One of the halo features of the Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich is Beam, which via NFC lets you tap two phones together to share a map, image, website, or link to an app. Sure, we got a look at it during the demo this morning, but we decided to track down two Galaxy Nexus devices (or Galaxy Nexi) and see the direct sharing ourselves. As you will see in the video after the break, the transfer of a map and a website was really seamless and to confirm the transfer you are required to tap once on the phone sending the info. There's no confirmation on the receiving phone, you do have to enable the Beam and NFC features in the settings. That seems like a solid amount of protection, and considering you have to physically tap the two phones together, we assume you'd know that something is being sent over to your handset. Hit the break to see it all in action.


Comments
There is a white Galaxy Nexus in a photo on Engadget. Or well, two of them side by side, back to back. It was a slide during the presentation. Hint hint.
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/10/samsunggalaxynexusliveblog1801.jpg
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 2:11 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Those aren’t white, the phone has a sort of metallic/aluminum look on the sides and back.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 2:20 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Those aren’t white, the phone has a sort of metallic/aluminum look on the sides and back.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 2:20 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Those are pretty clearly black with lighting on them.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 2:21 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Looks like a cool feature, but I don’t know how often I would use it since not everyone will have NFC and Ice Cream Sandwich.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 2:14 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
NFC and ICS will start to be standard. This is a Nexus developer device, so its going to be the platform for new devices in the future.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 2:22 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
NFC was in the Nexus S. How many OEM’s have adopted it so far?
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 3:00 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Don’t think they have much of a choice:
http://www.paywithisis.com/#/isis-story/
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 4:41 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Too bad it doesn’t grant me access to the other, cooler ISIS.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 6:03 PM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Too bad it doesn’t grant me access to the other, cooler ISIS.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 6:03 PM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
When Google Wallet or ISIS become standard for all carriers (either one, doesn’t matter) and readily available for vending machines, stores, etc. then it’ll be a big deal. Our huge grocery store here just installed all the new NFC payment devices (for Mastercard paypass) and their vending machines even have it. It will be nice to just tap the phone to the payment device and be done, no need to break out a wallet. Same for getting a soda at the machine — no more change or dollars to worry about.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 8:43 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Is anything about Beam open, a standard, or license-able? It seems like NFC payment will have to standardize to become popular, but it would be nice if lots more data could be wirelessly transmitted between devices from any platform.
Posted on Oct 20, 2011 | 9:38 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Beam is just their term for device-to-device with the Android OS, I believe. I don’t know what else they can do, but it’s basically you have to be extremely close (an inch or two) to take use of it.
Posted on Oct 20, 2011 | 10:01 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Beam is just their term for device-to-device with the Android OS, I believe. I don’t know what else they can do, but it’s basically you have to be extremely close (an inch or two) to take use of it.
Posted on Oct 20, 2011 | 10:01 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Agreed, this feature looks cool but I have a feeling that the number of times it is used will be pretty low.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 2:22 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Agreed, this feature looks cool but I have a feeling that the number of times it is used will be pretty low.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 2:22 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Poor webOS,
Feature after glorious feature getting plundered by OSes not owned by dimwits.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 2:18 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
shame half-pint doesn’t have to do with a lack of intelligence because it feels like an apt description of hache pee.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 2:26 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
shame half-pint doesn’t have to do with a lack of intelligence because it feels like an apt description of hache pee.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 2:26 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Looks like WebOS and Windows Phone get ‘flattered’ the most this update. To their credit, there were also plenty of new ideas.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 2:19 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
“Galaxy Nexi”….great latin skills Joanna! :-)
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 3:06 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
maybe not. at least if they are using it as a noun.
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/nexus
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 9:36 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
They handled those phones like Gambit from Xmen
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 3:07 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
will it work with Nexus S as well?
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 3:50 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
yes.. coz nexus s has nfc! :)
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 5:05 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
“and…BOOM there we go!” I love how satisfying it seems. hahaha
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 7:01 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
i can’t wait until someone develops the ability to play a friend in a multiplayer game and the only set up is the touch the phones together… that’ll be sweet.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 7:05 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
how is that any easier than just picking their name from a list of contacts? this is great for charging and sync, but making phones bump booties like this is pretty cumbersome.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 9:37 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
how is that any easier than just picking their name from a list of contacts? this is great for charging and sync, but making phones bump booties like this is pretty cumbersome.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 9:37 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
I’d be shocked if they actually have to physically touch, but the NFC antennas need to be within something like 10 inches or less of each other so my guess is the “bumping booties” part of it is just to reduce the number of people trying to share things out of range.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 11:21 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
makes senese. I never though about it as a way to make the range obvious to people.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 1:50 PM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
and… BOOM
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 8:41 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
i have a feeling im going to use this about as often as i use facetime and ping.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 8:50 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Beamin.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 9:12 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Beamin.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 9:12 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Points laser pointer at a girl
Girl: What are you doing?
Me: Hitting you with my love beam, now how ‘bout you beam your phone number this way?
—
it’s gonna work, I know it!
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 9:12 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Points laser pointer at a girl
Girl: What are you doing?
Me: Hitting you with my love beam, now how ‘bout you beam your phone number this way?
—
it’s gonna work, I know it!
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 9:12 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
You guys keep saying “boom”. It’s “beam”.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 10:11 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
boom headshot!
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 10:18 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
boom doin’ your mom.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 11:19 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
she’s got god mode on!
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 12:21 PM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Boom. Roasted [/Michael Scott]
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 4:57 PM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
The plural of nexus is nexuses or just nexus, not nexi.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 10:26 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
soo basically they stole this from hp
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 11:13 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
so basically they got this from an app called “bump” which you could say got the idea from Palm and the whole IR Beam to share “digital business cards”… HP probably got it from similar sources.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 11:17 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
“Wonder Twins Powers Activate”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 11:43 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
“Wonder Twins Powers Activate”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 11:43 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
I find it hard to believe that more than ten years after I thought it was really cool to "beam" things over IR with my palm pilot people are still getting excited about this ability.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 11:51 AM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
There are always cool features that don’t get noticed until they get the proper spotlight.
It doesn’t matter how useful the feature is, it has to be presented in a nice and neat package for people to take notice.
…that or PR people have to shove it in our face
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 1:08 PM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
It’s been in Japanese cell phones for a decade.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 10:03 PM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
And BOOM
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 3:26 PM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
I missed this feature on my touchpad because i don’t own a pre 3 (i own a windows phone).
Although this feature has been around for a while, it’s good to see google implementing it as part of the OS. With over 50% market share, this will be an useful feature once those androids are updated to ICS. I hope NFC is part of a hardware requirement for the ICS.
Posted on Oct 19, 2011 | 4:56 PM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
awesome
Posted on Oct 21, 2011 | 12:19 PM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Awsome….. too goood
Posted on Oct 21, 2011 | 12:19 PM EDT reply Recommend Flag actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed