I’ve been waiting for the past 9 months for a new laptop (and I’ll probably wait until Janurary). So during the time I have been really trying to decide what kind of laptop I will buy.

I love the Tablet PC form factor and I have been trying to decide if I really use it enough to pay for the premium of having it. One thing I don’t like about it is the 12″ screen, I do like it because it is small and convenient but I would gladdly give up weight for screen size.

Before I decided on a getting a new Tablet I looked at getting a 17″ Dell XPS laptop or a 17″ Mac Book Pro. After looking, comparing, checking prices, and trying to find the perfect device I think I have decided but I probably still won’t by it until next year but at least I’ve almost settled.

The main reason I went back to the Tablet was cost. After comparing prices on a high horsepower laptop, a Mac Book Pro and a Tablet their was not much difference in price. All three choices brought me around the 2800 dollar mark and I just don’t think I will ever own a Mac, even though they are pretty.

Two things I was looking at in a new computer is horsepower and battery life. It is hard to get massive battery life and performance out of any laptop but I think I have found the winner. The Tablet in question is the Gateway E295/C-140x. I made my final decision after reading this review at Gotta Be Mobile about the battery life.

This laptop can be configured with a 2.4Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo and 4gigs of Ram. It has an upgradable video card so I can have some nice video editing performance. And I can get a 12 cell battery which gives approx 7 hours of battery life PLUS it can take a second modular battery that will probably give me another 3-4 hours of life.

If your looking for some horsepower and the tablet form factor then the Gateway E295/C-140x might be the ticket.

I probably won’t get this for a few months but when I do I will let you know my thoughts.

Loren Nason
Future of Real Estate Technology

Do you have a Tablet PC? Do you want to know how to how to sign your PDF Real Estate Froms with your Tablet? Well, follow along. If you don’t have a Tablet PC subscribe to my feed and stay tuned for an article on how to do electronic signatures.

I am going to cover 3 ways to sign a PDF document with your Tablet Stylus.

This first method is free with a catch. You will need to have MS Onenote. Onenote comes with most Tablets. This method is tested with Onenote 2007 but it should work with Onenote 2003 also. I don’t have Onenote 2003 anymore so I can’t test it.

Here is what you do:
Open the PDF file. You should already at least have Acrobat Reader on your computer. Now print the PDF to the Onenote Printer: File -> Print -> Send to Onenote Printer. After you do this the PDF will show up in Onenote and you can mark it up to your liking. After you have signed it in Onenote you need to Print it back to a PDF file. If you have Acrobat Pro you will have the Adobe PDF printer as a printer selection. If not download PrimoPDF, its a free PDF printer that works with Vista. Presto, you now have a signed PDF. One problem I notice with this is that when you print it back to a PDF it shrinks the file a tad and then marks on the page the name of the notepad.

This second method is also free and works on Vista, and it should also work on XP but I am running Vista now and don’t have an XP Tablet to test with.

This method uses the Windows Journal Program. If you have not run it you will need to start it up so it installs the Journal Printer. To do this under Vista click “Start -> Run” and type jou and hit enter, this will open Windows Journal and ask you if you want to install the printer. To do this under XP you should have an icon for the program on your programs menu run the program and it should also install the printer.

Once Windows Journal is ready, print your PDF to a Journal printer, sign the PDF in Windows Journal. We you are finished print it back from Journal to a PDF file using the PrimoPDF printer or the Adobe Acrobat Printer if you have the Pro version. Presto, a signed PDF file.

Last method.

Install PDF Annotator . Open the PDF file, Sign it and save the file. You are done.
PDF Annotator is 50 bucks.

If you have a Mac I found this option at Web Worker Daily

One thing I will say for the above methods is find out if there can be any legal implicactions. To avoid legal complications just print the PDF after signing.

There is also a company called VREO that sells a product that integrates with Winforms and enables signatures with Tablets. Their method involves some encryption and data storage on their end and has a monthly fee.

Loren Nason
Future of Real Estate Technology

Incase you were not aware every Geeks ultimate show is currently in session.

CES – The Consumer Electronic Show
Comdex used to be our wet dream but CES
has surpassed Comdex to the point that Comdex died.

Here is what my be my new Tablet PC. This thing is slick and if anyone would like to give me one I would be extremely grateful.

Here are the Specs of this unit – Provided by Engadget

Processor – 1.8Ghz AMD 64 x2 (this is dual core)
Ram – A very generous 2 gigs of RAM
Hard Drive – A huge 160gig drive
Screen – 12.1
Video Card – NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150 (Makes Vista Aero look SWEET)
Dual Layer Burner
Great Speakers
OH AND IT HAS A BUILT IN WEBCAM

Now here are some pictures of this gorgeous machine Provided by jkOnTheRun

I can’t wait for this one but do you need it?

