Posts Tagged ‘Mac’

Cool Apps: Dropbox for Seamless Syncing

0 Comments

Par for the course in real estate sales is the mounds of contracts and files that pile up. And of course, you’re pressed for time and need to access these contracts while juggling a thousand other things and in your car all day.

Google Docs is pretty good for this. But if you need a little more under the hood then Dropbox is a fantastic option since it lets you sync between devices and platforms (attention: dual Windows and Mac users), while also enabling online access.

Think: anytime, anywhere access to your contracts and super easy file sharing. Think: you can drop a file in your Dropbox drive on your laptop and then pull it up on any smart phone later. Think: you can reduce a few dozen emails to your clients to a simple shared folder where you constantly update contracts and other files and communication.

And it’s free for up to 2 GB of storage – $9.99 per month for up to 50 GB (higher pricing tiers for even more storage).

Dropbox’s shared folder feature can be a lifesaver for agents who are tired of the constant paper shuffle back and forth via email. And with the added privacy of the service, you can feel more secure using this feature with your clients’ sensitive information.

Also, can you say automatic backup?  Yes, automatic online backup without you having to think about it.

Dropbox has been around for a few years, now with more than 4 million users. One thing you’ll notice after using it for awhile is that its users are kind of like Apple fanboys – raving fanatics. One of these users wrote a great article on LifeHacker about various ways to use Dropbox beyond your basic file sync. Use the service to sync passwords across PCs, control your computer remotely, or to access portable applications from any PC. Now that’s gettin’ geeky!

The company’s referral program probably helps in creating loyal users too. For every friend you refer to the service, you and the friend each get 250 MB of free storage added to your account.

So if you’re desperately searching for a way to simplify your life’s many files, devices and locations, try Dropbox. Then maybe you’ll be the next to discover a cool use no one’s even thought of yet.


Cool Apps: A New Way to Web Conference

1 Comment

At some point in your sales career, you may find yourself teaming up with other agents or service providers in your area to build business. Or maybe you’re working together on a neighborhood event or website. Or maybe you’re trying to win a listing for a client who spends half his year 2,000 miles away in Maui.
 
This type of collaboration inevitably leads to some Web conferencing. But don’t let the nature of a Web conferencing platform kill your creativity. Instead, try something new!
 
Meet Dimdim, an alternative that’s free and also kind of fun as it gives more collaboration opportunities than the usual roster of GoTo Meeting and Webex.
 
Dimdim allows you to meet with your colleagues or even long-distance clients on a live Web page. You don’t have to download anything or even pay to use it if you have just a small group! (Now that’s a nice perk.) It’s literally click a button and boom! Instant meeting commencement.
 
Using Dimdim, you can share documents, Web pages, whiteboards, audio, video and even record your meetings for those who couldn’t make it or just for remembering a thought process or decision that was made.
 
As I mentioned, it is free to use for smaller groups of up to five participants and then starts at $25 per month for unlimited use with more participants. It works on a Mac or a PC. And since there is nothing to install, there’s no excuse for your meeting not to start on time.
 
What really stands out about this new platform is the collaboration capability and the fact that you don’t have to download anything to use it. For that, it’s worth checking out!