OTI gets MasterCard approval for Wave NFC add-on

Contactless technology specialist On Track Innovations (OTI) has received MasterCard Mobile PayPass certification for Wave Dongle, an add-on that plugs into the audio jack of a standard mobile device to provide users with NFC payments capabilities.

STANDALONE: Wave Dongle can be loaded with funds and used as an NFC keyfob

The Wave "connects to the smartphone's operating system via the audio jack, allowing for PIN code authentication and over-the-air capabilities such as reloading electronic cash, remote personalization, firmware updates, and new applications," OTI says.

"OTI's Wave can be used for electronic payment transactions even when disconnected from a customer's device," the company adds. "When the pre-paid balance is running low, the Wave can simply plug into a smartphone to add additional money into the Wave's e-purse."

Nokia unveils Windows tablet with NFC

POWER UP: A keyboard with extra battery capacity can be attached to the Lumia 2520

Nokia has shown off the Lumia 2520, a 10.1-inch Windows 8.1 RT tablet that includes NFC and features 4G LTE and WiFi as well as a 6.7 megapixel camera with a Zeiss lens.

A long life battery will charge from empty to 80% in an hour, Nokia says. The tablet will be available before the end of 2013, initially in the US, UK and Finland, with a price tag of US$499.

Nokia launches Lumia 1520 NFC phone

Nokia has unveiled the Lumia 1520, a Windows Phone 8 'phablet' with NFC and a 6-inch Full HD display that makes it possible to view a third column of tiles on the start screen.

The device also includes a 20 megapixel camera, Microsoft Office and Qi wireless charging.

The Lumia 1520 will be available worldwide before the end of the year at around US$749.

SK Planet’s radical touchpoint design sees NFC interaction soar

A radical new NFC touchpoint design, coupled with the offer of nationally redeemable rewards, led to consumer interactions increasing by a factor of more than 20 at a recent exhibition in Korea, SK Planet has told NFC World. The touchpoints are now to be rolled out to 10,000 Korean retailers from next month.

Twenty stands were equipped with the bright red horn-like touchpoints during the exhibition, enabling visitors to use their NFC phones to obtain product information and collect digital stamps that could be turned into OK Cashbag loyalty points.

EYE CATCHING: SK Planet's bright red horn-shaped NFC touchpoint

OK Cashbag is a loyalty scheme run by SK Planet which enables its 36 million members to earn and use points at 50,000 merchant partners.

Overall, over the four days of the event, 4,700 visitors interacted with the touchpoints a total of 70,000 times — twenty times as many as took place during a similar event last year.

"NFC stickers are often used in Korea," SK Planet's Seonil Moon told NFC World. "Users rarely noticed the stickers in stores because they were very small and surrounded by other non-NFC stickers.

"However, our touchpoints successfully catch the customer's attention through its unique 'speaker' design, even in a very crowded exhibition."

"We are installing the touchpoints in 10,000 stores over a year starting from November as part of our national NFC non-payment service tied with OK Cashbag."

"SK Planet usually provides digital coupons through the touchpoints," he added. "This is the first time we've offered OK Cashbag points.

"Users were not interested in digital coupons because they were for one time use and available in a number of other ways online. This time, users began thinking that they can gather OK Cashbag points through tapping more often to earn more points."

French drivers will receive multi-license with support for NFC

French drivers are issued new driving licenses based on contactless smart cards that contain both open and closed field data. Locked data area can only be accessed by the police and other departments, and the open area of ​​data can be read by an NFC phone and used by third parties, for example, to store information about insurance and placement of virtual keys.

New driver's licenses are made Imprimerie Nationale, the French national printing press, as well as using the technology of electronic driving licenses Sealys from Gemalto

BWC offers rugged NFC tablet

Mobile device supplier BWC is now offering a rugged 7-inch tablet that comes with NFC. The ToughSlate 7" meets the IP67 standard, ensuring it is waterproof, dustproof and durable.

