Touchscreen technology clears away the clutter

8th October 2004
Coran Lill

Real estate firm The Professionals in Lower Hutt has moved into the 21st century, buying six touchscreens to replace its cumbersome window display boards.

The $9000 40-inch screens, which use technology by local company NextWindow and specially designed software by internet company 3webfeet, went "live" in the agency's new offices last month.

3webfeet said it was unable to find similar real estate technology anywhere in the world. The software cost The Professionals about $33,000.

Passersby can stop and access information about houses the Cornwall St agency has for sale ¬ including photos. Four screens can be accessed by pedestrians and another two screens are available inside the office.

Potential customers can search depending on whether they are looking to buy or rent and can search under different price categories and areas.

They can register their name and phone number and an agent is automatically text-messaged with the person's contact details.

The information that appears on the screen matches that on the Professionals' website.

This avoided the need for the agency to update often faded photos and out-of-date details on the window display boards, which cluttered up the office, Lower Hutt principal John Ross said.

The sale of the touchscreen technology to the real estate industry is another boost to four-year-old Auckland-based NextWindow.

The company recently broke into the US market with the signing of three multiple-screen deals in Dallas and Oklahoma (NBR, July 30).

NextWindow's technology uses tiny optical sensors at the edge of the screen to pinpoint the position of a finger, whereas most touchscreens work by sensing the pressure of a finger placed against a screen.