Futurelawyer

Wi-Fi Reaches the Speed of Ethernet - Yahoo! News

Link: Wi-Fi Reaches the Speed of Ethernet - Yahoo! News. Are you using Wi-Fi yet? Perhaps you have security concerns, or maybe you don't feel comfortable installing it at home or at the office. This article from Yahoo News shows why you need to get over it. With WPA encryption now standard on Wi-Fi routers, and with the hardware NAT firewall built in to routers, security should be no more of a concern than with your wired networks. Of course, security will never be perfect, and you need to be conscious of it all the time; but, now that Wi-Fi speeds, with the new N class protocol, are approaching wired network speeds, you need to learn about it, and use it. Now, I still believe that 3G wireless networks using cell phone towers (mine is EV-DO from Verizon using CDMA) are a lot easier to use than the hassle of finding an open Wi-Fi router; especially when you are out and about. However, wired transmission speeds pique my interest, and I will be watching this trend closely. How can you stay up to date? Why, read the FutureLawyer of course!

Windows Security Flaw Is 'Severe'

Link: Windows Security Flaw Is 'Severe'. As if we needed another Windows security problem, here is a new one that only requires a visit to a malicious website. Today's new threat is dangerous, because Microsoft hasn't yet issued a patch for it. Update your spyware and virus checkers immediately. If you aren't using them , start. Good choices are SpyBot , Microsoft Anti-Spyware , and AntiVir. All three are free, and all three belong on your machine.

MobiTV for the Treo 650: "Incredible" | mytreo.net - the ultimate Treo resource

Link: MobiTV for the Treo 650: "Incredible" | mytreo.net - the ultimate Treo resource. When I saw this article about my favorite new service for the Treo 650, I knew that I had to write a post about it. I admit that I am always looking for cool things to do with the Treo, and, while not directly related to increasing productiviity as a lawyer, MobiTV is just about the best way to spend time waiting in just about anybody's office. Some of the channels available are obviously replays of pre-recorded programming, but some, like ABC news, are live. The service costs $9.99 a month, and the picture is a little jerky at times. However, as the ads in the magazines used to say: "Impress your friends." Watching ESPN on your phone is definitely cutting edge. The History channel and The Learning Channel are in the lineup, and there are 28 channels in all. Basic Cable on the phone. Very nice. You can even get it on other cell phones and several carriers.  Check it out at MobiTV .

law.com - Can You Hear Me Now? Good -- You're Indicted

Link: law.com - Can You Hear Me Now? Good -- You're Indicted. Okay, maybe we CAN take the use of technology in law too far. Korea is now sending legal notices by cell phone, since 80 per cent of the 48 million person population carry the devices. Can trial by cell phone be far behind? Actually, there are some restaurant and movie patrons who probably SHOULD be indicted by cell phone; especially when they are using the things inside the restaurant or theater. And, there are some teenagers who need a phone call. Hmmmm... maybe this isn't so crazy after all. I have always fantasized about trying a case from a beach in the Bahamas....

Versuslaw - Legal Research for the Masses

Versuslaw . Over ten years ago, when the Internet was in its infancy (sounds weird to say that, doesn't it), I discovered a little-known company a few miles from the Microsoft campus in Redmond, Washington. With fewer than 30 employees this little company was collecting the case law of all 50 states, and storing it on computer servers that it was serving over the nascent Internet. As the years passed, Versuslaw became the poor man's alternative to the law publishing behemoths. It has been the Futurelawyer's principal source of case law research since then. While I now use the Versuslaw database wrapped in the wonderful package created by TheLaw.Net in California, the case law database is available for pennies a day direct from Versuslaw. You owe yourself a visit to the site. Check it out. You can sign up for a day, a month, or a year, and never worry about the legal research budget again. These guys invented Internet legal research. They are still doing it better than anyone else.

Legal Technology - Countdown to Tech Confidence: A 12-Month Plan

Link: Legal Technology - Countdown to Tech Confidence: A 12-Month Plan. This article in Law Technology News, by my good friend, Andy Adkins, is a great year long plan for lawyers to become more technically literate over the coming year. It caused me to think about the coming New Year, and New Year's Resolutions. Should there be a technology list? How about this:
1. I resolve to back up my essential data daily.
2. I resolve to back up my entire drive weekly.
3. I resolve to keep Resolutions 1 and 2.
There are many good backup solutions out there. Software programs such as Acronis, Norton Ghost, and others will make it easy to do. Just do it.

Recording Industry vs The People

Link: Recording Industry vs The People. While this blog takes a position in favor of persons accused by the RIAA of illegally downloading copyrighted music, it is a veritable treasure trove of legal documents, depositions, and pleadings in a bunch of the copyright infringement cases going on in the battle between the record companies and computer users. Some of the more compelling cases involve soccer moms whose computers have been used to download music from the web, and whose travails in fighting the lawsuits by the record companies make fascinating reading. The other big issue is the use of companies that "datamine" computers using peer to peer file sharing software like Kazaa to download music on the web. These companies provide information by searching the web for computers that use file sharing software, and locating copyrighted songs on those computers. "John Doe" lawsuits are then filed, and the ISPs of the offending users are subpoenaed to obtain names and addresses of the computer owners. If these succeed, the owners are then sued. Very interesting stuff, whichever side of the argument you are on. Do you know what your kids are using their computers for?

Abstract Appeal -- Frye Hearing Not Required for GPS Evidence

Link: Abstract Appeal -- by Matt Conigliaro. Florida lawyers read Matt Conigliario's excellent appellate law blog, Abstract Appeal, to keep up with current Florida law. This recent case from the Third District Court of Appeal discusses the impact of the Frye decision on the admissibility of scientific or technology evidence in trials. Generally, the rule states that new technology or science requires a separate "Frye" hearing to determine its reliability before a Court will allow its introduction and its weighing by the trier of fact.  In this case, GPS technology in an automobile was found to be ordinary and reliable technology and admissible without a Frye hearing. Makes one wonder whether computer evidence compiled from a Microsoft Windows machine would be admissible, doesn't it? Microsoft is promising that its new operating system, Vista, will be more secure, have increased performance and an improved user interface. Okay, and I am going to keep all of my New Year's Resolutions.

Merry Christmas

It is the Christmas  season for the FutureLawyer and his family. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, or  another observance, all people of all faiths should take the  holiday and reflect on their lives and good fortune. If you are in a happy family, may it stay so. If sorrow or tragedy are your companions this Christmas, may they not stay long at your door. Peace and prosperity to all for the New Year. Merry Christmas to all.

Gartner warns of metadata troubles with Vista OS - Computerworld

Link: Gartner warns of metadata troubles with Vista OS - Computerworld. Okay, campers. Here is another reason to wonder about Vista, the NEW Microsoft operating system. Most of you are aware of the security risk in Microsoft Word documents, which store hidden data, called metadata, which can be inadvertently passed from computer to computer. A lawyer editing documents can be very embarrassed by the comments and information contained in such files. Now, Gartner tells us that the Microsoft Vista operating system uses metadata to make file searching easier and faster. Microsoft is touting the new OS as MORE secure, etc. Maybe the Vista is not for looking out at the world, but rather for the world looking in at your files? Another beautiful day in the neighborhood, children.