Google Wallet has already been available on a few smartphones and tablets, and now the search giant has announced more phones onto the list. From now on, users of Sprint’s HTC One, Galaxy Note II, Galaxy S4 and US Cellular’s Note II will be able to use Google Wallet to purchase in store via NFC-based contactless payments.

You can download the app for free by heading to Google Play here.

Meanwhile, Google has also announced a way to make sending payments simple, which will be as easy as sending an email. They are integrating Google Wallet with Gmail, and sometime in the coming months US users over 18 years old will be able to send money through Gmail via a $ icon in the attachment options. “It’s free to send money if your bank account is linked to Google Wallet or using your Google Wallet Balance”, but you will be charged a flat fee of 2.9% per transaction for payments using your linked credit or debit card. Receiving money will always be free.

Check out the video below to know more about the upcoming service.

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Google Wallet is a very useful and capable virtual payment system, but it seems that Google isn’t stopping there. New details have leaked out suggesting that a Google has a physical Google Wallet Card in the works as well.

Basically the Google Wallet card is going to work like a regular credit or debit card for purchases. How will you load money onto it? We don’t know all the details yet, but considering its connection to the “Google Wallet” brand, it might link to your Google Wallet’s enable device’s funds. In other words, it draws from the cards and information linked to your Google Wallet account. Keep in mind, that is just speculation but it seems to make sense.

As we learn more details about how this card would work, we’ll let our readers know. For now, the information we have tells us very little other than Google clearly has further plans for its payment system and wallet features going forward. If you could have one card that essentially is linked to all your payment methods, would that appeal to you?

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Google Wallet has just received a pretty significant update. The biggest news from the update is that you can now take any credit card type and even moves everything onto the cloud for payment transactions. No longer is the data and information stored locally on the hardware. You will still need a card PIN to use the Google Wallet but you can also remotely disable Google Wallet if your phone is lost or stolen, making it easier to protect your card numbers from getting into the wrong hands.

Thanks to its cloud-based system, all you need now is a Google Wallet-compatible device and you can get the app from the Play Store. Google Wallet has always been a good idea, though it has been wrought with some pretty big limitations. Pushing things to the cloud is a good move, though many devices still don’t seem to work quite right with it.

For a full list of supported devices, check the Google Wallet compatibility list.

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Updates have been made to Google Wallet which include a “Featured Offers” section with discounts exclusive only to Google Wallet users. Aside from the discounts from partner shops, loyalty cards are also easier to organize. Collect reward points automatically when you shop from places like The Container Store, Foot Locker, Guess, American Eagle Outfitters, Jamba Juice, OfficeMax, Macy’s and Toys’R'Us.

Google Wallet is still in its early stages but it has made a great step in expanding its network of merchants to make shopping easier and faster in many places. Now, if you are a business persona and you want to take part in this business endeavor, you can sign up on the Google Wallet site and get involved in this new way of accepting money.

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The whole NFC payment thing might finally start getting some traction around these parts, because it looks like Google Wallet is officially launching today. It was originally announced a few months ago, but I guess the boys and girls in Mountain View, California were still ironing out the kinks.

In case you missed it, Google Wallet effectively stores your credit cards and other methods of payment onto your smartphone in the form of an Android app. When it comes time to pay for something, you simply tap your phone rather than fumbling through to find the right piece of plastic. It’s supposed to be simple and seamless.

However, this launch may already be marred by a bit of a slow start. For starters, the Google Wallet app apparently looks like it will only be compatible with the Nexus S 4G from Sprint, but it should work with other Nexus S phones too I would think. The other hiccup, according to the internal document shown here, is that only PayPass enabled Citi MasterCards can be loaded onto Google Wallet at this time. That’s a curiosity, because why can’t other PayPass MasterCards work?

If it’s only replacing one card at this time, Google Wallet isn’t going to do much good for George Costanza…

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Google Wallet is a free mobile app that stores virtual versions of your credit cards, debit cards and coupons, eliminating the need for plastic and replacing your wallet with your phone. It will be compatible with none other than the Nexus S 4G, on Sprint. The app will launch “soon” but we’ve learned a great deal about it in the meantime.

How it works is you would simply turn your phone on, tap the phone at a terminal and the Google Wallet would transmit payment details wirelessly using near field communication technology (NFC). NFC is a wireless technology that enables data transmission between two objects when they are brought within a few inches of each other. Smartphones enabled with NFC technology can exchange data with other NFC enabled devices or read information from smart tags embedded in posters, stickers, and other products.

Google Wallet would require a PIN that would access any card to make a purchase, contradicting advice from major bank companies that you should never use the same pin for more than one card. And if your phone is stolen and someone knows your PIN, you would have to cancel all your cards. So just how secure is the app? According to Google, payment credentials are stored in a chip called the secure element, which is contained within the Nexus S 4G and isolated from the phone’s main operating system and hardware. Only authorized programs like Google Wallet can access the chip to initiate a transaction.

If you want to use the app, you will need a Citi MasterCard credit card that is eligible for PayPass, or a Google Prepaid Card. After adding the Citi MasterCard card to Google Wallet, you can spend up to $100 USD. To access your full credit line, Citi will send you an activation code that you will have to enter into Google Wallet. As for the Google Prepaid Card, it can be funded with any existing plastic credit cards.

Google Wallet records the time of an initiated transaction and which credential was used, and this information is stored on the phone. Google claims they do not currently receive data about what products you purchase with it. They hope to eventually expand to other mobile devices and platforms.

Check out the official press release and blog post about Google Wallet, also the official video below.

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