I have a Sprint Palm Centro, and love it. It now comes in colors suitable for the whole family, has a removable battery, is small and fits in one hand, has a tactile QWERTY keyboard, and is easy to use. What's not to like? Best of all, with a two year contract, it only costs $99.99. I don't get paid for loving this smartphone. Here is a new ad that shows off the advantages and relative size.
Link: PalmAddicts: Don't sell your iPhone before you read this.
Honest, I didn't set out to be the defender of the faith for Palm. I also didn't set out to be the truth teller about Apple products. Sometimes, however, when the Apple intelligentsia hype machine gets going, it makes me crazy. The "I am better, cooler, handsomer, prettier, and classier than you" crowd has always aggravated me. I love Palm, and I love the Centro, as I loved the Treo before it. They are the Swiss Army Knife of mobile computing. Now, the hype machine is in full gear over the coming Apple IPhone 2.0. Apple didn't get it right the first time; what makes you think 2.0 will be any better? Will it have the speed of 3G? Will it be friendly to third-party developers? Will it have a removable battery? Now, we find out that the IPhone, version 1, doesn't actually delete your personal data when it is wiped and restored. Excuse me? You have to delete the items one by one? That sounds like a pleasant way to spend a WHOLE DAY.
Link: � Palm discontinues external battery for Centro -> TamsPalm - the Palm OS Blog.
I carry a spare battery for my Centro, since I am often using it for watching TV using SlingBox software, and the standard battery goes after a couple of hours of continuous use. Most days, when I am not watching a baseball game or other program, my standard Palm battery lasts through the day; especially, since it is in a charging cradle while I am home or at work. I was initially disappointed, then, when I saw this announcement. However, cruising over to the Sprint site, I found an extended battery and replacement cover, at the official Sprint site. Wassup, Palm? Is this story a false positive? Is Palm recalling the extended batteries? Why? In the meantime, I am glad Sprint has my back.
Link: Stay Plugged In While Traveling - Wired How-To Wiki.
Juice. Electricity. Power. Electron delivery device. It's names are legion. But, the devil is in the details when searching for power while being the mobile lawyer. I have traveled without an AC adapter (senior moment while packing). You haven't lived until you try to keep a notebook computer working over a 3 day weekend without external power. I became an expert in logging in, checking email and logging off within five minutes. Before you can deal with finding an Internet connection, you have to have a charged up battery. I carry a spare battery with me now; but, on a trip, sooner or later you are going to have to get your fix of electricity. Traveling to a country that uses a weird looking plug is even crazier. Read this How-To Wiki for everything you need to know. Until you do, carry a spare battery, an AC adapter, and a mobile electrical multi-adapter everywhere you go. You'll thank me later.
I have been having fun this weekend, installing XP Professional on the little Asus Eee UMPC I purchased online. Turns out that the seller also lives in St. Pete, and I drove to his place Friday afternoon to pick it up. $375 for a tiny computer with a 7 inch screen. It only had 4 Gigabytes of internal memory, which filled up quickly with Windows XP, and an Antivirus, and Portable Apps. However, it now browses the web, does email, has a copy of OpenOffice for word processing, and many other functions. I used an old 6 Gigabyte micro-SD card in an SD adapter to add memory; and, I have installed WordPerfect, Scorepad software for baseball scoring, a couple of great Golf simulations, and a world-class Chess program. It has 3 USB 2.0 ports, so I can plug in my Verizon USB broadband wireless modem when WiFi isn't available, and has a surprisingly zippy Celeron processor. I have a couple of USB card drives, one with 8 Gigabytes, and another with 12 Gigabytes, which give me plenty of storage. I kid you not, this is a fully functional XP computer, and isn't any larger than two DVD cases stacked on top of each other. The keyboard, as you might expect, is tiny and cramped; but, I don't plan on doing heavy duty word processing on it. Traveling with it should be a pleasure. Oh, yes, it has a built-in web camera that can be used for still or video. Amazing.
Link: PC World - Business Center: Flee the Friendly Skies: Mobiles at 3,000 Meters.
