Technology For Agents

Though this can be a direct testament to my inability to read an instruction manual, I have finally learned how to enable multiple stops along a home tour using the Mio C310x. It’s actually quite simple. Using the “Edit Route” feature, you can add stops to your route by searching for a new address, using past searched properties through your history, even by coordinates.

I’ve used this feature in the field and can attest to it’s usefulness. How was I searching for homes prior to placing the multiple stops in the C310x? I was entering each address one by one. After getting in the car after touring a property, I would check the next stop on the list and begin a GPS search using the C310x. I would use the multi-stop feature of Mapquest to find out the most efficient route from property to property on the day’s tour.

You never know when a GPS device such as the Mio C310x will come in handy. In one particular case, I was able to show my client the area in relation to the property we were touring. This quick overview of the nearby streets allowed him to gain his bearings on where he was exactly, and helped him understand that the home was actually quite close to the highway and other major thoroughfares.

A GPS device is, in my opinion, a worthwhile investment for any real estate agent. Though I don’t feel it’s absolutely necessary to sell real estate, it sure does come in handy in those parts of town you are not 100% familiar with.

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I did the unthinkable; I made a compulsive purchase. About three weeks ago, I was at my B&M Circuit City and happened to stroll by the GPS display. They seemed to twinkle and beep at me just as the casino slots do at those theme parks for adults. I paused, and began to inspect the new arrivals, prices, and sales that were going on at the time. I actually had an appointment nearly 45 minutes from my office that day, so I thought that a GPS should come in quite handy. Indeed; the miniscule device performed quite well despite my lack of knowledge of the area.

I bought the Mio Digiwalker C310x, a new device that just hit that market as i was told, mostly due to it’s size, features, and sleek look. This unit ran me $429.99, and it surely has paid for itself in saving me from humiliation while on a showing tour.

The Mio Digiwalker C310x is a portable car naviagation system that comes preloaded with the entire US Map. It also features turn-by-turn guidance and an MP3 player which I have yet to utilize. It is a pocket sized device running on Windows CE and uses Tele Atlas maps. The actual unit I purchased comes in a sleek white design with an integrated antennae.

Initial Impressions

Upon opening the box, I was easily able to put together the car suction cup adapter which took a few tries to get right. It also has a pivot head that will allow you to adjust the GPS to a passenger copilot or straight on for everyone in the car to conveniently see. Startup was simple, and it booted up and the GPS was locked on within a few minutes.

I began to play with routing and discovered the finding locations was actually very easy. The system actually will stop making you type in the address once it narrows down the street to a select number of streets you could possibly choose. All the buttons to press are moderately sized, and may give those with larger hands a difficult time to use comfortably. None the less, it worked perfectly for me and the GPS signal wasn’t lost through the city of Houston.

The routing feature worked well, but did take some getting used to. Sometimes the Digiwalker would repeatedly request a really inconvenient route to take, mostly in part because it was technically the shortest route possible. The lack of traffic integration is to be expected at this price, but it could come in really handy in the future.

Battery life is really excellent on the C310x, in my opinion. I use the unit daily, and have it plugged in sometimes, but I haven’t had the thought come across my mind that the Digiwalker had short battery life at all. I actually have the unit plugged in every once and a while, with it probably 80% of the time unplugged from it’s in-car charger. The only feature I wish was automatically enabled was the automatic shutoff. Out of the box, the Mio will stay on even while unplugged if you don’t manually turn it off. There is a setting in system options to turn it off at pre-determined time intervals (such as in 10 minutes of inactivity).

Summary

It seems that Mio is a new player in the field and their GPS device works as intended. The C310x is being used daily and I will be sure to records my moments of awe, and woe, as days progress with its use. For now, as a real estate agent, I can’t see how I ever got around town without a GPS device. Let alone that all my clients are amazed at it’s size; it’s a very convenient tool for showing tours and locating that hard to find property just around the corner.

Update: According to one of my readers, Jack, you can now get the Mio Digiwalker C310x for $299 at Circuit City. Aren’t price reductions grand?
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