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Tag Archives: iPhone
Westpac New Zealand’s Apps
These days it’s imperative for financial services providers to offer useful and intuitive mobile banking apps as branch footprints diminish and customers want to bank online rather than over the phone.
After I wrote about the Westpac Cash Tank App in this blog post a few months ago, a reader asked me to cover off Westpac’s other iPhone apps.
Westpac New Zealand Mobile Banking
Westpac’s internet online banking platform is archaic. Having experienced the ANZ and ASB versions I find the whole thing lacks colour, life and features. Not being able to change your address or securely message the bank through online banking for example is incredibly frustrating.
In comparison Westpac’s Online Banking apps ( the iPad version in particular which is pictured below) are fantastic and it’s their simplicity which makes them a winner. While they don’t have all the functionality of online banking such as the ability to manage bill payees or pay your credit card bill, I’ve taken to using the apps rather than my laptop for my day to day banking needs such as transferring money between accounts and paying my rent.
Impulse Saver for iPhone
Westpac research found that New Zealanders spend an average of $16.1 million per day on impulse purchases. Enter Impulse Saver – an app to encourage saving on impulse rather than spending.
The app features a big red button, one touch of which sends a predetermined amount (minimum $2 and maximum $50) from your Westpac transaction account into your Westpac savings account.The idea is you hit the button when you’re in the supermarket queue instead of reaching for the chocolate bar, magazine or bottle of coke.
Saving money to me means setting aside an amount each pay day before I can touch it and spending the remainder. But if you like the idea of saving on impulse download Impulse Saver.
BudgetPlanner for iPhone
The Budget Planner app offers pre-populated budgets for different life situations (eg. single or double income and whether you also have a family and/or pet). For each of the income and expenses questions there is a slider or you can tap and enter a figure, and select the appropriate payment frequency icon.
If your take-home pay equates to more than $3500 per week or your annual bonus more than $18200 this is not the app for you as the slider only goes to these values. On the bright site if you do earn that much chances are you don’t require a budget planning app.
This app can be used by Westpac customers and non-customers alike as there is no requirement to log in to online banking. There are negatives to this however as the app is not password protected and if you share an iPad like I do (a work one) your personal information is viewable by all users unless you delete your budget.
Realestate app for iPhone
Allan reviewed an early version of the realestate.co.nz app (in association with Westpac) back in 2010. The map lets you spot exactly where houses near you are which is handy whether you’re looking to buy, or just want to be nosey and visit Open Homes near your home at the weekend.
Features added in the most recent update include the ability synch open homes and homes you like between realestate.co.nz and your mobile device, and an archive section to view sold or withdrawn properties for 30 days.
A Mobile Wallet and another closely guarded app will be released by Westpac in the coming months.
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Posted in Reviews
The App for Shortland Street Addicts
I was initially a little horrified to learn Shortland Street had it’s own iPhone app. I spent seven years of my life addicted to the program, during which time I never missed an episode.
It’s an era I now look back on and cringe but the Shortland Street app released last year contains all the information I once would have been desperate for like photos, actor bios and interviews to stalk out your favourite actors as well as all the latest Shortland Street news and daily previews to establish what’s going to happen next.
I really like the full, in-depth episode recaps which mean if you miss Shortland Street one night and don’t have time to watch it online you can stay up to date with what’s happening and avoid confusion when you next watch the program. Annoyingly though, to actually watch episodes online you have to switch to the tvnzondemand app so you can’t get your full Shortland Street fix within the app itself.
Each month you can put your questions to a different Shortland Street star by using the Live Chat feature, or you can chat at any time with other fans (I’m sure most of them are around the age of 12 and borrowing dad’s iPad).
My flatmate’s girlfriend features as the wallpaper on both his iPhone and laptop and I can’t help but give him grief about it. This week I’ve realised it could be worse – how about a Shortland Street cast pic as your wallpaper?
Have you come across any good apps for other popular television programs?
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Read MoreNZ Police Get iPhones And iPads For Facebook On The Go
This week the New Zealand Police announced that they will be dishing out iPads and iPhones to a large portion of the men and women of the force. OK, so probably not for Facebook but I’m sure they’re not complaining. A great time to be a cop, you might say.
