The Sync Link

The Sync Link 2.0

2011-08-29T12:10:00.003-04:00

I admit it. I have been way too lazy about my blog pages. You can see from the last installment below how long it's been. I won't apologize , however, because my updates have been going out, over my Facebook Fan Page, Twitter feed and most recently Google+.

I have made a re-commitment to the Sync link, and I will be posting to it more regularly, mostly links to information I discover as I do my homework. I'll also have a section for Q&A on a regular basis.

Thanks for coming by, and stay tuned. The best is yet to come.

G. William James

Which phone to choose? Who cares, now it's all about the apps

2010-01-09T17:04:00.026-05:00

One of the most satisfying perks of my job as a mobile technology consultant is how people seem to value my opinion when it comes to choosing a smartphone, netbook or mobile application. I do my homework, compare the devices as objectively as one possibly can, and after all that, my answer more often than not is, " it depends upon how you intend to use it most". Some advisor, huh?

The truth is, there are so many choices to make between smartphone platforms, manufacturers, models and wireless carriers, that it can be a confusing proposition, especially if you are relying on your choice to help you in business, first know that there is only a slight difference between devices in terms of the features and capabilities they offer. How they deliver these services will oftentimes be the deciding factor in which device will work best for you. The other main deciding factor will be the apps.

Next time you see a commercial for a smartphone, look closely at what they are presenting to you. They aren't touting the screen brightness or the speed of the processor; they are selling you on the software applications, or apps. The buzzword for iPhone for example is the over 100 thousand apps, and the list is growing. never mind that over half of them offer no value to a mobile professional, but the sheer number is worth Apple's advertising focus on them. Google Android boasts 10 thousand apps, while the Palm WebOS devices, Pre and Pixi are still growing their list, currently around a thousand.

Should this mean anything to you, mobile professional? Not really. if the apps that make you more productive are available on the iPhone as well as the Pre, then how many apps they offer becomes irrelevant. If your device makes it easy for you to access, to navigate, and to utilize the application, then you have the right one for you. All smartphones share a core suite of applications:

Phone
Email
Text messaging
Internet
Calendar
Contacts
Multimedia (photos, video, camera, music, e-reader)

Beyond these, there are conveniences such as calculators and the like, but the variety of other applications depend on what has been developed and offered by the manufacturer. Applications are typically downloaded directly to the phones from the application stores of the manufacturer. Apple has the App Store, Google has the Google Market, while Palm sells through their App catalog. According to a number of Web sources, the average smartphone user purchases 7 applications per year, with an average cost of $5. Many apps downloaded are free or ad sponsored.

What types of apps do mobile professionals find useful? Here is a sampling:

Document management software
GPS navigation applications
Real estate calculators
Sales management tools
Database management tools

Also available are many "cloud" applications that are accessed on the Web rather than stored on the smartphone, like social networking applications.

If you are looking to buy the right smartphone for your business, I have some points to consider:

1. Consider for what you will use your device most. Will it be phone calling, or email, or surfing the web? Perhaps maintaining your calendar and contacts will be high on the priority list. Think of the top three, and base your decision on:

Battery life (talk time, standby time, even battery size matters)
Screen size and resolution (could affect battery life)
Form factor (overall size and shape of the device-is it easy to hold and use?)
Input technology (on-screen keyboard vs. buttons, or the now old-school stylus)
Applications (not the overall quantity of available apps, but having apps useful to your needs)

2. The cost of buying a device these days is hardly a factor in the decision anymore. If you purchase without a contract, the carriers will penalize you with a ridiculous purchase price. What they want is the activation and the two-year service commitment. With that marriage,the price becomes negligible, sometimes even offering a free device with purchase. Your major concern here should be the TCO, or total cost of ownership, which includes the cost of service. This is where your technology budget takes the biggest hit, so make sure you know the bottom line before making your decision final.

Click onto the image below to see a comparison of the cost of operating the most popular smartphones:

Add to this cost the purchase of applications (the national average ranges from $7-$50 per year), and you can see that the smartphone is a major investment in the cost of doing business.

3. Keep in mind that the device generating the most buzz may not be the best device for you. While it may be very appealing, and it seems everyone has one, it's liabilities may outweigh the benefits for you. Choose the device that offers ease of use, lots of functionality and offers wireless plans that won't compromise your budget.

Smartphones have greatly changed the way mobile professionals manage their business day. While the wide variety of devices on shelves become more alike than they are different, the applications play a larger role in what they deliver, and which ones will ultimately be the best for us to use.

Join G. William James at the 2010 Mobile Technology Webinar Series

Smartphones, Mobile Technologies and Great Gadgets for Real Estate

Presented by: G. William James

When: January 19th, 11:00 – 12:00 AM Pacific Time

Cost: $9.95

Registration: By toll free telephone to OnlineEd (866) 519-9597 or click here to enroll online.

A smartphone is not required for this workshop. In fact, it is a forum designed for those who are looking for the right device for their needs, and for current users to discover how to better use their smartphone and what to look for when the time comes to upgrade.

