outSmart Your Smartphone

<p> I received an email from my friend Mike Barnett of RealTown fame yesterday asking for a Blackberry section. So here it is, we will run this discussion thread for Blackberry users. I do not have a Blackberry but do have one coming to add to my collection so the members of this group who use the BB I need your help! </p> <p> I hope to learn from you about Blackberry so we all can benefit from this addition to our group! </p> <p> Thanks, </p> <p> Dick </p>

<p> <strong>Welcome! </strong> Our purpose in developing this discussion group is to provide a reliable resource of information about mobile technology. The Smartphone is such a wonderful Real Estate Management Tool! We could go on for pages about all the reasons <i>Why</i> a REALTOR should use a Smartphone, but you already understand the need or you wouldn&#39;t be here reading this! </p> <div> We recognize that getting questions answered and finding help about Smartphones can be an overwhelming task! We get hundreds of emails each month from agents looking for direction, seeking answers, confused about options and some even desperate for technical help. It has been our mission to provide agents with a down-to-earth approach on a subject matter usually thought of as complicated and frustrating. We have been offering practical ideas that are easily applied to daily practices for the past seven years and have been a part of the evolution of the Smartphone. Our main web site, <a href="http://www.dickbetts.com/">www.DickBetts.com</a>, offers a lot of information about Smartphones - helpful tips, tricks to adjusting settings to make the devices a bit more user-friendly, cool third-party software and gadgets to check out a much more. But this forum discussion takes what we have been offering to a whole new level. We are excited to be working with RealTown to provide this helpful resource to you! </div> <div> </div> <div> Our information is geared towards the needs of today&#39;s Real Estate Professional. By educating yourself about the different varieties of Smartphones and the main features of each one, you can better decide which device is going to be best to suit <i>your</i> individual needs. That truly is the key to selecting a Smartphone - discovering which device will best meet <i>your</i>needs. <b class="c1">One-size does not fit all!</b> </div> <div> </div> <div> A good question to start with is <i>Why</i> you want a Smartphone. What was it that drew your interest to mobile technology? The internet access no matter where you are? The ability to send/receive email when you are out of the office. Or maybe you are tired of carrying all of your working files in your backseat! For some, the interest is sparked by a third-party software program they just can&#39;t live without. <i>Your</i> answer is the best place to start when deciding on which brand/ model of Smartphone to purchase. </div> <div> </div> <div> You see, to truly benefit from having a Smartphone you need to do more than just purchase a device and learn how to put in Contacts and make phone calls. To get the most out of a Smartphone you must learn how to best apply the available features to <i>your</i> real estate career. Reading thru the Manual will teach you how to use the different Applications, but it will not show you how to best apply the function to your real estate career. Putting a real estate twist on each feature should be your goal. Where do you go to learn that? </div> <div> </div> <div> Right here! This is where we step in. <em>This</em> is what this discussion group is all about - using your Smartphone like a true Real Estate Professional to get the most out of your purchase and reap the rewards of a better flow to your business. </div> <div> </div> <div> So, let&#39;s hear from you - </div> <div> </div> <div> What do you need or want to know about Smartphones. Give us your questions. </div> <div> </div> <div> Been using a device for a long time and know it all? Then share your advice or tips. </div> <div> </div> <div> We look forward to hearing from you. </div> <div> Dick Betts </div> <div> Shelby Betts </div> <div> Mobile Technology Trainers </div> <div> <a href="http://www.DickBetts.com">www.DickBetts.com</a> </div> <div> </div>

<p> I guess today is the big day for my announcement, starting February 25th in Santa Rosa, CA I am including all Palm, Windows, Blackberry and iPhones in my classes. I have been working hard on these strange critters and feel I am ready to add Blackberry and iPhone to my list of devices. As in the past when I added Windows I felt I needed to understand them as well as I did the Palm OS. I bought books, got my hands on devices and am ready to help agents get the most out of them. So this room is now a free for all! Fire your questions, ask my opinion, let&#39;s get ready to RUMBLE! For some of you experts out there on Blackberry and iPhones PLEASE jump in when you can, I need all the help I can get! </p> <p> Come on Pre, Come on Pre, Come on Pre!!!! </p> <p> Dick </p>

<p> I would like to make this the go to place for information about the Palm Pre Smartphone. Together we can speed up the learning process by sharing what we have learned. I am spending as much time as possible learning the device but I am sure some of you have started someplace different. </p> <p> So let&#39;s start sharing plus having REALTORS add what they are liking or disliking about the phone will help some decide. </p> <p> First thing I have noticed which currently no other Smartphone has is to be able to run many apps (programs) at the same time. Instead of closing an app just hit the &quot;Center Button&quot; which reduces the program to about a quarter of the size. Open all you want and they look like a deck of cards using your finger just flick them side to side then tap to open to full screen. Just to test I opened 15 apps with no problem. </p> <p> Dick </p>