Does your current Web strategy include a smartphone accessible Web application? A couple of Dayspring-ers just demo’d a handly little application running on a Google-supplied Android phone. And good timing, as T-Mobile will be bringing out its second Android phone this summer.
But now T-Mobile is coming back with another attempt at an Android phone in the U.S., which it is calling the myTouch 3G — and it’s much better. How do I know? Well because I’ve actually had a unit for a few weeks now. You see, the myTouch 3G, which will be available in early August for $199 with a 2-year agreement, is actually the same device as the Google Ion phone that was given to everyone who attended the Google I/O conference a few weeks ago.
Dayspring, being represented at the Google I/O conference, was handed one of these and encouraged to play. A short time later, pop, out comes Dayspring’s Android Envelopes.
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- Selecting an envelope
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- List of envelopes
The idea for Envelopes is to be a virtual version of the budgeting technique whereby the cash for each month’s expenses is taken out and divided into envelopes for each budget category. (This may seem quaint and old fashioned to some, but think about how many people could have avoided credit card disasters if they had stuck to their envelopes!) With Android Envelopes, you have the benefit of accountability to budget limit per category, without the hassle of keeping the actual cash separated.
No signal in the basement of the department store? No problem, you can still record your transactions and they will synchronize at the next opportunity. Simultaneous users are supported so you and your partner don’t double spend.
I don’t know if you should expect to see Dayspring Envelopes for sale in the Android store (it was just for fun), but if you have an idea for supporting your business with a mobile Web application, give us a call and let’s talk about getting it built.
[Update: Motivated in part by Scott's comment below, we've cleaned it up, given it a new name and indeed put it in the Android Market. You can find it in the Finance category. Or visit the Easy Envelope Budget Aid (EEBA for short) website and scan the QR code. It's a nifty little app with a few nice touches. Perfect for envelope budgeting devotees and people who just want a budgeting system that works.]
I would love to have a copy of
the envelope app!
Thanks for your interest. We’re actually getting it ready to put out in the store and will post when it’s available.
Since you expressed interest, how do you intend to use it? What features do you like or would you like to see?
My wife and I are following Dave Ramsey and would like to have a program that would do exactly what is described in the blog using our Tmobile mytouch phones.
Hi Scott,
We’ve just released a free version of the app on the Android Market. Visit http://eebacanhelp.com.
It’s admittedly rough, but give it a whirl and let us know what you think! We’d be grateful for any feedback.
Thanks,
Chi-Ming
After about 3 months on the market and a number of iterations, I think we can say that EEBA is no longer rough. We’ve gotten comments ranging from:
“I just downloaded your app to my phone, and I think I’m in love.”
to
“EEBA is amazing! Wonderfully simple & elegant budgeting tool!”
to
“Fantastically awesome!”
EEBA now supports lots of different things: splits on the device on the Web, many different types of refills including remembered refills, support for various budgeting periods. Check it out at https://eebacanhelp.com or search for “EEBA” on the Android Market.