From the website: “The MapQuest 4 Mobile downloadable application provides easy access to Directions, Maps, and Local Search. With MapQuest 4 Mobile you also have the ability to integrate your saved maps and directions on MapQuest.com to the MapQuest 4 Mobile mobile application. To start saving your maps and directions generated at MapQuest.com”

Mapquest 4 Mobile

Via Lifehacker: MapQuest 4 Mobile features voice guidance, off-route assistance (it can automatically re-route you), point-of-interest integration, and plain-text search. (being able to simply search for a location by name is great.) The maps and directions are all downloaded as you go from MapQuest, so it’s also a very lightweight download (“offline” GPS apps are often several gigabytes); the downside to that is that it won’t work if you don’t have a data connection.

MapQuest 4 Mobile isn’t as polished as Google Maps Navigation. It doesn’t rotate the map based on the direction you’re heading, no Street View, no search by voice, no traffic information.

MapQuest 4 Mobile is a free download.

It’ll be interesting to see whether this competes at all (either in its current form or what it morphs into) with vehicle tracking systems in the future.

I’ve listed several applications which you can download and start using today to become a better mobile real estate professional.  I’ve recommended  applications I’m using for real estate purposes which aren’t necessarily built specifically for real estate.  Once you’ve downloaded the App World Application from Blackberry’s mobile site, you can quickly access these.

#1 Google App Suite – The Google App Suite is a must for any real estate user of Blackberry.  It provides you quick access to Google Maps (life saving), Google Reader (for reading your real estate blogs, including GeekEstate, of course), Mobile Search, Gmail (or Google Apps for you corporate users), Calendar, Photos, and Notebook (great for notes on the fly when you realize you forgot your pen).   These are quick to access, load fast, and are extremely dependable on your Blackberry.

#2 Smarter Agent – Smarter Agent seems to be the only major real estate centric application on the market right now.  I’ve found it useful for accessing MLS data on the go.  Since it is pulling from the MLS you get tons of data although it loads incredibly slowly.  It is especially useful in scheduling showings, looking up seller agent data, finding comparable sale, and as an overall tool for buyer reps.  The cost is free and I’d strongly recommend every real estate professional with a Blackberry download it.

#3 UberTwitter – I’ve tried many Blackberry Twitter apps only to have settled, for now, on UberTwitter for Blackberry.  The distinct advantage UberTwitter offers over its main Twitter for Blackberry rival is that UberTwitter offers is the ability to search and to do it well by geography.  This allows me to quickly access hashtags, search for users, key phrases, and more.  I can also narrow the search by the number of miles from location and enable geotagging on my Tweets.  Until something better replaces UberTwitter, I feel like it wins on ease of use and features.  UbertTwitter is free.

#4 Yammer- Real estate is still very much a people business and effective communication in within companies is more important than ever.  Twitter for business comes most easily the shape of Yammer.  Yammer allows teams and groups to easily communicate without having to create email distribution lists.  The Blackberry app is sweet because after a showing an agent can send a quick update back to their team, or allows a team leader to easily distribute a lead to an agents phone.  My company has become Yammer addicts facilitating more team communication.  The Blackberry App for Yammer takes this completely mobile.  Cost is free.

Bonus Item:  Your CRM – If you use a CRM tool or are evaluating one, make sure they have a mobile version of the software.  I personally use SalesForce.com and they have an excellent application for Blackberry which lets me search for contacts, update contacts, add tasks, and much more.

Of course these are just a sample of the many useful Blackberry applications for real estate.  There are certainly many more such as mortgage calculators, flashlights, voice-to-text translating, and everything in between. Despite the buzz surrounding Google’s Nexus, the Android operating system, and iPhones, Blackberry is holding its place in the enterprise and with many in the real estate industry. The Blackberry App World gives those of us clinging to our Blackberrys hope in creating a mobile tool box for real estate.

Business applications for the Smartphone, Blackberry and iPhone are becoming more of a necessity for today’s Real Estate Industry Professional and Brokerage. Consumers are able to download these applications right from their portable/mobile phones and devices for FREE.  The question is what should be included in your Real Estate Business App? Recently, I had a Business Card app designed by me and built by MobileAppLoader Inc.  At the time, there were only 3 or 4 Real Estate Related Apps available from the iTunes store for the iPhone.

Today there are literally hundreds of Real Estate Related apps online and most are free to the end user, the consumer.  With the explosion of mobile devices and wireless technology, 3G, edge, and others, now is the time to consider having a mobile application created for you or your business. You need to have more than just an online business card these days. You need to have something that offers value, useful tools, something to “equip” your clients and prospects, and on ALL platforms.

Why have a mobile App? To promote your business. To keep your customers updated. To encourage customer loyalty with rewards. To set up M-commerce. Some tools to consider for your mobile app might include: Direct Contact Info, Text Messaging, Auto GPS Locator, Property Search, Hyper-Local Information, Video, Website and Blog Access, Instant Chat Capability, Featured Listings, MLS/IDX Access, Loan Calculators, and any other tools you see fit to provide a unique and rewarding mobile experience.

A couple of weeks ago, I attended the REBarCamp in Silicon Valley, I was able to meet with owners representing companies like SmarterAgent and MobileAppLoader.  These folks can design custom apps for mobile devices and cell phones.  After attending their session, I was convinced that it’s time to evaluate your Company’s Mobile Technology Products and tools, as well as your current and future clients needs.  In my honest opinion, I think this is the hottest and fastest growing arena in business today. “Mobile Technology!” You should consider getting YOUR Company or Business on board right away.

It won’t be a choice for long, it’ll be a business requirement and Industry Standard.

Sorry for the low video quality.