The Mac Lawyer

Guest Post :: Wireless Microphones for Use with MacSpeech Dictate Legal

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:01:39 -0500

The following Guest Post was written by one of my readers, Michael Yurkanin, and it reviews several wireless microphones to address their use with MacSpeech Dictate Legal:

I. Introduction

There have been many articles written about the latest version of dictation software by MacSpeech, MacSpeech Dictate Legal. To use the software requires a microphone. The majority of the microphones recommended by MacSpeech are wired and plug directly into a USB port. MacSpeech, however, now endorses two wireless microphones which they sell on their website, the Samson AirLine 77 Wireless USB and the Revolabs xTag USB Wireless Microphone.

These microphones eliminate another set of wires crossing your desk and are also convenient if you have to step away for a moment since you do not have to remove a headset. On the negative side, both of these microphones are quite expensive compared to a wired microphone. Aside from the cost consideration, the two microphones are significantly different from each other. This review will provide you with information to consider before purchasing so that you will choose the wireless microphone best suited for you.

(MacSpeech recently added the Plantronics Calisto Headset + Bluetooth USB Adaptor which is not included in this review. This headset was originally designed by Plantronics for use with the Plantronics Calisto Pro Home Office Phone which is sold online and at office supply stores. I have used the Home Office Phone Bluetooth headset and it works well as a phone. The modified Calisto Headset for dictation will be reviewed in a forthcoming article. One item to note is that the Plantronics Calisto Headset uses Bluetooth technology and will have a much smaller range than the other two units.)

II. Samson AirLine 77 Wireless USB

The first microphone for review is the Samson AirLine 77 Wireless USB. MacSpeech sells the microphone for $349.00 through their online store. The microphone is also sold by other online retailers for slightly less. The Samson wireless microphone is designed as a headset that wraps around the back of the head and sits on both ears. The headset transmits over UHF frequencies to a receiver that is ultimately connected to the computer through a USB sound pod. According to the people at MacSpeech, using UHF frequencies gives the Samson a range up to 300 feet, significantly more than the XTag. The headset itself is very stable, but some find it bulky and uncomfortable.

Strangely enough, this wireless microphone was not made for dictation. This unit was designed for recording artists, performers, and audio professionals. An aerobics instructor using the headset is pictured on the box. (You can find more information about Samson products their website). The AirLine 77 has been adapted for dictation using a USB sound pod that connects between the FM receiver and a USB port on your computer. For general information about USB sound pods see this link, which also discusses the various brands of sound pods available. The MacSpeech store website does not indicate the brand of USB sound pod they use.

The AirLine 77 package comes with the wireless headset, CR 77 Receiver, ¼” x ¼” phone plug with 3.5mm adapter and an AC adapter. The headset requires a AAA battery, but a battery was not included in my package. When ordering from other than MacSpeech, it is important to ensure that you are ordering the AirLine 77 Wireless USB, which should include the USB sound pod. In one instance, I ordered the AirLine 77 Wireless USB from an online retailer and paid for that version, but the seller failed to include the USB sound pod. After a series of emails, I finally received the USB sound pod a week later. Without the USB sound pod, the headset and receiver are of no use. As to setup, the AirLine 77 is a bit more difficult than the XTag, but these instructions will prove helpful. (Note: clicking on this link will cause the instructions to download as a Microsoft Word file).

III. Revolabs xTag USB Wireless Microphone

The other microphone certified by MacSpeech to use with MacDictate is the Revolabs xTag USB Wireless Microphone. This unit is available from MacSpeech for $249.00 and is the less expensive of the two. It ships with a lapel microphone, lanyard for the microphone, charging base, USB cable for the charging base and an earphone for listening to playback. Setup is easy. You plug the base into the USB port, place the microphone into the base and wait for it to charge. Before the first use Revolabs recommends charging the microphone for eight hours.

Revolabs designed the xTag specifically for use by professionals for dictation. The unit is easy to operate and looks right in place sitting on a desk. The microphone is meant to be attached to a shirt or can be worn around the neck on a lanyard. Revolabs says that the microphone has a range of 65 feet from the base. A demonstration of how to use the xTag is available here. More detailed information about the xTag is available at the manufacturer’s website.

Overall, the xTag is much simpler to set up and use. The base unit is small and compact. On the other hand, the AirLine 77 contains the UHF receiver, which most people will not want sitting out in the open, and the separate USB sound pod. In addition, the UHF receiver setup is more difficult and will require a little time to fine tune various settings for optimal performance.

