Real Estate Technology Focus: Apple iPhone
Nick Bostic | April 11, 2008This is part two of a three part series: Real Estate Technology Focus: Apple OSX and the iPhone. If you missed the first part, feel free to catch up here.
One quick update on OSX before I dive into the iPhone – the latest commercials discussing how Office 2008 for Mac is so much better than Office 2007 for Windows are incredibly misleading.
Many people I know who have switched from Office 2003 to 2007 on Windows were initially frustrated. The ribbons were new, which was bad. Everyone I know who has actually given ribbons a chance and played with them some have grown (quickly) to love them.
Office 2008 also has ribbons. Here’s a quick shot of Word 2007 in Vista:
And here’s what it looks like for Word 2008 on OS X:
What is all that junk? Who knows, it has taken me far longer to understand the “upgrades” in Office 2008 for OS X than it took to understand the Office 2007 upgrades. I have a theory about all of this, but that’s in part 3.
What is the iPhone?
Okay, but seriously, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last almost year now, you know what the iPhone is, so I won’t waste your time
Do I own one? No. Have I played with several of them? Yes. Do I want one? Terribly.
The Goods
The iPhone is a beautiful device. I am a former manager and data device guru for AT&T Wireless/Cingular/AT&T and have loved BlackBerry’s and Windows Mobile phones. The iPhone really is the easiest PDA-style phone to just pick up and start using.
The graphics are brilliant, the screen easy to read in almost all conditions, the processor snappy and good battery life.
Email access is easy, you have a surprisingly good camera even though it doesn’t have a flash and – my favorite part of all – you finally have a true web browser. Opera Mini and Internet Explorer Mobile sure do try so hard, but they can’t hold a candle to Safari on the iPhone.
One word about the data network, because I’ll also list that as a bad: the iPhone runs on AT&T’s EDGE network. EDGE has a theoretic top speed of 236 Kbps, but frequently is capped at 135 Kbps. AT&T also has a 3G network called HSDPA/HSUPA with a current speed of roughly 1.8 Mbit/s. (all info courtesy of PhoneScoop.com). EDGE is nationwide – anywhere your phone works (except for very few small regional roaming partners), you have access to EDGE speeds. So the iPhone should basically be the same speed everywhere.
The Bads
No eKey and limited MLS support. The MLS in my area only allows Internet Explorer in, so the crippled IE Mobile will work, but the full-featured Safari will not.
No video capabilities. With such a nice camera, screen and YouTube support, video seems like it should have been included. I honestly could care less about a flash because every on-phone flash I’ve seen makes everyone look washed out and blue.
No chat. Now this isn’t as important for business use, but I personally use Google Talk (which works with Apple’s iChat) to keep in touch with my entire family very easily.
No 3G. Now the reason I want this isn’t the best – I want it because the network exists and I want to take advantage of it. I have a Verizon EVDO (their version of HSDPA/HSUPA) BlackBerry. I have run speed tests on my BlackBerry and iPhones. The iPhone on its SLOWER network browses the internet SIGNIFICANTLY faster than on my theoretically faster BlackBerry.
No user-replaceable battery. This isn’t a big deal for me, but I know some people need a backup battery. This is another advantage of AT&T: my BlackBerry gets terrible coverage in buildings, so it usually shuts down the EVDO network, which apparently reduces my battery life to about a third of what is normal. The iPhone doesn’t have to deal with this, so battery life is consistent.
So Why Don’t I Have One?
I’m waiting for the 3G, 32GB version. I think it’s safe to say it will be out this year and I’m a patient person. Every other feature (chat and video) I would want could come as software upgrades, so I would be happy with those two additions.
It is an incredible device, and with the addition of ActiveSync support, it can sync email, calendar and contacts just like my favorite BlackBerry.
Now, for all of you real estate professionals who want your eKey also, you’ll have to get an Active Key I guess (which I have been hearing wonderful things about). And when it comes time to vote on what you want your MLS to do, make sure you tell them to support Safari.
Coming up next in my Real Estate Technology Focus: how Microsoft has shot themselves in the foot by meeting the demands of their customers.
