Items tagged with NFC
The Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) has announced that it has published the Digital Key Release 1.0 specification. That specification is a standardized solution that is designed to eliminate the keys and fobs we all carry for our cars today and replace them with a digital version that lives on your smartphone. The CCC counts among it some major tech firms and automakers, and the critical mass certainly appears to be there to make digital keys a reality in the future. Participating members of the CCC include charter members Audi, BMW, General Motors, HYUNDAI, LG Electronics, Panasonic, Samsung, and Volkswagen. The CCC also has core members that include major hardware manufacturers in the smartphone...
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Would you be willing to have a super-small microchip inserted into your hand, all for the sake of added convenience? To some, the mere concept might sound outlandish, and it'll undoubtedly be tough to avoid recalling certain sci-fi flicks that center around such implantable technology. Believe it or not, microchip injections are becoming more common, and are likely to only become even more popular in the future. At the Swedish start-up hub Epicenter, the company has begun injecting microchips into its employees -- and yes, it's an opt-in procedure. 150 people have so far agreed to the body modification, simply because the equivalent of a quick piercing can open doors for you in the future. Literally....
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Microsoft is ready to enter the NFC wireless payments arena with its Windows 10 Mobile platform with the official arrival of Microsoft Wallet. We first learned of Microsoft’s intentions earlier this month via leaked internal builds of Windows 10 Mobile, but Microsoft Wallet is now being introduced in the latest Insider Preview builds. Microsoft Wallet is analogous to Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Android Pay in the mobile payments sector. Given that this feature is still a work in progress, Microsoft only has the backing of VISA and MasterCard at this point in development, in conjunction with eight major banks (including Bank of America, Chase, and US Bank). Microsoft Wallet is currently accepted...
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One of the benefits of NFC (Near Field Communication) technology is the tap to pay feature that's supported on a bunch of mobile devices. Apple has Apple Pay for iOS handsets and wearables, Google has Android Pay, and Samsung is pushing its Samsung Pay as an alternative to both. What about Microsoft? The Redmond software giant will get in on the action when it releases Wallet 2.0.Microsoft has sort of been sitting on the sidelines in the mobile payment arena, but the forthcoming Anniversary Update for Windows 10 Mobile, also known as Redstone 1, will introduce Microsoft's new Wallet 2.0 app, which itself will support NFC Tap to Pay. As of right now, it's a feature that's exclusive to the U.S....
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Apple made a big splash in the market last October with the introduction of its Apple Pay contactless payments system. Using a combination of NFC hardware, Touch ID, authentication software and numerous partnerships with banks, credit card companies and retailers, Apple sought out to revolutionize how we pay for everything from Big Macs to 14 gallons of diesel fuel at the pump. While Google has laid the groundwork for its own competing, fingerprint-authorized payment service called Android Pay, Samsung has taken it upon itself to launch its own service. Samsung Pay promises to bring the best of both worlds, as it not only supports NFC technology (as we’ve seen with Apple Pay), but it can also...
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It looks like the mobile payments arena is finally heating up. Apple Pay is popping up in retailers and restaurants across the country, Google snapped up Softcard and announced its own Android Pay, Samsung Pay is making waves by waiving transaction fees, and now Microsoft is sharing details on payment capabilities that will appear in the upcoming Windows 10 release for smatrphones. (Image credit: Microsoft) The Windows payment feature (dubbed “Tap to Pay” in the materials spotted by Nokia Power User at the WinHec conference in China) is intriguing because it won’t require carrier support. Microsoft is putting Host Card Emulation (HCE) support into Windows 10, which means Windows 10...
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We are sure to hear all of the exhausting details concerning the Apple Watch at tomorrow’s keynote, but Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, has given us an early glimpse into one of the smartwatch’s most important features: Apple Pay. Apple Pay is currently incorporated into the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, and Apple CEO Tim Cook claims that it accounts for two out of every three dollars spent when it comes to contactless payments. Most have praised the easy-to-use nature of Apple Pay and it appears that the payment process will get just a tiny bit simpler when an Apple Watch is involved. While the Apple Watch itself doesn’t have Touch ID — which makes Apple...
