Android Thoughts - Opinions, News, Advice & Reviews on Android Devices

"Ever since the Nexus S and its nifty little NFC chip hit the market, there's been speculation that El Goog was planning a foray into the mobile payment arena currently occupied by the likes of Charge Anywhere. Now, it looks like that plan may be in high gear, as the Wall Street Journal reports that Google's secretly partnered with MasterCard and Citigroup to test out just such a system."

In this age of convergence, it was only a matter of time before this came to fruition. Once just a glimmer in the eyes of science fiction authors, the time when you will be able to pay by waving your phone at a keypad will soon be a reality. I have some reservations about the security of this kind of solution and wonder what the cost of this convenience will be. Also, it seems like adoption of changes like this are slow to reach many areas; something which I feel keenly living in the Mid-Western United States.

So, how about it Android Thinkers; is this something that you would adopt for your everyday grocery store and gas station purchases, or are there too many unanswered questions for you to want to jump in right away? As always, let us know in the forums.

Back in the springtime of this year, when the world was thawing out and the sun grew hotter with each passing day, I did set up an account with Square. Alas my account languished in the 90% verified state for many months while I waited for supply chain issues to be resolved, and I was deeply saddened by the perpetual waiting. However now that the first signs of Autumn are upon us, I have found my waiting to be resolved. Earlier today a Square reader was left in my mail slot, and I processed my first credit card transaction, $1.00 from myself, of which I'll receive $0.82 at the end of the month. My journey begins.

So aside from the cool sticker and the reader I got today, what do I really have with such a service? Most certainly I can fix the dreaded problem among friends where a bill comes at a restaurant, and rather than ask the waitress to split it, all decide to chip in (on credit of course) and make a quicker exit. I can now triumphantly tell my friends that I'll put it on my card and charge theirs, losing only a small amount in transaction fees (Something I'm willing to do - these are my friends after all). Aside from that problem though, what can I use my Square and Nexus One for? Certainly on-the-spot consulting just got easier ("Ah, you want me to look at your computer"), and I can be the only garage sale on the street that takes plastic. But for me, and perhaps many of us who signed up for Square due to the "Wow, that's cool" factor, what practical uses exist?