Futurelawyer

Legal Research - Thinking, And Searching, Outside The Box.

Ernie Svenson's Law Firm Autopilot is a great resource for lawyers who want to improve the function of their law office. Ernie is always thinking about solutions to making the law office better. This little video is an example of "out of the box" thinking that can make our lives, and lawyers, easier and more efficient. Legal research is not just about searching for cases and statutes. It is about the whole panoply of human knowledge, and searching for people and ways that others have already dealt with a current problem; whether it be office management, software, or hardware related. In this case, Ernie talks about going beyond the default "search in Google" strategy. What about other media where millions of people connect? I would go even further, and suggest checking MeWe, Twitter, and other social media sites. Where are you going for your next problem? 

#TBT - Tech Evolving Into Smaller And Smaller Devices.

#WhyIAmASolo - I Don't Need Data Analytics To Run My Practice.

I see a lot of legal tech software developers and entrepreneurs touting data analytics software to help decision making in the practice of law. Collecting this data and then using it to make decisions about your law practice seems to have accelerated with cloud computing. In the words of the late Carl Sagan, there are "billions and billions" of data out there begging to be collated, organized, collected and simplified into usable chunks, and easier to apply to the practice of law. However, as a solo, I have no need for all this data. I make decisions in a far simpler, and, in my view, more intelligent way. I live in the present, and make decisions based upon the data in front of me. If a decision turns out to be wrong or ill advised, I am in a unique position to pivot, and change things. Why? Because I make all the decisions. Who runs your practice?

Rolex Users...What's On Your Wrist?

Best Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Apps. I don't want to beat a dead horse; but, other than impressing me with how much money you are willing to spend to tell other people how much money you are willing to spend on a wrist ornament, why would anyone pay thousands of dollars for a brain dead appliance that only tells the time and date? Educate me please. Then, take a look at the very nice looking wrist computer called the Galaxy Watch 4. Then, take a look at the applications that can be downloaded and used on the Watch 4. My faves, other than the extensive collection of medical apps that rival anything the tricorder could do on StarTrek, are the information apps: Google maps on your wrist. Google Keep, which has all sorts of essential information that I need to get through the day. My calendar, alarms, music, calculator, weather, news, and much more. Oh, and it can make and receive phone calls, email, texts, and post on Facebook. Cost? Around $400 plus $10 a month for the phone service. It operates separately from your phone, if you want, and gently vibrates on your wrist when something deserves your attention. I don't wear it to bed; but, if I needed to track my sleep patterns for a medical reason, I could. I do wear it in the Gulf of Mexico, the backyard pool, and just rinse it off when I am done. What's on your wrist?

Malwarebytes - One Back To School Sale Not To Be Missed.

Back To School Cyberprotection. Protection of kids going back to school from the Pandemic is on the minds of all Americans this month. However, protection against viruses isn't only biological. The computers on which our society rely are subject to attack from real evildoers, and viruses, ransomware attacks, and other assaults on our privacy. IMHO, the best of the best protection comes from putting Malwarebytes between your computer and the Internet. I never connect to the Internet without my computer having a copy of Malwarebytes installed and running. It is the best $40 I spend on my computer each year. I also install it on Diane's computer, and it greatly reduces the time I have to spend fixing problems. There are many other strategies available for computer safety, including, but not limited to, using VPNs (virtual private networks) and two factor authentication when visiting websites; but, the first, and foremost protection you can give your system, is a competent anti-virus, anti-malware, anti-ransomware, and anti-web intrusion software application. Malwarebytes is on sale for $23.99 for the first year now, and, if you want the best, I recommend it highly. They don't pay me to say that. Be careful out there.

FutureLawyer Breathes A Sigh Of Relief As He Reviews One UI Watch.

Galaxy Watch 4 One UI Watch. I admit that I was a little worried about the coming Galaxy Watch 4. I have grown to love the Galaxy watch line, and the Tizen OS. It is intuitive, easy to use, and very efficient. I am happy that Samsung has kept the Tizen OS look and feel on top of adding Wear OS to its watches. In fact, Galaxy Wear isn't even visible, as the Tizen icons and commands are virtually identical to the Watch 3. Thanks, Samsung and Google, for recognizing that the Tizen interface was superior to the original Wear OS.

#WhyIAmASolo - I Will Never Have This Conversation With Anyone.

There seems to be a lack of trust by some employers for employees who have been working remotely. Sounds like a control issue. If you are in a job like this, you need an exit strategy.

It Looks Like A Watch, Acts Like A Watch, But It Is A Smartwatch.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4. In a few days, the evolution of the Smartwatch will be complete. No tiny little rectangle tied to a locked down OS. No more bulky, thick, case with a passing resemblance to a classic high end wristwatch. The Galaxy Watch 4 (I will be getting the Classic version) is a premium regular watch look alike that is a like a computer on the wrist. It will be faster, sleeker, and have more functions than some notebook computers. It will have bio-metric sensors that rival a well equipped medical lab, and, alas, will, among other things, measure the body fat index. I hate that index. In the near future, it will likely measure blood sugar, and the watches already measure heartrate, do a competent ECG, measure blood pressure, and other things. All this in addition to regular text, email, web browsing, telephone calls, and much more. Want to know the population of Katmandu? Just ask. This all comes in a package that costs under $500, and, if you want the phone features, another $10 to $15 a month. I predicted that these wrist computers would go mainstream in the future. The future is now. In a final nod to uniformity, Samsung has merged Tizen and Wear OS into the OneUI Watch OS, which combines the best features of both. The countdown begins.

A Tale Of Two Tablets. I Want Both.

Well, I have spent several weeks now with my new Boox Note Air, and, while the software is sluggish, and it has its quirks when used as a layered EInk note taking device, it has replaced the Remarkable, and I use it for my daily calendar and note taking. No paper still. However, while it runs Android, and can download and use many PlayStore Android apps, I prefer my venerable Samsung Tab S5e for video viewing, and games, and Ereading. The color screen really makes my reading of the daily paper, and NFL highlights on the NFL channel, and most other viewing specific apps much nicer. So, it looks like I will be carrying two tablets with me. They each have their benefits. The Tablet has its own LTE chip, so it connects to the Internet anywhere, and I can use it as a Mobile Hotspot for the Note Air. I can even use the Hotspot for mobile notebook computer use for my Microsoft Book 2, and the TVs in the RV. In a pinch, I can still use the Note Air for Android apps; or, I can access two Android apps at once...one on the Note Air, and the other on the Samsung tablet. 

Samsung Is A New Kind Of Crazy.

Reserve a Galaxy Fold 3 Before The August 11th reveal. The Headline screams that Samsung must be crazy to require a pre reveal reservation system for the upcoming Galaxy Fold 3. When I read that, it occurred to me that the headline didn't go far enough. It should have read that Samsung must be crazy if they think we are going to pay over $2,000 for a Smartphone just because it folds up. In fact, this is a new kind of crazy. And you all thought the FutureLawyer was crazy because of all the gadgets I buy. There's a new Sheriff in town. Jeez.