Out of the Inbox: Chase Invites Business Clients to a Free Webinar with Google

imageOn the one hand, it’s easy for a bank to get the attention of business clients and prospects. Just announce a streamlined commercial loan-app process. But since that’s unlikely to happen in the wake of the Financial Meltdown, a Webinar with Google is a pretty solid Plan B.

Chase has a winning effort here. The topic, 7 ways to sell online, is so compelling that Google is tossing in a $100 AdWords credit for attendees (see note). And it never hurts to associate with a powerful and well-regarded Internet brand.  

The email design is good with an interesting subject line, an email to ask questions, and a big green button for the call-to- action. The copy is a bit predictable, but it’s short and to-the-point and doesn’t distract. There are small quibbles regarding design-layout; perhaps, a Gmail issue; and they forgot to capitalize the W in AdWords, but those are minor glitches.    

Grade: A-

Chase email to existing business clients (6 May, 10:33 AM, Pacific)

Chase Email to Existing Business Clients announcing webinar with google

Landing page hosted by Google and co-branded with Chase (link)

Registration page hosted by Google and co-branded with Chase 

——————————-

Notes:
1. Google usually offers the $100 only to new clients, but I don’t seen any fine print limiting the bonus. I hope they don’t add a restriction after the fact, which could negate the positive energy Chase generates from the Webinar offer.
2. For more info on the space, see Online Banking Report: Micro- and Small Business Online Banking (published Oct. 2009)

FinovateSpring is Next Week — Don’t Miss Out on 64 Fintech Innovations & an Amazing Audience!

FinovateSpring_Logo_Date.jpg

FinovateSpring 2011 is only a one week away! But don’t worry, there is still (a little) time to get one of the remaining tickets to watch 64 new fintech innovations debut in the fast-paced, demo-only, no-slides-allowed format that Finovate audiences love.

Speaking of the audience…we’re expecting the largest turnout ever for a Finovate event with more than 800 senior financial executives, venture capitalists, industry analysts, press, bloggers, and fintech entrepreneurs packing the auditorium in San Francisco.

Here’s just a (very) small sample of the institutions that are attending:

  • Aite Group
  • Alliant CU
  • Ally Financial
  • American Express
  • AOL Huffington Post
  • Bain Ventures
  • Banco Popular
  • Bank of America
  • Bank of Internet
  • Bank Tech News
  • Battery Ventures
  • BBVA
  • BECU
  • Bloomberg VC
  • BMO
  • Capital One
  • Celent
  • Charles Schwab
  • Chase
  • CIBC
  • Citigroup
  • CNNMoney.com
  • comScore
  • Danske Bank
  • Discover
  • Equifax
  • ETRADE
  • Experian
  • FICO
  • Fidelity
  • First Round Capital
  • First Tech CU
  • FIS Global
  • Fiserv
  • Flybridge VC
  • Forbes
  • Foundation Capital
  • Frost Bank
  • GE Money
  • Google
  • Greylock
  • GRP Partners
  • Harland
  • Harvard
  • Highland Capital
  • ING Direct
  • Intuit
  • Jack Henry
  • Javelin Strategy
  • Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
  • Mountain America CU
  • Navigant CU
  • Novarica
  • Omidyar Network
  • PaymentsNews
  • PayPal
  • PC World
  • Pitney Bowes
  • PwC
  • Reuters
  • Scotiabank
  • Slate Magazine
  • Star One CU
  • State Farm Insurance
  • SunTrust
  • TD Ameritrade
  • TD Bank
  • The Motley Fool
  • TIAA-CREF
  • TowerGroup
  • TSYS
  • U.S. Bank
  • Umpqua Bank
  • US Department of Treasury
  • USAA
  • VentureBeat
  • Visa
  • Wells Fargo
  • Yodlee

Please register as soon as possible to lock in your spot and join this amazing audience. We’ll see you in San Francisco next week!

FinovateSpring 2011 is sponsored by: The Bancorp, Tier One Partners, and the law firm of CB&S.

