Entries tagged with “BlackBerry Gemini” from WIRELESS AND MOBILE NEWS

Research in Motion and T-Mobile USA are expected to show the designed-for-consumers BlackBerry Gemini  (Curve 8520) -- at launch parties starting Monday, according speculations from invitations. Instead of the usual BlackBerry trackball, the BlackBerry Gemini has an optical trackpad powered by a mini camera.

T-Mobile's Facebook BlackBerry Elite section shows an invitation for "Night at the Movies" parties which will start on July 20 and continue for about two weeks.  It says, "Celebrate the launch of the new mystery device at a local theater with us and stick around for the movie afterward. The ad suggests attendees will be see a movie, have a chance at to win $1,000 in prizes and get some BlackBerry related promotions.

The Gemini does not use 3G but the slower EDGE wireless data band but has Wi-Fi. It is expected to cater to the popular-consumer entry-level BlackBerry audience. The BlackBerry Curve 8520 has a 2 megapixel camera, 320 x 240 pixel screen (smaller than Bold).

There have been reports that the BlackBerry Curve 8520 will be available at Walmart on August 5

The GSMA is asking for full NFC functionality to be built into  mobile handsets by mid-2009. They want to make sure that consumers can benefit from mobile payment services as soon as possible.

At the GSMA's Board meeting this week in Macau, China they saw the need for the ETSI endorsed 'Single Wire Protocol' standard to provide the interface between the Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC, or SIM card) and the embedded NFC chipset within the handset.

The NFC chip  communicates with existing contactless readers to deliver a secure credit or debit payments along with other services.

A series of operator trials - under the GSMA's 'Pay-Buy-Mobile' initiative - showed  that consumers can use UICC-based NFC handsets to quickly, easily and securely pay for goods and services in shops, restaurants and train stations.

The results from Europe’s largest trial of Near Field Communications (NFC) technology on a mobile phone reveal a consumer demand for such services.

Nine out of ten trialists were happy using NFC technology on a mobile phone and 78% said they would be interested in using contactless services if available. Convenience, ease-of-use and the status of having such an innovative device were seen as the main benefits.

Interest in having Oyster on their mobile phones was particularly strong with 89% of trialists saying they were interested in taking this up. Over two-thirds of trialists also said that they would be interested in having the Barclaycard Visa payWave feature on their mobile in the future.

Nokia announced the availability of the Nokia 6212 classic featuring integrated Near Field Communication (NFC). The 3G handset allows consumers to conveniently share content, access services and information as well as conduct payments and ticketing with one tap of the device. The Nokia 6212 classic is expected to start shipping in the third quarter of 2008 in select markets in Europe and Asia with an estimated retail price of EUR 200 before taxes and subsidies.

Near Field Communication is designed for intuitive, simple and safe interaction between electronic devices. By tapping an NFC-enabled tag, consumers can receive new content such as weblinks, audio files or contact data directly to their phone. They can activate a profile in their handset or open applications such as FM radio or web browser. Photos and videos can be easily shared by tapping another NFC-capable phone and pairing with a Bluetooth NFC-enabled device, like the new NFC variant of the Nokia BH-210 headset, happens with just one touch. The lightweight Nokia BH-210 with NFC headset allows users to access all functions easily with a single multifunction key. The widely compatible headset can be used with a number of Nokia devices as well as other manufacturers’ phones.

The Nokia 6212 classic can also be used as a travel ticket or for mobile payments. Travel tickets can be charged over the air, so there is no need to wait at the service counter. Users can store their credit card information on the device and access their account online directly from the handset. Using the Nokia 6212 classic for payment and ticketing purposes requires a service subscription and the installation of an appropriate secure application. Security for transactions is assured as the handset can be set to allow payment only when the user expressly authorizes the transaction via an additional passcode.

The world’s first fully integrated, commercial NFC handset, the Nokia 6131 NFC phone will be available in Germany on March 3.

BenQ showcased its T80, the latest next-generation NFC (Near Field Communications) smartphone, at this year’s Mobile World Congress. Not only does T80 feature all the capabilities of a smartphone, it is also an all-in-one device that users can carry to pay for transportation or access private security systems at home.

BenQ collaborated with Taipei Smart Card Corporation, the operator of Taiwan’s first integrated contactless transport card initiative, to embed NFC technology into T80, making applications such as electronic ticketing for public transportation, parking payment and adding or checking account value possible. T80 can also be configured to access private security systems for homes.

