Futurelawyer

Apocalypse Now - This Is The Way The World Ends

Link: FOXNews.com - Scientists Predict When World Will End - Science News | Science & Technology | Technology News. I admit that it is hard to get excited about global warming when the scientists are able, with some accuracy, to predict the end of the world as we know it. Apparently, in about One Billion Years, the sun will fry the earth and the oceans into a cinder. The earth won't actually fall into the sun for another Six or Seven Billion Years, but who's counting? It is quite amazing to me that human beings have the arrogance to believe that they can slow down or halt global warming by not driving their SUVs. I know, I know, it isn't politically correct to think in terms of billions of years right now. We humans are really only concerned with the next 100 years or so. It is too bad we aren't as concerned about the violence humans are experiencing in Darfur, or the people who are dying in Iraq. This is the way the world ends, this is the way the world ends, this is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper.

Learn To Use Your New Palm Centro

Link: Welcome to Palm Self-Paced Learning Guides. Palm has published a new page that allows online training for new Palm users. The Centro has proved to be a hit with several vendors (Verizon or TMobile may be next), and there are many of new smartphone users who need to learn. Treos and Centros are very easy to use, and very intuitive; however, practice makes perfect. If you have taken my advice and bought one of these, here is the place to learn to use it.

How The FutureLawyer Snagged She Who Must Be Obeyed

Bill, You Can Have My Keyboard When You Pry It From My Cold, Dead Hands!

Link: Excite News - Gates Sees Diminished Role for Keyboards. Bill Gates, as he exits day to day control of Microsoft, thinks that the future doesn't include keyboard input to computers. He sees voice and touch screen interaction as the future. Well, Bill, as a lawyer who uses words every day, both for blogging and for practicing law, I have yet to see a touch screen that could interpret my thoughts into usable text. For that matter, no dictation system has been fast or accurate enough. In addition, I really don't want to talk to my computer; I spend enough time every day talking on the telephone to clients, colleagues, and jerks. In the same way, I prefer silence when I am typing on the computer on an airplane. I am pretty sure my seatmate will NEVER want to hear me say: "This is an action for replevin. Paragraph 2." and similar stuff for an hour between Tampa and D.C.

Windows Mobile Superior To Palm?

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.

Sir, Please Step Away From The Operating System!

Link: Microsoft: Vista SP1 will break these programs | CNET News.com. As if I needed another reason to warn readers about installing Windows Vista, the first major update, Service Pack 1 (SP1), is reported to break existing software. In Microsoft speak, "A program may experience a loss of functionality after you install Windows Vista SP1. However, most programs will continue to work as expected after you install Windows Vista SP1". Loss of Functionality? That means it BREAKS the software. When Vista was originally launched, Microsoft touted that it would increase the security and reliability of Windows computers. Now, SP1 is supposed to increase the "security and reliability" of Vista. Dorothy, we aren't in Kansas anymore.

Free 411 & Voice-Activated Driving Directions - Treo and PalmOS news

Link: Free 411 & Voice-Activated Driving Directions - Treo and PalmOS news. It only takes one month of cell phone 411 calls by my wife and daughter, at $1.75 a pop to make me crazy. These kinds of charges keep cell phone companies in business. Now, it not only isn't a problem anymore; but, you can get a text message with turn by turn directions along with your phone directory listing. I was using my web browser on the phone to look up phone numbers; now, I don't have to. This works with all cell phones. That's 800-373-3411. You have to listen to a short ad before you can get the service. Small price, and better than $50 added on to the monthly cell phone bill.

MacBook Air - You Can Do Better!

Link: MacBook Air Alternatives | Crave : The gadget blog. The MacBook Air may be thin and pretty; it may be sexy, even. However, here are 5 PC alternatives that have all the ports and functions Apple left out of the Air. They all weigh less than the Air, are smaller than the Air, and have a built-in optical drive. They have USB, SD, USB Express and other ports; the Air only has one USB port, and no optical drive. This little three minute movie shows them all side by side, and will give you a feel for the differences. The MacBook Air is anorexic; it needs to eat more.

Look, Ma, No Hands!

Link: Epoc Headset Controller Enables A Much Deeper Virtual World ExperienceGadget Review. The Nintendo Wii has taken over our living room, and the family has been enjoying time together bowling, golfing, and singing while waving our arms and hands wildly. The wireless freedom of the Wii remote, however, is childs play, compared to Emotiv's new HeadSet coming out later this year. The HeadSet, which will retail for $299, recognizes head movements and electrical impulses that represent emotions and movement. Compared to SciFi versions, it is basic; but, it can only be cool to control characters in a virtual environment with your thoughts. You KNOW the FutureLawyer and son will be getting one of these.

Box.net and IPaper - A Marriage Made In Heaven?

Link: Box.net Blog � Blog Archive � Scribd launches iPaper; OpenBox services on shared pages. No sooner had I blogged about IPaper, the new Web 2.0 based document storage and viewing system from Scribd, than I got an email from Brian at Box.Net in California, advising me that Box.Net is integrating the IPaper format into its systems. Now, no matter what format a lawyer uploads documents in, it will be viewable on Box.Net's servers, with any browser, and without downloading other third party reader software. Yesterday, Chuck Newton wanted to know how IPaper could help lawyers. This is the way. Store your documents in a collaborative case at a site that users IPaper, like Box.Net, and your users (or colleagues or clients) will be able to view and use them from any web browser. I also like Box.Net's mantra: Keep a back up copy of data online; however, keep your own backup.