TECH WATCH

Technology
Another Good Year for Hardware

Plan ahead on tech investments for that competitive edge.

BY MIKE ANTONIAK

As the year winds down, the holiday lull presents an opportunity to step back and review the tech tools you’ve been using and consider ways you might invest in the new for a more productive, competitive 2004.

Hardware prices, from cameras to computers, continue to fall as performance value increases. That’s an entrenched trend. Just how much of a buyer’s market the new year brings depends on holiday sales. If vendors are disappointed with fourth-quarter results, your best buys may come in the next few months. Even if they aren’t disappointed, the combination of price and performance in all hardware categories warrants a look. You could find compelling reason for upgrading your old equipment.

For the Office

I’m an advocate of a desktop computer as a primary system. I’ll get to your mobile options shortly, but whatever mobile solution you employ, it’s prudent not to keep all your eggs in one basket. With synchronization software, you’ll always have your most up-to-date data on hand, should your mobile or desktop system suffer a terminal crash, get stolen, or require repair.

If it’s been two or more years since you last bought a computer system, it’s time to upgrade. For under $1,000, you’ll find systems with a much faster processor, more RAM, and a brighter screen than what you’re using. If you haven’t already gone broadband for your Internet connection, it’s time to do that, too. You’ll need the faster system to make connecting to the Internet an enjoyable, less aggravating experience.

Be sure to look for support for Wi-Fi wireless networking in any new system. Even in a small- or home-office setting, Wi-Fi offers so many advantages over a wired network, it’s a feature you’ll want to use.

The other half of the computer system (other than the computer itself) is your printing or document solution. Entry-level color laser printers are now less than $1,000—still a bit pricey for individuals. You can find adequate multifunction color inkjet printer/scanners/copiers in the $200 range. Color inkjet printers are priced well below that. Printer vendors are really in the business of selling you ink: Check on the price of ink cartridges and the estimated pages per cartridge for the model you’re considering. It’s your best indicator of the real cost of using the printer.

For the Field

The cell phone is the one essential mobile tool every real estate practitioner needs. The first service upgrade to consider is the ability to send and receive text messages, which can help you send quick messages to clients or back to the office when you’re out in the field. Anything beyond that, and you’ll want more than a basic phone.

Since you spend so much time out of the office, some form of mobile computing solution makes sense. What that should be begs some careful considerations. The past year has brought more options to the mix, guaranteeing there’s a mobile solution for every work style.

Basic notebook computers now start in the $1,000 range. High-end systems, some for less than $2,000, include desktop replacement systems and ultra-light portables. The larger desktop replacements deliver specs and performance comparable to current desktop systems. Ultra-lights trade some performance or screen size for a much more compact package. Some models are less than an inch thick and weigh 3 pounds.

There’s yet another choice in mobile computers, the tablet PC, starting in the $1,500 range. The practical trend here is in convertible models, which combine a keyboard with an electronic slate. With these, you can enter data and run applications by writing on the screen or using the keyboard, depending on the situation or your preference. It’s the kind of versatility that may serve you well while meeting with buyers and sellers.

If you want something that easily slips into a purse or pocket, there are plenty of PDAs to consider. Starting prices are around $100 for a basic Palm OS organizer or $200 for an entry-level Pocket PC. Basic PDAs are serviceable solutions for quick access to contact records, maps, and for note taking in the field. When you want more—wireless Web access, mobile e-mail, processing power—you should weigh the merits of any of the new all-in-one PDA solutions.

The appeal of smartphones and PDA communicators is that you get all your portable data and communications tools in one package. The hardware tends to be a bit more clumsy than a standalone PDA or cell phone, and the small screens don’t offer the viewing comfort found in the smallest notebook. Choices in this category will only increase as the year progresses. Thoroughly sample several models before you decide if an all-in-one is really a convenience worth having.

Get the Picture

The mass-market appeal of digital cameras brings an abundance of affordable choices. You need a digital camera for promoting listings online and e-mailing photos to prospective buyers. Unless you need to make large prints, you can probably get by with a 2-megapixel camera, widely available for less than $200.

Consider ergonomics and optics as key features. The design trend has been to make digital cameras more compact. But the model you choose should be comfortable to hold and use. You’ll only know that by holding the camera in your hand before buying.

Sample the camera’s wide-angle setting, or make sure to get a wide-angle adapter for taking pictures of the exterior and interior of homes. And pay close attention to the optical zoom (invest in at least 3X optical zoom) as it accurately describes the camera’s zoom capability. For interiors, you’ll need more flash than what’s built into the camera.

If you’re a big user of e-mail, consider one of the new camera cell phones. Cell phones with cameras have proven very popular, so there’ll be plenty of choices. The current crop provides a convenient solution for capturing small, low-resolution images of homes that you want to get to your clients or post on the Web. Later in the year, models should appear with better image sensors for capturing higher-resolution pictures.

By then, it’ll be worth taking another look at any hardware you haven’t already replaced, as the cycle of more performance and features at a lower price, in every hardware category, shows no sign of abating.


Previously by Antoniak:
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Do you have technology you’d like to learn more about or a new user twist that you’d like to share with your peers? Let me know about it by e-mailing antoniak@dtccom.net, and I’ll do my best to give it the coverage it deserves.

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