Advancing Mobile Investing One ETF App at a Time

Today was a big day at Plastic. The Marketing Intern brought in homemade chocolate chips cookies so we were all on a major sugar high for the launch of “ETF Central,” our latest app that was created in partnership with Claymore Investments, a subsidiary of Guggenheim Funds Services Group, Inc.

Because a part of our mandate is to pioneer innovative products and solutions that allow the financial industry to expand into the mobile space, we wanted to be sure that ETF (Exchange-traded Funds) Central met all of the user needs, in an engaging and easy-to-use format.

So, employing both tech and creative wizardry (our magical formula for super apps) we created a sophisticated tool that sets the bar for excellence in the financial space. Voila! ETF Central. A new, free, customized, dual-purpose mobile app available on BlackBerry, PlayBook, iPhone and iPad.

ETF Central satisfies both the need to better educate users unfamiliar with the relatively new exchange-traded funds, as well as allows them to manage their ETF investments easily and conveniently. The app puts all Canadian-listed ETFs into the user’s palm, allowing them to view market prices of all TSX listed ETFs, create and track their ETF portfolio, view ETF educational resources, link to all online brokerages to trade ETFs, track upcoming ETF events and more. Ultimately, it’s a pretty outstanding financial gadget.

The leading force behind the app creation, and our very own “Queen of Apps,” Melody Adhami was excited to launch ETF Central as ETFs represent a sizable industry, but public awareness about them has been limited. She and our team here at Plastic Mobile set out to create a tool that would both educate and manage ETFs for the average user/investor. To read the full media release, click here.

In the news:

Advisor

Investment Executive News

CNW News

Digital Journal

Check out Melody Adhami’s interview for AppTV. If you want to go straight to the segment, it’s around the 21 minute mark. Our Queen of Apps discussed the recently launched PlayBook app called Hockeycentral and winning a Webby Award for the Pizza Pizza app. In addition, talked about Plastic Mobile’s new online app studio, Joomo, to help bloggers and content providers build mobile apps for all operating system at no cost.

Our team huddled around the table when our own PlayBook arrived in the mail. Despite all the mediocre reviews on RIM’s tablet, the first day sales exceeded the low expectation.  Here’s a quote from Postmedia News:

“Checks of 70 retail stores found 11 per cent of the locations stocking the device were sold out, according to Mike Abramsky, analyst at RBC Capital Markets. He estimates day one sales of 50,000, including pre-orders, and that RIM is on track to ship 500,000 PlayBooks in the first quarter of fiscal 2012.”

In the next 60 days, there will be an update to offer PlayBook users stand-alone email, rather than having to go onto web-mail or the Gmail app. In the meantime, make sure to download our popular Rogers Sportsnet Hockeycentral app.

Check out the rest of the photos on our Flickr page

Plastic Mobile has teamed up with Rogers Sportsnet to develop a hard-hitting Hockeycentral application for the launch of RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook.

“With playoff hockey in full swing, this app will become your immediate guide for all hockey news and analysis,” says Melody Adhami, President of Plastic Mobile. “Being hockey fans, we really enjoyed working with the team at Sportsnet and Mobile product development at Rogers Digital Media to build the application for the launch of this exciting new tablet.”

Whether you’re a hockey buff or just jumping on the Playoff bandwagon – the Hockeycentral App for the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ will be your mobile broadcast hub for all hockey highlights, scores, news, and analysis from top hockey insiders in the industry.  The app also includes breaking news on Twitter from the Rogers Hockeycentral panel as well as latest coverage and editorials. The app is available free in the BlackBerry App World on launch.

We are truly pleased with the outcome of the Hockeycentral App for the BlackBerry PlayBook and the immediate access to NHL news that we are providing hockey fans,” said Pary Bell, Vice President of Product, Rogers Digital Media. We are excited to release this dynamic and useful app just in time for the launch of the PlayBook and the Stanley Cup Playoffs.”

Avoid the penalty box and download the app here.

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About Plastic Mobile

Plastic Mobile is an award-winning mobile marketing agency, working with some of North America’s best brands. Plastic Mobile expands their presence into the mobile space through innovative, cutting-edge strategies, user experiences and creative. They are known for many first-of-their-kind mobile initiatives, including launching the first video iPad app in Canada. Recognized for their exceptional client service, Plastic Mobile designs and delivers mobile applications and websites for all platforms, while achieving optimal results for their clients.

Founded in 2007, Plastic Mobile’s rapidly growing client list includes both Canadian and US companies, such as Rogers Communications, CBC, Unilever, Sportsnet, Liberty Science Center and Pizza Pizza. For more information on their services and client work, visit www.plasticmobile.com

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Media Contact for Plastic Mobile:

Leila Pejman
Leila@plasticmobile.com
604.644.8293

Research In Motion introduced its BlackBerry Payment Service, enabling developers to monetize their software via in-application purchase options.

According to RIM, BlackBerry App World developers can offer in-app digital goods including content such as ebooks, magazines, and photos, as well as other services like video streaming or voice transcription.

However, RIM does not allow BlackBerry developers to sell virtual currencies or in-app credits, physical goods or services, and digital goods used across multiple applications.

In other news, RIM is giving BlackBerry users work-life Balance through their new feature, BlackBerry Balance.

Research In Motion will allow its handset owners to split work and personal data stored on the devices using this new feature.

The decision to separate work-related emails sent using the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) from personal photographs, social networking activity and web browsing is BlackBerry’s bid to stay competitive in both the business and consumer markets.

Balance is expected to make its debut onto handsets in North America in the next two months, but there is no indication of a wider release yet.

It is expected to be available on all BlackBerry devices in the future, including the company’s as-yet unreleased PlayBook tablet.

The BlackBerry handset maker, RIM is looking at potentially buying Gist, an app that manages a users’ professional contacts in a “social inbox” style, based on GigaOm report.

This purchase would be the second most recent acquisition made by RIM for the purpose of improving the user experience; as earlier this month, RIM bought The Astonishing Tribe, a user interface specialist based in Sweden.  

Gist’s social inbox management tool unifies a users’ contacts and allows them to organize the various feeds of information coming through. Since RIM’s main focus has always been on how businesses communicate and network, this feature would definitely fit their target users.

If this acquisition goes through, it’ll be a great fit for RIM, given Gist’s focus on enterprise users. Also, as RIM is currently facing greater competition in the market than ever before, this acquisition, along with PlayBook’s launch will carry them through the year.  Only time will tell what the playing field will look like in the upcoming months.