Ever since the iPad hit the market Realtors have been asking me if they should replace their aging laptop with a newer and presumably better technology such as an iPad. My answer to this question has always been indirect because as much as I love the iPad and the thought of tablets in general they were never designed to replace your computer. As a result many of the daily operations that real estate agents perform were not possible from a tablet. So while I would often recommend an iPad as a secondary device I could not comfortably recommend it as a full laptop replacement. To this day, many of the real estate boards around the country continue to make it difficult for agents to access the necessary information to perform their duties via tablet or smartphone.
” Windows 8, which will come out later this year, will operate not only on new laptops and desktops but also on tablets and smartphones. This will be designed to provide a seamless transition between devices. “
On Monday, Microsoft announced their entry into the tablet world, and if you haven’t already seen it you should take note as they plan to change the way we think of tablets. While Apple and Google have created unique operating systems for mobile devices and are working on updating the desktops and laptops to integrate better with them, Microsoft decided to come right out with a new operating system for both desktop and mobile at the same time. Windows 8, which will come out later this year, will operate not only on new laptops and desktops but also on tablets and smartphones. This will be designed to provide a seamless transition between devices.
Getting back to what Microsoft previewed, there are two models coming out. Microsoft Surface RT and Microsoft Surface Pro. While we still don’t have all of the details, the early indications are this could finally be the perfect tablet for real estate agents and real estate brokers.
The RT version is roughly the same size as the current generation iPad. It is a hair thinner and heavier but for the most part identical in size. It should be noted that the screen however is almost an inch larger than iPad. The RT version will run a version of Windows 8 using ARM architecture which is essentially the processing technology commonly found in smartphones and tablets today. The Pro version, which will come out three months after the RT, will be based on the Intel Core i5 Ivy Bridge which in English means that it will be running the same type of hardware as a laptop or desktop computer. Because of this, this tablet will be running a full version of Windows 8 and will be able to run all of your Windows programs. There was even talk that this tablet would be powerful enough to run Photoshop.
” Possibly the best news of all is that Microsoft looks to be bringing forward some direct and legitimate competition for Apple’s iPad. “
There are some other things that make Microsoft Surface a great choice for real estate.The tablet is comprised of a casing made from liquid metal which makes it very durable. The cover, which operates similarly to the Apple Smart Cover includes a full keyboard and touchpad with it and comes in two thicknesses depending on preference. The tablet itself has a stand built in which allows you to prop it up making it so when it sits on your desk it feels very much like a standard laptop. The tablets will also both come with USB and SD ports making it much more convenient for use with printers and digital cameras. It also appears as though both will have or run Microsoft Office.
There are still many questions about the actual performance of the tablets but at the same time there certainly is a lot of potential with these devices. Possibly the best news of all is that Microsoft looks to be bringing forward some direct and legitimate competition for Apple’s iPad.
Even if you prefer Apple and would rather stick with Apple than look at anything by Microsoft, the success of Microsoft’s tablet could push Apple to innovate further and faster which is good news for consumers of either product. So while these tablets may not specifically be what you will buy, they may finally be the tablets that real estate agents have been waiting for.
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Michael Darmanin
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