Since MANY real estate agents have a Blackberry, we thought it's worth covering on this topic, and also if you have the Blackberry Torch, or another Blackberry like the Curve or Storm, please make a comment below.

Join the forum discussion on this post

This month we are focusing our attention to the real estate agent’s BFF (and constant companion) – the PDA.

Whatever your brand of choice, Blackberry, iPhone, Pre…, on this month’s EXCLUSIVE RealEstateTechnologyExperts.com webinar we will showcase strategies, techniques and useful applications that you need to know to make the most of out these devices.

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p.s. If you have an fellow agents who would like to join in on this webinar, please send them here: https://reta.infusionsoft.com/saleform/nathnilf

So if you want to make the right choices when it comes to upgrading your laptop, office computer, digital camera, PDA…then watch this webinar.

Even if you are not thinking about it right now, this webinar is worth watching.  And if you have questions, just ask the experts in our Interactive Discussion Forum.

Get your Hardware game plan and ask your questions

1)  What is the latest in mobile laptop computers and how can I use a smaller more powerful one.
2)  Netbooks – useful tool?  Is it worth looking into?
3)  New digital still and video cameras you can use to make money
4)  PDA – what’s new and useful for the real estate agent
5)  And MORE

Avoid wasting LOADS of time figuring it out on your own. Join Jim, Sean and Shay for the most EFFECTIVE, CHEAP, and EASY hardware solutions that will help you use technology profitably in your real estate business.

Here's the recorded webinar:
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]]> http://www.realestatetechnologyexperts.com/hardware-for-real-estate-agents/feed/ 3 http://www.realestatetechnologyexperts.com/video-cameras-real-estate-agents/ http://www.realestatetechnologyexperts.com/video-cameras-real-estate-agents/#comments Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:03:54 +0000 admin http://realestatetechnologyexperts.com/?p=350 Fellow real estate agents often ask me "what type of video camera should I get for my real estate business?" If you are looking for versatility and lightweight, you can’t beat the line up of pocket camcorders on the market today. And if you are “flipping” over to the latest video camera craze, pocket-sized recorders are worth the hype, but be aware of their limitations. Below are a few suggested models (all prices approximate). It wasn't too long ago]]> Fellow real estate agents often ask me "what type of video camera should I get for my real estate business?"

If you are looking for versatility and lightweight, you can’t beat the line up of pocket camcorders on the market today.

And if you are “flipping” over to the latest video camera craze, pocket-sized recorders are worth the hype, but be aware of their limitations.

Below are a few suggested models (all prices approximate).  It wasn't too long ago a quality camcorder broke your wallet and your back -- expensive, clunky machinery that shot low-resolution video and was near impossible to connect to a PC for editing, archiving or sharing.

Fast-forward to today and for about $200 – easily a fifth of what you'd pay in the past – you have something no bigger than a cell phone that can shoot high-definition quality, and saves it all to built-in Flash memory (not unlike what's in your iPod NANO).  Integrated software (read: no disc required) and flip-out USB connector make it a breeze to connect to a computer, not to mention one-click uploads to YouTube, if desired.

Spearheaded by Pure Digital's "FLIP" brand (now owned by Cisco), these trendy pocket-sized camcorders are an affordable and easy-to-use solution for real estate agents on the go.  Keep in mind, however, these products aren't perfect; they lack good zoom (therefore not ideal for a child's soccer final or outdoor rock concert); battery life won't be as impressive as pricier camcorders; and you're usually limited to shooting an hour or two of video at a time.

The following is a quick look at some of the hottest pocket camcorders available.

Leader of the pack

Cisco's Flip Mino ($219.99) and MinoHD ($279.99), both of which include the signature flip-out USB arm and built-in FlipShare software to organize, edit and share video.  Both are capable of recording an hour of video: the Flip Mino in VGA quality (640 x 480 pixels) and Flip MinoHD in 720-p HD quality (1280 x 720 pixels).

Memories in a snap

Available in silver, purple or orange, the Sony Mobile HD Snap Camera, or "Webbie" as it is known in the United States,(model MHS-PM1; $229.99) makes it easy to capture and upload HD-quality MP4 video (1440 x 1080 pixels, at 30 frames per second) and still photos (5 megapixels) and upload directly to the Web.

A rotating swivel lens flips over so you can see yourself if you want to shoot a video podcast. Unfortunately, this model requires a USB cable (included) instead of the built-in solution.

Capture that "Kodak moment"

The Kodak Zx1 Pocket Video Camera ($159.95) is a relatively inexpensive and weather-resistant 720p HD model with a rubberized body (and protected ports) to withstand splashes or sand.

The Zx1 offers a huge 2-inch LCD screen to see what you're shooting (or during playback), but the downside is you'll need to snap in your own SD or SDHC memory card (up to 32GB) to capture memories. Included is an HDMI cable to connect to a HDTV.

Get creative

With its 8GB of built-in memory, the thin and lightweight Creative Vado HD ($229.99) records up to two hours of 720p-quality high-definition video (1280 x 720 pixels) or up to eight hours at VGA resolution.

Its wide-angle glass lens captures more action round you, and works well in dim environments, too. While it feels frailer than the Flip's solid USB arm, a convenient computer connector pulls out of the bottom of the Vado on a flexible cord.

Getting the Right Camera for you is the First Step

Look out for our weekly tips and strategies email on using Audio, Video and Multimedia profitably in your business.

There's some little known secrets in the computer industry, one of which is many people don't know IF they have computer support, or where to get it.

As I have supported real estate agents through the years, I've come to figure out some quick ways to determine if you can get some free computer support.

First, check with the maker of your computer maker. Most manufacturers like DELL and HP generally provide a default, limited services warranty for 1 year. Which means you can call them up and they can try to resolve it over the phone.

If you didn't upgrade to one of their other warranty products, and they CAN'T solve it over the phone, then you're often left with the option of sending it into them for processing, and then they either send it back fixed, or they send you a new one - not exactly ideal if you need a computer for the 2-4 weeks it takes them to get it back to you!

Lesson Learned - Either spring for the Warranty Upgrade upfront, for however long you plan to own the computer ( I recommend 2-3 years max.), or simply take it to Geek Squad or similar, reliable computer repair company and pay them to to do it.

NOTE - If you bought you DELL or similar at a store like Best Buy, then Dell will generally NOT support the computer, and you'll have to navigate your way through their help department and/or bring the computer in for their team to fix - maybe a little faster because of no shipping time - but still not ideal. If you want Dell support, you have to purchase directly from Dell, in most cases.

Secondly, you should keep in mind that if your computer problem is related to a Microsoft product such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Excel, or Microsoft Power Point, then here is how support is normally handled:

1. If you bought the software pre-installed on your computer, the manufacturer is normally charged with supporting the Microsoft software.

2. If you bought the software SEPARATE from your computer, then you probably will have to contact Microsoft direct.

I recently got some great help from Microsoft support when my Outlook acted up. Just go to http://support.microsoft.com/ and click your way through to the product you need help with. I choose the CHAT option, and it puts you in a queue right away and they people I dealt with were very helpful and figured it out. If you need, you can always call them, but they will probably need you to be near you computer, and internet access preferred.

NOTE - make sure you have your software license key available, if possible. The other way Microsoft is making sure you have a "valid" version of their software is by requiring you to install the "Windows Validation Tool" which installs fairly quickly now.

Finally, as a real estate agent, dealing with computer problems should be minimized as much as possible. Watch your time carefully, and weigh your options. I recommend taking your computer to a local repair store for fastest service and to minimize down time. Yes, it will cost you certain amount of money, but you'll more than make it up by sending that time making SALES.

Useful Links

http://support.dell.com/support/
www.hp.com - great support for both computers and printers
http://support.microsoft.com/

It's amazing to me how we can send a man to the moon, but we can't make a computer that doesn't crash.

If you're using a computer even a few hours per week, you'll quickly find that problems occur - programs stop working, screens freeze up, things don't show up the way you expect them to, you can't get them to print out,....the list goes on and on.

Before you go ahead and waste 2 hours trying to figure out the problem, or call up your geeky nephew, or worse - pay someone $100+ to fix it, you'll often find these simple, but often forgotten steps, can solve most of computer problems.

1. Try restarting.

Have you heard this one before? Yes, it sounds simple, but a lot of people don't understand just how many problems (especially PC problems) can be solved by restarting you computer.

Many people have their computers set to "sleep", and after a few days or so, Windows gets clogged up with programs, old memory, settings, etc. and can become unstable. I recommend only putting a PC into sleep mode twice before doing a complete shut down and restart.

Also, make sure you close ALL programs before doing a full restart. Programs like Outlook generally perform better if you close them down first, before shutting off your machine. If you don't, and you restart and open Outlook, you might find that it wants to "scan your .pst file" since it "wasn't closed properly". It slows the performance of the computer for normally 10-15 minutes.

Apple users will find their systems much more stable after multiple sleep modes, but a restart can help, occasionally.

2. Make sure you stay updated on the latest Windows patches.

Open an Internet Explorer window, click on Tools, then Windows Update. Some computers are set to do this automatically, at say 3AM -- IF your computer is turned on (not sleep mode) during that time.

If you never have your computer turned on at that time, or if that option is not selected, you might be missing out on some very important security updates and patches that Microsoft releases every few weeks or so.

Those updates are free to download, and generally work very well. I will mention that I recently had a support call with Dell, and they recommended not yet downloading the Windows XP Service Pack 3 update (as of 11-12-08). They said they had found it to make Dell computers unstable (who knows whys!). Service Packs are really just a fancy name for a bunch of updates, all rolled into one big update for your machine.

Apple users will find that their computers are normally updated automatically, in the background, at times of inactivity. Too bad Bill Gates didn't include the same feature with Windows!!

Also, with updates, choose the option to "manually select my updates". You'll find they often try to include software from Microsoft, or other items that you just don't need to install. Obviously, if you're not sure, I would say download it. But for those more savvy computer users, you'll want to only download the updates you know will make a difference and not bloat your computer with unnecessary programs.

As I mentioned, you'll typically find that the above 2 steps will solve 95% of computer problems - which means there's still that ugly 5% of problems that aren't easily solved, and require more support.

So restart, update, and keep your computer a well-oiled machine to perform the tasks you need it to!

Unless you plan on doing a lot of video editing or composing and recording your own music, your best bet for business is a PC.  Mac makes a beautiful machine, but when it comes to business, there's more software available for a PC than a Mac.  If you've got the bucks and you're a die-hard Mac fan, make sure you get the Power PC chip which allows you to install and run Windows® applications. 

Desktop or Notebook?  Let's face it, Desktop computers are inexpensive and come with big, bright screens, full size keyboards and lots and lots of hard drive space.  The downside to a Desktop computer is that it sits on your desk and if you want to work at home and at the office, or even at your favorite Internet Café, you're going to need more than one (the last time I checked, Starbucks didn't have a lot of extra outlets).  I can't tell you how many people ask me how to synchronize data between their home computer and their office machine.  The simple answer is to use one computer for both places and skip the synchronization entirely. 

Notebook computers have come a long way since my first 386, monochrome laptop with a 30 megabyte hard-drive.  Today's notebook computers have crisp clear screens that can be viewed from almost any angle, full size keyboards, built-in touchpads, stereo speakers, writable DVD drives and wireless modems.  All this can be jammed into a machine the size of a notebook pad of paper less than 5 pounds.  AND, without a lot of effort you can find a very powerful notebook computer for under a thousand dollars.  If you'll be running the latest Vista® operating system let me recommend 3 Megabytes of RAM or more.  The rest of the specifications are pretty much moot when it comes to running real estate software.  In other words, most of the expense people pack into a notebook computer has little to do with business applications.  Most of the advancements in computing power really only benefit the power computer user trying to do high-end video or music editing or serious video game players.  A good rule of thumb for hardware purchases is this: Buy what everyone else is buying (you'll get the most bang for the buck) and expect to upgrade sooner.  I try my best to get 3 years out of a notebook computer and then, because I don't pay too much when I buy one, I don't hesitate to buy a new machine when I need it. 

Something to think about…  I listen to a syndicated weekend radio show for geeks hosted by Leo Laport.  He suggests that if you keep any computer more than three years, you should format the hard-drive and reinstall your operating system and all your programs.  It turns out that all Windows® operating systems scatter files and folders all over the hard-drive every time you boot them up and even if you defragment your hard-drive, your computer takes longer and longer to boot up every time you use it.  I've never formatted a computer hard-drive and I certainly have never re-installed my entire operating system.  Skipping both steps and just trying to transfer all my software and data to a new machine is work enough.  I'd like to at least get a cool new faster machine out of all the effort and frankly, if you use your computer to make money (which all Real Estate agents should be doing) you'll be able to afford a new one every 3 months. 

