The Forefront of Digital Payments…Google Wallet

Google’s virtual wallet, Google Wallet, was announced a few years back. Above is a video demonstrating how Google Wallet can be utilized to simplify your life. Google Wallet is a mobile application for smartphones that allows you to store everything that you put in your wallet onto your phone (i.e. credit cards, debit card, gift cards, etc.) and pay with a simple scan of your phone. All your information is stored securely in the cloud.  

The engineers at Google are always looking for ways to enhance their products and that goes for Google Wallet as well. Recently, Google incorporated PayPal as an option for purchases in 12 countries including the United States, Germany, Canada, etc. They are also working on integrating Google Wallet with Google Glass. “Imagine you’re at a restaurant and you want to send your share of the bill to a friend. You simply ask Glass to ‘send money,’ swipe through the interface a few times and you’re done" (Google Wallet is Coming to Glass).

Google Wallet provides an interactive, new-aged experience for digital payments. A Virtual Agent can streamline virtual transactions and aid in the management of your wallet as well. For example, a Virtual Agent can let you know the balance of your debit cards, or remind you when a bill is due. What if your virtual butler could work with your virtual wallet? What would be the process leading up to your purchase? Would you ask the butler for directions to your favorite retailer, use it to scan the box for advice, and then access your wallet to pay?

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Did You Get Your Google Glass Yet?

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We found Ellen DeGeneres sporting her new pair of Google Glass!

For those of you who didn't know, a few weeks ago, she posted this picture to her Instagram after Google decided to have a one day sale for their latest innovation, Google Glass. "Google offered its $1,500 high-tech specs to anyone in the US on Tuesday [April 15] without requiring the usual invitation. The sale lasted just 24 hours. The white "Cotton" version sold out with a few hours, and as of Wednesday morning, the entire stock is gone" (Google Glass Sells Out in One-Day Sale). 

Google is also planning on making a different version that is less expensive for consumers that were worried about  the high prices. Public sales of Google Glass is expected to happen sometime this year.

Do you think Google Glass is going to have continued success once released permanently to the public? Would you buy them? Why or why not?  

Throwback Thursday: The Rise of Wearable Technology... a Fad or Here to Stay?

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In the past few years, wearable devices have become a household name. Similar to the beginning of the smartphone boom, wearable technology is starting to pop up all over the place. If we take a step back though, we realize that wearable devices have been around for a lot longer than we think. To the right is an infographic (click link to enlarge) about the rise of wearable tech. 

Eyeglasses were one of the first forms of wearables created in the 1200s. Then, in 1907, the creation of the first wristwatch was introduced to the world by Alberto Santos-Dumont. 

These two "old-school" wearables paved the way for today's innovators to enhance them. The invention of eyeglasses and the wristwatch are getting futuristic touches in today's tech inspired world. Now, manufacturers are coming out with smart-watches (Apple) and smart glasses (Google).    

Also, circa 2010, fitness gadgets were invented to help people track their health and activity. These devices then connect to your smartphones, showing all your data on a larger screen making it easier to analyze. Now, wearable devices are becoming a part of the Internet of Everything and being augmented by a Virtual Agent. Click the link to watch a demonstration of how a Virtual Agent helps users experience the Internet of Everything.     

According to the infographic made by Memoto (now known as Narrative), the amount of wearable devices shipped is projected to grow between 39 and 171 million devices in 2016. Some analysts are saying that wearable technology is just a fad, and it won't be as big as people are making it out to be. What is your opinion? Are wearable devices here to stay or is the next evolution of wearable technology embedded in our handheld devices (i.e. smartphones)?

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