What Is NFC and What Can It Do for You

NFC is getting a great deal of attention as it becomes included in more smartphone, laptop, tablet, and other device. It's being hyped as The Next Big Thing that will change how we use our mobile devices: everything from shopping to interacting with your home and unlocking your car. Here's an overview of the current and potential uses of NFC.

NFC in a Nutshell

NFC stands for Near Field Communication, and, as the name implies, it's a set of close-range wireless communication standards. NFC-equipped smartphones and other devices can exchange information with each other with a simple tap or wave.

Remind you of tap-to-pay credit cards or apps like Paypal "bumping" to transfer money? That's because NFC is the technology behind many new mobile payments types such as these.

NFC and RFID (radio frequency identification) are sometimes used interchangeably, but NFC is really a newer version or extension of RFID. RFID waves can have very long ranges (e.g., RFID is the tech that helps highway toll readers read your car's toll pass), while NFC limits the range of communication to within 4 inches. This makes NFC perfect for more secure applications like paying for things or securely logging in at a location.

NFC also allows two-way communication, as opposed to RFID's one-way reading technology. So transferring photos or contacts between devices is a common use of NFC (see the "Android Beam" feature on many new smartphones).

Which Devices Have NFC?

Many smartphones and new laptops have NFC chips. NFC World has an exhaustive list of all the phones around the world that are NFC-equipped (available now, coming soon, with limited availability, and more categories). Google Nexus variants have NFC, as do several BlackBerries, HTC phones, and others. NFC chips are also embedded in "tags," which are stickers that your device can interact with.

Among the phones without NFC: The recently announced iPhone 5, despite previous rumors. Apparently, Apple thinks its Passbook feature is enough and people don't need NFC.

Devices that supports NFC:

BlackBerry Bold 9790, BlackBerry Bold 9900, BlackBerry Bold 9930, BlackBerry Curve 9350, BlackBerry Curve 9360, BlackBerry Curve 9370, BlackBerry Curve 9380, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Google Nexus 7, Google Nexus S, HTC Desire C, HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE, HTC Evo 4G LTE, HTC Incredible, HTC One X, HTC Ruby, Motorola Droid Razr, Motorola MC75A HF, Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE, Nokia 603, Nokia 700, Nokia 701, Nokia 801T, Nokia 808 Pureview, etc. (Read more here)

What You Can Do With NFC

NFC is most commonly associated with the "mobile wallet"—the idea that your smartphone will replace your cash and credit cards. In one tap or wave of your phone, you can pay for your groceries and redeem offers or coupons. Google Wallet, partnering with MasterCard PayPass, is one example. You can store all major credit and debit cards in Google Wallet and get a "virtual MasterCard" that pays for your purchases in-store wherever those PayPass scanners are or online.

At the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) this week in San Francisco, Intel showed off the interaction between a smartphone and an Ultrabook laptop. The phone, tapped to the laptop, logged into a site and paid for an online purchase—no form-filling required.

Beyond mobile payments, though, there are a world of uses for NFC, including:

● Paying for your parking meter, at least in some cities like San Francisco.

Getting tickets or boarding passes. Some airlines and buses are also experimenting with using NFC for boarding passes

● Opening doors. BMW has NFC-enabled car keys. Companies and universities are looking into or rolling out using NFC-enabled devices as security badges. To gain physical access somewhere, members need only tap their smartphones at the door.

● Downloading information. Advertisers and marketers can use NFC chips in porters and other promotional materials so all you have to do to get more information is tap or wave your phone (easier than QR codes, perhaps).

 

HTC Elation Windows Phone 8 Device Leaked, Includes Quad-Core Processor

HTC has accidentally posted its upcoming Windows Phone 8 device called HTC Elation on its website. HTC Elation will be the flagship Windows Phone 8 device with specs better than HTC One X. It features Quad core processor, 8MP camera, 32 GB Storage, 2000mAh battery, Beats Audio and 4.7inch SLCD display as well.

Update: As many of our readers pointed out, this "may be" a fan concept and not a real device from HTC. Specs and Design are great, I would like to see it as a real device. We have to wait till Wednesday to see actual details of the HTC flagship device.