I bow to no lawyer when it comes to love of gadgets. This blog is primarily about using gadgets in the practice of law. I think, however, that I may have to rethink my strategy, as the EU (and later the U.S?) begins to allow cell phone use over 3,000 meters on airplanes. I can't think of much worse than being trapped on an airplane with 100 cell phone users. The only advantage is that the talkative dunce sitting next to me will be boring some other poor soul to tears. But, I will still be able to hear his side of the conversation. Wait, I have a solution! Ear buds and a a Centro full of tunes!
Link: BlackBerry service outages keeping your weekend interesting? - Engadget. 
And, here we go again. This weekend finds some BlackBerry users reporting more outages and lack of service. RIM has had sporadic problems with outages over the past year, and the problems are highlighting the difficulties faced by messaging services that route through a single host location. Standard email services run through many hosts, and a problem can be fixed by alternative locations. Of course, the counter argument is that there are so many BlackBerry users that outages are magnified. We report, you decide.
Link: How To Travel & Work Remotely As A Couple | Bizlift Blog.
My post about love and romance and instant messaging brought a reply from a blogger who wooed his fiancee, a lawyer online. A great blog about keeping in touch with the love with the use of modern tech.
Link: PortableApps.com - Portable software for USB drives | Your Digital Life, Anywhere™. 
I have blogged about Portable Apps before. I have tried various computer on a stick applications before. I keep coming back to the free, complete and easy to use PortableApps. If you really want a computer in your pocket, take one of the really cheap new USB sticks, with 2 gigs of space for around $10, and load a copy of PortableApps on it. You can do anything with these apps, at any public terminal anywhere. Don't use public terminals for your personal computing, and worry about where your data is. Carry a computer on your key chain.
Ben Stanley 
is a PocketPC expert, and writes for Thaddeus Computing. You can check out his posts at his blog. What follows is Part One of a Two Part series:
If you're an attorney, there's a good
chance that you have a phone with PDA functionality; one that allows
you to read and write emails, keep track of appointments, and the
like. There's also a good chance that the operating system running on
it is either PalmOS or Windows Mobile. In this guest post, I'm going
to walk you through the way my own Windows Mobile device is setup and
demonstrate how this makes my professional life easier.
My original intent had been to argue
that Windows Mobile provides a better foundation for productivity
than PalmOS, but rather than make this argument in abstract form, I
concluded that it would probably be more effective if I just showed
you how my device helps me on a daily basis and then let you decide
for yourself.
Preliminaries
Before I begin, I
thought it would be a good idea to get a few things out of the way. I
don't work for Microsoft and have never received anything of value
for promoting their mobile OS. Nor am I a Microsoft fanboy. In fact,
on my blog I do a fair amount of complaining about the company and
use Ubuntu Linux, rather than Windows, as the primary OS on my
personal computer.
My Device and a Note about
Terminology
My main device,
and the one I'll be discussing in this post, is a Samsung SCH-i730.
It has a 520 MHz processor, 64 MB of RAM, 128 MB of ROM, an SD card
expansion slot, 2.8 inch screen, wifi, bluetooth, infrared (IrDA).
While a feature rich phone, it is nonetheless several years old. In
spite of this fact, it still does almost everything I need it to do.
The SCH-i730 runs Windows Mobile 2003SE, which is also several years
old. However, most software that is currently available still runs on
Windows Mobile 2003SE devices, and all of the software that I will
showcase in this post works on the most current phone models.
At this point,
it's worth mentioning a little bit about terminology. Colloquially,
the term “smartphone” is used to refer to any phone with PDA
functionality. However, until recently, Microsoft used the term to
mean something more specific: a smartphone was any phone that ran a
version of Windows Mobile but which did not have a touch screen or
stylus (for example, the Motorola Q); a “phone edition” device
was any phone that ran a version of Windows Mobile that did have a
touchscreen and stylus (for example, the Samsung SCH-i730).
With the
introduction of the most recent iteration of Windows Mobile (Windows
Mobile 6), Microsoft has changed the naming conventions. Currently,
and from now on, devices that do not have a touchscreen or stylus run
“Windows Mobile Standard,” while those that do have a touchscreen
and stylus run “Windows Mobile Professional.”
Hopefully, if any
of you decide to acquire a Windows Mobile device in the future, this
will save you some headaches.
