Google Wallet received an update this week to make it ready for the launch of the EVO 4G LTE. But as owners of the Galaxy Nexus noticed through the Play Store that they could also update, they grew confused when they were prompted afterwards with the superuser request to give the app root access. We have heard from at least a dozen readers that the app now asks for root and have also seen at least a handful of forum threads throughout the Android world discussing it, yet no one knows why this app would be requesting it. To be honest, we also have no clue why this app would need this kind of access.

In the past, after a “security” mishap that involved root access, Google decided that it wouldn’t support rooted devices, so all we can think is that maybe this is a new way for them to verify? The odd thing is that users are reporting that the app still works whether you grant it access or not.

Yeah, we’re confused. Any help?

Cheers Joshua and everyone else who sent this!

According to a report out of Bloomberg, Google is considering sharing revenue from Google Wallet with Verizon and AT&T to get them to adopt the mobile payment service. As you all know, AT&T and Big Red have essentially blocked Wallet from their NFC-equipped phones, as they ready a similar mobile payment solution named Isis. Sources who spoke with Bloomberg claim that the adoption rate has been slow enough that Google is re-evaluating the service. With carriers reportedly finding no incentive to allow Wallet on their network, especially with Isis on the way, this could be one of Google’s only moves. So far, Sprint is the single major carrier in the U.S. to allow Google Wallet to be used. A Verizon spokesperson said that they are “continuing our commercial discussions with Google on this issue.”

On a related note, an “independent” consultant mentioned that reception to Wallet has been “lukewarm” so far. All I can say to that is, “Of course it has been. It’s only available on one phone and one carrier, silly.” It’s pretty tough for a product to take off when it has been shutdown by America’s two biggest carriers and can only be accessed by a select few customers. Before other consultants spout off such insightful comments, why don’t we give it a real chance. That real chance of course, is with Verizon and AT&T on board.

Via:  Bloomberg

Cheers bigknowz!

Moments after we reported that Google Wallet users were seeing an additional $5 in their accounts without warning from Google, everyone received the email we have attached below that explains. And yep, we were right. Google wanted to apologize for the last few painful weeks with their service and has decided to hand out another $5 for any inconvenience they may have caused. 

The recent fiasco surrounding Google Wallet being exploited through root has forced a lot of Android users and developers to take a look at security on their phones. CyanogenMod has released a PSA of sorts explaining some of their recent patches to CM9 and tells us why root was the main focus.

… All Custom ROMs (CyanogenMod included) ship with one major security risk — root!

This is the basis of the Google Wallet scandal. When on a rooted phone, applications are at risk of having data accessed and this is why Google has taken the stance of saying Google Wallet is unsupported when on a rooted phone. Cyanogen’s new patches disable root in a selective way which allows for a bit more security on your phone.

Google Wallet competitor Isis, made a showing at SXSW recently and demoed its application for people. Isis is the mobile payment system that almost ever carrier is behind except for Sprint. The company is touting their easy-to-use interface at SXSW and showing how to add credit cards, loyalty cards and deals all from the same app. 

Last night, a few of our readers claimed that they were able to re-add their Google Prepaid cards in Google Wallet, a part of the service that had been stopped after a handful of security concerns had surfaced. We reached out to our Twitter followers to see if others were having success, but unfortunately, most were running into the same errors that they had seen for weeks. However, within the last hour, another batch of readers is claiming to have been able to provision prepaid cards again. While I’m having zero luck, we wanted to at least pass word on so that you can check for yourselves. Also, if you do have success, feel free to share your steps.

Cheers Michael and everyone else!

Over the weekend, your Google Wallet app probably started showing a little yellow bar at the top along with an “Unsupported device” note. If you tap on the “Learn more” link next to it, you are directed to the page we have included on the right which talks about rooted devices and how Google may be unable to support them because of security issues that they cannot control thanks to “unauthorized” software.

This move shouldn’t surprise anyone, especially after Wallet took a beating from the media over a “vulnerability” that was discovered if a user had rooted their phone. The easiest move for Google in this situation is simply to call those devices “unsupported” and then not have to worry about them. While we would have wished they did not go this route, the rooting and ROM communities are too vast for them to even attempt to support them, especially when it comes to something as tricky as secure mobile payments. And remember, they already took a stance like this with their movie service.

What we haven’t been able to figure out yet is whether or not this message has killed use of Wallet completely or if this is Google’s way of saying, “We aren’t supporting your device since you rooted, so if someone steals your money, it’s not our fault. You can still make transactions though.” I can still login to my Wallet app and see my funds showing as available on my prepaid card.

Let us know your status. Have you been able to make payments using Wallet with this notice?

Cheers @droseum20, Sean, Jigga_Z, Craig, Eddie and Adam!