Where should I buy?  I like to test drive the keyboard and the touchpad, which means a store beats the Internet for checking out a new computer.  In seminars I jokingly refer to another benefit of buying a computer from a local retail store, I call it the "throat factor."  I find that computer hardware works in direct relation to the distance I am from putting my hands around the throat of the salesperson who sells it to me.  The closer I am to the salesperson, the more satisfaction I get when I have problems.  Think I'm kidding?  I'll never forget the kid who sold me a new cell phone at the Sprint store some years back.  I was emphatic that national coverage was EXTREMELY important to me and when I returned to the store two weeks later (after being on the road for 13 days in 6 different cities) He looked at my face and before I could say anything, he said, "You went to Chicago!"  I said, "No, I didn't, but are you telling me I wouldn't have had coverage there, either?"  It turns out that in 3 of the 6 cities I had gone to, Sprint had NO SERVICE.  Now, this was some years ago, but it was when Sprint was promoting their "All Digital" service, back when some cities were still on Analog systems.  At least with ATT I might not get a digital signal, but at least I had coverage.  I digress…

My wife is a writer.  She hated my laptops because of their compressed keyboards.  So, for years, when we would pack up our belongings for the summer in Minnesota, I had to disconnect her keyboard, mouse, monitor and processor and pack it all in the car for the 2,000 mile drive from California (my daughters are actors so you go where the work is).  Last year (2007) she finally decided she wanted a laptop (I think it was seeing me working on the dock with my wireless connection to the Internet that got her) and I took her to the store to try them out for size.  Honest to Pete, she eliminated 90% of the computers because she, "hated" the keyboards.  So, if you are really going to commit to a computer for the next two to three years, I think you should go to a store and really get a feel for the keyboard and, equally important, the touchpad (built-in mouse).  For those of you who are dying to know, she settled on an HP Pavilion Entertainment PC which is a little larger than my notebook of the same manufacturer.  The keyboards are identical, but her computer is slightly larger with a larger screen.  She only carries it from room to room and does not have the need to fit it into a carrying case.  I like the smaller "Notebook" size of roughly 9" x 13" so it fits easily into my rolling computer bag and on the fold down tray on an airplane. 

One more thing…  I like the smaller notebooks because they are lighter and easier to hold on to.  Let's face it, dropping a computer isn't recommend or covered by most extended warranties.  So, if you are going to be hauling it from home to office to appointments, get a smaller machine.  Also, I recommend a second AC power supply so you don't have to keep climbing under your desk at the office or home to plug it in.  HP charges close to $100 for an AC power supply so I bought a universal power supply from iGo (available at most computer stores or worse case, Radio Shack) that I can purchase different adaptors for when I get a new machine.  The charger itself is about $60 and the different tips (adapters designed for each different computer) go for about $5 so I can simply buy a new tip when I get a new computer. 

In Summary, don't kill yourself over your decision to buy a new computer.  Frankly, all the components inside of most computers come from the same manufacturers.  Some people don't like HP computers because to keep the prices low they load your computer up with a bunch of promotional software from retailers who pay HP for the privilege.  I'll take the low price (my most recent computer was under $650) and ignore the free software.  Here are the spec's for the machine I bought in September of 2008:

HP Pavilion dv291nr
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor (1.83 GHz)
3 Meg RAM
250 GB hard drive
LightScribe Super Multi 8X DVD +/-RW Drive
Remote control
Built-in webcam, microphone and speakers
Windows Vista Home Premium
Price: $649

I upgraded to 4 Megs of RAM for an additional $55 and installed the card myself -- The Geek Squad wanted an additional $50 to do it for me.
This is a screamin' fast machine for just around $700. 

Final thoughts… I like Intel processors over AMD and I'll pay a few more bucks ($100) for it.  RAM is king!  Pay a few bucks more (I paid $55 more to go from 3 Megs to 4 Megs of RAM in the above machine) and I can see the difference in everything I do on the computer.  I bought the LightScribe DVD burner because I make a lot of DVDs of family video and I found that putting paper labels on some DVDs made them unreadable in some DVD players.  LightScribe requires buying "LightScribe Compatible" DVDs for a few cents more but when you get done burning the data side of the DVD, you flip the DVD over and put it back in the DVD drive to burn the label on the top of the disk without using paper or ink.  I'm not impressed with the time it takes to burn the label side (sometimes 10-15 minutes per DVD) but they do work better in most DVD players.

Now, go out there and get that new computer, and when you're done, share what you got and where you got it in our Forums section under Hardware-Computers.