One of the most important considerations between these two microphones is accuracy. The AirLine 77 is more accurate. In fact, one seller I came across stated that the microphone’s accuracy matches that of a corded microphone. My experience has been similar. The AirLine 77 is also more accurate in situations with significant background noise. The xTag, on the other hand, is slightly less accurate. This results from the distance between the mouth and the microphone itself. The accuracy of the xTag drops when used in noisier environments since the added gain necessary to pick up the voice also causes other noises to enter the signal.

IV. Conclusion

In conclusion, voice recognition depends on many factors. These include quality of a persons voice, pronunciation and pacing. In addition, one must consider ambient noise and any electronic noise. Electronic noise may arise if the microphone base is plugged into a powered USB hub. If this problem occurs it can be alleviated by plugging the base unit directly into a USB port on the computer itself. Finally, it is important for the user to correctly position the microphone. This factor is more important when using the xTag. In general, the AirLine 77 is best suited for people with quiet voices or those working in noisy environments. The xTag will work best for people with louder voices, better diction and quiet environments.

Michael Yurkanin is a former Trial Attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., and an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana. He currently practices in Billings, Montana and is preparing for the Patent Bar Exam. After admission to the Patent Bar he intends to relocate to Tennessee or Texas, states in which he is also admitted. You may contact him at my@yurklaw.com.

How to Set Default Column Size in Finder Windows Under Snow Leopard

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:59:39 -0500

I installed Snow Leopard shortly after its release, and overall I have really liked it. The one thing that has been driving me absolutely bonkers was the fact that now under Snow Leopard, Finder automatically resets its columns back to a narrow width. If I had hair, I would have been pulling it out over this quirk, but luckily I have finally found a fix.

Let me explain the "problem" and then I'll show the simple solution. When using Finder, my preferred view is the "multiple columns." I'm not sure there's any specific reason why, but that's just how I like to navigate. Prior to Snow Leopard, the columns would resize themselves in such a way that you could see the names of the files listed in each column. Times were good, people were happy.

The "problem" is that when I installed Snow Leopard, Finder began making all columns extremely narrow by default, with no apparent option to change this setting. Yes, it was nice to be able to see more columns, but it actually caused more problems than it solved. My office uses a standardized naming method I use our client files (YYMMDD File Name), which results in everything being listed in chronological order. Therefore, all I could typically see as part of the date with little to no file name. The image below shows how my "Applications" folder looks using the default column width. Again, this can drive one mad in a very short period of time. (Note: I realize that many would argue that it's a very short trip for me, but I digress...)

Since I am male, I am hesitant to ask for directions, so I tried every trick I could think of to attempt to change the default size of the colums, short of voodoo or black magic – though those options were becoming more appealing as time passed. Finally, I gave in and conducted a Google search, and voila – found a solution. To set a new default column size, you simply hold down the Option (Alt) key while sizing the columns in Finder. Then, when you open a new Finder window, the default size is changed going forward. The image below shows the same "Applications" folder from above after the columns have been resized.

Thanks to Geert Vanderkelen of the Some Abstract Type! for his post on this topic.

Reflections on MILOfest 2009

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:15:28 -0500

As my readers are aware, I attended the inaugural MILOfest last week in Orlando, FL, where I presented a session called "Computing in the Clouds". Overall, I thought that the seminar was superb and that it offered something to everyone, from the novice to hardcore Mac-using attorneys.

Since I returned, I have wanted to post my thoughts on the conference, but it's been a busy week in my office. Although belated, my thoughts on some of the other sessions are:

Justin Kahn demonstrated many tips and tricks which can make Adobe Acrobat even more useful to lawyers. He covered everything from OCR to bookmarks to indexing to portfolios to creating PDFs from webpages to redacting to Bates stamping.
Gerry Oginski explained why lawyers should use video in their marketing efforts, and after hearing his presentation, I am convinced to try this myself in the new year. If you want to see how Gerry uses this in his own firm, check out his channel on YouTube.
Jack Newton from Clio discussed the "10 Things that Every Lawyer Should Know about SaaS" and explained why web-based software is ready for prime time and everyday use in law firms. You can view one of Jack's previous presentations on this subject here.
Larry Port from Rocket Matter then stressed the importance of using standardized repeatable processes in your office to the extent possible, including Getting Things Done concepts and agile techniques. You can learn more about these topics here.
Elise Hunt demonstrated the many ways that BeeDocs' Timeline 3D can help attorneys tell stories and convey their context efficiently and effectively to help listeners retain information. She also gave attendees a "sneak peek" at coming features. This is truly a "must have" application.
Grant Griffiths (a/k/a the "BlawgFather") explained that blogging is a way for attorneys to build relationships not only with potential clients, but also with other attorneys. He advised to "write for the human search engine and the online search engines will find you." Grant then wowed the audience by showing the many features that makes Headway Themes the premier platform for blogging lawyers.
As mentioned above, my presentation was called "Computing in the Clouds", and I showed how it is possible to run your law practice using web-based (SaaS) software, such as DropBox as part of a document workflow, Evernote as a digital filing system, and Gmail for email. I also discussed the possibility of replacing traditional servers in small firms with a SaaS program like DropBox or SugarSync.
There were several other excellent presentations, including Victor Medina's "50 (or so) Free Apps in 50 (or so) Minutes" and Tomasz Stasiuk's "Beyond Paperless | The Anywhere Office". Unfortunately, I had to leave to catch my flight home, but I heard great things about Albert McMurry from Omni Group's "Focus Your Graffle on This!" and Mark Merenda's "Branding & Your Mac."