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The upcoming Google I/O Conference could see the company launch a new mobile payment system API, according to sources who spoke to Ars Technica. The new service, which would let users pay for items both at physical cash registers and online, is expected to be called Android Pay. Google’s Host Card Emulation (HCE) technology will let phones and other devices with Android Pay create transactions through register devices that have NFC technology. The Android Pay API will also let developers add payment buttons to their online stores. The competition between Apple and Google for mobile payments is heating up. Google has been making several moves to revamp its Google Wallet, including buying rival...
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We reported last year that Samsung was in talks to team up with LoopPay, a Burlington, MA-based startup firm that specialized in wireless payment technologies. Unlike Apple Pay or Google Wallet, which require an NFC-equipped cash register to complete a wireless transaction, LoopPay works using “Magnetic Secure Transmission,” which allows a customer to simply tap his or her smartphone near a traditional cash register card reader to complete a wireless transaction. And best of all, businesses don’t need to upgrade their cash registers for customers to take advantage of LoopPay. Those December rumors of a partnership have now turned into a full-fledged acquisition by Samsung. “This acquisition accelerates...
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Americans have been enjoying NFC-based mobile payments for the past few years. Apple jumped on the bandwagon in fall 2014 with the release of Apple Pay, opening up the ease of mobile payments to millions more Americans. As mobile payments become more prevalent, and competing solutions began to plant their flags in the ground, it’d be nice to have a single terminal solution that would be able to accommodate everyone. Thankfully, Verifone agrees and just announced its awkwardly named PAYware Mobile e355. The PAYware Mobile e355 is a jack of all mobile point of sale (mPOS) terminal, supporting both NFC (supporting both Google Wallet and Apple Pay) and EMV. The mPOS also supports traditional magnetic...
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As companies such as Apple, Samsung, and those associated with the Merchant Customer Exchange push near-field communication (NFC) payments forward, and radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology is used in important documents such as passports, digital pick pocketing is expected to increase as well. However, to help combat digital theft, security software developer Norton partnered with Betabrand to create jeans and a blazer designed to prevent digital pick pocketing. The articles of clothing features RFID-blocking fabric in two pockets that will prevent criminals from using RFID readers to steal information. This is a situation that security experts say is a growing...
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The unveiling of Apple's next iPhone is expected to take place next Tuesday, but despite that, the rumor train surrounding the device refuses to slow down. Late last week, we reported that the iPhone 6 could include an NFC chip under its hood, and as far as many Apple fans are concerned, that's long overdue. Now, we learn that Apple's possible payments system could involve something called "iPhone Wallet". In preparation for iPhone Wallet, it's being said that Apple has teamed up with American Express, MasterCard, and Visa, with some rumors also tossing PayPal into the mix. With iPhone Wallet, you'd be able to make a payment via the NFC chip and have the total cost automatically deduct off of...
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Assuming the latest iPhone 6 rumor is true, Apple's next handset will feature pay-by-touch technology. That's because Apple is reportedly in cahoots with NXP Semiconductors, a chipmaker located in the Netherlands, to integrate near-field communication (NFC) technology into the iPhone 6, which Apple will likely unveil on September 9, 2014. The lack of NFC support has been one of the main criticisms of the iPhone for the past few model releases. Whereas it's much easier to find an Android device supporting NFC than it is to find one that doesn't, Apple has turned a blind eye to the technology up to this point, though that's finally about to change, it seems. It's believed the red box is where the...
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If the term “skin tag” grosses you out, you’re not alone, but the intestinally robust can now unlock their Moto X smartphone with a special sticker--an NFC-equipped skin tag--instead of a PIN or other tedious method. A product of collaboration between VivaLnk Inc (with its eSkinTM technology) and Google’s ATAP division, you can now slap a sticker on your skin that will let you unlock your phone by touching it to the sticker. Call it a digital temporary tattoo. “The nickel-sized tattoo is adhesive, lasts for five days, and is made to stay on through showering, swimming, and vigorous activities like jogging. And it’s beautiful—with a shimmering, intricate...
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Years ago, QR Codes were poised to take the world by storm. These fancy little squares could be photographed and scanned by any smartphone, and then it would lead users to websites, deals, or any variety of other pages. But, as it turns out, no one really cared about them. The technology has largely faded into the darkness, so it makes sense to see Microsoft cutting ties with its own alternative. "Tag" was a proprietary alternative to QR Codes, and after August 19, 2015, they'll be no more. If you're wondering why the company is giving a long two-year notice, it's because such a notice was required in its own Terms of Use. Through August 19, 2015, you will be able to continue to log into your...
