Can the Inc do Near-field communications?

Colchicine · Dec 6, 2010

Now that I've learned a little more about Near-field communications, I can see the benefit of it and think I could use it. With the release of the Gingerbread 2.3 info today, I'm wondering if the Inc has the hardware to do it?

Android 2.3 Platform Highlights | Android Developers

dymmeh · Dec 6, 2010

I highly doubt considering Google would have had to tell HTC when the Incredible was being manufactured "Hey, we're going to support NFC in the future so make sure you have the hardware" . That means extra cost to put useless hardware in the phone with no benefit since by the time they will get 2.3 on the Inc, it will be made obsolete by newer phones

Plus, it means more sales for HTC when they do release a NFC compatible phone

Colchicine · Dec 6, 2010

If that is true, then I have finally found a feature that is worth upgrading for. Otherwise, the Inc has been perfect for me.

BTW- I have zero interest in putting my credit card info on my phone. Rather, I'd like to be able to scan products and event posters to extract information. Heck, this feature would be great for geocaching!

Pacific · Dec 6, 2010

Colchicine said:
If that is true, then I have finally found a feature that is worth upgrading for. Otherwise, the Inc has been perfect for me.

BTW- I have zero interest in putting my credit card info on my phone. Rather, I'd like to be able to scan products and event posters to extract information. Heck, this feature would be great for geocaching!

Have you ever heard of or used the Google Shopper app. It does exactly what you just said you wanted. You use the camera to scan products. Google goggles can do a scanning of that as well.

Colchicine · Dec 6, 2010

Yes, I use all those regularly, but this NR technology would negate several steps that is currently required to get to the information.

euph_22 · Dec 6, 2010

Colchicine said:
Yes, I use all those regularly, but this NR technology would negate several steps that is currently required to get to the information.

Google Goggles? At the moment I'm guessing QR codes (and UPCs/ISBN/etc) are FAR more common than public RFID tags.

READING FAIL: I see now that Pacific mention Goggles already. Blame it on the 2-hour Math test I just took...

Vaseline Smith · Dec 6, 2010

Excellent call on GC!

mtollin · Dec 6, 2010

My credit card number on my phone to one click buy stuff? I really want to limit this. My card was just used to buy tickets from DC to Sierra Leon, by some one in Freetown. Guess where we've tracked this to? Google apps or Paypal...

That's all I need... someone to grab my number walking by like they grab WiFi transmissions. Get ready for more bank fees covering all the fraud.

DenverRalphy · Dec 6, 2010

You don't enter your credit card information. Quite the opposite. Your device is added to your credit card account as if it is a credit card itself.

Stupifier · Dec 7, 2010

DenverRalphy said:
You don't enter your credit card information. Quite the opposite. Your device is added to your credit card account as if it is a credit card itself.

That is only marginally better than what mtollin is discussing. Almost essentially the same thing. In mtollin's case, thieves can get your credit card #. In your case, thieves would hunt for whatever digital information authenticates your device as a credit card. Sure, they might not be able to get at your credit card #.....but that would not matter if you have the device authentication information. Thieves would makes purchases impersonating your device.

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I personally feel NFC is just a new avenue for advertisers to walk into our lives. I walk past an ad.....my phone reacts...wtf. No thanks. It does have some good things about it. Advertisers will rule this technology though with an iron fist. The bad outweighs the good.

AnotherHiggins · Dec 7, 2010

They're rolling this out on the new Samsung Nexus S.

Here's a link to a Gizmodo article about it, including a link to a video by Google explaining how it works.

And here is Google's video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk5mUdeEF8c

Notice that, at this point anyway, Google is only allowing the phone to READ NFC information from tags - no one and nothing can read NFC data from your phone.

@mtollin: No one can use it to steal your CC#
@Stupifier: "Walking past an ad" isn't going to trigger anything.... You've got to hold your phone within a couple of inches of a tag for it to work.

I agree that this is not a reason to think about upgrading.... yet. Assuming this technology catches on then sure, but right now no one is embedding NFC tags in anything.

Can the Inc do Near-field communications?

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