If you were unable to attend MILOfest 2009, you should begin making plans to attend next year. In the meantime, you can read the blog posts from Gerry Oginski and Larry Port to get their thoughts about the seminar. Also, several people (including me) were covering the presentations via Twitter, and you can read the numerous tweets here.

Finally, I want to publicly thank Victor Medina for organizing such a great seminar and including me as a small part of it. Also, thanks to all of the attendees that took the leap of faith to attend this first year. I enjoyed getting to catch up and spend time with friends that I hadn't seen in a while, including Brett Burney, Kern Lewis, Julie Kiernan, and many others.

The Mac Lawyer in Orlando, FL

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:01:34 -0500

I am in Orlando, Florida this weekend, speaking at MILO Fest 2009 on the subject of "Computing in the Clouds." My talk will discuss ways to use web-based technology in the practice of law, including programs like Evernote, Dropbox, and Gmail. I look forward to getting to meet and spend some time with my readers at this conference.

Backup Solutions for Your Mac

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:01:56 -0500

It only takes you one time to experience a data loss without a current backup to make you understand just how important they are. I learned that lesson the hard way several years ago. The following article from Mac Tricks & Tips discusses the backup options for Macs:

Backup’s are very important. You should always have more than one backup if you are serious about making sure your data stays in one piece. Its ok backing them up to disk but what happens if you lost that disk or it doesn’t work. This post will hopefully explain some of the different ways in which you can back up your data. I recommend you pick two different options to make sure you don’t lose everything.

1) Time Machine

The first option you should have in place (I think by default) is Time Machine, you are given the option of data backup service installed by default so I recommend you use it. In essence Time Machine will backup files all of your file on your disk. Then as you change files and add files Time Machine will add them to the backup. This way you can go back in time and view how a file has changed as you have worked on it, you can pick a file from a specific period and restore it as necessary.

I think Time Machine is a great consumer backup system. Its simple to use, works and allows me to pick and choose files I want to restore. I have only used it a couple of times when I have wanted to restore a file, but it was a life saver when it was there. You do need a second hard disk for it to work effectively which is an added cost, however hard drives are getting cheaper all of the time. If you want to read more about using Time Machine read the Noob2Pro post I did a while ago.

Time Machine isn’t a proper backup tool, in that it doesn’t backup system files. If you ever do a full system restore it combines it with a fresh install from your installation disk. As a result you can’t make full backups to take a machine to a certain point and use this disk on a second computer. This is where option number two comes in.

2) Disk Cloners

There are a variety of disk cloners out there on the market. In essence they copy the entire contents of you disk and place it on a second drive. This enables you to quickly restore a backup by plugging the hard drive into your Mac or copying the DVD’s contents onto a your Mac. The advantage of this is that you can create a bootable backup, so you can boot directly from the back up. You can’t do this with Time Machine or other similar software.

There are two decent pieces of software out there which you can use for this sort of thing. SuperDuper and Carbon Copy Cloner. They are very similar in the feature set. If you want to look into this type of back up software take a look at the feature set and try the pieces of software out. I prefer the Time Machine backup as it is a lot simpler. I don’t need to have a lot of full backups. I just need to keep my personal files intact.

3) Online Backup

I mentioned in the opening paragraph that you ideally need two types of backup. The second option I prefer is an online backup. The reason for this is that it acts as an off site backup. The best backup systems are ones where the first backup is next to your computer for easy access, then a second off site to protect against fire, theft etc. This is where online backups come into play.

There are a variety of different online backup systems. Most do the same basic thing. You upload the files to there server, you let them sit around, then when you need them you re-download them. There are lots of different options which such as using Amazon file cloud or a dedicated service which works on the same level. One service I have been trying out over the last couple of days is Backblaze. Its cheap, offers a lot of space and works well. If you want a second method which is cheap and reliable the online method would probably work well, there are plenty around so have a quick google and see what you can find.

