Google Rolls Out ‘Google Wallet’ to Sprint’s Nexus S 4G Customers

One of my all-time favorite moments on Seinfeld is when George tears off a phone number from an ad on some telephone pole, and then has his wallet explode all over the place when he tries to store it there. Apparently someone at Google loved that part as well, because in August, the company released a Google Wallet commercial featuring it.

One thing the commercial didn’t explain is what Google Wallet actually is. We covered the announcement this past May, and in truth, all of what was mentioned there has held true. Google Wallet is meant to replace our wallet – at least, where cash, credit cards, rewards cards and gift cards are concerned. Rather than haul out a bulky wallet and pay with cash, Google wants you to tap your phone next to a reader and pay that way.

When I first learned of this service, I thought it was a little ridiculous. I admit as I’ve thought about it more, and have seen it in action, I almost want it. While I don’t believe this service will truly replace an actual wallet (a dead battery is one good reason), it could act as a great complement, where someone might carry their phone with them at all times, but keep their wallet in their car, safe, as a backup.

At the current time, the only credit card supported is Citi’s MasterCard, while the Spring Nexus S 4G is the only phone supported. For those who own the phone but not the credit card, a Google pre-paid MasterCard can be used instead. Almost anywhere a NFC reader is found – one that accepts MasterCard – the phone should work. According to TechCrunch, there can be occasions where issues arise, but since credit cards can have the same issues sometimes, it’s hard to know where the fault lies. Either way, this is the initial roll-out, so it can be assumed such bugs will be ironed out over time.

What do you guys think about Google’s Wallet service? The best invention since the wheel? Something scary that should be avoided? All your base are belong to Google?