NFC is an extremely short-range (4.0 inches or 10 cm) wireless communication technology that dramatically simplifies the pairing of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices. Essentially, it enables devices to automatically recognize and pair with each other when they are in close proximity. This eliminates the typical multi-step manual pairing process between Bluetooth devices that could take consumers one to two minutes or longer to conclude, especially on their first attempt.

Check the video below (via Phonescoop.com) to see the how the NFC technology works with different devices, including the photo frame.

If you want to read more about the NFC technology, visit the the Near Field Communication (NFC) Forum.

The Philips The SHB9000 Bluetooth headphones announced at CES last week will stream sound from your mobile music-playing handsets as well as clear calls through a wireless Bluetooth connection. The SHB9000 Bluetooth headset features 40mm neodymium speakers and native MP3 decoding which according to Philips makes the sound quality the best ever.

The headphones also have SwitchStream letting you switch between incoming calls and music seamlessly, and also offer a subtle “side-tone” that lets you hear your own voice while talking on the phone as you would normally without wearing headphones. If you’ve ever talked on the phone while wearing over-the-ear headphones like these you will be very happy with this feature. They also will auto adjust the volume based on surrounding noise and filter out background noises and echoes.

The SHB9000 Bluetooth headset will be available for $129 later this year and also comes also in a corded model in case like them and don’t have Bluetooth, which will save you $30 with a $99 MSRP.

As a music and Philips enthusiast, I can wait to test this headphones.

Via gizmag.com.

Forty-eight new Bluetooth products were submitted for the contest in categories focusing on what consumers can do with the technology – talk on a headset, input information, listen to music, transfer information, or use in an industrial or other vertical environment. The Bluetooth SIG carefully tested each product and judged them on a variety of criteria, including compliance with Bluetooth SIG qualification standards, ease-of-use, look and feel and overall usability of the product as expected by the average consumer.

Bonus points were given to products complying with Experience Icon requirements. The Experience Icons make it simple to understand what a Bluetooth enabled device can do and how it will work with other devices for file transfers, printing, listening to music, talking on a headset or inputting information. Manufacturers are encouraged to use the icons on packaging of certified Bluetooth enabled products. Consumers can simply match Experience Icons to ensure a seamless wireless experience.

Winners of the Bluetooth SIG Best of CES contest are (finalists indicated in parentheses):

- Overall – Samsung P2 Widescreen Music Player
- Headset – Plantronics Voyager 855 Bluetooth Stereo Headset [finalist: Motorola MotoPURE H12]
- Input – Logitech Cordless Desktop MX5500 Revolution Keyboard [finalist: Newton Peripherals MoGo Mouse X54 Pro]
- Music – Parrot DS1120 Bluetooth Speakers [finalist: Samsung P2 Widescreen Music Player; honorable mention Motorola RAZR2 V9]
- Transfer – Motorola T815 [finalist: Samsung SGH-i617 Blackjack II]
- Vertical – Ford SYNC, powered by Microsoft Auto [finalist: Baracoda ScanWear; honorable mention Motorola MotoROKR T505]

“As we celebrate the 10th year of Bluetooth technology at the 40th annual CES, we continue to see a growing number of new Bluetooth devices, particularly in the home entertainment as well as sports and fitness arenas,” said Michael Foley, Ph.D., executive director of the Bluetooth SIG. “Throughout this year and next, our organization will be hard at work providing the tools for manufacturers to continue to innovate in these and other areas with high speed and ultra low power Bluetooth specifications, making Bluetooth technology the only wireless technology consumers need.”

The winning products will be featured on The News Market, a site for media professionals to download, search and get information quickly for upcoming stories, sent on a broadcast tour where the devices will be shown in top markets across the country, and highlighted in the Q2 issue of the Bluetooth SIG magazine, SIGnature, The Bluetooth Quarterly. These products will also be highlighted on www.bluetooth.com throughout January.

I will be attending CES 2008 (Consumer Electronics Show) next week and covering all of the latest Bluetooth announcements LIVE during the show. I will be at the show this Monday Jan 7th until Wednesday Jan 9th. We will be covering the Bluetooth scene but expect also to see other products and announcements that I think are of interest. This year, BlueAnt, Parrot, Jabra and Plantronics will be announcing dozens of new devices that will make the 10th anniversary of the Bluetooth technology a real show.

