A while back, we reported that a tech blogger discovered some NFC functionality on the Google+ mobile app. Google has also been actively implementing the technology for its Google Wallet and Google Places services.

With our favorite search company placing bets on NFC, it’s no surprise Sony Ericsson wants in on the action. According to Steve Walker, global head of marketing at Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, mobile payments will be the “first and most obvious” use for his company’s implementation of NFC. Don’t be surprised to see the technology come to life in gaming and entertainment applications either, since that’s how Sony Ericsson differentiates its phone from others.

He adds: “NFC should be universally adopted across all industries. It requires somebody to take the lead. We saw it happening in Japan where mobile payment and ticketing technology was adopted quickly when the government took the lead. Train companies, banks and retailers followed suit. Mobile phone companies are waiting to make the plunge.”

Looks like Steve found his leading man.

Alongside Google, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications is also a principal member of the NFC forum, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing NFC technology. The forum boasts sponsor members like MasterCard and Microsoft, and principal members like Intel, PayPal, and American Express (more on membership schemes here).

With other major mobile players like HTC, Samsung, Motorola, and Nokia already producing or about to release NFC-enabled phones (see list of phones), Sony Ericsson is late on arrival, although their arrival at the hot tub party will certainly be welcomed by NFC proponents.

The only party-pooper? Apple. GigaOM has a nice article that documents the rumor mill surrounding whether iPhone 5 will be NFC-enabled, although the author also said that it “makes sense” for iPhone 6, set for launch in 2012, to be the first Apple phone with NFC capabilities. That will put it behind the competition though.

Much of the information on this list is compiled from Famecount, a website that finds out who are the stars of social media. This post is also inspired by a similar list on Malaysian brands that was created by GreyReview.

Star of the month: Justin Ng Photography continues meteoric rise, moving from 24th position in August 22 to 13th position in November.

Fast food battle: Pizza Hut enters the chart at 23rd position, KFC rises two spots, McDonald’s fall two spots.

Outside looking in: Subway Singapore (55,788), CozyCot.com (53,845), Electronic Arts (EA) Singapore(51,028), ShopLah! (50,614)

Front page photo: Denis Dervisevic

Know of a business Facebook page that should be here? Drop us a comment!

Our friends at Tech65 starts off this week with their weekly podcast on the following issues that dominated the tech landscape: [1] Google takes on Facebook and Twitter with network site, [2] Google Buzz: Privacy nightmare, [3] Windows Phone 7 Series, [4] Samsung Wave / Bada Exclusive First Look, [5] Intel and Nokia’s MeeGo Join a Brewing OS War, [6] HTC Legend, Desire and HD Mini, [7] Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini and Xperia X10 mini pro and [8] Auto login for Wireless@SG – at last. Do click and check out their latest podcast here. You can now also listen to the Tech65 podcast here as well by coming to the blog post directly.

Our friends at Tech65 start their weekly podcast on the following issues that dominated the tech landscape last week: [1] SingTel vs Local iPhone Developers, [2] MOE Adopts Open Standard Internet Email and Collaboration Services for Over 30,000 Teachers, [3] Sony Ericsson’s motion activated MH907 headset could change things forever (update: or not), [4] Phoenix Instant Boot BIOS starts loading Windows in under a second and the Byte of the Week: Chrome Frame on IE. Do click and check out their latest podcast here.

Our friends at Tech65 start their weekly podcast on the following issues that dominated the tech landscape last week: [1] Wireless@SG Extends to March 2013, [2] Starhub launched an application development campaign for Android, [3] Twitpocalypse hits the Twitterverse, [4] iPhone 3.0 OS Upgrade is Out with some Pros & Cons, [5] Singtel Launches Singtel AMped – Singtel Unlimited Music Downloads, [6] The flood of phones that was released in Singapore, [7] Nokia Release, [8] Samsung Release – Samsung Jet, [9] Sony Release – Satio, Aino & Yari, MonthOfSmartPhones Discussion: [10] Week 3 – Choosing the right Windows Mobile Phone, and Byte of the Week: Yahoo Mobile. Do click and check out their podcast.

Our friends at Tech65 start their weekly podcast on the following issues that dominated the tech landscape last week: [1] Exclusive Samsung i7500 Android hands-on (their video got honourable mentions on Engadget and Gizmodo last week), [2] Sony Ericsson’s new Theme Creator, [3] Amazon launches the Kindle DX, [4] DJ Hero, Band Hero and Guitar Hero 5 announced, [5] Windows 7 RC1 given extension well into 2010, but will shut down every two hours after March 2010, [6] iPhone 3.0 to have parental control for apps, [7] CodeXtremeApps 2009 and [8] Nokia’s Developer summit 2009 – (i) Prologue (ii) Day 1 (iii) Nokia N97, N-gage and Symbian and [9] Microsoft Dreamspark – Free Microsoft Developer tools for students and the Byte Of The Week: TokBox.com. Our editor, BL is the guest for this week’s Tech65. Do click and check out their podcast.

Our friends at Tech65 start their weekly podcast on the following issues that dominated the tech landscape last week: [1] Google unwraps Cupcake, announces preview of Android 1.5, [2] Samsung Singapore introduces 50, 70 and LD Series LCD monitors, [3] Sony Ericsson says no Android phone anytime soon, [4] HTC Diamond 2 and HTC Pro 2 announced for Singapore, [5] Sony lauches Walkman W-series. Followed by Stories: [6] Pirate Bay loses trial for now, [7] Mobile Telephone Plans. – Dad hammers Wyo. teen’s phone after mega-bill and the Byte of the week (a) Programmer’s Notepad (on Windows) and (b) TextWrangler (for OS X). Do click and check out their podcast.

Our friends at Tech65 start their weekly podcast on the following issues that dominated the tech landscape last week: [1] InteresThink3, [2] Open Handset Alliance, [3] Sony Ericsson, HTC say new Android-powered handsets due next year, [4] Android Dev Phone 1, [5] Google takes Chrome out of beta, [6] Fastest Storage in the World, [7] Nvidia is slated to announce newest graphics card, two bolted together 260s, [8] Happy 40th birthday to Mouse and Byte of the week : Soup.io. Do click and check out their podcast.

Our friends at Tech65 start their weekly podcast on the following issues that dominated the tech landscape last week: [1]iPhone 3G Preview from Blog2u, [2]Creative Introduces the Sound Blaster Play! [3]Creative announces Zen Mosaic, [4]mioTV gets more channels that people actually care about, [5]Sony Ericsson unveils 3 new phones, [6]Sony Reader goes open, will be able to work with other booksellers, [7]Voodoo products get a place in HP catalogs and the Byte of the Week : AVG Free Anti-virus. Do click and check out their podcast.