Beqrious » NFC

Budweiser Uses QR Codes to Help New Friends Connect on Facebook

admin — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:52:11 +0000

Budweiser Brazil is helping people get connected a lot more easily than before. If you are in a bar, the last thing you would want to be lugging around are pieces of paper and a pen. However, what if you meet the girl or guy of your dreams and you want to call him or her the next day?

The beer maker’s Brazilian arm has come up with a solution to that dilemma by coming up with what it calls the “Buddy Cup.”

The Buddy Cup has a QR code at the bottom of the cup. Once you get your own cup, you can scan the QR code and link the code to your Facebook account.

The Buddy Cup also has near-field communication chips on it. This way, when you meet somebody at the party or bar, you can just toast your Buddy Cups and add each other on Facebook.

How do you know it is working? There are LED lights at the top of the cup that will light up when data is being transmitted.

The Buddy Cup system goes through a smartphone application. The custom mobile app will post a Facebook status update that announces to your other friends that you have a new friend. The custom mobile app also takes care of sending invites on Facebook.

The Buddy Cups are being tested at various concerts, festivals and similarly huge events in the country.

There are no plans yet to have the Buddy Cups at bars in the United States.

This is a great way to use mobile technologies to your advantage. The QR code is very convenient. You probably have your Facebook profile linked to your smartphone, so it would be easier to use your smartphone to scan the code. The mobile app will handle the backend workings, making sure that you are connected to your new friend, while the NFC makes it much easier (and more natural looking too!) to trade information. Of course, you could probably use this at different events too and direct the QR code to different social media. This would be very useful, for example, if you were attending a business related event. You could link your LinkedIn profile to the Buddy Cup, rather than your personal Facebook profile.

Fraunhofer Makes Use of QR codes to Enable Secure Sharing of NFC Keys

admin — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:00:28 +0000

We have talked repeatedly about how QR codes and near-field communication should not be pitted against each other. We have talked time and again about how these two technologies can instead be used to complement each other or about how both can be used to give consumers an alternative.

Now, we came across another great example of QR code and NFC technology being applied to work together side-by-side.

Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology now uses QR codes to provide a secure way of sharing virtual keys that are stored on NFC phones.

Fraunhofer has earlier launched Key2Share, which is an NFC-based solution that allows individuals – particularly employees – to access offices and other enterprise premises using digital access control tokens that are stored on their Android mobile device. Through these virtual access keys, employees can open doors to offices and other restricted rooms by using NFC-enabled Android smartphones instead of physical keys.

In simpler terms, Key2Share is a solution for NFC-enabled locks. This app turns smartphones into door openers for rooms, offices, and even cars. The app manages an individual’s access rights to certain premises. The Key2Share server issues the virtual keys and sends them to the registered user’s mobile device over the air.

The cryptographic keys are protected from malware by special security architecture on the smartphone protects.

Now, Fraunhofer has found that QR codes are also a good and secure way to share these virtual keys. Once the access key is stored on a user’s NFC phone, this can be shared to colleagues, employees, or friends who are also registered with Key2Share simply by sending a QR code through MMS, e-mail, or even regular mail.

The two-dimensional codes can be automatically generated with the Key2Share app and the user can apply some restrictions so that the virtual key can be used only at a particular time, or date. The keys can be shared between two smartphones, too, with one device displaying the QR code and the other scanning it.

Google Imitates Apple

admin — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 11:59:36 +0000

Apple has shown a tremendous amount of support for QR codes, particularly when it shunned near-field communication from appearing on its flagship iPhone and iPad devices. On the app side, Apple is using QR codes for its Passbook app.

It seems that Google is following Apple’s footsteps in this regard. The search giant has its Google Wallet service, which uses NFC. But it still is using two-dimensional codes for its Google Now service. Google Now is a predictive search assistant that functions very much like Apple’s Siri.

Google Now is able to monitor your e-mail inbox and look for boarding passes. When you get to the airport, it will serve up the 2D code that you could use to get on your flight. For now, this service is only available on United Airlines flights, but other airlines are going to be available soon.

This is just one of the many updates Google released this month. Other updates include recommendations as to what places are nearby, music recognition, product searches, as well as a reverse image lookup where you just snap a picture and Google would do the search for you.

