NFC TimesThe premier source for news, analysis and commentary on
Near Field Communication and all contactless technology

Riders in 5,000 taxicabs in the U.S. would be able to tap on NFC tags on video advertising screens to download apps, brand information, coupons, maps, music and videos, according to technology suppliers that have equipped the taxis for potential advertising campaigns.

Several recent announcements indicate that the market for NFC-enabled marketing campaigns in the UK is starting to gather steam.

Large outdoor media company Clear Channel will commercially launch its NFC-enabled outdoor advertising network in major cities in the UK in March.

The NFC-enabled outdoor campaign for the January 2013 release of the film Zero Dark Thirt

Marketers and distributors of the Australia release of the action movie Zero Dark Thirty are tapping NFC technology to help promote the film. 

Organizers of a recent NFC hackathon in London gave “kick-starter” funds to two teams of app developers and handed out other awards, all in an effort to bring the apps closer to a market launch.

The 36-hour NFC app development competition being organized by UK-based digital advertising agency Isobar for next month in London promises to be different from the other so-called “hackathons” Isobar put on in Boston and San Francisco last year.

UK-based payment card issuer and acquirer Barclaycard has joined the NFC Forum as a sponsor member, giving it a seat on the board of the standards and trade group, the forum announced today.

A small group of advertising agency staffers will be able to tap their NFC phones on smart posters in New York and Los Angeles starting next week to view videos clips of a reality TV show and link to the show’s Facebook page, according to UK-based NFC application provider Proxama.

In what could be a sign of things to come for NFC applications, some NFC phone users in London will be able to tap movie posters for the forthcoming film, X-Men: First Class, to view a preview clip and link to the film’s Facebook page.