Futurelawyer

RV Lawyer - The Book

I am pleased to report that the RV lawyer book is with the editor and image placement department now, and, while it won't be out by next month's Florida Bar Convention, it will definitely be out this year. I have tried to cover just about everything a lawyer needs to know or learn in order to be a moving target; but, the book will just be a jumping off start for those of you who want to leverage the current tech to be able to get away from the office. Planes, trains, automobiles, RVs, boats or whatever mode of transportation gets you moving. There is no reason you can't be a lawyer wherever you happen to be. It is the ultimate freedom. No bosses. No desks in stuffy office buildings. Just set yourself free.

The Three Bears Theory Of Modern Day Tablet Computers.

He who dies with the most gadgets wins. I have long suspected that my obsession with technology was outstripping my outside veneer of sanity; but then I realize that life is short, and it is fun to figure out productive uses for technology. Tablet computers, for instance, have brought fun and convenience to my life. Smartphones and Smartwatches, for all their benefits, have small screens, and sometimes you want something larger. Enter tablets, and my current stable is what I call the three bears tablet theory. On the right, playing local news in the morning is a 9 inch tablet, the Samsung Tab A, (Baby Bear) which has an LTE chip, and can be also used as a phone. I use it when I want something small but with a large screen. For instance, it is easy to hold for 2 to 3 hours while scoring a baseball game. To its left is Mama Bear, which is a Samsung Tablet S5E, an 11 inch screen with an LTE phone chip, that is a couple of years old; but is the thinnest and lightest tablet available. Papa Bear, next to it, is a Samsung S7 FE, a 13 inch screen, suitable for movie watching, reading newspapers and magazines, and also has a 5G chip, which makes it the fastest tablet around. All three of them have their own Internet access, so no need to look for WiFi. At the far left, is my Kindle Scribe, which I use for calendar entries, book reading, and note taking every day. It has eliminated the need for a paper tablet for note taking and calendaring. Life is short. You don't want to run out of devices.

Someday, You Will Be Able To Wear Your Computer On Your Head.

Nimoplanet. I try not to get excited over vapor products anymore. I seldom help fund pie in the sky schemes the way I once did. I lost $5,000 to a new 3 wheel car idea a few years back, and I have supported various online projects that never made it to reality. But, putting a computer into a pair of glasses is intriguing, and I reserved a pair over a year ago. It took them a year to respond to my email about putting prescription lenses into the glasses; but, today I got a reply that prescription lenses are possible. So, still pie in the sky; but an interesting concept. This concept video is pretty slick. Again, may I live so long.

 

O Ye Of Little Faith - The Kindle Scribe Is Already Getting Updates.

I got an email this morning from Amazon, highlighting the first updates to the Kindle Scribe. Naysayers have been complaining that the note taking features were not as robust as the other EInk pads out there; but, the combination of basic note taking with the Kindle library made me and others buy it. Well, Amazon is already upgrading the note functions, and the first update is available already. The email this morning said the following:

Your Kindle Scribe is getting new brush types and new notebook subfolder capabilities

New features are ready starting today.

What's new?

Different writing tools for your different writing needs are ready to go. Try the new fountain pen for beautiful calligraphy, switch to marker to emphasize your notes, or use the new pencil for sketching. Also, keep your notes organized with new subfolder capabilities.

The updates will automatically download and install on your Kindle Scribe when connected wirelessly. 

For my more impatient friends, the updates can be downloaded manually now.

In the coming months, Kindle Scribe will add lasso copy/paste tools, improved notebook organization and navigation, and the ability to send documents to Kindle Scribe directly from within Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 subscription required).

I am loving my Scribe even more.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G Is A Tablet That Does It All At A Reasonable Price.

I finally upgraded my 4G Tab S5E yesterday. I loved it because it was thin and light, the lightest available; but, after 4 years and 4G LTE speeds, I lusted after a 5G tablet. The Fan Edition (for Samsung fanatics like the FutureLawyer)_ , Tab S7 5G is perfect. At around $600, it is a lot of tablet for the money, and has a big 12 inch screen. This adds some weight; but, it is still light enough to hold in one hand, and has a typically outstanding Samsung screen. I gave the 5E to Diane, and it is perfect for her Facebook browsing. Better for her eyes than a small phone screen. Since I upgraded, it didn't add anything to my TMobile monthly bill, and with 5G, it is speedy everywhere. The bigger screen is perfect for reading newspapers, magazines and pdf files on the go. It is the perfect complement to my Samsung Book 2 ultralight computer, and my Samsung phones. All Samsung devices sync with each other. Another Samsung exclusive feature is the Dex option, which turns the tablet into an Android desktop interface. Add a keyboard and mouse, and you can do real work on it. Finally, it is perfect for watching TV, movies and video. If you are in the market for an Android tablet, look at the Samsung options.

