The nabi DreamTab has Near Field Communication, so What is This?

One of the communication methods that the nabi DreamTab has, along with more standard ones such as WiFi, Bluetooth and ports, is Near Field Communication, or NFC, so just what is this?

This wireless communications method is rarely seen in children’s tablets, with it being common only in nabi tablets. NFC is wireless, like Bluetooth and WiFi, but it is much shorter range and much more secure. Its most usual use is in contactless payment methods, but it can also be used to share data, such as contacts, videos and files, between two NFC-equipped devices.

NFC is lower speed than WiFi, so it isn’t really suitable for transferring large amounts of information – or surfing the internet, which isn’t really feasible, due to its range. NFC only works for two devices that are within 4 cm of each other.

The utility of NFC on the DreamTab, given that there are so few children’s tablets that use it, is fairly limited. It is best used for transferring data from one nabi tablet to another, given that nabi tablets are the only ones that commonly have NFC.