Continue reading "Guest Post From Ben Stanley - Pocket PC For The Lawyer" »
Link: Stand Alone, Inc. - Handheld Software - Quickipedia for Palm OS Product Page.
Having my entire music collection, and hundreds of Ebooks on a tiny Centro that fits in my pocket is very nice; however, one of the apps I referred to in my Palm apps post earlier deserves its own post. Quickipedia is a $14.95 application from Standalone that puts a really detailed and usable encyclopedia in the palm of your hand. I have grown to rely more on the accuracy of Wikipedia, which I have married to my Google searches on my main computer. Now, in a format that is easily readable on the Centro, I have Wikipedia articles available instantly, wherever I am. This kind of makes the bar bet obsolete, doesn't it?
Link: Ten Apps to a Better Treo or Centro. 
The Palm OS may be dated; but, there are thousands of applications to make it better, to perform mobile computing tasks, and to keep you occupied. Here are ten applications for the Treo or Centro that will make your mobile computing a joy. My favorites are the Pocket Tunes application, which eliminates the need for an IPod. I carry my entire music library on an 8 Gig Micro SD card. I also like Kinoma, however. It is a media player that can tune into any of the hundreds of Internet radio stations. I keep up with the Washington Redskins on Redskins radio from D.C. over the net. I can even follow the play by play when they aren't at home with my favorite announcers; however, the Internet radio broadcasts of live sports carries a six second delay that can be annoying. I also like the use of the blue tooth capability in conjunction with one of the tiny new GPS receivers, and Google Earth or other GPS software. Quickpedia modifies the entire Wikipedia library for mobile phone use. The world at your fingertips; what more do you need?
Link: Expert: Ben Stanley.
Ben Stanley is a PocketPC expert. He disagrees with the FutureLawyer about the future of Palm. I have had Windows Mobile machines, both
smartphones and pocket pcs. I always come back to Palm, however. It is
the most usable and functional machine or business use, and is easy to use. I
went nuts going through nested menus with Windows Mobile. Of course,
what do you expect, when you port a computer app to a handheld? I would
happy for Ben and I to have a back and forth about this at the FutureLawyer
blog. My readers are busy lawyers, who just want to
get their email, and calendars, and contacts as fast and as easy as
possible. There are thousands of Palm apps that do other stuff, and,
while they are not as "powerful" as Windows Mobile, they can be
operated with one hand, and the new tiny Centro does the job admirably. Ben is an expert gamer, and I have no doubt that Windows is more powerful for gaming. However, for day to day business use? I don't think so. For my readers who want to learn more about Ben, or who have PocketPC machines, check out his excellent blog on the subject.
Link: Excite News - BlackBerry Outage Frustrates Users Again. 
Here we go again. I have long objected to the brain dead BlackBerry, just as I object to any proprietary system that requires a user to use a sole provider for software or service. As in Apple's case, this drives up costs, and reduces choice, for the typical user. The risk doubles for proprietary server systems, in which, like BlackBerry, the user is dependent on a sole supplier for essential service, like email. The latest outage, which lasted around 3 hours, angered BlackBerry users, and will drive some of them to a superior smartphone. Can you say Palm, anyone?
Link: Centro GSM Available In Europe! | Treonauts.
I am very happy with my CDMA Sprint Centro. The EvDO network is lightning fast, and the Centro is so tiny and cool and easy to carry and use, that I use it for everything when I am walking around. Unlike the IPhone, it can be used with one hand and a thumb. The screen, by definition, is tiny, so it isn't as suited to watching video as the IPhone; however, it can watch your home cable TV via SlingMedia software, which the IPhone can't. Now, you will be able to get a GSM version of the Centro. You can get one in Europe now, and you could probably get an unlocked version, and pop in your SIM card if you already have a GSM account. AT&T will be getting them soon, however. This is the best smartphone on the market, and is only $99. That is about a week's worth of Lattes at Starbucks.
Link: The Official Palm Blog: Clearing up a Misconception - Palm's Stock Price.
