Monday, January 29, 2007
Representing Real Estate to the World
Smarter Agent goes International.
Smarter Agent was one of 9 firms selected in Paris to advance to the finals of the NAVTEQ European LBS Challenge. Final judging is held at the 3GSM conference in Barcelona the week of February 10.
Smarter Agent was one of 9 firms selected in Paris to advance to the finals of the NAVTEQ European LBS Challenge. Final judging is held at the 3GSM conference in Barcelona the week of February 10.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
The potential of mobile GPS and Location Based Services (LBS)
LBS, the big picture, revisited:
LBS, which includes GPS, is true disruptive technology that will help usher in the next wave of mobile usage.
I've heard it said IBM dominanted early computing , then Microsoft and now Goolge dominates the Internet. Most agree none of these venerable firms will domiante mobile.
I beleive the winner in mobile will have LBS as a core feature of its offering.
LBS uses mobile to the fullest.
LBS is to mobile, like the Internet was to the computer.
It adds a dimension to an existing technology that opens profound opportunities.
LBS makes mobile applications easy to use, highly personalized and connects people to places.
LBS applications offer a far more interactive experience than “tapping the Internet” from a desktop or mobile phone.
I've noted that in the 1970’s Professor Marshall McLuhan, came up with the phrase, “the medium is the message” to explain how people interact and react to new technology. This interaction determines the success of the content.
For example on the Intercasting blog it was noted the television medium is characterized by sitting back and watching programming pushed from a centralized source. In juxtaposition, the Internet introduced a new medium, where one leans forward and interactively surfs millions of distributed sources.
LBS changes the user experience in wonderful ways.
When mobile is combined with LBS, there is freedom of movement where users access and interact with places and information relvant to their location from cell phones carried at the ready.
This new “user to machine” interaction will create tech winners that re-order content that fits this new medium. While successful new (technologies) mediums, such as mobile LBS, do not kill established industries that evolved first, they do re-order established practices and create new value propositions.
LBS in the context of the fast growing mobile market
Over the next few years, more people will use cell phones than desktop computers to search for information. Already, mobile devices are the best selling consumer device of all time, outpacing computer sales
The race is on to win viewers on what is being termed the ‘third screen’ in our lives. First there was the TV screen, then the computer screen for the Internet, and now the mobile phone screen.
Today, we are seeing the ramp of mobile content (mobile data) and the emergence of LBS, with a lot of room to grow.
Even more lucrative is mobile location-activated dynamic content that ties back into local commerce activities. This is what Smarter Agent does better than anyone.
LBS, which includes GPS, is true disruptive technology that will help usher in the next wave of mobile usage.
I've heard it said IBM dominanted early computing , then Microsoft and now Goolge dominates the Internet. Most agree none of these venerable firms will domiante mobile.
I beleive the winner in mobile will have LBS as a core feature of its offering.
LBS uses mobile to the fullest.
LBS is to mobile, like the Internet was to the computer.
It adds a dimension to an existing technology that opens profound opportunities.
LBS makes mobile applications easy to use, highly personalized and connects people to places.
LBS applications offer a far more interactive experience than “tapping the Internet” from a desktop or mobile phone.
I've noted that in the 1970’s Professor Marshall McLuhan, came up with the phrase, “the medium is the message” to explain how people interact and react to new technology. This interaction determines the success of the content.
For example on the Intercasting blog it was noted the television medium is characterized by sitting back and watching programming pushed from a centralized source. In juxtaposition, the Internet introduced a new medium, where one leans forward and interactively surfs millions of distributed sources.
LBS changes the user experience in wonderful ways.
When mobile is combined with LBS, there is freedom of movement where users access and interact with places and information relvant to their location from cell phones carried at the ready.
This new “user to machine” interaction will create tech winners that re-order content that fits this new medium. While successful new (technologies) mediums, such as mobile LBS, do not kill established industries that evolved first, they do re-order established practices and create new value propositions.
LBS in the context of the fast growing mobile market
Over the next few years, more people will use cell phones than desktop computers to search for information. Already, mobile devices are the best selling consumer device of all time, outpacing computer sales
The race is on to win viewers on what is being termed the ‘third screen’ in our lives. First there was the TV screen, then the computer screen for the Internet, and now the mobile phone screen.
Today, we are seeing the ramp of mobile content (mobile data) and the emergence of LBS, with a lot of room to grow.
Even more lucrative is mobile location-activated dynamic content that ties back into local commerce activities. This is what Smarter Agent does better than anyone.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
APTS FOR RENT, by Smarter Agent
Here is the release put out by Apartments.com: One of our mobile GPS apartment listing providers.