Powered by a 1GHz quad core MTK6589 from MediaTek, the device runs Android 4.2.2 and includes Bluetooth 4.0, 3G and WiFi connectivity.

The ToughSlate 7" is available now at £499 (US$806).

Using NFC, IBM brings dual-factor authentication to mobile

Dual-factor authentication can work by combining smartphones and PCs, but that approach needs to be updated for the mobile era. An new IBM technique combines near-field communications and smartphones

ZURICH, Switzerland -- Banks and major Web sites often combine passwords with people's phones to offer more secure two-factor authentication when logging onto a service with a PC. But what happens when you're logging on using a phone?

With a new approach IBM started touting today, NFC, or near-field communications, will fill the void.

NFC wireless links can be used to let people exchange contact information by bumping phones together or to pay for products by waving a phone close to a payment terminal, but it also can be used to enable dual-factor authentication in the mobile device era, said said Diego Ortiz-Yepes, a security and encryption researcher at IBM Research in Zurich.

IBM's dual-factor authentication for mobile devices combines a user password with an NFC-linked card to improve login security.

(Credit: IBM)

"When you use your phone to access the service, the phone is no longer the second factor," he said, speaking to reporters at a press event here Wednesday. An NFC-enabled credit card issued by a bank or other authority serves as the second factor, he said.

Dual-factor authentication offers more security since it means a password alone isn't enough to break into another person's account. The password must be supplemented by something a person has. For example, Google's dual-factor authentication uses a smartphone running an app that generates a one-time passcode, and some financial institutions issue key fobs that will generate a passcode number on demand.

Here's how IBM's approach works, using an app for using your bank as an example:

First, you load up the bank's app. It sends a special challenge number to your phone.

Next, the app asks you for your password. But here's the catch: after you enter it, you tap your phone against the NFC-enabled card your bank gave you.

Third, the phone transfers the challenge number to the card using NFC, the card transforms it through a calculation based on its own key, then sends it back to the phone, which sends it to the bank. Authentication fails if a person types in the wrong password or uses the wrong or no card.

The approach is designed to be more secure but not such a hassle that people will shun it, Ortiz-Yepes said.

"If something is cumbersome to use, with 20,000 steps to get yourself authenticated with your bank, it could have the coolest math behind it but nobody's going to use it," he said.

But don't expect the approach to catch on fast. Many Android phones support NFC, but so far Apple has shunned it. That means IBM's approach wouldn't work with a key customer segment. That wouldn't stop them from offering it to some customers, but it could put a big damper on their enthusiasm.

Do you use NFC tags with your Android smartphone?

Eurobank offers NFC payments

Isis to give away a million smoothies

US NFC joint venture Isis has teamed up with Jamba Juice to offer up to one million free smoothies to consumers who tap and pay using their Isis Mobile Wallet.

Starting later this year shoppers will be able to redeem an NFC coupon for a smoothie or a juice drink by tapping their Isis-compatible phone at any participating Jamba Juice location.

"The Million Free Smoothie Giveaway provides a powerful incentive for consumers to experience the simplicity and convenience of mobile commerce," says Michael Abbott, CEO of Isis. "From pilot to national availability, our successful partnership with Jamba Juice showcases the business value and marketing capabilities of mobile commerce."

"Jamba Juice is committed to supporting new and existing customers in an ultra-mobile retail world," adds Jamba Juice CEO James White. "To that end, we're rolling out NFC terminals with Isis' proprietary SmartTap technology at Jamba Juice locations nationwide, allowing customers to redeem and pay for products with one tap."

Eurobank in Poland offers NFC payments

Polish bank Eurobank began offering its customers the opportunity to pay using MyWallet, NFC service operator T-Mobile. The service is already offered by banks Getin Bank, Noble Bank, Raiffeisen Polbank and mBank.

To start using the payments NFC, clients must be subscribers to T-Mobile and have a debit card, MasterCard, issued by the bank. Payments made using MyWallet, amounting to PLN50 (US $ 16) does not require a PIN-code. The partnership will also offer Eurobank physical proximity cards.

