Google Wallet Already a Success
Competitors fear Google Wallet more than they want you to know. Not once has Verizon actually come out and said “we don’t want Google Wallet installed because we are going to be competing with it.” It remains unknown if AT&T and T-Mobile will support it on their versions of the phone when they are released either. Basically in the United States the only phones with the ability to use Google Wallet are the Nexus line (The Nexus S line (which on Sprint it is usable), and the Galaxy Nexus on Verizon which mysteriously did not, and does not allow it to be seen via the Android Market.) Another interesting fact, the Nexus S on T-Mobile, and AT&T both block Google Wallet from being installed. So out of four carriers in the US that have capable phones, only one allows it. Seems odd until you look at what the three carriers have in common. T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon are all part of the ISIS alliance. ISIS is basically a Google Wallet competitor in that it relies on NFC and will enable you to make payments using a tap of your phone. Just like Google Wallet. Sprint (who I still feel will one day be owned by Google) is not a part of the ISIS clique and of course was quick to allow Google Wallet on their phones. (There have even been rumors that Sprint will activate the Galaxy Nexus on their network just to add a little fuel to the fire.) But with only one carrier actively supporting Google Wallet, the prospects don’t look too good for long term success. Then of course you realize that this is Android, and Google that we are talking about.
Within a week of the Galaxy Nexus being available, the ROM community already had a buggy version that you could hack onto the phone. A day or so later there was a simple, no hack needed .apk file you could install and have Google Wallet working flawlessly. So Verizon has been circumvented and the app is available for the phone, but yet a lot of people do not even know where to find it. Even more have no idea that Google Wallet exists. (I will be doing my part to make sure that changes during the coming week.) So how can it be a success if people don’t even know about it? Well, you may recall that recently Google Checkout was merged into Google Wallet. That means purchases made with any Google product (Android apps, Google Apps for Business, Chrome Apps, Google Video, Google Music…) will not go through Google Wallet. So your name, address, and account information is already setup. Now if you notice, ISIS is not even supposed to launch until 2012. That means even the few Nexus S 4G phones on Sprint that have Google Wallet already outnumber of users with ISIS. If you add the Verizon users that know where to get the .apk for their phones and the thousands of users who have shopped in the Android Market and using other Google products, Google Wallet has an extremely large base of users. And since it already uses the PayPass stations setup in various stores (including everyones favorite McDonald’s), there are plenty of locations to test it out at. Then of course there is the $10 free money factor. That’s right, setup a prepaid card using Google Wallet and for a limited time Google gives you $10 to use. Meaning you never even have to add your own money to Google Wallet and you still can go get a Big Mac with a tap of your phone.
Google Does NOT Make Hardware…
They make hardware better. Today (or as futuristic as this sounds… tomorrow!) Google introduced their latest version of Android called Ice Cream Sandwich *Android 4.0* That version was released on their newest flagship phone made by Samsung and given the official name Galaxy Nexus (sadly they decided not to go with the Nexus Prime moniker.)
Untechie Musings
“Apple has reported that Steve Jobs has passed.” Most in previous generations are able to tell you where they were when JFK was shot, or when MLK was assassinated. I am able to tell you where I was when the Challenger exploded, when the Towers collapsed and with the same sadness when Steve Jobs, our modern day wizard passed. I was riding in a car, had just logged onto my FB from my android phone and felt dismayed, horrified and sad. I am no techy, only chose my phone by the way it felt in my hand and am currently writing this on my pink netbook…well cause it’s pink of course. I am able to tell a fellow dreamer when I hear about them, am touched by their ingenuity, or am impacted by their sheer brilliance. Steve Jobs impacted me, he was not the inventor or innovator he was the storyteller. He made products JUMP off of a page and into my home. Just a few hours prior I was finding myself wanting the iPhone 4 s, simply for the Jetsonian feel of speaking to my phone and having it talk back. Steve Jobs allowed me to feel like a kid in a candy store in a world that is dismal and haunted by tragedy. Steve Jobs allowed me to wonder, amuse, and dream in his world and for that I am forever grateful. Thank you Steve and Godspeed!
