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Top Tech for Top Agents
By Matthew Ferrara -
Matthew Ferrara
Seminars -
TECH HOTLINE
Here are our tech picks for this
year: products so slick, powerful and effective they will energize
any agent’s strategy for success. At the top of the list are two
handhelds that are changing the way real estate professionals think
about – and use – personal digital assistants. Both Palm’s Tungsten T5
and Hewlett Packard’s iPAQ 3715 are changing the face of PDA
productivity, at prices nicely around the $400 mark. While the two
products take slightly different approaches to digital assistance,
both pack tons of features into small spaces.
The Tungsten T5 (www.palm.com)
is Palm’s answer to the agent’s need for more storage space, a faster
processor and easier data synchronization. With built in applications
that synchronize with Outlook sans the usual third-party conduits of
the past, the T5 goes one step further and makes file management a
snap by placing the memory stick directly under My Computer. Users can
move files, photos, music and data from PC to PDA by dragging and
dropping like a good-old-game of Solitaire. With Bluetooth features
built into the T5, Palm makes it possible to connect to the Internet
with newer third-generation cell phones. The powerful lithium battery
means browsing the web, checking email and managing appointments all
day long remains a pleasure. The T5 does have two drawbacks, which,
depending upon the user’s needs, may not be major hurdles: it lacks an
integrated digital camera that agents could use to snap photos of
listings on the road; and it mysteriously lacks integrated WiFi
technology, the heart of today’s mobile wireless world (WiFi is what
makes it possible for you to access the web wirelessly, for example at
a local coffee shop). Of course, Palm sells add-on adapters for both
features, so retrofitting the T5 is possible.
In the Pocket PC world, HP’s (www.hp.com)
hot iPAQ 3715 is a top mobility product, outperforming even their
higher priced 4700 series aimed at business users. Using the “mini”
Windows operating system, the iPAQ 3715 is chock-full-of-features,
including mini Word, Outlook and Internet Explorer right out of the
box. An integrated digital camera takes great snaps in daylight
settings. Combined with both Bluetooth and WiFi Internet access, the
cam helps agents snap a photo of a listing and email it to a buyer –
all from the front seat of their car or wireless hot spot. Like the
T5, the iPAQ features an easy to use voice recorder, so making memos
on the go does not require using the stylus. Yet even the stylus is
easier than ever to use, with HP’s “write anywhere” technology that
recognizes and converts reasonably written handwriting into text,
notes and emails. With extended battery life that lasts the weekend
without bringing home your charger, the iPAQ 3715 is the mobile
warrior’s powerhorse for productivity this year.
To accompany either of these PDAs, top agents are dumping their aging
cell phones and adopting third-generation units like Motorola’s RAZR
V3 (www.motorola.com).
Weighing in at 3.3 ounces, this super-slim cell combines the latest
call technology with advanced connectivity, Internet and email
functions. Just about everything about the RAZR says “high tech” –
from its cool, thin clam-shell to its glowing, laser-etched keypad and
stunning graphical display. But it’s what’s inside that really counts,
and the RAZR doesn’t skimp. In addition to tapping the global 3G
network for crystal clear calls in expanded coverage areas, the RAZR
comes packed with high-tech functions: a high-resolution
graphics-accelerated display for wireless video clips, 5 MB of storage
memory, speech recognition, a web browser and even Yahoo-styled
instant messaging. Integrated Bluetooth helps top agents communicate
with clients and prospects in almost every possible fashion, from
voice to text message, email to video mail. Both the Tungsten T5 and
iPAQ 3715 can access the Internet through the RAZR’s Bluetooth
connection, taking advantage of the speed of the all digital
third-generation cellular network. And agents who simply need to check
their inbox or send a short message to their office can use the RAZR’s
built-in software without their PDA. To top it off, RAZR owners can
even pass their voice calls through to their new car’s Bluetooth-ready
stereo system (see the Acura TL), the ultimate form of hands-free
convenience.
When it comes to convenience, the technology industry is making
unprecedented breakthroughs in file storage. Since the obsolescence of
the floppy disk, the CDROM has struggled to fill the need for larger
but convenient file transfer and portability. Yet the CD remains slow
to burn, cumbersome to carry and ultimately limited to about 700 MB.
That’s why top agents are adorning their key chains with the modern
replacement for both floppy and CD: the USB flash drive. Devices like
the Cruzer Mini and Cruzer Titanium flash drives from Sandisk (www.sandisk.com)
make it easy to carry up to 1 GB of files on a universally connectable
USB gadget. Whether it’s for backups or file transfers, these simple
storage gadgets help savvy agents transfer transaction files from
their laptops to clients’ computers without any software or learning
curve. Just pop the flash drive into any USB port; it appears under My
Computer. Drag and drop files back and forth with the mouse. Sandisk
even offers CruzerSync software to automate regular back ups of
Outlook and other important files from your laptop to the flash drive.
Even today’s high-definition televisions and home video cameras
feature USB ports, creating opportunities to show photos and video
clips on large-screen LCDs: no computer needed. Capable of carrying
four times a CDROM’s worth of data on a keychain, the flash drive is a
top-agent must-have for flexible file management.
Finally, it’s time for top agents to go space age with full-featured
video conferencing on their laptop or desktop. A leader in video web
cameras is Logitech’s QuickCam Pro 4000 (www.logitech.com).
If you think all web cams are the same, you haven’t seen the QuickCam
Pro series, featuring innovative technology that automatically tracks
your face as you move from side to side, auto zooms to maintain the
picture and an integrated microphone for enterprise-class
teleconferencing – all at a fraction of the cost. Powered by your USB
port, the QuickCam Pro achieves 30-frames-per-second transmission
rates that deliver on the promise of smooth, realistic video imaging.
The cam is compatible with all of the popular instant messaging
clients like Yahoo Messenger and Trillian, both of which provide free
video and voice conferencing services, although speeds can sometimes
fluctuate. For $6.95 a month, power users can join Logitech’s
VideoCall service which provides fast, television-like face-to-face
conferencing between subscribers. The possibilities for this kind of
video conferencing are expanding every day, as more consumers gain
access to broadband Internet at home and at work. Even wireless
broadband supports video chats, making it possible to mount the
QuickCam on your laptop and catch up with clients from a WiFi enabled
coffee shop. With a photo directory and a small application that sits
on your computer and “rings” when someone tries to vid-connect,
Logitech’s QuickCam 4000 is transforming agent-client communications
again for the future.
From PDA to cell phone, memory stick to video camera, cutting edge
technology can simplify business and expand productivity. Affordable
and intuitive, these leading gadgets can form the basis of an
integrated technology strategy that revolutionizes communications and
streamlines contact management. For top agents looking to maximize
their time without complicated learning curves, such cool tools
represent leaps ahead in style and function – and even a little fun!
About
the Author
Matthew
Ferrara - Matthew Ferrara Seminars, Inc.
Matthew
Ferrara is CEO of Matthew Ferrara Seminars, Inc., a nationwide
technology training
and TECH HOTLINE provider since 1990. Matthew Ferrara Seminars trains
senior management and top agents to implement competitive technology
practices for advanced real estate brokerage strategies. Matthew
Ferrara’s TECH HOTLINE provides daily technical support to more than
650,000 agents, brokers and association executives. For more
information, free articles, online resources and e-newsletters, visit
www.mfseminars.com.
For more information about TECH HOTLINE, visit
www.mfseminars.com/th.
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