Conclusion

Hopefully I have opened your eyes to different ways you can backup your files. The automated methods which I have listed are the best, this is because you don’t need to think about backing up every day, it does it automatically. You can of course burn files to disk using a DVD burner and select the files you want. This however needs a lot of disks and it takes a lot of time (plus burnable DVD’s break down and become useless after a while). Using hard drives, I think, is more valuable for money.

Source: "Backup Solutions For The Mac" published at Mac Tricks & Tips.

Guest Post :: Being Seduced by a Server

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:01:48 -0500

Technology and Business seem to have a rite of passage. When the business starts, a few computers are purchased and the firm makes sure they can access the internet. The assumption is to become a real business requires purchasing your own server. Everybody needs one, right? And thanks to Apple and Microsoft, they are so affordable!

There was a recent blog entry about the new Apple Mac Mini Server. This is a good little product, but I felt it was important to discuss the benefits, costs, and risks of owning such a device. If a server makes sense, I think it can be a great solution. Just don’t be seduced by the apparent “low cost deal” without considering other factors.

There are good reasons to own an in-house server:

Apple’s Server product includes a simple Wiki and Blog engine for teams. Perhaps you have a team performing some research. Perhaps you need to develop a corporate knowledge base. The Wiki makes this simple. No programming required.
It provides simple file sharing. Do you have a document you want to save so others can access it? Put it on the server. A Mac or PC can easily share files.
iCalServer. This provides a shared calendar location for all employees. iCalServer has its quirks, but it has definitely improved in this version.
The Mac Mini Server has two 500 GB hard drives inside. That would allow you to create a RAID-1 (mirror) to protect your data. This only prevents downtime in case one hard drive fails in the middle of your workday. It is not a substitute for a good backup strategy.

The challenge is that many will fail to consider these additional factors:

Apple’s Server product (and Microsoft’s) include a built-in email server. Don’t use it. Just Say No! If you’ve got a technology consultant talking you into it, find another one. They are trying to make money on regular maintenance! Email is a very complex, always changing beast. Would you try to run your own telephone service?
Now that you’ve saved all your data to your server’s disk, how are you going to protect it? What is your backup strategy? What is your off-site backup strategy? I’ve had clients experience office fires, theft, and employee stupidity. Data without an off-site backup plan will be gone someday. Factor that expense into your solution.
Servers are computers that work many hours of the day. They never get turned off. The two most common failure points in any computer (Mac or PC) are the hard disks and the power supply. Many large servers have built-in dual power supplies because this is such a common issue. That is also why most servers utilize redundant disks (RAID-1). The Apple Mac Mini Server can handle the disk issue, but perhaps you should consider an additional extra Mac Mini power supply. Plan for the day something fails, because it will.
On-Going Monitoring and support is another cost factor to running your own in-house server. Who will make sure that one of the disks hasn’t failed? Who will guarantee that the backups were successful? These are not complex tasks, it is just important to not assume everything is OK.
The server itself may have some other hardware failure at a most inappropriate time. This is one of the primary reasons to never run your own email server. Email is too critical a communications medium to have any downtime.

There are many great solutions today that provide “Software as a Service” or SaaS. Some refer to this as “cloud-computing”. There are many factors in choosing a software partner. Several vendors have written guest columns for this site. Solutions exist for Practice Management, Calendaring, Email, Data Sharing, and Electronic Whiteboard. The list is endless. These may ultimately be more secure and cost effective solutions for your firm.

My example will be email (especially given that is my company’s area of expertise). There is a good reason that you would choose a SaaS solution. That company has (hopefully) invested a great deal in their technology environment to ensure your data will always be available and protected. Your business can leverage their investment.

I could elaborate on email for another twelve paragraphs, but as an example – to provide first-rate email service, a business should maintain:

Multiple redundant systems to minimize downtime
Multiple locations to protect your data
Multiple connections to the Internet in case of carrier failure
A strong privacy policy to prevent access or tampering of your data
Easy mailbox recovery capabilities
An option to have a Journal of all email sent/received by your company’s employees
Junk-Mail protection that is constantly tuned to stop the latest bizarre attack by spammers.
Adequate security to prevent the email system from being compromised.

Small businesses could never maintain all of the above requirements. It is simply not cost effective. Software as a Service makes sense for this scenario. Be sure to consider all factors before purchasing the latest $999 server for your business. Your firm’s data depends upon it.

Jack Miller is a National Account Executive for FastMail. FastMail has been providing email services for the past decade to hundreds of thousands of the world's most demanding users. Jack has over 20 years of experience in the technology field. His career has spanned programming, consulting, and sales for companies such as Massachusetts General Hospital, Chase and Microsoft. Prior to his career at FastMail, Jack was Co-President of RedCase, a Macintosh consulting firm located in Tampa, Florida.

