Nook for Web brings Nook books to Web browsers

Nook for Web on a laptop

Barnes & Noble has introduced Nook for Web, which lets users access new digital content as well as their previously purchased eBooks on all PC and Mac-supported Web browsers. No sign-in or software download is required for Nook for Web, which is hosted on Barnes and Noble's library sites. Now readers without a Nook eReader can browse, sample, or purchase the millions of titles in Barnes & Noble's range.

Among the useful features of Nook for Web is the ability to switch between reading a book between your Nook tablet and Nook for Web, with the service keeping track of your place in the book. The majority of Nook eBooks have free samples available that can be read using Nook for Web by clicking on the new "Read Instantly" icons. The display can be toggled between showing a single page and a double page. Font size and style can also be customized to suit your preferences.

Screenshot of Nook for Web

Fans of social networks will be able to rate, review, share thoughts, or recommend eBooks without leaving the page being read and most of the supplementary material available on the Nook can also be accessed using Nook for Web. For those not especially keen to curl up in bed with their laptop, support is also coming this northern autumn to extend Nook for Web to Internet-enabled tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices. For the time being, NOOK for Web runs on Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari and Firefox browsers on Mac and PC.

Source: Barnes & Noble

Trekmates flameless camp cooking system

The Trekmates Flameless Heating System allows for cooking without the fire

The Trekmates system uses a chemical heating packet in place of a traditional fire. Place the packet in the plastic tray portion of the cooking flask or tin, and it begins heating when you add water. The food goes into the stainless steel bowl or cup, which fits atop the plastic heat tray. A lid locks the heat in. Within 7 to 10 minutes, you'll have a hot meal or beverage. The most powerful Super Power Heatpack reaches its maximum temperature of 90° C (194° F) in 15 minutes, providing 15 minutes of cook time at that temperature before cooling down.UK-based Trekmates offers a unique way to cook in the outdoors. Its Flamless Cook System eliminates the need to carry a stove or fuel canister and cooks your meals without fire. As such, it doesn't release any dangerous gas and can be used inside a tent.

A main advantage of the Flameless Cook System is being able to cook inside your tent. Due to the risk of fire and poisonous gas, you can't use the average camping stove inside the tent, meaning you have to cook outside even if it's cold, rainy or windy. Of course, depending upon location, cooking in your tent may not be a wise idea anyway because of bears and other animals.

Magnesium-based flameless ration heaters, which are similar, if not identical, to the heat packet Trekmates uses in its system, have been used by the US military for decades and are also available to consumers. Though the Trekmates system with its sturdy containers is a bit better integrated than some of the older, more basic flameless systems, it's not really the "revolution" that Trekmates claims.

It may not be as technologically-advanced as the Heatstick, but the Trekmates system is much cheaper. You can purchase a pack of five or seven heat packs for £10 (about US$15). Buyers can also select the 850-ml (30-fluid ounce) Cook Box for £30 ($45) or 360-ml (12.7-fluid ounce) Cook Flask for £20 ($30), both of which come with several heat packs.

Source: Trekmates via The GearCaster

Google launches Gmail SMS service in three African countries

Gmail SMS allows users of older and more basic cellphones located in Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya to access Gmail

While much of the developed world has grown used to high-speed internet access, the majority of the African continent remains without reliable and affordable internet, placing modern communication staples like email firmly out of reach to most. However, Google has recently announced Gmail SMS, a new service available in Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya, which brings Gmail to all cellphones capable of sending SMS text messages - no data connection required.

Google states that the only technical capability which cellphones must meet in order to use the service is the ability to send and receive SMS messages, allowing owners of even the most basic or venerable handsets to use email without the need for 3G, EDGE or any other form of data connection. This places the potential of email communication into millions more hands than before.

The Gmail SMS service works as follows: following an initial setup process which presumably does require internet access as it involves linking an existing Gmail account to the cellphone in question, Gmail SMS will then automatically forward emails received to the cellphone as SMS text messages.

In order to reply, one must simply respond with a standard text message. New messages sent via the Gmail SMS service will be received just like standard emails and will even pop up in the correct email conversation thread for the recipient, when applicable.

Finer control over the Gmail SMS service can be wielded within the cellphone itself by replying with SMS messages which contain commands such as MORE, PAUSE and RESUME. Google does not charge for the service, ensuring that users only need pay their usual SMS fee to send emails - receiving Gmail SMS messages is free.