 

Mr. And Ms. Lawyer...It Doesn't Matter What Tech You Use. Just Do It.

1983 - My First Word Processing Computer - Atari 800 XL.

In the early 80's, computers were large, heavy and expensive. They were bought by businesses only, and having a personal computer was a pipe dream for many of us. Word Processing was in its infancy, and it never occurred to most of us that computers could be used to make lawyers and law firms more productive. Advanced tech consisted of cassette tape machines wired to a secretary's desk, at which earphones and foot pedals were used to transcribe dictation. The more tech oriented among us bought small micro cassette recorders that we dictated to on the road or at the courthouse. So, when I received my first Atari game machine as a gift, I used it to play chess games, and Pong and Asteroids. Then, I discovered the word processing cartridge, and saw that documents could be typed on the Atari 800 XL keyboard and printed on a dot matrix printer that attached to the machine via cable. I started creating office correspondence, and the adventure began. Almost 40 years later, I am still shrinking the office down as small as possible, and I can do most lawyer things on a Smartphone. The beauty of technology is that it is always changing, always evolving, and we humans are the same. What have you learned new today that will make you a more productive lawyer? What tech is out there that you can use to make lawyering more efficient or better? It's out there. You just have to use it.

Lawyers Who Take Notes, The Kindle Scribe Is Your Eink Tablet.

I loved the Remarkable Eink tablet. I loved ditching yellow legal pads and paper that tended to get lost in the flotsam and jetsam of my law office. I spent a lot of time searching in my files for that page of notes I took with someone's email or phone number or address on it. But, the Remarkable was difficult to navigate, and was more interested in complicated note taking. It was pricey, at $600; but, it found a home with Diane, who tends to get all of the gadgets I stop using. She is a list maker, and it suits her fine. I was then enamored by the Boox Note Air, which combined a really great note taking and writing experience with a full functioning wifi tablet that could download and run countless Android apps. But, I found that the screen was really squirrely, and difficult to control, and I found that video and android apps in a monochromatic screen was not optimal. I tended to use my color tablet from Samsung for that stuff. I still use my Samsung tablet for android apps, including my newspapers and magazines from PressReader. So, when I heard that Amazon was making a Kindle with ewriting capabilities, I was excited to see it. I like my Kindle Paperwhite. But, its screen is tiny, and, while easy to carry around and use, I was usually carrying something else. So, my huge collection of books wasn't at my hand all the time. Now, it is. I have a big, beautiful 10.3 inch screen to read, which is designed for reading text, and on which I can make all of my daily notes, either separately or on a pdf of my daily calendar. If I need to make notes or read a document, pleading, correspondence, or large file; most of which are in docx, pdf or other standard format, I just email the document to my Scribe with the Send to Kindle app on the Amazon site. It is then instantly on any Kindle device. I can mark it up, take separate notes, or whatever. Then, I send the notes or marked up copy to my computer with a click of the send to email button on the Kindle. Look, ma, no more paper? But, I can always print the notes or pdfs if I like. Call it overkill with a purpose. On top of all this, the battery lasts for a week or more, and the pen never needs charging. This video review outlines what the experts are calling the Scribe's failings. I call them features. The Scribe is perfect for the reading and note taking professional. 

 

FutureLawyer Connects To The Internet Anytime, Anywhere.

