What is the iPad?
But what is the iPad, exactly? According to Apple, the iPad is a “new class of device between a Smartphone and a laptop”. What does this mean, exactly? Well, the iPad runs the same graphical interface as the iPhone, but does not make phone calls. This means applications compatible to the iPhone would be very close to working as well on the iPad. This is a wonderful device for web-browsing, watching movies, showing property photos uploaded with iTunes, reading magazines, and looking at e-books using Apple’s custom software.

Purchase options
One thing to consider is that the iPad will not be your only device. The iPad supplements your other devices and works around your needs. As such, the iPad comes with many purchase options.

The iPad comes in two styles; “Wi-Fi” and “Wi-Fi + 3G”. The difference being with “Wi-Fi” you can access the company’s wireless internet, and with “3G” you can purchase a data plan with AT&T and access the Internet anywhere, making it easy to use “Google Street View” to show the neighborhood of a property. The “Wi-Fi” and “Wi-Fi + 3G” options each come in three packages; 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. The wonderful part is, being a satellite device, you are asked to sync your iPad with a PC or Mac upon turning it on, allowing you to manage and backup all your information at your convenience.

Functionality
The iPad has many capabilities, but it has some incapabilities we’d like to point out for you. The iPad cannot use Adobe Flash, which is a web technology used to view many integrated technologies on websites. Youtube is supported, but this is because Youtube is not Adobe Flash-based as it was in its infancy. The iPad is also incapable of printing on it’s own. Another very important functionality concern is the iPad’s lack of support for Adobe Reader/Acrobat. How does this affect you? Digital contracts and forms are created for Adobe Reader. Not having the ability to run Adobe Reader on the iPad means you cannot fill out these forms. The iPad also does not have a camera, which means you will have to use iTunes to transfer pictures over by syncing it to a PC or Mac. Some MLS providers have also informed us that the iPad’s functionality does not support their websites. We recommend that you contact your MLS before purchasing the device.

What fits your need?
There are many devices which have a niche. Smartphones are one. With a Smartphone you can ‘Google’ anything, manage a calendar with tasks, send email, and make phone calls. The iPad does all of this except make phone calls. In essence toward this idea, the iPhone is best for these tasks, with the iTouch device at a close second for being the same as the iPhone without the phone capabilities.

The laptop is another niche item. You can create documents, manage office spreadsheets, create forms, and print out documents. Because of this, the iPad fits as an expansion of your work environment. It is, itself, not a laptop, so it is to be treated as a device which you can use to manage your photos, browse websites, or use one of the many “App” applications which can be purchased from Apple’s “App store” web storefront.

Before purchasing an iPad, every REALTOR® needs to realize that he or she must find the need and niche for which device fits within his or her work environment. The device is great for taking notes, surfing the web, viewing videos on Youtube, or showing photographs of properties to potential buyers. The device is a supplement to tools we already have. The consideration is finding how it fits your needs.

About Technology Helpline
The Technology Helpline goal is to provide superior technology support services to all. We have been in operation for ten years, and our talented, US-based analysts share a passion for technology and are here to help you with your technology questions.

What’s new?
There are plenty of reviews about the new operating system, and they all share an underlying theme. While Vista was not the XP successor users were hoping for, Windows 7 has real promise of filling the gap. With its revamped user interface, yet low-key, minimalist approach, it offers a much altered experience to that of Vista.  

Enjoy new user interface enhancements like the reorganized Taskbar, which gives the Mac OS X dock a run for its money. Experience features like Jump Lists that keep the most recent things you’ve used close by for fast access; or the Pin feature which lets you “pin” programs or files to your Taskbar or Jump Lists. 

Keep your desktop organized with Aero Peek, a new management tool that provides thumbnails of all open windows. Scroll over thumbnails to get a peek of the full view window. Or use the desktop peek feature to view your desktop by making all windows transparent with a simple click of the mouse. This might be one to get used to because Windows 7 has omitted the Sidebar, the portion of the screen that Vista reserved for gadgets. Now you’ll find your gadgets such as your calendar, pictures, weather or games directly on the desktop.

A few other changes worth mentioning are enhanced security with less annoying UAC (User Access Controls), easier network sharing with HomeGroup, and XP Mode for programs that require a PC running XP. 

Which edition is right for you?
Windows 7 comes with six different editions to choose from – Starter, Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, OEM, and Enterprise. However, the three editions that will be most marketed are Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate.

For most users, Professional will be the appropriate choice. While Home Premium has all the cool user interface enhancements and updated Windows Media Center, it lacks the tools needed for working in XP mode, backing up to a network, and joining a network domain – all of which are activities many professionals may require. For an additional $20 you can get the Ultimate edition that includes BitLocker, a security enhancement that encrypts all computer drives, including USB flash drives and portable hard drives to protect your data and passwords.

