Get NFC functionality on your Verizon BlackBerry Bold 9930 with latest OS leak

If you thought you were totally out of luck when it comes to NFC functionality on your Verizon Bold 9930 … think again. It looks like it is indeed just a matter of software and what the carriers choose to release. The stock OS on the Bold 9930 had no signs of NFC, however the latest leaked OS 7.0.0.340 brings back the option to enable it. Since the hardware is already there (in the form of the NFC battery door) you can fire up this OS and have NFC up and running. While we can’t verify 100% that it’s totally working since we don’t have any NFC goodies to test it on, we’re fairly sure you should be good to go. This is great for those of you wanting the NFC down the road or for developers who are looking to explore a bit more. Download the OS from the link below and if you try it out be sure to let us know how it’s working!

Download OS 7.0.0.340 for the BlackBerry Bold 9930

 

via:cb

Visa ramping up move to mobile payments

Visa is accelerating its efforts to dominate the mobile payment space, Reuters reported on Monday. Visa is no stranger to mobile payments. It began trialing an iPhone NFC payment solution in Europe early this year, has plans to work with Samsung on a system for the 2012 Olympics, and recently announced that it has partnered with ISIS for the development of a mobile payment network in the United States. “As mobile payments and other chip-based emerging technologies are poised to take off in the coming years, we are taking steps today to create a commercial framework that will support growth opportunities,” Visa’s global head of product Jim McCarty told Reuters.

Read

BGR

BlackBerry Curve 9360 Has NFC Built In? (Pictures)

We mentioned when RIM announced the BlackBerry Torch 9810 & 9850/9860 that we were surprised they did not have NFC built in like the Bold 9900 and 9930. We just assumed that meant that previous reports of the BlackBerry Curve 9360 packing NFC were also incorrect. One of our new tipsters did some sleuthing and found that the BlackBerry Curve 9360 actually HAS NFC according to its OS. Odd right?

 

As you can see in these pictures the BlackBerry Curve 9360 reports back that it has NFC along with the same options as the Bold 9900. Also notice the little NFC lightning bolt style icons in the picture above. The main oddity is that it does not have the NFC antenna in the battery door like the Bold 9900. I am not sure what to make of that. Let us know what you think!

A Closer Look at the NFC antenna battery door on the BlackBerry Bold 9900 (and reasoning why the new Torches do not have NFC)

Of the new BlackBerry 7 devices announced to date, the BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 is the first and only one to offer NFC support. I did ask around at the BlackBerry 7 Fan Night as to why NFC didn’t also make an appearance in the Torch 9810, 9850, 9860, and while I didn’t get a 100% straight answer, between the partial answers and a closer look at the battery door on the Bold 9900, I feel there’s an explanation here.

Back at BlackBerry World, when we first went hands-on with the BlackBerry Bold 9900, we weren’t allowed to take off the device’s battery door. It turns out there’s more to the new Bold’s battery door than just good looks. As you can see in the picture above, the Bold 9900’s battery door actually contains the NFC antenna. When you clip the battery door onto the 9900, the antenna leads connect back to internal circuitry. Cool stuff. And not only does the Bold 9900’s battery door look cool and weigh next to nothing, but the carbon weave glass also allows for the signals (both radio and NFC) to pass through easily.

So when it comes back to the new Torches not having NFC, I think part of the explanation here is simply that to enable NFC you need to ensure the overall hardware design supports it (not just the chipset/software) and that likely the 9810 and 9850/9860 designs were finalized without considertion for this (or it was considered, but the ultimate design they wanted to go with didn’t allow for a well-placed NFC antenna and/or thin battery door without doing some structural redesign). You need to be able to get the NFC antenna in a good place where it’s going to work. In other words, RIM could have put NFC into the Torch 9850/9860, but it would have meant altering the shape of the device to get it all working 100%, which they didn’t want to do with these devices, especially on a device like the 9850/9860 where you can tell design and feel are paramount.

Historically RIM has often rolled out new features (WiFi, GPS, Camera, etc.) only on one device model first, so putting it only on one of the new BB7 devices announced isn’t a total surprise. And if they are going to put it on one device first, it makes sense RIM would first introduce it on the BlackBerry Bold. Though we were told all future devices will have NFC. But with NFC really still in its infancy, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal not to have it on the Torch 9810 or Torch 9850/9860.

What do you all think? It is a huge deal that the new Torches don’t have NFC? Or not that big of a deal?? Let us know in the comments. And PS. If you read this post and don’t know what NFC is, click here.

 

via:cb

An interview with RIM's Managing Director for the UK & Ireland, Stephen Bates

[ youtube video link for mobile viewing ]

While Ewan was busy checking out the new BlackBerry 7 devices today in the UK, he took some time out to sit down with RIM’s Managing Director for the UK & Ireland, Stephen Bates. Mr. Bates talked on the new devices, the BlackBerry 7 OS, Liquid Graphics and the international reach of the BlackBerry platform. He goes on to say that this is the biggest global launch for RIM to date and more devices are certainly on the way. Sit back, relax and check out the full interview above (make sure you stick it out til the end!) then read more on the upcoming BlackBerry smartphones.

via: cb

NFC Only Coming in BlackBerry Bold 9900 & 9930 OS 7 Devices?

