iPhone 5 to get NFC: will change the way we use smartphones

 

The iPhone 5 is likely to have NFC (Near Field Communication) technology built-in, letting its users use the smartphone as a digital wallet for paying for goods. NFC already exists in smartphones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Nokia 808 PureView, but with backing from Apple the technology could really take off.

Apple news site 9to5Mac claims to have pulled some information via an iPhone 5 prototype of sorts that suggests NFC will feature in the next iPhone.

The site has previously posted photos said to reveal the design of the next iPhone, with a taller screen, and a mini dock connector. The site also believes those models will use NFC, to possibly tie-in with Apple’s new PassBook app.

PassBook was recently revealed at Apple’s WWDC event. PassBook stores all iPhone owners tickets, passes, vouchers, loyalty cards and more in one place. PassBook will also display vouchers, that you can scan at various venues offering services and products to take advantage of the latest offers.

Apple developed PassBook with the ability to work without NFC. The app will be available as part of iOS 6, but it is thought that NFC will play a major role in the app going forward.

Jim Peters, CTO of communications specialist SITA claims it will have huge repercussions. on the way we all use our smartphones.

“Opinion is that Apple is going to incorporate NFC into Passbook,” he said. “There aren’t any transactions in it yet, but I think that’s how Apple is going to sneak up on the industry. They are going to get people used to using it and then all of a sudden they will allow credit cards to be used in there, on the next iPhone, which will include NFC.”

By the end of the year the majority of smartphones that you go and buy will have NFC on them. If in October the next iPhone comes out and it has NFC on it, it’s game over.”

In fact NFC can be available on any device. Barclaycard recently launched its PayTag scheme that sends NFC-enabled stickers to users to stick onto their smartphone, letting them pay for goods up the the value of £20.

Would you use Wallet services through NFC on your iPhone? Let us know your thoughts. After all, we could all be using NFC very soon.

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“Xbox 720” documents reportedly reveal $299 price, new Kinect, specs and more

 

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A “leaked” document reportedly reveals Microsoft’s upcoming plans for the new Xbox console through to 2015, mentioning “Xbox 720” by name, listing a $299 price for the console, confirming Blu-ray playback, and referencing the Microsoft Glass augmented reality technology shown at this year’s E3. The documents have since been taken off the internet at the request of Microsoft’s lawyers, lending the leak more credibility. Is this the Xbox 720?



Microsoft has of course yet to publicly confirm or deny the leak, but asking for the documents to be taken off the web has got commentators believing the above details could be the real deal.

Xbox 720 rumoured for 2013 said to be six times more powerful

The 56-page document that first appeared on Scribd, made mention of an “Xbox 720” for a 2013 release, and says that the new console will be four times more powerful than the Xbox 360, and cost $299.

Blu-ray is also included, as is USB 3.0, HDMI and augmented reality gaming. There’s also a mention of the next generation of Microsoft Kinect, designed to work better in smaller spaces. Microsoft Kinect’s biggest problem is its inability to work accurately in tight areas. Microsoft Kinect 2 will seemingly solve this problem with better tracking.

Since the document’s details have yet to be confirmed, all of the above has to be taken with a pinch of salt, but nevertheless, the details remain intriguing, not least of all that $299 price tag, given that an existing Microsoft Kinect sensor costs around £99.00 with a game included.

Xbox 720 rumours are of course nothing new. The next generation of Xbox has previously been rumoured for a 2013 release, with Blu-ray playback on board. And this year’s E3 2012 saw Microsoft dedicate a lot of time to services, without showing as many new titles as expected.

Microsoft will also not be attending this year’s Gamescom show in Germany – an annual event for showcasing new games. It is thought that with little new software to show for the current Xbox, Microsoft is saving it for next year. Or in other words, for the Xbox 720.

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Slimmer Nokia PureView megapixel cameras on the way?

 

When the Nokia 808 PureView was first announced, it was its 41-megapixel camera sensor that caught the eye. Unfortunately with such a large sensor comes the extra bulk necessary for such photography prowess. That’s why Nokia’s thinking about introducing new, slimmer models down the pipeline.

The Nokia 808 PureView isn’t in shops just yet. The 41-megapixel camera phone should be with us next month. The main talking point is of course that massive sensor and the PureView camera technology inside, letting users take stunning 41-megapixel photos, condensed into a 5-megapixel shot with no loss of detail when zoomed in on. 


