backtop

Print 19 comment(s) - last by spread.. on Mar 16 at 1:08 AM

  (Source: thegadgetguycolumn.com)
Testing will take place in Google stores in New York and San Francisco

Within four months time, customers will be allowed to ring up purchases using their phones at stores in both New York and San Francisco. 

Near field communication, or NFC technology, is short-range wireless technology that consists of an initiator and a target. It allows mobile device users to use their cell phones to ring up purchases at a register, eliminating the need for cash or credit cards. It works by tapping the mobile device at a register, and the NFC chip, which holds the user's financial account information, interacts with a device at the register allowing for payment. 

While many phones are just now adopting this new technology, some are already using it. Google already has a head start with Samsung's Nexus S phone, which uses NFC technology for transactions. Also, Nokia has noted that it plans to release NFC phones in the future as well. In addition, AT&T, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile will be using the ISIS system, which allows for mobile payments through Discover Financial Services. 

Google released Android 2.3.3 with new NFC capabilities, allowing user's to exchange payments wirelessly and perform other transactions such as paying for transportation. 

Now, Google is looking to test a mobile payment service on its phones in San Francisco and New York stores within the next four months. Google plans to pay VeriFone Systems Inc. to install thousands of cash register systems made specifically for the use of NFC technology. Google's new service may group a user's financial information, coupons, gift card balances, etc. all on one NFC chip. 

While Google, which is undoubtedly one of the leaders in the smartphone business with its Android operating system, continues to experiment with NFC, other smartphone leaders seem to be a bit behind. Apple reportedly has said that it would not add NFC to the upcoming iPhone 5 because the company is concerned with the fact that there are no clear industry standards associated with the technology yet. According to some reports, Apple could actually benefit from NFC technology because it could be grouped into the app store, and could also save on credit card processing fees that it pays now for music and app purchases. 

Comments     Threshold


This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
Not sure I trust this..
By StraightCashHomey on 3/15/2011 10:29:20 AM , Rating: 2
Pretty sure at some point the cell phones will become self-aware and launch its missiles against its strategic targets in Russia. The cell phone knows that the Russian counterattack will eliminate its enemies over here.




RE: Not sure I trust this..
By supermitsuba on 3/15/2011 10:42:58 AM , Rating: 4
My Cell Phone is a nerual net processor, a learning computer.


By therealnickdanger on 3/15/2011 11:49:42 AM , Rating: 3
"I know now why you cry, but it is something I can never do."

^
Something my phone said to me last night as it lowered itself into a puddle of melted snow.


RE: Not sure I trust this..
By quiksilvr on 3/15/2011 10:48:13 AM , Rating: 2
My phone turns into a jet and fucking flies me to an island.


RE: Not sure I trust this..
By Integral9 on 3/15/2011 10:54:57 AM , Rating: 2
mine prints money.


RE: Not sure I trust this..
By FITCamaro on 3/15/2011 5:08:23 PM , Rating: 2
HTC EVO: Federal Reserve edition?


RE: Not sure I trust this..
By spread on 3/16/2011 1:08:34 AM , Rating: 2
It prints Zimbabwe dollars. Slightly less value than US dollars in a couple of years.


RE: Not sure I trust this..
By FITCamaro on 3/15/2011 12:59:45 PM , Rating: 2
I'll go back to paying cash all the time before I adopt this.

What's to stop someone purchasing a machine that can do what the machine at the register does and charging you for nothing? If there's no input from the user other than swiping your phone over a reader, nothing.

Of course people already hardly ask me for my ID anymore despite it saying "MUST SEE ID" on it. I don't mind if you don't if I'm buying a soda. If I'm spending $300 a Best Buy, you better ask me for my f*cking ID or you're getting b*tched out. Of course I get BS excuses like "We're not allowed to". Bullsh*t.


RE: Not sure I trust this..
By supermitsuba on 3/15/2011 1:42:16 PM , Rating: 2
Ill have to agree, cashiers already dont care if the credit card isnt yours, unless it pops up on their screen to check. Such a simple check and people feel as if it would take them forever to show a card that sits right next to your credit card. Should be mandatory to check and protect the consumer, but i digress

Whats going to make them stop and check someones cell phone? Cellphones are always dropped, broken, stold, etc. It sounds like a great idea, but functionally i dont think it will work.


By Creig on 3/15/2011 10:46:36 AM , Rating: 2
is it really that difficult to swipe a credit card?




By Kane on 3/15/2011 10:54:13 AM , Rating: 4
Is it really that hard to pay cash?
Silver pieces?
Goats?


By FITCamaro on 3/15/2011 12:54:04 PM , Rating: 2
Goats would be interesting....


By jharper12 on 3/15/2011 10:56:48 AM , Rating: 2
Bigger picture bud... applications that can maximize cash back, by selecting proper credit card for each vendor. Tracking expenses for reports = no more expense reports. Instant credit limit feedback. So many amazing things could be done with this technology that would make our financial lives much better. Can't wait for this technology.

Not to mention that I'll be able to drop five cards from my wallet once this is widespread. That would be amazing!


By torpor on 3/15/2011 11:20:45 AM , Rating: 2
No...the payment companies are trying to make it more difficult and more expensive to falsify the card.

Mag stripe is defeated. Most major card issuers are looking to chip-based solutions, mostly focused on this particular tech.

It's better security (post-read, still not personally sold on ranged-read tech), but if it's not easier people won't adopt it.


It's amazing
By icemansims on 3/15/2011 10:10:12 AM , Rating: 2
RE: It's amazing
By Integral9 on 3/15/2011 10:53:40 AM , Rating: 2
Actually, those laws will have zero effect on Google as they do not use an interchange system for processing transactions. Just like PayPal.

However, at the same time the law does not effect Google / PayPal. And not being effected will hurt their position in the market as after the act goes into effect, Google Checkout and PayPal will cost merchants more money per transaction than a debit card transaction. So it maybe that Google and PayPal will be forced to lower their fees to avoid merchants choosing not to accept their forms of payment in the future.


RE: It's amazing
By Chudilo on 3/15/2011 11:29:15 AM , Rating: 2
If there is cost benefit (savings) to the merchant they will adopt it very quickly. These small fees add up very very quickly by cutting into the bottom line. However if Google makes the fees a very small flat rate (ex $0.25), every store will have one on hand within months.


smartphone viruses and security
By tastyratz on 3/15/2011 11:33:36 AM , Rating: 2
I would be curious to see how this is addressed on smartphones with the security concerns of the growing popularity of the phone virus. I could see an android virus deployed and someone walking along a public place (concert/train/etc) skimming numbers just like fake atm's of the now.

I would like to see this controlled by a chip which is physically powered off without the press of a button on the side of the phone. This could prevent "accidental transmission" at the hard level.




By FITCamaro on 3/15/2011 1:02:04 PM , Rating: 2
Agreed. I might consider it with a hard off switch. Of course if the switch/button just enables it through software rather than the switch directly completing a circuit, a virus could overwrite that and turn it on.


"And boy have we patented it!" -- Steve Jobs, Macworld 2007











botimage
Copyright 2013 DailyTech LLC. - RSS Feed | Advertise | About Us | Ethics | FAQ | Terms, Conditions & Privacy Information | Kristopher Kubicki