News Corp runs NFC campaign in Sydney

News Corp newspaper The Daily Telegraph is promoting its content using NFC and QR posters placed on the rear of the seats of more than 80 buses in Western Sydney, Australia, enabling commuters to download selected content from the newspaper's website.

News Corp Australia is using NFC marketing specialist Tapit's platform to allow content to be changed during the campaign, based on factors such as the time of day. Breaking news can be offered in the morning, for instance, and recipe ideas in the late afternoon as people plan their evening meal.

The twelve week campaign is being run in partnership with mobile solutions company Mnet, media agency UM and transportation operator Transit Systems.

BagJack adds NFC security

German messenger bag makerBagjack is using an NFC-based anti-counterfeiting solution developed by Serfides to authenticate the products it sells in Japan. The solution enables a validation code stored on a product's NFC tag to be read and matched to its counterpart on a back-end database, confirming the authenticity of the bag

Near Field Communication: US politician uses NFC campaign to attract younger...

Near Field Communication: US politician uses NFC campaign to attract younger...: US politician uses NFC campaign to attract younger voters Aspiring US politician Rico Reyes is using NFC solutions provider Caminte...

US politician uses NFC campaign to attract younger voters............2013, growth is expected to supply NFC SIM-cards

US politician uses NFC campaign to attract younger voters

Aspiring US politician Rico Reyes is using NFC solutions provider Camintel's Touch2Vote platform to send out NFC and QR code-enabled flyers in a bid to attract the support of younger voters in Austin, Texas.

The promotional material will enable 5,000 potential voters to see an exclusive video message from Reyes, including an invitation to respond via FaceBook or Twitter, engage with important local issues and involve themselves in his campaign.

"The 18 to 30 age group just doesn't respond to traditional media strategies," says Camintel CEO Camilo Sandoval. "Political campaigners have the hardest time reaching that demographic."

"Our technology provides a perfect solution, because the 'young adult' segment that everyone's after is so completely hooked on mobile communications."

In 2013, growth is expected to supply NFC SIM-cards

As previously reported, in 2012,vendors have put 30 million SIM-cards NFC , thanks to growing demand in Korea and Japan. In 2013, announced several major projects, the most notable of which - Project Isis, a joint venture of three major mobile operators in the United States - AT & T Mobility, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile US. Following the pilot project, operators plan to scale introduction throughout the United States and due to the fact that operators are promoting the recommended association GSMA SIM-centric model, is expected to increase the supply SIM-cards NFC.

In the first half of 2013 deliveries SIM-cards amounted to about 31 million, representing a slight increase compared with the results of 2012. According to forecasts, the total supply of NFC SIM-cards in 2013 could reach 80 million units.

Skycore adds cloud-based asset tracking to CodeReadr app

Mobile services provider Skycorehas added a cloud-based web service to its CodeReadr NFC tag and barcode scanning app, designed to enable secure tracking and authentication of home medical equipment assets, dispensed medications and home care visits.

The CodeReadr app reads an NFC tag's unique ID and records its GPS location and the method of capture. By recording the capture type and location, service providers can ensure the data was taken via NFC and not from a fraudulent source such as manual input or a copied barcode, the company says.

Near Field Communication: Fitbit&Samsung launches Galaxy Round NFC smartphon...

Near Field Communication: Fitbit&Samsung launches Galaxy Round NFC smartphon...: Fitbit upgrades NFC fitness wristband Health and fitness monitoring specialist Fitbit has upgraded itsFitbit Flex wristband with ...

Fitbit&Samsung launches Galaxy Round NFC smartphone with curved display

Fitbit upgrades NFC fitness wristband

Health and fitness monitoring specialist Fitbit has upgraded itsFitbit Flex wristband with the Fitbit Force, now featuring an OLED screen that displays the time, how many steps you've taken, calories burned and floors climbed.

As with the Fitbit Flex, NFC can be used for pairing to an Android device. Data is communicated between the Force and devices running Fitbit's analysis app via Bluetooth 4.0, and owners of Android NFC phones can start the app by tapping their device to the wristband.