Palm has clarified the recent tumble in Palm's stock price. Apparently, when Elevation purchased a stake in the company, each shareholder received a cash dividend of $9 a share. Therefore, in effect, the shareholders received 2/3 of the stock price in cash. So, the stock is now cheap at around $5 a share, and the company is pushing ahead. Palm has had some problems; however, the product is still stable. The company is taking some heat for delays in Vista compatibility; however, many users aren't installing Vista anyway.
Link: Excite News - Sprint Nextel to Cut Jobs, Close Stores.
Is the FutureLawyer a jinx? No sooner did I become a Sprint monthly subscriber than Sprint announces plans to close stores and fire employees. Oh, well. I knew I kept my Verizon Wireless account open for a reason other than I had a year to go on the contract. I went with Sprint because I didn't want to wait a year for Verizon to decide to offer the Centro. Verizon Wireless is notorious for testing and testing and waiting even longer before agreeing to support new tech. Actually, having two wireless companies is no more expensive than one. I support cell phones for my spouse, kids and secretary, and have EvDO cards for two computers. Some are with one company, and others are with the other. Always hedge your bets in the wireless world. You never know who is getting fired next.
Link: Excite News - In-Flight Internet Too Tempting for Some.
Okay, it is tempting to be able to whip out the ultralight in flight, and browse the web, and check email. WiFi on an airplane will probably put a dent in the magazine business. Reading a book on the computer has never really done it for me, and how many times can you read the in-flight magazine, anyway? However, my first question has to be "How are the airlines going to charge for in-flight Internet service?" They charge $5 for a snack box, for Heaven's sake. Will you pay $50 to browse the web and check email for a few hours on a long flight? I seldom take the notebook out on a flight, anyway. Even an ultralight doesn't fit well on a tray table in coach. I do have a fun time playing chess on the Centro, however. I also have all my tunes on the Centro, and I can spend an hour or two listening to tunes while I recline my seat and make it impossible for the guy behind me to use his laptop.
Link: SnapperMail Standard Bundle - PalmGear.com: Download Palm Software for your Treo 650/600, Tungsten, LifeDrive or other Palm OS Device. 
One of the painful aspects about switching from the Palm Treo 700p to the Palm Centro is the reinstallation of software. You can sync from the old backups, but there will always be glitches. In some cases, the old license codes need to be updated because the user name has changed. This was the case with SnapperMail. SnapperMail gives desktop email functionality to the Centro. To have full email capacity in such a tiny little phone is amazing. The world-class software wirelessly and effortlessly handles PDF attachments, and full HTML emails. But, the world-class software is apparently supplemented by world-class service. I sent an email requesting a new unlock code on a Saturday morning, at 6:00 A.M. Eastern time, and received a return message with the new code in about 20 minutes. Amazing. I love the software, and now I love the Company. If you have a Palm, you have got to get SnapperMail.
Link: gPhone User Interface Walkthrough | [Geeks Are Sexy] Technology News.
If you want to see the future of cell phones, you have got to watch this five minute video from Google. As you know by now, the Google Phone isn't a phone, but an operating system that depends on web access. It is 3G, and is code named Android. As shown in the video, this open source platform will become the standard interface for hundreds of cell phone manufacturers, and the Software Development Kit is already out there. Google is even putting up Ten Million Dollars in reward money for the best applications. Open source beats proprietary every time, and Apple should be very nervous.
Link: Lab Rats! A vidcast about technology you already own. 
I haven't posted about the LabRats in a while; this episode on being safe while out browsing on unknown WiFi networks is an important one. I subscribe to EvDO wireless from Verizon Wireless to avoid the problems highlighted in this video. The pain of searching for WiFi while traveling is a familiar problem to many of you. Having to worry about the security of your transmission at the same time is really annoying. Watch the video. Be safe.
Link: SanDisk | Products | Mobile Products | microSD Cards. 
The new Palm Centro is a small, pocketable smartphone with the same functionality as a Treo 700p, but costing only $99 with a contract. The principal difference from the Treo is its use of the tiny Micro SD card for external storgage. Now, however, that disadvantage has disappeared with the introduction, by SanDisk, of a $139.99 Micro SD Card with 8 Gigabytes of capacity. Smaller and smaller; down the rabbit hole we go, Alice!
