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My Favorite Technology and Time Saving Tools

October of 2005, I purchased a ''Tablet P.C''. I chose the Motion Computer because of the long battery life. I can recharge with my key board at night and go all day without having to return to the office.

I use a data modum card with it so I can log on anywhere... no more running to Starbucks or elsewhere to log on.

This has increased my business productivity many ways, when I am out with clients in the car and we pass a house that was not on their list of homes to view and they ask, " Why wasn't this house on the tour?" or " Wonder how much that house is?" I can pull over, yes, I pull over, log onto the MLS and show them. Since the screen is bigger we don't have to look at a small amount of data we see on a smart phone but see the entire listing.

Onenote, by Microsoft is included in the software and this is where it really gets exciting and easy. I go on listing appointments and walk through the house taking notes in my own handwritng and it saves it under the address and sellers name. Then when I am doing the CMA, all the notes are right there. NO more spiral notebooks. I can then email the notes to my desktop to have right in front of me.

Another great time saver, is when you travel. Just log on in the car as you drive, check email,send email, check hotsheets and my children can even check their MySpace or Facebook. Keeps them entertained. Makes trip so much more productive.

In the summer, we spend alot of time at our lake house, so no longer do I have to have Comcast brought into the cottage. I just use my tablet. Since I have the anywhere screen, I can see it laying out on the boat. Just no jet skiers please get too close!

Finally all my contracts are on the tablet. If a seller or buyer is ready to go, I can fill out the contract, print to JOURNAL WRITER and they can sign it right on the spot. I can then email them right from the tablet and also send to my assistant, and my email at home. Voila it's done.

Clients are impressed, no longer to you have to talk about being a realtor with the main emphasis on technology but they see it in action. In fact,several times I think I could have been a distributor for the tablet p.c.'s. So definately this has been my biggest most effective time saver and technology tool.

Posted by Missy Caulk-Ann Arbor- Realtor(R)- Ann Arbor Real Estate on 04/19/2007 05:31 AM

Comments (78)

technology, inmanwiki, marketing, time management

Originally posted at: Ann Arbor Undressed : My Favorite Technology and Time Saving Tools

78 Comments on My Favorite Technology and Time Saving Tools

APR

2007

Have your kids try Xanga. It's alot safer and have a ton of things you can do to make your web jounal alot of fun.

Missy, great testimony to your tablet. I think my tablet is not being utilized to it's full potential in that I don't do notes with it. The size of mine may be why. I have a sneaky suspicion it's a tablet hybrid and a little heavier than a true tablet should be. I'd love some links to the OneNote, Journal Writer and Motion Computer so I can check them out. Pretty please =)

Do you by any chance have a Treo? I'm trying to find out if there's any way to hotsync on my tablet and because I have Windows XP Tablet Edition, Treo is telling me that it can't be done. Yikes! I could be working smarter if it could be done. I've tried Treo boards and forums and no one seems to know.

Luke, I will have them check out Xanga.

Maggie, I don't use a TREO, it probably doesn't sink because it uses the palm software. But, I guess the Treo 700W would.

One Note and Journal are Microsoft products that you can view from their web site and purchase anywhere.

Motion Computer is MotionComputing.com I found a distributor in Michigan that I bought mine from and he loaded all the software and gave me 2 hours of training, which I needed. They have come down about 1000. since I purchased. The company was started by 2 ex Dell Computer guys.

Missy, thanks for the update. I'll have to check out Motion. A price drop is always good =) Treo told me Windows XP would work, but not the tablet edition. Oh well. I am not easily discouraged. I'll keep looking.

Great stuff, Missy. There's always new ways to be more efficient. It really helps to have people like you share their ideas.

Thanks again.

Thanks Missy, I need all the help I can get, just ask my better half if you don't believe that one, she will tell you.

Steven ditto to everyone who shares.

Bob Isnt' that what spouses are for ?

MAY

2007

Exellent use of your Tablet Missy.

I have only found a few Realtors using tablets out here in Cali.

And of the few I met none use them to sign contracts
until today when they read my article on how to sign contracts with a tablet

Keep up the good stuff

Loren, thanks I'm still learning how to use it every day.

Thank you for sharing this information. I have been thinking about a tablet but have not run into any agents using it here. I will definitely look into it now. Great post.

