BUYER'S GUIDE: Wireless Connections


Pull the Plug

BY MICHAEL ANTONIAK

Are cables and cords cramping your style? With the latest wireless solutions—Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or cellular broadband connections—you have the freedom to conduct business anywhere, an edge in today’s market, say real estate professionals who’ve unplugged.

Seattle-based Windermere Real Estate Co. recently outfitted 70 employees and salespeople in five of its offices with Plantronics Bluetooth wireless headsets for their office and cell phones. “It’s great to have your hands free, to walk around, to work on the computer, or to do whatever you need to while on the phone,” says company president Jill Wood. She now recommends the headsets for the company’s entire sales team.

Sales associate Paul Sterling Arendsee of Prime-Time Real Estate & Mortgage in Pleasant Hill, Calif., relies on a combination of wireless solutions, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, to stay better connected to clients and build more referrals.

His portable office includes e-mail via cell phone, an eFax account, a mobile printer, a Gateway Tablet PC with a Sprint wireless data card, and WinForms software for quick access to real estate documents. Contracts stored on the Gateway Tablet can be signed and sent as e-mail, and faxes arrive as PDFs. “When you put it all together, I have a fully functional office wherever I am,” he says.

Salesperson Dayna Bostich of Exit Realty Central in Maitland, Fla., speaks with clients via a Bluetooth enabled headset on her Cingular 8125 Windows Mobile smartphone during her hour-long commute to work and, when necessary, pulls off the road to log on to the Internet from her Gateway Tablet. In addition, if she sees a FSBO sign, she can pull up in front of the house and retrieve all the property information off the Web before speaking with the home owner, she says.

Wireless connectivity lets Bill Price, ABR®, gri, broker-owner of B&K Realty in San Antonio, spend more time meeting with buyers and sellers in the field. He loaded a Sprint wireless data card into his laptop, and one perk is that during showings, he can retrieve listings immediately if clients want to see a home not on their schedule of appointments for the day.

“I don’t have to depend on Wi-Fi hot spots anymore,” he says. “As long as I’ve got cell coverage—and that’s everywhere I go—I can stay in touch and answer e-mail.”RM

Your wireless primer

INFRARED. Data is transferred over infrared beams between devices such as PDAs or a computer and printer. But to work, the signal must be directly aligned—as with a remote to a TV—and the distance between transmitters and receivers must be less than 10 feet.

BLUETOOTH. Another short-range wireless solution, Bluetooth-enabled devices must be within 30 feet of each other to transmit data (60 feet for a Bluetooth Class 2 device). Popular applications include voice transmissions from a Bluetooth-enabled headset to a compatible cell phone, data sharing between PDAs and smartphones, and wireless printing between a computer or PDA and a printer. Bluetooth compatibility can be added to many devices with an inexpensive adapter.

WI-FI. The most popular option, Wi-Fi can operate up to 300 feet from an access point or hot spot—at speeds comparable to a wired local area network. Wi-Fi compatibility has become a standard feature on most hardware, but equipment can be upgraded for Wi-Fi with a range of cards and adapters. Watch for the Wi-Fi 802.11n debut, which is expected to further increase the range and speed of a Wi-Fi network.Cellular broadband. Connectivity is available over digital cellular networks for a monthly fee. Cellular broadband capability is usually built into smartphones. Laptops can be upgraded with wireless air cards, which slip into an expansion card slot.

Wireless computing options

Wireless Laser Desktop 6000 $89.99 Microsoft Corp., www.microsoft.com, 800/642-7676. Battery-operated wireless keyboard and optical mouse for Windows PCs. Keyboard features curved design with cushioned palm rest, programmable function keys, and screen zoom control; mouse offers four-way scrolling of screen content. USB adapter included.
Circle RS #050

Treo 700 series Start at $249, depending on carrier, service contract Palm Inc., www.palm.com, 888/223-4817. Smartphones with cellular CDMA 2000 and EvDO broadband wireless cellular networks. Available in Windows and Palm versions from Sprint and Verizon. Include 312MHz processor, 128MB internal memory, mini keypad, and expansion card slot. Support Bluetooth and infrared wireless transfers.
Circle RS #051

iPAQ hw6920 Mobile Messenger $579 Hewlett-Packard, www.hp.com/go/realestate2, 800/888-8177 (code NAR1). Windows Mobile smartphone supports multiple varieties of wireless connections.Compatible with GSM/GPRS/EDGE cellular data networks, Wi-Fi b wireless networks and Bluetooth and infrared connections. Includes built-in GPS receiver, 416MHz processor, 64MB RAM, and mini keypad.
Circle RS #052

