Visa Mobile for Android

by Android Tapp Dec 17, 2008 8:11 AM – 10 Comments

Install

Visa Mobile BETA helps you be in the know, where ever you go. Get near real-time Alerts on enrolled Chase* Visa® cards so you can keep track pf your daily transactions and get Offers on special deals. *Currently, this service is not available if you have a Chase partner card (e.g., airline, retail or university partners).

AndroidTapp.com Review:

Usefulness:

There have been many gripes that Visa Mobile is not much useful unless there is fraudulent activity on your card. But for Chase bank customers or those selectcustomers who receive the invitation from their issuing bank, it’s valuable. If the fraud activity alerts doesn’t win you over, then how about the Offers or easy to find ATMs?

Ease of Use:

Visa Mobile is pretty straight forward and easy to use; optimal user interface.

Features:

Visa Mobile has 3 main features: Alerts, Offers, and Locations. Visa Mobile’s web page explains it best:

Alerts: You receive near-real-time notification of purchase activity based on customized preferences. You can personalize the types of alerts delivered to your mobile device, such as the size of the transaction, or whether the transaction is in foreign currency. We really like the ability to get it near ATMs. One thing of note, getting Directions opens the default Maps app, seems that should be built into Visa Mobile. (It takes about 2 days to start receiving the Alerts. To stop them, text STOP back to the text number you receive).

Offers: You receive offers from merchants directly to your mobile phone. These offers range from discounts to loyalty offers. (Scope out the Planet Hollywood Offer in the screenshot below!)

Locator: The Locator service is integrated with technology developed by Google, such as Google Maps and Google location-based services, to show you nearby locations of merchants sending offers, or of an ATM that accepts Visa. The location is called out on a map displayed on the mobile phone´s screen.

: Visa Mobile All Locations on Map

: Visa Mobile Locations – Filter Menu

: Visa Mobile Locations – Filter Non-ATM

: Visa Mobile Offers

: Visa Mobile Offers Detail – Planet Hollywood Offer

: Visa Mobile Home Screen

Frequently Used:

Visa Mobile can become a frequently used appdependant on the user; for budgeters, shop-oholics, travelers, careless who reach overdrafts more often than not, and those concerned about fraudulent activity and protection.

Interface:

The user interface is Awesome! (One of the best we’ve seen!) The graphics are slick, optimal thumb/finger navigation. Designed for portrait use, so it doesn’t rotate in landscape, but there’s no need for it to.

AndroidTapp.com Rating

Average 4 out of 5 Android Tapps! (4 out of 5)

Should you Download Visa Mobile? Incoming Alert says YES!

Developer: Visa

Tags: Android Apps, AndroidTapp.com App Review, Chase, Credit Card Alert App, Visa Mobile

Categorised in: Finance

10 Comments

By Johnny on December 18, 2008 at 10:32 pm:

Where can i download this app at?

Reply
By Android Tapp on December 19, 2008 at 7:12 am:

Download it in the Android App Market, you do have a T-Mobile G1… right?

Reply
By Johnny on December 19, 2008 at 10:34 am:

Yes, i have the t-mobile g1 and i found it in the market

thanks =D

Reply
By L on January 6, 2009 at 11:10 am:

Question … what do they mean by “near” real-time? When you make a purchase, how soon do you get an alert about it?

Reply
By Android Tapp on January 6, 2009 at 11:29 am:

I assume that’s to account for some lag in the alerts. But in my experience, it’s been instant. As soon as I get done with purchases, I get a SMS text with details like where the puchase took place, if the card was physically used for not and how much was spent. Launching the app shows the full details.

Reply
By L on January 6, 2009 at 11:55 am:

That’s great. I have email alerts setup with Chase, and it seems to take a day or two before it shows up. Unfortunately, the Android app doesn’t seem to work with my Chase card (which is unusual since my card just says “Chase”, and is not a partner or retailer card, afaik), so I haven’t been able to try it. Does the SMS include the merchant that you used it with? Does it go directly into the app, or do you get it in your SMS inbox?

Reply
By Android Tapp on January 6, 2009 at 2:02 pm:

Strange your Chase card didn’t work… but I guess that’s why they include the disclaimer “select Visa partners”. Also, I did receive a promotional insert via mail (but already downloaded and reviewed the app before receiving it)

Yes the SMS includes the retailer name. If you set the app you give you alerts, it will appear in the notification bar as well to launch the app for full details. I have mine turned off so I wont get 2 alerts; SMS and Notification bar.

(Here’s is a partial screenshot from the chompSMS review, we will take a screenshot and attach it to this review)
http://www.androidtapp.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/chompsms-conversations.jpg

Says “Your card CRD72 was used online at GOOGLE in GOOGLE.COM/CH US for USD 25.00 purchase. To opt out of alerts and offers, text STOP.”

Reply
By L on January 10, 2009 at 4:37 pm:

Thanks for the info.

One more time, if you don’t mind … does the alert happen right away even for non-online (Internet) purchases?
I’m really wondering how come you get your alerts right away, but my email and SMS alerts from Chase (not using the Android app) take a day or two.

If it does work for you for online and physical purchases, I wonder if it’s the particular kind of Chase card that you have.

If you set up SMS or email alerts on your Chase account using the standard way, not using the Android app, do you also get instant notifications?

Sorry if I’m being repetitive here. I just think real instant notifications is a HUGE difference vs getting them a day later, so I’d be really interested in this if Chase got it working.

Thanks!

Reply
By Android Tapp on January 11, 2009 at 8:56 am:

@L Now that you ask. I didn’t get an alert for ANY offline purchases. Only the online purchases and those SMS text alerts come instantly. Looking more into that as this could change our review.

The only difference in the type of card is that it is Chase Business, not sure if that makes a difference.

Have not tried setting up SMS or email alerts on the Chase online side.

No problems asking, we encourage discussion in the comments, also your questioning alerted us to a possible bug to report to the Visa Mobile development team. We’ll report a summary here when received.

Reply
By Joe Masilotti on August 21, 2010 at 12:06 pm:

FYI: Will not work on any device running 2.2

Reply