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iPad, toy or tool?

By
Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker Dynasty

  Is the iPad a toy or a tool for our daily real estate tasks? I got an iPad for about two weeks and it has been great taking it around with me to Starbucks to do some reading and great for taking notes for meetings.

  Try to do more and we all of a sudden find out that the sky is not the limit for the iPad. Got this CD or DVD disc of Tony Robbins that you would like to listen, sorry iPad does not have a cd/dvd player. Could bypass that by converting the files to MP3 and copy to the iPad via iTunes, but be cautious of copyright restrictions.

 

iPad, toy or tool?

 

  Found some educational website that could help you be the next Donald Trump. Oops the site contains Adobe Flash, which the iPad does not support, so the iPad would not be able to display. Last time I checked a big majority, over 75% of websites uses Flash. Apple, why can't the company just add Flash support to make the iPad more powerful?

  Overall I found the iPad to be very helpful to keep me organize and to go along with me for door-knocking. The NODs don't believe that their home is in foreclosure, just do a search of their home on your iPad. Proof to Expires that their listing is no longer active? Show MLS listing information. Impress FSBOs by showing them that their home can be on the MLS and other websites too. Got many awes when I do a quick zillow estimate of their home.

 iPad, is it a toy or tool? Great question to ask yourself if you already have one or thinking about getting one for work (or play).

Comments (9)

Michele Miller ~ REALTOR®, LMC, HSE, CHS, SRES, CMRS
ERA Key Realty~Worcester County Realty Group - Worcester, MA
'Helping You Make the Best Move"

Song,

I'm definitely thinking toy on this one! Almost bought one, but I'm waiting it out.

Thanks for your blog!

Aug 24, 2010 10:21 PM
Phil Leng
Retired - Kirkland, WA
Phil Leng - Retired

Hi Song,

Thanks so much for the post.

Everyone who has the ipad just goes on and on about how wonderful it is. It is nice to have a more clear eyed description of what it does and does not do!

Phil

Aug 24, 2010 10:43 PM
Bill Lauler
Chase Realty LLC - McLean, VA
Associate Broker,CIPS,CRB,SRES,GRI

Hi Song , My 90+ mother bought one of these ipads an is already using it to play in the stock market..she likes it. Good post.

Aug 25, 2010 03:30 AM
Andy Chaudoir
Professional Inspection Services - Georgetown, Texas - Georgetown, TX
Your Home Inspection Connection in Central Texas

Hello Song - If I can use it in my businees it's a tool.  For me it's just a toy since it won't run my inspection software.  I can't wait for some of the tablets in the works that will run Windows 7. 

Aug 26, 2010 05:12 AM
Julia Odom
Select Realty Professionals - Chattanooga, TN
Chattanooga Homes for Sale

I'm waiting for the 2nd generation to see what improvements they make. Have to admit though, I'm pretty impatient to get my hands on one.

Aug 26, 2010 12:44 PM
Song San
Coldwell Banker Dynasty - Rosemead, CA
Broker, MBA

Michele: The iPad is expensive and results differ for each agent depending on their use and needs.

Phil: Thanks for the feedback. Lauler: Wow, that is something I have not thought of.

Andy: You are right, I found the iPad not able to run some of the programs that I needed. That is when a laptop would be handy.

Julia: It might be about 18 months or so before the 2nd Gen comes out.

Aug 26, 2010 09:38 PM
Lora "Leah" Stern 914-772-4528
Coldwell Banker, 170 N Main Street, New City NY 10956 - New City, NY
Real Estate Salesperson

Song, I too amwaiting for some improvements on the ipad.  At the moment ther's just too many things that I can't run on it for it to be more of a toy than a tool.

Aug 29, 2010 10:49 AM
Cheryl Ritchie
RE/MAX Leading Edge www.GoldenResults.com - Huntingtown, MD
Southern Maryland 301-980-7566

I keep reading about it and going to Best Buy to check it out. I can think of really cool uses for Realtors.

Oct 08, 2010 05:00 PM
Song San
Coldwell Banker Dynasty - Rosemead, CA
Broker, MBA

Leah: Usually the 1st version is not that good, but Apple did an amazing job with the 1st iPad release selling millions within the first month. The 2nd version coming this spring (hopefully) should be better.

Cheryl: I just got 2 more iPads yesterday for my other agents so we can get more productive. More uses for agents everyday.

Oct 09, 2010 04:07 AM