FinovateSpring 2011 is partners with: BankInnovation.net, BankerStuff, CardWeb, Filene Research Institute, Finance on WindowsPYMNTS.com, Mercator Advisory Group, Mobile-Financial.com and TheStartup.eu

FinovateSpring is Next Week — Don’t Miss Out on 64 New Fintech Innovations and an Amazing Audience!

FinovateSpring_Logo_Date.jpg

FinovateSpring 2011 is only one week away! But don’t worry, there is still (a little) time to get one of the remaining tickets to watch 64 new fintech innovations debut in the fast-paced, demo-only, no-slides-allowed format that Finovate audiences love.

Speaking of the audience…we’re expecting the largest turnout ever for a Finovate event with over 800 senior financial executives, venture capitalists, industry analysts, press, bloggers, and fintech entrepreneurs packing the auditorium in San Francisco.

Here’s just a (very) small sample of the institutions that are attending:

  • Aite Group
  • Alliant CU
  • Ally Financial
  • American Express
  • AOL Huffington Post
  • Bain Ventures
  • Banco Popular
  • Bank of America
  • Bank of Internet
  • Bank Tech News
  • Battery Ventures
  • BBVA
  • BECU
  • Bloomberg VC
  • BMO
  • Capital One
  • Celent
  • Charles Schwab
  • Chase
  • CIBC
  • Citigroup
  • CNNMoney.com
  • comScore
  • Danske Bank
  • Discover
  • Equifax
  • ETRADE
  • Experian
  • FICO
  • Fidelity
  • First Round Capital
  • First Tech CU
  • FIS Global
  • Fiserv
  • Flybridge VC
  • Forbes
  • Foundation Capital
  • Frost Bank
  • GE Money
  • Google
  • Greylock
  • GRP Partners
  • Harland
  • Harvard
  • Highland Capital
  • ING Direct
  • Intuit
  • Jack Henry
  • Javelin Strategy
  • Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
  • Mountain America CU
  • Navigant CU
  • Novarica
  • Omidyar Network
  • PaymentsNews
  • PayPal
  • PC World
  • Pitney Bowes
  • PwC
  • Reuters
  • Scotiabank
  • Slate Magazine
  • Star One CU
  • State Farm Insurance
  • SunTrust
  • TD Ameritrade
  • TD Bank
  • The Motley Fool
  • TIAA-CREF
  • TowerGroup
  • TSYS
  • U.S. Bank
  • Umpqua Bank
  • US Department of Treasury
  • USAA
  • VentureBeat
  • Visa
  • Wells Fargo
  • Yodlee

Please register as soon as possible to lock in your spot and join this amazing audience. We’ll see you in San Francisco next week!

FinovateSpring 2011 is sponsored by: The Bancorp, Tier One Partners, and the law firm of CB&S.

FinovateSpring 2011 is partners with: BankInnovation.net, BankerStuff, CardWeb, Filene Research Institute, Finance on WindowsPYMNTS.com, Mercator Advisory Group, Mobile-Financial.com and TheStartup.eu

First Look: Bank of America’s Just-Launched iPad App

image A little more than a year after the iPad launched, Bank of America finally made it their own with a native app. It appeared in the iTunes store around midnight last night and has already climbed to #42 on the list of most popular free apps across all categories (5 PM Pacific; see update below and notes 1, 2).

I took it for a spin a few minutes ago and it’s about what you’d expect for the first version. The most important functions are all there: view recent transactions, transfer funds, pay bills, find ATM/branch locations, and contact customer service. It also includes the ability to apply for a new account within the app, something that is still relatively rare (and not included in the bank’s iPhone app).

Analysis: Overall, it’s a solid, if somewhat tardy, initial effort and will be adequate for most users. However, BofA has a reputation for being an online leader, and there is nothing in the app so far that supports that brand positioning. But, then again, simply having an iPad app puts it ahead of most competitors (see list of top banking apps as of last week).