There’s currently no word from Google as to whether it plans to roll out the service to other African countries. For detailed setup instructions, visit the source link below.

Source: Google Africa Blog, via GigaOM

Optrix adds wide-angle lens to iPhone action-cam case

Optrix XD Sport case fits the iPhone 4, 4S, and the iPod Touch 4G with a sled adaptor

Optrix has updated last year's Optrix HD sport case for the iPhone and iPod Touch with a 175-degree wide-angle lens version that helps put more of the action into focus - the Optrix XD.

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Compatible with the iPhone 4, 4S and iPod Touch, the Optrix XD Sport features a polycarbonate shell and rubberized inner case that's water resistant and built to MIL-STD-810F military specifications, meaning it's rugged enough to meet standards for all departments and agencies of the United States Department of Defense.

To capture the action, Optrix includes both flat and curved mounting plates, which attach to helmets, handlebars, dashboards and other surfaces with 3M industrial adhesive.

An all glass, three element, 175 degree wide-angle lens enhances the 1080p HD video captured by the iPhone and iPod Touch and a thin membrane protects the touchscreen while allowing you to fully operate the iPhone while the case is on.

As well as capturing extreme sports video, the rubberized iPhone case is easily pocketable without the mounts so it can be used as a conventional case.

The Optrix XD Sport is available for US$99. For the iPod Touch 4G, an additional sled adaptor is required.

Source: Optrix

Austrian algae biofuel-production technology to debut in Brazil

Austrian company See Algae Technology is going to debut its algae production and harvesting process in a biomass plant in Brazil (Image via Shutterstock)

The state of Pernambuco in Brazil’s northeast is going to become home to the country’s first algal biomass plant, thanks to an agreement between See Algae Technology (SAT), an Austrian developer of equipment for the commercial production of algae, and JB, one of Brazil’s leading ethanol producers. The plant will produce algal biomass from natural and genetically modified strains of algae.

So far, the cost of producing algae has been the biggest obstacle to bringing algae-based fuel to the market, but SAT has introduced a technology that has brought the price down to about that of ethanol - R$0.80 to $1.00 (US$0.40 - $0.50) per liter (around one quarter of a gallon). This is possible because production has been transferred from open air ponds to reactors of up to five meters (16.4 ft) in height, protecting algae from environmental interference.

It is in how light is distributed to facilitate algal reproduction that SAT’s main innovation lies. On ponds, only algae floating on the surface of the water are exposed to sunlight. The lower layers have to compete for light and nutrients, which results in a reduction of productivity. The company developed a solar prism that transfers light to reactors through optical fibers. This way, the reactors are illuminated from the inside, top down. At the Brazilian plant, tubes will connect them to the chimneys of the sugarcane mill next door where JB burns sugarcane bagasse (crushed, dry stalks of sugarcane), using the carbon dioxide generated by that process to feed the algae.

The new plant will make the most of algae's potential. One of the products to come out of it will be feedstock for animals, providing an alternative to soybeans. The process also yields algal lipids that can be used to make biodiesel and biochemicals. Algae are also a source of omega-3. As overfishing has become a serious environmental concern, algae are a more environmentally-friendly source of this nutrient, which is commonly sold as a supplement.

"We believe that this marks a significant step forward in the evolution of our company and validates both our exclusive technology and the commercial viability of algae, especially for use in feed and biofuels,” said Dr. Joachim Grill, SAT’s CEO.

The plant will occupy one hectare (2.5 acres) and the total investment is €8 million (US$9.81 million). SAT expects the unit to be producing 1.2 million liters (317,000 gallons) of biodiesel per year when it starts operating in late 2013.

Source: See Algae Technology

Samsung unveils flagship 75-inch 3D TV with gesture-controlled Angry Birds

The ES9000 will be sold for US$9,999 when it arrives in U.S. stores next month (ES8000 pictured)

Samsung has unveiled a new flagship 75-inch television, named the ES9000 LED Smart 3D TV. While the TV sports a curved bezel of just 0.31 inches (0.78 cm) and boasts plenty of on-board features, most eyes are turned toward the game that ships with the colossal product: a gesture-controlled version of Angry Birds. Though the ES9000 enjoys the benefit of debuting the gesture-controlled game, owners of existing Samsung Smart TV's will soon also get to battle those perennially pesky critters while gesticulating wildly, as the new iteration of the title will eventually be rolled out to both the Plasma 8000 and Samsung's 2012 LED 7500, and superior, models.