If your not in the need for any new technology then I would say no.

If you are in the need for a new laptop then i would say maybe. Laptops and Tablets are a very personal decision and I recommend everyone go test out, hold, feel, and caress their new laptop before purchasing it. What I like you may not like.

Do you need a tablet? Not really. Yes you can use it to have digital signatures but there are ways of getting digital signatures without having to use a tablet.

Loren Nason
Future of Real Estate Technology.

Updated – Yes its a Tablet, NO its not from Apple, Yes it runs Mac OS
I updated the title because “Joe Smith” come on use your real name said its mis-leading.
Technically he is right so i changed it. 

I found this from one of the Blogs I read – Gotta be Mobile

I know I have a few Mac junkies that read this blog, and I have NOTHING against Macs at ALL. I have actually recommended them to a few people.

With CES  coming up were are going to be seeing TONS of News Reports about new products and this one caught my eye.

El Segundo, CA – Solution hardware manufacturer Axiotron, Inc. and technology solutions provider Other World Computing (OWC) today announced that they will be unveiling the ModBook™, the first ever Mac® tablet computer solution, on January 9th, at the Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco. After an invitation-only press showcase, the Axiotron ModBook will be unveiled to the general public at 2:30 PM at the Other World Computing Booth #S2218.

Here is the link to Press Release

The new MAC Tablet will be called the ModBook. It will be a SLATE style of Tablet. That means it will NOT have an attached keyboard.

The ModBook will also have a built in GPS receiver. Neato.

Will you want one of these? Maybe

I have been touting Tablets benefits and some of you love Macs so this product will help all of you Mac Junkies.

If any of you reading in California do buy one, contact me, I want to see it and play with it.

Loren Nason
Future of Real Estate Technology

As we close out this year have you made your technology plan / resolution?

If not here is some suggestions.

Resolution #1 – Have a plan for your technology.
Don’t buy it because someone says you should.
Don’t buy it because it will make you more money (it won’t)
When you buy your software / hardware look for interoperability. Don’t buy a Treo thinking you can keep your contacts sync’d with your Hotmail contacts. Don’t buy a Contact Management Solution thinking you can make it work with your cheap $50 dollar nokia phone that doesn’t do anything but make phone calls.

Moral – Plan out every aspect don’t just buy it.

Resolution #2 – If you are buying a new computer make it a Laptop or Tablet PC
The is no need anymore to have your main PC be a desktop computer. With the advances in wireless technologies and the availability of internet access for almost anywhere / including the beach. Do you need a Tablet PC? No. Why not? Because you don’t need a Tablet PC to do electronic signatures. I will have a tutorial from Kevin Boer at
3 Oceans Real Estate where he explains how to use Docusign soon.

Resolution #3 – STOP USING FREE EMAIL
Their are many ways to start using your domain for you email and one is free. See my google apps article here.

Resolution #4 – Upgrade your website to include a blog and start writing.
Look into these Vendors for you blogging needs

Ubertor – A great website blog all in one solution
RSS Pieces – A blogging platform created for Realtors
Real Estate Blog Sites – Another plaform created for Realtors

Resolution #5 – Shameless Self Plug – Get a FREE TECHNOLOGY ASSESMENT

See you next year.

Loren Nason

Future of Real Estate Technology

From the people who have brought us the So-So CRM program Agent Office, they may be bringing you soon a high quality product that will help you with your e-signature goals.

Fidelity National Real Estate Solutions, a division of Fidelity National Information Services, and real estate technology company VREO have teamed up in an effort to spread adoption of electronic signatures by real estate brokers and agents.

VREO  is the company that brings you Real Estate Dashboard® software for tablet PCs is the easiest way for REALTORS® to sign documents electronically from anywhere at any time.

I have not talked about Tablet PC’s yet, but if you want to be on the cutting edge of Technology you NEED to be on the Tablet PC bandwagon.

I will be covering more on Tablet PC’s as time goes on.

Loren Nason
Future of Real Estate Technology

This keyboard is great. I have ordered these for customers.

It is a small foldup keyboard that connects to your computer by bluetooth. You will of course have to have bluetooth in your laptop. This would be the perfect keyboard if you have a Motion Slate PC (non-convertiable TabletPC)

A nice review has been done here at JKontheRun

Think Outside Bluetooth Keyboard