Ben Martin is recognized as a recipient of the 2010 REALTOR®Technology Spotlight Award in the Innovator category. CRT asked a few questions. Check out what Ben Martin shared with us:
1- What is your favorite tech tool out there? What makes it so great? Right now it must be GMail Priority Inbox. Its ability to learn, predict and know what messages are important to me has made managing my personal inbox so much easier and quicker. Just a few months ago I would have to periodically clean out my inbox just to stay organized. Now, I let GMail do its thing and I’m content to just allow those less important emails to slink off the page.
2- where do you get the latest technology information to keep you ahead of the curve? There’s really too much to keep up with it all, so I try to keep tabs on a few trusted friends who tend to be ahead of the curve, or right up on it. Relying on them to try out the latest and greatest saves me a lot of time and ensures that by the time I get around to trying out a new technology, it has seen some wider acceptance.
3- As a tech thought leader – what kind of information are you looking to get your hands on? I’m interested in what’s the hot new tech, but even more than that, I’m interested in what’s working, what’s practical and what’s getting results. I also like to learn about new and different ways people are measuring results.
4- What is the biggest trend you see developing in real estate right now – tech or otherwise? The biggest developing trend in real estate is a shift in attitudes about homeownership. On the tech side of things, it’s not hard to imagine a web based service coming on the scene within a few years that will help buyers zero in on neighborhoods where the residents have similar demographic and psychographic traits.
5- Finally, which do you like best – iPhone; Android; WindowsMobile; Blackberry; Other? Why? I’m a recent convert to Android. With all of the ways that Google is part of my life on the web (search, mail, documents, web browser, bookmarking, etc.) having a Google-powered mobile phone just makes too much sense. Plus, I like being able to actually make phone calls on my smart phone. 
~~~ Stay tuned to this blog as we spotlight Brad Nix in the next few days.~~~~
If you are joining us in New Orleans for the REALTORS® Conference & Expo, stay connected while away from your office & home!
The CRT WiFi Hotspot will be available Thursday, Nov 4 starting at 8:00am through Monday, Nov 8, 1:00pm. in the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel, Ballroom Promenade. Not only can you access free WiFi, but you can charge your cell phone/smartphone at the ReCharge Station. While you are there, play around with the Microsoft Surface table.
If you are looking to catch up on your social media to-do’s stop by the Bloggers’ Lounge – in the Morial Convention Center, Room 231-232 – starting Friday, Nov 5 through Sunday, Nov 7 from 10:00am to 5:00pm and Monday, Nov 8 from 10:00am to Noon. For your convenience, a cell phone/smartphone ReCharge Station is also available in the Bloggers’ Lounge.
Interested in learning more about apps that CRT makes available to real estate professionals like you, stop by the Start Up Pavilion on Saturday, Nov 6 between 9:00am – 4:00pm. Convention Center Expo Floor, Hall C, Booth S-1656.
With the many tech sessions available during the conference, don’t miss the REBarCamp (Thursday); Embracing Consumer Generated Agent Reviews (12:30pm, Friday); Real Estate Road Warrior (2:30pm, Friday); the Peer-to-Peer Sessions (9am and 10am, Saturday); the Business Technology & Information Systems Forum (1:30pm, Saturday); Privacy Protection for You, Me, Anyone (9:00am, Sunday); Protecting Yourself and Your Clients (11:00am, Sunday); Embracing New Technologies in Your Organization (11:00am, Sunday); Connecting with Consumers through Mobile Technologies (1:30pm, Sunday); How to Secure Your Companies & Your Employees (1:30pm, Sunday); Real Estate Security Panel Wrap-Up (3:30pm, Sunday); WordPress Camp (9:00am, Monday).
And, because no one can be everywhere they want to be…stay tuned to what’s going on in during the 2010 REALTORS® Conference & Expo via NardiGras Conference Live!