The ES9000 will retail at an eye-watering US$9,999 when it arrives in some U.S. stores next month and for all those hard-earned dollars, the consumer receives some top-end features, such as an integrated camera for use with video calling apps like Skype, in addition to Samsung's Micro Dimming Ultimate and Precision Black Local Dimming technology. As part of the Smart TV range, the ES9000 also receives the complete suite of Smart TV features, which include voice-control, facial recognition software, gesture control and apps like Facebook and Tetris.

Samsung’s new TV also includes Sound Share, which uses Bluetooth in order to hook up TV audio to the company’s various Wireless Audio Dock models, and there’s also a generous four pairs of 3D glasses thrown in for good measure. Most importantly, however, is Samsung’s word that the ES9000 has the best picture quality currently available on any Samsung LED TV.

Though the ES9000’s high price hinders widespread adoption, its release with a big name title such as Angry Birds, in addition to a novel new control method, does perhaps signal Samsung’s continued commitment to its Smart TV platform and will help the company keep ahead of the game in that area - a head start which could prove all-important should the long-rumored Apple "iTV" finally materialize.

There's no word from Samsung yet as to the ES9000's wider availability in other regions, but U.S. residents with a large enough wall (and wallet) will be able to purchase the TV in August from selected retailers.

Source: Samsung

Lotus leaf inspires Finnish researchers to develop optical display from water and air

Researchers in Finland developed optical displays from water and air using a dual-scale surface

The surface was placed inside a container filled with water and featured microposts of ten micrometers (approx. 0.0004 inch) in size and tiny nanofilaments grown on the posts. This type of two-level surface allows the air layer to exist in two different shapes that correspond to the two size scales. Using a nozzle, the scientists succeeded in switching between dry and wet states by creating excessive or insufficient pressure in the water in order to change the air layer to either state. The switching only involves a change in the shape of the air layer while nothing actually happens to the solid surface itself, allowing them to write shapes on the surface underwater by making use of the contrast between the states. It can be done with precision, pixel-by-pixel. The whole “screen” then can be deleted by removing it from water. The surface comes out dry, with no sign of writing on its surface.Researchers at Aalto University in Finland have discovered a novel way to write and present information using only water and air. They used the water-repelling properties of the lotus leaf as inspiration for an experiment with a superhydrophobic (“water-repelling”), dual-scale surface that allows the writing, erasing, rewriting and storing of optically displayed information in plastrons related to different length scales. The research was carried out in partnership with the Nokia Research Center and University of Cambridge and was led by Dr. Robin Ras at Aalto University.

The lotus leaf has been a source of inspiration for several research projects, thanks in part to its structure which grants it its remarkable water-repellence properties. What this new research reveals is that there is a strong optical contrast between dry and wet states thanks to a difference between the microscopic structures and the nanoscopic structures on the surface of the former, which enables a clear display of information.

“Because each wetting state remains stable (no energy is needed to maintain the wetting states, only to switch between them), such surface can also act as a bistable memory that can be easily readable, even by eye,” Dr. Rai told Gizmag.

An in-depth article entitled Reversible switching between superhydrophobic states on a hierarchically structured surface appeared in PNAS last week.

The video below illustrates the experiment.

Source: Aalto University.

Microsoft unveils Windows Phone 8

The Windows Phone 8 experience mirrors that offered by the desktop and tablet versions of Windows 8

Microsoft has certainly been keeping us all on our toes as of late, and just a couple of days after its big Surface tablet reveal, the Redmond-based team are back in the headlines – this time appearing at the Windows Phone Summit to spill the goods on Windows Phone 8, due for release sometime in the final quarter of this year. So what's new? Well, quite a lot actually.

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The most immediate change apparent in Windows Phone 8 is a re-designed Start Screen, which now more closely resembles the user experience (UI) offered by the desktop and tablet iterations of Windows 8. However, these similarities go more than skin deep and Microsoft states that each device running Windows 8 will share a common Core – essentially enabling developers to write apps for each device easier than before. This unification of the Windows platform on all devices appears to be a primary goal for the company going forward.

In addition to the new UI overhaul, Skype will be more fully baked into Windows Phone 8 in order to offer a better experience to users of the VoIP service recently acquired by Microsoft. Incoming calls from Skype and other VoIP services are said to "feel like any other call" and, from the screenshots we've seen thus far, the implementation of this does indeed look very slick.

