14 DAY TRIAL // NFC is not all that useful for file transfers, given the very close proximity it relies on, but it can be a wonderfully convenient tool when pairing two Bluetooth-connected devices. ASUS has just launched the first Bluetooth 4.0 headset featuring this capability.
NFC stands for near-field communication and is a wireless connectivity technology that works over a distance of a centimeter or two.
Nowadays, it is used for automatic pairing of phones, tablets, Bluetooth gadgets and any combination thereof.
Just touch the things together and voila! Bluetooth comes in and establishes a link between them. It's basically a way to instantly bypass the tedious process of going through the OS on both devices and initiating a search for others in range.
ASUS has just released the first Bluetooth 4.0 headset with NFC: the EB50N.
This headphone set is quite compact, the one that keeps the ear buds in place by hanging over the ear lobe. ASUS even provides buds of three different sizes.
In addition to NFC, the ASUS EB50N NearField Stereo Headset features Enhanced Data Rate (EDR), which maximizes sound quality and energy efficiency at the same time.
There's also Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP), which allows the headphones to receive input, at the same time, from multiple sources, in this case three. So if you have more than one smartphone, tablets, notebooks or MP3 players nearby, you can have three of them linked at the same time.
So you can, say, speak to two people at once while listening to music, and you can even put one person on hold to have a private chat with someone else.
The EB50N has a LED indicator and the power button on the left headphone, while a micro USB port (for fast charging) is on the right one. A durable braided cable connects the headsets to a built-in microphone (full track selection, volume, and play/pause controls included).