MAC OS Leopard: Sleek, smart and ready for real estate

For those who think Macs are just for artists and musicians think again and again. The release of Mac OS Leopard, loaded with tools like iChat, Cover Flow, Quick Look and .Mac, has tons of relevance for the business user, including those in real estate.

Take the server side applications. Today a brokerage can acquire a Xserve G5 and install it as their in- house server and allow agents to access their docs from anywhere using their own Mac and .Mac account. Files will present themselves in cover flow – a process that provides the user more than just a pretty visual.

With iChat, locating, sharing, grabbing and presenting documents and delivering presentations (using Keynote) and videocasts on properties has been made much more powerful. When I consider the endless possibilities this feature has for showing property, I shudder.

Over a million iPhones have been sold, many to PC users who are getting their first taste of a Mac experience. These phones are purchased at Mac stores where Apple has beautifully redefined the retail experience.

Having used a PC since the early 90’s, I always felt that owning one was like owing a circa 1960’s VW Bus. Breakdowns were inevitable, the ride was bumpy, and reaching your destination intact was never a sure thing. The Mac ride is insanely different. At times it’s downright seductive.

Leopard promises 300 new features. Granted some of it is eye candy. And why not? We stare into these boxes all day long and develop deep relationships with them. Why shouldn’t they dress up for us once in a while? We turn them on daily — it’s about time they turned us on once in a while

As for the applications .. with Time Machine, all I can say is I can’t wait to lose a document.

— Davison