Still Time to Register for MILOfest 2009

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:01:05 -0500

As you probably have heard, MILO Fest 2009, will be held next Thursday, November 5, 2009, through Saturday, November 7, 2009, at the Disney World Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, FL. If you are a Mac-using attorney (or if you want to become one), then you should attend this the Mac-focused conference for attorneys.

Some of the topics include: SaaS Roundtable, Branding with your Mac, Running Your Practice in the Cloud, Social Media Business Development, Stupid iPhone Lawyer Tricks, Creating Kick-Butt Legal Presentations, and Video for Lawyers on a Mac. The scheduled slate of presenters is outstanding, and it looks to be a great conference.

If you want to learn more about or register for MILOfest 2009, click HERE. I hope to see you there!

Apple's Mac Mini Server More Cost Effective Than PC Servers

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:01:17 -0500

Did you know that Apple has released a new, compact, inexpensive server that runs Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server? With the splash created by Apple's new Magic Mouse and upgraded widescreen iMacs, the new Mac Mini with Snow Leopard Server has not gotten its due press.

For the low, low price of $999, this new gem offers the following: two 500GB, 5400 RPM 2.5" SATA hard drives; 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo processor; 4GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 RAM (expandable to 8GB); a 6.5" square, 2" high Mac Mini enclosure, weighing just 2.9 pounds; and an unlimited user version of Mac OS X Server. Wow.

AppleInsider compared the Mac Mini Server with PC servers and (as illustrated below) found that it costs roughly one-third of the PC servers, while offering more features (and of course being more stable). "Prior to Snow Leopard, the unlimited user version of Mac OS X Server cost $999; that's what the unlimited user version now costs with the Mac mini server thrown in for free."

You can read much more about the new Mac mini server and the comparison with PC servers here.

Source: "Inside Apple's New Mac Mini Server" by Daniel Eran Dilger, published at AppleInsider. Thanks also to Jeffrey Kabbe's post about this topic at Apple Briefs.

Is Apple's Magic Mouse More "Hocus Pocus" Than "Voila"?

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:36:13 -0500

Everybody loves a good magic show, as long as the magic works. Last week, Apple introduced its Magic Mouse, which it bills as "the world's first Multi-Touch mouse." With its Bluetooth connectivity, it now enables many of the multi-touch gestures that users of the iPhone, iPod Touch, and newer MacBooks have come to love.

However, some initial reviews have been less than stellar, which raises the question of whether the Magic Mouse is more style than substance. While CNET raved about its sleek appearance, it was very critical of the Magic Mouse's narrow profile that "sits too low for comfort", "awkward and unnatural" feel when sliding our middle and index fingers across the flat surface, and inability to reassign the gestures to suit your personal preferences.

The image below shows the many multi-touch gestures the Mighty Mouse offers. I haven't had an opportunity to try one out myself, but I welcome your comments of your experiences.

IMAP vs. POP :: What You Need to Know

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:01:49 -0500

Do you know whether your e-mail client uses POP (Post Office Protocol) or IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol)? You should, because IMAP is vastly superior to POP, and you should consider the following reasons that you should switch today:

Avoid webmail outages :: Users who connected to their web-based email accounts (such as Gmail) using IMAP can continue to retrieve their mail as usual even if the web-based email platform goes down.
Switch clients or platforms painlessly :: You can move effortless from one program to another without having to export / import messages and risk losing messages or the metadata attached to them.
Read all your mail on multiple devices :: For people who must use a variety of devices or operating systems, IMAP lets you see exactly the same data – including saved, filed, and sent messages – on every device.
Keep an extra copy of your messages :: The fact that IMAP gives you both local and server-based copies of each message can help you avoid data loss.

Source: "Four reasons to switch to IMAP" by Joe Kissell, published at Macworld.com.

AT&T Announces Delay in iPhone Tethering

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:25:46 -0500

iPhone owners have been looking forward to the day when they will be able to use their phone as a modem, known as "tethering." In fact, this feature is an integral feature of the iPhone 3.0 firmware, and it is already available for some overseas carriers. However, AT&T has not yet allowed its American users to do so, though there has been hope that this feature would become available later this year.

Unfortunately AT&T does not appear to be ready to do so anytime soon. AT&T's spokesman said "For tethering, we need to do some additional fine tuning to our systems and networks so that we do deliver a great experience." However, some believe that AT&T is actually concerned that tethering could be too demanding on its bandwidth. Stay tuned to see when AT&T will finally make tethering available to its iPhone customers here in the U.S.

Source: "iPhone tethering must wait, says AT&T" published at MacNN.