Legacys Never Die
People who know me as a very vocal Google apologetic have been asking me a lot over the past few hours about my thoughts on the passing of Steve Jobs. Some found it strange that I did not immediately post something about his passing. Others asked me if I think that is going to be a problem for Apple (and quietly wondered if that was going to be good for Google but at least they were tactful enough not to ask it.)
Let me start with the fact that I did not make a post when I heard the news. Sometimes you have to be the person that breaks news to people that may not have heard it elsewhere. Othertimes you are the person that needs to voice your thoughts on why, or what, or when something is going on. Then there are times when you just need to stop, have a moment of silence and mourn. There was nothing that I needed to post that the Internet did not already have covered. There was not a corner you could look at that did not have the news posted, a video playing, or a photo displayed of one of the greatest business minds of our time. So the words I needed to say at that time were not meant for the viewers on the WWW. Even though I personally had not met Steve Jobs, I felt the only words that were left to say were “goodbye.”
The Patent War
I find it sad that technology has evolved into more than trying to have the best devices and has instead become a “who has the best lawyer” event. When the suits all started I was worried about Google. More specifically I was worried about Android. There was Microsoft making their play and HTC quietly nodding and paying what was due. Then Apple decided to jump into the mix and throw their lawyers at both HTC and Samsung for their devices. The differences, ignoring who is right and wrong in the lawsuits, is that while Microsoft says “pay me a license and we both make money,” Apple is saying, “stop what you are doing, this is my sandbox alone.” One might question if Microsoft would be doing the same if their mobile OS was in a better position, but one can only speculate. Meanwhile Google has continued to say that it would support the handset manufactures in their cases but no one had seen Google really do anything besides give words of encouragement. Even one of my best friends (and someone who always keeps me tethered to the earth when I tend to float higher towards the Google cloud) told me he was starting to worry a bit about what was going to happen with Android. So I thought I would take a moment and reitterate what is known out there right now.
Google Bought Defense and Offense in Motorola Mobilty
In a very good read from The Street (http://www.thestreet.com/story/11205479/1/motorola-patents-a-google-ally-vs-apple.html), it was mentioned that Motorola makes a good ally for Google (specifically Android) to have when it comes to patent defense. Motorola actually launched a law suit against Apple previously as a first strike in an inevitable phone war, so they are confident in their patent portfolio. On AllThingsD (http://allthingsd.com/20110811/motorola-mulling-patent-offensive/) they reported that Motorola might be thinking of taking a much more offensive stance siting the comments made by Motorola Mobility Chairman and CEO Sanjay Jha, “We have a very large IP portfolio, and I think in the long term, as things settle down, you will see a meaningful difference in positions of many different Android players — both in terms of avoidance of royalties, as well as collecting them”. While it is good having a strong friend to be able to watch your back, Google decided that it is better to be able to watch your own back while strengthening your friends. Instead of buying 6,000 or so patents during the Nortel bid, Google bought the 17,000+ patents and 7,000+ pending patents from Motoroloa Mobility. But heck why stop there right? Since they were in a buying mood, they purchased Motorola Mobility…the whole company.
NetApex+ : Adding one to the party
There are dozens of great quality tech sites out there, and even more mediocre ones. But it turns out that a lot of the public doesn’t really care what the “geeks” have to say about the latest phone. They want someone to tell them if it does what THEY want it to do. For example, I think Google+ is amazing, but I have heard quite a few comments that it feels more of a geek hang out than a Facebook competitor. After some digging I found that what they really wanted were games and other entertaining things to do with the site. Being a geek, I know that it is coming along with plenty of other surprises as well. But without a reason for reading a tech site, the average person would be unaware and only know what is seen. So my girlfriend and I decided that it might be beneficial to have a non-geek give opinions and reviews on the site as well.
I would like to introduce my non-geek girlfriend Kim and welcome her to the site as the occassional guest writer. She is mostly non-biased (well as non-biased as possible with me being such a Google fan) tech savy (but not overly techy) woman and would be able to provide a different point of view than the majority of us are used to. Stay tuned for her post and feel free to ask questions and comment.
Posted via email from NetApex
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