Windows Mobile 6.5 Released

2009-10-11T18:16:00.002-04:00

Microsoft is forging ahead with the Windows Mobile OS, its latest version 6.5, from the last upgrade of 6.1

many devices are not compatible with the upgrade, specifically those running Windows Mobile 5.0 and 6.0. Some devices running 6.1 are upgradeable, however.

In the smartphone community, Windows Mobile is dwindling, as did Palm OS. Many manufacturers such as Motorola are designing their devices on newer OS such as Google Android. Although aging rapidly, it is still a somewhat robust interface for a smartphone, in my opinion. Microsoft is expected to deliver Windows Mobile 7 sometime in 2010.

Google Android Phones Coming On Sprint, Verizon Expected Soon Thereafter

2009-10-11T17:12:00.007-04:00

Lately in my smartphone training workshops I have been getting lots more questions about Android that I used to. Perhaps this is because either Google, Sprint and Verizon have been generating an increased buzz about Android, or perhaps its capabilities as a realatively new operating system has earned a reputation, and high anticipation.

Android is the OS designed by Google to drive smartphones. To date there are two sold at T-Mobile, last year's G-1 and the MyTouch earlier this year. It is engineered from the ground up to work comfortably within the Google Universe as I call it, and its seeming to never end list of applications and services, all web-based and mostly free. There are multiple thousands of apps already available for the Android OS.

Sprint and verizon are both set to retail the newest Android device,Sprint with the HTC Hero, and perhaps the Motorola Cliq. Other devices are on the horizon for T-Mobile, and most likely AT&T.

I don't know a whole lot about the Android system from its technical specifications, but I've toyed around with the T-Mobile devices at the store; it seems as of the OS was well thought out, and the mobile professional can enjoy it as well as the technology buff.

With models yet to be released on the top three carriers, I won't be able to give an educated opinion until I've had an opportunity to compare available features and what the carriers themselves will add or subtract, but I will be there on day one, and soon after you'll know what I do, from the presepective that makes it a tool REALTORS can benefit.

Until then read articles from CNET (my source).

Verizon Shuts Down Its SMTP Email Relay- Will You Be Affected?

2009-08-29T13:23:00.002-04:00

Verizon wireless subscribers who use email on their smartphone or aircard may discover they are unable to send email after August 29th. http://support.vzw.com/information/smtp_shutdown.html

Here's a summary of what's going on, how to determine if you will be affected, and what you can do to make sure you can continue to send email from your mobile device.

It's possible that when you set up your email settings on your smartphone or aircard, in addition to telling the device where to retrieve your incoming mail, such as your DSL or high-speed internet account, you had to use Verizon's SMTP relay service as your outgoing mail server address.

This service is being stopped by Verizon as of August 29, and if you are using the service, you will receive email but not be able to send any.

How do you determine if you are affected? here's a couple of points to know: First, if you are a Verizon Blackberry customer, you most likely will not be affected because your email goes through a different server sequence.

If you are using Verizon WirelessSync Service on your smartphone for email, this is will not be affected as well.

Check your email settings on your mobile device to see what your outgoing email server settings are. If you're not sure how to do so, contact Verizon directly, and let them walk you through it.

So, what if you are affected, and you need to find a new solution? There are a number of solutions out there, but I'll tell you what I teach in my smartphone workshops:

1.Use Gmail. This is a tremendous service in my opinion for email, as it offers generous space for your email, is very flexible, and it's free. Begin in settings, the Accounts and Import tab and forward your email from the current email service to Gmail. On your smartphone, make Gmail both the incoming and outgoing servers for your mobile email.

Make sure that you go into the Gmail settings on the PC, open the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab and enable the POP or IMAP download. and save. It won't work on your smartphone until you do this.

You can also go back to the Accounts and Import tab, and create multiple identities from which to send your mail. This will allow Gmail to be transparent if you are sending email as a reply from your company's website, for example.

You can get similar solutions from Yahoo! and Bing, and a host of others.

If you have questions about how to make sure your email sends on your device, email me at William@pdapowerplus.com.

How To Avoid Being Frustrated With Your Smartphone

2009-08-16T15:34:00.002-04:00

I spend a lot of my working time with Realtors. To me they are the epitome of the mobile sales professional, which makes what I do as a workshop presenter on mobile technology such an easy fit. I spend my time with other sales pros, as well as attorneys and physicians, but being honest, I know from where my bread is buttered.

Most of my blogs seem to be directed towards my realty audience. Frankly, they are. But read on, my friend, what I teach is universal, and I guarantee if you use a phone smarter than a 5th grader, you'll learn how to use it better from me.

Now, I digress.

As I present smartphone and mobile technology workshops to Realtors across the country, I have had to respond to a common theme, particularly when it came to using the smartphone as a lockbox key. "My smartphone is failing to be dependable as a key and I am getting frustrated".

At first Palm Treo devices took the brunt of the criticism, but it's really not the fault of the device, but the reality of the technology it employs. I get cries for help from users of all smartphone brands and models these days, with the same issues as the Palm has, but since they were first with eKey, they took the heat. Because I like and endorse Palm devices for real estate so much, I felt as if I owed my Agents some answers. So I did my homework.