Samsung Galaxy S3 the fastest-selling phone of 2012

As impressive as it all sounds, the Nokia 808 PureView is hardly the most pocketable of smartphones. That’s why we’re likely to see slimmer versions in future, Vesa Jutila, head of Product Marketing for Nokia’s 808 PureView told Visit Engadget .

Though the new devices, in Jutilia’s words “would not necessarily have the same 41-megapixel sensor”, it is a possibility that Nokia has apparently been exploring. We cannot help imagine that it’s a certainty. Why let that awesome PureView technology go to waste?

And although Nokia 808 PureView runs on Nokia Belle software, it seems likely that any slimmer versions are likely to run on the Windows Phone operating system. They may arrive sooner than we think.

Nokia’s Senior Vice President Jo Harlow recently revealed to a Finnish newspaper “it will not take very long” for the technology to reach Windows Phone, paving the way for possible Nokia Lumia PureView Windows phones. Would you buy one?

Nokia PureView 41-megapixel camera tech coming to Windows Phone

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Dell Latitude 10 Windows 8 tablet spotted, first of many to take on the iPad

 

To date we’ve been hearing lots of rumours of Windows 8 tablets, but this is the first time we’ve seen what looks like a Dell Latitude 10 running Windows 8.Want to know more about one of the first (possibly) confirmed Windows 8 tablets? Then check out the Dell Latitude Windows 8 tablet

The slide detailing the Dell Latitude 10 Windows 8 tablet was obtained by Neowin. It details the Windows 8 tablet in full. The key spec you can see in the slide above next to where it says operating system is Windows 8.

As further specs go, It appears that the Dell Latitude Windows 8 tablet is a 10.8-inch tablet with a 1366×768 resolution HD display, and come running a dual core Intel Atom processor.

The Dell Latitude 10 Windows 8 tablet will also feature a fingerprint reader, 2GB memory, up to 128GB of Solid State Drive storage and 8-megapixel and 2-megapixel rear and front facing cameras respectively.

Neowin reports a 6-8 hour battery life, with a larger battery able to bump that up to 12 hours, and a possible November release. No word on prices just yet.

In future we can expect to see many more Windows 8 tablets around the same date. Past reports have suggested that Microsoft is working with manufacturers to flood the market with up to 32 different Windows 8 tablets at launch in an attempt to put a dent in the Apple iPad’s market share.

A November release date has had already been tipped, lending further credibility to the Neowin report regarding the above Dell Latitude 10 Windows 8 tablet.

Unlike Windows 7, Windows 8 has been designed from scratch, with touch interfaces in mind.Its colourful tiles, side-scrolling interface and easy-on-the-eye menus reveal the sort of design touches that cemented the Apple iPad as arguably the best tablet around, in a market lacking many genuine contenders besides the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the likes of the Asus Transformer Prime.

The extra competition is great news for all gadget fans concerned. The possibility of cheaper tablets that are actually any good, and more choice can only be a bonus. Would you purchase a Windows 8 tablet?

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Apple iPad 3 spied, bigger camera sensor, smoother design

By now there have been enough Apple iPad 3 rumours to pretty confirm that we will see the iPad 2 successor launched very soon. In fact, we could see the iPad 3 launched next month. What you are looking at is one of the first alleged photos of the iPad 3, with a rumoured 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a cleaner-looking design.

If rumours are to be believed (they are certainly hotting up) we will see Apple unveil the iPad 3 at a San Francisco event next month. In the run up to March many have speculated what form the next iPad will take. Design-wise, the iPad 3 won’t look very different at all.

One website claims to have received a photo of the tablet via its own, unnamed sources. (see above). The shot only shows the back, but it does reveal some information about the tablet. For one, the camera sensor looks to be larger than it is on the iPad 2. A larger sensor would appear to fit in with rumours of an 8-megapixel camera.

We can also see that the iPad 3 may have a cleaner design around the back. More tapered edges and just an Apple logo on the back are the most noticeable changes here. Should the photos hold true, this may be the first glimpse of the iPad 3
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Apple has of course yet to confirm anything, and is typically keeping everything close to its chest until any official unveil takes place. Rumoured tweaks and additions include a HD Retina Display to rival IPS displays such as that on the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, a quad-core processor and voice assistant Siri to enable tablet-based voice commands.

What do you think? Is the above shot a fake? It won’t be long now till we find out if so.