This proves that contrary to what people are saying, QR codes are not dead. Google’s use of QR codes, even when they have a service that relies on NFC ( which is a competing technology), shows that QR codes are still very much relevant.

What’s more, it highlights the fact that there are some characteristics that are inherent to QR codes that are simply not found in NFC. The need for a physical code, whether on paper or on a smartphone screen, is something that NFC could never address.

Further, for now at least, QR codes are still more popular and accessible than NFC. All smartphones with a camera could be used to access a QR code, granting that users install a QR code scanner application.

Kraft Foods Trials NFC and QR Codes

admin — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:00:37 +0000

Kraft Foods has been pushing its mobile commerce programs of late and has been testing out near-field communication and QR codes.

In January of this year, the food giant used QR codes to promote its cheeses. The company put up QR codes with its cheese products, taking scanners to mobile recipes. It also had print ads with the same QR codes. A customer can scan the QR code and check out recipes that use that particular cheese type. The recipes are for brunch, entrees, appetizers and sandwiches.

Customers can also view pictures to help them get the recipes right. Take note that these recipes are quite easy to make and may be cooked for everyday meals.

For those without smartphones, they can go directly to the campaign site at http://www.kraftcheese.com.

The QR codes are only one part of the company’s marketing campaign, which also includes mobile apps, SMS and advertising on Web sites, print and other sources.

Kraft finds more success with NFC

Earlier this month, Kraft reported that it has launched a near-field communication version of the campaign. Instead of QR codes, the company placed RFID chips on store shelves that carried Nabisco cookies and Kraft cheese products.

The company found that NFC was more effective in engaging users and customers. The NFC trials showed that the engagement levels they got from the NFC tags was 12 times higher than the engagement level they got from QR codes.

Not only had shoppers tapped more, but they spent more time with Kraft’s recipes and mobile app. A consumer was engaged for 48 seconds, on the average. Those who scanned the Kraft QR codes spent only five to ten seconds with the product.

NFC also allowed for further action on the part of the customer. More than a third of all those who tapped the Kraft tags followed through by saving a recipe, downloading the Kraft mobile app or sharing the recipe with their friends.

Remember, however, that the trial was only conducted in five San Francisco grocery stores and only during the month of August.

Romania’s Garanti Bank Uses QR Codes for Mobile Payments

admin — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 12:00:23 +0000

When it comes to wireless technologies, when one mentions mobile payments, the first thing that comes into mind is near-field communication. However, Garanti Bank is using QR codes for its mobile payments system in Romania.

Patterning with Seamless, a Swedish company involved in mobile payments, Garanti Bank will be unrolling the SEQR mobile payment system in Romania. Even during the launching phase, large retail stores are already on board. This makes Garanti Bank the first bank or financial institution to use the SEQR mobile payment service in the country.

Seamless first launched SEQR in November 2011. SEQR uses QR codes, which are found at point of sale terminals, or printed on their receipts that a buyer scans. The buyer is then taken to a page where they can pay by confirming their purchases. The charges will be deducted from the user’s Garanti Bank account.

This will help stores and merchants bring down their costs while making it more convenient for customers to pay.

SEQR virtually eliminates long lines at the cash register and is a very secure way to pay.

Garanti Bank’s Anca Motca says that the bank is looking for ways to add value to their service for their customers by coming up with innovative solutions and products. The Seamless SEQR solution is a proof of that. Motca adds that with the SEQR, they are offering tangible benefits to everyone concerned: merchants, customers and the bank itself.

Garanti Bank has been at the forefront of banking innovations, including a more secure Internet banking service, cardless transactions at ATMs and contactless payments. Their innovations have since been replicated at other banks.

For its part, Seamless’ CEO Peter Fredell says that partnering with Garanti makes it possible for them to operate in the Romanian banking industry with a “strong and innovative” partner in Garanti Bank.

Mobile Marketing Choices: What Should You Use?

admin — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 09:30:51 +0000

Thinking of going mobile with your marketing? What do you use? The number 1 thing that marketers should be looking at when entering mobile marketing is the content. Marketing materials should have relevant, interesting and informative content. It should move and persuade customers to either buy the product or try to learn more about it.

