Four years ago I asked whether "Google Pass" was a thing that I needed to give a shit about and consensus was, "no, nobody uses that."
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@georgexcollins 3AM, nice. Is that correct for your time zone? (7PM PDT -0700)
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If those of you using Android could click on this link and tell me whether it does anything even remotely useful, and if so, some detail about how horrible/stupid the whole experience is, that would be helpful: https://www.jwz.org/images/2026/test.pkpass
And tell me what version you're using, obviously. Possibly this requires some "Play" [sic] stuff to work.
UPDATE: Thanks! You can stop now.
(Unless you have read the dozens of replies and have had a materially different experience than those.)
@jwz
(1) Offered me a download option. I accepted it.
(2) Offered me the option to open that download. "This jwz guy is definitely trustworthy," I said, and opened it.
(3) Now, "agree to create digital versions your passes in google wallet" with a two page scrolly agree thing. No part of it says what a pass is or why I should wish to have one. I agree.
(4) "Add a pass to google wallet"? Continue.
(5) "Add ticket" for "Powerman 5000" at DNA Lounge. Why not? I select Add.
(6) Added to wallet. So... something has happened.
(7) Open wallet; there is indeed an icon there labeled "Powerman 5000." Yay? -
@jwz Pixel 10 Pro, Android 15: Quite useful. It downloads the file and then prompts me to add the pass to my wallet, and lets me know that I'm possibly going to get notifications and updates.
@jwz Oops! I mean Android 16.
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@jwz the file is downloaded, nothing more
@DamonHD Did you try opening the file? Did that do anything?
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@jwz Downloads a pkpass file. That's it.
@talexb Did you try opening the file? Did that do anything?
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@jwz
(1) Offered me a download option. I accepted it.
(2) Offered me the option to open that download. "This jwz guy is definitely trustworthy," I said, and opened it.
(3) Now, "agree to create digital versions your passes in google wallet" with a two page scrolly agree thing. No part of it says what a pass is or why I should wish to have one. I agree.
(4) "Add a pass to google wallet"? Continue.
(5) "Add ticket" for "Powerman 5000" at DNA Lounge. Why not? I select Add.
(6) Added to wallet. So... something has happened.
(7) Open wallet; there is indeed an icon there labeled "Powerman 5000." Yay?@jwz when I open it in Google wallet it gives me what appear to be event details and a Qr code. Looks very much like a Google wallet hosted movie ticket I used last night so it at least has a similar form to a usable item
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So it's a little clunky with too many steps and has some room for human error or people to miss a prompt and have the file left in an oubliette containing all their randomly downloaded files. But it works.
I'm not sure whether or how the process would differ when using a Mastodon client, the Chrome for Android browser, another version of Android OS, etc.
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If those of you using Android could click on this link and tell me whether it does anything even remotely useful, and if so, some detail about how horrible/stupid the whole experience is, that would be helpful: https://www.jwz.org/images/2026/test.pkpass
And tell me what version you're using, obviously. Possibly this requires some "Play" [sic] stuff to work.
UPDATE: Thanks! You can stop now.
(Unless you have read the dozens of replies and have had a materially different experience than those.)
@jwz It downloaded the file and showed the Downloads folder(?) where I could tap on it again. Not particularly helpful.
When tapping it, I could select Google Wallet, which wanted me to agree to something (abort abort abort). I also have PassAndroid installed for this specific purpose and that imported the pass with no problems.Android 16 on Galaxy S22+, Chrome browser. I'm using Google Wallet for credit cards. Have installed PassAndroid for Pkpass files some years back.
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@talexb Did you try opening the file? Did that do anything?
@jwz Yeah, it went into Google Wallet. I cancelled out of it.
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If those of you using Android could click on this link and tell me whether it does anything even remotely useful, and if so, some detail about how horrible/stupid the whole experience is, that would be helpful: https://www.jwz.org/images/2026/test.pkpass
And tell me what version you're using, obviously. Possibly this requires some "Play" [sic] stuff to work.
UPDATE: Thanks! You can stop now.
(Unless you have read the dozens of replies and have had a materially different experience than those.)
@jwz Current LineageOS w/ Firefox. Downloads the file, then FF asks if I want to open it.
Got a prompt letting me choose between FossWallet, Catima and Google Wallet.
Opened the file in both FossWallet and Catima (never used Google Wallet, tbh) and it imported fine.
FossWallet displayed green Background, DNA Lounge Logo and Powerman 5000 Poster with the QR Code and a ton more info. Also a "add to calendar" and location link.
Catima displayed DNA Lounge Logo, QR Code and a bit more info. -
@jwz android 11, downloads the file and imports successfully in google wallet
@jwz because this is fedi people might like to know there's a non Google wallet app called FOSS wallet. Also works with this pass
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@jwz because this is fedi people might like to know there's a non Google wallet app called FOSS wallet. Also works with this pass
@tibi2 Does that wallet app display *all* dates in GMT or is that where you are?
