iPods, MP3 Players: Bona Fide Business Tools

By Rick Broida

Everyone loves iPods. And why not? They store mountains of music and the latest models even let you watch TV shows. But these famous features tend to eclipse the devices’ other, more business-savvy talents: downloading photos directly from your digital camera; storing copies of your address book and calendar; transporting large files from one PC to another; and so on. Forget Taylor Hicks and Desperate Housewives; for REALTORS®, an iPod can double as a bona fide business tool.

Of course, Apple’s celebrated baby isn’t the only game in town; many of the latest hard drive-based MP3 players can do more than just music. Let’s take a look at the practical side of these devices, then talk about some noteworthy models you may want to consider.

Audiobooks: Audible.com is an online audiobook store that sells thousands of fiction, non-fiction, and business titles. Many MP3 players, the iPod among them, support Audible content—check the company’s web site for a complete list. Other sources for “books on MP3” include Simply Audiobooks (www.simplyaudiobooks.com) and your local library (check its web site to see if it offers audiobook downloads).

Contacts and Calendars: Wouldn’t it be handy to have an extra copy of your address book and calendar in your pocket? The iPod is among those players that can sync with programs like Outlook and absorb contacts, appointments and even memos.

File Backup/Transport: Except for being physically smaller, the hard drive inside an MP3 player is no different than the one inside your PC. As a result, it can be used to back up important files or to move large chunks of data from one place to another. However, different players work differently in this regard. In some cases, just connecting it to your PC’s USB port is enough: the player gets assigned a drive letter and functions like any other drive (meaning you can view the contents, drag and drop files to and from it and so on). Other players require you to switch over to a “hard-driven mode” or use special software for file management.      

Photo Downloads: When you’re out visiting a property and your digital camera’s memory card fills up, your options are few: swap in another card or start deleting old photos to make room for new ones. A better solution: offload those photos from the camera to your MP3 player’s hard drive. The iPod makes this possible by way of a $30 accessory (the iPod Camera Connector); other players support direct camera connections. There are also a few models that have media slots where you can insert your camera’s memory card and download the photos. The Creative Zen Vision, for instance, has a built-in CompactFlash slot and an available adapter adds slots for Memory Stick, SD and other kinds of media.

Podcasts: A podcast is nothing more than an audio recording, usually of the spoken-word variety. These range from interesting and informative shows like 60 Minutes and NPR’s All Songs Considered to homebrew recordings from individuals or businesses. Because most podcasts are produced in MP3 format, they’re compatible with virtually all portable players. Apple’s iTunes software makes it particularly easy to find and subscribe to podcasts; users of other players can check out myPodder (www.podcastready.com), a free utility that automatically downloads podcasts and copies them to your device.

Voice Recordings: One feature that’s sorely lacking in iPods—but available in many other players—is a built-in voice recorder.

Now that you know some of the hidden talents possessed by MP3 players, the only question left is this: Which model should you buy? Apple’s 30GB iPod probably seems like the no-brainer choice and in many respects it is. Priced at a reasonable $299, it offers simplicity and sex appeal matched by few other players. However, it doesn’t handle voice recordings and if you want to download photos from your camera, you’ll need an optional adapter.

One well-equipped alternative is the Creative Zen Vision:M (www.creative.com). Though priced the same as the iPod, it includes a voice recorder, an FM radio and even the option to record FM stations. Plus, unlike the iPod, the Vision:M is compatible with a growing number of music-subscription services, great if you want to use your MP3 player for, you know, music. The Vision:M’s equally feature-packed older sibling, the Zen Vision, has a larger screen (better for watching videos) and a higher price tag ($399) but adds that all-important media slot for downloading photos from digital cameras.

If you really want to push the MP3 envelope, consider something like the $299 Archos Gmini 402 Camcorder (www.archos.com). True to its name, the Gmini doubles as a digital camera/ camcorder, though don’t expect high-resolution photos or movies. Instead, they’re suitable for posting to Web sites or capturing on-the-fly movies for quick and impressive presentations to clients. The Gmini also has a port for connecting your digital camera and downloading photos. What it doesn’t do is sync with your desktop contact manager, so you can’t use it to look up appointments and phone numbers.

Reprinted with permission from California Real Estate magazine, copyright 2006 by the California Association of REALTORS®, all rights reserved.

Rick Broida is a freelance writer and the author of How to Do Everything with Your Palm Handheld.