CES is the largest consumer electronics conference and always makes a splash in the news. The show begins on Sunday and lasts until Wednesday. Everybody who is anybody in the consumer electronics field will be there to show off what they have planned for 2008. This year looks to be the biggest ever so stay tuned for some great announcements.

Most Bluetooth headsets are perfectly capable of the voice dial, assuming that the connected cellular phone can do it, but the BlueAnt V1 takes voice control to a new high. The incredibly compact Bluetooth headset is being marketed as the first ever with a true voice-based user interface. The BlueAnt V1, first voice-controlled Bluetooth headset will be unveiled based on Sensory Inc.’s Blue Genie Voice Interface.

Instead of clicking a physical button to answer your calls, you simply speak into the microphone and say “accept call”. Other basic voice commands could include “volume up”, “reject call”, or “do the laundry”. Handsfree experience like that offered by the BlueAnt V1 can be excellent for drivers and other people who need their hands to be used while talk on the phone.

The BlueAnt V1 is also incredibly small, measuring just 41mm x 17.5mm x 11.2mm (1.6″ x .7″ x .5″) and weighing only 11g (.4oz). This small headset comes with a charger with a flip-out car adapter, and can also be charged via a standard miniUSB port.

The BlueAnt V1 has an estimated 6 hours of talk time. Pricing and availability are currently unannounced.

Check the press release below that will be released on Monday, 07 at the CES 2008 show to find more details about the new Sensory Technology and the BlueAnt V1.

Sensory, Inc., the leader in speech technologies for consumer products, today announced that BlueAnt, a leading manufacturer of Bluetooth peripherals, will use Sensory’s BlueGenie Voice Interface to deliver the BlueAnt V1, the first ever Bluetooth headset with a true voice user interface (VUI). The BlueGenie Voice Interface software suite enables manufacturers of Bluetooth products to integrate full voice control and synthetic speech output without the need for visual displays or complex user interfacing.

Users of the BlueAnt V1 will no longer deal with lengthy or confusing button pressing to access functionality. Instead, the VI can be controlled with simple phrases like “pair headset,” “call home,” “volume up” and “accept call.” When it comes to checking headset status it will not be necessary to interpret confusing beep sequences or LEDs. BlueGenie’s voice synthesis capability enables the V1 to speak back to the consumer, letting them know device settings including successful pairing of the headset, battery power level, etc.

“Improved safety functions and increased user friendliness have been strongly desired by Bluetooth headset customers,” said Taisen Maddern, CEO of BlueAnt. “With Sensory’s BlueGenie Voice Interface, we are bringing them what they have been waiting for with the ability to easily control their headset through voice providing a sleek and simplistic user interface unlike any other on the market.”

By eliminating the need to add buttons or displays, a voice user interface frees designers to pack functionality onto small form factor Bluetooth devices and answers consumer demand for a truly hands-free experience. For example, voice dial and call answering capabilities mean drivers can keep their hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the road. With added functionality, the headset market is poised to experience greater product differentiation which until now has been limited primarily to aesthetics.

“We are proud to partner with BlueAnt to bring the BlueGenie Voice Interface to the V1 headset,” said Todd Mozer, CEO of Sensory. “A voice user interface is completely natural to Bluetooth headsets which have little room for other means of input and output such as a keyboard or LCD.”

In September, Sensory announced the BlueGenie Voice Interface for CSR’s BlueCore-5-Multimedia silicon making it the first speech recognition software to be integrated on a Bluetooth chip.

About Sensory, Inc.

Sensory, Inc. is the leader in speech technologies for consumer products. Sensory is a profitable private company offering a complete line of IC and software-only solutions for speech recognition, speech synthesis, speaker verification, music synthesis and more. The company’s products are widely deployed in consumer electronics applications including telephones, home automation, toys, remote controls, automotive, security, and learning aids. Sensory’s customers represent the leaders in consumer electronics, including such companies as Hasbro, JVC, Kenwood, Mattel, Mitsubishi, Toshiba, Uniden and Sony. Sensory, Inc. is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, with additional offices in Portland, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Vienna. Visit www.sensoryinc.com for more information.

About BlueAnt Wireless

BlueAnt Wireless is a leading supplier of Bluetooth peripheral devices worldwide. BlueAnt’s product portfolio includes hands-free, stereo audio streaming and wireless communication products offering cutting-edge technology, design and features. With its Global Head Office in Melbourne, Australia, BlueAnt has offices in San Francisco and London.