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Four years ago I asked whether "Google Pass" was a thing that I needed to give a shit about and consensus was, "no, nobody uses that." But I have heard anecdotally, recently, that this might no longer be true. Thoughts?
The goal here is, "reduce the amount of time it takes for someone standing in front of my nightclub to wave their QR code at the door staff."
Note: I don't use Android and know as little about its ecosystem as possible, so please use small words.
https://jwz.org/b/yk45@jwz@mastodon.social It offers to download a file with .pkpass extension. Opened in a hex viewer it reveals itself as a PNG file. Opened with KDEiternary it reveals itself as a DNA lounge ticket. Once imported it tells me that i need to travel to the USA and consumer protection laws of the EU are not honored there. It displays four emojis (microohone. Guitar,...) the Text DNA lounge ticket and a QR code valid vor 26th April 2026, 19:00 GMT -7. I think the UX is as good as a pkpass can be. -
So it's a little clunky with too many steps and has some room for human error or people to miss a prompt and have the file left in an oubliette containing all their randomly downloaded files. But it works.
I'm not sure whether or how the process would differ when using a Mastodon client, the Chrome for Android browser, another version of Android OS, etc.
@DaveMWilburn @jwz If you haven't used Wallet in a while, it gives you every option. Second time in is better. Bonus: you can use your Android watch!!
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@jwz@mastodon.social It offers to download a file with .pkpass extension. Opened in a hex viewer it reveals itself as a PNG file. Opened with KDEiternary it reveals itself as a DNA lounge ticket. Once imported it tells me that i need to travel to the USA and consumer protection laws of the EU are not honored there. It displays four emojis (microohone. Guitar,...) the Text DNA lounge ticket and a QR code valid vor 26th April 2026, 19:00 GMT -7. I think the UX is as good as a pkpass can be.
@Life_is It is most assuredly not a PNG file.
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@jwz it:
1. asks if I want to download a file
2. downloads a file with a .pkpass extension
3. asks if I want to open the file
4. opens the file in Google Wallet and asks if I was to add
5. asks if I want to add a ticket to Powerman 5000 at DNA loungeDitto download and offer to open on an Android 16 Pixel. In all of Firefox, DDG, Firefox Focus browsers.
I didn't add the ticket to my wallet.
Notably, it was recognized as a ticket without having to put it in an email message attachment to trigger processing (the usual workaround).
Avoiding needing the attachment workaround is what I would consider a usable "add ticket to wallet" process.
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If those of you using Android could click on this link and tell me whether it does anything even remotely useful, and if so, some detail about how horrible/stupid the whole experience is, that would be helpful: https://www.jwz.org/images/2026/test.pkpass
And tell me what version you're using, obviously. Possibly this requires some "Play" [sic] stuff to work.
UPDATE: Thanks! You can stop now.
(Unless you have read the dozens of replies and have had a materially different experience than those.)
A story in 4 pics. This was as far as I was willing to go without knowing exactly what that file does. (And I only downloaded it because you have earned that trust.)
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If those of you using Android could click on this link and tell me whether it does anything even remotely useful, and if so, some detail about how horrible/stupid the whole experience is, that would be helpful: https://www.jwz.org/images/2026/test.pkpass
And tell me what version you're using, obviously. Possibly this requires some "Play" [sic] stuff to work.
UPDATE: Thanks! You can stop now.
(Unless you have read the dozens of replies and have had a materially different experience than those.)
@jwz works fine for me i.e. Firefox Mobile downloads and offers to open it. Then it's imported correctly into Google Wallet, no fuss. Android 16 on a Pixel 7 Pro. I do wish it was an actual ticket tbh
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If those of you using Android could click on this link and tell me whether it does anything even remotely useful, and if so, some detail about how horrible/stupid the whole experience is, that would be helpful: https://www.jwz.org/images/2026/test.pkpass
And tell me what version you're using, obviously. Possibly this requires some "Play" [sic] stuff to work.
UPDATE: Thanks! You can stop now.
(Unless you have read the dozens of replies and have had a materially different experience than those.)
@jwz I get the usual download thing. Hitting "open" opens it in the FossWallet app and I get a nice looking ticket - see screenshot. N.b. this is Grapheneos and partly de-googled, I got FossWallet from the f-droid app store. I've used it on the past for an openstreetmap meet and a trip to an art gallery
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If those of you using Android could click on this link and tell me whether it does anything even remotely useful, and if so, some detail about how horrible/stupid the whole experience is, that would be helpful: https://www.jwz.org/images/2026/test.pkpass
And tell me what version you're using, obviously. Possibly this requires some "Play" [sic] stuff to work.
UPDATE: Thanks! You can stop now.
(Unless you have read the dozens of replies and have had a materially different experience than those.)
FYI, this is what it looks like on iOS. No intervening clicks needed besides "Add".
