ROAM Data unveils the world’s first universal NFC and magnetic card reader

NFC Swipe

ROAM Data, a developer of mobile commerce platforms, has announced that it has created the world’s first universal card reader that combines NFC technology with magnetic strip recognition. The reader, called NFC Swipe, is compatible with any mobile device and is designed with mobile commerce in mind. The NFC Swipe will allow consumers to make purchases using a credit card or anything that is NFC-enabled. In fact, the platform can turn nearly any electronic device, including a PC, into a mobile payment system. ROAM Data believes that the NFC Swipe…

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Berg Insight study shows that NFC-enabled smart phones sales will jump to 100 million this year

NFC Technology

A new study from Berg Insight, a market research and analysis firm based in Sweden, paints a bright future for NFC-enabled smart phones. The study suggests that sales of NFC-enabled smart phones will jump to 100 million this year, up from 30 million in 2011. The rapid adoption of these mobile devices is likely due to the growing popularity of mobile commerce. NFC smart phones can be used as mobile payment devices, enabling users to make purchases without having to use physical currency or credit card. The technology is not…

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Pinkberry announces implementation of Google Wallet

Pinkberry Google Wallet

Pinkberry has announced that it has expanded its current mobile strategy to include the implementation of the Google Wallet, to allow consumers to pay for their purchases, receive discounts, and redeem coupons, through the use of their mobile devices. The yogurt retailer, Pinkberry, started in 2005 in California, and that has since spread across the country and around the world with more than 175 locations. Through a partnership with Micros Systems Inc., Pinkberry has been able to implement the mobile wallet, which is now live in 69 different American locations.…

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Microsoft registers new NFC Tap and Do trademark for Windows 8

Microsoft mobile secrurity Outlook app

Technology giant Microsoft seems to have plans to enter the arena of NFC. The company has applied to register a new patent for its upcoming Microsoft Tap and Do initiative. According to the application, the trademark will be used to cover all of the company’s products that make use of NFC technology. This includes hardware, such as computers and mobile devices, as well as computer software. While this has implications for Microsoft’s long-term goals with technology, one of the mark’s immediate uses may be with the Windows Phone 8. The…

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Commonwealth Bank sees major rise in NFC payments in Australia, Telsyte suggests merchants will be slow to warm to mobile commerce

Mobile Payments

Mobile commerce is gaining momentum in Australia, according to The Commonwealth Bank, the country’s largest financial institution. The bank announced this week that mobile payments have more than quadrupled in the last year, logging more than 1.3 million transactions during December alone. The bank notes that the availability of NFC applications has also risen by 30,000 over the same time period. This indicates that mobile commerce may be gaining ground with consumers in Australia, but research firm Telsyte claims that the concept is not very popular with merchants. Mobile commerce…

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