5-inch HTC DROID Incredible X Specifications Leaked: 480ppi Screen

A new product launch will be held on September 19, 2012 by HTC. News from BGR lists the detailed specifications of HTC Droid Incredible X, which is said to own 5-inch HD screen and with 1080p video recording support. It is equipped with display screen up to 480ppi. In CPU, it adopts dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor. Besides, 4G LTE is supported, Sense 5 interface is employed and Scribe stylus is put to use. At the same time, it is with 1.5G RAM and 16GB storage space, of course, microSD card expansion is available. It is expected that it will be released in autumn this year.

 

If you have got one HTC Droid Incredible phone device, you may need the guide to rip DVD to HTC Droid Incredible video on Windows and Mac, go ahead if you need it.

iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, or iPhone 4? Which is Worth Purchasing?

Apple has announced the long-awaited iPhone 5. Boasting an all-new design, with 4G LTE and a larger 4-inch Retina display, Apple is calling it "the biggest thing to happen to iPhone since iPhone."

We've stacked up the specs for the iPhone 5 side by side against the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 4 to help determine which phone is right for you.

The biggest, most attractive feature of the iPhone 5 is its new design. The phone is 20 percent lighter, 18 percent thinner, and 12 percent smaller by volume than the iPhone 4S. At just 0.3 inches thick and 3.95 ounces, it's one of the thinnest, lightest smartphones available. That's a pretty major feat, considering that Apple has also increased the size of the display.

That's right. For the first time since the original iPhone, Apple has bumped the display up from 3.5 inches to 4 inches. The resolution has been boosted too, up to 1,136-by-640 pixels, which makes for the same 326 pixel-per-inch Retina display as the iPhone 4 and 4S. Color has been improved as well, with color saturation that's 44 percent greater than before. That additional screen size allows for added app functionality, and Apple claims that old apps will look and work just the same as new ones.

Arguably the greatest new feature is support for 4G LTE. This is the first LTE phone that Apple has released, and it will be able to tap into the super-fast new networks from AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon (provided you live in an LTE coverage area). The iPhone 5 also includes support for a number of other networks all around the world. And dual-band 802.11n wireless connectivity should accelerate your Wi-Fi experience as well.

The iPhone 5 is powered by Apple's powerful new A6 chip, which Apple claims is up to twice as fast as the A5 processor found in the iPhone 4S. It's also less power hungry, and Apple claims you can get up to eight hours of 3G talk time, eight hours of 4G LTE Internet use, or 10 hours of video playback on the iPhone 5. We recorded nine hours and 22 minutes of 3G talk time on the Verizon model of the iPhone 4S, so the number we see this time around will likely be even higher.

And for the first time in many years, Apple has upgraded its standard Apple Earphones to new Apple EarPods. Designed with fit and comfort in mind, the EarPods are futuristic-looking little earbuds with a built-in remote and mic. They've been engineered to minimize sound loss and maximize sound output using a number of strategically placed vents. Needless to say, these are likely to be a major win over those tinny Apple Earphones of yesteryear.

That's not the only improvement made for sound. The iPhone 5 has three microphones—one on the front, one on the back, and one on the bottom—which should make for clearer audio. And new noise-canceling technology reduces background noise even further.

Improvements have been made to the camera as well. It's still an 8-megapixel sensor, but now it's 40 percent faster, with better low-light performance and improved noise reduction. The phone's gyroscope, processor, and camera app also work together to create seamless, high-res panoramas up to 28 megapixels. And the front-facing camera has been given an update to 720p for HD FaceTime Calls.

Also new is the Lightning connector, which is smaller, more durable, and reversible than the previous 30-pin connector. There's an adapter for all your old 30-pin devices, so don't worry too much, but this one does look like it'll make it even easier to connect.

Siri has been upgraded, along with a plethora of new features in iOS 6. iOS 6 will also be coming to the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 on Sept. 19, but Siri is only available on the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5.

So is the new iPhone 5 worth it? You'll have to check back for our review before we can make that call, but right now, it looks like if you're willing to drop at least $200, the iPhone 5 will offer some major upgrades over the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4.

If you're looking for a new, entry-level smartphone, and don't want to spend a lot of money, it's hard to beat a free iPhone 4. Still, an extra $100 or two isn't all that much extra to spend over the life of a two-year contract, considering most contracts cost around $100 per month. So if I were shopping around for a new iPhone (and I think I just might be), I'd put my money on the iPhone 5.