Patience can be its own reward

       Apple’s widely reported problems with the antenna in it’s iPhone 4 simply highlights one of the guiding principles with technology, be it the latest hardware or software. It doesn’t always pay to rush out and be the first with the latest tool until it’s been proven in the market, by actual users. Wait to hear feedback from those earliest adopters, let someone else work out the bugs before buying.

The leading edge can sometimes prove to be the bleeding edge. Exercise patience, and  you can spare yourself some frustration, and the disruptions that go with it.

A couple of briefs: Real Estate Success Tracker has added a companion Web-based service to its real estate CRM/productivity software for Mac and PC. RESTAssured automatically backs up the software database files from your computer to the Web for anywhere/anytime access. $149 set-up, and $34.98 monthly hosting fee. To learn more, click this link. ..... Navigon’s upgrade to MobileNavigator, its iPhone app, adds current weather reports, updated maps and 3d street renderings, and voice-guided directions when walking. A “Clever Parking” feature alerts you to where you’re most likely to find a space as you finish the drive to your destination.... For Blackberry users who want more control over incoming calls, the PrivacyStar  app from First Orion has been updated with enhanced call blocking and call forwarding features. The $2.99 app can also be used to identify unknown callers and add them to your contacts.

Apple users?

Later this month I’ll be working on a column for Realtor magazine online abut the Mac’s newfound status in real estate. If you’re a user of an iMac, Macbook, iPhone or the new iPad I’d like to hear your thoughts. Just email me or post a comment and I’ll get it.

 I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic input from users of Apple products when soliciting user input for recent buying guides.

 When I did the desktop computer and smartphone guides, Apple aficionados products comprised the majority of respondents, eager to share their thoughts. 

The iPhone’s popularity certain has helped make some Mac converts, but I think the iPod opened the door for many users years ago. The iPod experience, easy of use and intuitive design all  seem to have initially eroded perceptions that Apple’s products  were not for real  estate.

And now I start to hear talk of the iPad as something some Realtors would like to have, whereas other tablets never really caught on.

But what are your thoughts on the mac and family for real estate? How tough was it to match Apple’s products and software to your real estate career? Pros, and cons?