Link: Five Things To Do With A PC When You Have No Internet Connection � Speaking Freely.
Mobile lawyers are carrying notebook computers and web-enabled cell phones these days. So, this article, highlighted by LifeHacker , may not be necessary. When I travel, I always have an Internet connection, because I layer my access. When I use the notebook, I have several options: I can use the built-in WiFi antenna to access an available WiFi network. More hotels and airports have these nowadays. If that is not available, I have a USB EVDO modem that accesses wireless broadband in most cities in the U.S.. If that is not available, I can use my Treo's broadband connection to connect, either on the notebook itself, or on the Treo. But, what about those useless hours on the plane? This article should give you some ideas, unless you like sitting in an uncomfortable airline seat, reading airline magazines.
Link: Technology for paperless boarding passes adopted.
I really like being able to print my own boarding pass the night before my flight. However, when I am traveling, I don't always have a printer handy in the hotel room the night before my flight home. I can carry my laptop down to the hotel business center, and plug into the printer there; however, that may require downloading printer drivers, unplugging and then plugging in a USB cable, etc. Both of these options are certainly superior to standing in line at the airport, or, as happened to me recently, getting the last avaiable kiosk on a busy Monday morning, and finding it to be out of order. Then, a 30 minute wait in the ticket line just to get to another working kiosk. How cool would it be to just flash the screen of your Treo or mobile phone in order to board? This technology has been adopted as a standard, and should be online soon. I can't wait.
Link: � Clueless flight attendant to passenger: Turn off that iPhone movie NOW! | IP Telephony, VoIP, Broadband | ZDNet.com.
I feel for the ATA airline passenger who tried to use his IPhone on the plane, and a witless ATA flight attendant didn't know what Airplane Mode was. He was actually detained at his destination. Perhaps the discriminatory action was aimed at his use of an IPhone in the first place? I fly USAirways, and use my Treo to listen to music in flight all the time. I have never had a flight attendant question my use of the Treo. Perhaps ATA flight attendants are clueless, and USAirways flight attendants are models of knowledge and coolness. Perhaps Treos are the preferred companion for flying passengers. Who knows? Unless you like two leg flights that require you to wait at ATA's gates in Atlanta every flight, why would you fly ATA anyway?
Link: MojoPac | What is MojoPac? | Overview.
The last time I posted about Mojopac, it was a $30 solution to the mobile computing problem. Mojopac loads your essential software and data on a USB thumbdrive, and saves your Windows desktop interface for use anywhere. Just plug the thumbdrive into any computer, and you can compute as if you were at home or the office. All data resides on the thumbdrive, so you can use public terminals without fear of leaving data behind. The news is that the basic software is now freeware, and can be downloaded and used by anyone. The company is also providing paid versions for enterprise use, with all sorts of additional features. If you just want to go around with a computer in your pocket, the freeware version will work fine. Now, go get your Mojo on.
Link: US in-flight calling can't catch a break, ruled out for "foreseeable future" - Engadget. As I wait in the D.C. Airport for a flight home after the Redskins dismantled the Lions yesterday (34 to 3 - Hail to The Redskins!), I came across this item. Apparently, you won't be making cell phone calls in the air over the U.S. anytime soon. I have always had great doubts about any risk that cell phones add to flight navigation systems; however, it appears that the airlines still do, and they don't want to risk it. Oh, well, I will have to be content with reading SkyMall for the 20th time.
Link: Palm's new OS getting more delays? - Engadget.
Don't get me wrong. I love my Treo. It is a superior machine to the RIM BlackBerry, the Apple IPhone, and any Windows Mobile device, for the mobile lawyer. It does more, it does everything adequately or well, and does more things the best. However, recent missteps by the Palm management make me wonder whether Palm will be the mobile road warrior's business tool of the future. The Foleo debacle (I called it the Fooleo in this space, as did others) and the now delayed again new Operating System, are bringing doubt into the minds of Treo devotees everywhere. I will keep my Treo until they pry it from my cold, dead hands. Whether I will buy another one is an open question. Looking at the future landscape of smartphones through the eyes of a business user is somewhat like looking at the Presidential candidate field. We want to find one to love; but, they all have warts.