The Fitbit Force also tracks how long you sleep and records periods of restlessness, and the company is working to introduce a feature that will display incoming calls from a synced smartphone on the wristband.

The battery will last for ten days between charges and the Fitbit Force is available to order now for US$130.

Samsung launches Galaxy Round NFC smartphone with curved display

Samsung has launched the Galaxy Round, a premium NFC smartphone with a curved 5.7-inch Full HD display which will go on sale in Korea for KRW1,089,000 (US$1,000).

As well as being easier to grip thanks to its design and Galaxy Note 3-like stitched leather back cover, the Galaxy Round will offer a new feature called Round Interaction, allowing the user to see information such as missed calls and battery life while the handset is locked, by tilting it towards them when it's on a flat surface.

Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 2.3GHz quad-core processor, the Galaxy Round runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and offers 3GB of RAM and 32GB internal storage.

Both 13 megapixel rear and front-facing two megapixel cameras are included along with NFC, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 and a USB 3.0 connection.

Octopus pilots Sony Felicia NFC payments in Hong Kong

Hong Kong contactless transportation ticketing and stored value payments provider Octopus is conducting a mobile payments pilot in conjunction with mobile network operator PCCW-HKT, usingOctopus Mobile SIMs — NFC-enabled SIM cards compatible with Sony FeliCa contactless card technology.

Customers taking part in the pilot will be able to use an NFC phone to access the same services as those offered by conventional Octopus cards and products, by installing a FeliCa-based Octopus applet on a new Upteq NFC SIM card, supplied byGemalto, and then inserting the SIM into their NFC phone. The pilot marks the first time a FeliCa applet has been available commercially on an NFC SIM.

Those taking part will be able to pay for journeys on all of Hong Kong's public transportation systems, including the metro, rail, bus, ferry, coach and tram, as well as pay for fares on minibuses and taxis that accept Octopus. They will also be able to make payments at retail stores, food and beverages outlets as well as purchase entrance tickets at selected entertainment venues. Drivers will also able to pay for their parking using their NFC phones.

Customers will be able to top up their Octopus Mobile SIM account at any Octopus reader in Hong Kong.

The service will also be "always on", allowing customers to make transactions without opening an app and to track their balance and access their transaction history on their phone. A new OctoCheck widget will enable users to view their balance by just clicking the icon on their phone's homescreen.

An initial 5,000 Octopus Mobile SIMs are being made available for the pilot. Customers who purchase a Sony Xperia V, Z, ZR, Z Ultra (3G), Z Ultra (LTE) or Z1 smartphone on contract with PCCW-HKT will have the usual HK$100 (US$12.90) activation fee waived "while stocks last".

"The pilot launch will also gauge users' experiences and feedback to precede the full market launch of the Octopus Mobile Payment Service in the near future," Octopus says. "The OMS will be further enhanced to support other new functions and applications in due course, and more smartphone models would be tested for compatibility with this new payment service in future."

OCTOPUS: An app shows transaction history

Those new functions are expected to include both access control and loyalty applications, according to Gemalto.

The new Octopus Mobile Payment Service (OMS) has been developed by the company in collaboration with PCCW-HKT, Sony Mobile Communications, Gemalto and Sony FeliCa. "Sony is collaborating with major SIM manufacturers to incorporate FeliCa-compatible technology in NFC SIM cards," Sony says, "as part of its strategy to develop mobile solutions globally."

"Since our early days in pioneering contactless smartcard payment technology, we have been committed to leveraging innovative technologies to widen Octopus' applications and provide diverse payment alternatives," says Octopus CEO Sunny Cheung.

"We are grateful to all partners for helping us bring this innovative endeavour into fruition, as we offer smartphone users the brand new experience of mobile proximity payment with added convenience, efficiency and accessibility."

Nice bike rental stations get new NFC signs

NICE: Velo Bleu's new NFC touchpoints are designed to look like a flower

Velo Bleu bike rental stations across the French city of Nice are sporting a new design for their NFC signs.

