Hasta La Gadget!

Stacking the lineup against Google Wallet, manufacturers HTC, LG, Motorola, RIM, Samsung and Sony Ericsson have been drafted by team Isis, agreeing to implement its NFC technology standard into future phone offerings. By garnering multi-manufacturer support, the joint AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon venture is pulling a power move against Mountain View’s offering — currently only functional on Sprint’s Nexus S 4G (although that’s almost certainly bound to change). Finally gearing up for battle, the crew recently pumped $100 million into the initiative, helping to win support from the aforementioned hardware heavy hitters. For those who aren’t ready to buy a new phone just to jump on the NFC bandwagon, Isis says it’s working with DeviceFidelity to add the functionality to older models as well. The more devices that have the technology, the better the chance we’ll be ditching our leather wallets for the mobile variety. Or so they say. Check out the full PR after the break.

Continue reading HTC, LG, Motorola, RIM, Samsung and Sony Ericsson to add Isis NFC tech in future phones

HTC, LG, Motorola, RIM, Samsung and Sony Ericsson to add Isis NFC tech in future phones originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 19:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Europe may be enjoying the Sensation XE, but today at Mobilize, T-Mobile’s announced that it’s getting the exclusive on HTC’s Amaze 4G ($259.99 on a two-year contract), while also confirming the hardware whispers we’ve heard. With its 4.3-inch qHD screen and 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, it’s one of the first smartphones able to connect to T-Mobile’s upgraded 4G (HSPA+ 42Mbps) network and is the first HTC phone featuring an NFC chip — something we didn’t gather from those early spy-shots, but the manufacturer promised a while ago.

Pushing its photography credentials, the Amaze 4G’s eight megapixel shooter can record 1080p video, with a dedicated camera button (and even a direct-to-camcorder button) to make the most of the handset’s promised “zero shutter lag.” Its also got that backlit sensor found in its sibling, the myTouch 4G Slide, so we’re expecting admirable low-light performance, too. On the software side, it’s running Android 2.3.4, coated in the inevitable Sense veneer and supporting the likes of HTC Watch and T-Mobile TV. Will it be enough to steal the network’s king of Android crown away from the Galaxy S II when it ships October 12th? You tell us, as you check the PR after the break.

Keep up with our Mobilize 2011 coverage here!

Continue reading T-Mobile reveals HTC Amaze 4G, flaunts better camera and faster HSPA+

T-Mobile reveals HTC Amaze 4G, flaunts better camera and faster HSPA+ originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Add “getting into your house” to the list of things you won’t be able to do if you lose your phone, thanks to Yale’s fancy new NFC-controlled lock.

The touch-screen locks use a companion app on an NFC (near field communication) phone (in the demo video, an iPhone with an NFC case is used). You select the correct “key” from the app, hold the phone up to the lock and you’re done. The lock recognizes a friendly key and opens up.

With more phones likely to feature NFC chips in the near future, this kind of tech is likely to get more common. The phone has already replaced computers, books, cameras and MP3 players. Next it’ll be wallets, keys, loyalty cards and probably even train and plane tickets. Just don’t leave home without a charger.

Yale Door Locks: Is NFC the Next Big Thing in Home Tech? [CE Pro]

Press release [CE Pro / Yale]

See Also:

• Keyfree Yale Doors Mix Old-Style and New-Tech
• Lockitron: Unlock Your Home With Your Cellphone
• Art Lebedev Redesigns the Door Chain Lock For Security Fetishists …

We’re pretty excited about Google Wallet, but the service is currently only available for Nexus S 4G phone owners, leaving most of you waiting for broader implementation. Well, how would you like to skip the line, getting to test it out on a Nexus S 4G of your very own? Google has supplied us with five phones to give away — the company is even throwing in $1,000 (yes, one THOUSAND dollars) of prepaid credit to help fund those first few dozen taps. There’s one catch: you’ll need to use your Nexus S 4G with a Sprint plan, though the carrier is throwing in one month of demo service to get you started. Check out our in-depth preview for a detailed look at the service, and simply leave a comment after the break to be entered to win — after checking that you meet the entry requirements, of course.

Continue reading Engadget giveaway: win one of five Nexus S 4G phones with $1,000 Google Wallet credit!

Engadget giveaway: win one of five Nexus S 4G phones with $1,000 Google Wallet credit! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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To the delight of shopaholics everywhere, Visa has announced that it’s jumped on the Google Wallet bandwagon — giving card users access to the snazzy, new NFC payment system. Much like MasterCard’s announcement last week, the licensing agreement will allow Visa users to link their credit, debit and prepaid cards to Google’s offering for fast mobile payments in places that accept the service. The credit card company has dabbled in mobile payments before through payWave, but with plans to integrate into GW, we’ll surely be seeing more of it in the near future. As momentum over the NFC-powered mobile phones grows, it will be interesting to see if the Real Housewives can part with their phones long enough for their assistants to pay for those Manolos. Check out the full PR after the break.

Continue reading Polyamorous Google Wallet adds Visa to its arsenal

Polyamorous Google Wallet adds Visa to its arsenal originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 00:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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