Gee I almost forget how to blog!  I actually skipped the entire month of September and this after Itell group after group to blog.  Fine example I am setting huh?  Well I am back and will make another 10 month run at blogging.  We have all kinds of really cool locations coming up in the next month or so, Harrisburg, PA, Goshen, NY, Calgary and Red Deer Alberta Canada, Richmond VA and so forth.

Also big news for me, the end of August I was named a Speaker at NAR in Orlando!  I am very excited about that one, in years past I did things in the tech lab but this is upstairs!

My life is currently going thru some major changes but we haven't lost a step (other then blogging).  So like I so often like to say "Let's Rock and Roll"!

Dick Betts

National Real Estate Speaker

National Speaker Real Estate

Mobile Technology Trainer

www.DickBetts.com

Dick@DickBetts.com

To my friends in Greenville, NC I will be there next Wednesday the 13th.  We put together a training day I think you will be very happy with!  This will be my 8th ot 9th time to visit with you and as always looking forward to spending time with you!

"Everywhere is My Office"                                                                                   9 am - 10:30                                          

This 90 minute presentation is all about using mobile technology in your real estate business.  We will discuss:  the new real estate client - the e-Consumer - and what they expect out of you as their agent; the available options in hand-held devices to keep you in step with today's tech-savvy buyers and sellers; how a Smartphone can help you stay on top of your business, no matter where you are; review must-have accessories to help you work smarter, not harder; and how to manage your transactions with mobile technology

Today's Top Technology Trends                                                                                                    10:30 - Noon  

In this forum style class you will walk away with so many ideas!  As this is a constantly growing, ever-changing field we will cover a wide variety of topics, options and ideas that today's Real Estate Professional must be aware of and start learning.  Some of the concepts covered include, but are not limited to: creating a technology plan, review the new e-PRO designation being offered by NAR, websites and your presence in the on-line world, domain marketing, email hosting and branding, blogging (the biggest thing to hit the real estate world since leaving MLS books!), communicating with the Millennium Generation, portable infrared printers, digital photography, Bluetooth devices and more.

All attendees will qualify for a special offer from the National Association of REALTORS.  You will receive a coupon for a $25 discount on the cost of the program and get an extended time period to compete the designation requirements.  Visit http://DickBetts.certifiedeprotrainer.com to learn more.

Smartphone Fundamentals for the Real Estate Professional                                                              1 - 4 pm

(for Palm OS & Windows Mobile devices)

This three hour class is a "get to know your device" type of course.  It shows agents how to navigate around the device, the 6 ways to input information, how to look up information with just a thumb (very helpful while driving!), how to "set up" their Contacts, where to store information the easiest (do you put it under your Calendar or Memos or Task?), and some "Tips & Tricks" about getting the most out of the device.  Dick will review some basic ways for agents to implement Client Management and Time Management systems to better organize their business without the need of other expensive programs.

So I look forward o seeing you there!

Dick Betts

Dick@DickBetts.com

www.DickBetts.com

So like me many of you read the recent court ruling in California stating that Cell Phone Termination Fees are not legal and the phone industry must stop charging them.  Well first we have a long ways to go, the Federal Government will get involved because we can't have each state ruling and causing 50 different sets of rules. 

Let me give you both sides of this debate;

The Good about early Termination Fees

This allows the carriers to offer you phones at a much cheaper price because they have 24 months to recoup the true cost of the phone.

The Bad about early Termination Fees

The price of phones will go up to about the recommended manufacturer price.  On Smartphones that could be $300 to $400 more then current prices.

In my personal opinion I like the idea of ending Termination Fees so we the users have many more options.  Yes this means we pay more for the phone up front but the carriers are going to have to raise their level of customer service to keep us.  People move all the time, what happens if in your new home no bars, should you be punished because of their service?

In the spirit of competition I think ending Termination Fees will lead to lower monthly cost to the consumer.  Current plans have a portion set aside to pay for that free or reduced price phone.

I always tell my students, "Don't look at the cost of the phone, look at the cost of the phone and the Two year monthly fee to see the true cost of your deal".  I think it will all be about the same in cost but should see more options and better service.

Dick Betts

National Speaker Real Estate

Mobile Technology Trainer

www.DickBetts.com

Dick@DickBetts.com

About once a week I get an email from somebody wanting to know when I will be close to their city because they NEED to take one of my classes.  I normally direct them to the local REALTOR association or MLS or even their broker to host an event.  Many times it leads to me getting hired, but now and then the person takes it upon themselves to pull together a class. 

Well we have such a movement happening in San Diego!  An agent who reads my blogs and spends time on my website is taking the bull by the horns and putting together a class.

If anybody is interested in jumping in please contact me and I will hook you up with the group that's pulling this together.