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For your Portland-area agent audience, the upcoming release of the mobile version of RMLSWeb is Safari-compatible. It isn’t for advanced searches or listing input, but works fine for looking up addresses and MLS numbers in the field. Cross-browser, full RMLSWeb access is still a ways off, but coming.
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Excellent news! Did RMLS give any type of indication as to when they may be rolling out with this? When I met with them last June or July, they told me “coming soon”, so it would be great to finally see this roll out.
Thanks!
Although I am an appraiser, not an agent, the iPhone is an unbelievable tool. Can’t imagine life without it. The web browsing is one of the most useful features. I use an outlook exchange server, their email, great pictures, intuitive interface. I load it up with podcasts.
I ADORE my iPhone and don’t care that I have to use an Active Key (which I think of as a baby monitor — doesn’t it look like one?) because it is just so cool! I have never loved a tech toy more!
Now that the SDK has been released, I would expect to see more of the Real Estate “key” programs (eKey, etc.) being developed. At least I would hope so…
The addition of Safari compatibility for our Portland RMLS is obviously a much needed improvement for them. A step in the right direction. ‘Bout time!
The mapping feature is probably what I use the most while driving all around town meeting agents and lenders. I loved the addition of the cell tower triangulation feature. Basically the same as GPS as far as I’m concerned. I can use this pinpoint feature to at least focus in on the general area (probably within a 1/4 mile), and then do a quick search for whatever I’m looking for, whether that’s an office, a starbucks or whatever, it pops right up on the screen and I can easily see how to get there. Agents could use that feature to show their clients what is in the neighborhood (schools, shopping, theaters, etc) as they’re standing at a property.
With the new update coming out adding the MS activesync, I’ll finally be able to check my company email. Previously I couldn’t talk our IT department into hooking me up since I wasn’t using a company approved phone. Pfft. Whatever.
My main complaints so far would have to be the lack of flash support, the fact that I can’t save pictures that people email me to the phone, and I can’t send images via text messages like I could on ALL my previous phones. Fortunately for me (and probably most people) those aren’t really THAT big of a deal.
So far, I think the iPhone has lived up to the hype and will only get better as new apps are developed.
@Sarah - Having worked in the wireless industry, I have seen so many livid Realtor’s with problems with eKey on Treo’s and Windows mobile phones anyway, so I think it was a brilliant decision to create the activeKey. Glad it’s working out well for you and allows you to actually have a good phone you enjoy instead of being tied to a dying brand.
@TitleRep - glad to hear another great review and I’m hoping I can get my IT department to allow me to use it on our corporate network. I think the only infrared on the device is for the proximity sensor by the ear piece to turn off the screen and I don’t think that uses the same technology as what is necessary for eKey, but hopefully the SDK will allow for some options. Maybe a Bluetooth key box some day…
Cooler than all that- look at this call to developers to build stuff for the iphone related to location based services, social networking, mCommerce (including advertising and payments), communication, and entertainment… hmmm… wonder just how real estate fits in there… don’t it will be announced at Inman SF 2008.
http://www.kpcb.com/initiatives/ifund/index.html
I’ve been using RMLSWeb Mobile in beta mode since late September. Should be released anytime now…lite search capabilities on partial address or MLS #, up to 90 days off-market data, basic listing information…handy when you pull up to a listing with no advance knowledge. You can expand that basic search to 1 mile radius from subject property.
I am working as a Toronto real estate agent and I am also considering to replace my old PDA. I really like iPhone ,seems to be a great high quality device and it is also masterpiece of design. I just need to check compatibility with my old application and hopefully it will work. You are right about impossibility to change a battery. It is a problem but iPhone is still my first choice.
I work at TxtAHouse.com and we have added support for streaming videos to iPhone devices. We let real estate agents and home sellers to upload their property info (pictures and videos) to our website, and we give them a code they advertise with their property. When someone texts that code on their mobile phones, they are sent a link to mobile page with pictures and videos. The videos are in 3gp format for most camera phones that support this kind of video. For iPhone, we added m4v movies so they can be streamed to these devices also. Our server converts the uploaded movies automatically using H264 video encoding and AAC audio encoding. You can try our demo by texting LELE to 32075. We are providing an innovative ways for real estate agents to better market and sell their homes, if you are a realtor, please visit us at http://www.TxtAHouse.com