4 ms·

Google unveils prepaid debit card

16 points by Aloisius 13y ago

Diamons 13y ago
Google is quickly crossing the line between comfortable and uncomfortable.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
- kintamanimatt 13y ago
  I don't see how a debit card makes them creepy. In fact, it's really a natural progression for Google Wallet to have meatspace access. Also, this product will be killed in two years.
  - Diamons 13y ago
    Notice the part where they said that they want to use all this information to target consumers. Visa / MasterCard / other cards keep track of your purchases but they don't exactly customize your experience based off of that.
    - rvschuilenburg 13y ago
      Yep. Basically you're telling an advertising company about everything you purchase.
dangrossman 13y ago
Are there any compelling reasons to put money into a Google Wallet account to spend? If the only way to put money in is to have a bank account to transfer from, presumably you'd already have a debit card from that bank.
- jrockway 13y ago
  The idea is that if someone sends you money via Gmail, you can withdraw it at an ATM rather than waiting for an ACH transfer to your bank account. In fact, I don't think you ever even need a bank account, if you choose to use the card to get at your money.
  - prostoalex 13y ago
    Square Cash is also immediate. And Gmail-compatible.
    - jrockway 13y ago
      As is PayPal with their debit card. I wouldn't say this is amazingly new or revolutionary, it's just something you can choose to use if it works with your workflow. Incremental improvement.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
  - dangrossman 13y ago
    That's how the NFC app works, but not how the plastic card works. It can only spend money already sitting in your Wallet balance, funded in advance. You can't overspend that balance and automatically charge a linked card. http://www.google.com/wallet/faq.html#tab=faq-card http://www.google.com/wallet/faq.html#tab=faq-card
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
- kintamanimatt 13y ago
  Theoretically it's acting as a layer of security on top of your real debit card. If someone clones your debit card your bank account is directly accessible. If someone clones your Google Wallet debit card, it's a bad situation but not terrible. Of course Google probably won't have the customer service manpower available to deal with such a situation (or you'll end up in email hell) so you're likely still fucked. It's better to just get a credit card.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]

16 points by Aloisius 13y ago

Diamons 13y ago

Google is quickly crossing the line between comfortable and uncomfortable.

deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
kintamanimatt 13y ago
I don't see how a debit card makes them creepy. In fact, it's really a natural progression for Google Wallet to have meatspace access. Also, this product will be killed in two years.
- Diamons 13y ago
  Notice the part where they said that they want to use all this information to target consumers. Visa / MasterCard / other cards keep track of your purchases but they don't exactly customize your experience based off of that.
  - rvschuilenburg 13y ago
    Yep. Basically you're telling an advertising company about everything you purchase.

dangrossman 13y ago

Are there any compelling reasons to put money into a Google Wallet account to spend? If the only way to put money in is to have a bank account to transfer from, presumably you'd already have a debit card from that bank.

jrockway 13y ago
The idea is that if someone sends you money via Gmail, you can withdraw it at an ATM rather than waiting for an ACH transfer to your bank account. In fact, I don't think you ever even need a bank account, if you choose to use the card to get at your money.
- prostoalex 13y ago
  Square Cash is also immediate. And Gmail-compatible.
  - jrockway 13y ago
    As is PayPal with their debit card. I wouldn't say this is amazingly new or revolutionary, it's just something you can choose to use if it works with your workflow. Incremental improvement.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
- dangrossman 13y ago
  That's how the NFC app works, but not how the plastic card works. It can only spend money already sitting in your Wallet balance, funded in advance. You can't overspend that balance and automatically charge a linked card. http://www.google.com/wallet/faq.html#tab=faq-card http://www.google.com/wallet/faq.html#tab=faq-card
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
kintamanimatt 13y ago
Theoretically it's acting as a layer of security on top of your real debit card. If someone clones your debit card your bank account is directly accessible. If someone clones your Google Wallet debit card, it's a bad situation but not terrible. Of course Google probably won't have the customer service manpower available to deal with such a situation (or you'll end up in email hell) so you're likely still fucked. It's better to just get a credit card.

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]