Barbara, It is really a very useful tool, when we are so mobile.

Missy, you are really tech savey. I will have to check in to the tablets. I recently bought a new laptop, but I can always pass it on to one of my children to use. My treo is great but I do not use it like I should. Got to check out OneNote and Journal Writer. Thanks for the info.

Missy,

Thank you very much for the advice. I have a laptop but are so behind on tablets but thanks to you will check into it!

Kay, I love it and am still on the learning curve.

Brandi, go for it !

The Tablet is definitely my next tech toy! I've been doing my research for the past year, and it seems like a good fit for the industry.

Missy, nice list of time saving tools. BTW, don't make the mistake I made with the data card. If you are in Detroit or Port Huron, make sure it's a US carrier. Cost is $15.00 per MB. Cost me over $500.00 to go fishing last year.

Tamara, make sure you get the motion computer for the longest battery life.

Gary, Please explain more, I'm not sure what you are talking about ? I use t-mobile for my data card. 39.95 per month

Missy I have been thinking of buying a tablet.thanks for the info.

MAY

2007

After one of your home tours wouldn't logging on to an online account with your tablet PC and sending an inexpensive little gift to thank your clients for considering using your services be an effective way to market your services? Especially if the gift promotes you and your services.

It can happen here!

And it does for 100's of agents and mortgage brokers all over the US.

Thanks Jack, it looks interesting. Appreciate you stopping by, I'll book market your web site.

Your very welcome Missy.

The easiest way to see just how powerful this program is, is to send one of our Promotional Gift Box Samplers to YOURSELF! That way you see first hand just how your recipients will receive theirs. It's a simple way to experience our service without making any commitment.

See it Here!

Thanks for your interest.

MAY

2007

I totally agree. I've been using a toshiba notebook/tablet convertible since November 2005 and I absolutely love it for just about every reason you mentioned. The only difference is that I was never super impressed with MS OneNote and use MindManager to take notes in MindMap form instead.

Plus, you can't beat the wow factor. Flipping around the screen to switch into tablet mode almost always elicits a response, even at tech events.

Right on! Sounds like a great produce - be careful logging on and checking email as you drive =D

Hehheh... Flipping that screen around is a lot of fun, isn't Andy? I've been using OneNote as well but I may have to look into MindMap. I'm glad I took a peek in here. Thanks for the info, Missy.

I bought a Gateway convertible tablet just about a year ago and love it. With a 14" screen, it's a bit heavier then the other tablets out there, but it's worth it to me. In fact, I rarely use my desktop PC anymore which has basically become a wireless server for my convertible, my wife's tablet, our kids computer, both our TiVo units and my X-360. I also use an air card when I'm away from a connection. Like you said, it's the best way to go instead of trying to find a wireless connection somewhere. Especially when you're on the road in an unfamiliar area.

My wife owns the Motion tablet as well and loves it. They both have about pretty much the same programs loaded on. However, she does a lot of signings so she uses Dashboard because it's more secure than Journal. There are quite a few agents up here in the Bay Area that use tablets for their sign-offs. We process transactions for at least 10 agents that I can think of right now that use them.

The funny thing is, with my job, I actually don't use the "tablet" aspect as much because I handle online documentation and don't do any signings... yet. In which case it's just your normal laptop. As a tablet, I use it more away from work. I'm on the board of the parent club at my children's school and have it with me at all the meetings to take notes, etc. I also do a lot of online genealogy work which requires a ton of typing. That's when the tablet really comes in handy for me because I'm probably one of the world's worst typers (is that even a word?) out there.

All good information. Thanks.

Carolin Benjamin
Bob and Carolin Benjamin
The Benjamin Team
Keller Williams Integrity First Realty
Gold Canyon, Arizona

Andy, I will check out MindMap, never heard of it. Thanks so much. I also downloaded the Microsoft Experience and now I can write on my screen.

Randy, Yes it is fun and convenient. My primary use is Listing Appointments, where I don't have to log onto their home computers to show a home to them. Yesterday, I met with a client and she was going to contact a realtor that sold a home in her neighborhood in 34 days. I pulled up the listing and it had been re-listed with a new MLS number and it had actually been on the market for 1 1/2 years.

Bob and Carolin.................My neighbors are Bob and Carolyn too. Thanks for stopping by.

Abraham, I definately don't check email while I'm driving.

