Would you like having a feature installed in a card or phone to transfer money, open doors and record timetables which works by just waving the device? That's exactly what a technology known as NFC is doing.

NFC or Near Field Communications is a short range technology mainly for mobile phones and smart cards. NFC is a new, short-range wireless connectivity technology that evolved from a combination of existing contactless identification and interconnection technologies. Products with built-in NFC simplify the way consumer devices interact with one another, helping people speed up connections, receive and share information and make even faster and secure payments.

The Touch n' Go card we're all so familiar with uses a type of NFC technology. Users have to get it near a card reader for it to work. Communication between two NFC-compatible devices happens when they are brought within a short distance of one another. A simple wave or touch can establish an NFC connection. Because the transmission range is so short, NFC-enabled transactions are inherently secure. It's quite difficult really to hack a system that you would need to get within 4 cm of. The physical closeness of the device to the reader also gives users the reassurance of being in control of the process.

NFC can be used with many devices, from mobile phones that enable payment or transfer information to digital cameras that send their photos to a TV set with just a touch. We could be seeing more use of this feature soon on electronic keys such as hotel room keys, electronic money and identity documents.

Looking at the advantages of this technology, the NFC acts as a secure gateway to the connected world. Future NFC enabled mobile devices will allow consumers to store and access all kinds of personal data from their home or when they are on the move. Just by bringing two NFC-enabled devices close together, they automatically initiate network communications without needing to configure the setup. Such devices can easily exchange and store your personal data namely, messages, pictures, MP3 files and so forth.

The NFC is also fully compatible with both NXP's MIFARE and Sony's Felica contactless smart card platforms which are currently in use around the world.
NFC's applications can be divided into four categories:touch and go, touch and confirm, touch and connect and touch and explore.

Touch and Go applications are like access control or transport and event ticketing, where the user has to only bring the device storing the ticket or access code close to the reader. Also, for simple data capture applications, such as picking up an Internet URL from a smart label on a poster. This technology is in action daily in Touch n' Go cards and Ezylink cards.

Touch and Confirm applications on the other hand are applications such as mobile payment where the user has to confirm the interaction by entering a password or just accepting the transaction.

Touch and Connect links two NFC-enabled devices to enable peer to peer transfer of data such as downloading music, exchanging images or synchronizing address books.

Finally, the Touch and Explore feature allows NFC devices to offer more than one possible function. The consumer will be able to explore a device's capabilities to find out which functionalities and services are offered.

Near Field Communication provides safe storage for all confidential personal data, such as your credit card numbers, coupons, membership data or digital rights. It will allow you to easily update and align your appointments or any other data. Users get to load the departure times of the bus into their mobile device by simply holding it close to the NFC-enabled timetable, or access the latest film news and reviews at the cinema by walking up to an NFC-enabled poster. How cool is that?