Can We Do Better Than 'Near-Field Communication?'

Like so many tech innovations before it, near-field communication is a game-changing concept with a gobbledygook name.

For all the success the technology world has had pioneering innovative and disruptive devices that revolutionize the way we work, talk, play, and even eat, the industry's ability to distill these forward-thinking concepts into consumer-friendly terms continues to disappoint.

History is full of Silicon Valley phrases that are a confusing mouthful of tech jargon--think "location-based services," "Voice over Internet Protocol," "augmented reality," "net neutrality," or "Internet-connected television," all important innovations and services reduced to abstract, hyphen-heavy phrases.

Near-field communication is not a novel concept--the NFC Forum was created in 2004 and first phone enabled with the technology was launched in 2007--but it is poised to take off. NFC is a wireless technology that allows devices to communicate with each other and exchange data at close range (within around four centimeters) just by coming into contact with one another. The NFC Forum explains, "NFC is both a 'read' and 'write' technology. Communication between two NFC-compatible devices occurs when they are brought within four centimeters of one another: a simple wave or touch can establish an NFC connection, which is then compatible with other known wireless technologies such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi."

It could allow users to pay for their subway fare just by tapping their phones against a NFC-enabled gadget, or it could turn ads and signs into "smart posters" that present users with additional information when they wave their smartphones over an "infotag." (See more applications here) A new report suggests Apple will incorporate the technology in its next generation of iPhone and iPad devices to enable users to pay via their mobile gadgets.

But before the technology becomes more mainstream, is there a chance its name could get a makeover? Do you think it needs one?

Submit your suggestions for alternate terms for "near-field communication" in the comments below. We'll feature the best in this entry.

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The term 'near-field communication' is...

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Comments

[AntonioVTorres]

04:06 PM on 02/14/2011

And, the criminal in me is thinking that I wouldn't even have to pick pocket you to steal your identity. I'm not saying this is going to happen.... no.. no.. no.. this IS going to happen. It's not that the technology is evil. We're evil. So, let's hope they worked hard on security. I'll let those A+ personality types test this out before I use it.

And, how fast is the data rate exactly. I mean, can I bump and run or do I have to sit next to you on the train for a few stops.

[avantgarder]

03:38 PM on 02/14/2011

Whatever the official name for the technology, It should clearly be referred to as "near-fi."

[Prateek Panchal]

06:28 AM on 01/27/2011

Nice article !!!!!!.....

Near field communication......I support it. This would be a great innovation.

Thanks for sharing.

http://www.Cellphoneshopper.net

[LightShadow62]

08:46 PM on 01/26/2011

So exactly why does Apple feel the need to re-name RFID technology?

That's right, so that people will thinks it's new and that Apple invented it.

[billyfromphilly]

05:22 PM on 01/26/2011

Why does everything have to be dumbed down ALL of the time? It's so bad that kids these days have some sort of aversion to using vowels when they type.

"Near-Field Communication" 3 f**king words.

[mjredder]

03:00 PM on 01/26/2011

I had a few ideas, then realized what an absolute idiotic rube I would be if I gave them away for nothing in some comment section. Don't be a sucker.

[SocialStarfish]

01:11 PM on 01/26/2011

Jargon? It feels like many of these terms does what it says at face value or maybe I got really good at studying context clues because of SAT testing in high school. Let's take a crack at it:
"location-based services,"

Location based: Where I am matters

Services: I'm getting a aid,help,benefit etc etc

"Voice over Internet Protocol,"

Voice over internet: so someone is talking to me or I can hear a voice on the internet
Protocol: set of rules

Ok this one is a little too generic because prerecorded audio falls under the definition.

"augmented reality"

Augment: to add something to
Reality: the world we live in

Right away you think, "ok this is not virtual reality" but it sounds related to it right? Anytime someone has used the term it is pretty easy to understand they're talking about adding some sort of layer on top of every day reality.

"net neutrality"

Net: internet
Neutrality: is not biased

Most people think of the internet as the harbinger of equality. A threat to Net Neutrality sounds like a bad thing.

"Internet-connected television"

My TV connects to the internet. *face palm*

"Near Field Communication"

Near Field: limited range
Communication: information is being passed between devices

Near Field Communication sounds pretty technical the first time I heard it. I immediately imagined it as something in between wifi and blue tooth. Speaking of blue tooth, it is very tough to figure that one out on it's own! Blue tooth, now that's jargon!

[NightlyMath]

12:54 AM on 01/27/2011

I think the problem is that it seems that some people don't really like descriptive naming methodologies, especially when they have any relationship to something technical. I think names like this bring forward some sort of innate anti-tech/engineering reaction from non-tech inclined individuals.

Further, to the original writer of the article, simple because the name implies something technical, saying that it's a "gobbledygook and/or confusing name" implies an inherent bias against the technical community, IE the geeks and nerds that designed and built the technology, and an utter failure and unwillingness to understand that these names can actually have very specific technical meanings. If some don't like our naming schema, tough luck. We will continue to use our technical language to name these devices, standards, and concepts because, guess what, that's the correct and meaningful terminology. To expect the scientific and engineering to not use technical language is an absurdity and, again, smacks of bias.

[TruEngineHearing]

07:15 AM on 01/27/2011

I agree with you - and nicely put. It's true, 'Bluetooth' actually describes nothing - totally unhelpful.

In 1957 Cadillac had some new interior material called 'Elascofab' - WTF is that? And 'Ovaltine'!! I drank gallons, but what was I drinking?

[WestCoastLib]

02:05 PM on 02/14/2011

LMFAO!!! Ovaltine hahhahahha

[m66]

05:55 AM on 01/26/2011

I prefer accurate terminology to baby talk like "app," thank you.

[ThinkCreeps]

05:10 AM on 01/26/2011

Touch-fi. Aura. Near-fi. Or to reflect, the short range, tooth-decay.

[Chauntecleer]

04:57 AM on 01/26/2011

Phishing Intimately Enabled.

[jsarets]

12:28 AM on 01/26/2011

NFC is an extension of a previous technology called "proximity card". Although "proximity" is a bigger word than "near" or "field", the combination of those two words may be inscrutable to laypeople. NFC is applicable to a wide range of mobile devices, so "card" would no longer be appropriate.

Then I ask if the name really matters if it's a useful technology with an acronym that's easy to say. Lots of people happily use the term USB without knowing what the heck a "serial bus" might be. NFC is easy to say, and people may just accept it as a generic tech acronym that implies certain capabilities.

If you insist: WaveLink. Suggests a fluid motion that could be used to establish a connection and also hints at the underlying radio technology.

[rtb61]

12:09 AM on 01/26/2011

"Pillow Byte"

[JShankel]

11:05 PM on 01/25/2011

Oh, forget it.  Just call it iCloseTalk.  People will line up around the block in the middle of a blizzard if it starts with a lower case 'i'.

[JShankel]

11:04 PM on 01/25/2011

That's not gobbledygook.  Gobbledygook is meaningless.  "Synergize our core competencies to front burner strategic partner win-win scenarios" is gobbledygook.

This is clearly communication that takes place in a near, as opposed to far, field, as opposed to point.

[ej2pi]

12:52 PM on 01/27/2011

Perfect. 1331

[Aldo Rodriguez]

09:48 PM on 01/25/2011

I don't care what they bloody call it as long as I say: "Can you hear me now?" ; I better hear the person I'm talking to clearly say "Yes."