Google Says It Has "No Current Plans Regarding Bitcoin" 157
An anonymous reader writes "A popular Reddit submission today suggested Google's payment team was looking to incorporate Bitcoin, naturally sparking a lot of excitement in the virtual currency community. TNW reached out to Google regarding the claim and learned that it was indeed false. 'As we continue to work on Google Wallet, we're grateful for a very wide range of suggestions,' a Google spokesperson told TNW. 'While we're keen to actively engage with Wallet users to help inform and shape the product, there's no change to our position: we have no current plans regarding Bitcoin.'"
Re:Why do nerds like the Boorgle? (Score:0, Interesting)
I always liked Google because the core search worked well. Been noticing a decline in relevant results since Hummingbird (actually since 2010 but it got worse since hummingbird). It frequently fails on the most basic searches and seems to discard my exact syntax at times.
Re:It's called Gcoin now. (Score:5, Interesting)
You know, if a company like Amazon or Google -- with their immense server farms for mining -- did come up with its own cryptocoin, it could tilt the masses towards accepting the idea of cryptocurrencies, while simultaneously taking a huge bite out of Bitcoin's future potential.
Imagine an Amazoncoin, AZC, providing everything that BTC provides plus...
- convenient support for payment to Amazon.com or transactions throughout the web
- theft-insurance-backed online wallets for people who are unwilling to manage wallets on their own
- nice incentives for mining companies willing to partner with them to support AZC transactions in the early days.
Re:Who would sign on? (Score:3, Interesting)
Because the current users of Bitcoin are generally computer-savvy and security-minded -- except for the ones who insist on using wallets hosted in the cloud, but we can assume that they're a minority.
As for the Great Unwashed, though, they're still using passwords like "123456" and shrugging their shoulders at Snapchat's gaping security holes while they sext with friends. Because convenience.
I can't speak for Google -- its business model is a little different -- but Amazon has the customer base, market penetration, and mindshare to prop up a currency. Imagine if they just started by basing Amazon Gift Certificates off the technology. Suddenly next Christmas, several hundred million teens and twenty-somethings would have wallets and be spending Amazoncoins. Amazon trumpets the numbers, using them as proof that Amazoncoins are popular, thus setting the stage for further acceptance by people who know nothing about Bitcoin but sure as hell know Amazon.
Re:Why do nerds like the Boorgle? (Score:2, Interesting)
It's possible to dislike Google and Microsoft. I refuse to use either one.
Re:Who would sign on? (Score:4, Interesting)
hey are early adopter perpetrators of this scam they are just deluded suckers instead.
So, I want to pay someone in the UK for helping with some development work, and I transfer them some Dollars by way of Bitcoin and they get it in their bank account as Pounds... Then how am I being a scammed deluded sucker instead of benefiting from Bitcoin's cheap (currently free) decentralized electronic global transaction system?