In all seriousness though, giving our front line the best technology possible is a no brainer really. Whatever the cost, if it saves lives in the long run it’s worth it.
After 11 months of testing and trying out different devices, there’s no surprise in what they chose……
Read More3 Market Leading Apps from New Zealand Brands
Here are my thoughts on three market-leading apps I have found myself using a lot this month which have been developed for major New Zealand brands.
Air New Zealand mPass
The Air New Zealand mPass app has functions for:
- Booking and changing flights
- Keeping track of your upcoming flights
- Checking the balance of your Airpoints dollars
- Checking in at the airport
- Finding your way to where you need to go.
Before arriving at the airport you can check your flight number, seat number, and any departure time updates.
Once at the airport, if you’re checking in a bag you can get your luggage tags at the kiosks by scanning your personalised barcode for your flight in the app which saved me fluffing around in my emails trying to find my booking reference when I was checking in in a hurry.
If you’re travelling domestically without bags you can apparently go straight to the gate with your phone and ID to check in there with your phone acting as your boarding pass. The barcode can also be used for for entrance to the Koru Lounge if you’re lucky enough to be a member.
The airport maps and FAQs I am yet to use, but the link to call a taxi is something which is extremely handy when you’re in a city you don’t have a local taxi number on hand for.
Read on to see the rest……
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Posted in All
The iRock, The Coolest iPad Accessory You’ll Ever See
If there is one thing that is almost as exciting as a new Apple device, it’s a new iPad or iPhone accessory. I have recently discovered something very different and very out of the ordinary. The market for this particular accessory is perhaps a lot smaller than the market of your standard iPhone case seller for example, but it is definitely worth a view.
I have been doing a bit of travel through New Zealand in the last couple of months, which has meant reading a lot of magazines on planes. Lately, my choice of mag has been New Zealand PC World and it was in here that I found the iPad accessory like no other.
Most iPhone and iPad accessories are just standard things that make the life of an Apple fan slightly easier or more enjoyable. This accessory however is completely new and original. Read on to see my new discovery……
Read MoreAll Blacks Dan and Ritchie feature in satirical Maps clip
All Blacks Dan Carter and Ritchie McCaw feature as construction workers in a recent clip on satire news site The Onion about Apple improving the accuracy of their heavily criticised Maps by rearranging Earth’s geography including renaming streets and moving buildings and natural features to be consistent with the software.
The original image was taken on a visit to Eden Park during Prince William’s visit to New Zealand in January 2010. Prince William has had his face replaced however Dan and Ritchie must have been overlooked or deemed unrecognisable to the rest of the world without their All Blacks jerseys.
Instead of just fixing the app, The Onion’s false news article talks of dismantling the Brooklyn Bridge, moving Baltimore to the middle of the ocean and covering parts of Tokyo in a large green square.
Public transit directions will also no longer be necessary as there will be no public transit in this new world. Check out the clip below.
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Read MoreFive uses for your iPhone which you haven’t thought of yet
Disclaimer: No responsibility will be taken by the author or www.iphonewzealand.co.nz for damage caused to iPhones (or any other device) as a result following the advice given below.
- Bottle Opener
Granted your phone will not thank you for this and the damage will start to show (see image below) but the top corner of your phone is excellent for leveraging the top off a bottle of beer or cider when there is no bottle opener or barman in sight.
- Hammer
Whether you need to nail a picture hook, a garden stake or put a piece of furniture together who actually owns a hammer anymore? Even better your iPhone is an adaptable tool – use either the side or back of the phone as appropriate depending on the size of the object you’re using it on.
- Make-up ‘mirror’
More a suggestion for the girls – flip your camera so you can see your image in your phone and apply make-up. When you’re finished take a selfie and confirm you’ve done an adequate job.
The above is also an appropriate method of discovering whether there is anything stuck in your teeth.
- Secret hiding place for receipts/paper money/ notes you don’t want your partner/mother/flatmate to see
This only applies if you have a case on your phone, but it’s amazing the variety of documents you can slip between the case and the phone. The only problem is remembering you put them there….
- Implement for writing in the sand
Lack of sticks on the beach you want to inscribe something in? Just be aware that sand will get EVERYWHERE.
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Posted in iPhone
