There's much more to mobile than just the iPad. Smartphones and Android tablets are everywhere and clever technology companies have built apps that work wonders on these mobile devices.

These apps are as diverse as the devices they're built for. Some may be consumer-facing property search apps, branded to an agent or broker. Others are strictly for professionals, many of which are plugged-in to MLS data to ensure you have all information at your fingertips no matter where you are. And don't forget helpful apps for digital signatures, marketing, and forms! If you have a mobile need, there's probably a great app to fill it.

To help you learn more about mobile solutions, we recommend reading the following articles. They're a good place to get started:

• What to Look for in a Mobile Solution
• Real Estate Apps: Have They Downloaded Yours Yet?
• Mobile App or Mobile Website? The Pros and Cons of Each

Choosing the Right Tool

If you're in the market for a mobile app, there are questions you can ask to evaluate which option is right for you, like:

• Do I want a consumer-facing app or do I want an app that is strictly for professionals?
• If this is a consumer search app that my agents will share with their clients, what kind of branding does it offer to my brokerage?
• What functionality is available when I am not connected to the Internet?
• Which devices was this app built for? Will it run on my smartphone or tablet's operating system?
• Does the developer of this app have permission to access my MLS data?

Find more questions to ask in our 2014 Technology Guide. It's a free resource for real estate professionals who want to learn more about the technology products available to them.

Here are two mobile solutions highlighted in the Tech Guide:

• Home Search Apps from Mobile Realty Apps - Your branding on a beautiful home search mobile app--this is what Mobile Realty Apps offers and has created for some of the nations top brokers. User-friendly for you and consumers, the app encourages repeat usage.
• InstanetForms2Go - A secure contract and forms management solution that you can use on any device. This app offers branding opportunities and complete integration with Instanet's full suite of products. Seamlessly import MLS data, tax data, and more directly into your forms.

For more information on the option above, download the full guide. For a full list of mobile apps, visit our Product Directory.

More in this Series

This is the latest in a series of articles that explores the spectrum of technology products available to real estate professionals. Each post covers what a specific type of technology does, how to evaluate solutions in that category, and available options. Here's what we've covered so far:

• CMAs
• Back office solutions
• Electronic Signatures
• Real Estate Websites
• Document and Transaction Management
• Virtual Office Websites
• Lifestyle Search
• Lockboxes
• Mobile Apps
• Website Analytics
• Market Analytics
• Online Reputation Management
• IDX Websites
• Online Marketing
• Lead Generation

Stay tuned for more!