Futurelawyer

The Mac Lawyer: Upgrading Your Computer :: Mac Style

Link: The Mac Lawyer: Upgrading Your Computer :: Mac Style. Ben Stevens, over at the Mac Lawyer, has this post on my column about the problems upgrading a Windows computer. He wants me to become a Mac user, and opines that it is much easier to migrate to a new computer on the OS10X operating system. Alas, I must decline. While I concede the benefits of the Mac world, I could not practice law without Amicus Attorney, ProDoc, HotDocs, or WordPerfect. They are ingrained in my legal personality. Now that I can run them from any XP machine anywhere with my little La Cie Carte Orange credit card drive (can't do that on a Mac!); I am afraid that I am stuck in a Windows world. However, I suggested, in my comment to Ben's post, that maybe we should all learn to get along. Let's all move to Ubuntu Linux! Free, open source, and easy to use. What more could one ask?

Have You Got Your MOJO On?

Link: MojoPac | Home. By now, you are familiar with my favorite USB portable drive, the 8 Gigabyte La Cie Carte Orange, a credit card sized drive that plugs into any USB port anywhere. Want to go light? Put this card drive in your pocket or wallet, and, with the use of portable applications,Portable Apps , you can browse, email or work on documents at any computer. Well, MojoPac.Com takes that effort one step further. It creates a Windows style operating system window on any XP based computer that operates solely from the USB drive, and allows the installation of most Windows software on the card. I loaded WordPerfect, ProDoc, HotDocs, SeaMonkey, and several other applications that I use every day, including all of my documents. The interface looks like my home computer, and all work occurs on the USB drive. If you have daily access to a Windows XP computer, you could literally use the USB drive as your only computer. The software will cost $49.95 at launch plus 30 days, $29.95 til then. However, when I tried to buy it, the page was down. It requires a log in to access the download; but, those negatives aside, this is one cool little application.

World's most easily misplaced cellphone? - Engadget

Link: World's most easily misplaced cellphone? - Engadget. And, in the category of world's smallest cellphone, we have the Xun Chi 138. This little guy is really tiny. Maybe too small. You have to touch the screen for controls, and, allegedly, hand recognition dials the numbers. My question, do you put this thing IN the ear? It is also supposedly blue tooth enabled, so I suppose you put it in your wallet or pocket, and use an ear piece, like the Jabra X10. This might be the cell phone your dog or cat can use.

Legal Technology - The Agony and the Ecstasy of the Laptop Upgrade

Link: Legal Technology - The Agony and the Ecstasy of the Laptop Upgrade. My column this month for Law Technology at Law.Com details my travails in upgrading to the Dell D620 notebook computer. I needed more processor speed, and the Dell is a great little laptop. Migrating all my software (as you might imagine, the FutureLawyer has a bunch of stuff) was a 3 day ordeal. But, I got it done, and here are some tips if you have to do it yourself.

Treo 680 - New Antenna Less Palm Entry Level Treo Announced

Link: Treonauts | Dedicated to your Treo 700 & 650. The Perfect All-In-One Communications, Information & Entertainment Tool.. Cingular has announced a new Treo, similar to the European Vodaphone 750, but aimed at the entry level market. It will be cheaper and less powerful than the 700 series phones, but will be fully functional. The new Treos will not have the distinctive antenna stub, and will be, in some minds, a more attractive alternative. If you have delayed buying a Treo because of the higher prices, this may be the phone for you. According to the Palm CEO:

"The fourth new Treo smartphone is coming soon for worldwide distribution and aimed at a broader demographic.  We will target people who want to get more out of their business and personal time but who may be more price-sensitive than our original target market. "

MyStickies, Sticky Notes for the Web

Link: MyStickies, Sticky Notes for the Web. If you do a lot of web research, and are addicted to sticky notes in your practice, this free tool is for you. MyStickies allows you to create sticky notes that stick to webpages, and allow browsing, sorting, and editing while using the web. There is an extension for Mozilla/Firefox browsers, which you should be using, instead of Internet Explorer, anyway. Don't bookmark sites, sticky them! They work great on web legal research, as well. Just put a stickynote on a case cite in the web page. Relate it to a case, make notes about how it applies, and it will remind you later. Another benefit of Web 2.0. The interactive web is where it's at.

Symantec Calls Out Microsoft Over Vista Security Center - Yahoo! News

Link: Symantec Calls Out Microsoft Over Vista Security Center - Yahoo! News. I am no fan of Symantec nor Microsoft. Symantec's Anti-Virus products are elephants in the sand box when installed. They take over the task bar, and load all sorts of system slowing stuff that is a pain to delete. They also cost money, and there are free solutions that are better. Check out SpyBot  and AVG Anti-Virus , and AntiVir for example. So, when Symantec cries foul at Microsoft's Vista making it tough on third party security vendors, part of me laughs. Given Microsoft's security history, it takes some big ones to make Vista's security center impossible to override. Anybody here believe that Vista will eliminate the hacker nation's obsession with attacking Microsoft operating systems? Mostly, though, I cry at the bad behavior of these corporate citizens who think they know best what I want in an operating system or an anti-virus security product. My take on Symantec AND Vista? JUST SAY NO.

Good Sync: File Synchronization, Backup, Data Replication, PC Sync Software, File Sync, Data Synchronization Software

Link: Good Sync: File Synchronization, Backup, Data Replication, PC Sync Software, File Sync, Data Synchronization Software. Now that I have upgraded my notebook to the Latitude D620, for increased processor speed, and a larger screen for general use, I have my little ultralight Dell Latitude X1 for backup. Only 3 pounds, and ideal for traveling, the X1 is plenty functional for all but the most processor intensive tasks. Alas, what to do about all the data that I add to the new computer? Amicus Attorney and Amicus Accounting can be accessed via the web using GoToMyPc or LogMeIn, but the documents that I create every day multiply like rabbits on my new computer. In addition, I am always downloading something new, and the Download folder fills up fast. Enter a free program, GoodSync, that makes short work of synchronizing file folders over a network. The unlimited version, Pro, is $19.95, and well worth it; however, for basic sync, the free version works just fine. It works in the background, and tells you when a file has a problem. Now, if I need to use the backup computer, I carry all my current documents with me. Don't worry. Be Happy!

Apple Patches Critical Wi-Fi Bugs - Yahoo! News

Link: Apple Patches Critical Wi-Fi Bugs - Yahoo! News. Well, maybe Apple Computers aren't as secure as the Apple fanatics would have us believe? While I have been down on Microsoft for a long time, due to security problems, and the ever increasing number of required patches, and all the other Microsoft sins, I have always suspected that security problems were only highlighted in Windows because it was a more attractive target. I am asking Grant Griffiths to respond to this post, as he is fond of telling me how much more secure Apples are. What about it, Grant? :-)

Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit

• Link: Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit. Thanks to Debbie Foster, of InTouch Business Consultants, for this disaster recovery tip. Belarc Advisor searches your computer for installed software, CD keys, and other essential information. Are you prepared for loss of your computer and data? Is your backup data recoverable? Do you have a disaster plan? Are you scanning your documents? I am starting this weekend.