Here is the reality: The smartphones are an incredibly useful tool for the mobile real estate professional, and given the opportunity, it will work well and last over time. The problem, in my mind at least, is that users were not taught how to give it the full opportunity to perform rightly.

Smartphones are mini computers, with a storage memory and an operating memory. Whenever you add a contact or appointment, receive an email or write a memo, you are saving it in storage memory. When you go to a website, or download a file online, it delivers cookies (you've heard of the dreaded cookie!) and temporary Internet files onto your device as well.

Just as on your PC, these files need to be regularly cleaned out, or they grow like the Blob (maybe you remember that silly movies from the 50's...I was still a glimmer of hope). Over time, these files will make your smartphone more sluggish and frustrating to use, until you are ready to toss it.

If you use the Supra eKey, remember you get nightly data loads from Supra. The temporary files and cookies can grow massively, and from hence comes the frustration and dismay.

No one told you that it's necessary until now, but you need a simple monthly maintenance plan to get your device humming again.

I'll begin by sharing with you a story: Here is an Activerain blog by Louisiana Realtor Amy Jones:

Smartphone eKey Error- Roadbump resolved

This past Sunday my Smartphone eKey put a small road bump in my day. I am thankful to my friends, fellow agents, and clients for their help and understanding. All of the appointments were mapped out and a schedule was planned on Saturday. As I logged into my Ekey- I received an error message. A re-power has always resolved any similar errors in the past. Not this time.

Jo-Ann was working the front dest. Her picture could be a substitute for kind in the dictionary. She made some calls on my behalf. Heather is always willing to help out, she really came through for me on Sunday. Huge thank you to Heather!

After showing properties, I resumed searching for an eKey fix. Apparently Windows based eKey applications can become corrupted. I had to un-install the program completely from my phone, then reinstall. You will need an authorization number to do so. The operators at Supra are very patient and will walk you through the process.

If you get an unexpected error on your eKey- call Supra first. It is likely that they will be able to help you resolve your problem.

I spoke to several agents that day who were having problems with systems being down. Technology is wonderful when it works. I'm blessed to have friends to help out when it doesn't!

I am happy that Amy got some help when she needed it, but it would have been even better had she known then what she knows now, and what I will share with you.

1. Clean out your phone. and free up memory. Synchronize if necessary to back up; then clean out your email box, your text messages and phone call logs.

Go to the Internet browser and clean out the cookies and temporary internet files. Move any photos you have to a memory card (if supported) or store them on your hard drive instead. You will be amazed at how much memory you will free up from these few steps.

Supra eKey users, delete the software monthly, and download it directly onto your device from the Supra mobile downloads site www.ekeymobile.com (Blackberry users only). Palm and Windows Mobile devices can download and sync from the PC at www.supraekey.com

2. Take out the battery and restart the system. Sometimes you need to restart your laptop, right? same with your smartphone. This frees up unused programs running in the background of some devices, as well as files running in the background, oblivious to you. This can also improve battery life.

If you can't take the battery out, such as an iPhone, a soft reset will do. To do this, press and hold the iPhone’s Sleep/Wake button (at the top) and the Home button for several seconds, or until you see the apple logo on the screen.

The other thing this does is disconnect you from the wireless network, long enough to establish a fresh connection. If you don't travel by plane often, odds are you never disconnect from the wireless network. This connection can grow stale, and a reconnection may improve call quality and data speed.

Lastly, a lint-free cloth to clean the screen and body from oils and fingerprints would be a good idea. if you have a physical keyboard, some compressed air may loosen dirt under the keys and improve data input.

If you schedule a monthly maintenance of your device, you will be amazed at how few times you will groan in frustration at your smartphone, and you will be the envy of your colleagues who fail to do what I have suggested here. You can even earn an occasional free lunch by offering a smartphone maintenance seminar provided they pick up the tab!

Please feel free to contact me for comments, questions or inquiries regarding my smartphones and mobile technology workshops for Realtors for your Board, Association, or realty office.

I offer private consultations as well.

Computing In The "Cloud"

2009-07-24T23:53:00.003-04:00

Personal computing has entered a new age.

The way we conduct business, entertain and communicate with computers is constantly evolving, and I welcome you to the next phase. Here's a question for you to ponder: When was the last time you needed to load a CD-ROM into your drive? If it's been a while, you've already begun the journey into cloud computing.

Cloud computing is simply using the resources of the Internet to manage data and documents, enjoy multimedia, and automate business functions over the Web, by accessing network servers. These functions can now be done from anywhere, on any computer by simply signing on to the host website and managing the data from there.

Many companies have been managing their sales force activities and client relationship management for some time now, but companies like Google, Yahoo and Bing have led the way for individuals and entrepreneurs to take full advantage of cloud computing.

Take for instance, Google Calendar and Google Docs. These free applications allow you access to your information anytime, from anywhere as it is securely stored on their network servers. These applications can be shared by people you allow, even groups of people who can input data as necessary.

