Futurelawyer

DocuSign Can Survive Pandemics, Floods And Earthquakes.

DocuSign. As a technologist, I have always loved digital solutions to real world problems. As a lawyer, I have always appreciated tech that makes my job as a lawyer, easier. But, before the Pandemic, I considered DocuSign as a method of reducing delay in getting signatures on documents from around the country and the world. However, my eyes are now wide open, and Docusign is now my preferred way of getting things done. Remote lawyering requires the use of remote tools, and the ability to sign a legal document over the Internet is essential to such a practice. These days I really can practice law from my den at home. I can communicate with anyone in the world face to face using Zoom. I can send any document anywhere in the world, and it returns with a legally enforceable digital signature in the blink of an eye. Cool.

Medical Measurements Wherever I Am, No Hospital Needed.

Samsung Health App. Certainly, sooner or later, all of us will find our way to an ER and a hospital. However, we want to delay the final ride as long as possible. Monitoring our health measurements is a good start. This morning, I measured my heart rate, conducted a medical grade Electrical Cardiogram, measured my blood pressure, measured my blood oxygen level (97%), did a stress test, and checked yesterday's step count, all before breakfast, all with my Smartwatch. I may be performing the final act; but, I want to postpone it as long as possible. Knowing what my body is telling me is a good start.

Red Cross First Aid App Can Save A Life

Red Cross App Can Save A Life. Accidents happen. Anaphylactic shock. Serious burns. Choking. Heart attacks. Now, there is one I am familiar with. Sometimes, what we do in the first few minutes after an emergency can determine the outcome. My earliest experiences with the Red Cross were serving as a volunteer, and it is one of the most selfless helping organizations on the planet. This free app is full of essential information about a range of topics that could save your life or the life of one you love. Aside from calling 911 (always the first step), do you know what to do?

BSafe - Sometimes You Want To Go Where Everybody Knows Your Name.

BSafe Voice Activated Security System. We see a lot of chatter these days about the proliferation of computing devices that can track our every move, see what we see, hear what we hear, and have the power, in the wrong hands, to violate our right to privacy. However, there is another side to this coin. In fact, wearable technology can mitigate disease, and be a safeguard of our personal security. While it became a popular meme, the "I've fallen, and I can't get up" commercial highlighted a scary scenario. We are sometimes alone, and sometimes have accidents. Parents have every reason, these days, to worry about their children being out and about. So, a voice activated phone app that can notify a pre-determined list of emergency contacts when needed can be a life saver. It records emergency video, has a built in siren, and will send your, or your loved one's, location automatically to your family. Safety and security in a scary world. What's not to like?

Phantom Covert Ops - Paddling Down The River With An M-16

I just lost 45 minutes of my life, and I can't wait to do it again. I have enjoyed touring the world in VR, and playing fast action shooting games, along with some tamer titles. But, VR with the Oculus Quest is mind blowing. The realism of paddling a kayak down a dark river filled with bad guys, and shooting targets with an M-16, makes you forget time. I was amazed when I took off the glasses and realized that what I thought was 5 minutes was actually 45 minutes in real time. You can lose yourself in the game, which is what Oculus VR should be about. Most fun I have had in a while. If you haven't invested $300 bucks in a Quest, you might want to wait for Quest 2, which supposedly will have 50% more pixels, and thus a much sharper image. But, if you don't want to wait, you can't go wrong with Covert Ops on the Quest. Get in some quality relaxation time before dealing with the next client. You'll be glad you did.

#WhyIAmASolo - I Can Use Nuance Power PDF Instead Of Adobe Acrobat

I use Nuance Power PDF every day, all day. Since Florida adopted Efiling in all Counties, I have used it to create documents and pleadings for efiling in most of the Counties of Florida. I have created documents in WordPerfect, published them to PDF on my computer, digitally signed them in some cases using Power PDF, and filed the pleadings from my desk. For the lemmings who absolutely, positively must have Word documents, I can convert both WordPerfect and PDF files with the click of an icon. Power PDF allows me to create PDF documents with the necessary PDF/A security classification, and there are a host of other things I can do. Since law practice is document intensive,  a competent PDF software is as essential to the modern practice as a competent word processor. Power PDF is also much less expensive than Acrobat. Acrobat now requires an annual commitment of $14.99 a month on a subscription basis. That is $179 a year, and you get to pay it again next year. Power PDF is $179 up front, and is updated automatically via the Web. Unless you upgrade to a new version, you can use it forever. I can't remember the last time I had to buy it. It is easier to use than Acrobat, and the drop down buttons are intuitive. I actually don't use many of the features; but, they are there if I need them. This is a strong buy recommendation for every desk in your office. Now, go efile something.

Wearable Computing Is The Future.

galaxy watch 3 ecg and blood pressure monitoring approved. I can't wait until my Galaxy Watch 3 can monitor my blood pressure and heart rhythm all the time. Heart patients are always keeping track of those things, and, while my meds and supplements control mine, it is nice to see that wearable computing is advancing in such meaningful ways. I can remember the same sort of doubts a few years ago when I predicted wearables were the future as when I argued that email would change everything 30 years ago. Technology can be misused; but, it is folly to deny that human advancement will always rely on tech advancements. The ECG and Blood pressure features have already been approved by the FDA, and we should have the updates to the Watch software before the end of the year. What's on your wrist?

YourPhone - Control Your Phone From Your PC Screen.

Microsoft YourPhone App. We spend a lot of our working lives in front of a PC screen. We carry those lives with us when we leave home or the office. Texts and emails are now a principal connection between us and the rest of the world. The YourPhone app allows me to bring up my phone screen anytime I am at my desks, and to view my phone as if it were in my hand. I can leave it cradled until I have to leave the home office or regular office, and never miss a call or text. Notifications on the notebook or big screen are nice; but, actually using the phone from the office setup is very efficient and fun. Here is a grab of the YourPhone screen on my notebook computer.

Google Duo Gets Captions.

Google Duo Gets Captions. In an age where online video conferencing has become common, Google's Duo has become a goto method for video calls with our friends, relatives and clients. Sometimes, in a noisy environment, it is difficult to hear, and some of us have hearing deficiencies as we grow older. Now, with captioning, we can, in effect, send text messages while our correspondents can still see and hear us. Talk on.

Google Meet Button In Gmail - Is It A Good Thing Or A Bad Thing?

GMail Gets Full Google Meet Integration. Of course, we Stoics know that there is no such thing as a good thing or a bad thing. There are just things, and we choose how to react to them. Fate will do what she will do anyway. So, when I logged into Gmail on my phone yesterday, and saw that the bottom 20% of my screen was occupied by a GMail icon and a Google Meet icon, I was shocked, even though I knew it was coming. Frankly, I don't get why having a Google Meet button on my GMail page helps me. If I want to do a Google Meet, the icon is available a screen away. So, thanks, Google, but no thanks. I use Zoom meetings a lot more, anyway, since that is what most people use. I want my screen back. Phone screens are small enough already.