I'm definitely bookmarking this as I am going to invest in a Tablet P. C. in the near future. I will look into the Motion Computer and hope I can find a Michigan tech that can spend some time with me going over the features as I'm sure I'll need the one on one. Thanks for all the information.

I just bought my first notebook and I wanted to know what that one note was about...I will have to check that out! Another one that you may find useful is Jott (jott.com ) This is helpful when you are driving and need to make a note to yourself or someone else and pulling out a pen is not the best option! I have it on my cell speed dial, and I use speakerphone to send a text message to myself or a particular group of contacts. Pretty neat.

Thanks!

Gwen, One Note by Microsoft should have come on your PC as well as Journal Writer.

If you want to write on the top of the tablet screen, download the microsoft experience pack for tablets. I use it ALL the time. I also use JOTT, love it too, it is programed in my cell phone.

The power of technology i am impressed with the features thanks for sharing

Have fun using them, Paul

Not to steer this off topic, but I just checked into Jott. Wow! Passed the info on to my wife and she is very interested. Thanks, Gwendolyn!

JUN

2007

There have been several mentions of MindMap. Wonderful too but very expensive. There are free open source versions available. Find "FreeMind" here: FreeMind.

I too use a Motion LE-1600 tablet every day in my Property Inspection business. Switched 2-1/2 years ago and never looked back.

Yea, it's great. I dropped mine this week and the corner cracked. I emailed them and they sent me a box to ship it back in and pre-paid. That is really cool service.

I have onenote and never realized how useful it could be to keep up with the little things you notice when you are doing a property tour.

Scott, great idea, I've never used it THAT way. Thanks. Missy

Missy,

Are you telling me I can put some sort of card in my laptop and it will allow me access to the internet when I am more than 10 inches from Starbucks? If so, would you please specifically tell me what I neef to get and do to make that happen?

Bill Cherry

Well done! You made a believe out of me.

JUN

2007

Any data modum card, from any cell phone carrier will work. They range from 39.00 to 59.00 per month. Check out the one with the best coverage area for yours before you purchase. Most will give you a 30 day trial. Download the software so you can connect to their satellite if need be.

You mentioned Starbucks, but they are already wireless, at least up here. Let me know if you have more questions.

Jim, thanks for popping by.

I'd like to think I am fairly tech savvy (had 22 years in the IT industry before returning to RE sales) but you've got me beat on this one.

I'll have to look into these Motion Computers. I have a Palm Treo 650, which I truly love, but of course, displaying a complete purchase agreement on one could be problematic. :^)

I wonder if there is a review on some of these tablet PC's someplace, like a epinions? Missy -- where did you go to research your purchase? Or, maybe you just sprang for the first one that looked like it would do the job? On eBay(tm), I did find quite a number of them (tablet PC's) listed and I trust the names of HP and Toshiba.

Tell me more about why one would choose the Motion Computer over one of those. Thanks for this post as it has advanced my thinking of an investment I may want to make, in order to stay one step ahead of the competition!

Andrew go to motioncomputing.com. It was started by 3 EX Dell computer guys. They pitched it to Michael Dell and he was not intersted so they left and did it on their own. The battery life is why I went with it, plus the anywhere screen is phoenomonal. If you read all the comments, you found I dropped mine and the service was great.

Some realtors in our area, bought the Toshiba and HP. They are cheaper, but have to recharge more often. I can go a full day without going to the office. Compare battery life before you purchase, I also ordered a extended battery that attaches to the back.

I heard about this for a year from Rolf Anderson, a techy that speaks at our RE/MAX Conventions state wide. He called it and you can google RedBook computers. It has software realtor specific. I love OUTLOOK so just bought it without all the other stuff.

I ended up working with a guy in Michigan who gave me 2 hours of training on it with the price. I paid 3,800 but they have come way down. There is tons of softwared used in the health care industry for the motion. My daughers dermotogist uses one around his neck, take notes and it goes into her file and the receptionists file.

I have been trying to buy a tablet for 6 months, and finally got mine last week. I love it, and wonder why I hadn't done this sooner. What finally pushed me into it is the lack of high speed internet at my office on the Colorado River. It has been a nightmare for me trying to get anything but dial-up :(, so finally when I saw the ads for the "Sprint Cards" I bit the bullet and bought my tablet.

I heard that the online Transaction Management-Sure Close won't accept the signatures from the Journal program. I am hoping I don't have to buy another program yet....at least let me re-coup from these purchases......

I haven't been on my home computer in a week, other than to get info stored there to put on my new toy. it's great-I have freedom.

Kathy, do you use zipforms. You log on write the contract. Print to Journal Writer and they can sign in Journal writer.

Download the microsoft experience pak, then you can write on the screen and it has other neat features.

JUN

2007

Missy,

Yes I use zipforms, but right now I am still trying to get the 2006 Norton Internet to allow me access to the program. I will defenitly try that, and is the file still saved as a pdf? I have to have pdf for Sure Close (right Randy?).

Thanks for the tip, and I did download the Experience pack-it is great.

Kathy,

Your best solution to you problems with Norton:

Remove Norton and never use it again.

Norton is a horrible bloated program that causes too many problems and severly slows your computer.

Try AVG free http://free.grisoft.com

If you want a paid solution http://www.nod32.com its even better than AVG but its not free

Loren
Future of Real Estate Technology

JUN

2007

Thank you for the advice on Norton-and I just bought the program....:( but better to lose the $ than slow down my computer. I will uninstall it, but should I put the AVG first, then uninstall or vice versa.

Thanks again.

uninstall norton first

reboot

then install avg

then update it ( it will prompt you at the end of the install)

Ok, I uninstalled Norton, installed AVG, and now my winforms works. I went to winforms and got a contract, printed to Journal, signed, but it will not let me save as a pdf. How would I do this, great to have my signature but won't help me get it to my Online Management. Any suggestions?

Thanks, this info has saved me hours of time tying to figure this out.

Hi Kathy, first... good move getting rid of Norton and getting AVG. I will never go back.

To your PDF question, I have Journal on my tablet as well. I use SureClose Upload to print (save) into my SC inbox. Have you tried that yet? It let's you print/save the doc directly into your SureClose inbox. From there you can file it wherever you need it to go. There is an option to save it as a PDF when printing it... HOWEVER... I always save it as a TIF file. When agents send us docs or disclosures they usually come in batched together so we need to separate them. When they come in as a TIF, we can "chop" the disclosures and file then separately where they need to go. THAT'S when we save them as a PDF.

Did that help at all, Kathy? I'm sure Beth will come in and correct me if I'm wrong. ;)

Sorry for the misdirect, Missy. Back to our regularly scheduled programing.

Kathy, download the program cutepdf it is free. It will allow you to save it to pdf files. When you are ready to print drop down that printer ( not your other one ) Sorry I missed out on the discussion, I had to go to bed. Yes, glad you dumped Norton for all the reasons you said.

Dana, thank you !

Missy thanks for the information.

Missy,

I downloaded the cutepdf and will try it out. Thank you for this blog as I have just learned from 3 differnt people some very very useful information. Thank you all.

JUN

2007

Hi Missy,

I've been thinking about buying a tablet for a couple of years because I used them in my past career (software engineer). I haven't ran into many realtors using the devise but I've always thought it would be great tool for realtors. Whenever another realtor ask me to recommend a laptop I try to steer them to a tablet. What made you decide on a Motion tablet? I've been looking at a Lenovo because it generally gets good reviews.

Alex

JUN

2007

Gita, your welcome.

Kathy, cutepdf is an excellent tool

Alex, I have not heard of Lenovo, but will check it out. I love my motion. It is a excellent tool for realtors. Used a lot in medical profession.

JUN

2007

Hi Missy,

I think I did read this post. I didn't know about the extended battery life. For now, my solution works well. It sounds like you've got a good solution, too.

JUN

2007

I'm impressed with the battery life all day, I have to drive with my lap top plugged into my lighter (AC converter) to keep it charged.

Yes it is helpful, I put it in hybernate when not in use, during the day.

JUN

2007

Hi All,

Using a Tablet takes a mindset that tells you to USE it and explor all the possibilities it offers. We all get lazy and revert to the "old way" far too easily. My laptop died a few years ago and since I work on it every day, I had to do something fast. I had been researching the Tablets for a while and decided to make the jump. I found a fairly cheap ($1200) unit to try as a "proof of concept" device. It was total immersion and I soon became an advocate. Now, granted, I'm a Geek and love ANY new technology. Using the Tablet platform is sort of the same but also a new paradigm in the way we work. If you get a convertable you essentially just bought another laptop and it's all too easy to just keep doing what you were doing. Nothing new, just a more expensive laptop than you might have purchased. You feel bad since you spent so much and NOTHING HAS CHANGED! You may even badmouth the tablet idea. Well, my friends, YOU didn't change the way you work to take advantage of the new capabilities. Who's fault is that? It's not the Tablet's fault.

