Futurelawyer

Samsung Gear S2 3G vs Samsung Gear S

Samsung Gear S2 3G vs Samsung Gear S: What's the difference? - Pocket-lint. In a few days, I have to decide whether to upgrade my Gear S to a Gear S2 3G. I really like my Gear S; but, it is a big, heavy device, and the new one has a rotating bezel to cycle between screens and apps. Both are almost identical inside, so all the functions, including phone calls, will be available. I really like the rectangular screen for reading texts and emails and other stuff, however. Decisions, decisions. Upgrading would cost around $350, but tech is my business so I really need to test most new gadgets. I will let you know what I decide, as I am going to the Verizon store on the 6th to look at the new ones.

You Don't Need To Pay $50 For An HDMI Cable

Do I need to buy Premium HDMI Certified Cables to watch 4K? - CNET. We all have seen them at the Big Box stores. Supposedly high quality HDMI cables for $50 and up. The packaging is seductive. If you want a better picture on that new TV you need a premium cable, and that costs money. Well, I hate to burst the bubble; but, I use HDMI cables purchased online that cost around $4 for a 6 foot cable, and my picture quality is great. That is because the circuitry that controls picture quality is in the TV, not the cables. So, if you have a new 4K TV, don't spend a lot of money on expensive cables. Use the ones you have, or buy them online. You won't be able to tell the difference.

Gadget Saturday - Portable Keyboard

Amazon.com: (Updated Version)iPazzPort 2.4GHz Wireless Mini Keyboard Remote Control with Multi-Touch Trackpad Mouse Combo for Raspberry pi/HTPC/XBMC/Google and Android TV KP-810-10AS: Computers & Accessories. This little keyboard, trackpad, remote control plugs in to any USB port, and is ideal for providing everything but the screen for a Raspberry Pi computer. For $15, I have ordered one, and will test it with my Raspberry Pi and my Windows tablet. The description says it can also be used as a remote control.

Why I Am A Solo - No HR Department And No Bad Managers

Reader IT Horror Story: When Bad Managers Go Rabid. This story about an IT guy who worked for a large law firm touched a nerve with me. Bad managers, and incompetent bosses can make a job (even those not at a law firm) hell. Solving computer problems for people who know nothing about computers is tough enough. As a solo, I am lucky. My IT guy is brilliant, and my HR Department will never fire me, without my prior consent. 

Studio 7.0 LTE - A Tablet And A Phone

Studio 7.0 LTE. The new Blu tablet phone is one big, honking phone. It is 7 inches; as big as the Nexus 7 tablet; but, it has dual SIM slots for LTE phone access. The specs are not bad; and, it is only $199 unlocked. It is a good thing that this thing doesn't work on my carrier, Verizon. I might have to buy it just because. Now, if you don't use it with a Bluetooth headset, I might have to come over there. Come to think of it, I might just buy one to use as a tablet. 

Chrome OS Will Become Android

Google plans to fold Chrome OS into Android | Android and Me. I suppose it was inevitable. I have purchased a couple of Chrome OS computers; and, they always seemed crippled to me. Nothing worked without an Internet connection, and apps had to run in the browser. Google is finally getting the message; which is that they already have a great OS, in Android, that has millions of apps that run great, and that have been running on phones and tablets for a while now. So, go ahead and buy a cheap, tiny laptop. Just make sure it is running Android.

The Frugal Lawyer - The Great Toner Experiment

rt eco %u2013 Renewable Toner. Well, I received my two toner cartridges from RenewableToner yesterday. I paid $55 for both, which is about $25 each. They are the extended version, and purportedly print 6,900 pages each. The same toner cartridges from HP are between $150-$175 at the local big box office store. I installed the first one immediately, and the quality is great. I can't tell the difference. $50 versus $300 is quite a savings, and that kind of money means a lot to a solo practitioner. I recommend this company; although, it remains to be seen whether the quality will hold up over time, and whether I will get the 6,900 copies. I will report. For now, I am very satisfied. 

Why I Am A Solo - Robot Edition

Law Firm Partners Ready to Replace Associates With Robots. In case you are going to law school so that you can get a cushy associate job with a BigLaw firm, and make a lot of money, you had better rethink. Do you think that BigLaw lawyers would blink twice if they thought you could be replaced by a robot or computer? Do you think they pay big associate salaries out of the goodness of their hearts? Sure, they expect the cream to rise to the top and to get future partners from the pool of associates. But, that is like thinking that you can play college football, and get a ticket to the NFL. Don't be replaced by a robot. Make less money and get more job satisfaction. At least, you know you won't be replacing yourself with a robot. At least, not until we can implant computer parts into our bodies. 

Privacy Is Officially Dead - CISA Goes To Conference

Security trumps privacy as Senate passes controversial cyber bill - CNET. I suppose it was inevitable. CISA, the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, which permits corporations to share evidence of cyberattacks with the government without risking privacy lawsuits from consumers, has passed both houses of Congress, and, after conference, will be going to the President, where he has said he will sign it. While privacy has been dead for a while now, CISA puts ultimate control over private data in the hands of the government, where you must now trust that it will be kept confidential. Privacy advocates are not amused. But, the recent data hacks; particularly those which embarrassed the government and exposed Federal employee data meant that new laws against cyberterrorism were inevitable. Like the Patriot Act after 9/11, government will always opt for security over privacy. What do you think?

YouTube Red - No Ads

YouTube Red is live, sign up now for a free trial. When I first found out that Google was going to charge $9.99 a month for ad free access to YouTube, I thought that Google had made a serious error. Who would pay that much to look at ad free videos? I resolved not to do it. Then, I found out that my Google Play Music subscription, for which I already pay $9.99 a month includes a subscription to Red. Eureka.