Bing Maps has been jettisoned in favor of Nokia Maps and Navigation. The new navigation system will feature turn-by-turn instructions and also boast 3D-Mapping and an option to store maps offline. The general consensus seems to be that Nokia's existing mapping capabilities are very good and so this will hopefully prove to be a smart move by Microsoft.

Aiming to leverage its vast office-based market, Microsoft will ship Windows Phone 8 with several business-friendly features which include device encryption, remote management and an all new Company Hub – allowing you to take the job home with you more fully than ever before. In a good way, of course ...

The Wallet hub will support NFC payments as well as the ability to store credit card information, membership cards and so forth. It looks much like a mash-up of Google's NFC payments and Apple's Passbook, and signals the big push coming from the mobile technology sector for this kind of modern wallet-free technology to become commonplace.

Existing Windows Phone users may feel less cause for celebration, as there will not be an upgrade path available to those using Windows Phone 7. The sting is taken out of this somewhat by a promised software update for users of the older devices, which will bring the mobile operating system much of the sheen of its younger replacement, including the redesigned Start Screen.

We reached out to Microsoft for a comment regarding the lack of upgrade possibility for Windows Phone 7 users and a representative confirmed that it simply wasn't feasible to bring the features to the older hardware, stating:

"Many of the new capabilities in Windows Phone 8 are hardware related; things like multicore support, near-field communication (NFC), even the graphics elements rely on hardware that is simply not present in existing Windows Phone devices. So doing the work to get the full Windows Phone 8 release as an upgrade to existing devices just didn’t make sense. Multicore and NFC support don’t add any value to a phone without the hardware to use them. We decided instead to focus on making Windows Phone 8 the best release for the upcoming generation of hardware AND bring some of the marquee features (like the new Start Screen) to existing devices."

The following technical details leaking in from the Summit further cement this notion:

Multi-core processors will now be supported

Larger screen resolutions, up to high definition 720p

Removable Micro-SD cards for the storing of media files

NFC wireless sharing to be implemented

Clearly Microsoft feels that to catch up with the big players in the smartphone scene like Apple and Samsung, some hard sacrifices are going to need to be made. We'll get to decide for ourselves if the company is right later this year.

Source: Windows Phone Blog via The Verge

driSuit case keeps your iPhone "dri" underwater

The driSuit Endurance smartphone case allows people to access all of their iPhone's touchscreen controls while underwater

People just love their iPhones ... sometimes to the point where they don’t want to stop using them when they enter the water. That’s why the driSuit Endurance was invented. It’s a water- and shockproof case for the iPhone 4 and 4S, that allows users to still take advantage of all of the phone’s touchscreen controls – even when underwater.

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Needless to say, there are tons of rugged and/or waterproof smartphone cases already on the market. One of the things that sets the Endurance apart, however, is its proprietary fluidic touchscreen. This consists of transparent inner and outer membranes with a clear inert fluid sandwiched between them. It sits in place over top of the phone’s existing screen, allowing users to access all of its features – although they may have to press a bit harder than usual. Additionally, when used underwater, the iPhone may take up to 20 seconds to “electronically acclimate” to the fluidic touchscreen.

Besides allowing for touchscreen functionality, the Endurance’s screen also provides the phone’s display with some protection against impacts and scratches. Shocks and vibrations are soaked up somewhat, by a soft plastic lining inside the case.

Should underwater users not be content with things like taking photos and checking their email while below the surface, they can also use the case’s waterproof headphone receptacle to listen to music ... assuming they have waterproof earphones, that is, which driSuit Technologies also sells.

The staff there inform us that the Endurance is rated to a depth of one meter (3.28 feet), although they factory test their units down to five meters (16.4 ft) for one hour. That sounds good for people like snorkelers and surfers, although scuba divers might want something that can go considerably deeper, such as the TAT7 iPhone Scuba Case – although that case only allows users to take photos, using mechanical button controls.

The Endurance is available now for US$59.95, and can be seen getting put through its paces in the video below.

Source: driSuit Technologies via Photojojo

iPhone-enabled Kick photography light reproduces light in any color

Featuring full spectrum LEDs, the Kick boasts adjustable color temperature and can be used to add any color to your photos

Lighting is possibly the single most important aspect of good photography and filmmaking, yet it's frequently overlooked and considered the reserve of professionals. This is a shame, because you don't need a professional lighting setup to see a marked improvement in your shots. The Kick is a budget full-spectrum lighting studio which can fit in your pocket and is controlled by your iPhone.

