Smartphones For Insurance Business

[Guest]

Ok back to the phones...I am waiting for the next iPhone.

I am as well. I was going to get the current one but day-one it had antenna issues from what I read so I decided to wait a while. I have the original iPhone and it's worked well the past 4 years. I'll be interested to learn how the Verizon buyers fare with their new units.

I got an iPad last month and will be interested to see what the new one in April will have... besides a camera which I don't need.

Ebay and Craigslist are your best friends when you have to upgrade tech stuff!!

 

[BTFuzz]

I guess this best phone thing could be very subjective, but as cool as I think the iphone is, I wouldn't get one for business. I have an ipad, I really like it but I email a lot and I can not imagine typing and taking care of all my email on an iphone.

This is just another area were I'm not sold that Blackberry is as far behind as people say...at least for the business user.

I hope you all keep trying to convince me of my next device so the correct decision is made....other than the couple posts about cars, this has been a good start to hopefully a great thread! Mobile devices are becoming more important to us every day.

 

[Insurance-Guy]

I am as well. I was going to get the current one but day-one it had antenna issues from what I read so I decided to wait a while. I have the original iPhone and it's worked well the past 4 years. I'll be interested to learn how the Verizon buyers fare with their new units.

I got an iPad last month and will be interested to see what the new one in April will have... besides a camera which I don't need.

I have the 3GS. Wife has the original iPhone...the iPhone 4 isn't that big of an improvement over the 3GS IMHO! But waiting for the next one or my wife to break hers then I will upgrade!

I love the iPad. I read a lot more since I have had it.

 

[Guest]

I love the iPad. I read a lot more since I have had it.

So do I. I think I know why (for me.) It is so easy for me to read for 20 minutes on book #1 and when tired, quickly switch to book #2... or get/send email... or get some lighter fare via the free Flipboard app... or switch to missed version of some TV show... etc. all while sitting in bed with the old wife (who still likes ink on paper) and her old dog and our two old cats.

This weekend I got the Apple TV thing which is terrific for streaming Netflix. You can control it with the iPad if you like.

The best thing about the Ipad for me and my old eyes is that I can make the font bigger and/or brighten or dim the screen. Have you noticed how so many hard-copy novels have more pages and smaller fonts?

I'm looking at taking my first serious biz trip with just the iPad... and maybe an Apple bluetooth keyboard in case I have to do heavy email while gone. I'm still not too fast with the iPad keyboard software. Both Apple keyboard and iPad will be far lighter than my ancient Macbook lappy.

Al

 

[Guest]

Smart Phone Smackdown iPhone vs. BlackBerry vs. Droid vs. Pre: Smackdown! - PCWorld

 

[DHK]

MOTOROLA ATRIX 4G - Android 2.2 Smartphone - Wireless from AT&T

Just saw that one on TV tonight. Wow!

Now, if only it would run a true Windows OS (like the OQO mini-computers), then this would be the ultimate winning combination!

 

[russelltw]

I just knew the laptop and the computer would merge back together. That is very neat. I wonder if it will catch on. I guess it will need the 4G network to get the real bang for your buck.

You have the power of a laptop with in a phone now, but less of a way to interact with it like a laptop with keyboard and mouse. I thought they might merge the laptop with phone with bluetooth headset. It would work for me, since I work from my desk most time, but I can see where that would not work for a very mobile agent.

 

[Robert Barney]

The most important "app" is Compulife, to me. I have not used it to do an online app yet. Need to try that. Not sure about security of that.

I believe "app" and "app" are two different things, but I could see someone thinking they are the same.

The Compulife "app" is referring to the Compulife Quotation software that runs on a mobile device and allows the user to do insurance comparison.

The second reference to "app" appears to be a reference to an online application form for insurance, as opposed to a handwritten application form.

There are no security issues related to running Compulife on the phone, and I am guessing Winoblues has run Compulife on his phone more than a couple of times.

On another note, the Compulife "app" is not technically an "app" in the Apple sense of the word. What we do is implement a web based, on-line version of the software for the subscriber. It is personalized for each subscriber so that they can determine their own inventory of companies. Further, it is password protected and limited to the number of different device browsers that can be used with it. It is not a link that you send to anyone and everyone, it is for the subscriber's individual use. If a subscriber wants a version for his/her customers, we can do that also but it is $99 per year.

We call this "app" the Compulife mobile version and it is free to any existing subscriber of Compulife or anyone taking the 4 month dare to compare offer. If you are a subscriber, and want to initiate that option, you can apply here:

www.term4sale.com/blackberry

If you are not a subscriber, you can start the dare to compare process here:

Compulife ® Software Inc.

The reason we have done it this way is because there are so many different devices and operating systems that writing software for each one just makes no sense, particularly when they are all hooked up to the web and all have browsers that run the same basic .html/.php sites and services, which is what the mobile version of Compulife runs in. So far, I have not have a subscriber complain that they couldn't run the mobile version on their smart phone, and I can't imagine a future smart phone that won't run it.

 

[BTFuzz]

Smart Phone Smackdown iPhone vs. BlackBerry vs. Droid vs. Pre: Smackdown! - PCWorld

That's a 2009 article?? I have a storm 2 and loved it when it was part of the conversation, but that ship has sailed. (all though I still love mine).

 

[Guest]

The reason we have done it this way is because there are so many different devices and operating systems that writing software for each one just makes no sense, particularly when they are all hooked up to the web and all have browsers that run the same basic .html/.php sites and services, which is what the mobile version of Compulife runs in. So far, I have not have a subscriber complain that they couldn't run the mobile version on their smart phone, and I can't imagine a future smart phone that won't run it.

Please... try not to see the following as an "attack" on your system. Up front let me say that your system is good, accurate, successful, people like it... etc., etc., etc. OK?

Now, IN MY OPINION (if I'm allowed to voice one about CL$) eventually, to stay competitive you will have to / want to write a native application for mobile sector... be it an iPhone or a Droid.

You say it makes no sense? The web is "good enough?" So the 100,000 applications out there for mobile devices were developed by companies who "didn't get it?" You may be right... but I don't think so.

I don't know what mobile device you have, but in my experience using a native application designed and written for that device is so much easier and faster than using a web interface and given the choice I would always choose an "app" over a web interface.

I can read the WSJ or NYT or USAT on the web. But their reader apps make is so much easier, convenient, as well as "fun."

One other thing you might consider is that investing in an "app" might get you a nice financial return as you can charge for it as a value-added benefit. Of course your platform is already very expensive so I'm not sure if the market will accept it but you could easily ask in this venue and to your many thousands of customers and see it would be a worthwhile project to undertake.

CL$ is such a simple, basic, and fairly low-tech (no user data stored) application I doubt it would take even an average developer more than a few weeks... a month at best... to adapt to the iPhone OS4. I don't know about the Droid operating system.

My guess is that Norvax or Quoteit or maybe the AgencyWow or the Radius people might team-up with an insurance data aggregation outfit like iPipe and put out an app and sell it for a dollar a month... $12 a year. And they might enhance the system to eclipse yours by enabling users to store the results of quotes on some server somewhere... maybe illustrations as well.

You've got a good and popular (albeit expensive, IMO) system. I think a bit of market research to see if a mobile app is worthwhile would be in your best interest instead of relying on your "gut" that the web is all you need to stay competitive.

As always, YMMV.

Al
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