A few other notable features:

  • Users have the option to store their username, so subsequent logins can be accomplished by simply entering a password (screenshot 1)
  • Pressing anywhere on a line item in the statement brings up a small popup with additional transaction detail (screenshot 2)
  • While it won’t win any design awards, the app gets a passing grade with an overall look and feel that is consistent with other iPad apps with relatively intuitive navigation. At least it’s not simply an expanded version of its iPhone app (like the Chase iPad app)

It also disappoints in a few areas:

  • I tried to pay my credit card bill, but the iPad app doesn’t support payment via external checking account (regular online banking does)
  • It times out after 10 minutes (good), but leaves your account balances visible until you dismiss the popup (screenshot 4)
  • I was not able to access business credit card statement data (system unavailable) but was able to get personal card data
  • The squares didn’t quite fit the screen right in portrait mode (screenshot 4)

Update: At 11 PM Pacific, the BofA app has reached #22 among all free iPad apps.
——————————————-

1. Initial iPad app sign in (3 May 2011)

 Bank of America iPad app login screen

2. Transaction details popup

  Bank of America iPad app transaction details

3. New account app

Bank of America iPad app: New account app

4. Time-out warning still shows account balances

image 

Notes:
1. The app still shows up as #32 in the finance category. So clearly, the top list among all apps is refreshed more often than the individual category lists.  
2. There is no mention of the app on the bank’s website as of 5 PM.
3. For more info on mobile banking, see our previous Online Banking Reports.

ING Direct Adds Phone-to-Phone Mobile Payments Powered by Bump Technologies

imageI’ve always admired ING Direct’s focus on deposit accounts primarily sold and serviced through the Internet. While the bank has diversified into checking accounts, mortgages, and investments during the ten years since it launched, the core website look and feel is virtually unchanged (see 2001 version here). 

So I was more than a bit surprised to learn this weekend that ING Direct became the second U.S. financial institution to add Bump-powered phone-to-phone payments to its iPhone app. PayPal was first, adding the feature more than a year ago.

Bottom line: Evidently, with “high-yield savings” stuck at 1%, the giant direct bank needs to be a little more creative on the feature side to attract new business. While bump-to-pay will eventually be replaced with direct communications via NFC or other technologies, it’s a nice addition that positions ING Direct as a mobile leader.

Bump is now one of two choice on the P2P menu on ING Direct’s iPhone app (2 May 2011)

Bump is now one of two choice on the P2P menu on ING Direct's iPhone app (2 May 2011)      Bump is now one of two choice on the P2P menu on ING Direct's iPhone app (2 May 2011) 

Bump is now one of two choice on the P2P menu on ING Direct's iPhone app (2 May 2011) 

——-

Note: For more info on mobile banking, see our previous Online Banking Reports.

Alumni News — Week of April 25, 2011

On April 27, Prosper gave 200 new lenders $104 to get started. The company is celebrating the news that prosper lenders are averaging 10.4% returns. http://bit.ly/finovate426111