NFC provider Connecthings has incorporated NFC tags and QR codes into the shape of a flower to form the updated design which is on display at 250 locations — adding to the city's existing base of 5,000 touchpoints. The signs allow citizens and tourists to gain access to suggested bike trails, points of interests along their route and bike repair locations.

Stel tracks laundry via NFC

TAGS: Laundry is permanently tagged with RFID buttons that can be read with an NFC phone

Spanish technology integrator Stel Solutions has developed a service that uses NFC tags attached to garments to reduce handling errors when items are sent for cleaning.

The NFC tags used in the Stel Laundry system store information on the type of garment, its owner and its destination and are affixed to clothing in the form of small buttons. They are then read during the laundering process using a 'smart table' that contains an NFC reader pad and is also used for folding clothes.

Ownership information for lost and misplaced items can also be read by an NFC phone.

A video created by Stel shows the concept in action:

Google to introduce smartwatch and NFC ring, bake payments into Android KitKat

Android 4.4: Screenshots indicate that KitKat could feature built-in NFC payments

As speculation builds for the likely launch of the Google Nexus 5 and new Android KitKat operating system later this month, rumours suggest Google could also unveil a smartwatch and NFC ring.

Both Droid Life's Kellen Barranger and Android Police's Artem Russakovskii suggest a smartwatch, codenamed Gem, could be on its way to rival Samsung's recently announced Galaxy Gear.

Barranger also points to another potential device, known as Sauron, that could be an NFC ring likely used as an accompaniment to the Nexus 5 for unlocking the smartphone.

These new devices could also link up with another possible move, to include native support for NFC payments within KitKat.

Softbank offers Fujitsu Arrows A NFC phone with finger sensor

Japanese carrier Softbank has unveiled the Arrows A 301F, an NFC smartphone built by Fujitsu that includes a fingerprint reader on the rear of the phone for unlocking the device.

The Arrows A comes with a 2,660mAh battery that lasts for three days on a full charge and takes just ten minutes to charge up for 24 hours usage.

The device is powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 800 2.2GHz quad-core processor, runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and features a 13.1 megapixel camera complemented by a 5-inch 1080p display.

The Arrows A will be available in black, white or pink from December 2013.

Sprint is going to press his Isis 'open' platform for NFC and will not offer his own purse

Spint, the third-largest U.S. mobile operator has announced the release of its highly anticipated mobile commerce platform based on NFC, with plans to introduce a new "open" model for payments, transport ticketing, access control and commercial applications, all using NFC.

Sprint announced that its new platform Pinsight Touch is designed to be open to third-party developers and service providers, with a concept that is intended to grant greater access to the secure element in NFC phones from Sprint, than models such solution providers purse as Isis and Google. Sprint said that the platform will connect with a targeted advertising service Pinsight Media +. But Sprint has no plans to create its own mobile wallet.

As first reported in June 2012, Sprint plans to use embedded chips in devices NFC, which he sells for the creation of an open model Touch.Also, as previously reported, the platform will support applications purses and other service providers. They can be a bank that wants to introduce payments using their bank or shop applications with loyalty cards.

New Products of NFC

StepJockey picks Signbox for NFC fitness posters

Architectural sign maker Signbox has been chosen by StepJockey, a service that allows sets of stairs to be mapped and rated for calorie burn, to create NFC-enabled signs designed to encourage people to climb more stairs.

The service is backed by the UK's Department of Health and lets anyone enter a set of stairs' address on the StepJockey website to let future visitors know how many calories can be burned by climbing them. They can then create and print a QR code poster which details how many calories can be burned and encourages others to track their progress through the StepJockey app.

The deal with Signbox means that more permanent and upmarket signs will also be available. These will include an NFC tag that can be used to download the StepJockey app.

"Whilst free signs can be printed off from the StepJockey website we are sure many companies will opt for ordering a more permanent and stylish looking 'smart sign' that can be wall mounted at the foot of the relevant stairs," says Mark Bartlett, Signbox's managing director.