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The Kick, from Rift Labs, is a lightweight photo/video light which promises to help you take better pictures and make better videos with anything from your smartphone to DSLR. Featuring full spectrum LEDs, the Kickstarter project boasts adjustable color temperature and can be used to add any color to your photos. It can even be used to produce animated light effects for your videos.

While at first glance the Kick (which is available in two versions) looks like any other LED photo light, closer examination shows it's anything but. Buttons around the frame allow for adjusting brightness and color temperature, and the Kick can also be controlled by an iPhone. Well, technically it can be controlled anything with a WiFi connection … but there's currently only an iPhone app.

Using the iPhone app to control the Kick, users can select LED output with a color picker, and adjust brightness or color temperature. Typical uses for photography would be adding a color hue or combating nasty lighting conditions. The Kick, which can hold an iPhone in a slot on the rear while leaving the camera lens exposed, also features a tripod mount so that it can be positioned without causing unnecessary strain to your arm.

The iPhone app can also be used to take photos or record video, all while still giving easy access to the functions of the Kick. A menu allows users to adjust the light output, select colors, control multiple Kick lights and access animated lighting effects. Effects could simulate the color of a lightning storm, or the flickering of a fire - things which would be harder and more expensive to add in post-production.

The Kick, which is currently heading towards a Kickstarter goal of US$115,000, can also sample light from any video, or directly from the iPhone camera itself. Users move the cursor over the light effect they want to sample and it will stream it directly to the device. A pledge of $149 will currently get you a Kick Plus (the full version) while $89 gets you the Kick Basic Early Bird, which only has white lights and does not include WiFi.

Source: Rift Labs via Kickstarter

Here's the Kickstarter video of the Kick photography light.

LumaHelm: A bright idea for head protection

The LumaHelm, minus its translucent cover

The trio of Wouter Walmink, Alan Chatham and Floyd Mueller started with an off-the-rack bicycle helmet. They made sure not to modify its basic structure, so that the finished product would still meet safety standards. They did, however, proceed to cover it with strips of LED lights, which were wired together and hooked up to an onboard Arduino Uno microcontroller board. The entire outer surface of the helmet was then covered with a vacuum-formed translucent shell.Some readers may recall the Torch T1, a prototype bicycle helmet we recently featured. It incorporates light panels on the front and back, to make sure that cyclists get noticed by drivers when riding at night. Well, while it may seem to offer quite the light display, it's decidedly subtle compared to the LumaHelm. Designed by a team of researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology’s Exertion Games Lab (which previously brought us the Joggobot), it’s a bike helmet covered with an array of 104 multicolored programmable LEDs.

Using the Processing open-source programming language on a linked computer, the Arduino can be programmed to create almost any lighting pattern – moving or static – that the user wishes.

The LumaHelm also contains an accelerometer, which allows the wearer to control the lights via head movements. Presently, this lets users activate flashing “turn indicator” light patterns by purposefully tipping their head left or right, or activate a solid rear “brake light” by tipping their head back.

Down the road, the team hopes that the technology could also be used on other types of helmets, allowing people such as construction workers or rock climbers to communicate non-verbally, giving freestyle skateboarders another avenue of self-expression, or perhaps even allowing athletes to display their heart rate.

There’s no word at this point on the possibility of a commercially-available product. In the meantime, however, you can see it in action in the video below.

Source: Exertion Games Lab via The Age

Smart TV alliance formed in attempt to forestall another format war

A Smart TV Alliance was formed so apps can be developed that run on all compliant TVs

Smart TV manufacturers are making a smart move. Instead of offering competing technologies for connected TVs, they're looking to partner and form a universal platform. While manufacturers are currently pushing Smart TV technology as a way to sell more sets, the competing platforms being developed by individual manufacturers leads to consumer confusion and requires developers to customize their apps for different platforms. In order to develop a standard that can create a thriving ecosystem for developers, a number of TV manufacturers have established the SMART TV Alliance and are looking to bring competitors into the fold.

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The problem is clear. With TVs becoming more and more connected and integrating more online features such as content delivery services and apps, each consumer electronics manufacturer developing its own Smart TV platform could be the dawn of a new format war. We've seen this several times in connection with the TV. In the late 70s and 1980s it was Betamax versus VHS and more recently we had HD DVD and Blu-Ray facing off. In both cases, the latter won out, but if manufacturers stand off against each other, it's not only the manufacturers but also the consumers that ultimately lose.

The mission of the Smart TV Alliance is to create a platform that will operate across all Smart TVs, which would ultimately result in a greater amount of content for all devices. The Smart TV Alliance was formed under the motto "build once, run everywhere," which means that developers interested in creating apps for Smart TVs can create one app that will run on all compliant Smart TVs.

Founding members of the Alliance are LG Electronics and TP Vision, which represents Philips TV. A handful of Japanese TV manufacturers are also said to be making steps to join.

"Before today, the Smart TV industry was a very difficult market for both TV manufacturers and application developers as TVs from different brands used different platforms and technologies," says Bong-seok Kwon of LG Electronics and president of the Smart TV Alliance. "Smart TV Alliance creates a larger playing field which encourages developers to create more and better TV applications at the same time giving manufactures and consumers the richest source of movies-on-demand, music services, games, social networking and more."

While developers would appreciate a unified ecosystem for developing apps for the Smart TV platform, the Alliance also clears any confusion that consumers might also experience. Each Smart TV manufacturer might still have its own app store, but in the future, there could also be one general Smart TV app store. There won't be an issue of whether a particular app will work on a particular TV.

Manufacturers will also benefit from reduced development costs associated with creating their own platform. "Instead of spending valuable time on porting and testing on different platforms, developers can focus their creativity solely on realizing apps that consumers will enjoy. Now we can really make it interesting and fun for everybody," says Alain Perrot of TP Vision, and a Smart TV Alliance Executive board member.

In an effort to attract new partners to join, the organization has established Smart TV Alliance Consortium. The consortium's primary objective is to help define technical specifications that will enable application developers to create their applications once and run them on multiple TVs regardless of the platform.

An initial goal of the Alliance is to make the first version of its SDK available for free on its website so developers can get started on applications. The SDK is based on open web technologies such as HTML 5, and allows for developed web applications to run on Smart TVs from participating members. The first version, SDK 2.0, is expected to be released at the end of the year, in order for developers to create applications for 2013 model TV sets from participating Alliance members. Registration for the SDK is currently open on the Smart TV Alliance website.

While it remains to be seen if all major manufacturers will get on board, developers and consumers should be crossing their fingers they do.

Source: Smart TV Alliance

Samsung TecTiles: User programmable NFC stickers automate smartphone functions

Samsung's TecTiles are programmable NFC stickers that can be used to automate various smartphone functions

Working in conjunction with the free TecTile programming application running on an NFC-enabled Android smartphone, Samsung envisages individuals automating everyday functions, such as launching an app, sending an “at home” text message when walking in the door, putting the phone on silent, or dimming the display and setting an alarm when climbing into bed. Businesses, meanwhile, would be able to let customers check-in on Facebook or foursquare, or connect to Wi-Fi to download content or discount offers.Despite increasing numbers of smartphones sporting near field communication (NFC) functionality, the technology hasn’t really set the world on fire just yet. The simple fact is that, apart from the limited rollout of cashless transaction systems from the likes of Visa, Google and Orange, there’s still not a hell of a lot that these NFC capabilities can be used for. Samsung is looking to change this with the introduction of NFC stickers called TecTiles that can be programmed to automate various smartphone functions.

While Samsung has said it would like to offer cross-category programming in the future, initially the programming will be limited to combining functions within four separate categories. These are:

Settings & Applications

• Change phone settings (Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi, ringer/media volume, screen brightness, etc.)
• Launch an application
• Join a Wi-Fi Network
• Show a message

Communication

• Make a call
• Send a text message
• Start a Google Talk conversation
• Share a contact or business card

Location & Web

• Show an address on a map
• Open a web page
• Foursquare or Facebook check-in

Social

• Automatic Facebook "Like"
• Update Facebook status
• Post a tweet or follow a contact on Twitter
• Connect on LinkedIn

Once a TecTile has been programmed, it can be read by any NFC-enabled smartphone, including non-Samsung devices such as the HTC One X or LG Optimus Elite. Individual TecTiles can also be reprogrammed, however, the programming can be locked to prevent nefarious types from making changes.

Launching alongside the Galaxy S III, Samsung is selling TecTiles in packs of five for US$14.99.

Source: Samsung