Google Wallet Launches With $10 Credit

Following up on our digital wallet discussion yesterday, CWmike writes "Google officially launched its Google Wallet application today for NFC-ready Sprint Nexus S 4G phone users. The application launches initially for Citi MasterCard credit card holders, but Google also said today that Visa, Discover and American Express will be able to add their cards to future versions of Google Wallet. The application, first announced in May, was described in an official blog post. Visa said in a separate statement that it has licensed Google to use Visa's PayWave technology, used in 'hundreds of thousands' of terminals worldwide. But Visa didn't describe a timeline for when that function would be enabled. Google said it will allow users to add any bank card to a Google Prepaid Card and they will receive $10 to try the service." Reviews of the service are popping up, and many seem to say the same thing; when it works, it's great, but your real wallet isn't going anywhere.

Comments

first google knows what kind of porn i watch

[planimal]

now they know what kind of porn i buy.

Re:first google knows what kind of porn i watch

[XPeter]

You BUY porn?

So what does this actually do?

[Todd Knarr]

So, if my physical wallet isn't going anywhere because I still need it for all the cards, cash and stuff I need to carry that I can't put on my phone, and I still need actual cards for merchants who don't have the right tech at their registers, what exactly does Google Wallet do for me? I can't think of a time when I'd have my phone and wouldn't have my wallet on me, so it's not convenience. About all it seems to do is enable Google to watch what I purchase. Sorry, I'm going to need something of benefit to me first.

Re:So what does this actually do?

[Karganeth]

Yawn. It's clearly progress. Ideally everything in your wallet could be in your phone, so this is just a step towards that. It's not pointless, its progress.

Re:So what does this actually do?

[DogDude]

It's stupid. My wallet doesn't require a service agreement.

Re:So what does this actually do?

[dkleinsc]

Exactly what problem does putting the contents of your wallet in your phone solve? Maybe it's just me, but a physical wallet is hardly a great burden to be carrying around, given it's an object sizing somewhere around 12 cm x 10 cm x 1 cm and weighing well under 1 kg.

See, that's my definition of "progress": Using technology and knowledge to solve a demonstrable problem. If you haven't solved a problem, all you've done is created Yet Another Payment System.

Re:So what does this actually do?

[tlhIngan]

Well, my wallet got stolen recently. So I've lost a couple hundreds of dollars, several bank cards, my driving license and several club cards. ...snip...

I won't mind replacing all those subway passes and loose change with NFC and an app on my phone. Sure, I'll lose some privacy - but it's not like I care much (Google already knows what I purchase and I also use Google Latitude). It won't replace my credit card and I'll keep some money just in case, but everything that helps to get rid of clutter is welcome.

Stupid question - and what happens when your PHONE is stolen? Or you left it behind? Or you dropped it?

So now you've lost your wallet and your phone. And now you're stuck because you have no cash, and no way to call for help.

That being said, I hope NFC enforces user confirmation. Walking around with a mobile NFC terminal, just like those RFID readers would be great fun...

Re:So what does this actually do?

[Hazel Bergeron]

No, you got up to 56 days' interest free credit, another liable party to guarantee seller performance, extended warranty, cashback, and the opportunity to make an otherwise unaffordable payment in an emergency at a not-insane rate of interest.

This is worth way more than $10. And credit cards are absolutely not a cash replacement - cash is still available if you want a degree of anonymity.

But what's most important is that Visa/Mastercard/Amex/banks' primary business isn't targeted advertising. They will have a lot of data spread across departments and competitors but they won't group together and trip over themselves to mine and track every last tiny thing out of you. Putting anything more in the Google basket is not wise.

Re:So what does this actually do?

[shutdown -p now]

What about your credit card in that wallet?

Re:So what does this actually do?

[c0lo]

Your purchasing habits have never been known exclusively to the CC issuer. They have always been available to the authorities and to hackers.

Authorities - with a warrant, I presume? Not necessary looking for "buying habits" but with the limited scope of certain transactions relevant to the case?

Hackers - well, yes... if they manage to break the eBanking system of my bank. In which case, I think I might have bigger headaches than caring about someone detecting my "purchasing habits".

If Google were out of the equation, I'd use it.

[mTor]

I simply do not trust Google with anything personal and I will not use this service.

Re:If Google were out of the equation, I'd use it.

[TyFoN]

Since it's still a visa card or mastercard I'd guess you still talk to the bank about backcharges and fraud. The only thing is that your phone is now the plastic.

Re:If Google were out of the equation, I'd use it.

