Futurelawyer

The (Almost) Paperless Office

The paperless office is a myth. There will always be paper, and lawyers will always be dealing with mountains of it. Get over it. There is an achievable goal, however. How about the LessPaper Office? We can do that. This is an image of my LessPaper Office at work. On the left is a scanner, the NeatDesk. Many experts recommend the Fujitsu scanners; but, I use this one because it is TWAIN compatible. That means it works with third party scanner software, which, in my case, means Nuance's PaperPort Deluxe 14. Next is my workhorse, a Samsung ATIV tablet computer. It sits in a charging dock during the day, and I can pick up the light, 1.6 pound device anytime I want to go out. It is connected to the monitor, also Samsung, via a MicroHDMI to standard HDMI cable. I can duplicate the screens, or extend one of them, as I wish. The small dock between them is for my Samsung Note 3 phablet, which, at the time of the photo was taking the photo. It connects, via Bluetooth, to my tablet, monitor, and my Galaxy Gear SmartWatch. This image, and the hardware tools, and the software tools I run on the hardware, will be the subject of my talk today at the Tampa Bay Inns of Court in Tampa, Florida. What fun.

Office 365 Or Office 2013?

What%u2019s the Difference Between Office 365 and Office 2013?. We live in an online world. And, for us WordPerfect users, we live in a Microsoft Office world. While I wrap my head around that problem, I had to choose between a single user version of Office for the other members of the family, all of whom have been brought up on Word, and PowerPoint and Excel. This is a good comparison article about the advantages and disadvantages of both Office 365 and Office 2013. For me, the decision was simple. For around a hundred bucks, I could rent Office for a year for all of us. What's your pleasure?

Google Glass Wearer Robbed And Harassed

Google Glass wearer ejected, robbed, seeks out media for attention | GadgeTell. (Note. This is satire, and the facts are unknown.) A Google Glass wearer has allegedly filed a report that she was robbed and harassed at a dive bar late at night merely because she was wearing Google Glass. Apparently, she was shocked that men in dirty shirts and jeans, drinking beer, and otherwise being totally uncool would actually want to harm her. She filed a report that, in addition to the destruction of her $1,500 glass, her $5,000 shoes, and her $2,000 purse were stomped on and destroyed. (Not necessarily true - hyperbole). Our intrepid Glass wearer believes that it should be classified a hate crime to attack someone wearing Google Glass. This is certainly a First Amendment issue, and she is soliciting lawyers willing to take her case against the Bar owners. 

Disaster Tip - Use Your Phone's HotSpot

Your smartphone's WiFi hotspot might double as a disaster rescue beacon. Okay, pretend you are in the middle of a disaster. You can't contact your team, or your fellow rescue workers, or your family. All the cell phone networks are down. Your smart phone is now useless, right? Not. These guys have invented an app that does something very simple; it substitutes your phone's hotspot app with an SOS rescue message. Someone using the same app can then find you within a few hundred feet by scanning for hotspots. Very cool. Very nice. Very helpful. 

Google Now Launcher Available Now In The Play Store

Google Now Launcher arrives in the Play Store | Android and Me. I love the Google Now Launcher. It includes the wake up signal: "OK Google", which allows me to use my voice to do just about anything with the phone. And, I just swipe to the right to get to the ever more useful Launch screen. The bad news is that I had to side load the Launcher to use it on my Note 3, and it is only officially available to Nexus and PlayStore phones and tablets. Search around and you will find a download, if you want to try it out.

Why I Am A Solo - Reason Number 200

Execupundit.com: Working at Biglaw. I am a solo lawyer because there is never any shortage of things to do around here. Work on files, feed the birds, clean the kitchen, sweep the floors, do some filing, type a letter, draft a pleading, have a client meeting, attend a hearing, conduct a trial, go to the Post Office, go to the bank, etc etc. If you are working for BigLaw and you have to fake stuff like having your secretary turn the light on, and figure ways to leave at 7 P.M. without anyone becoming suspicious, I humbly suggest that you re-examine your choices. I only answer to one person, and her name is SWMBO, and she is usually kind to me. 

How To Spot A Scam

Scam Alert: Verizon %u201CTechnical Support%u201D Number Tricking Users Into Verizon54 Scam Site | Droid Life. Rule Number One: If someone claiming to be from Verizon calls you or emails you unsolicited, and says they want to give you $54, it's a scam. Rule Number Two: If someone claiming to be from Verizon calls or emails you and says: "We care about you", it's a scam. Many phishing scams begin with an unsolicited call or email. Very few companies or websites use email to contact you, unless you intitiated contact. But, the real tell is when one of these companies claims to "care about you" or wants to "give you money". As with most things in life, those are two of the biggest lies. Get over it.

FINsix Laptop Power Adapter Is Tiny

FINsix shows tiny laptop power supply at CES 2014 | Digital Trends. Some of the best booths at the Mobile World Congress are small startup companies with great products. FINsix is a great example. This tiny little power adapter can pull 65 Watts, which is more than enough to power and charge your notebook computer. One of the last things to get thin and light are AC power adapters. I can't wait until this product hits the market. 

Women Are From Apple And Men Are From Android

Women prefer Apple, gentlemen prefer Samsung | Technically Incorrect - CNET News. I think I knew this instinctively; probably because male geeks tend to like gadgets they can fool around with. But,studies show that larger percentages of men prefer Samsung and larger percentages of women prefer Apple. Some of this may have to do with the smaller size of Apple iPhones; but, a large part has to do with the fact that Androids are fare more customizable. As Arnold would say: "Don't be a girly man - get an Android phone". Grunt.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

SWMBO and I, and around 700 of our close friends, will be getting up close and personal with the most beautiful voice of our generation on Thursday night. Art Garfunkel will be singing and chatting. I still get goosebumps when I hear this anthem: