NFC - Who uses this?

Thine WonkThine Wonk Posts: 17,190
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I think one of the features I would like on my next smart phone is NFC. Is anyone here already using this? if so what do you most commonly use it for and is it a gimmick or a really useful feature.

How many tags do you have and where do you have them....
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  • wiltwilt Posts: 978
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    I had a Nexus S for just over a year before I switched to the Lumia 800 - never used NFC once.

    Having said that, if you're thinking of getting the Xperia S, you get some tags thrown in with that so might be useful. Not too sure what practical applications there are, though.

    Android beam was introduced in ICS so perhaps there will be more opportunities to use NFC once ICS becomes widespread.

    But for me, it was completely useless.
  • flynnflynn Posts: 903
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    Up until now it's suffered from two issues. One is that it's been a solution looking for a problem - it's cool tech, but there hasn't been a killer application for it. The second is that it's been in a tiny number of phones (although the success of the Galaxy S2 helped with that a bit).

    It's looking like this year could be a good one for NFC though - all the new high end Blackberries have it, quite a few of the new Android phones do too, and word is that it will be coming in WinPhone too. The next iPhone will probably have limited support too, though I'm expecting it to be limited to payments only.

    In terms of applications - as wilt says there's Android Beam and the tags that Sony are putting out with the Xperia S. Blackberry have something that sounds similar to beam they are calling Tap & Share. There's probably going to be a pretty big push on the technology over the next few months from at least one of the big names.

    As I said, from a tech point of view it's pretty cool but if I was getting a new phone now I'd see it as a "nice to have" rather than an essential. It could take off massively, or it could be just another passing fad - only time will tell.

    Full disclosure time - at work we are currently putting together something using NFC to make moving photos around easier, so you could say I have a bit of a vested interest.... The above is pretty much how I see the current state of things though.
  • Thine WonkThine Wonk Posts: 17,190
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    I wonder if Apple include it in the new iPhone whether it'll be another case of them really pushing a technology that has been around but never been big until Apple decide to make it a big new feature.

    At the moment I can't work out whether it's a gimmick or whether it has some real practical uses, that's why I wondered if people had really good uses for it.
  • flynnflynn Posts: 903
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    Hard to say what Apple will do with it if they do include it - if the latest rumours true they might well major on a unibody construction and LTE, especially if they do restrict NFC to payment only.

    As for whether it's a gimmick or not, like I said time will tell. For my money it does have plenty of practical uses, whether any of those actually makes it into a must have feature is anyone's guess. A proper, landscape, hardware keyboard on a phone is a killer feature for me, sadly no-one seems to agree and I'm without my perfect phone. Who knows what the market will decide with NFC?
  • The SackThe Sack Posts: 10,334
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    wilt wrote: »
    I had a Nexus S for just over a year before I switched to the Lumia 800 - never used NFC once.

    Having said that, if you're thinking of getting the Xperia S, you get some tags thrown in with that so might be useful. Not too sure what practical applications there are, though.

    Android beam was introduced in ICS so perhaps there will be more opportunities to use NFC once ICS becomes widespread.

    But for me, it was completely useless.

    Didnt get any tags with my SIM free Xperia S
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 20
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    I haven't used NFC once, and if it's going to cost me money to send money, I would rather continue to use my bank account. Faster payments are so efficient now that there is no need for this fad of a payment system.

    Once NFC is integrated into entry/access systems, public transport and maybe even a USB reader for website access (think fingerprint scanner) then i'm in.
  • call100call100 Posts: 7,264
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    It's early days of NFC. Eventually we won't be able to fully function without it no doubt. I use NFC for small payments from my credit card and find the number of outlets is growing steadily.
    As FamilyMan says once it's integrated into things other than payments and acts like an Oyster card or similar, then it will take off.
    We are in a bit of a chicken and egg situation at the moment.
  • El GuapoEl Guapo Posts: 4,838
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    I use the smart tags for home, work, car and gym setups but cannot see how you end an application? So for instance on the car tag i start an app called car mode then when i get to work or home i want those tags to end the car mode but it is not clear how to do this? Anyone ne this or have any ideas? :confused:
  • !!11oneone!!11oneone Posts: 4,098
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    The killer applications will be when it can replace key fobs, access cards, credit cards, travel passes etc. But it never will because they're all proprietary and there are too many competing interests.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,151
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    I've just ordered a new laptop with NFC built in to it

    I've no idea what (if any) use it will be.