Link: The Official Palm Blog: A Message to Palm Customers, Partners and Developers.
Well, Palm has decided to shelve the Foleo, just a couple of months after they announced it. Apparently, the underwhelming response to a brain dead portable that wasn't a full fledged computer, and still cost $600 was a factor. According to the company, they are concentrating on the major upgrade to the Palm operating system (mobile Linux?). They promise to bring the Foleo back when the new OS platform is up and running. Will they abandon the Palm OS community when they move to the new platform? Stay tuned.
Link: The Official Palm Blog: SlingPlayer Mobile On Palm OS Is Available. 
And, for another thing you can't do on the IPhone, Sling Media has announced the stable version of SlingPlayer for the Palm. Sling allows access to your home cable box via the SlingBox, and you can watch TV on your Palm, as if you were home in your easy chair. Due to bandwidth restrictions, this can't be an all the time experience; but, for killing time on planet earth, there is no better diversion. Apple IPhone, take that.
Link: Good news: Verizon stores open today! - Engadget Mobile.
I am so happy to see that my wireless carrier, Verizon, is open today. Given the fact that the IPhone will be sold at AT&T stores, Verizon Wireless is feeling a little left out, I am sure. Verizon had the option of marketing the IPhone, but were unwilling to make the concessions Apple required. Oh, well. In about five years, Verizon Wireless will be able to sell the IPhone. All of which makes it more inscrutable that Verizon Wireless and Palm can't seem to get together on the maintenance release for the Treo 700p. Wazzup with that?
Link: Palm WiFi Technical Team "Decimated" - Treo and PalmOS news. 
Palm has never been a real fan of WiFi on smartphones. Frankly, the only Treo I have ever had that would do WiFi is the 700w running Windows, and it required an add-on SD card that sticks out of the Treo like a sore thumb. In fact, the suits are right; what with EvDO networks, and such, smartphones don't really need to have WiFi enabled. They are plenty fast; unless, of course, you are on AT&T like the new IPhone. Slow doesn't begin to describe AT&T. I kept the 700w and WiFi card, since it works fine when it connects to WiFi and my Slingbox at home. I can use it to watch my SlingBox anywhere a WiFi network exists, without paying steep cell phone bills. Uh, oh. Now, I am not only a geek without an IPhone, I have TWO Treos running. Oh, well.
Link: The Official Palm Blog: Sprint 700p MR Available.
Well, finally the Palm Treo 700p update is available for Sprint customers , but we Verizon Wireless people are still waiting. Palm has alienated many Treo customers, and is losing business over this. Instead, it is banking its future on the "Fooleo", a really brain-dead UMPC sized flip top that connects to Treos via BlueTooth. People are so NOT going to want to carry a keyboard and screen to connect to their Palm. What they want is a Treo that doesn't crash. Don't get me wrong, the Treo is still the best and most versatile smart phone on the planet; however, Palm is making enemies of its best customers with its incompetence.
Link: ASUS Introduces All-New Eee PC | Kansas Business Attorney.
Dan Covington, at Kansas Business Attorney, highlights the new Asus EEE PC, a small mobile email and web machine that is intuitively easy to use. It is focused on the Internet, so it won't replace your notebook computer. However, if you don't need all that stuff, this might be the ticket. It sounds to me like a competitor to the new Palm Foleo Treo companion.
Thanks, Dan.
Link: Palm - Support - Sprint Treo 700p Update. 
Well, if you are a Sprint Treo 700p user, today is your happy day. The long awaited maintenance release is up at Palm, and the early returns are encouraging. This gives the rest of us Verizon Wireless 700p users hope. Of course, when the Treo 755p comes out, we all assume the fixes will be built in. I am somewhat attached to my fat little Treo with the stubby antenna, however, so I may not switch right away. It would be nice to get the maintenance release accomplished, however. Then the Treo would be the perfect smart phone. I think the IPhone users, who will be getting their phones at the end of the month, will find that lack of a keyboard will make their phones not as useful. But, what do I know?
Link: The Official Palm Blog: Back it Up!. 