I am not sure how we all missed this before but previous spec leaks for the BlackBerry Torch 9810, 9850, and 9860 said that the device had NFC. I noticed in RIM’s announcement this morning that NFC was nowhere to be seen for these devices which had me wondering. So I checked back to the FCC filings for the 9900/9930, 9810, and 9850/9860 and noticed something interesting. When looking over the Test Report for all 3 only the BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 had a logged Near Field Communications test performed. The product pages also only list the 9900 as having NFC for “accessory pairing and smart tag reading/writing.”

Check out the filings for yourself:

 

• BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 FCC Filing
• BlackBerry Torch 9810 FCC Filing
• BlackBerry Torch 9850/9860 FCC Filing

I am not sure why RIM would not want this feature to have parity across all next gen BlackBerry devices but it has me scratching my head wondering why. I know the NFC is built into the battery cover for the 9900 but I just assumed they managed to hide it better in the 9810 and 9850/9860. What do you think of this? I was planning on getting the 9900 (GodBerry) either way but now it makes it truly the flagship BlackBerry.

Mobile payments could balloon 76% to $86 billion this year, Gartner says

141.1 million people around the world will make mobile payments this year, a 38.2% increase from last year, Gartner said in a new report issued on Friday. Global mobile payment volume is expected to hit $86.1 billion in 2011, up 75.9% from the $48.9 billion recorded last year. Gartner says mobile payments are not growing as fast as originally projected due to slower than expected uptake in developing countries. In addition, the “complexity of the [NFC]” service model has impeded its ability to takeoff in developed countries. “The biggest hurdle is the need to change user behavior by convincing consumers to pay with mobile phones instead of cash and cards,” Gartner research director Sandy Shen said, noting that mass market adoption of near-field communications (NFC) is at least four years away. Mobile payments will be driven by prepaid top-ups and money transfers, the research firm said. “Thanks to the success of mobile application stores, such as Apple’s App Store, and the efforts in driving mobile sales by major retailers, such as Amazon and eBay, merchandise purchases far outweigh other use cases in developed markets, which include North America and Western Europe,” Shen said. “We predict that in 2011, merchandise purchases will account for 90 percent and 77 percent of all transactions in North America and Western Europe, respectively.” Read on for the full press release.

NFC-Enabled ‘Smart’ Car Key Will Connect to Your Handheld Devices

It’s been emphasized here on BBE in recent months that Near Field Communication (NFC) is going to be the next big thing to hit next to Bluetooth.  NFC will be crucial in the mobile payment race, advertising arena, and now we’re hearing-the auto industry. A Dutch company NXP Semiconductors, is in the middle of producing a single-chip solution dubbed KEyLink Lite (codenamed NCF2970) which will enable a connection between a “smart” car key and external NFC-compliant devices, such as the upcoming BlakBerry 9900/9930 device. Check below for features.

Some of the KEyLink Lite features would include:

Isis mobile payment system to work with Visa and MasterCard, shelving plans for its own network

When AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon came together to create the Isis mobile payment system, they touted a standalone service, powered by Discover’s payment network, that would revolutionize the way we make small purchases on the move. Well, the revolution is still on schedule, apparently, but the big trio is now being said to have made a concession in reaching out to the incumbent leaders in this field, Visa and MasterCard. The Wall Street Journal cites multiple sources in reporting that Isis has turned into a less ambitious “mobile wallet” project that would seek to let you use your Visa or MasterCard account via your NFC-capable smartphone. As far as the consumer is concerned, it’s still the same swipe-to-buy proposition, but the move was apparently necessary for Isis “to avoid falling further behind” in the race to corner this developing market. We’d say it’s encouraging to see these guys showing a bit of swiftness — it’s about time the rest of the world caught up to Japan.

Reuters

via:engagdet

NFC Video Demo on the BlackBerry Bold 9930!

[ youtube video link for mobile viewing ]

Following up our first hands-on of the new BlackBerry Bold 9900, we re-visited the experience room at BlackBerry World to get a closer look at some of the first touchscreen Bold’s features. In this video we take a look at NFC. This is the first BlackBerry Smartphone to support NFC, or Near Field Communication, which is a short-range wireless technology (4cm or less) that allows two devices to communication – there’s always an initiator and a target. On a device like a BlackBerry, that can mean a few things… like bringing the phone close to a poster to launch an action like downloading an app, or pairing accessories together, or even making wireless payments. RIM is committed to NFC so expect to see a lot of progress here over the months and years ahead as you start using it for more and more things.

Be sure to check out the video above to see NFC in action! Big thanks to Annu for the demo!!

via:cb