Leaked screenshots show Google Wallet is getting a physical Google Wallet Card

Leaked screenshots of an update to Google's Wallet App that hasn't been pushed yet shows evidence that a physical Google Wallet Card will be made available for instances where you can't make purchases with your NFC-enabled Android phone.

Digital wallet services are flooding the market, despite the many barriers between them and consumers pockets. Apparently, Google is trying to alleviate some of this existing friction with a tangible solution. Android Police received an anonymous tip and series of screenshots showing off a Google Wallet app promoting a physical Google Wallet card. According to the screenshots, the Google Wallet Card will be a physical credit card used in lieu of the multiple credit cards you have in your physical wallet.

The screenshots might have been taken by someone who had early access to an updated Google Wallet app, and it shows off a leaked informational page explaining the advantages of a Google Wallet Card. The cards are likely intended for brick-and-mortar shops that haven’t adopted NFC reading terminals or even iPad-based solutions. 

The card is supposed to bridge the gap between the new and old payment systems we’re stuck in. On one hand it’s a credit card like any other, but it digitally stores all of your existing cards so you can leave the multiple pieces of plastic at home. Users will defer to the Google Wallet app to indicate which credit card stored on the physical Google Wallet Card they want to swipe.

There are a few advantages to this system. For instance, if you lose your wallet, you’re not forced to cancel all your cards. In fact, “you only need to cancel your Google Wallet Card (not every card in your wallet).” You’ll also probably be able to request a new Google Card with the press of a button in the Google Wallet app. Some bonus security measures appear to include 24/7 fraud monitoring, and the ability to remotely disable your card at any time.

The second part of the leak introduces withdrawing money or sending money to a “Wallet Balance,” which seems to be a debt-like account where you can store, send, or spend money. It may suggest being able to soon use the Google Wallet Card as a debit card itself, independent of the stored credit cards. Finally, the screen shot shows evidence of the ability to add a transit card, like a New York City Metro Card for instance.

Of course until Google gets back to us we’re merely speculating, but the screenshots are incredibly telling: Google is aggressively entering this market and competing with the likes of Square and even more so Apple Passbook.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Is Amazon censoring book reviews?

Is Amazon policing its user reviews a little too strictly? One author believes so, after several fans provide evidence of unusual experiences with the online seller.

Amazon has had a troubled relationship with its customers in the past, whether it’s over the safety and welfare of its employees working in warehouses, cookies and tracking information being recorded without customer consent or simply its choice of what items to stock and which to avoid, but if there’s one thing that has always seemed to be entirely free of #amazonfail hashtaggery, it’s been the company’s hands-free approach to their product reviews.

Well, that might not be the case anymore.

Author Michelle Gagnon shared an unusual story via the Kill Zone blog about some fans’ trouble getting a review onto Amazon’s listing for Gagnon’s latest book. “Apparently these fans tried to submit reviews of my book on Amazon, and their reviews either a) never appeared, or b) were abruptly taken down,” she wrote in response to the fans contacting her to alert her to what had happened. “Two of the fans send transcripts of the reviews, and they were standard (and positive, thankfully): nothing offensive at all in terms of content,” Gagnon wrote, continuing,

One of the fans took the time and trouble to write to Amazon, asking why his review was removed. He received this form letter reply: “I’m sorry for any previous concerns regarding your reviews on our site. We do not allow reviews on behalf of a person or company with a financial interest in the product or a directly competing product. This includes authors, artists, publishers, manufacturers, or third-party merchants selling the product.

“We have removed your reviews as they are in violation of our guidelines. We will not be able to go into further detail about our research.

“I understand that you are upset, and I regret that we have not been able to address your concerns to your satisfaction. However, we will not be able to offer any additional insight or action on this matter.” Now, I’ve known this fan for years–he’s read (and reviewed!) all of my other books. And he has no financial stake in my work. He also doesn’t sell anything on Amazon, ever–never mind competing products (which would be what, exactly? Other books? Does this mean that I’m no longer allowed to review thrillers by my contemporaries?)

Further, Gagnon went on, when the fan responded to Amazon to explain that he was had no financial interest in the product, he was told that should they receive another letter from him on the subject, they would remove Gagnon’s book from the site altogether. “Needless to say, I found this very disturbing, particularly since it doesn’t appear to be an isolated case,” she wrote. “After all, two other fans sent similar messages; and I can only wonder how many others had the same experience, but didn’t write to let me know.”

The story seems unexpected, but it’s the second PR black eye for Amazon this week, following the news that the company wiped the Kindle purchases of one customer without warning (Only to later reverse this decision in the face of public outcry). Perhaps the company may need to take another look at its relationship with customers – and with publicity – before it heads into the all-important holiday period…

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com