The second most important thing is the delivery. How do you make your content accessible to your audience? Right now, there are four ways to deliver your message to your target customers: QR codes, near-field communication, augmented reality and SMS.

However, how do you choose which one is most effective for what you are trying to do?

A new service called Amplify is promising to make mobile marketing even simpler for businesses. It aims to offer all four delivery channels and make it easier for their clients to use them.

The company behind this is called Eye. Its CEO, Gerry Thorley, explains that instead of just pushing whatever is the most popular platform available, the company would try to take a look at the marketing aims of the company and suggest the appropriate platform. Thorley laments that mobile marketing programs do not take into consideration the client’s needs, and so they fail.

However, as a business owner, do you really need to get the Amplify service? If you know what QR codes, AR, NFC and SMS can do, and then you might be able to decide for yourself.

Augmented reality is great if you have a physical presence, or a physical marketing material such as a business card or flyer that you can use to have your AR graphics play. You only need a phone with a camera to do this. However, AR applications are quite limited.

If you have your information online, such as a brochure or a video, then you might want to take your customers there either with NFC or QR codes. QR codes might need many things such as a QR code-reading app, while not too many people may have an NFC-enabled phone.

SMS is great for spreading the word around, but you might be very limited in terms of engaging your customers. It is like advertising on TV, it has the potential to reach a wider portion of your audience but it may not have the impact you want. It is also very easy to ignore.

NFC Partnerships: MacKay Meters and UIC; Etisalat and EIDA

admin — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:00:14 +0000

MacKay Meters and UIC Join Forces for NFC-Based Payments in Parking Meter

Innovative parking systems provider MacKay Meters has teamed up with Uniform Industrial Corporation for the provision of the first-ever single-space wireless parking meter that allows contactless or NFC-based payments.

Currently, the MacKay Guardian(TM) SOLO accepts different forms of payment, including tokens, credit cards, coins, and MacKay smart cards.

According to MacKay, it was natural for them to offer the new payment technology as part of their innovative wireless solution, what with contactless credit cards and near-field communication being available in mobile devices.

As for its choice of partner, MacKay explains that it was UIC that was responsive to its requirements. MacKay adds that it has had a strong and long relationship with the electronic commerce/data collection systems company, so it was only right that they team up.

Pursuant to the partnership, UIC’s NFC and contactless card payment technology will be integrated into the MacKay Guardian SOLO, allowing parking meters the ability to support major contactless credit cards like MasterCard, Visa and payWave. Additionally, MacKay Guardian SOLO will enjoy the added convenience of being able to support mobile payment applications like Google Wallet and ISIS Mobile Wallet.

Etisalat Teams Up with EIDA for Emirates ID Card Services

Etisalat signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Emirates Identity Authority to look into the possibility of developing NFC-based programs that would enable the identification and transfer of Emirates ID card data via NFC-enabled mobile devices.

The MoU supports efforts by Etisalat and EIDA to evaluate the feasibility of providing Emirates ID card services to both United Arab Emirates nationals and expatriates. Pursuant to the terms of the MoU, the NFC-based services for the Emirates ID card are going to be implemented as a trial or pilot project in the first few months and then subsequently launched in the country on a commercial basis.

For more NFC stories, visit us at http://www.nfcme.com

Japan’s NTT Docomo and Korea’s KT Launch Cross-Border NFC Service

admin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:00:30 +0000

Japanese mobile operator NTT Docomo Inc. and South Korean carrier KT Corporation last month entered into an agreement to develop a cross-border mobile service using near-field communication technology. This new NFC service will be used for mobile payments, promotional coupons, mass-transit ticketing, and other mobile applications in Japan and South Korea.

NTT and KT, through their Business & Technology Cooperation Committee, are coming up with NFC specifications that they will incorporate into networks, devices and billing platforms for seamless mobile NFC services. Users in either country will be able to access the NFC services through compatible Android mobile phones that have been embedded with those contactless IC chips.

In an update, reports state that the NFC couponing service is the first to be launched. This international NFC-based couponing service is set to go live on April 1, allowing users in both countries to collect then redeem special offers via NFC posters. Services for mobile payments and ticketing are expected to follow soon.