For real estate, cloud computing offers a tremendous opportunity to streamline the sales process, as well as enhance your marketing strategy in a marvelous way. Social networks are indeed a form of cloud computing as are media network sites like Hulu and Sling.com

Here’s an example of an innovative way of using cloud computing in your marketing plan: You want to share photos of your listings with your prospects. Rather than an attachment to an email, photos may be uploaded to free services such as Picasa or Flickr, organized into folders and full control of who gets to access your content. In Picasa, for example, up to 500 photos can be in one folder, so you basically have a free tool to a nearly unlimited opportunity to market your listings. Invite people to see your photos on the service and watch the sales increase.

Another useful tool is Google’s YouTube. An average of 100 million video uploads per day, but none of them keep your prospects away from your listing videos and virtual tours. Simply create a free YouTube channel. Upload your content onto the channel, mark them as private instead of public if you wish, and personally invite your prospects to view your content. No more worrying if a video file will be too large of an email attachment.

I’m expecting the cloud to be the way real estate transactions are done going into the future as well.

Imagine, if you haven’t already experienced it, a site on the Association’s server by which all the processes of a real estate transaction is performed, in their own individual secure files under a transaction code number. Every step, from the initial contract, the offer, financing, Broker’s review, insurance, contractors, title, etc are all performed, reported and stored in one place. The file can be accessed only in parts by authorized users, and everything can be easily confirmed prior to closing, and no steps overlooked.

Smartphones play a huge role in cloud computing as well. As we become more dependent on the mobile office, access to this data from the Blackberry, iPhone or Pre will be crucial. Smartphones are getting more compatible to the Web with each generation, and will in many cases eliminate having to carry a laptop.

But in times when the laptop is necessary……Enter the Netbook.

Netbooks are smaller versions of laptop computers, that actually are designed for cloud computing. Quite compact, averaging screen size of ten inches, and ranging in price from $249-$500. Most have flash memory instead of hard drives, run on Windows XP or Linux operating systems, and have no CD drives. In most other cases operate the same as any laptop. A thumb drive for file storage is a great accessory, but if you are true to cloud computing, you won’t even need that.

Services like Dropbox offer free storage space online so you can copy files from your hard drive to the Dropbox and later access them from any computer.

In my next installment I will discuss how we will access the cloud while in our automobi-office. Wireless carriers are offering services like WiMax, and 4G wireless Internet on the smartphone. Cloud computing, if you choose to be innovative with it is a novel and inexpensive way to manage your business without ever seeing your desk.

And just wait until you see your car’s new dashboard!

Palm Pre: The iPhone Killer?

2009-04-14T08:11:00.006-04:00

I got some exciting news today.

I, like so many others have been patiently(?) waiting for the Palm Pre to hit the stores. The buzz about the device has been tremendous since it was first seen at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this January. Critics have been saying that the Palm Pre can be the savior of the Company, which has been the victim of what was considered by critics to be poor management decisions while at the same time, competing manufacturers RIM and Apple made significant inroads to what had been Palm's dominance in the PDA and smartphone industry with the Blackberry and iPhone.

Now for the exciting news.

What was once rumored that Palm's 20,000 plus software applications would not run on the new Web OS platform of the Pre turns out not to be the case. That means for millions of Palm loyalists, the programs we have come to know and depend upon will be available to use on the Pre. Software developers will come a-runnin' to develop applications for Pre that are currently iPhone favorites since the accelerometer technology on Pre will support them, and they won't be restricted by the same development constraints they have with Apple, at least if Palm's current position for software development holds true.

Yes, there will be an app for that.

I always mention in my iPhone workshops that Apple raised the bar for everyone with the device, its capabilities and many of the novel yet useful applications have heightened our expectations for our smartphones moving forward. I thank them for that. iPhone does not have everything I as a mobile professional need, however. The 3.0 software update will add some of the features other devices offer, such as MMS, but in my opinion there will still be some ground left uncovered. Palm Pre will cover that ground and much more, and personally I can't wait.

Information regarding the Palm Pre has been hard to find, but as the still undisclosed date becomes closer. information is coming to the surface.

The information below is from a web article at Fox News, you may link here for the entire article.

"Like the rest of the smartphone bunch, it's got all the latest bells and whistles: audio and video playback, a standard 3.5-mm headphone jack, Wi-Fi, 3G, GPS, Bluetooth, push e-mail, a 3-megapixel camera.

The QWERTY keyboard, similar to those on the Treo and Centro, slides out from the bottom. An accelerometer repositions the screen 360 degrees around, twice as far as the G1 or iPhone.

The camera's got an LED flash, but there's no zoom or video-recording capability for now. An ambient light sensor automatically adjusts screen brightness.

There are also a couple of things I wish the Pre had but doesn't — a memory-card slot for additional storage (it's got 8 GB built in), a stylus or trackball for when my fat fingers can't accurately select something.