Palm has a new focus on customer service, and, after some mistakes in the past, the company seems bent on rewarding brand loyalty. For long-time Treo lovers like the FutureLawyer, this is welcome news. A new free web-based backup utility is now available, and, though in beta, seems to work great. I have used full Palm backup software for some time, since the Treo occasionally requires a hard reset. And, most of the programs are always available on the hard drive for synchronization. This utility, however, insures that contact, call log, tasks, memos, speed dial settings, and other essential information never gets lost, even if the user has a computer crash. Free for the download, and only for Palm users.
Link: Another Wi-Fi Hitchhiker Arrested : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech.
In case you needed a reason to subscribe to Verizon Wireless, and its ubiquitous broadband EvDO Internet connection, here is another story about using the open WiFi that seems to be everywhere. In addition to worrying about spoofed WiFi connections at coffee shops and restaurants, it is becoming clear that just using open WiFi adapters to connect to the Internet may be illegal in many jurisdictions. Hijacking open bandwidth is probably a victimless crime, and is almost impossible to prove. However, if you are accessing it in an automobile outside a coffee shop, and not buying coffee, be warned. Oh, yeah, it helps not to admit it when questioned by a policeman.
Link: Motorola H700 Bluetooth Headset (B-Stock) | Treo Bluetooth | Treonauts Accessory Shop.
I have used, and purchased, many blue tooth ear sets. I am still using the diminutive Jabra JX10 
for daily cell phone purposes, and actually own two of them. I keep the Jabra in my left ear whenever I am out and about, and I even use it to answer the office phone when my secretary is away. Just forward office calls to the cell, and, bingo, walk around lawyer answer machine! However, I also need to use Skype and my computer to make calls during the day, and I don't want to be bothered with an office handset. So, in true geek fashion, I need an earset for the right ear, while bound to my desk or laptop. For those times, I use the Motorola H700. This cool little button earset, with the clever flip on microphone, serves as my link to the world, while I am computing. I look weird, but I am Futurelawyer, so who cares?
Link: Column: Protecting gadgets outdoors - Yahoo! News. 
Living and practicing law in Florida can be such a pain. We have sunshine and blue skies for most of the year, and we mobile lawyers spend a lot of time out by the pool, or at the beach. This can put a real strain on our computers, smart phones and other essential electronics, making it very difficult to practice law. I know that I have lost a couple of cell phones to the tragedy of swimming pool dropitis, and I have desperately searched for a cure. This article from Yahoo.com has some common sense advice for beach or pool lawyering; I hope that you take it to heart. If you are living in Minnesota or Washington, these tips should also work in the snow; although why anyone would live where it snows is beyond me.
Link: The Official Palm Blog: Timing Update for 700p MR.
Everybody knows how much I love, and use, the Palm Treo 700p; by now, you are also aware that Windows Mobile hasn't really taken off on the Treo platform, and has all the problems that Windows has in regular machines. Well, the Treo has some issues as well, and occasional crashes and the requirement to do a hard reset is the biggest. Treos also lag occasionally, and it is not uncommon for Blazer to take a while to start up. I have always considered these annoyances to be a small price to pay for the very stable and functional performance of the Treo for most tasks; however, the announcement, finally, of a May 28th rollout of the first operating system maintenance release for Palm OS is a welcome event. The perfect tool for the mobile lawyer is about to become even better. What's not to like?
Link: Lab Rats! A vidcast about technology you already own. 
I am always posting about the benefits to lawyers of smart phones, and, in particular, my favorite love, the Treo 700p. For an overview of the various types and styles of smart phones, who better than Andy Walker and Sean Carruthers, the LabRats twins? Watch and learn.
Link: Verizon Wireless V740 ExpressCard. 
For about a year, I have been using the Dell Mobile Broadband 5700 wireless EV-DO antenna built in to my Dell D620 notebook. It is speedy, and available just about everywhere, with speeds somewhere between dial up and DSL. Very usable, but so 2002. Because that is when the wireless broadband EV-DO technology started rolling out. Recently, Verizon has been updating its network to a speedier system, called EV-DO Rev. A. The speeds for Rev A were reported to be DSL or WiFi or better, so my curiousity was piqued. When I discovered that Rev A was available in Tampa, I jumped at the chance to upgrade my EV-DO modem. After all, I was already paying for the service. Unfortunately, there is no way to upgrade the internal antenna on the Dell, so I had to get a PC-Express Card, which is the new narrow PC card standard, and an adapter, to fit into my older PC Card slot. Now, I have speedier access via Rev A, but I have a geeky antenna spoiling the sleek lines of my computer. Oh, well, sacrifices must be made. The speed increase to 700 - 1400 kbps is amazing. And, the upload speeds are much faster, as well.
