I just ordered an IBM X41 Tablet PC, . Has anyone used one yet? I have heard mixed reviews regarding tablets but this one has been getting good press.

I am very interested in using a Tablet PC. I am intrigued by the Real Estate Dashboard and wonder if there are similar products that any on the board have used. I love the turnkey package at vreo.com. But, wow--its very expensive. I don't want to buy and then not be able to justify the expense if there are similar alternatives at a lower price. I need HELP, please.

I am testing Nov 1 and expect to roll around NOV 15th in a very busy RE market. I can buy what makes sense -- I just need to make sure that it does make sense. Is the signature feature as important as I think? It could save a LOT of time it seems. What do you think?

I would be very weary of this Redtablet they are selling and the whole system. Here are my humble thoughts. :rolleyes: I am what some people would call an early adopter and even I have been holding off on getting a tablet despite what I think are obvious advantages for someone who is seldom at a desk. Up until now all of the independent reviews on tablets have been lukewarm. The IBM is really the first tablet that has gotten really good reviews across the board. However I could not find one review of this "Redtablet". Warning Warning! Plus this no name tablet is more expensive than the brand new IBM with your NAR discount and it is not even a convertible like the IBM or Toshiba. On top of that they claim that this thing is "configured for real estate," What a bunch of crap. I don't know what makes a computer configured for real estate but they don't even supply Microsft One Note or the full version of Acrobat, must haves for a tablet. The "Real Estate Dashboard" looks like a ripoff too. You can buy the brand new Acrobat 7 for $299, Vero charges $249 for setup, whatever the heck that is. And $25 bucks a month for 150 fax pages per month .10 for every page after and 100MB of total storage?! Xdrive is $9.95 per month for 5GB of storage free faxing and file sharing.

Frankly I don't understand why real estate agents keep these companies in business. Why is it that real estate agents think they need SPECIAL IT while every other industry manages just fine with regular old Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat?

Wow! Glad I got that out of my system. Anyway, I think a laptop and smart phone is the minimum requirement for a real estate agent these days. If you are comfortable with new technology and prepared for some bugs, I would get a tablet (IBM or Toshiba), it will help you stand out among all the lame agents who are just adopting camera phones!

Good luck, hope I was helpful.

The Freak

Thank you for your time and opinion. I guess I'll scrap that idea. As you have time I would appreciate advice in pulling what I think I need together or separately.

1# Traffic map gps
2# Connect to Internet anywhere
3# Receive/send email

I liked the idea of sending and receiving faxed documents -legally signed on tablet- from the same tablet/PC.

Do I need a separate gps, a separate pda/or pocket computer? I already have a cell phone, but if something else would add more features, I would go that way.

I don't know how to match the software I will require to the hardware I will need.

What would be the optimal system(s) you would invest in? My concern or goal is to avoid multi trips to the office. Its worth it to me to pay what is required for optimal efficiency.

The traffic navigator is because post-Katrina, many streets do not have signs, many landmarks are no longer present, and because of recontruction traffic jams are unpredictable and frequent.

Thank YOU! Suzi

Hi Suzi,

If I could only keep one piece of technology it would be without hesitation my smartphone. I have a Treo 650 but any next generation smartphone would work. Besides being an invaluable tool for time and work-flow management a smartphone will allow you to respond to e-mail in the same timely manner that you hopefully respond to your voice mail. This is critical in today's business world. Gone are the days that you could check e-mail two or three times a day. More and more consumers are going online for their info and sending an e-mail is a low risk way of seeking out a new service provider. A quick response to an e-mail inquiry can be the difference between a new client or not. A GPS system is a great tool and depending on the smartphone you can add a GPS antenna and software without having to buy a standalone unit. If your funds are tight though I would make this a low priority. A laptop with some sort of wireless connection to the internet is also a necessity in my book. It doesn't have to be a tablet to write contracts with digital signatures. If you need to save money just get a decent laptop but make sure you have a way to connect to the internet. I have a separate wireless modem card from Verizon. They have the fastest network. Some carriers will also allow you to tether your laptop to your phone if you have a data package with them. So, here is you shopping list:
*Smartphone
*GPS system (Radio shack has a good system that's not to pricey)
* Laptop or Tablet with full version of Adobe Acrobat
* Wireless modem card
If you have money left over:
* Good digital camera with a wide angle lens (shoot your own photos, they will be better and get done quicker)
* Portable printer (Cannon makes a good one)

You're Super . There is so much techology its mindblowing. I'm more intimidated about setting myself up efficiently than taking the exam.

The reason I'm harping on tablet/pc w/forms & such, plus the GPS--is that you really, really do not want to make multiple, trips back to the office if it can be avoided.

I figure if I have to pay a little extra for efficiency, it will equal out in gas and time saved. Thanks SO much!

You are smart to be putting this much thought into your business, I think you will be great! Check out the Realty Freak Blog for lots of good tidbits of info!

Now I've really confused myself. I am looking at the HPTC 1100 and Gateway. Its hard to compare as nothing is exactly the same.

Considerations: is 40Gig sufficient? Is 512 Ram sufficient? What grade of processor is sufficient? Is the viewing angle super important?
Is sparkle free glass sufficient for our uses?

What do you think the best specs would be? I want haslte free operations without upgrading in a few months. The IBM seems a little pricey, but compared to what? I guess I'm "freaked" out at this point.