Missy is right on track as one who has embraced the platform in all it's glory. She actually makes it sing and dance. You can too! But it takes a commitment to LEARN new things. If you stop learning, you start to stagnate. The new tech wizard REs will blow right by you.

The old saw about the three kinds of people applies here:

People that make things happen.
People that watch things happen. and....
People the wonder what happened.

Which are you?

Here's a link to more info about the "data modem cards" Missy was talking about. The cell companies have them. They are called EvDO, HSPDA, Edge etc. I've had one for about a year and a half now. They work great. http://www.evdoinfo.com/index.php

Dana

Dana, so which one did you purchase ?

Hi Missy,

I went with Sprint since I was locked in with them already.

I just posted a new thread, Check it out.

Dana

Oops! Thread is here: http://activerain.com/groups/techstuff

Dana

Dana, I'm changing to Sprint. T-Mobile is not as effective in Ann Arbor as it was last year. Thanks off to your thread.

JUL

2007

This is a great post. I am happy with my laptop and Sprint Card. You have inspired me to investigate a tablet PC.

Randy, glad to hear you like Sprint. It doesn't have good coverage at my cottage so we put in comcast for the summer. But, they were nice enough to tell me that before I purchased the data card.

One of these days I will get a tablets, until then I have an AC converter in my car. So my laptop never dies.

David, I debated it for years. Glad I got it. Thanks for the comments.

JUL

2007

Hi Missy,

I'm impressed. With you not the tablet.

But you have peaked my interest. Up 'til now I thought that people that carried around tablet pc's just wanted to be noticed.

Do I understand correctly that you can actually sign docs on the screen?

Thenks for this very interesting post.

Bill Roberts

OCT

2007

Hi Missy, Congratulations on being named in the top 12 Woman Bloggers'

Rob, thanks so much. Bill, I'm so sorry I didn't respond to this, it must have been a busy time and slipped through the cracks. First of all, yes I use it all the time. Especially when I travel, go on listing appointments, etc. When I'm home I use my desktop because it is bigger.

Congrats, Missy! And great info on the Tablet PC...do you use Windows Vista?

OCT

2007

Arrrgh!! Vista Sucks! Don't go there. Sure, it's got great "eye candy" if you have the horsepower to run it. But it's just that, eye candy. doesn't help you get your work done any better / faster. It's a huge resource hog, it needs 2 GB of RAM just to run or no eye candy for you. It doesn't like "legacy hardware". Be prepared to buy new printers etc.

The "New" security measures implemented in Vista are a major PITA. Vista has had such a bashing in the tech press that Microsoft has now made available a special "downgrade" back to XP. That's a major admission that things are not right.

If you are considering a new computer and it only comes with Vista, look elsewhere. Many of the majors are offering XP as the installed OS rather than Vista. They don't want the headache of supporting it either.

Looking at Dell? Be sure and go through the Dell Business line rather than the "Consumer line". Dell offers many configurations with XP on the business side and only one or two on the consumer side.

If you are getting a Tablet, watch out! Most Tablets don't rally have the horsepower to run the full version of Vista (called Aero Glass) so you don't get the eye candy in any case, just the problems.

Just my pretty informed two cents!

Dana

OCT

2007

Missy: This is something that is definitely worth investigating...Thanks for the information. I would also like to thank everyone else that has added much helpful information in the comments. I'm bookmarking this one!

Rhonda, no I don't use Vista, I've heard too many bad things about it.

Dana, you confirmed what I heard.

Therese, just don't do Vista with it, but it is handy for mobile agents.

OCT

2007

SOUNDS GOOD I WAS GOING TO BUY A DELL NEW VOSTRO WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THERE COMPUTERS? WILL CHECK ON YOURS ALSO BEFORE MY PURCHASE. THANKS,JODIE ROSE REMAX RIVER HAVEN GLADWIN/BEAVERTON

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