NFC Forum touts phone-sniffable poster ploy The NFC Forum is extolling the benefits of Smart Posters: objects in or on which readable NFC tags have been placed. The business model, however, remains obscure to everyone except Google. Near Field Communications is often used synonymously with proximity payments, but in fact the technology can be used for all sorts of other …
Hi,
I have some issue with the concept, correct me if there is an obvious mistake:
1) Google send NFC tag that shop can put on their window/door
2) People read the tag and are directed to Google place where they can check the address and opening hours of the shop they are in front of....
Obviously if the tag is posted somewhere else (like posters / boards) it make sense but I don't really grab what Google tries to test/establish with the current test???
Anonymous Cowards as I don't want to look extremely stupid if I miss something obvious!
You're at a busy bar, four deep and can't hear a word the barman says over the booming techno music.
Or
You wave your mobile over the counter and a list of drinks with prices are displayed, tap out the ones you want and then wave it again and the payment's made - your order number is displayed on the screen which you turn and show the bar who have people putting the orders together at the back and folk at the front handing them to the relevant recipients.
Decreases the waiting time at the bar thereby increasing the amount of money the bar can take and the enjoyment of patrons who may move onto another bar if they can't get served in a timely manner.
And the upshot that when you're too pissed to work your phone you know it's time to hail a cab (using a nfc detector at the rank and then another as you get out for payment)..
... could benefit from NFC. Grab an app at the door via Bluetooth (or via some convoluted process for Apple people), and then bring the handset next to the tags to get the commentary.
However, you can do this with GPS already (for an excellent example, visit the Culloden battlefield and take their Audio guide to to the site), and with in-building positioning, the same idea can be extended to indoor exhibition spaces...
... and department stores. Looks like NFC are trying to jump in before this gets a foothold.
One of the criteria for buying a new mobile will be the ability to turn off NFC.
Never having had a phone with it, I hope that the simplest way is not to set it up.
Why is it that every piece of "consumer convenience" comes at the cost of my money being in the hands of people I don't like?
NFC has a lot of great possibilities but they all require widespread NFC devices - Google would never have gotten off the ground if they were trying to generate income on day one.
There's a great NFC application at trade shows - just walk around the booths and use NFC to pick up the brochures and information that you want ... walk into Office Depot, Lowes, BHS, Ikea etc and wave the phone at stuff that you're interested in - get the information to look at when you get home ... and the store gets an idea of what the visitors are interested in ... everyone wins.
Information exchange doesn't require herding cats (getting a payment system set up) so that's where NFC needs to start - once it's in widespread use THEN worry about the payment issues because THEN everyone will want to agree on getting it working.
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