American Banker on Yodlee and Geezeo growth in the PFM market. Yodlee grows French market, and Geezeo signs more credit unions. http://bit.ly/finovate429111
Author Jean Chatzky opens her Debt Diet Challenge to 5 Credit.com readers who are in debt. http://bit.ly/lDmZ54
Bank Innovations highlights six companies as noteworthy to see at Finovate Spring on May 10th & 11th in San Francisco. http://bit.ly/kqBr39
Bill.com releases site upgrade. The upgrade, made over the Easter weekend, includes improved calendar, a revised mobile application, receivables managements and online payments and more. http://bit.ly/finovate427113
BrightScope featured on TechCrunch. The post highlights BrightScope’s launch of advisor pages. http://tcrn.ch/finovate426113
Capital Access Network awarded prestigious award. The company won the 2011 Monarch Innovation Award from Barlow Research Associates. http://bit.ly/finovate425113
CashEdge’s Small Business Survey finds that small businesses want electronic payment solutions. http://bit.ly/kmC1lM
Consumer Reports integrates BillShrink’s recommendations into reviews. BillShrink has similar affiliate relationships with Walmart.com and T-Mobile. http://tcrn.ch/finovate426112
Credit Karma releases Credit Score Climate Report stating credit scores fell two points in the Q1 2011. http://mwne.ws/lnXZn7
Currensee makes Lead411’s Hottest Boston Tech Companies list second year in a row. See them at Finovate Spring. http://bit.ly/lmrLNK
H&R Block names former eBay exec as new CEO. http://buswk.co/ipszZa
Mengia signs with Icelandic banks, Arion and Landsbanki. Mengia will provide PFM services to both banks, which will provide 90% of Icelandic banking customers with access to an integrated PFM platform. http://bit.ly/finovate427112
Monitise launches Hong Kong mobile service with JETCO, which will help it break into the Asia Pacific market. http://bit.ly/kEEcCP
Stock Twits names Francisc Costello chief operating officer.  http://bit.ly/finovate429114
Tile Financial releases the “Spend Grow Give” app. Now available free in the App Store. http://bit.ly/finovate425111
USA Today covers BrightScope’s new tool for choosing the right financial adviser & informs what attributes to look for. http://usat.ly/msrb7l
Wescom Resources Group offers Geezeo PFM to clients. Wescom will be rolling out Geezeo as a complement to the Credit Union’s existing online banking platform. http://bit.ly/finovate425112
Xero releases Xero Touch, its new app built on HTML5 that will run on iPhone, Android, Windows7 and Blackberry. http://bit.ly/eLPrdA
Yodlee holds a mobile banking webinar on May 3. Attendance is free. Details online at  http://bit.ly/finovate427111

Account Alerts: Discover Card Helps Users Visualize the Options

image We are approaching the 15-year anniversary of the first retail banking account alert. Britton & Koontz Bank was the first to offer them in the summer of 1996 (note 1). But alerts didn’t become widely available until a few years later. 

Back then, you’d be lucky if you had three or four different alerts to choose from. And of course, there was no such thing as a mobile alert.

Today, banks and card issuers offer a dozen or more alert types capable of going to multiple email addresses, multiple mobile devices, or even to your land-line via voice message. Consumers are better served overall, but the wide range of options can be confusing.   

One solution is to use default selections. Users can select their preferred profile, and the bank establishes a set of recommended alerts. This profile selection could be made during online banking registration. For example:

  • Normal alerts
  • More alerts
  • Less alerts

Another helpful practice is to show examples so users can visualize what they are signing up for. Discover Card uses this technique in its card-management area with popups that show both the email and text-message version of each alert type (see screenshot below).

Alerts are a vital part of online and mobile banking, so take time to educate users on the appropriate mix (note 2). It’s also a great topic to cover in your blog or Twitter feed. 

————————————–

Discover allows users to review samples of each alert type (28 April 2011)

Discover Card allows users to review samples of each alert type (28 April 2011)

Notes:
1. Signet Bank was the first major to offer email account alerts. We covered it in OBR 22 (Feb 1997).
2. For more information on alerts and messaging, refer to this Online Banking Report published in 2003.

Full FinovateSpring 2011 Demo Lineup Revealed – Buy Your Ticket Now to See the Future of Fintech!

FinovateSpring_Logo_Date.jpg

FinovateSpring 2011 is less than two weeks away and so it’s finally time to reveal the full lineup of the demoing companies! On May 10th & 11th, sixty-four hot startups and established fintech leaders will take the stage in the Bay Area to showcase their newest innovations in financial and banking technology.

Without further ado, here is the full list of companies that will be on
stage in San Francisco (including the handful we’ve had to keep
confidential until now):

