Hasta La Gadget!

We heard late last month that Samsung was getting ready to unveil its next-generation TecTile technology, and today the company finally pushed it out to users of the new Galaxy S 4. The phone comes with a newer NFC chip, which makes the previous-generation TecTile tags incompatible. However, TecTile 2 is finally now out available for the taking.

The good news is, these newer TecTile tags are backward-compatible with older Samsung devices that are NFC-enabled, allowing you to use them with your new Galaxy S 4, as well as any other Samsung devices you have lying around, including the Galaxy S III. These tags will allow you to automate a variety of tasks for certain situations, like adjustments to settings and opening up an app with a wave of your phone.

If you’re not all that familiar with TecTiles, they are Samsung-specific NFC stickers that you can program to activate certain phone tasks when the tag and the phone are touched together. You can place these tags all around your house and in your car, which allow you automate tasks, like setting alarms, switching a phone to silent mode, starting up media players, etc.

The downside is that if you’ve invested in the original TecTiles and have upgraded to the Galaxy S 4, you’ll need to grab the newer TecTile 2 tags, which sell for $15 for a pack of five, and are available now online, with availability in stores coming next month.

Currently, the only device that comes with native support for TecTile 2 is the Galaxy S 4, but we’re guessing that future Samsung devices will be utilizing the updated technology as well. As for the advantages of TecTile 2, it seems it’s a bit faster than the previous-generation, with the possibility of extended NFC capabilities, but if you can’t rush out and get new tags now, it won’t hurt you to wait around in order to grab some.

Samsung TecTiles 2 pushed out for Galaxy S 4 is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Remotes only have a few select uses for our TVs these days, even with smart TVs, but the folks from Sony are changing how we use and perceive our remotes. At CES Sony announced a few new remotes that pack more than just some batteries inside, instead we have NFC support for easy mirror mode capabilities. Read on for all the details.

Earlier this week we shared the original details, and today we managed to catch up with Sony for a quick hands-on look at their new NFC enabled remote controls for their smart TVs. (read: the expensive ones). So you ask what this is for? And we’ll tell you below.

Want to share the song you’re enjoying on that Xperia smartphone, or the YouTube video you’re viewing on the small screen to the big one? Simply tap your NFC capable Xperia to your Sony remote and their One-touch mirror mode will activate. Within seconds you’ll be streaming that content or enjoying that music on the big screen and your home theater. We saw their easy-pairing approach already, and this is just one more aspect that will make their new smartphones and TVs great.

Sony doesn’t want us fumbling through settings, enabling share features or trying to pair our phone to the TV for hours. Let the built-in settings and NFC (Near Field Communication) feature do it for you. This is so dead simple the mass public should be able to adopt and enjoy the feature with ease. Simply tap your smartphone to the remote and a quick haptic feedback vibration lets you know the connection was received and mirror mode is active. A simple second tap and hold will kill the connection and let you get back to enjoying content on the Xperia display.

As expected, this feature will be exclusive to Sony’s own Xperia devices. While this makes sense for them, the mass public using iPhones or the Galaxy S III could also use this feature and I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of it soon. Hopefully one day soon they’ll open this up for all smartphones to enjoy.

Sony One-touch NFC remote mirroring Hands-on is written by Cory Gunther & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Earlier this month, a start-up company by the name of Flomio went to Kickstarter to see if they could scrounge up some funding for an NFC dongle for iOS devices. It’s a novel idea, and it seems others agree as well, because the company has announced that they’ve reached their funding goal for what they call the FloJack.

Flomio set a goal of $80,000, and they actually passed it with 423 backers donating a total of $83,637 so far, with just 11 hours to go at the time of this writing. Flomio notes that these last 11 hours will be the last chance to buy a FloJack at a discount price before they eventually charge full price for the dongle. You can get one now for as little as $49.

During the Kickstarter campaign, the company unveiled what they call the FloCase. Thanks to a ton of reader feedback and suggestions, Flomio has now made an iPhone case that has an NFC reader embedded inside. This might be a better option for some users who don’t want to deal with a dongle that might get lost easily, but the case certainly doesn’t win any awards in the design department.

Flomio’s Tim Ronan says that “this is only the beginning” for Flomio. The company will continue to “deliver products that will prompt the NFC ecosystem.” Both the FloJack and FloCase are scheduled to ship sometime in March. You can get a FloCase now for $99, but just like the FloJack, the company will initiate full prices after the Kickstarter campaign is over. It’s yet to be known what these full prices will be.

Flomio NFC reader for iOS reaches Kickstarter funding goal is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

It’s a big day for mobile payments. Multiple former Nokia Money veterans have formally launched iKaaz, a two-pronged strategy to phone commece where choice is the order of the day. The first components, M-POS and its accompanying Tap & Pay, are rough equivalents to familiar NFC-based services like Google Wallet that rely on an NFC tag and matching app for in-store sales. A Consumer Wallet for Enterprises occupies more familiar territory for the ex-Nokia crew: it provides a mobile account that doesn’t require NFC or even an app, letting those in developing countries exchange funds through SMS or USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) if they’re sporting basic handsets. Us end users will need to wait for actual implementations before we see iKaaz for ourselves, but the sheer flexibility could have us paying through our phones in some unexpected places.

Continue reading Former Nokia Money crew kicks off iKaaz mobile payments, lets shops go with or without NFC

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile, Nokia

Former Nokia Money crew kicks off iKaaz mobile payments, lets shops go with or without NFC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Oct 2012 22:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unofficial rumblings have pointed to Isis Mobile Wallet’s trial getting close. If you’ve remained skeptical all the same, we’re pretty sure that seeing Isis’ Android app in Google Play will change your mind. The currently T-Mobile-only software confirms that pilot program members will tie their American Express, Capital One or Chase card (as well as a unique card) to Isis for paying through NFC at stores with a SmartTap terminal. We’re also promised streamlined loyalty cards and coupons. Before anyone rushes to try the app at the local shop, remember that it’s just one piece of the puzzle on top of the special SIM card, one of three NFC-equipped phones and that small matter of living in Austin or Salt Lake City when the service goes live. Having the official app at least lets those who qualify get a head start on what could soon be the only major alternative to Google Wallet in the US.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Isis Mobile Wallet app for Android surfaces in Google Play, you probably can’t run it originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 18:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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