RugGear to launch military spec rugged NFC phone

Rugged phone maker RugGear will include NFC in its next handset, a fully waterproof and dustproof 5.3-inch Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean smartphone.

The RG970 is IP68 certified, the rating given to products that are totally dust tight and protected against prolonged effects of immersion under water, and meets relevant US Department of Defense Mil Spec standards.
At its thickest the device is 15.55mm, though RugGear's Stephen Westley told NFC World that the NFC antenna is housed where the moulding is not as thick so that NFC performance is not affected.

Weighing in at 245g, the dual-SIM phone includes an 8MP camera and is powered by a 1GHz dual-core processor with 1GB RAM.

The RG970 includes GPS, a barometer, light sensor, proximity sensor, altimeter and Bluetooth LE. Both NFC and non-NFC versions of the device will be launched in December 2013, starting at £499 (US$800).

Ingersoll Rand launches secure P2P platform for NFC keys

Secure P2P offers a number of advantages over card emulation mode, the access control specialist's Raj Venkat has told NFC World — there is no no need to wait for carriers to deploy TSM platforms, no middlemen have to be involved and the technology works on both locked and unlocked NFC phones.

INGERSOLL RAND: AptiQmobile offers secure NFC access control without the secure element

AptiQmobile, an NFC key management system developed by access control specialistIngersoll Rand, is now commercially available following more than two years of development and extensive testing at Villanova Universityand at the University of San Francisco.

The solution uses a newly developed secure P2P architecture, enabling keys to be issued to Android NFC phones without the need to gain access to a secure element. iPhone users can also be issued with keys, using an NFC add-on device, and support for Windows phones is to be added later.

Advantages of this secure P2P approach is that the technology can be deployed today by the company's global network of distributors, Raj Venkat, Ingersoll Rand's VP for readers and credentials, told NFC World — without waiting for carriers or other players to launch commercial NFC platforms supporting secure elements and card emulation mode.

AptiQ can also be deployed on both locked or unlocked phones, independent of the user's carrier, and "the economic model becomes a lot more attractive. There's no middlemen."

Distributors can also price the service in the same way they charge customers for current generation card-based access control systems: the service carries a one time fee, similar to the cost of a smart card, for loading a mobile credential onto a user's phone. There are no annual or usage fees.

"We are using NFC peer-to-peer and have added layers of security to it so it can be used for access control and adjacent applications," Venkat explains.

Users simply download the AptiQmobile app to their smartphone and their access control administrator then uses the AptiQmobile cloud service to send a secure mobile credential directly to the user's phone.

This mobile credential is a 128 bit AES encrypted version of the user's actual ID that can be decrypted by an AptiQ access control reader and is stored in their phone's main memory "in the same memory location as your other app passwords and sensitive information".

Once the mobile credential has been downloaded, the user can then open the app and tap their smartphone on AptiQ readers running a new NFC P2P software stack, in the same way they use an ID card today. No online connection is required by either the reader or the mobile phone.

"For customers already using AptiQ readers, there is no need to replace anything," Venkat says. "The existing AptiQ readers work with prox/smart cards and the AptiQmobile credential. For new customers, AptiQ readers are multi-technology, offering an easy migration path from prox/magswipe or smart cards to mobile. Customers can also continue to operate in a hybrid world of cards and mobile."

All communications between the door lock and an NFC phone are encrypted and further secured using patent-pending anti-playback technology that changes every time it is used. "Every transaction is unique and cannot be duplicated. This prevents someone from trying to transfer the credential to a second device or someone trying to record and then send it back to the reader at another time."

The platform is currently being tested by Heartland Payment Systems and, Venkat says, secure P2P is expected to be the preferred choice for most Ingersoll Rand customers.

A solution is also, however, under development that will use a secure element to store user's credentials. "There would be some customers who would prefer to have the secure element solution but I believe a good majority of customers will opt for the secure peer-to-peer option," Venkat concludes.

