Google Wallet - old ways is simpler and more secure

For my readers who have been in Asia or Africa mobile payments are daily routine. In the USA people are not as used to paying with mobile phone. Google, introducing Google Wallet, is looking to change that. Unfortunately, the solution is hardly scalable in its current form. First you need to have Nexus S phone, which is one of the least popular and the phone must have NFC chip in it. Also, you must have a Citibank MasterCard-branded debit or a credit card, or you can use Google's prepaid card. Now, if you have all that, you must shop at a retailer that has the technology to accept such payments. Today I personally do not know a single one of them. I cannot see a business success when you limit you users to

• specific phone
• specific chip
• specific card
• and specific retailer

Google actually complicated payments instead of making them simple. Today this is a pipedream. On the other hand, please read this article in the Economist on the Mobile Payments in Africa how entrepreneurs on that continent at this point out-innovated Google.

Security has been an issue with Android. Articles like this makes you wonder how secure your mobile money are and what kind hassle you need to go though to restore the stolen mobile cash.