If you're planning on using your NFC-equipped phone and Google Wallet to make some purchases this afternoon, you're going to be sorely disappointed to hear that the service is down. We've confirmed on two different units that the app is unable to retrieve the funds available on the prepaid Google debit card. The app still allows users to sign in, but when you attempt to view the prepaid card you're told that the balance is "unavailable" and that the app "cannot contact bank." Additionally, users with compatible Citi MasterCards are also experiencing issues — we were unable to connect a card with the app — and it's currently impossible to add funds to the prepaid card. It's worth noting that the Google Wallet service that replaced the online payment system Google Checkout last year is still working just fine — it appears that only the NFC-enabled Android app is having problems at the moment. We've reached out to Google for comment on the issue, and we'll let you know when we hear more.
Update: Google has let us know that the Google Wallet is working again, and we can confirm on our own handsets that the problems appear to have disappeared. Full statement as follows: "Over the weekend Google Wallet experienced a temporary outage that made it unavailable for some users. We are monitoring the situation closely and as of this afternoon, Google Wallet is restored and should be fully functional for most users."