PhoneTalk

Radio stations have already switched over to holiday music. Thanksgiving is this week. Store windows are being decked out with elaborate holiday themes. It’s official; the holiday shopping season is just around the corner. So we’ve rounded up mobile apps designed to make this year’s shopping a little bit easier and maybe even help save a little time and money.

1. Get the inside scoop on Black Friday

Who has time to check out circulars and deal information sites to see where the best deal on that new monitor might be? Not to worry, there’s definitely an app that does all the heavy lifting. Black Friday app from dealnews gathers all the latest sale details and offers as they get released from over 2,000 online retailers including places such as Game Stop, Sears, PetSmart, Sephora, and more.

Compatible OS: Android and iPhone
Cost: Free
How to get it: Visit the app market residing on your device or corresponding app store on your computer.

2. The ultimate gift list

During the holidays, it’s easy to get a bit overwhelmed keeping track of who gets which gifts. For some shoppers who have lots of folks on their list keeping track of which gifts have been purchased and for whom can be a challenge. Enter mGifts. The app features a clean interface for keeping track of who is getting what and the ability to see how much has been spent on each person. This list-making app isn’t just for the holiday season, but can be used all year round.

Compatible OS: iPhone and iPad
Cost: $4.99
How to get it: Visit the app market residing on your device.

3. Shopping rewards? Game on!

Some consider shopping a sport. If that’s the case then shopkick isn’t playing around. The idea is a little bit like FourSquare, but instead of badges, mayorships, and bragging rights you get rewards and deals. The idea is simple: Every time you walk into a store, you get kicks (think: points), exclusive deals, or rewards (think: gift cards). Simply walk into stores such as Crate & Barrel, Macy’s, Toys R Us, and others, stop at the entrance, and launch the app. You get checked-in and the rewards just start appearing. Some might even call it a little bit of holiday magic.

Compatible OS: Android, iPhone
Cost: Free
How to get it: Visit the app market residing on your smartphone or corresponding app store on your computer.

4. Is the price right?

The stores will be filled with signs promising discounts of 20%, 35%, or more. So, what is the final cost of an item exactly? If you don’t have a calculator hard-wired into your brain, consider downloading the Discount Calculator. This easy to use app let’s you enter the original amount of an item, the discount, and even include the percentage rate for tax. Voila’ the real price you’ll pay at the cash register appears on the screen.

Compatible OS: Android
Cost: Free
How to get it: Visit the app market residing on a Android phone or Android Market on a computer.

5. Access to high fashion deals first

Those who love high fashion and high-end home items probably already know about the great deals that can be found at Gilt. Did you know that this Friday, those who use a cell phone to access the Gilt site will be rewarded with Doorbuster sales starting at 6am Eastern Time? These deals won’t hit the Gilt website until later that day at 12pm Eastern Time. What kind of Black Friday sale deals can be expected? Think special items from Chamak, Rebecca Minkoff, Qi Cashmere, Cuisinart, S.T. Dupont, and more.

Compatible OS: Android, iPhone, and iPad
Cost: Free
How to get it: Visit the mobile website at m.gilt.com or the app market residing on your device or corresponding app store on your computer.

6. Where’s my car?

Finding a parking spot at the mall this time of year can be half the holiday shopping battle, remembering where the car’s parked after a long day of hitting the stores can be the other half. Consider myChevrolet. The app is really designed to work with Chevrolet cars, but if you enter random selections at the start you’ll find an option that lets you know where your car is parked and can even help you keep track of how much time is left on a meter.

Compatible OS: Android, and iPhone
Cost: Free
How to get it: Visit the app market residing on your smartphone or corresponding app store on your computer.


7. Can I get a better deal?

During the holidays prices can change by the hour. Wouldn’t it be great if you could know how much a gift your about to purchase costs at a competing store? That’s the idea behind ShopSavvy, only this shopping assistant does much more than that. Just open up the ShopSavvy app on your phone, scan the barcode on the product, and the app will tell you where else the product is sold (both online and in a store), what it costs, if it’s in stock, and if the store you’re currently in will match the price of a competitor. Better yet, find a product you like but don’t want to carry it home? Just use the app’s wallet feature to buy it with just one tap.

Compatible OS: Android, iPhone, and Windows Phone
Cost: Free
How to get it: Visit the app market residing on your smartphone or corresponding app store on your computer.

8. No time to shop? No worries.

Holiday shopping whether browsing online stores from the comforts of home or maneuvering through the crowds at the big shops isn’t for everyone. Gift cards can be an easy solution. Why not give a gift card that won’t get forgotten? That’s one of the ideas behind SWAGG, an app that can be used to send a gift card to anyone’s phone from a smartphone.

Compatible OS: Android and iPhone.
Cost: Free
How to get it: Visit the app market residing on your device or corresponding app store on your computer.

9. Go paperless and budget better


Here’s a familiar question, “Do you want the receipt or should it just go in the bag?” Regardless or personal preference, why not scan it with a smartphone first? An app like Lemon does that and more. Once a picture of the receipt has been captured, the Lemon app pulls the information from the receipt to help track spending. For those who have a hard time holding onto receipts, having a digital copy is always helpful especially for last minute returns.

Compatible OS: Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, and iPhone
Cost: Free
How to get it: Visit the app market residing on your device or corresponding app store on your computer.

10. How about a phone deal?

Like all of these great apps, but don’t have a smartphone? LetsTalk can help. The company already offers competitive prices on new phones and plans, but for added savings on Black Friday through Cyber Monday people should check out LetsTalk’s Facebook page for Fan Specials.

Topics: BlackBerry Smart phones Android Google Apple Apps Windows Phone 7