Link: MOBIVOX. 
If, like me, you are a Skype user, you have wanted a way to use your Treo or other mobile phone to make Skype calls while roaming. Mobivox has a pretty neat solution, that also provides a way to call any land line in 23 countries for around 1.9 cents a minute. While I have SkypeIn and unlimited calls to any U.S. land line for around $30 a year, Mobivox gives me a way to avoid using my cell phone minutes for about 1.9 cents a minute. If you are approaching your monthly minute allotment, this gives an easy way to avoid paying 25 to 45 cents for those additional minutes. In fact, I might get my daughter using this. If she and all her friends use Mobivox, all their cell phone calls will be free! Oh, joy. Oh, happy day.
Link: Southpinellas: City picks EarthLink for wireless Internet network.
The FutureLawyer's hometown of St. Petersburg, Florida, is going to provide Sixty miles of citywide WiFi from Earthlink, which appears to be leading in the WiFi wars for city access around the country. Selected locations will provide free WiFi (courthouses?), and elsewhere within the city system, access will be available to city residents for $21.95 a month. If Earthlink gets enough cities to sign up (it is building the infrastructure at its own cost), will these systems compete with wireless broadband services from the cell phone companies? Probably not, because the net will never be as broad. For home bound souls, however, who just want access around town, this might be the best solution. Choices, that is what America is all about.
Link: Electric Pocket - BugMe! Notepad for Palm OS. 
Reader Robert J. Katzenstein sends along this wonderful Treo utility, BugMe!, which permits the addition of hand-written notes on the Treo, with alarm capability and smart text functions. It is easy to forget that the Treo comes from the Palm heritage, and users used to write on the screen in Graffiti cursive to enter data. You still can, but most of us are inured in the thumb-typing world nowadays. It will be nice to get back to writing on the Treo screen, as I check out this useful utility. Thanks, Robert.
Link: Apple iPhone Pics | Apple iPhone Review. 
IPhone hype is reaching a fever pitch, and it already has blogs devoted to it. For a product that is yet to make it out of the starting gate, that is saying something. Many commenters are saying that they won't buy one because it will be too expensive; however, it is going to be cheaper than the Treo, and, if you don't need all the Treo PDA functionality, it may be a stylish option. She Who Must Be Obeyed wants one, so it must be stylish.
Link: Legal Technology - Ten Great Apps for the Treo Mobile Lawyer.
This month's column for Law.com is my attempt to show some of the great applications for the Treo that will make you a more productive mobile lawyer. The Treo is a great device, and is the culmination of years of development in applications that work in the palm of your hand. As always, if you have an application for the Treo that I haven't mentioned, let me know, and I will share it with my readers. Now, get mobile and get productive.
Link: Excite News - RIM to Unveil New Software Application.
I had to blink twice when I read this one. RIM is creating an application to make Treos and other smart phones look and act like Blackberrys? Uh, I don't think so. I suppose this makes sense for large corporations that want to control employees' email and to require access to the BlackBerry servers. Is RIM also going to guarantee no more day long email outages? If I wanted a BlackBerry, I would buy one. I don't, and I suspect that most Treo users don't either.
Link: The Official Palm Blog.
Today, I am taking my son to the Devil Rays - Cleveland baseball game. That is a not so unusual way for us to spend Sunday afternoon, except that the Tampa Bay Lightning are simultaneously fighting for their playoff lives against the New Jersey Devils. She Who Must Be Obeyed is taking our daughter to that game, since I got to go to the last one. (I could probably hire an associate for what we spend on tickets, but that wouldn't be any fun). Anyway, this post at the Palm blog shows why I will be able to check in at the Lightning game while watching the Devil Rays new power lineup destroy the Indians. It's a brave new world.