New Internet Appliances Promise Web Access for All

If computer phobia has caused you to miss the advantages the Internet offers real estate professionals, take heart. Accessing an online MLS for the latest listings or reporting to your sellers by e-mail just got simpler.

A new wave of hardware solutions has appeared, developed for those who never made the transition to computers or who want an additional, inexpensive way to connect. Dubbed “Internet appliances,” these specialized machines make Web resources and e-mail accessible to those with little more technical proficiency than the ability to flip on a switch, turn a dial and type. And with prices between $200 and $600, even the most expensive offers a very attractive gateway to the World Wide Web.

In fact, these solutions deliver the combination of ease of use and affordability that destines them to become a fixture anywhere Internet access would be a convenience. Their small size also lets Internet appliances fit easily into bedrooms or other spaces that can’t accommodate a full-size PC. With more of the information resources real estate practitioners rely on available online, that could be anywhere at home, around the office or wherever your work takes you.

Thanks to their convenience and low price, market researchers expect these products to be among the fastest growing computer sub-categories over the next few years. Cahners' In-Stat Group projects global shipments of Internet appliances will surge 15-fold by 2004, with sales of wired Internet appliances growing to more than 37 million units, compared to two million units sold in 1999. Another research firm, Parks Associates, projects 22 million information appliances will be sold next year alone, compared with 18 million home PCs.

Ready to fill this anticipated demand is a new generation of hardware devices, most of them new within the last year. This entire first class of products only hints at the capabilities of net appliances to come, but it does make an impressive start.

Just a few weeks ago 3Com, former parent of the Palm line of personal digital assistants, unveiled its first Internet appliance, dubbed Audrey. Launched as a consumer product, the four-pound Audrey delivers the simplicity and functionality that could also make it an attractive solution for some professionals.

Roughly 9 inches by 12 inches, it boasts a 7.8-inch color screen, a 56K modem, mini, wireless keyboard, and electronic stylus. In addition to general Internet access, users can “tune in” to preset sites such as ESPN or ABCNews using a dial on the front of the unit. You can select up to six more “stations” from a list of Web sites that offer content for Audrey. A touch of the unit’s mail button accesses your e-mail current account. To compose a message, you have a choice of typing text on the smallish keyboard, writing a note with the stylus on screen, or recording the message by voice.

Audrey has a built in USB port for printing and can synchronize data and scheduling information with up to two Palm organizers. 3Com projects the price will be $499.

Compaq launched its own version of an Internet appliance a few months back with the iPAQ Home Internet Appliance. It boasts a larger screen than Audrey, at 10.1 inches, a wireless keyboard, 56K modem, and USB port for printing or adding other peripherals. The iPAQ is designed to access the Web through Microsoft’s MSN network and can view Word, Excel, and PowerPoint attachments to e-mail. It's offered for outright purchase at a suggested retail price of $599, or $199 with a three-year commitment to MSN at $21.95 per month.

Netpliance’s I-Opener was one of the first appliances out of the gate when it debuted in early 2000. It has the look of a compact PC and features a 10-inch screen, 56K modem, full-sized keyboard with integrated mouse, built-in speakers and microphone and two USB ports. The suggested retail is $299, plus $21.95 for Netpliance Web service

These and the other Internet appliances promised for coming months are in no way a replacement for the power and versatility of a PC system. But thanks to their convenience and affordability, they do offer quick access to the Internet whenever and wherever it’s needed. And for those who have been reluctant to embrace computers, Internet appliances offer an opportunity to participate in the revolution the Internet has brought to the real estate industry.