How to use NFC tags with your BlackBerry Smartphone

A few days before CES I was browsing Amazon for my last minute travel items and randomly decided to pick up some NFC tags to use with myBlackBerry Bold 9900. What I was going to use them for exactly I wasn't quite sure, but I knew a bit about the NFCShortcuts (formerly NFCLauncher) app and figured if nothing else I could play around a bit. I picked up someMifare Ultralight NFC Tags (pack of 10 tags for $15) and was on my way to NFC goodness. Unfortunately the tags didn't arrive before I left for my CES journey, but I did have plenty of time to play around over the weekend after I got back. Keep reading and we'll take a look at how these NFC tags work and just what you can use them for on your BlackBerry Smartphone.

Using NFC Tags with your BlackBerry Smartphone

First off you may be asking yourself, what is NFC? We have a great post that explains in detail just what NFC is and why it matters to you. 

To get started you'll need a few things. Obviously you'll need a BlackBerry with NFC capabilities like the Bold 9900/9930 or Curve 9360 and some quality NFC tags. Then you'll have to pick up NFCShortctuts ($2.99 in BlackBerry App World) for basic tasks like launching apps, and if you want to get into it a bit more, ShortcutMe ($4.99 in BlackBerry App World) for some extended functionality.

Now once you have everything you need, the steps to get up and running are really dead simple. First off you'll have to wipe the Smart Tag data from the NFC tag you want to use (this keeps any pre-programmed URLs etc. from popping up when you scan a tag). You can do this using the Write to Tag option in the NFCShortcuts app (just be sure not to lock the tag after writing). From here you have a clean tag to play around with. Choose Add a New Tag in NFCShortcuts, then scan your empty tag. From this menu you can choose the action to take when the tag is scanned. The list here shows all the apps on your device and you can choose to launch one when the tag is scanned. Choose an app and you're set. Now exit NFCShortcuts and scan the tag -- you'll be taken to the app you chose in the last step. Pretty sweet huh? Make sure you have your NFC settings the way you want them to. Go to Options > Network and Connections > Near Field Communication to tweak as needed.

Now if you're like me you'll realize that simply launching an app with an NFC tag gets pretty boring after a while. If you want something more, you can get really carried away by combining NFCShortcuts with ShortcutMe on your Blackberry. ShortcutMe has been around for quite some time and is essentially a shortcut app for your device, but when putting it together with the power of NFC, it allows you to do pretty much anything -- including changing profiles, toggle Bluetooth & Wifi, send a text message, make a phone call, launch an app, turn on your flashlight, set your alarm ... the list goes on and on. So do I recommend having the app? If you plan on going NFC crazy, then yes. 

From here you'll have to decide just what you want to do when you scan that NFC tag. Do you want to scan a tag in your car to enable Bluetooth? Scan a tag by your office door to send your spouse a text saying you're on the way home? Have a tag on your nightstand to turn on your flashlight? The possibilities are really only limited by your needs and imagination. 

To perform any of these tasks, you just need to setup a shortcut within ShortcutMe. It's all pretty straight forward here as many of the shortcuts are preloaded in the app, but if you're techy enough you can play around with macros and all of the other fun stuff that ShortcutMe offers. Depending on what you want to accomplish, you'll most likely have to create some custom shortcuts (with much trial and error) to ultimately get the job done.

[ youtube video link for mobile viewing ]

Let's take a look at some of the shortcuts I've created (nothing fancy) to take advantage of the NFC on my Bold 9900:

Flashlight

This one is super simple and pretty practical for me. I've set a tag on my nightstand that, when scanned, turns on the flashlight on my 9900 (flashlight meaning video camera flash). I do this by combining a preloaded command in ShortcutMe with a tag in NFCShortcuts and presto! Flashlight on demand. Very simple.