Palm won't narrow down the Pre's release date beyond "first half of 2009," but the Palm reps I met with said it'd be "soon." Rumors have Sprint store personnel already being trained in demonstrating it to customers, indicating a "street date" of late April or early May.

The Palm people also said the purchase price would be "very competitve," which to me indicates about $200".

More great news. When I purchased my iPhone, I was taken aback by the limited phone plans offered by AT&T for the device, When you purchase an iPhone, there is no flexibility with plans as you might find with other phones. Pre will be first exclusively offered on Sprint, which has the "Everything Plan", where $100 gets you unlimited access to phone, internet, text messaging and email. It's the plan I currently have and although it's a few bucks more than the previous monthly plan I had on T-Mobile, it is certainly worth it to me. Palm Pre qualifies for the $100 plan, and anxious anticipation would be understating my feeling right now.

Is Palm Pre the iPhone killer? Perhaps. The iPhone is a cultural phenom and Apple's marketing strategy has been nothing short of masterful. As a consultant I get numerous emails daily from people asking me my opinion about various smartphones and features to consider. The iPhone questions lead the pack right now. There are many long-suffering Palm loyalists who truly hope Palm Pre is a hit, and will probably toss the Blackberries they were forced into by the void left by Palm over the last 18 months or so. No disrespect to the Blackberry, which I have really come to appreciate, but a Crackberry addict has nothing compared to a Palm Loyalist.

So, until the day of great anticipation arrives, I will scour the earth (like Marsellus Wallace in "Pulp Fiction") for the latest developments to share.

I wish I had an app for this.

Have You ICEd Your Phone?

2009-01-18T12:44:00.009-05:00

This is not some new way of blinging out your phone, rather an important addition to your contacts. In fact, once you've ICEd your phone, tell everyone else you know who has one that it's time to ICE.

What is ICE? Glad you asked. In Case of Emergency (ICE) is a place to store emergency contact information should you be in an accident and cannot speak for yourself. Emergency medical personnel are trained to look for your wireless phone, and hope that you've ICEd it.

If you're using a smartphone, take it a step further by adding medical information such as allergies, blood type, medications, etc that could help paramedics save your life.

ICE YOUR PHONE TODAY!

How To Make Your Smartphone A Marketing Agent

2009-01-16T15:34:00.002-05:00

One thing I have discovered through my travels as a consultant and workshop presenter of handheld technologies is that there really is not a lot of information readily available for mobile professionals to refer in order to decide what tools they should adopt to achieve success in their real estate business. Sure, there's lots of sales literature and technical spec, but only a few sites are really good at giving people the information they need to make an intelligent choice based on their need. What successful agents need is a mobile tool that offers a variety of features for communication, marketing, lead generation and of course, time management.

One thing is for sure; it is now a necessity to embrace some form of smartphone technology if you want to stay competitive in the marketplace. Those clients who depend upon you for your expertise are accustomed to instant communications, which means they expect an immediate response from their Agent. Many of them are part of the growing trend to go beyond the typical cell phone and have moved into smartphone devices themselves, and they are not afraid to use them. What that means for the you is that client satisfaction depends upon how well you communicate, even while maintaining your busy schedule of managing prospects, closing sales, marketing and networking, in addition to your roles as a spouse, parent, colleague or friend.

So the ultimate decision to make is exactly which devices do you consider, how to compare them, and what you should expect to spend on the device itself and the monthly commitment for a minimum of two years. The question I get most often is, with so many devices on the market, which devices are the best, and what should I be looking for when choosing the best device for me? I wish the answer was that simple, but it’s not. What I can say is that there are some core features that all smartphones offer almost equally well, and then you have to consider what features and applications will help you be most responsive to your clients, keep you productive, and multiple communication choices (phone, web, email, SMS). Beyond that, there are multimedia features on some devices such as digital cameras, camcorders, mp3 players, photo slideshows set to music, MMS (text messaging with embedded photo, video or audio), and even video movie players.

While these features may sound like overkill, and designed to sell to doe-eyed techno-geeks, they can actually become a valuable part of your marketing plan and give you an advantage that most Agents won’t catch onto for some time. So at this point you may be asking, what exactly, should I be looking for and what should I know before going to my wireless retailer about devices, costs and plans? Three steps to consider as an Agent for buying the right device and the service plan now

Step 1: Commit to the technology.

This may sound like a silly first step, but believe me, it is an important one. By making a commitment to the technology, you have acknowledged that in order to stay competitive you will have to invest in the smartphone and its features, commit to learning the myriad features your device offers, and then adopting the features into your daily operation. Here’s what I mean by this: * Schedule all of your appointments, meetings, and important dates into your calendar, and keep it current. Write all of them, business, family and personal * Put all of your contacts into the address book. Make sure to categorize them, and use the feature that allows entry of notes for personal information, anecdotal history and anything else worth saving about a contact into that space. It will come in handy some day. * Use the To-Do List application to keep daily tasks as well as store “lists” as templates for recurring projects and client services. * Learn how to store photos and video clips on the device. Buy a memory card. Organize and sort them to make an orderly, pre-set presentation that’s always ready to show. * Learn how to store photos and video clips of your listings on the device. Organize and sort them to make an orderly, pre-set presentation that’s always ready to show. * Learn to use text messaging. It’s not just for the kids anymore. Many of your clients, particularly the young adults prefer texting to actual phone conversations. * Make sure your email settings are such that you will easily get messages delivered, especially attachments. Having documents, contracts, PDFs, even Winforms is possible on many devices. * Write memos and notes in your smartphone rather than a legal pad. You’ll have just the information when and where you need it. When you commit to the technology, you'll discover how you can really work all day without even opening your laptop.

