Jemstep Blog » alpha

Alpha Update

Kevin Cimring — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:17:46 +0000

Our Alpha testing is well and truly underway, and we would like to thank our Alpha testers for the ongoing valuable comments and feedback. Alpha testing is likely to continue for several weeks as we test new functionality and some improved navigation. In fact, the Alpha site is going through an extensive UX review and we anticipate some major enhancements in this area over the next few weeks.

Those who have registered for our Beta version will be justly rewarded for their patience by having first access to the beta version in the near future. Its not too late for anyone still wishing to register for our Beta – you may do so by clicking here.

At the moment our Alpha version has been limited to credit cards and mutual funds. By the time our Beta version is available, we anticipate having several more exciting products online and ready to help you with your financial and investment choices.

So please check back regularly for updates. For any further information, please don’t hesitate to contact us at: info@jemstep.com.

Product Pipeline

Kevin Cimring — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:08:30 +0000

Whilst in alpha mode, we have two products available for you to try out – mutual funds and credit cards. We’ll soon be adding our other products in the areas of investments, banking, healthcare, education, mortgages and more – so please check back regularly.

If there is any specific product you would like to see introduced by Jemstep, please let us know in the Feedback section of our site. In the meantime, we invite you to see how Jemstep’s unique approach empowers you to make smart life decisions, and we look forward to your feedback. If you have not signed up for the beta version, you may do so here.

When the fine print changes

Kevin Cimring — Mon, 04 May 2009 14:58:41 +0000

You only need to read the news about how issuers are raising rates dramatically (MSN Money article) and changing terms without warning (USA TODAY article) to understand why a credit card ranking tool is one of the first offerings on Jemstep’s pre-launch alpha site.

Fortunately, if you rely on Jemstep, you’ll stay one step ahead of the fine print.

Let’s see how Jemstep works its magic, with a short walkthrough of this Live Ranking tool for credit cards. (The Jemstep alpha also includes a ranking tool for mutual funds, which we’ll discuss in our next post.)

If you are an alpha user, log in to Jemstep now. (If you’re not an alpha user, you can register for the Jemstep beta version here.)

Select the Credit Card tab, and then take a look at My Credit Card Preferences. There are five sections for you to enter preferences, with more dozens of criteria overall-everything from your credit score to preferred balance transfer features to the types of rewards you’re interested in.

Don’t be daunted by the scope of possible preferences though. Enter only what you want, and watch Jemstep dynamically tailor its rankings for you. You can narrow the field by limiting your rankings to a particular institution, or experiment with different usage scenarios, such as how much of your balance you pay off every month.

When you’re satisfied with your preferences, your custom-built list of credit card rankings is ready to explore. Start with your #1-it’s the one that best suits your needs. You can get details about a card, add it to your profile, and even apply for the card.

If you want information about a specific card you already own, or one you’re considering, enter the name of the card under My Stuff. Jemstep will rank the card and show you how it matches up to the competition.

To top it off, when you add a card to your LifeData profile, Jemstep continually monitors details about the card, keeping track of all those “gotchas,” such as new fees and interest rate changes, that have caught a lot of people by surprise.