PayPal for Android has, at long last, been updated with a killer-feature iUsers have enjoyed since last October: camera-based check scanning and depositing. As a frequent PayPal user, myself, I have to say: this is awesome. Checks are the very bane of my (financial) existence; I mean, who uses checks? Every time I get one of those evil little slips, I scurry down to my local Wells Fargo, wasting precious gasoline and time - assuming it doesn't just sit on my desk for a month, taunting me with its hand-scrawled promise of currency (if you haven't noticed, I'm kind of lazy.)

Yes, I'm poor

While I could wait for Wells Fargo to implement such a feature, I might be waiting a while: their Android app is still just a URL bar-less mobile web page. Unfortunately, not all of our banks are as cool as Chase.

To use the new check capture feature, just open up the PayPal app, hit "Tools", and head over to "Add Money from Checks." You'll need to take a picture of the front of your check, and a picture of the back with your endorsement (signature.) Once you've done that, just enter the amount the check is for, and submit. If your picture-taking skills are up to par, you should get a screen like this:

Now, it's just a matter of waiting for PayPal to process it. They estimate 6 days, but in my experience, PayPal generally beats those estimates every time - they're just playing it safe.

Just two things, there is a daily deposit limit of $1000US, and a monthly deposit limit of $3,000. So don't expect PayPal to replace your bank 100% just yet. Also, the feature is only available in the U.S. You can get the updated version of PayPal on the Market right now (it's a manual update).