  • Adobe
  • Afiniate
  • Aptys Solutions
  • Arroweye Solutions
  • Backbase
  • Balance Financial
  • BancBox
  • BancVue
  • BankOns
  • Bill.com
  • Billeo
  • BillFloat
  • Bills.com
  • BillShrink
  • Braintree
  • Bundle
  • ChargeSmart
  • Clovr Media
  • Code Green
  • Corduro
  • Currensee
  • doxo
  • Dwolla
  • edo Interactive
  • Enloop
  • eWise
  • Expensify
  • Experian
  • Figlo
  • Fiserv
  • FMN Technology
  • Gold Bullion Int’l
  • Gratio Capital
  • HelloWallet
  • HOYOS
  • ID Analytics
  • Ideon
  • Intellaegis
  • Kabbage
  • Kiboo
  • Kony Solutions
  • Lend Street
  • Lendio.com
  • Liqpay
  • Mint.com
  • Mitek Systems
  • MyBankTracker
  • oFlows
  • OpenCuro
  • Openfinance
  • PayDivvy
  • PayNearMe
  • PayPal/Discover
  • peerTransfer
  • ProfitStars
  • Q2ebanking
  • ReadyReceipts
  • RobotDough
  • Silver Tail Systems
  • TILE Financial
  • TrustedID
  • Wikinvest
  • Wipro Technologies
  • Xero

If you decide to attend, you’ll watch the selected companies showcase their latest ideas as part of an influential audience that’s shaping up to be Finovate’s largest ever. We’re on track to pack the auditorium with more than 750 attendees (up from 550 last year).

A small sample of the organizations already registered includes: Ally Bank, Bain Capital, Bank of America, Battery Ventures, BBVA, BMO, Capital One, Chase, Citi, CNN Money, eTrade, Fidelity, FIS Global, GE Capital, GRP Partners, H&R Block, Harland, Highland Capital Partners, ING Direct, Intuit, JD Power & Associates, Reuters, Scotiabank, SunTrust, The Motley Fool, Time Inc, TowerGroup, USAA, US Bank, Visa, Wells Fargo, and Yahoo!Finance.

Register by this Friday to save $100 over the last-minute ticket price and lock in your spot to see the future of fintech debut live on stage. We’ll see you in San Francisco!

FinovateSpring 2011 is sponsored by: The Bancorp, Tier One Partners, and the law firm of CB&S.

FinovateSpring 2011 is partners with: BankInnovation.net, BankerStuff, CardWeb, Filene Research Institute, Finance on WindowsPYMNTS.com, Mercator Advisory Group, Mobile-Financial.com and TheStartup.eu

Full FinovateSpring 2011 Demo Lineup Revealed – Buy Your Ticket Now to see the Future of Fintech!

FinovateSpring_Logo_Date.jpg

FinovateSpring 2011 is less than 2 weeks away and so it’s finally time to reveal the full lineup of the demoing companies! On May 10th & 11th, sixty-four hot startups and established fintech leaders will take the stage in the Bay Area to showcase their newest innovations in financial and banking technology.

Without further ado, here is the full list of companies who will be on
stage in San Francisco (including the handful we’ve had to keep
confidential until now):

  • Adobe
  • Afiniate
  • Aptys Solutions
  • Arroweye Solutions
  • Backbase
  • Balance Financial
  • BancBox
  • BancVue
  • BankOns
  • Bill.com
  • Billeo
  • BillFloat
  • Bills.com
  • BillShrink
  • Braintree
  • Bundle
  • ChargeSmart
  • Clovr Media
  • Code Green
  • Corduro
  • Currensee
  • doxo
  • Dwolla
  • edo Interactive
  • Enloop
  • eWise
  • Expensify
  • Experian
  • Figlo
  • Fiserv
  • FMN Technology
  • Gold Bullion Int’l
  • Gratio Capital
  • HelloWallet
  • HOYOS
  • ID Analytics
  • Ideon
  • Intellaegis
  • Kabbage
  • Kiboo
  • Kony Solutions
  • Lend Street
  • Lendio.com
  • Liqpay
  • Mint.com
  • Mitek Systems
  • MyBankTracker
  • oFlows
  • OpenCuro
  • Openfinance
  • PayDivvy
  • PayNearMe
  • PayPal/Discover
  • peerTransfer
  • ProfitStars
  • Q2ebanking
  • ReadyReceipts
  • RobotDough
  • Silver Tail Systems
  • TILE Financial
  • TrustedID
  • Wikinvest
  • Wipro Technologies
  • Xero

If you decide to attend, you’ll watch the selected companies showcase their latest ideas as part of an influential audience that’s shaping up to be Finovate’s largest ever. We’re on track to pack the auditorium with more than 750 attendees (up from 550 last year).

