Futurelawyer

Happy New Year

New Year's Day - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. No tech or lawyering today. Time for family and football and peace and quiet. Thanks to the readers and subscribers who helped FutureLawyer reach the magic 1,000 subscriber number in 2008. New Year's Day has been celebrated on January 1st, since the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar in 1752. However, the beginning of a new year has been celebrated by humans much longer. Originally, the holiday was in March, to coincide with Spring, and the new birth that Spring brings. Whichever way you celebrate New Year's, here's hoping that your New Year is happy and prosperous.

The Mac Observer Forums | iPod Touch Cannibalizing iPhone

The Mac Observer Forums | iPod Touch Cannibalizing iPhone. The sales figures continue to show that IPod Touch sales are climbing faster than IPhones. This isn't surprising, considering that there seems to be a lot of resistance to the two year AT&T contract that is required to purchase an IPhone. Most people are already paying a cell phone carrier and many of those have Internet data plans, with tethering permitted, unlike the IPhone. The knock on the new Second Generation Touch is that it can only access the Internet when in the range of a WiFi Hotspot. As I have been posting lately, however, that really isn't a big deal, due to the ubiquitous number of hotspots available. If you already have a cell phone or USB broadband modem, you can tether it to a mobile hotspot, like the Cradlepoint Personal Hot Spot device. Another benefit of the tethering concept is that a mobile hotspot can share the connection with up to 15 users. Last night, at dinner, She Who Must Be Obeyed, my daughter, and myself were all connected to the Internet via the Cradlepoint and my Verizon Wireless account. If any reader wants to pay for two year contracts for all three of us for an IPhone, I will be happy to throw the Cradlepoint away. Until then, we are happily sharing a reliable Verizon Wireless broadband wireless connection with our IPod Touches.

NASA World Wind- See The World Like The Aliens Do

NASA World Wind. This project of NASA leverages the extensive collection of Satellites and images that NASA has collected over time. It is similar to Google Earth; except that it doesn't have the street level and mapping views. However, the view from Satellite height is often breathtaking. Look at your world in a new way, courtesy of your tax dollars at work. The 3D engine requires a broadband Internet connection, but the ability to look at the earth's features in 3D realism is stunning. This is why you got a computer, isn't it?

Windows: Everything You Need to Know How to Do in Windows

Windows: Everything You Need to Know How to Do in Windows. As we get to the end of the year, it is time to recapitulate. I catch a lot of flack about my choice of Windows XP, and my use of it in my law practice. You may remember the Windows versus Mac article in the ABA Journal. The fact remains that a vast majority of my readers, and lawyers in general, use Windows as an operating system. In fact, it really doesn't matter what operating system you use. Don't let some tech salesman tell you otherwise. Choose the software that you need and want to run your law practice; THEN, ask what operating system it runs on. Most legal application software vendors concentrate on Windows. Insulting Apple ads aside, we want to use our computers to be better and more productive lawyers. That is the name of that tune. This Lifehacker guide to XP will help you do just that. Happy New Year. By the way, here's hoping that Windows 7 will have the stability and functionality of XP, and the pretty interface of Vista. Now, that would be something to celebrate.

On The Internet, Nobody Knows You're A Dog

Death By Email Blog: New York Times Duped By Email. When the New York Times failed to confirm an email it printed was actually from the Mayor of Paris (France, not some Southern State), it was embarrassed to discover that the email was a forgery. You can't tell whether the "from" information in an email is legitimate, a fact that should not be lost on litigators and lawyers who are finding, increasingly, that email correspondence is often a critical portion of the evidence in their cases. Email is easier to forge than written correspondence. We have all had cases in which the signatory on a contract or letter denies the authenticity of the signature. I once had a client spend $1,500 on a document examiner in a case worth not much more than that. Forensic examination of email requires computer expertise, and a knowledge of arcane technical subjects. Don't trust your instincts. Hire an expert.

Sir, Please Step Away From the Centro!

The gigahertz Centro, also known as 'the Palm-powered grenade' - Engadget. Okay, this may be a gag photo; but, for you lawyers out there, it serves as an instructional tool, and a cautionary tale. First, understand that over-clocking a CPU in a computer or smart phone is a breach of the warranty. For you newbies, overclocking involves tweaks and hacking of a computer's CPU to make it run faster than it was designed. Many manufacturers set the clock speed of CPUs low, as a safety feature, and because overclocked CPUs can overheat and explode. Yes, you read that right, a computer CAN explode like a firecracker. You don't want to have one of these in your hand when it happens. Of course, think of all the litigation it could spawn. The manufacturer could claim breach of warranty and comparative negligence as defenses, but the terrible maiming of the poor hacker would generate a lot of sympathy. Most commentators think that 936 MHz is impossible on a Centro, and claim this photo is a hoax. But, as always, the FutureLawyer can take a hoax, and create a teaching moment.

butterscotch - Tech Candy On The Web

butterscotch shows. My friend, Andy Walker, formerly of TechTV, and lately an Internet video pioneer, has a new project, Butterscotch. The site features shows on tech, gadgets, gift guides, and video reports from some of the best tech minds and personalities on the web. Andy and Sean Carruthers are the hosts of the popular Labrats.tv, some of which shows have been featured on this blog. If it is tech you want, this is the place to go. If you are a tech newbie, Noob is a great place for understanding the basics. And, of course, Amber McArthur, in addition to being nice to look at, is one of the best web mavens around. Check this site out, join up, and learn what you need to know. The site is a division of Tucows, a leading software download location, and a great place to find the software you need for your machine.

Probook Loves Law Blogs � Probook Blog

Probook Loves Law Blogs � Probook Blog. My friend, Jonathan Kleiman, a Canadian law student, has sent some link love the FutureLawyer's way, with this post about the Blawg100 competition. (There is still time to vote for the FutureLawyer :-)) Jonathan's new venture, Probook.ca, is a networking blog and site for Canadian lawyers, and really looks great. Hey, Jonathan. We need a Probook.us. In the meantime, I am recommending all my U.S. colleagues check out the site. Tune in, turn on, you know the drill. Oops, was that a Sixties reference? I am dating myself. Jonathan's youth, and my advancing age, got me thinking about the Leary quote: "Is there life after youth?" Yes.

The History of Christmas - Christmas Videos - History.com

The History of Christmas - Christmas Videos - History.com. What are the origins of Christmas? What are the origins of Santa Claus? Where did the tradition of decorating Christmas trees come from? What about the other holiday traditions? This is the place to go for all of those answers, and much more. Have a safe, happy and family-centric holiday.

The iPod touch Will Outsell the iPhone

The iPod touch Will Outsell the iPhone. You don't need an IPhone. You need a cell phone with an inexpensive data plan, and an IPod Touch. Apple is clearly making the Touch more capable, and it can now, with WiFi and Video and 2d Gen apps, compete effectively with the IPhone in all categories. VOIP permits calls to any phone over any WiFi network, and the only accessory required is earbuds with a microphone. The only gap is the need for a WiFi network; but, as this article points out, and as I have opined in my recent posts, WiFi is everywhere, and you can turn a smartphone into a portable router with today's tech everywhere else. Don't sell your soul to AT&T until you know whether you can get along with a Touch and a cell phone.