The NFC dream would appear to be in tatters at the moment, as data shows that our use of the niche wireless payment system has plummeted by around 40 per cent in terms of transaction value over the last year. We literally can't be bothered working it all out. Read More >>

PayPal's location-based payment system is set to launch in the UK this summer, letting those not angrily boycotting the company pay for their stuff without need for cash, cards, chips, PINs, NFC or even a cheque. It'll just work. Read More >>

Bad news for those who'd like to see NFC phone payments like Google Wallet actually take off in the UK. The Tesco retail juggernaut has basically said it's a load of crap, and that it's already out of date. It's just not "cool" enough, apparently. Read More >>

Yes! Awesome news! There's now yet another new way to utterly bewilder the poor old lady in the newsagent by waving your telephone at her instead of handing over some money, thanks to Trinity Mirror going it alone and launching a bespoke mobile app that lets you pay for its newspapers using your mobile. Read More >>

Forget the masses of differing complicated NFC virtual wallets that no one seems to want to use, there's about to be an exciting new modern payment method in town -- the humble SMS message. Read More >>

Normally you hear about NFC in some kind of "mobile payments" context, but that's not the only place it could shake things up. Hyundai is working on some new prototype tech that could have you using your NFC smartphone as the keys to your car. Read More >>

Not everybody has the available floor space or audiophilic conviction for 9.1 surround sound — sometimes just a sound bar or even headphones may suffice. With the wall of sound-producing devices that LG just unveiled, finding a system to match your situation should be a cinch — even if it is 9.1 surround. Read More >>

Oyster-haters, rise up: your time is here. As of RIGHT NOW, you can pay for your bus travel (within London) using a NFC card or smartphone of your choosing. I can barely contain myself. Read More >>

Visa's V.me mobile payments system has been undergoing trials for quite some time, with the alternative to Paypal soon to offer RBS and NatWest customers a new, one-click way to pay for stuff while browsing the web on their mobiles. Read More >>

Google Wallet is getting an overhaul, and Google has started accepting requests for invites to the new incarnation of its mobile payment platform. While there aren't any details about what exactly will be new about the upcoming wallet, the invite process asks you whether you're using Android, iOS, or "other devices," which indicates some big changes allowing the system to work across platforms. Read More >>

TouchPay is a new system of managing NFC payments, designed for iPhone 4 and 4S users who don't mind the social stigma that comes from having a pretty shameful plastic case known as the iCarte covering their fancy telephones. Read More >>

Pushing war and world hunger to the back of the line, the next important issue that technology is tackling is mismatched and missing socks. A company called Blacksocks has developed what it's claiming are the world's first smart socks that make them virtually impossible to mis-match, and incredibly easy to find in a basket overflowing with laundry. Read More >>

Taking the awwww approach to earn your affection, Sony is staking a claim in the crowded compact Bluetooth speaker market with its adorable new SRS-BTV5. At roughly the size of a snooker ball, what the 1.2-watt speaker lacks in oomph, it makes up for with functionality. Read More >>

When is an NFC antenna not an NFC antenna? When it's reportedly attached to an iPhone 5. Contrary to recent speculation, Apple's newest handset will not feature an NFC payment system. Read More >>

We were pretty positive this allegedly leaked iPhone 5 chip was not actually an NFC chip. We weren't sure what it actually was. Now, MacRumors is claiming that, according to RepairLabs, it's just a boring earpiece speaker. Read More >>