NFC (Near Field Communication) questions

I know this isn't necessarily a "tech" forum, but there are a ton of users and I'm hoping someone can throw out some useful info or at least point me in the right direction. I just purchased a phone that has NFC capabilities (still in the mail) and am trying to figure some stuff out regarding the NFC. I've learned a lot about it and am looking forward to using tags as a method for changing my profiles based off of my location (car, bed, work), but am also interested in using it for other purposes.

I carry several NFC type items and am wondering if my phone can "learn" the transmitter info for these items. I have seen the use of google wallet for credit cards, so that is a nice option, but I also carry a mass transit pass that uses (what I assume is) NFC to scan into and out of stations. Can my phone learn the information on that card and act as that card? Also, my car has intellikey, where I can just walk up to the car and the door unlocks when I grab the handle as long as the key is in my pocket. I believe this also uses a sort of NFC. Can this be duplicated? I'm very interested in incorporating everything I can in my phone.


Sorry for the lengthy post and hope someone out there can help me. Thanks.

What you are asking is possible, and some countries have it working. It is more on an issue of the retailer or transit setting it up rather than your phone doing it.

What type of car do you have? Are you sure it actually uses NFC? I am betting it doesn't for a couple of reasons. NFC has a really short range (inches at best) so you would litterly have to basically touch the key to a place on the car to make it work. Also most of the tag antennas a kind of big at this point. Most tags can also easily be duplicated so it would be a pretty major security problem, especially considering how many NFC devices are coming on to the market now.

I believe it will be possible for your phone to learn the tag from your Transit card, if it actually uses NFC. There are lots of other technologies that are like NFC but not, so make sure. I am just getting into NFC stuff with my Nexus 7. So far payments are pretty cool with it.

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Quote from LiquidRetro : What type of car do you have? Are you sure it actually uses NFC? I am betting it doesn't for a couple of reasons. NFC has a really short range (inches at best) so you would litterly have to basically touch the key to a place on the car to make it work. Also most of the tag antennas a kind of big at this point. Most tags can also easily be duplicated so it would be a pretty major security problem, especially considering how many NFC devices are coming on to the market now. I believe it will be possible for your phone to learn the tag from your Transit card, if it actually uses NFC. There are lots of other technologies that are like NFC but not, so make sure. I am just getting into NFC stuff with my Nexus 7. So far payments are pretty cool with it.

Thanks for the responses. I'm assuming you are right about the car not using NFC, and more likely some sort of radio. I originally assumed NFC because I have to be within arms distance of the car, but that is much too far it sounds like. The card is the DC metro smartrip card, and I can't figure out what technology it uses. I'll keep searching though.