20 Tips for More Efficient Google Searches

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:01:29 -0500

Lawyers are constantly searching, but are we doing it as effectively as possible? The following tips from the Dumb Little Man | Tips for Life blog will help make your Google searches more efficient and will help you quickly find exactly what you're looking for:

Either/or
Google normally searches for pages that contain all the words you type in the search box, but if you want pages that have one term or another (or both), use the OR operator -- or use the "|" symbol (pipe symbol) to save you a keystroke. [dumb | little | man]

Quotes
If you want to search for an exact phrase, use quotes. ["dumb little man"] will only find that exact phrase. [dumb "little man"] will find pages that contain the word dumb and the exact phrase "little man".

Not
If you don't want a term or phrase, use the "-" symbol. [-dumb little man] will return pages that contain "little" and "man" but that don't contain "dumb".

Similar terms
Use the "~" symbol to return similar terms. [~dumb little man -dumb] will get you pages that contain "funny little man" and "stupid little man" but not "dumb little man".

Wildcard
The "*" symbol is a wildcard. This is useful if you're trying to find the lyrics to a song, but can't remember the exact lyrics. [can't * me love lyrics] will return the Beatles song you're looking for. It's also useful for finding stuff only in certain domains, such as
educational information: ["dumb little man" research *.edu].

Advanced search
If you can't remember any of these operators, you can always use Google's advanced search.

Definitions
Use the "define:" operator to get a quick definition. [define:dumb] will give you a whole host of definitions from different sources, with links.

Calculator
One of the handiest uses of Google, type in a quick calculation in the search box and get an answer. It's faster than calling up your computer's calculator in most cases. Use the +, -, *, / symbols and parentheses to do a simple equation.

Numrange
This little-known feature searches for a range of numbers. For example, ["best books 2002..2007] will return lists of best books for each of the years from 2002 to 2007 (note the two periods between the two numbers).

Site-specific
Use the "site:" operator to search only within a certain website. [site:dumblittleman.com leo] will search for the term "leo" only within this blog.

Backlinks
The "link:" operator will find pages that link to a specific URL. You can use this not only for a main URL but even to a specific page. Not all links to an URL are listed, however.

Vertical search
Instead of searching for a term across all pages on the web, search within a specialized field. Google has a number of specific searches, allowing you to search within blogs, news, books, and much more:
- Blog Search
- Book Search
- Scholar
- Catalogs
- Code Search
- Directory
- Finance
- Images
- Local/Maps
- News
- Patent Search
- Product Search
- Video
Movies
Use the "movie:" operator to search for a movie title along with either a zip code or U.S. city and state to get a list of movie theaters in the area and show times.

Music
The "music:" operator returns content related to music only.

Unit converter
Use Google for a quick conversion, from yards to meters for example, or different currency: [12 meters in yards]

Types of numbers
Google algorithms can recognize patterns in numbers you enter, so you can search for:
- Telephone area codes
- Vehicle ID number (US only)
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC) equipment numbers (US only)
- UPC codes
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airplane registration number (US only)
- Patent numbers (US only)
- Even stock quotes (using the stock symbol) or a weather forecast regarding the next five days
File types
If you just want to search for .PDF files, or Word documents, or Excel spreadsheets, for example, use the "filetype:" operator.

Location of term
By default, Google searches for your term throughout a web page. But if you just want it to search certain locations, you can use operators such as "inurl:", "intitle:", "intext:", and "inanchor:". Those search for a term only within the URL, the title,
the body text, and the anchor text (the text used to describe a link).

Cached pages
Looking for a version of a page the Google stores on its own servers? This can help with outdated or update pages. Use the "cached:" operator.

Answer to life, the universe, and everything
Search for that phrase, in lower case, and Google will give you the answer.

For more on Google's search syntax, see this guide, and this one.

Source: "20 Tips for More Efficient Google Searches" by Leo Babauta of the Zen Habits blog, published at Dumb Little Man.

How Many Monitors Should You Use?

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:03:27 -0500

Using multiple monitors might sound like a crazy idea, but it's one of those things that once you try it, you'll wonder how you ever got along with just one monitor. When I'm working at my desk, I have a 20" Sony flat panel monitor that I used with my MacBook.

Two monitors enable me to minimize time switching from one thing to another and helps me be more efficient by keeping what I need to work on easily visible. I typically keep my case management program (Rocket Matter) visible on the Sony and then whatever I'm working on (email, etc.) on my MacBook screen. When I'm drafting a document, I can keep my reference material (notes, letters, pleadings, etc.) visible in one screen and my word processor (Pages) on the other.

Legal Practice Pro recently published an article about the benefits of using multiple monitors, which asked

How many monitors is enough? Well, that depends on you. For me, the limit is 2 – one laptop screen and a widescreen monitor capable of keeping two windows open at 95% each. I find that having more monitors gives me free reign to indulge a lack of concentration and maximize the potential for distraction.

