AppDate: Best phone deals at your fingertips

This issue of AppDate has a financial theme, as SEAN BACHER highlights the PhoneFinder website, the Lastminutegolf app, an Investec trading app, the Standard Bank app for Windows Phone and S4BB’s FX Rates for BlackBerry.

PhoneFinder

With all the deals available from local cellular providers it is difficult to decide which contract best suits your needs and your pocket. But, with PhoneFinder, things are a little easier. The site lets users browse the most popular deals available and lists all the packages and contracts available in South Africa. Users can then compare them and even sign up for a deal on the spot. The site also lets users build their own contracts by deciding what phone they want, how many free minutes they need and how much data they will consume each month.

Platform: Any computer, tablet or smartphone with a web browser.

Stockists: www.phonefinder.co.za

Expect to pay: Free to use.

Lastminutegolf

Lastminutegolf lets users view information on golf coursers around South Africa. The app displays tee times and club rates and also lets them book a round of golf, list their partners and settle any outstanding fees via credit card.

Platform: iOS and Android

Stockists: Visit the store linked to your device.

Expect to pay: Free to download.

Investec trading app

The Investec trading app allows its private clients to trade on the stock market while on the move. The app gives clients a consolidated account dashboard that allows them to view all the relevant information for their Investec Private Banking and global Wealth & Investment accounts. Clients with private banking accounts that live in South Africa will be able to view their balances and transactions, as well as make payments to beneficiaries or once-off payments. Wealth and investment clients will be able to view their global portfolios, browse market data and buy and sell JSE listed equities.

Platform: Android and iOS

Stockists: Visit the store linked to your device.

Expect to pay: A free download.

Standard Bank app for Windows Phone

The Standard Bank app, now available for Windows Phone, lets users access their account balances with graphs that let them compare the state of all their accounts, including net balances. Transactions can also be searched and funds can be transferred between any linked accounts. The app also lets users buy airtime and send money to other Standard Bank customers using their cellphone number.

Platform: Windows Phone 8

Stockists: Windows Phone Store.

Expect to pay: A free download.

S4BB FX Rates

The FX Rates by S4BB lets users gain up-to-date exchange rates for 139 currencies. Users merely need to select the currencies they want to see exchange rates for and save them. Once saved, they are cached, making them viewable without an Internet connection.

Platform: BlackBerry OS 10 and later

Stockists: BlackBerry World.

Expect to pay: A free download.

* Sean Bacher is editor of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Twitter on @SeanBacher