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Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

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Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#91

Post by knicholes »

jonesb6 wrote: post #27
blakesterz wrote: post #2

hmm, not even sure what that was. I know this sounds like sour grapes complaining so feel free to read it in Verruca Salt's voice if you want... This is why I am scared to try anything new from Google. I know why they do it, I know how they do things, I totally get it, but it does not make it better. I know they like trying new things. I know they're not afraid to get rid of things that aren't performing like they wa…

I wonder how the engineers on these projects feel. To work really hard on something just to have it thrown out due to "business reasons". Must suck.

Every project I've touched has withered and has been cancelled (except for one, but it has only been out for a year). I'm convinced that it's my super power.

Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#92

Post by yohui »

ocdtrekkie wrote: post #60
eknkc wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Might be really hard due to closed source / licensed components and google infrastructure dependant architecture.

That just seems like bad design on their part. In the past, Google leaned towards open source by default, and then kept just some of the secret sauce to their services proprietary, now it seems that their proprietary services is the bulk of what they produce. Perhaps they need to unbundle. Google Wave works great today on self-hosted platforms.

Google Wave was still useful after it was open sourced because people could set up their own servers.

But what would you take from Google Wallet? The physical debit card? The payment service? Unless you're opening a bank, I'm not sure how useful any of that would be.

Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#93

Post by spyspy »

tekromancr wrote: post #69
wyldfire wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tell me more: what's this service about?

It's a bank that only lives on the internet. I am actually surprisingly happy with them as my only bank.

Having been a customer of Charles Schwab for several years at this point, I've never seen the appeal of Simple. I get better interest rates, fantastic customer service, unlimited ATM rebates and a host of brokerage services, all for free.

Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#94

Post by bduerst »

CaptSpify wrote: post #80
mrkrwtsn wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And Android, all of the ad stack, analytics (it gives google a lot of data), chrome, maps, docs, drive (in some form), calendar, app engine, hangouts (part of gmail). There are tons of products that are both successful, and are tied to core things google wants to be good at.

Isn't Google trying to merge Android into ChromeOS?

ChromeOS is open sourced and will still be available for some time, but yeah, they're merging the two. Ubiquity between Android and desktop/laptops would be great.

Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#95

Post by fl0wenol »

yohui wrote: post #61
fl0wenol wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're canceling it _because_ it was successful. The issue is that by using virtual Master Cards they have to pay part of the interchange fee to Citi (or was it Bancorp?). Not only that, but if you were backing it by a credit card, then they ate the 2% fee that they get charged in the backend when hitting your real credit card. Plus the fact that they were essentially issuing you and everyone else short term credit…

Google Wallet will still be used to send money between Google users. In fact, that appears to be its only function going forward. Money will be taken directly from the sender's debit card or checking account, and the recipient can deposit it in their checking account. The only features going away are the physical Wallet card and the ability to add to your Wallet balance. According to /u/GraemeStanding, who appears to…

Unfortunately this is still a step back because the whole upside to Google Wallet was that you could "carry" the Wallet balance and use it as no-fee settlement between acquaintances, or turn around and pay for Google services with small amounts not worth withdrawing.

I mean if you can do ACH (i.e debit cards) with both parties and avoid fees then that's convenient in that you don't have to exchange checking account numbers or something outrageous (just email addresses), but that still could take an indeterminate amount of time to settle. Next day? A week?

But with the wallet balance you could hold transfers I got from other people or put money in ahead of time from my bank and then when I need it, the other party knows they got it on their phone.

Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#96

Post by spyspy »

jessriedel wrote: post #83
arawde wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a bank startup which doesn't have physical locations. They're partnered with Bancorp, so your account is backed by FDIC, and they have a large number of ATMs. You can read more here https://www.simple.com/

> It's a bank startup which doesn't have physical locations There's got to be more to it than that, right? There are lots of internet-only banks. I use Ally. http://www.gobankingrates.com/banking/10-online-banks-2015/

Ally's interest rates are tempting, but the fact that it's just GMAC with some new makeup is very off putting.

Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#97

Post by sync »

noobiemcfoob wrote: post #47
grahamburger wrote: post #6

This is the first of Google's product cancellations that will affect me personally. My wife and I have been using Google Wallet cards for budgeting - we transfer our spending money to the cards each week to help track our spending. Honestly there's no reason Google Wallet was superior for this - I expect Simple will solve our problems better anyway. Should have seen this coming when they split it off of Android Pay.

+1 for Simple!

-1 for Simple. Not refunding ATM fees is ridiculous for a bank that has no physical ATMs. Also, things like this: "Your Simple Visa® Card will not function on August 6th from 2:00 - 9:00 am EST"

Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#98

Post by bduerst »

Animats wrote: post #73
blakesterz wrote: post #2

hmm, not even sure what that was. I know this sounds like sour grapes complaining so feel free to read it in Verruca Salt's voice if you want... This is why I am scared to try anything new from Google. I know why they do it, I know how they do things, I totally get it, but it does not make it better. I know they like trying new things. I know they're not afraid to get rid of things that aren't performing like they wa…

Then there are the "lingering death" products, such as Google Voice. Google bought that from Grand Central in 2009, and it's still basically Grand Central. There's a running joke about Google Voice acquiring an API that's been in a bug report for five years now. I think there's a phone interface feature associated with Google Hangouts. ("Google Hangups?") But it probably requires that everyone you talk to have a Goog…

Hangouts absorbed Google Voice:

"Hangouts remains the future of Google Voice, so we’re going to keep bringing the most-loved Google Voice features into the core Hangouts experience,"

Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#99

Post by spyspy »

mafuyu wrote: post #75
seanp2k2 wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where are you getting 5% cash back? Highest I've seen is Chase Sapphire with their points which are worth 2-3%. Highest straight cash back I've seen is Citi DoubleCash at 2%.

Chase Freedom has 5% cash back on certain categories that change throughout the year.

Freedom and Sapphire cards are amazing because you can combine points between them.

Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#100

Post by Semiapies »

dogma1138 wrote: post #21

Am I the only one who hears about like 75% of Google's products for the first time only when they issue EOL/EOS notices?

I think the last time I'd actually heard of the product in question was Google Reader. But that goes for virtually all of the "X is shutting down" stories I see on HN.
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