I recently started to use NFC. I was under the impression that it was a pretty simple, generic technology, that allowed you to simply tap to pieces of hardware together which would then allow a simple transfer of data between them. Photos, contact details, documents and the like.
My first use of NFC was not that slick and simple. Although, in principle, the description of “a simple tap to transfer files” is true – its actually hiding some quite important specifics.
I imagined that the NFC was a field that enveloped the entire device. This simply isn’t the case. Its a very specific, very small area on your device. On a Lumia 820 its a very small area just above the camera. On the Vivotab Smart its a very small, specific place on the back of the device (its actually highlighted by at sticker).
UNLESS YOU TAP EXACTLY IN THOSE SPACES IT WILL NOT WORK
I found this very annoying. I had to “Google” NFC to work out how to use it. Also, given the position of the NFC hotspots on the devices, tapping them together and looking at the screen at the same time to confirm that it had worked was impossible for one person to do – well, it wasn’t but it was extremely cumbersome.
Once the NFC was tagged, it then transferred the files, via what I can only assume was Bluetooth. The transfer was successful but never the less, I was not impressed with the NFC hardware. The only saving it appears to bring is the removing of Bluetooth paring. This saving is negated by the fact that the NFC function, is at first, not intuitive due to the small field in which it works.
I see NFC will be good going forward. The implications are vast, which things like contactless payment being the most likely major win. Would basically turn your “mobile phone” into your wallet. I see, without a doubt, this is the way we will be paying for things in the future.
My experience of NFC 1.0 is not great, and it does still need work before we all use it as it is intended to be used…