Do you use multiple monitors in your law practice? If so, how many do you use and what benefits have you gotten from doing so? I welcome your input in my Comments section below.

Source: "Multiple Monitors In The Law Office Yields Increased Productivity … To A Point" by Jay Fleischman, published at Legal Practice Pro. Thanks to Finis Price for his post about this article.

Guest Post :: The Case for Internet Faxing

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:01:23 -0500

Faxes are a fact of life for lawyers, and that’s something that’s unlikely to change in the near future. As long as contracts require amendments and signatures, forms need to be filled out, required documents still exist solely in paper form, etc. lawyers will need a way to send and receive them quickly.

If you’re still using a fax machine, you’ve probably noticed that faxes throw a bit of a monkey wrench into your plans for greening the office. There is another alternative, though: an Internet fax service. These services allow you to send and receive faxes either through your email account or a secure online server. Here are some of the reasons you may want to make the switch now.

Paperless. When you receive a fax through an Internet fax service, it arrives as an attachment in your email or the online user interface. Most lawyers use PDFs, although better services will give you a choice of file formats. Once you receive it you can save the attachment to any location you want on your hard drive or network (most likely an individual client folder). That way it’s always available to you without the need to carry around a stack of papers. And you never have to worry about losing or misplacing a fax. On the other side, sending a fax is as easy as sending an email. If it already exists electronically you don’t have to print it first and then run it through a fax machine.
Greater mobility. An Internet fax service allows you to send and receive faxes anywhere you can get an Internet connection. That’s a feature Andy Ullucci of Ullucci Law Associates in Rumford, Rhode Island felt was essential in starting his practice. His vision from the beginning was to run the entire business off his laptop instead of having a formal office. With MyFax, Ullucci says he can send and receive faxes from a client’s office, a local coffee shop, a hotel lobby or dozens of other locations. It’s essential in keeping things moving forward while he’s out of his home office – which is most of the time.
Lower cost. There are a lot of additional costs associated with a fax machine. There’s the machine itself, which you generally have to replace once every year or two. There’s the second phone line needed to have a dedicated fax number. Then there’s the paper and toner, not to mention the electricity to run the machine 24/7 in case you need to send or receive a fax. With an Internet fax service you eliminate the cost of the machine, second phone line, toner and electricity to run it. You also seriously reduce your paper costs because you choose which pages you print – and use your regular printer to do it. Finally, you don’t need extra filing cabinets and space as you do with paper faxes; all the pages are stored electronically.
Always available. Fax can machines jam, grab two pages at once, run out of paper or toner, lose power, get busy signals or suffer other issues that prevent faxes from being sent or received efficiently. Internet fax services don’t have any of those issues. If you’re sending a fax through an Internet fax service and it gets a busy signal, it will keep trying, usually for 24 hours. If a fax fails to go through for any reason, you receive an email notice so you can remedy the situation right away. Since there’s no paper or toner involved you’ll never run out. And if you have a power loss you can simply go anywhere there’s an Internet connection; if you have your faxes coming in to your smart phone you may not even have to move.

When you look at that list, it really makes you wonder why you’re using that old fax machine at all!

Luc Vezina is product marketing manager for MyFax, a provider of Internet faxing services for individual home users, small businesses, and large corporations. MyFax has won a number of awards in head-to-head competitions for ease of use, reliability, and best overall value. He can be reached at lvezina@protus.com.

Everything You Need to Know About iPhone's MMS Service

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:01:02 -0500

Last Friday, AT&T finally enabled Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) support for the iPhone 3G and 3G-S here in the U.S. Now, users can send pictures, location data, contact information, voice memos, and video quickly and easily.

The MMS service is very easy to use. From the Messages app, you simply tap the camera icon on the bottom left, and the iPhone will prompt you to either take a photo or choose an existing image from your camera roll. You can also enter some text to accompany your picture or video, although the text and image will appear in separate balloons when they’re sent.

You can also send other helpful content via MMS, such as location data (via Maps), contact info (via Address Book), and voice memos (via Voice Memos). For instance, to send contact information, you simply open the desired contact, select "Share Contact", and then you will have an option to do so via either email or MMS.

To install the update, follow these simple steps:

Make sure you’re running the iPhone 3.1 update.
Connect your iPhone, go to iTunes, and check for software updates. You should be notified that there’s an update to the carrier settings for your iPhone.
After installing that update, restart your phone by turning the power off. (Hold down the power button on the top of the device, and use the slider to power off when prompted.)
Turn the power back on, and you should be good to go.

If you now have a camera icon to the left of your message entry field, then you have MMS installed correctly. You can read more here, watch an instructional video here, or consult Apple's troubleshooting guide here.

