Futurelawyer

Google Photos - Crop That Sucker

Google Photos gets markup functions for its image editor. Most amateur photographers (that means you, person with phone in hand taking photos and posting them online) make one colossal mistake with their photographs. They don't get close enough, and don't fill the frame with their subject matter. Sometimes, scenics and nature require broad views; but, if you are photographing people, animals, birds or other subjects, it is almost always better to get close. If you don't get close when you take the photograph, you can zoom in with the cropping tool of an image editor. There are a lot of these around; but, now, Google Photos, the best image collection cloud service, is providing editing tools in the app. You can crop and now make annotations on the fly. So, start cropping those photos, so I don't have to look at extraneous background anymore. Please.

Motorola Is Back, And It Has A Winner

motorola US | unlocked cell phones & moto razr. One of my first cell phones was a Motorola Droid, and it was best in class at the time. When I saw the announcement of a new foldable Razr, I got the same feeling I got with the Droid. Classy, well built, and innovative. I still have the Droid, and I charged it up yesterday, and used it with WiFi, since I no longer have a Verizon account. Why Motorola is locked to Verizon is understandable, as it is still the biggest vendor. But, alas, I long ago realized that Verizon is about taking your money, and not about the customer experience. So, I will pass on the Razr; but, it looks like the answer to the foldable phone question. If you can stomach Verizon's arrogance and price gouging, it is the one to buy.

#WhyIAmASolo - Quicken Is My Accountant

Quicken Home & Business Download | Quicken. Okay, I still use an accountant for tax returns and monthly financials. But, a $99 a year subscription to Quicken is all I need to have control over my finances, both personal and law firm, and, with connections to my bank, daily monitoring and control of all the bank accounts. Office accounts, trust accounts, asset and liability listings, are all available at all times. I know balances, checks clearing, deposits, and anything I need to manage my finances instantly. My entire financial life can be encrypted and backed up to the cloud for instant retrieval; and, with a mobile app, I can do it from a phone or tablet. Are you a solo lawyer yet?

Browsing On Your Phone Gets Better

Chrome%u2019s latest update revolutionizes tab switching on phones | Tom's Guide. As phones become phablets, and more people browse the web while mobile, Google has quietly made the de facto world's best browser even better. Rather than have to scroll through open tabs like an old fashioned rolodex, users now will see a grouping of small tiles, from which they can choose the page tab to view. This reminds me a little of Windows tiles, or the old Windows phone interface. You can enter incognito mode with a slider on the top bar, and there are other small improvements. Browse on. You can do it while mobile.

Lawnchair Launcher - Where Are Your Apps?

Lawnchair Launcher - Apps on Google Play. I wish I had a nickel for every new Android app launcher I have tried. The Pixel launcher is perhaps the best I have tried; but, I have used them all. The Lawnchair Launcher is my current favorite, and I have it installed on my main phone, the Galaxy Note 10+. Simple, easy to use, clean lines, and gets right to the point (I mean app). What's on your phone?

Disney Plus Is Live!

Disney Plus is live: Price, sign up, shows, movies and more | Tom's Guide. Okay, I am a Disney fan. I don't like the hot weather and long lines at DisneyWorld; but, I go anyway. I grew up with Disney classics, and I love escaping reality for a few hours. Now, I have a TV channel that is all Disney, all the time. Brilliant. You can watch in the browser, and it is a great way to take a break during a long day. Right now, the new StarWars TV series is available, the Mandalorian. What does this have to do with law practice and tech? Why, watching TV and film in the browser is a precursor to keeping tech law seminars open during breaks, right? Not. But, this is my blog, and I want to spend some time in a galaxy, far, far away.

Remote Law Practice In Another State? It's Complicated

Can a non-Bar member remotely practice law from Florida? %u2013 The Florida Bar. When law practice required a physical presence in a specific geographical location, it was pretty clear that a license was required to practice law in a given State. However, as I indicated in my post yesterday, the Internet and cloud connected devices make law practice possible in remote locations. The question now becomes whether you must have a license in whatever State you are in, even if you are only representing residents of the State you are licensed in. My initial reaction to this is that, as long as a lawyer restricts her practice to issues of her licensed State, she should be able to do it anywhere in the world. But, it appears that Florida regulators will be weighing in on this issue soon. Stay tuned.

#WhyIAmASolo - I Can Work Remotely And Don't Need Permission

How to Work Remote and Still Run a Successful Law Firm | LegalFuel. This video by Larry Port of RocketMatter shows how law firms can empower employees to work from remote locations. Cloud based law practice management software enables a lawyer with an Internet connection to access all law firm data from anywhere. Just as cloud based computing is trending up, so also cloud based lawyering is becoming more common. I use it because it enables me to practice solo, in an efficient manner, from home or while traveling. I have drafted and filed pleadings from a hotel in Las Vegas, my backyard, my home office, an RV, hospital rooms and a payphone in a National Park. Life happens. Technology can help us to keep the law practice going as it does. Believe it or not, tech can reduce the stress of law practice and help us to live our lives. Where are you practicing law today?

#WhyIAmASolo - It's Not About The Image, Stupid!

Ugh! I was hit by Ransomware... but recovered. A 6 minute must read for everyone. | LinkedIn. Ransomware can infect anyone, and does. In this case, the victim was a company for whom the writer provided tech services. As the author states, egg on your face is the least of your worries. Do you have backups and drive images, and a regular system for restoring files and data? One of the good things about being a solo is that I only have one computer to worry about, and I am the one who uses it every day. Do you BigLaw lawyers know what all of your people are doing on their computers? Get ready now, before you have eggs for breakfast.

RCS Messaging Coming To All Carriers Next Year

US carriers join forces to deliver RCS messaging in 2020 - 9to5Google. Rich Communications Services make text messaging a much better experience, allowing for high quality pictures and videos, better group chatting, and more. The Carriers were apparently spurred by Google's plans to upgrade Google Messages, and they want the consumer eyeballs to stay with the Carrier as long as possible. Also, the richer experience of the App based Facebook Messenger has caused many of us to use two SMS systems. Right now, you can do a lot more with Facebook Messenger; but, a built in RCS messaging system would already know everything about you and your phone. So, if you are ordering a pizza online, it would already know your phone number, etc. And, Facebook is a closed system; albeit, a huge one. What's in your phone?