This initial cross-border NFC offering will see NTT Docomo and KT setting up NFC smart posters at the Haneda airport in Tokyo, the Gimpo airport in Seoul, and various shopping malls within these two cities. People in either country with NFC-enabled handsets can use this new service to download coupons or special offers, and even access maps and tourist information in their own language so they can conveniently locate participating merchants who are offering promotions and discounts and then redeem the coupons.

The participation of mobile network operators in other Asian countries is also set to follow the launch of these cross-border NFC services. This means that NTT Docomo and KT are planning to gradually expand their cross-border capabilities across Asia as ‘NFC Zones.’ In fact, NTT Docomo is now working with China Mobile and is in discussion about the project with mobile operators in the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Hong Kong.

China’s ZTE Introduces Touch and Share Technology

admin — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:00:15 +0000

Chinese mobile phone maker ZTE Corporation has just launched Touch and Share, which is a solution that automates Bluetooth and WiFi set-up via near-field communication. Through this new NFC-based pairing solution, ZTE phone users are able to share data easily and quickly by automating WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity between NFC-enabled devices that are in close proximity.

With the ZTE Touch and Share feature in their handsets, users can connect instantaneously and eliminate the need to scan and match terminals, and the need to key in a password. With this feature, users are able to share data without worrying about any need for any manual intervention. All the users need is to choose the content that they want to share and then touch the device or handset of the intended receiver.

Now we all know that touching together two NFC-enabled devices is what triggers or starts the sharing process.

In short, the ZTE Touch and Share technology is a combination of Bluetooth, WiFi and near-field communication. It incorporates core connectivity elements and automating device pairing processes, which include Connection Manager, Service Discovery Protocol, and Application Service Protocol.

With the Touch and Share feature, users will enjoy the convenience and ease of sharing or swapping content such as contact information, videos, images, and even internet connection with others. Linking up with devices can either be done from one smartphone to another smartphone, or from a smartphone to a wireless WiFi router. All that’s needed is for the two devices to be Touch & Share-enabled.

What’s more, Touch and Share can open up or lead to new opportunities for further or advanced developments, including mobile gaming and social networking, making use of seamless Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity.

ZTE is a publicly-listed global telecommunications equipment and network solutions provider. The company has a growing range of NFC-enabled mobile phones that include the ZTE Orbit, which is Windows Phone-based, and the ZTE Blade II, which is Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich-based.

Get more NFC related news at NFCme.com

BCNTouch Runs QR Code and NFC Treasure Hunt

admin — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 12:00:32 +0000

QR codes and near-field communication have been pitted against one another because of the various similarities they have in linking the offline and online world in an easy manner. Both are very flexible and both provide an extended mobile experience for smartphone users.

However, while people are saying that NFC would be the death of QR codes and vice versa, it is very possible for these two mobile technologies to work together. In fact, it would be great to see more and more marketers use both NFC and QR codes in their campaigns.

This is something that BCNTouch did at the Mobile World Congress. BCNTouch wanted to give away 200 bottles of Bodegas Torres wines to the congress attendees. To make it more interesting, they came up with a treasure hunt using QR codes.

And near-field communication.

Take note that BCNTouch is the company behind the TouchActive platform, which is powered by NFC. Yet for this particular hunt, the company opted to include QR codes in the hunt.

Treasure hunters at the event can visit six different exhibitor booths that display either a bottle of Gran Coronas 2007 or Vina Esmeralda. They should snap the QR code or touch their phone to the smart tags found with these bottles.

The capture will give the participants detailed information about the wine and get serving suggestions too. They could also check out similar wines and share it on Facebook or Twitter.

If they have “captured” both bottles, they can claim their free Bodega Torres wines from the BCNTouch booth.

To make it more interesting, BCNTouch will be showing a heat map during the event to show how participants are interacting and where they are during the hunt.

We think that this is a great way to make sure that more people are included in your marketing campaigns. NFC is a great technology, but admittedly only a few handsets have the capability to read smart tags. QR codes, on the other hand, are more widely used and recognized. This is the edge of QR codes, no matter how many other new technologies crop up in the future, it will always be relevant and will always be used.