are saying is probably not true. Ah, PR departments. You have to love ‘em.

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Learn how to build an NFC app at NFC Bootcamp

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Learn how to build an NFC app at the NFC Bootcamp training programs from OTA training

NFC isn’t new to the world, however, it is new to developers and consumers. With the untapped potentials that are associated with NFC development, training is a massive gap required to introduce experienced developers and newbies alike to code innovative apps. Well, we said “is” but really that statement should be “was”, thanks to the NFC Bootcamp. NFC Bootcamp is traveling the US and putting on training sessions in multiple cities training devs on how to develop NFC apps.

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Galaxy Nexus NFC phone set to hit Verizon for $199 on 8th December?

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Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone set to hit Verizon for $199 on 8th December?

When the Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone is going to be released and for how much has been a mystery. However, recent leaks may have finally found the answers to those questions. The much anticipated NFC smartphone was caught on a flash ad that was released early by mistake, and it showed the Galaxy Nexus priced at $199.99 on a two year contract. That ad was seen on Android Police, Phandroid and Droid Forums. It was also reported by Engadget, which suggests it’s a little more definite than a simple anomaly. That same ad linked to a page that was unavailable and the URL and the title to that page contained a date of the 29th of November, which we think may be when the Ice Cream Sandwich NFC smartphone may be given its official release date.

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White NFC smartphones hitting in time for the holidays

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White NFC smartphones hitting in time for the holidays

A new fad of white NFC smartphones seems to be hitting for the holidays. Of course, all have taken cues from Apple’s white iPhone, but this new push on white smartphones seems to pick on NFC smartphones for reasons that escape us. Nevertheless, more choice is more choice and some of the white NFC phones that are about to be launched do look pretty nice.

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NFC turns on Xmas lights in Cambridge UK with celebrities help

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NFC turns on Xmas lights in Cambridge UK with celebrities help

Hit the UK, head east until you get to East Anglia then swoop up a little until you hit Cambridge – if you get there by 17.00 GMT on Sunday, you will see Christmas lights being switched on using an NFC smartphone and app. Not only that, but you will see the Christmas lights being turned on by one Sheila Ferguson from the Three Degrees. It’s not everyday you see that, right? It may not be everyday you want to see that, or if you are more tender years, you maybe saying “Who?”

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Amazon BlackFriday deal busts NFC smartphones down to 1 cent

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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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Nokia N9 NFC smartphone comes to US after all for $649.99

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Nokia N9 NFC smartphone comes to US after all for $649.99 It was a blow when we learned that the Nokia N9 would give the US a miss. However, Amazon has the 16 GB black version NFC smartphone in stock for $649.99 off contract. Of course, third parties over at Amazon also have the 64GB [...]

Source: Amazon

Via: The Nokia Blog

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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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BlackBerry London NFC smartphone BBX handset?

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BlackBerry London NFC smartphone BBX handset?

An image and some specs have surfaced supposedly showing the BlackBerry London BBX NFC smartphone which could be the first hero phone that will usher in RIM’s QNX based OS. The image shows a different design mantra from BlackBerry showing what appears to be similar to the Porsche Design P9981, which didn’t win too many fans. This NFC smartphone that has the code name of BlackBerry London is said to be released in June next year and could represent the Canadian firm’s effort to gain back market share.

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