PayPal in talks with Google

E-Bay's PayPal business is in talks to add its payment service to Google's Android smartphone software, making it easier for users to pay for applications, reports Bloomberg Business Week.

Users of Android phones, such as Motorola's DroidX and HTC's Droid Incredible, may be able to pay for applications with PayPal as soon as this year. Customers currently pay via credit card and Google's checkout service.

By adding PayPal, Google would give app developers another way to get paid, potentially making them more likely to create software for Android. By adopting PayPal, which has more than 50 million active accounts, Google may attract more paying customers.

Efforts by the Nigerian Federal Government to move Nigeria's payment system from a cash-dependent platform to the globally acceptable electronic-driven alternative are restricted by poor infrastructure, states The Nigerian Compass.

Despite ongoing efforts by Globacom and Main One Cable Company to boost bandwidth capacity through their multi-billion dollar investments on fibre optic telecommunication cables, most Nigerians are not prepared for e-payment.

The Central Bank of Nigeria is planning to push for electronic transactions in the economy, especially in the financial services industry to bridge the gap for the unbanked communities.

Encouraging customers to get their bills online and also stating that this is better for the environment is increasingly being questioned, says Environmental Leader.

Several large UK organisations have questioned switching to e-billing as a way to reduce paper waste versus the high carbon footprint of PCs, servers and electronic waste.

Martyn Eustace, director of Two Sides, says: “All those who encourage customers to switch to e-billing, or any other form of electronic communication, largely to reduce costs, should re-examine their messages, as it is certainly questionable whether e-billing or e-communication has a lower carbon footprint.”