All About Tablets
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WHAT IS NFC?
Near Field Communication (NFC) is a technology that allows two mobile devices including tablets to exchange data when held closely (less than 4cm) or tapped together. Originally based on the RFID tag system that allows one way communication between devices, NFC can support data transfer two ways and hence, allows communication between not just tablet devices and tags but between two tablet devices themselves (peer to peer transfer).
NFC Tags
NFC Tags can be placed rand stuck on walls, doors, car dashboards, bikes, windows or almost any flat surface. They can be programmed to either transfer small data units like messages, business cards or can even be used to turn on your Wi-fi, music player or adjust brightness on your tablet and other connected devices.
Imagine you arrive for work and all you have to do is tap your tablet on the NFC tag. Your tablet automatically switches to silent mode. It also sends out a message to your boss that you are inside the office or are leaving it.
Even more complex functions can be built into the NFC tags based on the need of the business or for fun purposes. Visit this site, to order one for yourself and get going.
Most of the NFC devices and tags use the NDEF format (NFC Data exchange format). However, for advanced users and complex functions one can visit the android forum to learn more.
To use NFC between two devices, all you have to do is first make sure that the screen on both devices is unlocked. Also, make sure that the NFC feature on your NFC supporting tablet is activated.
Other uses
But, having fun with NFC is not just limited to your daily needs of messaging and file transfer. The NFC forum has formed a Special Interests Group that will investigate and handle industry applications of the NFC, meant to make our lives easier. And with Google joining the NFC forum as a principle member, the change is ready to take place at an even higher rate.
Contactless paymet
Microsoft Wallet for Windows 8 and Google Wallet for Android devices are NFC supporting Apps that are already out in the market and allow e-payments with just a tap of the Tablet or phone. The city of Nice, in France, last year implemented this contactless payment not only in retail outlets but also bank transactions and ticketing services. In India, such schemes are currently underway like the initiative by PVR cinema’s in select cities.
Interactive Gaming
In 2012, NFC enabled Skylander was one of the top selling interactive games in the US and Europe. Rovio mobile’s Angry birds Magic allows, all Nokia enabled NFC devices to unlock new levels just on a tap. With Nintendo about to introduce the NFC in its Wii U gaming Tablet console, toys and gaming are about to undergo a sea of change in the coming future.
Ticketing and Airlines
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) may be evaluating the NFC technology for actual implementation throught the world by October this year, however, Air France and Japan Airlines have already experimented with the techonolgy in some parts successfully using the Card emulation technique with places the technology on SIM cards. This allows, NFC transfer even when your device may be switched off. So, passengers can now just tap their phones to validate their tickets before boarding and avoid hassles of a complete identity and ticket checking at terminals.
Why NFC?
Apart from the fact that NFC transfer of data and messages is fast and smooth involving only a tap of the device, there are other advantages that put the technology ahead of other technologies like Bluetooth and RFID. NFC does not require the tablets to be paired together and hence, saves time and unnecessary hassle. But the greatest use, and the prime reason why organizations are inclining towards its use is the secure communication that it ensures due to the close distance and protocols that govern it.
Watch this Youtube video here to see how a Windows 8 slate and Nexus 7 share, NFC style.
According to Forrester Research, a 100 million NFC enabled devices were sold in 2012. This figure is expected to rise to 300 million in 2013 and may even climb to 1 billion mark by 2015. Among all this, the absence of Apple in this technology initiative is puzzling to say the least.
Some NFC enabled tablets in market today:
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WhatsApp is mostly used in Smartphones. NOW, Learn how to use it with similar ease in your Tablet PCs. Be it Android, Blackberry, iPhone, Windows phone or Nokia phones; WhatsApp is supported in all. It uses the SIM carrier’s network or Wi-Fi (when available) to send/receive messages to your contacts, which exist in your device’s address book and also have WhatsApp installed in their individual devices. Once you install WhatsApp on your device, it automatically builds up a separate contact list (filtering out the contact numbers from the device), which are registered users of WhatsApp.
So if you ever thought that WhatsApp doesn’t run on a SIM-less Tablet PC? Then keep no doubts in your mind. With a simple method you can install it in your tabs, even if they lack SIM-slots.
Steps to get “Whatsapp” functional on your SIM-less Tablets:
First you need to download the apk file of WhatsApp and Go contacts. After downloading the files transfer the apk files to tablet pc internal memory.
1) Download the apk file of “Go Contacts” app from here.
2) Download the apk file of “WhatsApp” from here.
3) Now locate the WhatsApp apk file through File Explorer in tablet and click on it. Now you will be directed to installation window.
The process is easy and all you got to do is follow instructions and give the sought information during the installation process. This might take a while.
You will have to:-
a) Pick a valid phone number you want to register with Whatsapp.
b) Whatsapp’s system shall sms/call to give a confirmatory code, use it to confirm your registration with them for the particular phone number.