BenQ T80 is the world’s first NFC-enabled smartphone to feature Windows Mobile 6 operating system. T80 is also the world’s first NFC-enabled phone to feature dual storage options for NFC data, meaning that users can either store transaction or security data on the microSD card or on the SIM card, providing convenience and portability when users change to another NFC-enabled phone. T80 also supports Chunghwa Telecom’s Combi SIM card, the world’s first SIM card to provide highly secure e-wallet services with a massive memory to keep transaction records and other application service content. Chunghwa Telecom is Taiwan’s largest integrated telecommunication operator.

T80 has a 2.2-inch screen and houses a 3.0 mega pixel built-in camera. Users can time automatic wallpaper changes according to their preferences. It is also DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance)-compliant, meaning that it can be integrated into a family’s DLNA-compliant home entertainment system and be used as a remote control for any other DLNA-compliant devices.

The phone will be tested in Taiwan, next month.

Gemalto, the world leader in digital security, today announces that it has been chosen by Taiwan Mobile, Taiwan’s leading telecommunication service provider, to provide the world’s first commercial NFC (Near Field Communication) SIM-based mobile contactless system. It is designed to remotely manage the life-cycle of any type of contactless service within a mobile phone environment, especially payment applications that mandate high security levels.

After multiple mobile contactless trials in Asia and in the rest of the world and through its experience in the telecommunications, transport and financial sectors, Gemalto successfully developed a secure solution fulfilling the specific needs of its partners and end-users. It will allow Taiwan Mobile to register, issue, manage and terminate mobile NFC services over-the-air (OTA).

Taiwan Mobile’s subscribers will be free to securely purchase goods, top-up their transport pass and proceed to coupons management just by using their mobile phone in a contactless mode. As most people always keep this personal device with them, the mobile contactless technology clearly brings them more freedom and convenience.

This comprehensive solution will be commercially rolled out nation-wide during 2008. It will enable banks, transport companies and other service providers to incorporate their services onto a mobile environment. This will complete Taiwan’s contactless experience along with previous commercial launches for payment and transport.

Innovision Research & Technology, developer of the Near Field Communication (NFC) standard number one tag type, Topaz has announced the winners of its NFC Innovation Awards, the first UK-based competition to find the most innovative applications of NFC tags for the everyday mobile handset user. Winners included NFC tracking for “green exericse”, vehicle identification, and perscriptions.

Health Buddy

There were two joint winners. One was ‘Health Buddy’ from the Lancaster University team of Paul Coulton, Omer Rashid and William Bird. This uses NFC to encourage outdoor physical activity or ‘green exercise’, as a way of combating the increasingly sedentary lifestyle of the UK population. Health Buddy tracks the activity and progress of a user on a set exercise course, triggered each time the user scans an NFC tag at specific locations with an NFC-enabled phone. The location information provided by the NFC tags is linked to pre-calculated calorie-burning, timing and effort data for various physical activities, which could include walking, running and cycling. As well as providing an instant motivator during exercise, Health Buddy provides a historical view of activity, including distances covered and energy consumed.

The NFC Forum (www.nfc-forum.org), a non-profit industry association that advances the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, today announced that “Click,” the BBC’s flagship technology program, has chosen NFC as one of its five top technologies for 2008.

BBC News selected the five technologies from the hundreds of consumer products and technologies on display at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) International in Las Vegas last week.

Near Field Communication (NFC) is a standards-based, short-range wireless connectivity technology that enables simple and safe two-way interactions between electronic devices. NFC technology allows consumers to perform contactless transactions, access digital content and connect devices with the simplicity of a single touch. NFC technology provides global interoperability of contactless identification and interconnection technologies.

More than 419 million NFC chipsets will ship in 2012, according to a new research study from ABI Research. “NFC chipset shipments and revenue will continue to grow steadily over the next five years, as the market adapts to this new technology,” states senior analyst Douglas McEuen. However, similar to most semiconductor markets, NFC revenue is offset by declining unit ASPs. By 2012, ABI Research forecasts that NFC chipset ASP will decline to $0.97, for a total market revenue of $406 million.

“Transportation systems are implementing contactless payment schemes, wireless device content management is growing, and connectivity options are escalating without offering clear ease-of-use focused applications,” continues McEuen. “NFC technology, aided by NFC IC short-range communication capability, addresses each of these issues with proven technology in an industry-standardized format.”

The trial is being  conducted in the San Francisco Bay Area from Jan - May 2008. To participate Sprint customers must use BART at least once a week.  The Bart pass is paid through Western Union’s SpeedPay system. Participants are paid an undisclosed fee for testing the service.