Step 2: Do your homework before you buy.

All too often do people base their smartphone purchase on what they’ve seen in a 30 second commercial, or what looks cool in someone else’s hand. Research the Internet for the phones you’re interested in, then go to the store for an extensive tour. Make sure it feels comfortable in your hand, the buttons are well organized and are easy to press with your fingers. Evaluate the screen size, brightness and resolution, and how easy it is to navigate to your tools such as phone, Web and PDA. Battery life is a very important but often overlooked feature to consider as well. If you think a touchscreen is a valuable feature for you, don’t ignore fact that either. Make sure all the features you believe will make you productive and in constant communication with others are present or available as a third party application. A good idea would be to write down your needs as you think of them and use that as a starting point.

Step 3: Learn all of its features, and consider how to adopt them into your business.

All smart devices have a core of features and services that will greatly help you throughout your workday:

* Phone
* Web
* Email
* SMS messaging
* PDA (calendar, contacts, memos, tasks)
* Media (photos, some support video)

For the most part, these tools will provide 90 percent of what you use the device for. While all of the smartphones have these features, how they are delivered can make the difference in a pleasurable or downright awful user experience. This is why a good amount of research is recommended prior to purchase, because once you decide, you’re typically married to the device for two years.

Other features a smartphone offers differ by device. Those that have software that allow you to open and read documents and spreadsheets are convenient, and a few will allow you to edit or create these documents. I consider that a great advantage. Smartphones that have Touchscreens are easier to use and are more flexible in how they are operated, in my opinion. I also like a device that can easily be used with one hand as well as two. That comes in handy when carrying a briefcase or bag, and you still need to access data.

Smartphones that run on Palm OS and Windows Mobile platforms have the most useful third-party software applications available, from business and sales tools, database applications, real estate calculators, client management applications, but there is a rapidly growing list of apps for Blackberry and Apple iPhone as well.

Step 4. Take these tools and learn all of what they can offer you.

Learn the shortcuts that make the device easier to use, or use one-handed instead of with two. Here some ideas I recommend to increase your overall user experience:

* Bookmark your Web favorites like you do on your PC.
* Set Speed dials for your family, closest friends and current clients
* Learn how to text- many of your younger clients prefer to text rather than talk
* Adopt and stick to using the PDA functions mentioned above
* Organize your photos and video into folders, on a memory card (if applicable). Take listing photos, for example, and organize them. Name the folder appropriately and then order the photographs so they flow through the slideshow. Your presentation will will be ready to show anytime. This is a marketing marvel!
* Be creative when working with clients. Take photos while you are out, and email them to a client on the spot. Ask for the showing right then.

Taking these few steps when setting your smartphone up for use will help you be ready to show listings, share images and video, share documents and put you in position for the sale. Your smartphone is the ultimate portable marketing and lead generation tool, once you put it work.

G. William James is one of the nation's top consultants and trainers of wireless technologies, providing solutions and technologies to achieve ultimate success in sales, medicine, education and real estate. He has presented over 500 workshops and training sessions since 2000, including the National Association of REALTORS, Medtronic Xomed, The American College of Neurosurgeons, The American Society of Oncologists, numerous state conventions, and real estate Associations throughout the nation. Please contact Mr. James at william@pdapowerplus.com

Text Messaging 101: SMS or MMS? What's The Difference?

2008-07-22T11:19:00.013-04:00

Many of my clients contact me about using text messaging on their smartphones. For business in 2008 it is a way of life, but a change of course for many users born before 1970. While we are accustomed to a phone conversation, Gen X'ers and Millenials are text messaging fanatics. I hear time and time again that they would prefer to communicate by text messaging than by speaking on a call.

There are different ways by which a phone can send and receive text messages, most phones will display messages one at a time. Users of smartphones such as the Palm Treo and Centro can choose to display messages as a thread, and show a complete list of correspondence, like instant messaging applications

I find the chat thread feature quite useful, as every text message between the contact and me is on the thread, as long as they text me from one of the phone numbers I have for them stored in contacts. In business this can be a lifesaver. I have yet to encounter a thread to reach a storage limit, although it may be possible. If that happens, what the heck, start a second thread.

MMS is simply multimedia text messaging. The ability to add photos, video, even audio to a text message can make the experience more fun, add excitement, and in business, work as a great marketing tool.

Imagine a real estate Agent who sees the perfect house for one of their clients. She can snap a photo from the curb with the smartphone, attach it to the text message, and even add the audio, "I just found the perfect house for you!".

