Google Wallet Works

Here I go again. When my HTC Hero was starting to show its age, I decided it was time to look into replacing that first generation Android phone with something more up to date. I spent a few days looking at the various options, originally assuming I would upgrade to the HTC Evo, or perhaps switch to the Motorola Photon, but then Sprint offered me a deal I could hardly refuse on Google's Samsung Nexus S 4G. I like Samsung; I had a couple of Samsung phones prior to the Hero. So I started comparing the features and specs. I could see that the Nexus S was already less than cutting edge technology, probably the reason for the great deal, but I was impressed with the pure Android OS (no bloatware, not even from Sprint) and the promise of fast upgrades to the latest version, currently 2.3.7. And the processor and memory seemed more than adequate to my needs. So I ordered my new phone for $29.99, less a credit of $25 for my HTC Hero.

It turns out I love the new phone. It's not quite as oversized as the Evo or the Photon; the screen is 4" rather than 4.3", and it weighs only 4.6 oz., about the same as my Hero. It fits nicely in my pocket and feels comfortable in my hand. My only complaint is the location of the power switch, which I sometimes hit unintentionally. Of course, a Google phone comes with all the standard Google apps but little else pre-installed, so I downloaded some of my favorite apps from the Android market. The speed was amazing compared to my Hero, even on the regular 3G network, but especially on 4G or Wi-Fi, and the apps installed in seconds immediately after download. Browsing the web was also improved. The phone worked great. I've had it for nearly a month, and all of my initial concerns (based on early reviews) about 4G access and battery life have been put to rest.

Then last Saturday morning, when I turned on my phone, I noticed there was an Android upgrade waiting, so I went ahead and downloaded it, and then decided to check to see what the upgrade was all about. Turns out it was my Google Wallet. Now, I knew that one of the "cutting edge" features of the Nexus S was NFC (near field communication) capability. I was intrigued, but didn't think it was any big deal. Well, it probably isn't . . . yet. NFC allows the Nexus X to make use of Google Wallet, Google's entry in the emerging field of "tap and pay" applications for credit card purchases. You just touch your phone to the credit card terminal instead of swiping your card, and the purchase is completed electronically. Presently, the only credit cards that work with Google Wallet are the Citi MasterCard and the Google Prepaid Card, but others are lining up.

Well, the Google Prepaid Card is free. In fact, Google gave me $10 to sign up. So I did. I figure it might be interesting to try this out. You can load your Google Prepaid Card with additional funds from any of your existing credit cards; it's just like making a purchase. So it turns out you don't really need your regular credit card to work on the phone anyway. The only other hitch at the moment is that there are relatively few merchants that use Google Wallet's NFC technology, but apparently more and more are signing on. I checked and found that there were actually a few in my area that I use fairly regularly, among them CVS Pharmacy and Sunoco gas stations, with Subway and Macy's coming soon.

Today, while I was out shopping, I decided to stop in at CVS and try it out. Worked like a charm, but it kind of freaked out the cashier when I told her I was going to pay with my phone. Apparently, I was the first one to use Google Wallet at that store, at least so far as she knew. She did a double take when the sale went through and activated her register and printed out a sales receipt without any further action on her part. She looked at my receipt before handing it to me and said, "Oh, it's just MasterCard." I wondered if she thought I'd found some new source of money generated magically by an app on my phone. Now that would be an app worth developing!