Latitude D420 $1,549 Dell Computer, REALTOR.org/realtorbenefits, click Dell Inc., 877/648-3355. Basic configuration of Wi-Fi–ready Windows laptop. Windows Vista capable. Equipped with Dell Wi-Fi 802.11g mini card. Bluetooth and wireless broadband options available. Includes 1.2GHz Intel Core Duo processor, 512MB RAM, and 60GB hard drive.
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ThinkPad X60 Tablet $1,823 for basic configuration Lenovo, REALTOR.org/realtorbenefits, click Lenovo, 800/426-7235, ext. 3887. Wireless-ready Tablet PC. Compatible with Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g networks. Can be equipped for Bluetooth or cellular broadband. Windows XP Tablet OS. Windows Vista capable. Includes 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo Processor, 1GB RAM, and 60GB hard drive. Data entry via keyboard or electronic pen.
Circle RS #054

Wireless solutions and accessories

USB Bluetooth Adapter Class 2 $39.99 Targus, www.targus.com, 714/765-5555. Equips any PC with USB port for Bluetooth wireless within 60-foot range. Plugs into USB port and allows data transfer and file sharing with other Bluetooth-compatible hardware and peripherals.
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AirPlus G DWL-G730AP Wireless Pocket Router $59.99 D-Link, www.dlink.com, 800/326-1688. Portable three-function solution; compatible with company’s Wi-Fi 802.11g laptop and USB adapters. Router mode enables sharing of a single broadband Internet connection. Access Point mode adds wireless capability to an existing network for sharing files and resources. Client mode lets user tap into an existing wireless network without installing drivers or software. Powered by AC outlet or USB port.
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Voyager 510 Headset $66 Plantronics, www.plantronics.com, 800/544-4660. Bluetooth-enabled headset for wireless calling. Works with all Bluetooth-compatible hardware. Allows roaming up to 33 feet. Switch between two voice-enabled Bluetooth devices—such as your mobile phone, laptop, or PDA—to take or make calls. Last-number redial and voice-activated dialing (where available). Optional adapter adds Bluetooth capabilities to landline phone.
Circle RS #057

Sprint AirCard 595 by Sierra Wireless $99.99 (after instant savings and service contract) Sprint Nextel, http://sprint.com/nar, 888/503-3069. Type II PCMCIA Card allows wireless broadband access on Sprint’s PowerVision network. Typical download speeds range between 450Kbps and 800Kbps. Security features prevent unauthorized access to data transmissions. Power management features minimize notebook battery drain.
Circle RS #058

AirCard PC 5740 $99.99 with two-year service contract Verizon Wireless, www.verizonwireless.com, 800/899-4249. Adapter card for Windows laptops provides Web access over Verizon’s BroadbandAccess service (where available). Plugs into laptop PCMCIA Card slot. Built-in antenna. Download speeds range between 400Kbps and 700Kbps. LED indicators for service availability and data transfer status.
Circle RS #059

Wireless Combo Print Adapter Kit $119.95 Iogear Inc., www.iogear.com, 866/946-4327. Adapter kit for wireless printing with USB or parallel printers. Bundle includes Bluetooth printer adapter and USB Bluetooth adapter for Windows PCs. Also supports Bluetooth-compatible PDAs and smartphones. Bluetooth Class 2 device allows wireless printing up to 66 feet away from the printer.
Circle RS #060

WRT300N Wireless-N Broadband Router $129.99 Linksys, www.linksys.com, 800/546-5797. Uses “Multiple In Multiple Out” (MIMO) technology to extend wireless network range and speed. Serves as a wireless access point. Compatible with draft 802.11n wireless standard. Includes four-port switch for connecting other hardware devices or Ethernet devices. Also serves as a router—or central hub—for wireless sharing of cable modem or DSL broadband connections. Wi-Fi b/g compatible.
Circle RS #061

Prices are the vendors’ suggested retail prices and are subject to change. This list isn’t comprehensive; NAR doesn’t evaluate or endorse these products and isn’t responsible for changes in company info.

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