Buying online has always been something of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s convenient. On the other, there’s lots of potential for thievery. Of course, nowadays there are all manner of anti-theft measures in place and purchases have been made even simpler with payment info storage and the like. But what about those spontaneous instances of shopping need where there’s no computer present? Well that’s what TapBuy Deals is for of course.

TapBuy Deals is something of a dream come true for super-saving shopaholics. The app stores billing and shipping information using “bank-grade encryption,” so once the desired item is found it only takes a tap or two and the order is completed within seconds. For added security, it requires a PIN for each purchase so if the iPhone is lost or stolen no one else will be able to run up unwanted charges. But this ease of use coupled with security is only a part of the draw.

In addition to all that, TapBuy Deals will group purchases (from the same vendor, of course) together to reduce shipping costs. Sometimes this even leads to zero cost. On top of all that it also automatically finds coupons and applies them as needed, saving users the most money it can. Of course, they can also add their own if they’d like.

TapBuy Deals is sitting in the App Store right now for free. And my apologies for the phrase “lickety-split.” It’s just that the opportunity to use it comes along so infrequently I couldn’t resist.

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TapBuy Deals

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2011-07-07 :: Category: Utilities

Sorry for the headline pun, but we couldn’t help it. Appsbar is a startup that launched in April, giving anyone the ability to publish their own professional level apps for submission to the App Store (as well as to the Android Market).

Last week, Appsbar brough in some new functionality, allowing business who take advantage of the free Appsbar creation tools to include appCoupons – digital coupon functionality, easily added to any app created with the web based tools.

“The proliferation of smartphones, social networks, and the community that is growing out of appsbar has let us create this perfect, all-new way for businesses to directly make and deliver digital coupons without all the restrictions and without any of the cost,” said appsbar co-founder Scott Hirsch. “Our goal is to give businesses of any size a way to maximize the effectiveness of digital coupons. Now businesses can build and share appsCoupon on any social platform, email or mobile database they want.”

The application of such an easily produced system should be obvious to business owners who are looking for another way to use coupons in their bid to take over the retail world both locally and nationally. In addition, appCoupons will let businesses control their own coupon promotions, without giving away any of their control or profit, as might be true of a service like Groupon.

These digital coupons can be created using the same wizard and back-end code checker that is included in the free Appsbar set of tools, which can include calendar, menus, soundboard, graphics and GPS capabilities. Once created, the business owner can then notify the users of their app that a coupon is ready for quick and direct marketing. In addition, Appsbar tools allow apps made with the system to be shared on social networking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

While apps made with Appsbar are necessarily simple, a savvy business owner could well take advantage of such a system to bring the power of smartphones and digital coupons to their own local business. Be sure to check out Appsbar’s website for more info.

Two apps made with Appsbar:

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Don King

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2010-12-16 :: Category: Entertainment

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Jill Martin

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2011-02-05 :: Category: Lifestyle

Coupons, Inc., today announced that they have acquired the app Grocery IQ from developers Free State Labs for an unspecified sum and plans on integrating mobile coupons into the application in version 2.

What seems most interesting to me is that this is one of first examples of an iPhone application, developed by a small group, being acquired by a larger company. There are a couple examples of applications being sold from one small indie developer to another. Where To? comes to mind. Even smaller apps being licensed by larger companies, for example Light Saber.

I’m surprised that we haven’t seen acquisitions happen more. It’s a great way for larger companies to buy an audience. And it’s a good way for developers, who perhaps have grown tired of supporting an application that may no longer be bringing much revenue, to make a little money with it and move on to the next project. Guessing we’ll see more of this in the future.

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Grocery iQ

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2008-09-12 :: Category: Lifestyle

The full press release is after the jump.

Continue reading Grocery IQ Acquired by Coupons.com »