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NFC, on the whole, has yet to really take the world by storm. In some nations, it has become a fairly popular tool for mobile payments, but in North America, it's rarely used for anything more serious than pairing with a Bluetooth speaker. That said, Motorola's newest smartphone, the Moto X, has a new NFC-based accessory that honestly feels like one of the most impressive uses yet of the technology. Motorola Skip is a new, hardware-based method for unlocking your Android phone. Moto found that the average power user unlocks their phone screen around 100 times per day, and at 2.3 seconds each time the phone is unlocked, it adds up to a lot of time spent entering 4-digit PINs or patterns. Because...
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Wearable computing is increasingly becoming something that makes sense for average users, and here’s another reason to take the plunge: the NFC ring. Simply put, the ring is equipped with two NFC transmitters or “inlays”--one for public use and a secure one for private use--and it allows to wearer to perform actions such as unlocking a phone or sharing WiFi information. NFC ring maker John McLear also suggests use cases such as unlocking the door of your house, sharing links to websites or photos, and sharing contact information (bringing heightened importance to the handshake), and even launch apps on a phone. The device is simply constructed out of titanium and steel and consists...
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At a glance, the item shown here looks a lot like a Roomba automated vacuum cleaner. Turns out, that's not the case. It's a new Panasonic speaker, and it's more rugged than you may think. The SC-NT10 Portable Wireless Speaker System is designed to be used at pool parties the world over this summer, and because of its support for Bluetooth streaming, you just need a phone or tablet nearby to send the sound waves without a tether. Four "tough" performance traits allow for the Panasonic SC-NT10 to be used in nearly any outdoor setting. The device is Splash Proof, which enables use near water areas like the pool or beach; Dust Proof, making it well suited for areas such as sandy beaches; Shock Proof,...
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Sony has a new line of entry-level notebooks bearing the VAIO Fit moniker, and they’re aimed at both businesses and students. Models include the VAIO Fit 14 and 15 and the VAIO Fit 14E and 15E; all are designed to be “super” thin and light with tough aluminum shells for better durability. The Fit 14 model has an LED-backlit display resolution of 1600x900 while the Fit 15 offers Full HD 1920x1080; both include color enhancement technology and an optional capacitive touchscreen. Their webcams feature Exmore R CMOS sensors for better performance in low light. Sony is emphasizing the notebooks’ audio prowess, as they feature ClearAudio+ sound which is designed to offer better...
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For all of the flack that Apple gets each time it changes something with a new iPhone that renders an old technology obsolete, it's only fair to take a hard look at similar moves being made by Samsung. With the introduction of the Galaxy S 4, one piece of tech that Samsung was pushing fairly hard is being rendered incompatible. In fact, Samsung was pushing the original TecTiles so hard, that it was giving them away to Galaxy Note owners who registered for some. Now, however, the GS4 will be the first major Samsung handset that doesn't play nice with the original TecTile. For those who haven't used them before, TecTiles are NFC stickers that can be programmed to do certain things when a handset...
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It's a connected world, and we're just living in it. While the point-and-shoot camera was chalked up as dead a few years back by some -- folks who thought the evolution of the smartphone camera would do the category in -- companies are now learning to innovate the space in a way that could squeeze a few more years of life from it. Panasonic just launched a new $500 high-end pocket camera, the Lumix DMC-LF1. It's a compact shooter, but offers some pretty impressive specifications. There's a f/2.0 Leica lens, a 7.1x optical zoom, a high-sensitivity MOS sensor, and built-in Wi-Fi + NFC. That's right; a camera with not only Wi-Fi, but also NFC. The LF1 features "Touch & Share," which allows users...
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Samsung is most certainly winning the Android war in terms of market share, profit share, and mind share. In fact, it's getting tougher and tougher for those other Android OEMs to make a dent in the market, with Samsung spending billions each on marketing alone. Needless to say, we suspect that Visa is pretty pumped about this new agreement. It's an expansion from the deal the two nailed down in time for the London Olympics in 2012, now branded as a "global alliance" that'll bring Visa's payWave app to future Samsung mobile devices with NFC chips in them. As mobile payments continue to become more pervasive, the real war is on the platform side: whichever credit card company manages to secure...
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