I admit it. I have been a PC for as long as I can remember. I have a desktop PC, a tablet PC, a really old laptop PC, and have owned a pocket pc and smart phone. However, I am slowly turning into a Mac and it all started when I bought my iPhone 3G.
It took me about 10 seconds to learn how to use my iPhone, even my 2 year old could flip through the photos on it with ease. My old smartphone immediately felt bulky, awkward, and ridiculously hard to use.
Apple unveiled the iPad yesterday. The iPad can will make the real estate industry more mobile. The possibilities are endless. There are more and more Real Estate apps being made for the iPhone everyday and all of them will work on the iPad.
There are not as many apps for real estate appraisers though. a la mode’s iPhone app looks nice but the deal killer for me is having to sketch a house on the tiny iPhone screen. Sketching on the iPad is going to different story. Now my only concern is how well the iPad will stand up to the elements. To be honest, I am not willing to shell out $500 to test it out. I would, however, be the first in line if Apple ever develops a ruggedized iPad.
Is the iPad a game changer? Yes, but maybe not for the reason you think so. Greg Swann at the Bloodhoundblog.com was dead on when he said:
So what is the iPad, really? It’s portable retail store-front for everything sold at the iTunes store.
Apps. Movies. Music. Books. And now newspapers and magazines.
The iPad will be the means by which you will acquire all of the digital content for sale at the iTunes store — and all those wannabe iPad killers will not. Without the iTunes connection, the iPad will have no competition.
The iPad comes in a Wifi model and a 3G model. The all you can use data plan is $30 per month.
Here’s the iPad pricelist:
- iPad with 16-gig with WiFi is $499
- iPad with 32-gig with WiFi is $599
- iPad with 64-gig with WiFi is $699
- iPad with 16-gig with WiFi and 3G is $629
- iPad with 32-gig with WiFi and 3G is $729
- iPad with 64-gig with WiFi and 3G is $829
Just in case you are not completely sick of iPad news, here is the Exhaustive A-to-Z coverage of Apple’s iPad announcement from AllTop.
Are you going to buy an iPad?
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Excellent post. I agree that a ruggedized iPad would be better in our world, but the Griffin and other after-market vendors will take care of some of that. I’ll have more to say about the iPad going forward, but I do think it’s a game-changer for many real estate professionals.
Thanks for the comment Greg! The iPhone has made my business more mobile and the iPad is going to do more than the iPhone could. I really look forward to your other thoughts on the iPad.
I have heard you will be able to put the iPad in a giant ziplock when you want to use it at places like the beach. It would protect from those tiny grains of sand and the occasional sprinkles of water from kids or dogs walking by.
I haven’t tried the iPhone in a ziplock yet to see if the touchscreen still senses my finger through the plastic.