Upgrading options: 
You also need to determine if you’ll be doing a clean install or an upgrade. This may be decided for you, depending on the operating system you’re currently running.

Windows XP users: Unfortunately, XP users only have the option of doing a clean install to Windows 7. In fact, most experts suggest a clean install because not only does it provide a fresh start, it also removes old files and registry entries that could slow down your machine. The only down side to a clean install is that you lose all your programs and data. However, that can be remedied by backing up your data and transferring it over once you’ve completed the installation.

Should you upgrade? The choice is yours. If you currently own a strong operating XP machine, there’s no need to upgrade just because it’s available. XP will continue to be a primary operating system for the foreseeable future.

Windows Vista users: Depending on the Vista edition you currently have installed, you may be able to do an upgrade to Windows 7 rather than a clean install. The benefit of doing an upgrade is that it requires less free space for installation and transfers over your existing programs and user data. View the chart below to see if you qualify for an upgrade.

Should you upgrade? For those who have recently purchased a computer running Vista, the decision is a bit tougher. A Vista machine running Service Pack 2 is a stable, efficient operating system. However there are some Vista computers that would benefit from the upgrade, such as laptops with a single core processor or computers with less than 2 GB of memory because of the built-in memory management that Windows 7 provides.   

Check your requirements
Before you start your installation, please make sure your computer meets the minimum hardware requirements. These will vary slightly depending if your machine is a 32 or 64 bit. If you’re not sure which version you’re running, go here for instructions to find out.

One last step you might want to consider before installation is running the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. The advisor tool will scan your hardware, devices, and installed programs for known compatibility issues and will advise you how to resolve potential issues. 

Final thought…
The choice to upgrade to Windows 7 is completely up to you, but if you’re in the market for a new computer then Windows 7 is definitely a great choice. Windows 7 is simply the operating system Vista should have been. And while your current computer may function fine, if it meets the requirements to upgrade, most likely you’ll enjoy the benefits the new system has to offer. 

We hope that this information has been helpful and remember if you have any questions or need computer repair or remote tech support, call Technology Helpline.

Internet Browsers Have You Scratching Your Head?

Overwhelmed by Internet browser choices? How do you determine which one is right for you? Here are some features of my top three browser picks so that you can decide which one is for you.

Mozilla Firefox 3.5

Many surveys have shown that users think Firefox is the king of browsers. It now works faster and uses less memory than previous versions. Another bonus – it works with all platforms including Windows, Linux, and Mac.

• Private Browsing: This feature allows you to go undercover online, where your online fingerprint is completely untraceable.

• Open Video and Audio: This is the first open source video and audio format which allows sites to display media content without plug-ins and other proprietary software.

• Awesome Bar: This feature learns about you, and the more you use it, it adapts to your preferences by providing new matches from previous searches.

• Instant Website ID: This allows you to avoid illegitimate sites, especially when making purchases. This feature gives you a quick identity overview of the site, company and its location.

Internet Explorer 8

IE’s new features may help it increase its competitiveness and become the favored choice once again. This may be your preferred browser if you are into gadgets and tools to gain efficiency when browsing.

• Web Slices: Key lime pie? Not quite, but nearly as nice. If you frequent certain portions of a website, such as checking on auction items or stock quotes, then this web slice icon could be handy. It will provide you with updates on these sites directly from the favorites bar.

• Accelerators: You can shorten browsing steps with a couple clicks of a mouse. You can highlight a street address and use the accelerator icon to get driving directions. Or you can even translate a word. IE offers several, different accelerators.

• SmartScreen: It’s like having your own personal online bodyguard! This filter detects and notifies you of malicious websites and downloads that are reported as unsafe.

• Parental Controls: This allows you to customize a security mix to protect your family.

Google Chrome

Google Chrome is very fast, intuitive, and applies the rule that “less is more,” giving Windows users a stripped down option without clutter.

• Untraditional Toolbars: Chrome offers new tab attributes – drag tabs from the browser to make new windows, rearrange or delete tabs, and if one tab accidentally closes, you will not lose the other open tabs because they’re independently run.

• Incognito Mode: Similar to Firefox’s Private Browsing feature, this mode allows you to view websites privately.

• Task Manager: This feature shows the amount of resources being used by open web pages or plug-ins. If one’s slowing you down, you can terminate the process without even having to shutdown the browser.

Keep in mind that anytime new browser updates are released; be sure to check for compatibility issues with your current programs or the websites you use most often. Happy browsing!

Technology Helpline’s goal is to provide superior technology support services, including: computer repair, spyware removal, virus protection, helpdesk outsourcing, remote support, data recovery services and email technical support. We’ve been in operation for nearly ten years, and we currently support more than 250,000 individuals. Our offices and staff are U.S. based, located in Orlando, Florida.