Apartments.com Partnership Creates Nation’s First Ever GPS Apartment Search Application Accessible through Mobile Phones
Apartments.com today announced a national partnership with Smarter Agent to provide apartment listing content through wireless carriers.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Apartments.com Partnership Creates Nation’s First Ever GPS Apartment Search Application Accessible through Mobile Phones
CHICAGO, January 9, 2007 – Apartments.com today announced a national partnership with Smarter Agent to provide apartment listing content through wireless carriers. While in a neighborhood, subscribers to this service will be able to find apartments for rent using cell phones equipped with global positioning system (GPS) technology. The commercial launch of the application will take place immediately after the Super Bowl, the traditional start of the “real estate season”.
Smarter Agent is the premier provider of GPS real estate applications that work on mobile devices including cell phones. Consumers download Smarter Agent just as they would a ring tone or game and get a robust experience designed specifically for mobile users.
Once the Smarter Agent application is downloaded to a cell phone, each time it is engaged, the user is located and Apartments.com listings from that area are instantly shown. The user may also access rental price, apartment features and pictures directly from this service. Appointments with the apartment owner/property manager can then be made through an immediate and direct connection.
All properties that advertise directly with Apartments.com will have their listings uploaded to Smarter Agent for access by these mobile subscribers.
“As mobile phones are practically everywhere, partnering with Smarter Agent is a logical step in capturing this valuable rental audience. By providing listings through this service, renters across the United States can now access Apartments.com on the go,” said Chris Long, vice president of product development at Apartments.com.
“Bringing print to the web is powerful, and mobile is certainly next. Smarter Agent has created a tool that is a win for our Apartments.com partner, their advertisers, and most notably the consumer who now has instant access to great apartments from devices they carry at all times,” said Brad Blumberg, CEO of Smarter Agent.
In addition to GPS searches, a user can search anywhere in the US by city and state to research multiple areas of interest, save properties to their phone, or call the listed number for more information right from the application.
The application will make its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week in Las Vegas as part of the Navteq and Qualcomm exhibits showcasing new mobile lifestyles.
About Apartments.com Apartments.com is the most visited national apartment Internet listing subscription service distinguished by more than two million rental listings from managed properties, newspaper classifieds and for-rent-by-owner units. Its personalized searches, highly visual ads featuring 360-degree virtual tours and professional photography, and comprehensive community listings, make it possible for in-market renters to access rental inventory from across town or across the country and make informed decisions quickly. The site's foundation of solid partnerships with the local newspaper and television station Web sites of more than 190 affiliates across the country includes the Chicago Tribune (www.chicagotribune.com), The Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com) and the Los Angeles Times (www.latimes.com). Apartments.com, a division of Chicago-based Classified Ventures, LLC, delivers highly qualified, ready-to-rent prospects to more than 14,500 trade customers, which increases closure rates and decreases the average cost of leasing an apartment. ###
About Apartments.com
Based in Chicago, Apartments.com is a national online apartment guide and relocation resource distinguished by its highly customized searches, superior visual ads and affiliation with more than 150 newspapers across the country.
Apartments.com currently represents millions of apartments in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
About Smarter Agent
CTIA, the telecommunications industry association, recently named Smarter Agent the 2006 Winner in its Emerging Technology Awards LBS/GPS category. Smarter Agent combines the powerful capabilities of location-based services, such as GPS, with real estate information. Smarter Agent has been granted 3 patents governing the use of GPS and location-based services in real estate applications.
Apartments.com Partnership Creates Nation’s First Ever GPS Apartment Search Application Accessible through Mobile Phones
Apartments.com today announced a national partnership with Smarter Agent to provide apartment listing content through wireless carriers.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Apartments.com Partnership Creates Nation’s First Ever GPS Apartment Search Application Accessible through Mobile Phones
CHICAGO, January 9, 2007 – Apartments.com today announced a national partnership with Smarter Agent to provide apartment listing content through wireless carriers. While in a neighborhood, subscribers to this service will be able to find apartments for rent using cell phones equipped with global positioning system (GPS) technology. The commercial launch of the application will take place immediately after the Super Bowl, the traditional start of the “real estate season”.
Smarter Agent is the premier provider of GPS real estate applications that work on mobile devices including cell phones. Consumers download Smarter Agent just as they would a ring tone or game and get a robust experience designed specifically for mobile users.
Once the Smarter Agent application is downloaded to a cell phone, each time it is engaged, the user is located and Apartments.com listings from that area are instantly shown. The user may also access rental price, apartment features and pictures directly from this service. Appointments with the apartment owner/property manager can then be made through an immediate and direct connection.
All properties that advertise directly with Apartments.com will have their listings uploaded to Smarter Agent for access by these mobile subscribers.