Enjoy the Whatsapp for free for the first 12 months on this registration.
4) Now find the Go Contacts apk file through File Manager. Click to install it.
5) Add phone no in Go Contacts App. See the video for more detail.
6) Add Whatsapp contacts:
Remember: The only contacts which show up in your Whatsapp Contact list are the contacts which have their phone numbers registered with Whatsapp.
a) Now when you run Whatsapp you won’t see any contacts in the list, if you haven’t already fed contacts in your Contacts manager (here Go contacts).
b) So, all you have to do is add all your Whatsapp contacts in the Go Contacts manger and you will find all in your Whatsapp contact list.
Disclaimer: We have tried and tested this on many SIMless Tablet PCs but still can not guarantee for all. So please don’t hold us responsible if, by any chance, this process doesn’t help you.
Here is the video proof of the installation/working of WhatsApp in the Android Tablet.
So, now that you know how to use your Tablet PCs even better now, leave a comment below to share your thoughts:
Some of the best selling Tablets also supporting WhatsApp are as follows:-
4) Byond Mi7
6) Samsung Galaxy Note I and II.
For a detailed list on these/similar tabs with their price CLICK HERE.
You are in a life threatening situation and you have no way of communicating that you are in danger. This is the worst nightmare most of us can sometimes have. But today, with a smartphone/tablet in hand, it is possible for us to send out that SOS message without too much of a hassle. Here, are a few Apps that can be easily downloaded and are a must have for adventure freaks. [Read more…] about These Apps save life: Emergency medical Apps
Incidents of crimes have ever been rising in all the cities in India, and more over so crimes concerning women have tore down the roof. With lot of legal advisories and NGO coming up for help for the “soft targets” and making the cities safer for people, in this era of technology almost everyone uses a mobile phone to keep in touch with their family and friends. Here are few apps which you can use as an emergency SOS tool against crimes.
1. FightBack – FightBack is India’s first ever mobile application for women’s safety launched by an NGO named WhyPoll. The application makes use of your phone’s GPS, SMS, GPRS, e-mail, Twitter and your Facebook account to send SOS alerts by the press of a single button. The app will also send your approximate GPS location via every media chosen so that you can be tracked easily. This app is specially launched for Indian women, although children and elders can also be benefited with the app. The app is free for Android, BlackBerry and Nokia smartphones. There’s no such annoincement for iOS.
2. Eye-Watch – Another app designed specifically for Indians, Eye-watch also works similarly like FightBack but with few more features like sounding a siren along with warning your emergency contacts via SMS, e-mail and even phone call. There’s also a feature to alert your emergency contacts in case the phone falls, again sounding a siren at the time of alerting. There is a provision to record the event of emergency, which can be later used as an evidence. This app is available for free for Android, BlackBerry, iOS and Symbian OS
3. Safe – A GPS based app that can sends a alerts via SMS/call to the selected numbers in case of emergency. It sports a big red button which triggers the alert when you press it, sending the alert SMS and call to a specified person. It can also track you in real-time based on your GPS location and send the information to your family and friends. While in Safe mode, it will automatically send an alert message to the emergency contacts in case you don’t report after a pre-defined time interval, highly useful feature if you have gone for jogging, a long trip, mountaineering or hiking. It’s available for Android, iOS and BlackBerry phones and tablets.
4. Life 360 Family Locator – Another GPS based app, which functions like Safe, tracking and alerting about your location. You can set a group of pre-defined tasks which you frequently do, like going for a movie, coming late or playing outside the locality, and send the alerts to all the emergency contacts with a pish of a button. It has a single button for all kind of emergencies.If you are in a major city, the app will also show you nearest police stations, hospitals and fire stations. The app is available for smartphones as well as for non-smartphones too!
5. Circle of 6 – As it is evident from the name, Circle of 6 lets you choose 6 trusted people in your contact to send an SMS alert in case you get into a risky and uncomfortable situation. It sends a pre-programmed message to all the 6 contacts with your exact coordinate location at that particular time.
6. Mobi Tracker LocateMe – This app does very simple task of sending your location to your selected contacts via SMS and nothing else. Not much useful but still useful nonetheless. The app is available for Android only for now.
7. One Touch Location – This is one app which can selectively track your location with the help of GPS and GPRS connection of your phone. If for example you are leaving your office late at night, you can alert you friends and family about the event and then start your tracking until you reach your destination. After which, the tracking turns off and everyone recieves a message your safe arrival. This app is available for Android and iOS.
8. SOS Whistle – Rather than sending a panic alert to your contacts, the SOS whistle just sounds a whistle in a loud volume to let the passer-by know that uou are in some kind of trouble, even if the phone is in silent mode. Tapping the screen button will start an alarm and you can be hopeful of coming in notice of people around you if you are too scared to shout by yourself.
Please use these apps, whichever you are comfortable with and have an aid for your safety. Spread awareness about these apps to everyone.