Thanks,

Dick Betts

National Speaker Real Estate

Mobile Technology Trainer

www.DickBetts.com

Dick@DickBetts.com

I am happy to announce the premiere of "Beauty and the Geek" in Sacramento, CA.  For months now I have been telling attendees of my seminars we were planning on rolling out our newest presentation for keynote addresses and meetings. 

Anybody that knows me has already figured out which role I play in "Beauty and the Geek", so let me tell you about the Beauty.  My REALTOR/Business Manager/National Speaker/Wife, Shelby who in her own right has been a very success speaker working from Hawaii to the east coast.  She brings a working REALTOR's point of view when it comes to technology.  Both of us are Certified e-Pro trainers and she has a background in contact management and training long before we ever met.  She does carry the latest greatest technology and applies it daily to her career and life.

So the presentation about Mobile Technology has me giving the Feature and Shelby giving the Benefit for the Real Estate Professional.  If you have ever met us you know it will be entertaining to watch the interaction between us!

So the first time we present "Beauty and the Geek" will be at the Sacramento Association of REALTORS Business and Technology Expo held at the Doubletree Hotel in Sacramento on September 5th.

The great thing is it's open to everybody!  They have a $25 member fee and a very fair $30 non-member fee.  This gets you entry for the entire event which they tell me is the second biggest REALTOR event in California after the state convention.  45 exhibitors, 4 nationally know speakers and tons of prizes including Laptops, Weekend Getaways, I-pods, Cameras and much more.  There also will be 3 chances to win $1,000 and gourmet lunches, snacks and beverages.

For more information about the Expo click here; http://www.sacrealtor.org/events/bte/bte.asp

For those of you that would like to attend they plan on having a form on line shortly you will be able to pull off their website.

For the rest of the country we will be doing "Beauty and the Geek" other places in the country but nothing scheduled within 200 miles of Sacramento. 

Dick Betts

National Speaker Real Estate

www.DickBetts.com

Dick@DickBetts.com

My email has been overloaded with questions about the new Treo 800w.  In fairness I have not received mine yet so I have been doing research the old fashion way, reading the specs and articles from others.

Any of you that know me I look at Smartphones not for fluff but rather for business.  This is the strongest business Smartphone ever released.  The new 6.1 Windows Mobile powers this device to new levels as far as business is concerned.  Handling the MS bundle, push email, Wifi, GPS, 2.0 megapixels for 1600 x 1200 pixel shots makes this Smartphone the right Smartphone to conduct business.

The screen is 320 x 320 which is the highest resolution of any phone on the market today, the higher resolution does make a big difference when you see the device.

The size is right for one handed operation, it's smaller then the 700w or 750 and it looks like the Centro, actually uses the same battery as the Centro.

One major change which is the connection on the bottom, Palm has had about 3 or 4 different connections over the years but they finally got it right.  They have gone with the microUSB port and have dropped the 2.5 headset jack which in the past caused the phone to not work without headset.  Yes you will need all new chargers etc but you do have a stereo headset in the box.

Something else new with the Treo 800w is the expansion card, it uses the microSD which will support up to 8gb, let's see you fill that puppy up!

The Wifi is fast, very fast I have read speeds up to 850k and averaging around 500k. 

Generally speaking I am not a fan of GPS on the phone because of being on the phone and killing the battery.  This could change my mind and will look later to revisit this subject.

Battery life "they say" four hours of talk 200 standby.  Just go buy more chargers or even pick up a second battery, because they use the same battery as Centro's you should find a deal.

Bottom line, if you are picking a business tool then the Treo 800w is very strong, is it a Palm OS killer, well it's crippled it and when Palm brings out their new OS I am sure it will pass the 800w.

If you want a trophy phone with all kinds of cool but not productive parts then look some where else.  The Treo 800w out preforms all other Smartphones and Blackberry today and will even out preform the not yet released Bold in business fuctions.

Dick Betts

National Speaker Real Estate

Mobile Technology Trainer

www.DickBetts.com

Dick@DickBetts.com

It's official I am coming to Montgomery, AL to offer 5 different 3 hour classes!  The staff at MAAR/MLS is such a joy to work with!  Together we picked a course selection that will appeal to all, from basic Contact Management, to Mobile Technology all the way to Today's Top Technology Trends.

The dates to block off in your calendar are August 20th in the afternoon and all day 21st and 22nd.  We are putting the final touches on the schedule and flyer and will post it later this week.

Thanks to all the agents, brokers and staff of Montgomery for having me back on a regular bases!

Dick Betts

National Speaker Real Estate

www.DickBetts.com

Dick@DickBetts.com

I enjoy getting the Sunday morning paper,turning on Sunday morning news programs and having a cup of coffee.  As I am half reading and half listening I read and hear the word blog at the same time.  It seems everybody is now either quoting or referring to blogs.

I am again reminded how blogging has changed not only my world but the world around me.  I watched my web hits jump thru the roof, I been hired places I never heard of and been interviewed by publications I could have only hoped for because of blogging.