I snapped this photo on a recent trip to Banff, in the Canadian Rockies. It was such a beautiful sight, I had to share it right then.

Tapping the microphone, I was even able to add an audio clip to the message.

Europeans have preferred SMS over voice for years, compared to Americans who have only adopted the technology within the last few years. It's obvious that we're not going back, and that many of your friends and family, and yes, your clients prefer to communicate via text, so if you haven't joined the revolution, now is your moment.

Until Next Time,

G

What's The Buzz About Bluetooth?

2008-07-22T11:00:00.000-04:00

I recently purchased a new car. It was not one of the new models that comes with integrated Bluteooth wireless technology, but because I am an such an avid supporter of safer hands-free driving, this is a feature that I just had to have. So I added it by purchasing a car stereo system that has Bluetooth built in. Once I got my stereo to communicate with my phone, which took about 1 minute, I was in business. It didn't cost me a lot either. The stereo system was just under $200, and is from a maker of high quality products. Now I have just what I need- great sounding music for my drive and hands-free phone use so I can focus on my surroundings while on the road. Bluetooth technology is very simple in how it works: a low frequency radio signal that simply allows us to connect devices within a short range, without the use of cables. With Bluetooth you can easily:

Connect your cell phone to a Bluetooth headset for hands-free talk
Send photos from your digital camera to your PC
Free your keyboard and mouse from cables on your PC
Sync and update your PDA or smartphone to your computer
Use your wireless phone hands-free whle driving through your car stereo
Print documents from your PDA or smartphone to your printer

The list of uses for this technology is growing rapidly, as it is secure, reliable, and cheap. By no means does it replace Wifi as a means of running your wireless network, but it does allow you to avoid having to connect a nest of cables to your computers in order to use peripherals.

Bluetooth is rapidly being adopted in industry as well. Trucking and delivery companies that capture signatures electronically can have the date, time and delivery confirmation emailed to a customer within minutes of delivery, as when the driver enters the truck, the onnboard Bluetooth receiver gets the conformation from the drivers signature pad. Soon we will begin to see Bluetooth technology in the home, changing the way we control our HVAC, home theater systems, garage doors and more.

For your own purposes, I'm here to give you a short course in Bluetooth, without all the technical jargon that won't matter to you anyway. Many of us use Bluetooth headsets with our cell phones. I see people out there, decked out with a space-aged communicator on their ears, as if they'll request to beamed up to the Starship Enterprise at any moment. With that in mind, why is it that I can't listen in on someone else's phone conversation if they are using Bluetooth as well? The phone and the headset are "paired" to one another, meaning that before they can communicate they both receive and accept a secure radio frequency. A matching security code must be entered on one or both devices before they will pair. Most headsets use 4 zeroes as the security code, but even if someone else knows that code they cannot pair with your phone without your approval.

Why should you adopt Bluetooth? Simply stated, it will make life easier for you, at least from the technology standpoint. Once you actually start using the Bluetooth features in your devices, you will discover all types of possibilities. If you are at a networking function, for example, and you have photos of a product or service you want to offer, most PDAs and smartphones will accept pictures transferred by Bluetooth from your device. In short, you are always carrying your sales catalog or inventory list for that moment you meet a prospect, which often happens after business hours. Contacts, calendar events, documents, even software can be shared with others using Bluetooth.

Bluetooth technology is already being improved upon, with the development of UWB, or Ultra Wide Band. This enhancement will offer more features, more security at a greater range of distance for your "PAN", or Personal Area Network. We are well entrenched in a wireless world. The people who will benefit the most are those who will embrace the technologies and find innovative ways to adopt them into their personal and professional lives.

Until Next Time, G

Realtors: Your Success Is In Your Smartphone

2008-07-22T10:23:00.001-04:00

So many people have positively commented on this article that I decided to post it again for my hundreds of new contacts and people who have discovered my Blog. Enjoy.

One thing I have discovered through my travels as a consultant and presenter of handheld technologies is that there really is not a lot of information readily available for mobile professionals to refer in order to decide what tools they should adopt to achieve success in their real estate business. Sure, there's lots of sales literature and technical spec, but only a few sites are really good at giving people the information they need to make an intelligent choice based on their need.

One thing is for sure; it is now a necessity to embrace some form of smartphone technology if you want to stay competitive in the marketplace. Those clients who depend upon you for your expertise are accustomed to instant communications, which means they expect an immediate response from their Agent. Many of them are part of the growing trend to go beyond the typical cell phone and have moved into smartphone devices themselves, and they are not afraid to use them.

What that means for the you is that client satisfaction depends upon how well you communicate, even while maintaining your busy schedule of managing prospects, closing sales, marketing and networking, in addition to your roles as a spouse, parent, colleague or friend. So the ultimate decision to make is exactly which devices do you consider, how to compare them, and what you should expect to spend on the device itself and the monthly commitment for a minimum of two years.

The question I get most often is, with so many devices on the market, which devices are the best, and what should I be looking for when choosing the best device for me?