    My current, soon to be old laptop has Bluetooth built in... But I can't remember ever using it.
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    Used it to send picture via phones. Also used it NFC tag at bus stop to get live bus times for that stop which was really cool :cool:
  • whoever,heywhoever,hey Posts: 30,992
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    I use NFC every day driving to/from work to setup my custom driving mode. It has its uses over geofencing for transport.
    Used it to send picture via phones. Also used it NFC tag at bus stop to get live bus times for that stop which was really cool :cool:

    Did the bus stop tag take you to a url?
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    I use NFC every day driving to/from work to setup my custom driving mode. It has its uses over geofencing for transport.



    Did the bus stop tag take you to a url?

    Yes it took to a URL for that particular bus stop giving live updates.
  • n1guyn1guy Posts: 1,173
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    I have it in my Nexus 4, and previously my old Lumia, don't have a clue how to use it so probably never will.
  • fletchemfletchem Posts: 2,212
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    n1guy wrote: »
    I have it in my Nexus 4, and previously my old Lumia, don't have a clue how to use it so probably never will.

    It's actually very simple to set up. I have tags in my car, hallway and office - each of them programmed to enable/disable certain features and profiles.

    Download an NFC programme; I use NFC Task Launcher and its step-by-step routine to programme the tags is very straightforward.
  • Step666Step666 Posts: 1,284
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    I've just ordered a new laptop with NFC built in to it

    I've no idea what (if any) use it will be.
    It's increasingly being used as a bridging device for creating other connections such as wi-fi.
    The ability to touch devices together rather than scan to find one another then connect is far simpler.
  • madj40madj40 Posts: 1,045
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    fletchem wrote: »
    It's actually very simple to set up. I have tags in my car, hallway and office - each of them programmed to enable/disable certain features and profiles.

    Download an NFC programme; I use NFC Task Launcher and its step-by-step routine to programme the tags is very straightforward.

    The tags are great arn't they, I have 4 in different places,all set up with various events.They work every time. I just wish someone would get their finger out and develop a tap and pay app that works on the Gs3 here in the uk.
  • cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
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    I don't as I'm not sure if my phone supports it.
  • Mark SmithMark Smith Posts: 2,728
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    One of the reasons I switched from iPhone to Samsung Galaxy S3 over a year ago was NFC, but I still haven't used it once yet because nothing has been available. Until it becomes a standard feature of Andoid and IOS it's not really going to catch on.

    I would love to be able to pay for things without having cash or cards with me, just my phone, but I still haven't found a way of doing that on my phone. It feels like having a CD player but no CDs to play on it.
  • Step666Step666 Posts: 1,284
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    Mark Smith wrote: »
    I would love to be able to pay for things without having cash or cards with me, just my phone, but I still haven't found a way of doing that on my phone.
    Visa are advertising a service like that as launching the second half of this year.
  • whoever,heywhoever,hey Posts: 30,992
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    Mark Smith wrote: »
    One of the reasons I switched from iPhone to Samsung Galaxy S3 over a year ago was NFC, but I still haven't used it once yet because nothing has been available. Until it becomes a standard feature of Andoid and IOS it's not really going to catch on.

    I would love to be able to pay for things without having cash or cards with me, just my phone, but I still haven't found a way of doing that on my phone. It feels like having a CD player but no CDs to play on it.

    Visa are launching an app for it soon, so i bet it picks up momentum then.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 13,367
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    Step666 wrote: »
    Visa are advertising a service like that as launching the second half of this year.

    Specifically in December.
  • whoever,heywhoever,hey Posts: 30,992
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    Step666 wrote: »
    Visa are advertising a service like that as launching the second half of this year.

    Beat me to it when i went to the loo!
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    Seems EE is offering a £10 bribe to use their EE Tap Wallet. (Mastercard)
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ee.nfcwallet.uk&hl=en

    With it limited to the latest phones it also needs to accommodate the new Nexus.
  • enapaceenapace Posts: 4,303
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    In fairness i've been using it to add contacts on BBM find it a far easier solution.
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