Futurelawyer

Google Scholar - All The Law You'll Ever Need

Caselaw is Set Free, What Next? - Google Scholar Blog. This is a great exposition of the history of Internet legal research by Thomas Bruce, the Director of the Legal Information Institute at Cornell, one of the first repositories of legal research on the web, and still going strong. You don't need paid legal case law to practice law today; you can do with the Google Scholar case law databases, and it keeps getting better. Now that citators are included, the next step will be creating legal information systems that incorporate regulations and secondary resources, which will be available to everyone in the world. The first place I go for any legal research project these days is Google Scholar, and I then fine tune the results from other resources. If you have some time, go to the Legal Information Institute, and see what is available and searchable for free. 

Samsung Gear S - Dead On Arrival?

Samsung Gear S arrives at various carriers on November 7. I love Samsung. Samsung is a friend of mine. I love the Tizen OS. It works great with my Android smartphone. I love the Gear 2 Neo. It has a microphone and speaker, and, in the car, I can take and reject calls with my voice. If I need privacy, I just touch an icon on the phone app on the watch, and the call switches to my bluetooth headset. Why, then, would Samsung add the functionality of a SIM card and telephone number to an outstanding device without putting in a speaker? The big color screen is beautiful. Tizen has every notification app you might want, plus others. When you don't want to carry a smartphone around, the phone capability is nice. But, no speaker? The mind boggles.

Sometimes You Have To Blow Everything Up And Start Over

Why NASA Blew Up a Rocket Just After Launch. The disclosure that NASA intentionally blew up the Orbital Sciences rocket because of a launch anomaly got me thinking about life and law practice and most human endeavor. When things go wrong, sometimes you have to blow it all up and start over. Protecting human life is more important than protecting hardware and software. Failure can be spectacular, as the fireball that was a rocket will attest. However, it is the quiet failure of surrender that is the most destructive. The answer? Never give up. Never surrender.

Security Key Access To Websites

Add a Security Key to your Google Account - Accounts Help. Where possible, I use two step authentication for website access. Someone would have to have physical possession of my phone to sign in to Google, for instance. Now, I have added another layer of protection, with the addition of a Plug-UP USB Security key, which requires physical possession of the key to access my account. Any website supporting the FIDO UDF protocol can be set up for the key. Are you safe today?

Why I Am A Solo - Halloween Edition

5 Dos and Don'ts for Law Office Halloween Costumes - Greedy Associates. I had to laugh at this post about BigLaw Halloween parties, and advice to Associates about what to wear and what not to wear. My favorite is the one that says: "Don't be offensive". Of course, these days, offensive is just about anything you say or do. I think that I am going to have a Halloween party at my office, all by myself, and I will dress as a Washington Redskin.

Microsoft Makes Apps For Android? Who Knew?

The Best Microsoft Apps For...Android?. While most of my software requires the Windows OS, I love, and have loved, the portability of my Android tablets However, when manufacturers stared making competent Windows based tablets, I started using them for work. However, I still carry an Android tablet around, since it is light and easy to use, and uses the same stuff as my Android phone. However, if you want less full throated versions of Office, OneNote, and, if you have an XBox, are into gaming, you should look at the Android versions. 

Google Records What You Say To It

Google listens after you say 'OK Google' to your desktop Chrome | ZDNet. If you use the OK Google voice command to search for information on your computer, you should be aware that the recording is sent to Google, which stores it for improving voice recognition. If this bothers you, you can turn it off in Advanced Settings in Chrome. You can tell when it is listening by looking at the microphone icon. If shaded, it is listening. What many don't know is that OK Google, by default, records what you say a few seconds BEFORE you say OK Google, and the OK Google itself, ostensibly to improve the recognition of your voice. You can turn off this feature, and I recommend it. Go to Settings, Advanced, and unclick OK Google if you have it set already. Then, turn it back on and you will be presented with the option to record before OK Google. Uncheck that box. Now, only what you say AFTER OK Google will be recorded. Your searches are stored anyway, until you delete them by clearing the cache; but, of course, Google saves them for a period of time. Be careful out there.

 

Do You Really Need Microwaves When You Sleep?

Nintendo Is Developing a Non-Wearable to Track Sleep and Fatigue. Nintendo must be pulling our legs. The newest device in its plans is a box that sits on the bedside table, and uses microwaves to track our sleep patterns. Say what? Why not just stick your head in a microwave oven and get it over with? I don't wear wearables to bed, as they tend to vibrate at 1 A.M., when I am finally in deep REM sleep. Why would I want a microwave transmitter next to my head? Nintendo, go back to making games with little cartoon characters. I need some sleep.

If You Gold Plate Your Note 4, You Are Dead To Me

Video: here%u2019s what a $2000 gold-plated Note 4 looks like. Few things make me angrier than the use of wealth to create useless non-functional things. It is obscene for some humans to go hungry while others gold plate their phones. I believe in free markets, and the freedom to be a jerk; but, I think that anyone who buys products like this needs a wakeup call. 

Fifty Shades Of Lawyers

Fifty shades of lawyers - The Globe and Mail. I am not sure I get the connection between this cartoon and the James novel; but, I suppose the Brits get it. (Thanks to @David_Bilinsky for the link).