Futurelawyer

Think Email Is A Pain? You Know Nothing Of Pain, Grasshopper.

Everyone seems to complain about email problems these days. It is too slow and cumbersome for kids these days, and they prefer Instagram, Text messaging, and other instant gratification ways of communicating. Oh, children. You have it so tough. Come with me to the Internet of my youth, say around 1984, when men were men, and modems were as big as a breadbox. Sending an email was a major production, and there was no such thing as an attachment. 

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.

What Decade Are You From, Homie?

Telephones are so last decade.

Google Chat, Meet, GMail Receive Enterprise Grade Security Tools

Google Chat, Meet, GMail Acquire New Security Tools. Google has the best software engineers in the world. GSuite, the paid version of their enterprise class products (Relax, it's cheap at $5 a month), has always provided better stability and security than the free consumer versions. Now, however, Google will protect users from forgers, spammers, and rabble-rousers looking to disrupt their communications. A BIMI badge or logo will be contained in messages from trusted domains. So spammers, and fraudsters won't be able to fake communications. In addition, new security controls will prevent hackers from gaining access to Google Meet chat rooms and video rooms. While there is no such thing as 100% security on the Internet, the Googleverse will be a much safter place to be.

Google Keep - The Best Free Note Taking And Information Saving App You Aren't Using Enough.

Top Seven Reasons To Use Google Keep. Whenever I read something on the web, or elsewhere on my computer, if I want to save it for later use, I copy and paste it to Google Keep. I can access Keep by clicking a link while in GMail, or as an addon icon while in Chrome or Brave. Just click and it is saved for posterity. I can organize the clips later into categories like Inspiration, Passwords, etc. It is powerful, free and can even transcribe interviews or voice recordings. Why aren't you using it? When Google GSuite makes its new one stop shop available, all of the Googleverse will be organized on one page. Keep your important stuff available. But, remember to set up two factor authentication for your Google account. You don't want the bad guys to get your data.

GMail Problems? Or, Is It Us?

Spam Filter Broken In GMail? Whatever happened to personal responsibility? This piece in Forbes asserts that the sky is falling because many users have been getting spam and other bad emails in their In Box. I can remember when we didn't rely on far away computer algorithms to protect us from emails that we shouldn't be opening. Spam filters are certainly convenient. They separate a lot of chaff from the wheat when I am checking email. But, they aren't perfect, and I still need to look at the spam emails to determine if they contain a false positive. In addition, every user of email, Gmail or otherwise, should look critically at emails before opening links in them. Is this the apocalypse that the Terminator movie franchise predicted? Are we becoming so reliant upon our machines that we have lost the ability to think for ourselves? Use your brain. Make judgments about your In Box without the intervention of a search engine. Jeez.

Videoconferencing Wars Coming To Your Smartphone

Google Meet Tab Integration For GMail. Google is serious about videoconferencing competition with Zoom. Soon, your iPhone or Android phone will feature a prominent Google Meet button on the GMail front page. Meet already is one upping Zoom with features, and GMail is on everyone's phone already, isn't it? I know I use it all the time, since my GSuites account is how I run my practice. Will you give Google Meet a try? I still Zoom; but, it is a pain to have my correspondents get an email invite when we set up a meeting. What will you use?

Have You Switched Browsers Yet? Be Brave.

BraveversusChromeversusFirefox. I have been posting about a new browser lately, Brave. It is a Chrome clone; but, because it blocks third party tracking and has security settings set by default, it loads much faster than Chrome or Firefox. It blocks third party cookies and tracking, and stores all of your browsing data locally. It has built in encryption where possible, similar to the HTTPS add on for Chrome; except, it is on by default. If a site is blocked that you want to see, you just click the lion, and turn off Shields for that page. This reminds me of the old days, when the cool kids dumped old, bloated Windows Explorer for Chrome. Software tends to be lean and mean when it is young, just like the rest of us. Next to Brave, Chrome feels like I do when I get up in the middle of the night and stagger to the bath room. Ever walked on deep, soft sand at the beach? Yeah. Like that. Don't believe me? Check out this speed comparison, side by side:

 

Cross Site Trackers And Other Creepy Things

Brave Web Browser. Most of us are vaguely aware that sites track us as we browse the Internet. But, there is a complex web of relationships between and among sites trying to sell us stuff, and spying on us for ulterior motives. Cross Site Trackers are common, and we often install an Ad Blocker without considering that there are many ways to track our Internet usage. That is why I have abandoned Chrome and now use Brave browser exclusively. It is a faithful clone of Chrome, and uses the same engine. But, it has security built in, and I haven't had a blip from its blocking of trackers and adbots yet. It is the fastest browser I have ever used, and I don't say that lightly. It is free. Try it out. I guarantee that you won't go back. Shields Up, Scotty.

Are You Brave Enough To Switch To A New Browser?

Brave Browser. Let's face it. Chrome is the best browser on the planet, and beats Edge, and any other browser by a mile. However, it can get slow over time, and we all want fast. It also needs a lot of tweaks to be secure, and most of us just want something that works out of the box. Enter a new Chrome clone, Brave. This browser imports all your favorites, tweaks, add ons, and settings from your Chrome installation, and the browser is two to three times faster than Chrome. I installed it in 5 minutes, and it tool 5 minutes to re log in to all my apps and tabs. Presto, I have a great new browser that is so quick and easy that even I , FutureLawyer , am impressed. Give Brave a try. It has built in ad blocking and security by default. If you want something that is blocked you can white list it. Take 30 minutes. This little browser will be worth it.