Why wasn’t I notified about this? Right around tax time, CG’s favorite TV host Cali Lewis interviewed Greg Grunberg, the brain hurting guy from Heroes. Although last Monday’s Gollum/Sylar episode was kind of a lump, I always enjoy Greg’s brain things and the Hiro/Ando/Matt Parkman baby thing was fun. Best off all, Grunberg is a full-bore geek with his own Twitter account and iPhone app he’s trying to sell.
Yowza is basically an app that lets you find coupons to stores and restaurants while you’re out and about. It uses the iPhone’s GPS system to tell where you are and then pops the coupons up for vendors to accept. You can download it here. Like Demi Moore’s husband before him, Grunberg is a co-founder of the service and is currently populating the system with coupons from various vendors. I doubt, however, that he is canvassing Los Angeles neighborhoods for advertisers, so don’t go looking for him. Anyway, he’ll just stare at you, the camera will tilt-shift a little, he’ll say “All Clear!,” and then he’ll just disappear, so it won’t help anyway.
You may be the only one in existence that enjoy the Hiro/Ando/baby arc. Good thing you write for a tech blog and not on entertainment. ;)
I liked it too :)
Look I rarely or possibly never agree with Biggs but i did find the Hiro/Ando/Baby thing fun. It was kinda different…
Finally, common ground. We can work together now, nick.
I just watched the whole video. that is really a cool app. i wish i could check out.
Funny, Microsoft and Bill Gates specifically have been toutng this technology at CES the last two years as something that was coming to WinMo…and here we go, someone beats them to it; and a non-tech company at that! Sign of the times!
I have an application called AdSpeek pending review in the AppStore that is doing location based coupons with many more relevant coupons already than Yowza and we are just getting started too. Although I do like the interface of Yowza it is lacking on the meat right now. Be sure to look for AdSpeek in the next few days.
How much would it cost , a non-developer like Greg, to develop an app like this one? (approximately)
Too bad he’s not telling the truth — I can understand the “we’re working with everyone” exaggeration to generate excitement, but these deals aren’t exclusive to Yowza. Most of their deals aren’t even coupons, just billboards. Save money at Dairy Queen? Sure, but you get the same deal just walking into the store.
Matt Parkman is an economic superhero.
NO COUPONS!!?
This app is GARBAGE – there are no coupons in NYC, the entire state of Washington, and there are barely any in Chicago and other big cities.
Great idea – garbage app!
A relative lack of coupons doesn’t mean it’s a bad app. The app is just the framework. They built it, so the coupons will come – maybe.
Anything like this app lives and dies on market awareness. The more people use it, the more retailers are aware of it, more coupons become available, so more people use it, etc., etc. The trick is in getting it off the ground to start off with, which basically relies on getting as much publicity for it as possible.
Greg Grunberg seems to really understand that, he’s certainly putting the work in. I reckon this has a good shot at succeeding – see how it goes over the next couple of weeks.
Thanks for that info. I’m not going to spend the same amount as a netbook for a music player or near $100/month for spotty AT&T service.
Someone should make a grammar app for techcrunch……or perhaps an app that would screen a writers abilities before they get hired.
“…that he his canvassing Los Angeles neighborhoods for advertisers,….”
GRUNNY IS AWESOME I WISH YOWZA COMES TO THE UK!
“an app that would screen a writers abilities” should be:
“an app that would screen a writer’s abilities”.
LOL, pwned
I think this is a very good Idea, If you want to buy something Quite Expensive, You Can Rely to the Coupons to give you some discount :)
(If the Store You’re Buying At Has A coupon in Yowza)
It can save you money!
If It Was Available In my Country and is affordable,
maybe I’d get one too :) But After I buy an Iphone that is…hehe..
AnyWays.. Good Luck, And Hopefully You Can Spread this to the Whole World! And Have more Coupons Available :)
I found the Hiro/Ando/Baby thing fun. I luv my iphone! got a good deal from amazon through an alert off http://www.trackle.com
I downloaded this app and Adspeek and I found Adspeek to be much better. There were only two listings for Yowza in NYC (Saks and Bloomingdales which weren’t really relevant) whereas Adspeek displayed over 100+ coupons.
http://tinyurl.com/adspeek