14 DAY TRIAL // Near-field communication technology may not be usable for actual file transfers, because it needs a very short range and is not particularly smooth, but it can be used to enable devices to pair over a longer-range technology like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, mostly the latter.
That is what HP decided should be possible, so it installed NFC support on its latest enterprise printers and multi-function devices.
The feature is called HP Access Control 14 and allows user login credentials authentication by touching the NFC capable Android smartphone to the printer.
HP ePrint Enterprise 3.2 is now part of MobileIron's AppConnect mobility management platform as well.
Basically, this should increase your productivity in the office by a great deal, since it will allow you to print, scan, copy, fax and perform various other functions directly from the printer's 8-inch color screen.
An example of a printer that supports NFC use is the HP Color LaserJet Enterprise M651, which can print from phones / tablets via wireless direct options from HP ePrint and AirPrint.
Touch-to-authenticate technology also serves to ensure security of the devices and files. It may make it easier to authenticate, but in the end, you still need to provide credentials before being able to use the office appliances.