Source: "MMS Arrives: What It Means for You" by Philip Michaels, Macworld.com.

How to Use Scanners with Legal SaaS Applications

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:01:35 -0500

Last week, I published explained how "The Paperless Law Office" is possible and the ways that it can benefit your firm. Does it make a difference if your firm uses a web-based (SaaS) case management program? The short answer is no, as explained in a recent article by Larry Port.

The process of quickly scanning, storing, and accessing your documents is explained step-by-step (with illustrations) in Mr. Port's article. If you use Rocket Matter (like my firm does), then simply follow these steps:

Choose Scan to Folder using the ScanSnap Quick Menu.
Name the file appropriately and store in an easy location.
Open Rocket Matter and navigate to the file you wish to work with.
Click “Add Document”, click on the “Add File” link, and select your recently scanned item.
If desired, you can enter notes about your file or describe it with a title and tags, and you can also add billable time if appropriate.
To access the document, simply click on the link to download it when needed.

Source: "How Can I Use My ScanSnap with a Legal Software as a Service Tool Like Rocket Matter?" by Larry Port of Rocket Matter, published at ScanSnap's "Ask the Expert" forum.

How to Work with WordPerfect Files on a Mac

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:01:22 -0500

Some attorneys just seem to love WordPerfect. I am not (and have never been) one of them, though I have several good friends who are. For that reason, I occasionally receive files in *.wpd format, which I must open on my Mac. This might seem to pose a slight problem, since there hasn't been a Mac version of WordPerfect for several years.

Fortunately, there are several solutions to this "problem." The one that I prefer is to simply open the *.wpd files using NeoOffice, a free open source word processor, and then saving into one of the many available formats, which will work with virtually all of the Mac word processing programs. In fact, many attorneys use NeoOffice as their word processing program, though I prefer Pages for my firm.

Of course, if you don't want to use NeoOffice, you can also utilize one of the following methods: online translators (Zamzar or Media-Convert), translation program (MacLinkPlus), other word processing programs (Open Office, AbiWord, or Nisus Writer), or run WordPerfect for Macintosh using Classic environment (pre-Intel Macs) or Sheepshaver
(Intel Macs).

Macs In Law Offices (MILO) Now the Largest Online Forum for Mac-Using Attorneys

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:02:12 -0500

You might know that the Macs in Law Offices (MILO) group is one of the best resources available on the internet for lawyers who use Macs. However, you probably didn't know that it is now the biggest as well.

Let's take a look at the numbers... The "other" group has been around since May 4, 1999, and as of today, it has 1,597 members. MILO was founded on February 17, 2007, and as of today, MILO has 1,631 members – with more joining every day.

How was MILO able to grow so quickly and become so successful? I believe it happened for two reasons: (1) our great, diverse members, and (2) our commitment to offering a place for open discussions without Draconian rules. If you are interested in becoming a member or learning more about MILO, simply click here.

The Paperless Law Office

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:01:03 -0500

This month's Law Practice Today webzine from the ABA Law Practice Management Section focuses on how to implement and utilize paperless strategies in law offices. I had the pleasure of serving as the editor for this issue, and I am very pleased with the result. You can read the following articles at the links provided below, and I hope that you find them helpful:

As many of you already know, my family law practice is not paper-based, as all of our documents are scanned and stored digitally. Not only does this make my practice more efficient, I can access all of the documents in all my clients' files from anywhere, which enables me to work and/or send information to them at any time, no matter where I am. If you want to learn more about how I utilize technology in my practice, I am speaking about this topic at the upcoming MILOfest 2009 seminar, which is being held in Orlando, Florida from November 5 – 7, 2009. You can learn much more about this seminar by clicking here.

Microsoft Announces Plans to Bring Outlook to Macs in 2010

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:01:34 -0500

Microsoft announced that it intends to finally include Outlook in its updated Mac:Office suite, scheduled to be released in late 2010. Until now, it has included Entourage, "a sort-of-like-Outlook, sort-of-different application that got great reviews when it debuted but which has also suffered from iffy compatibility with Outlook and Exchange."

Of course, Mac users already have excellent email options, including Apple's Mail, which now is more compatible with Microsoft’s Exchange server under the new OS X Snow Leopard. Therefore, while I anticipate this announcement may create some buzz for PC users still considering the switch and for larger firms who are tied to an Exchange based system, I don't believe that it will have much impact on smaller firms, as many of them (like my firm) have completely broken free and no longer suckle at the Microsoft teat.

What impact, if any, do you think that Microsoft's bringing Outlook to the Mac will have on law firms? Please submit your comments below, as I look forward to reading them.

Source: "Outlook is Coming to the Mac in 2010" by Harry McCracken, published at Technologizer.