A small sample of the organizations already registered includes: Ally Bank, Bain Capital, Bank of America, Battery Ventures, BBVA, BMO, Capital One, Chase, Citi, CNN Money, eTrade, Fidelity, FIS Global, GE Capital, GRP Partners, H&R Block, Harland, Highland Capital Partners, ING Direct, Intuit, JD Power & Associates, Reuters, Scotiabank, SunTrust, The Motley Fool, Time Inc, TowerGroup, USAA, US Bank, Visa, Wells Fargo, and Yahoo!Finance.

Register by this Friday to save $100 over the last-minute ticket price and lock in your spot to see the future of fintech debut live on stage. We’ll see you in San Francisco!

FinovateSpring 2011 is sponsored by: The Bancorp, Tier One Partners, and the law firm of CB&S.

FinovateSpring 2011 is partners with: BankInnovation.net, BankerStuff, CardWeb, Filene Research Institute, Finance on WindowsPYMNTS.com, Mercator Advisory Group, Mobile-Financial.com and TheStartup.eu

65 Most Popular iPhone Apps from U.S. Banks and Other Financial Services Companies

image This is a followup to last week’s 30 most popular iPad apps. Unlike the iPad, most major financial institutions have had an iPhone app for a year or longer. So the most-popular list reads pretty much like a who’s who of U.S. banking.

Observations:

  • Only 16 (25%) of the top-65 also have iPad apps
  • 36 (55%) apps are from banks representing 29 unique banks (i.e., 7 apps are second or third ones from the same bank)
  • 15 apps (23%) are from credit unions
  • Banks/card issuers command 6 of the top 10 spots (7 if you count PayPal)
  • The highest credit union is #23, Navy Federal Credit Union; Suncoast Schools FCU is second highest at #35

Methodology: Using an iPhone in the late afternoon today, I accessed the Free apps in the Finance category of the Apple App Store and sorted by “Most Popular.” I included apps only from U.S. financial institutions or from third parties that tap directly into financial institution data using account aggregation (e.g., from Yodlee, CashEdge, etc.). Pure content apps, like ING Direct’s ATM Finder, were not included even if from a financial institution.

Note: The first column below is the rank among all financial institutions (as defined above). The second column in the app’s rank within the entire App Store “finance” category. And the third column is the rank of that company’s iPad app, if they have one.

Table: 65 Most-Popular U.S. Banking Apps

FI Rank Finance Rank iPad Rank Company
1 1 Bank of America
2 2 4 Chase bank
3 3 Wells Fargo
4 4 PayPal
5 5 Capital One
6 6 1, 5 Pageonce
7 9 Mint.com
8 10 American Express
9 12 2 Square
10 14 8 USAA
11 15 Citibank
12 17 Regions Bank
13 18 Discover
14 19 TD Bank
15 20 PNC Bank
16 21 9 Fidelity Investments
17 23 6 E*Trade
18 24 ING Direct
19 25 SunTrust
20 26 US Bank
21 27 Schwab
22 30 PNC Virtual Wallet
23 32 Navy Federal Credit Union
24 35 7 TD Ameritrade
25 43 Barclaycard
26 44 22 BB&T
27 47 ShareBuilder (ING Direct)
28 48 Citizens Bank (RBS)
29 52 Vanguard
30 58 JP Morgan
31 66 M&T Bank
32 67 24 BBVA Compass
33 70 11 Expensify
34 78 15 Merrill Lynch, My Merrill
35 82 Suncoast Schools FCU
36 89 TCF Bank
37 93 Arvest Bank
38 103 SchoolsFirst FCU
39 105 14 TDECU
40 108 Charter One (RBS)
41 109 10 thinkorswim (TD Ameritrade)
42 110 RBFCU
43 113 Wings Financial Credit Union
44 121 20 Merrill Lynch, Edge
45 122 Union Bank
46 124 Safe Credit Union
47 125 Service Credit Union
48 140 Comerica Bank
49 141 BECU
50 143 Zecco
51 151 DCU
52 158 NetSpend
53 160 Tyndall FCU
54 161 Golden 1
55 162 America First Credit Union
56 174 12 Mercedes-Benz Financial
57 178 Woodforest National Bank
58 179 TradeKing
59 182 M&I Bank
60 189 Wells Fargo, CEO
61 190 First Tennessee Bank
62 195 16 Bank of Oklahoma
63 196 SFEFCU
64 201 IBC Bank
65 205   VyStar Credit Union

——

Note: For more info on mobile banking, see our previous Online Banking Reports.