On My Way Text

I don't use my phone in the car all that much, but ideally using an NFC tag to turn on Bluetooth and connect to a wireless device would be awesome in the car. Scan to enable Bluetooth and connect when you get in the car, then scan again to disconnect when you get where you're going. Since I'm not a Bluetooth kind of guy, I typically send my wife an "On my way" text when I'm heading home from somewhere. Using NFC makes this process as simple as can be. I created a shortcut that is set to compose a text to my wife with the message "On my way". I placed the NFC tag on my sun visor, so when I need to send that message, I tap the tag with my device and I'm done. Granted sometimes it may error out or not be in serivce, but I haven't run into this issue yet :)

Open My Front Door

Perhaps my favorite NFC tag so far is the one I have at the front door of my house. A while back I installed a full Schalge LiNK (now Nexia) system in my house that includes camera, a thermostat, light modules and best of all a keypad lever for my door. This system has a BlackBerry app available that allows you to control everything in your house - including the front door. So what better way to use NFC than to unlock my door for me? Now while this method isn't perfect, it definitely is geeky enough to make me smirk (and for my friends to think I'm nuts). Getting this done requires a hefty macro shortcut in ShortcutMe which opens my Nexia app, puts in my pass code, navigates to the door tab in the app and enters the unlock command. If all goes well (and my network isn't boggy) then my door unlocks in a few seconds (and by "a few seconds" I mean anywhere from 5 to 30 depending on what kind of mood my device is in).

Sure, there are locks intended for this, but for the purposes of BlackBerry, NFC and just plain old fun, this one suits me just fine. We actually came across some sweet locks from Yale that look to incorporate NFC in the near future and I can only hope that Schalge chooses to do the same.

Tag!!

So as you can imagine, there are tons of ways you can choose to use NFC with your BlackBerry. Many users think that having NFC on their device is just a bonus they can put to use down the road, but the truth is, you can grab yourself some NFC tags right now and start using NFC on your BlackBerry. The tags aren't expensive and the apps won't set you back much either -- so to get up and running all together will cost you less than $25. The examples I have here are really basic and given some time and effort, you can go wild with all kinds of things using NFC. Start your media player, take a screenshot, make a phone call, send a tweet ... you name it. If you give any of this a shot, be sure to leave a comment letting us know how you're putting NFC to use (I need more ideas!!). 

SES ships 4m NFC tags to retailers

France-based Store Electronic Systems has deployed more than four million NFC electronic shelf-edge labels to a dozen retailers — and expects to sell a total of 5m this year and at least another 10m next year.

French supermarket chain E Leclerc was the first to roll out the technology, announcing plans in June 2013 to adopt the solution in six hypermarkets. Shoppers can use the system to access detailed information about products, add items to a shopping basket using the retailer's mobile app and access personalised offers and coupons.

The names of the new retailers making use of the technology are not yet available but, SES told NFC World, they are not only French merchants but "European and more." Buyers of SES' conventional electronic shelf labels include French merchants Intermarché,Auchan, Monoprix and Carrefour as well as Walmart, Tesco,Spar, Dansk and FairPrice abroad.

NFC is included in the company's labels on request, SES says, and NFC-enabled labels currently account for around one third of total sales.

SES sold half a million NFC shelf edge labels within a couple of months of launching the product in October last year, CEO Thierry Gadou revealed during a presentation at the NFC World Congress last week. Sales are expected to total 5m units in 2013 and at least 10m in 2014, Gadou told attendees.

LEGIC issues NFC badges to its employees

LEGIC issues NFC badges to its employees LEGIC employees and visitors are using multi-purpose NFC credentials on their handsets to perform tasks on a daily basis, from opening doors, to making photocopies or pay for drinks at vending machines. The NFC badges have been a function of daily life for LEGIC employees since August 13, using smart phones and card-based badges to open doors and print documents by simply laying the mobile phone on a reader at the door or photocopier. LEGIC employees with an NFC badge have the option to use exclusively contactless applications, so in addition to use at photocopiers and vending machines, it is also possible to use the “follow-me” printing function as well as control the alarm system via a mobile phone. - See more at: http://secureidnews.com/news-item/legic-employees-using-nfc-belgium-taps-gemalto/?tag=nfc#sthash.N8bblazD.dpuf