Big Brother Google, leave me alone!
June 28, 2012 7:06 AM Subscribe
I would like to purchase an App for my Android Samsung Tablet, but am concerned about my privacy and GoogleWallet.
I love playing Words with Friends on my Android tablet and am sick and tired of the ads - but for only $2.99 I can get those ads removed now (yay)- which I really don't mind paying - it's a cool product and I use it a lot. (I play it on WiFi, don't have a phone plan for it).
The problem is that it seems the only way to pay for this is through the GooglePlay app store with a GoogleWallet. Call me paranoid, but I really don't like all my things online linking to everything else online. I'm a bit of a privacy freak and I'm just not comfortable forking over my credit card information to the Google Monster - it already freaks me out when I get ads tailored to my previous searches and I got really irritated when my YouTube account automatically linked to my Gmail account. Like I said I don't want all my things linked all over the place and I do what little I can anymore to prevent that from happening (no facebook, no twitter, different usernames at sites, etc).
Is there any way to purchase this App with a prepaid card of some kind where I don't have to give my credit card information to Google? Ideally, I would love to be able to go to a brick and mortar store, buy a GoogleWallet prepaid card and then link it to my Gmail account that way - does this exist? Where would I get one?
(FYI: I was hoping I could buy the App with my Amazon account because I already have one linked to another email address/credit card and even though the Amazon App Store offers Words with Friends Free, I can't find the AdFree version there to download - the WWF "in game store" keeps taking me to GooglePlay anyway.)
It's just really bothering me in a creepy Big Brother kind of way how if I want this game ad free that Google is forcing me into using their product.
Any other suggestions would be great. Thanks!
I love playing Words with Friends on my Android tablet and am sick and tired of the ads - but for only $2.99 I can get those ads removed now (yay)- which I really don't mind paying - it's a cool product and I use it a lot. (I play it on WiFi, don't have a phone plan for it).
The problem is that it seems the only way to pay for this is through the GooglePlay app store with a GoogleWallet. Call me paranoid, but I really don't like all my things online linking to everything else online. I'm a bit of a privacy freak and I'm just not comfortable forking over my credit card information to the Google Monster - it already freaks me out when I get ads tailored to my previous searches and I got really irritated when my YouTube account automatically linked to my Gmail account. Like I said I don't want all my things linked all over the place and I do what little I can anymore to prevent that from happening (no facebook, no twitter, different usernames at sites, etc).
Is there any way to purchase this App with a prepaid card of some kind where I don't have to give my credit card information to Google? Ideally, I would love to be able to go to a brick and mortar store, buy a GoogleWallet prepaid card and then link it to my Gmail account that way - does this exist? Where would I get one?
(FYI: I was hoping I could buy the App with my Amazon account because I already have one linked to another email address/credit card and even though the Amazon App Store offers Words with Friends Free, I can't find the AdFree version there to download - the WWF "in game store" keeps taking me to GooglePlay anyway.)
It's just really bothering me in a creepy Big Brother kind of way how if I want this game ad free that Google is forcing me into using their product.
Any other suggestions would be great. Thanks!
Response by poster: Ah thanks anaelith, I was trying to read the FAQ's at GoogleWallet and they were vague and confusing - I get a facepalm for not checking the GooglePlay FAQ's. I did find this on the page you linked:
"Note that some gift cards or prepaid cards (with the Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover logos) may not be used to purchase digital goods. If you’re having trouble making a purchase on Google Play with a gift/prepaid card, contact the entity that issued the card to ensure that it’s enabled for use to purchase digital goods."
That is great that I can use a prepaid Visa/MC!!
Anyone know which kind of giftcard/prepaid card works best for digital transactions? Is there something I should look for?
posted by NoraCharles at 9:17 AM on June 28, 2012
"Note that some gift cards or prepaid cards (with the Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover logos) may not be used to purchase digital goods. If you’re having trouble making a purchase on Google Play with a gift/prepaid card, contact the entity that issued the card to ensure that it’s enabled for use to purchase digital goods."
That is great that I can use a prepaid Visa/MC!!
Anyone know which kind of giftcard/prepaid card works best for digital transactions? Is there something I should look for?
posted by NoraCharles at 9:17 AM on June 28, 2012
Response by poster: I wound up using a prepaid Master Card from the supermarket and that totally worked. Thanks!
posted by NoraCharles at 10:37 AM on July 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by NoraCharles at 10:37 AM on July 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
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Summary: You can't buy a specific prepaid Google card. You can buy a non-specific prepaid card, e.g. Visa or Mastercard and use that (but be careful which one you get). Another possibility is to bill through your phone service, depending on which service you have.
posted by anaelith at 7:54 AM on June 28, 2012