Southern Bancorp Launches "Shake and Bank" iPhone App Aimed at Youth

image It’s been more than six months since we last featured a new mobile app from a financial institution (see Arvest Bank’s financial calculators). It’s not because of lack of activity, or importance. In that time, more than 1,000 financial institution apps have been introduced and the market has really heated up.

But we focus on what’s new and different. And for the most part, the class of 2010 and 2011 have been “me-too” entries. Which is exactly as it should be. Every mid-sized and larger bank and credit union needs at least one app in the iTunes store, so the last 18 months have been about gaining competitive parity. 

But things will start to get more interesting again as financial institutions:

Southern Bancorp’s new mobile app, Shake and Bank, ticks all four boxes. It’s an iPhone/iPod Touch app designed to give kids (or any account holder) a quick look at the balance in their account. As you can see below, Shake and Bank is pretty much self-explanatory:

1. Open app (note 1)

2. Shake iPhone

3. See balance

The app requires a setup code to launch. According to the iTunes entry, the code can be obtained through the bank’s website or at a branch. But as of today, I see no mention of Shake and Bank, or mobile banking for that matter, at their website.

Bottom line: I’m a sucker for pigs, so obviously I like it. But more importantly, Southern Bancorp makes it easy to monitor account balances with a simple kid-friendly approach. And parents will appreciate the help reinforcing the savings habit (note 1).

Southern Bancorp has $1.1 billion in assets and 40 branches in Arkansas and Mississippi.
————————

Southern Bancorp’s iPhone app targeted towards kids (link, 25 April 2011)

Southern Bancorp's iPhone mobile banking app targeted towards kids      image 

—————————

Notes:
1. Since I couldn’t test the app without an account, I assume there is no subsequent login requirement once you’ve entered the setup code. And more importantly, I hope that it oinks when shaken. 
2. For more info on mobile banking, see our previous Online Banking Reports.

Alumni Updates — Week of April 18, 2011

To follow updates from Finovate alumni companies in real time, be sure to follow us on Twitter.
 
Backbase extends content services offerings. Backbase CMS is available as an add-on module. http://bit.ly/finovate420112
BancVue launched “Money Island,” an educational game for children to be offered by banks and financial institutions. https://demo.moneyisland.com/
BillFloat partners with Online Resources to offer small-dollar loans to biller clients. Online Resources will now offer BillFloat as a payment option. http://bit.ly/finovate418112
Doxo signs Oregon Federal Employees Credit Union (OFECU). Members will be able to receive statements and banking documents via the service. http://bit.ly/finovate421111
Dwolla will provide an online payments option at Tikly, an online ticketing startup  expected to launch within the next thirty days. http://bit.ly/finovate418113
eToro surpasses 1.5 million users. The company cites the growth of thousands of members joining per day since the launch of eToro’s social platform, OpenBook. http://prn.to/finovate421113
PayPal and Discover partner on person-to-person payments. Rollout begins this week for Discover’s person-to-person payments system. http://bit.ly/finovate42112
Several Finovate Alumni firms have been nominated for Webby awards. Good luck to Lending Club, Mint, Billeo and Kashoo. http://bit.ly/finovate420116
SmartyPig eliminates redemption fees. Transferring SmartyPig savings account funds to a retailer gift card is now free. http://bit.ly/finovate418111
Yodlee partners with Boursorama to provide Money Center service. Boursorama customers will receive the Money Center PFM service free of charge. http://bit.ly/finovate420115