T-Mobile Home Internet. Your intrepid legal technology researcher, the FutureLawyer, is always looking for new and better ways for today's tech savvy lawyer to connect to the Internet. Access to the Internet has become essential to the practicing lawyer, and I will be discussing the various ways to do it at next year's Florida Bar Convention. But, if you follow this blog, you will get periodic updates ahead of time. Currently, I pay $135 a month for a Starlink antenna on the RV, which gives me reliable Internet access on the road, anywhere in the continental U.S., at speeds between 35 Mbps and 200 Mbps. I pay $99 a month for a Spectrum cable home internet subscription that averages over 400 Mbps, and I have a cellular 5G modem from T-Mobile that averages around 100 Mbps. All of these speeds are fine for broadband Internet streaming and general Internet usage for many devices. Of course, I don't NEED all of these ways to get to the Internet; but, I am willing to spend a couple hundred dollars a month to let my readers know what to expect, and I like having options. Cable Internet can be spotty during storms. Starlink dishes need an unobstructed view of the Northern sky, and the RV version is deprioritized when there are a lot of home units competing for access. The 5G signal isn't as fast as cable, so it can be limited if there are too many devices on the network. All that said, I have signed up for a home Internet modem from T-Mobile, which promises whole home wireless access for $50 a month. This access is limited to a fixed location (your home or office), but the data is unlimited. My cellular modem works wherever I carry it; but, access is limited to 100 Gigabytes a month. I will, in the coming months, be using all of these methods, and comparing access speeds and reliability. The point of this exercise is to make you aware that we are approaching a world in which broadband Internet is available to all.

Giving Thanks For Simple Pleasures.

I don't need a fancy home office. When I got kicked out of the house front room that used to be my home office (long story, in a marriage far, far away), I took my stuff to the garage. I put up bookcases, a few 110 outlets, laid some cheap carpet, installed a window AC unit in the exterior wall, and blocked off the garage door with plywood. I put a recliner on one side of the room, and bought the biggest TV available (65 inches, pictured here). Think rustic chic. No fancy mahogany desks, no pricey furniture, tiny by any measure. I set up a 32 inch computer monitor, attached scanners and printers and peripherals, oh my, and filled the room and every nook and cranny with my book collection. It is really a messy environment; but, out here, I am King, and no woman will ever want to come in here, for fear of dying from a heart attack. Still, as I have upgraded my computers and monitors, and recliner, and added junk, this trusty old TV still functions. It is really thick, and nothing like the slim, light big screens you can buy today. I have looked at some Black Friday deals for smart TVs, and found a 70 inch Vizio on sale for $458. I am tempted; but, this TV still works, and, at six feet away, it is almost too big. Today, I am giving thanks that I have a room to call my own (or, as Diane calls it, my Man Cave), and I am grateful for a place to think, and to write, and I really don't care what it looks like. Give thanks today for the freedom to do as you please, in a country that still, at least in many minds, is the most free on the planet. Happy Thanksgiving.

Why Have A Remote Lawyering Backup Plan? Ask The Hurricane.

After a day and a half of plus 75 mph winds, 24 inches of rain, downed power lines, and worse, I now have a real example for other lawyers who tell me that I don't need redundancy in my Internet and computer use. BTW, we in Pinellas County got the weakest part of the storm. South of us there is true devastation, and we should all be thinking of our colleagues there. I have 3 options for shelter during a storm. My home, My office, and the RV parked at the office. I have 3 methods of connection to the Internet, my cable modem at the office, my smart phones and smart hotspot from TMobile, and the Starlink Satellite dish on top of the RV. In this case, the power went out at the office, but stayed on at home. So, we rode out the storm at home. Had the home power gone out, we would have gone to the office; and, finding that power out, would have powered up the RV generator, which provides power for AC, lights, the Starlink dish, and charging capability for the smartphones. An 1800 watt solar powered generator acts as a backup to the gas generator on the RV. As long as cell service is available, I can use the TMobile hotspot for up to 100 gigs of bandwidth, and each smartphone supplies another 20 gigs if needed. The cost of all of this is not as much as you might think. The TMobile hotspot is $50 a month. The Starlink RV plan is $135 a month. The generator is powered by the sun, and has a 100 watt solar panel that folds up with a handle. Solar panels on the house keep the monthly electric bills manageable. My next big purchase will be a whole house solar battery for the house, which provides some backup to power outages at the house. I have several small backup batteries that can charge a notebook computer and smartphones up to 5 to 10 times. We can't control what fate brings us in the way of natural disasters; but, we certainly can prepare for them. Now, since I will be working from home the rest of the week, I am going to light a cigar, pour a couple ounces of single malt, and chill out in my chair. Enjoy the suck.