The world of Android is moving toward contextual content. We see plenty of examples with context-based ads, Google Now cards that learn our behavior, and even the Moto X “always on” feature. A new app has been released that takes this context and puts it toward saving you money. It was developed by Michael Barnathan, former Senior Software Engineer at Google, and it’s called Clipless. If you’d rather watch than read, the video is below as is the download link.
Functionality
We'll start out by saying that Clipless is a very simple application. It only has two screens browse around on. There is a list of all the deals that are nearest to you, sorted how you want them, and a map screen that shows you where these deals are. It's a simple, but effective layout.
In the list section, you see deals that are in your general area. They can be sorted by distance, rating, how much you can save, and a few other options. Most deals are sponsored by 8Coupon, Yipit, and Yelp, which are known to be reliable sources.
The map shows you where each deal is in a defined radius. You can go as high as 30 miles or as low as 2 miles. So whether you're exploring a city or just taking a short drive, you can find stuff to buy at discounted prices.
The last big feature of Clipless is the notification system. As you drive by a place that has a deal, you'll get a notification on your device letting you know there is a deal nearby. This too is customizable and you can get notifications whether you're a subway car or a city block away. This is an awesome way to find deals while you're out doing what you normally do.
How can I use this?
This app has exactly one use and that is to find coupons and deals around your general area. If you're a fan of saving money on stuff, this app can be of great use to you. Also, during testing, we found deals on just about everything from food to doctors, hair salons, and even tattoo shops.
Using the app is easy. You can use the interface to browse for deals in your area. Alternatively, you can just turn the app on and start driving, and it'll let you know when you're close to a deal. That's really about all it does. Like we said, it's nice and simple.
What we liked
So here's what we liked. First and foremost, its simplicity is one of its best features. There is nothing complicated about this app. The list is easy to read, the map is easy to follow, and the notifications work as intended. You simply open it, put the settings where you want, and go.
We also really liked the notifications. Driving around town and getting an alert when you're passing by a business that's tossing a sale is a lot better than sitting on a couch, hunting for a sale to take advantage of. It takes out a lot of the guess work and you may find some surprising stuff just on your daily commute.
Lastly, we liked the reliability. These aren't coupons from shadycouponsthatmaynotwork.com. These are from trusted sources like yelp and 8coupon and you can choose how often the list updates with fresh deals. So it's very unlikely that you'll find deals that have expired or don't work.
What we didn’t like
No app is perfect and that includes this one. Our only big issue with the app was loading times. When going from a 2 mile search radius to 30 miles, the app takes a very long time to update the map and list. If you refresh, you lose your 2 mile results and have to wait for the app to cache everything in 30 miles. We understand it has a lot of deals to load, but that doesn't prevent the wait from being a little unpleasant.
The rest can be described as little nitpicks. The lag when scrolling large lists doesn't ruin the app, but it's noticeable. The design is efficient and functional, but looks a little outdated. These don't prevent the app from doing its job or even prevent people from enjoying it. They're just little nitpicks we found.
Final thoughts on Clipless
So what do we think of Clipless? It's a great app. There are a lot of coupon apps out there, but this one combines simplicity, context, and reliability in a way that few others have. It has its problems, but at the end of the day, the problems aren't nearly bad enough to be concerned about.
What impressed us the most is the app works the same way no matter how you use it. If you like searching long lists for good deals, you can. If you're lazy like me and want the deals to come to you, they will. If you're looking to save a few bucks, there are plenty of worse things you can do than try this app out. If you do want to check it out, click the button below to get it from the Google Play Store.
Video Review
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