According to a new study published by Juniper Research, the value of near-field communications (NFC) purchases, mobile-sourced money transfers, and mobile payments for digital and physical goods, will reach $670 billion by 2015. That’s a substantial jump up from the $240 billion Juniper Research has pegged for the total value of mobile payments this year. The research firm said that during the next 18 months, 20 countries will begin deploying NFC payment systems and services; transactions from those ser...

Remember Citigroup’s recent security breach? The firm originally said that 200,000 accounts — 1% of its customers — were compromised, but now Citi is going on record and saying that hackers gained access to a total of “360,083 North America Citi-branded credit cards.” Unfortunately, the company hasn’t provided any details on how the attack occurred, or who was behind it; the infamous hacking group LulzSec, which claimed responsibility for a number of recent high-profile targets inc...

A recent study conducted by payment solution provider Mobio Identity Systems suggests that North Americans are eager to see mobile payments become a reality. At the same time, however, security is a top concern for the majority of potential users. Mobio recently surveyed 1,085 people across North America and found that the overwhelming majority — 94% — would use mobile payments if they knew the system was secure. Mobio’s study also found that 73% of respondents said security was their main concern r...

Oh Google Maps, is there anything you can’t do? Via a blog post just moments ago, Google announced an incremental update to its Maps application for Android. The update, which is still technically in beta, brings real-time traffic routing right to your smartphone. “You don’t have to do anything to be routed around traffic; just start Navigation like you normally would, either from the Navigation app or from within Google Maps,” reads the announcement. “Before today, Navigation woul...

Earlier today, HTC’s Desire HD crossed the FCC’s desk with a welcomed surprise, North American 3G bands. The 4.3-inch device — which boasts a 1GHz processor, 720p video recording, Android 2.2, and much more — is rocking WCDMA bands II and V, which makes AT&T, Bell, Telus, and Rogers all potential suitors.Shortly after the news broke, a trusted BGR source came forward and stated that the device will definitely be hitting Canadian carrier Telus — an assertion blog Engadget al...

Today, via a press release, HTC announced that it would bring its compact, Android handset — the Wildfire — to “multiple regional North American carriers beginning in Q4 2010.” The Wildfire is a mid-range Android set with a 3.2-inch QVGA touchscreen display, 528MHz processor, 512MB ROM, 384MB RAM, 5 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi b/g, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS, 1300mAh battery, and Android 2.1 with Sense. The European and Asian Wildfire variants contain both 900/2100MHz HSPA and 850/900/1800/1900MHz...

Canada-based Nortel, once North America’s largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer, filed for bankruptcy in January 2009 after a turnaround effort failed. As part of its bankruptcy proceedings, Nortel will sell its LTE and CDMA assets to Nokia Siemens for a cool $650 million. The acquisition will improve Nokia Siemen’s position in both North America and the growing LTE business. The acquisition is subject to approval from both the US bankruptcy court and the Ontario Superior Court of Just...

As you might recall, when HTC unveiled the Touch Pro2 and Touch Diamond2 during this year’s Mobile World Congress, all HTC would commit to was a Q2 European release. Obviously not wanting to have another Touch HD fiasco on its hands, it was widely speculated that HTC would not be so foolish as to leave North Americans high and dry with another extremely attractive handset this time around. The problem however, was that many were concerned a North American version of the Touch Pro2 would arrive quite som...

Google employees might be getting lumps of coal in their Christmas stockings this year but we have a feeling our pals over at Nintendo will likely be getting regularly scheduled bonuses. We all know that Wii sales have been consistently and ridiculously strong but this past week has been nothing short of astounding here in the US for Nintendo. In the week ending December 20th, VG Chartz estimates Wii sales in the US alone at over one million units. Yes, that’s a one with six zeros after it. The holiday ...