[Shivantrill]

Google knows everything about you, they insist you use your birth name that no one freaking knows you by on the internet and NOW they want access to my credit cards? No thank you. Google is the company who said they would never be evil, and now they are being much more evil and big brother-ish than any other company. Sigh.... but there are people who would sell their souls for $10. I have more principles than that.

Re:If Google were out of the equation, I'd use it.

[trojjan]

Ok so I'm guessing you've never used a credit card. But in case you have, what makes you trust Visa/Mastercard more than google. Is it just because google's primary source of revenue is advertisement?

Terms and conditions:

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

Unfortunately, to receive the $10 credit, you have to have the NFC chip implanted either in the forehead or the back of the hand....

Re:Overhyped

[jnpcl]

I heard an interview in the town square last month about this and the gentleman was gushing about how in a few years we won't carry bushels of supplies to barter in our oxcarts anymore. Which seems to miss the point that we carry other supplies in oxcarts. My pitchfork, shovel, rake are all still in there, plus some gold shillings for places which don't barter.

Meanwhile, why would I use Paper Money? Most stores don't support it and, in my area, they probably won't for several years. And if I'm out and about I'm going to have both my oxcart and gold shillings on me. I don't see th benefit of paying for something with paper money.

What's in your wallet?

[Anonymous Coward]

library card, NO
driver's license, NO
cash, NO
postage stamps, NO
receipt from store, NO
business cards, NO
employer-provided keycard, NO
foreign currency, NO
insurance card, NO
rolling papers, NO

So I do without all those things, and some more I didn't think of, and switch to electronic versions of credit cards and ... I guess just credit cards. Oh shit, my battery is down, I'm out of the service area, I got wet, I'm on an airplane, etc.

And not to mention, I don't do online banking because it's a huge security hole. And they charge more.

Re:Google lost my trust when I became an app user

[Anonymous Psychopath]

...and thus, a second rate citizen in google's eyes. To be clear, once I started PAYING for a google service, I lost functionality with a fuzzy promise date of "soon" ( for the past 6 months ).

I don't think I'll be jumping on board this particular bandwagon, thanks.

Complaining that beta-quality software isn't available on paid production systems seems a little odd.

Re:Mod parent Up!

[rockout]

Yeah, hey, in 1999, we already had pocket still cameras, pocket video recorders, and cell phones, and laptops that could get on the internet. So why would we ever want one device that could do all those things? That would just be progress for the sake of progress.

Or did you miss the part where he said "everything in your wallet could be in your phone, so this is just a step towards that" ?

100's of thousands is not impressive

[Ritchie70]

I'd just like to point out:

There are roughly 14,000 McDonald's in the USA.

Virtually all of them take credit and debit cards and have 3 - 5 card readers.

Virtually all of those card readers can take Visa PayWave, as well as the similar technology from AmEx, MasterCard and Discover.

So all "hundreds of thousands" means is they got maybe a half-dozen large chains to put the silly things in around the world. Statistically speaking, nobody accepts them.

Re:100's of thousands is not impressive

[aztracker1]

Well walmart, mcdonald's and the gas chains would account for a lot of spending in this country.

Re:Google lost my trust when I became an app user

[farnsworth]

Considering Google's core functionality is ADS and SEARCH, and everything extra is literally done on employee spare time (20% to be exact), I don't think you can honestly expect a timeframe unless Google decides to hire people specifically for it.

Google apps is billed as:

24/7 Phone support and 99.9% uptime guarantee
25GB storage per user, no ads
Blackberry and Microsoft Outlook interoperability
Virus and spam protection by Postini

And it costs real money. That hardly sounds like a pet project of individuals. I agree with OP, the support and feature parity does not live up to what a normal person would expect.

Re:Google lost my trust when I became an app user

[zippthorne]

If they're charging for it, it's a bit disingenuous to still call it beta though...

Re:Google lost my trust when I became an app user

[Demonoid-Penguin]

If you'll note, that's not the heart of the complaint. It's google's behavior over the issue. There has been no commitment to the completion of the project. In fact, the only commitment that anyone from google has made has been "soon".

The lack of professionalism to committing to any kind of time frame for their paying customers is, frankly, unacceptable. I had been recommending small businesses take a look at google apps, but have since begun recommending o365. It's more expensive, but at least they seem to care about the customer.

Well - don't use the product you didn't pay for. I'm sure a beta-tester that doesn't test is no loss.

What was that fable about the fox's tail?

Suggestion - if you don't like something. Don't do it. But don't think playing Henny Penny is going to get you a daytime television chat show (or respect).