And how about the social networking?  I have friends on blog sites that read my stuff and one of them sent me a comment last week he knew what I was doing but didn't know what his own family was doing.

Rock on bloggers!

Dick Betts

National Real Estate Speaker

www.DickBetts.com

Dick@DickBetts

On Wednesday of this week local Real Estate Trainer Chad Kumpe ask me to make a guest appearance at a local seminar he was conducting.  It worked out for me as I was leaving later in the day for 3 gigs in Indiana.  He shocked me with a fact, 4% of the 1.2 million agents blog!  So I looked at the most popular Real Estate blogging sites and realized he was right.

I know when I am called upon to give my "Today's Top Technology Trends"seminar I always ask how many are blogging and surprised with the show of hands.  So my questions is WHY?  Are all you bloggers keeping this powerful tool to yourself?  Do agents look at this as too much time and work?  Are they afraid of the unknown blogging world?

This week I started to collect business cards and send them an invitation, I can't do much more then that, or can I?

Dick Betts

National Real Estate Speaker

Dick@DickBetts.com

www.DickBetts.com

If you are like most people you just get too many emails a day, and the thought of downloading them all to your phone brings up visions of spam, shopping websites and just plain junk coming into your Smartphone.  Well there is a setting you need to know about on both Palm operating Smartphones and Windows operating Smartphones that will speed up your email and unclutter your life.  Read below for which device you are using.

Palm OS, if you are using Versamail, which some carriers label it as "Email" you can change a few setting.  Go to your email, tap on the "Menu" button, looks like a set of steps going into the basement, then scroll across looking for "Options" and under Options you will see "Preferences".  Tap on "Preferences" and scroll to "Incoming", at the top of the page you will see "Get" tap where it says "Entire Message" and switch it to "Subject Only".  What happens now it will download only who it's from and the Subject line.  So you can quickly delete if junk or open it and tap on the small envelope at the bottom of the page to download the body of the email.

Windows OS, go to your email and tap on the word "Menu", and you will see "Delivery Preferences" then tap on "Filters", in the middle of the screen it will give the choice of either "Get Message Headers Only" which you want to select or "Get full copy of message", which slows down your email.

Some carriers use their own designed and built email program, you might want to contact them if you can't find the above buttons and areas.

Dick Betts

National Speaker Real Estate

www.DickBetts.com

Dick@DickBetts.com

For those of you that own either a Treo 680,700p, 755 or Centro here's a hidden trick.  Hold down your house button, sometimes called the home key and keep it held down.  It opens up a drop down screen with the last 8 programs you opened.

Then using your thumb on the five way navigator, scroll up and down to select the program you want to go to and smash the center button.

If your like me you live in four or five programs and this way you can access them quickly!

Dick Betts

National Real Estate Speaker

www.DickBetts.com

Dick@DickBetts.com

Many times in class folks ask "Where do I find the percentage sign or where's the underscore".  You need to learn about the Alt button.  This works for all Treos whether Palm Operating or Windows Operating.  The Alt key is located next to the Space bar on the right hand side.

First make sure you are some place on your Smartphone where you could enter something like Calendar, Contacts etc.  With your curser flashing tap on the "Alt Key" and you will see a small page open up with some choices.  It doesn't stop there, type the dash (-) then hit "Alt Key" and you will see it quickly shows you the underscore.

Play with your "Alt Key" so you can see what it offers you for when you need it in a hurry.

Dick Betts

National Speaker Real Estate

Mobile Technology Trainer

Dick@DickBetts.com

www.DickBetts.com

For years I taught the Date and Time Stamp with the handheld PDA's, well don't forget it still works on the new Treo's.  Most folks don't even know it exists, just have your cursor flashing then type in the letter s, then hit the ALT key next to the space bar and a drop down screen appears, pick the curse e, then enter DS for date stamp or DTS for date and time stamp.

What's cool is it works in Documents to Go so if you build a template using a word document you can Date Stamp it when that task is done.  A great way to keep organized.

For more tips and trick please visit my website www.DickBetts.com

Dick Betts

National Real Estate Speaker

Mobile Technology Trainer

Dick@DickBetts.com

I just came in from pulling weeds out of the landscaping around my house, what a great time to let your mind work it's magic!  I looked around and thought to myself why does this need to be done regularly and if I don't do it regularly what a mess I have on my hands.

Well folks that's life, a bunch of weeds, if you don't keep up with things next thing you know you are so far behind you don't know if you ever will catch up.  Life has more flowers then weeds but if the weeds grow too tall then you can't see the flowers.

So my July 13th resolution, pull weeds more often whether in the yard or life so I don't need to work so hard to enjoy the view.

Pretty heavy stuff huh?

Dick Betts

National Real Estate Speaker

Motivational Speaker (Sometimes)

www.DickBetts.com

Dick@DickBetts.com