I wish the answer was that simple, but it’s not. What I can say is that there are some core features that all smartphones offer almost equally well, and then you have to consider what features and applications will help you be most responsive to your clients, keep you productive, and multiple communication choices (phone, web, email, SMS). Beyond that, there are multimedia features on some devices such as digital cameras, camcorders, mp3 players, photo slideshows set to music, MMS (text messaging with embedded photo, video or audio), and even video movie players.

While these features may sound like overkill, and designed to sell to doe-eyed techno-geeks, they can actually become a valuable part of your marketing plan and give you an advantage that most Agents won’t catch onto for some time.

So at this point you may be asking, what exactly, should I be looking for and what should I know before going to my wireless retailer about devices, costs and plans?

Three steps to consider as an Agent for buying the right device and the service plan now

Step 1: Commit to the technology

This may sound like a silly first step, but believe me, it is an important one. By making a commitment to the technology, you have acknowledged that in order to stay competitive you will have to invest in the smartphone and its features, commit to learning the myriad features your device offers, and then adopting the features into your daily operation. Here’s what I mean by this:

Schedule all of your appointments, meetings, and important dates into your calendar, and keep it current. Write all of them, business, family and personal

Put all of your contacts into the address book. Make sure to categorize them, and use the feature that allows entry of notes for personal information, anecdotal history and anything else worth saving about a contact into that space. It will come in handy some day.

Use the To-Do List application to keep daily tasks as well as store “lists” as templates for recurring projects and client services.

Learn how to store photos and video clips on the device. Buy a memory card. Organize and sort them to make an orderly, pre-set presentation that’s always ready to show.

Learn how to store photos and video clips of your listings on the device. Organize and sort them to make an orderly, pre-set presentation that’s always ready to show.

Learn to use text messaging. It’s not just for the kids anymore. Many of your clients, particularly the young adults prefer texting to actual phone conversations.

Make sure your email settings are such that you will easily get messages delivered, especially attachments. Having documents, contracts, PDFs, even Winforms is possible on many devices.

Write memos and notes in your smartphone rather than a legal pad. You’ll have just the information when and where you need it.

When you commit to the technology, you'll discover how you can really work all day without even opening your laptop.

Step 2: Do your homework before you buy

All too often do people base their smartphone purchase on what they’ve seen in a 30 second commercial, or what looks cool in someone else’s hand. Research the Internet for the phones you’re interested in, then go to the store for an extensive tour. Make sure it feels comfortable in your hand, the buttons are well organized and are easy to press with your fingers. Evaluate the screen size, brightness and resolution, and how easy it is to navigate to your tools such as phone, Web and PDA. Battery life is a very important but often overlooked feature to consider as well. If you think a touchscreen is a valuable feature for you, don’t ignore fact that either. Make sure all the features you believe will make you productive and in constant communication with others are present or available as a third party application. A good idea would be to write down your needs as you think of them and use that as a starting point.

Step 3: Learn all of its features, and consider how to adopt them into your business

All smart devices have a core of features and services that will greatly help you throughout your workday:

Phone
Web
Email
SMS messaging
PDA (calendar, contacts, memos, tasks)
Media (photos, some support video)

For the most part, these tools will provide 90 percent of what you use the device for. While all of the smartphones have these features, how they are delivered can make the difference in a pleasurable or downright awful user experience. This is why a good amount of research is recommended prior to purchase, because once you decide, you’re typically married to the device for two years.

Other features a smartphone offers differ by device. Those that have software that allow you to open and read documents and spreadsheets are convenient, and a few will allow you to edit or create these documents. I consider that a great advantage. Smartphones that are Touchscreen are easier to use and are more flexible in how they are operated, in my opinion. I also like a device that can easily be used with one hand as well as two. That comes in handy when carrying a briefcase or bag, and you still need to access data. Smartphones that run on Palm OS and Windows Mobile platforms have the most third party software applications available, from business and sales tools, database applications, real estate calculators, client management applications, and much, much more.

Take these tools and learn all of what they can offer you, Learn the shortcuts that make the device easier to use, or use one-handed instead of with two. Here some ideas I recommend to increase your overall user experience:

Bookmark your Web favorites like you do on your PC.

Set Speed dials for your family, closest friends and current clients

Learn how to text- many of your younger clients prefer to text rather than talk

Adopt and stick to using the PDA functions mentioned above

Organize your photos and video into folders. For special images, name the folder appropriately and then order the photographs so they flow through the slideshow. Your presentation will will be ready to show anytime.

Be creative when working with clients. Take photos while you are out, and email them to a client on the spot. Ask for the showing right then.

G. William James is one of the nation's top consultants and trainers of wireless technologies, providing solutions and technologies to achieve ultimate success in sales, medicine, education and real estate. He has presented over 500 workshops and training sessions since 2000, including the National Association of REALTORS, Medtronic Xomed, The American College of Neurosurgeons, The American Society of Oncologists, numerous state conventions, and real estate Associations throughout the nation.

Please contact Mr. James at william@pdapowerplus.com