“As mobile phones are practically everywhere, partnering with Smarter Agent is a logical step in capturing this valuable rental audience. By providing listings through this service, renters across the United States can now access Apartments.com on the go,” said Chris Long, vice president of product development at Apartments.com.
“Bringing print to the web is powerful, and mobile is certainly next. Smarter Agent has created a tool that is a win for our Apartments.com partner, their advertisers, and most notably the consumer who now has instant access to great apartments from devices they carry at all times,” said Brad Blumberg, CEO of Smarter Agent.
In addition to GPS searches, a user can search anywhere in the US by city and state to research multiple areas of interest, save properties to their phone, or call the listed number for more information right from the application.
The application will make its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week in Las Vegas as part of the Navteq and Qualcomm exhibits showcasing new mobile lifestyles.
About Apartments.com Apartments.com is the most visited national apartment Internet listing subscription service distinguished by more than two million rental listings from managed properties, newspaper classifieds and for-rent-by-owner units. Its personalized searches, highly visual ads featuring 360-degree virtual tours and professional photography, and comprehensive community listings, make it possible for in-market renters to access rental inventory from across town or across the country and make informed decisions quickly. The site's foundation of solid partnerships with the local newspaper and television station Web sites of more than 190 affiliates across the country includes the Chicago Tribune (www.chicagotribune.com), The Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com) and the Los Angeles Times (www.latimes.com). Apartments.com, a division of Chicago-based Classified Ventures, LLC, delivers highly qualified, ready-to-rent prospects to more than 14,500 trade customers, which increases closure rates and decreases the average cost of leasing an apartment. ###
About Apartments.com
Based in Chicago, Apartments.com is a national online apartment guide and relocation resource distinguished by its highly customized searches, superior visual ads and affiliation with more than 150 newspapers across the country.
Apartments.com currently represents millions of apartments in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
About Smarter Agent
CTIA, the telecommunications industry association, recently named Smarter Agent the 2006 Winner in its Emerging Technology Awards LBS/GPS category. Smarter Agent combines the powerful capabilities of location-based services, such as GPS, with real estate information. Smarter Agent has been granted 3 patents governing the use of GPS and location-based services in real estate applications.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
CES, GPS, LBS, Smarter Agent, Real Estate, Cell phones, Vertical Mobile GPS Search and Advertising
If you are interested in GPS/LBS and mobile search for real estate, come visit us at CES 2007- Consumer Electronics Show.
We are in the QUALCOMM booth and the NAVTEQ booth at CES. CES officially starts on Monday. These are fantastic exhibits showcasing new mobile lifestyles.
We will unveil a new mobile GPS search that covers new ground in real estate.
The new application as some user generated features and uploads and let's local advertisers post ads that will immediately be seen by mobile searchers looking for homes and apartments.
Mobile advertising to real estate searchers
with large discretionary spending,
that are moving into the neighborhood,
and that are right around the corner!
Back when I did a bit of retail development, the name of the game was to get a consumer in your store 3 times. Then they were a customer! Which is why those supermarkets give you FREE eggs one week, FREE bread the next week, etc. People get familair coming in, knowing where things are, seeing your freindly and helpful store stafff ...
We have a very cool local offer system in place for our new mobile GPS applications.
If you are a retailer like IKEA, Home Depot or Best Buy or local restaurant or serivce provider (agent, moving company, insurance) you will want to talk to us, - we want to talk to you.
We would be happy to show our new applicaitons to you at CES.
Call us at 856-614-5423 to schedule a time to talk if you are press covering the event or a partner that wants to talk.
Will post more at weeks end.
We are in the QUALCOMM booth and the NAVTEQ booth at CES. CES officially starts on Monday. These are fantastic exhibits showcasing new mobile lifestyles.
We will unveil a new mobile GPS search that covers new ground in real estate.
The new application as some user generated features and uploads and let's local advertisers post ads that will immediately be seen by mobile searchers looking for homes and apartments.
Mobile advertising to real estate searchers
with large discretionary spending,
that are moving into the neighborhood,
and that are right around the corner!
Back when I did a bit of retail development, the name of the game was to get a consumer in your store 3 times. Then they were a customer! Which is why those supermarkets give you FREE eggs one week, FREE bread the next week, etc. People get familair coming in, knowing where things are, seeing your freindly and helpful store stafff ...
We have a very cool local offer system in place for our new mobile GPS applications.
If you are a retailer like IKEA, Home Depot or Best Buy or local restaurant or serivce provider (agent, moving company, insurance) you will want to talk to us, - we want to talk to you.
We would be happy to show our new applicaitons to you at CES.
Call us at 856-614-5423 to schedule a time to talk if you are press covering the event or a partner that wants to talk.
Will post more at weeks end.