Hi Suzi,

For any laptop/tablet I think that a 40Gig hard-drive is the minimum but keep in mind you should be backing up an archiving old files daily. I think 512 from ram is not enough. My advice is, whatever you get put as much ram in it as it will hold. 1Gig minimum.

As for what brand model you decide to buy check out Cnet from reviews on almost all electronics and for tablets specifically go here.

Also I would review the reasons you are going to spend extra money for a tablet. If it is just to write contracts, I wouldn't get a tablet. In my opinion a tablet is most powerful as a work flow management tool if you already take a lot of notes and then end up transcribing or scanning those notes.

Redtablet is not a "no name brand". I was at an Inman real estate connect and they were a major sponsor of the event. A lot of their software is directly real estate related. The ability to sign and send documents on the spot can have deals closed faster, more efficiantly and in the long run more cost effectively.

Likely yes, you may be able to accomplish the same thing while piecing other pieces of software together in the tablet...but some people just prefer to have the all in one.

A lot of realtors are already currently using the redtablet and are very happy with...

I'm not saying it's the be all end all...but I am saying that new technology is good technology for the real estate industry. In my opinion realty is already uniformly behind the times in many ways.

A major sponsor at Inman real estate connect? Ooooooooooooh! Sorry, but BFD.

You are right about the tablet not being a no name. I did some more research and found that they re-branded a Motion LE1600, arguably a decent tablet but doesn't come close to the value of the IBM X41 (See my comparison below).

I also agree that the real estate industry is uniformly behind. However I think part of the reason is that most Realtors are suckers who wait around for technology that has been re-branded for Realtors instead of buying cheaper, better, scalable technology outside of the insular real estate industry.

The ability to sign and send documents on the spot (don't forget you need a GSM card that Vero doesn't offer to do that)is indeed more efficient. It is even more cost effective if you look outside the real estate industry for the solution to do that.

Product name
ThinkPad X41 Tablet
Motion LE1600

Price range
X41 $1829-$1899
from 11 stores

LE1600 $2189-$2199 (Add $170 for a keyboard)
from 3 stores

Processor
X41 Intel Pentium M (1.5 GHz)
LE1600 Intel Pentium M (1.5 GHz)

RAM installed
X41 512 MB DDR II SDRAM
LE1600 512 MB DDR II SDRAM

Hard drive
X41 40 GB IDE
LE1600 30 GB IDE

Weight
X41 3.5 lbs
LE1600 3.1 lbs

Dimensions (W x D x H)
X41 10.8 in x 9.5 in x 1.3 in
LE1600 11.7 in x 9.4 in x 0.9 in

Display
X41 12.1 in TFT active matrix
LE1600 12.1 in TFT active matrix

Networking type
X41 Network adapter
LE1600 Network adapter

Service & support type
X41 3 years warranty
LE1600 1 year warranty

I think I need to stand up in defence of my LE1600:)
After extensive research I decided that the right tablet for me is the LE1600. While I agree that the Red tablet is a bit of a smoke and mirrors show, I think the computer it is based on is solid.
I chose the Le1600 for it's overall feel, it is more comfortable and ergonomic than any of the others I have looked at. My only complaint is that it lacks an internal CD drive. I guess light weight and slim has it's trade offs.
Whichever you choose,the tablet is that one piece of technology that brings it all together.
I could discuss specific applications or I could just say the magic words that get us (Realtors) every time: "can you see where this product could help you sell one more house per year?"
Northwoodre

The LE 1600 has recieved good reviews but for only a .4 pound difference I prefer the flexibility of the convertible. Plus the X41 has a built in SD card reader.

Either way a tablet is THE way to go! I will never go back to a regular laptop.

Realtyfreak, I think we are on the same page here.

From your first post I was under the impression that is was just some company you have never heard of...I was simply stating that they were a company that was devoting a product to the real estate industry. Misinterpretation.

We both agree that the tablet and all that is possible with one is exactly how everyone in the real estate industry should be thinking.

And not only do you need a gprs card but you need a gprs service...same with all of the tablets...there are always upgrades as with all computers. Best way I have found when purchasing computer products is to go tigerdirect.com or shop around online...no point in paying full retail for anything.


northwoodre, "or I could just say the magic words that get us (Realtors) every time: "can you see where this product could help you sell one more house per year?""

It's absolutely true though...an investment is an investment and if all it takes is one closure annually for the return...you'd be a full not to.

Realty Freak, my LE1600 also has a SD card reader.
It also has a finger print reader for security (which I never use, but it sounds cool).

When I said "can you see where this product could help you sell one more house per year?"
I was being sarcastic. I think we as a industry tend to be pretty easy to sell.
Don't get me wrong I think my tablet was a good investment, but when you go to a convention you see a lot of Realtors looking for a "magic pill" that is going to automatically launch their career to incredible heights.
I think I found the magic pill;consistent hard work.
Enough rambling.
Sincerely,
northwoodre

Amen to that.

Very true, however I can definately see the benefits of having a tablet PC when going on a listing. Especially one that had wireless internet, maybe through Verizon. This would allow you to pull up comps, images, and even directions to the next stop.

Good luck with your investment.

-Peter

I have the Verizon wireless broadband, Love It!