Futurelawyer

Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II Available For Pre-Order On Verizon

Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II Goes On Pre-Order, Complete With Branded Home Button | Pocketnow. The Galaxy Note II will be available next month on Verizon, and it is a big, beautiful phablet. At $299 with a two year agreement, it is very tempting. I don't have an upgrade available until mid November, so I will be watching the early adopters to see if I want to join the party. However, if you want the biggest phone screen available, with stylus support, and the latest version of Android, this is the phone for you.

Windows 8 - Just Don't - Yet

Why you shouldn%u2019t upgrade to Windows 8 | PCWorld. Will Windows 8 ultimately succeed as a new OS, or will it require a massive change in interface, like Vista did? My vote right now is that Windows 8 is Vista Redux. It will become the OS users love to hate; and, until devices appear that leverage its hybrid nature fluently, it will be installed on few machines. It works reasonably well on my hybrid tablet/notebook computer, the venerable Dell Inspiron Duo. However, the little, fat, ugly computer doesn't work in today's slim, light device environment. So, wait for the convertible that tickles your fancy, and see if Microsoft tweaks Windows 8 to make Metro easier to use. Also, look at the Metro apps to see if you can live with the choices and the interface before you buy. We may be in for a Vista like couple of years. There is no rush. Android, iOS, and Windows 7 (See photo with eminently usable Start button) and Mac OS will work just fine for now.

Tempur-Pedic Office Chair - Sit In It And Sigh

Tempur-Pedic� TP9000, Ergonomic Mesh Mid-Back Task Chair, Black | Staples�. I have been on a lifelong journey from office chair to office chair. Early in my career, I wanted a big fancy high back chair that I thought looked cool. As I grow older, comfort and back support have become much more important. Now that lawyers spend a lot more time typing at a computer, ergonomic chairs are becoming more common. However, I don't have $1,500 to spend on a high end ergo chair. So, when my current chair started feeling more like a torture device than a comfortable place to put my expanding tush for 8 to 10 hours a day, I remembered that Staples was having a 15% off sale until tomorrow. While there, I found this Tempur-Pedic on sale for $249.99. This chair is great; plenty of back support, and a solid base that holds its height. Go sit in this chair. It will be the best $225 you have spent in a while.

Afraid Of Germs On Your CellPhone?

Lawyer Is Among Cellphone Users Flummoxed on How to Disinfect the Devices - News - ABA Journal. I had to laugh at this story about the lawyer who wants to know how to disinfect her cellphone. Apparently, the fact that tap water contains fecal matter bacteria is too much to bear. This reminds me of the parents who don't let their kids play in the backyard because of the germs. Please. First, I grew up catching minnows in a creek that I won't tell you how dirty it was. Kids need to be exposed to common germs in order to develop immunity. Second, are you aware of the germs that live in your keyboard? On your doorknobs? On the hands of people who shake your hand? On toilet seats in public restrooms? Fearing germs may be a valid fear; but, just because Howard Hughes may have been right, doesn't make him any the less crazy. If you really want to be afraid of something, try fearing the stuff your kids bring home from school.

Did Apple Announce the iPad Mini Or The iPad Maxi?

iPad mini release date, news and features | News | TechRadar. Hmmm. Google Nexus 7, a fast responsive, slim, beautiful tablet - $199; OR, iPad Mini, a fast, responsive, slim, beautiful tablet - $329. The only question I have about the new iPad Mini Maxi is what to do with the extra $129? I have a modest proposal: Power up your browser, and type in "What Can I Buy For $129?" and see what you get. How about a MiFi box to tether your new tablet to the Internet? You can get a Mini with a 4G radio; but, that one is $459. But, go ahead and buy one anyway. Apple certainly needs the cash to support its legal staff. And, we have nothing against lawyers making money.

 

Can You Hear Me Now?

For a long time, I have informed SWMBO that my alleged hearing deficit is self induced. That is, I don't pay attention to irrelevant chatter. Of course, she usually has a different view of relevancy. I just got an email, however, with this title, 

A Hearing Aid Helps You Hear the Wolrd Clearly!

and I no longer think that a hearing aid is my problem. I think I need a new pair of glasses. 

 

 

Do Lawyers Want Simpler Device Interfaces?

A Simpler Interface Works Best for Tablet-Toting Lawyers. This is an interesting article about the proliferation of mobile devices and the practice of law. The thesis is that lawyers want simple interfaces on their small devices, and a simple learning curve. While I agree with the device agnostic slant of the article (Apple and Google Android aren't mentioned once), I disagree that lawyers want simple. Lawyers are just like the rest of the public, a diverse group, some of whom like customizable and don't mind complicated. As a group, technically literate lawyers who like playing with tech, and who, like the FutureLawyer, have been looking for the smallest productive tech for many years, enjoy making complicated software and hardware work for the practice of law. That said, we do want tech to help us practice law; we don't necessarily want to make a big production out of it. I can do just about anything as a lawyer nowadays with a tiny smartphone with a 4.7 inch screen. However, while I can view documents, cases, and other content on a small screen, I can do it better on a larger screen, like a 7 to 10 inch tablet. And, I can only do productive content creation on a slim, light ultrabook computer with a full sized keyboard. I think this is why Microsoft may be just the thing for the legal vertical market with Windows 8, if it works well. You will be able to carry a convertible tablet/computer that will run all of the legacy lawyer productivity software, on a slim, light 3 pound computer that will have an 11 to 13 inch screen. And, in some iterations, the screen will be detachable to carry as a tablet only. The upshot of all this is that, simple or complicated, mobile is where it's at. Can the wearable computer come fast enough?

If I Were A Rich Man...

With apologies to the Fiddler, I bring you my dream machine, the successor to my fat, chunky Dell Inspiron Duo. This sleek successor is Windows 8 ready, and you can get a Core I7 processor, and a 256 Gig SSD driver for around $1,700. Ouch. However, if you want a sleek convertible that will serve as a Windows 8 tablet or full machine, this is the one. Dell XPS 12. Watch for it this Fall. And, if you want to buy me one, I will say thank you.

 

If You Wear One Of These, Don't Come Around...

Meet Memoto: The Discreet Camera That Records Your Life In 30-Second Intervals | TechCrunch. I suppose that the only thing worse than the nanny state might be this little invention, the Memoto. This little camera takes a snapshot of what you are looking at every 30 seconds. Creepy doesn't begin to describe this thing. First, the nannies want to tell me what to put into my mouth, and what to read, and whether my classical literature may contain images of pipes. Now, you want to record me every 30 seconds? Note to friends: if you buy and wear one of these, stay out of my way. The company calls this thing "discreet". The only way to turn it off is to put it in a dark place, like your pocket. I have a dark place where you can put it, and it isn't called a pocket.

A Story Only Mayor Bloomberg And The San Fran Board Of Supervisors Could Love

A Canadian author, in her zeal to protect our children from images of Santa Claus smoking a pipe, has taken it upon herself to remove the line about pipe smoking, and have an illustrator remove the halo of smoke and pipe from his picture in the story. Are you kidding me? When challenged, she actually said: "I don't care about your classics, I care about your children". I have a modest proposal. Why doesn't she redraw Santa as a slim, young, hairless metro sexual who hands out healthy food, and doesn't drink 32 ounce sugared soda? Maybe, instead of toys, he could give the children a box full of fruit, and celery sticks, like the McDonald's stores in San Francisco? Are these people insane? I don't want to go off on a rant here...wait, yes I do. Sometimes, political correctness makes me crazy. Here is a short rant that makes the point: