The Mac Lawyer

MILOfest 2009

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:10 -0500

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

Topics announced thus far 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.

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

The Best Way to Create Ringtones for iPhones

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:02:04 -0500

Several weeks ago, I posted an article which described how to create custom iPhone ringtones for free. Yes, that method works, but there is a better way – a much better way. RingtoneStudio for iPhone from PocketMac allows you to create your own ringtones in seconds. Now, I mean that literally – as in you can create your own rington faster than you can read this sentence! No joking.

You simply (1) select the media file (from iTunes or anywhere on your Mac), (2) drag it into RingtoneStudio, (3) use the slider to select the portion you want on your ringtone, and (4) click create. RingtoneStudio then creates the ringtone and automatically places it in the "Ringtones" section of your iTunes Library.

This program sells for $29.95, and it comes with a 90 day money back guarantee. In the time it took you to read this post, you could have created several ringtones without breaking a sweat. I use this program myself, and I absolutely love it. You can learn more or purchase your own copy by clicking HERE.

How and Why a Lawyer Should Implement a Getting Things Done System

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:01:02 -0500

Today, I am pleased to present another Guest Post from Larry Port, "How and Why a Lawyer Should Implement a Getting Things Done System":

Yesterday, as part of our weeklong Legal efficiency-fest, we introduced the Getting Things Done productivity system at a high level, including its advantages and general ideas. Each day, from here to the end of the week, we’ll write guest posts at prominent legal blogs exploring the system in more detail.

In a profession such as law, where time is quite literally money and losing track of tasks and events incurs significant penalties, an organizational system such as GTD is key. The current economic downturn places even more emphasis on streamlining operations and gaining efficiencies.

Granted, you may have your own system that works wonders. But if “the art of stress-free productivity”, as the GTD book is subtitled, seems compelling, and you’re wondering what exactly GTD is, take a look at my first post here. But let’s say you’re ready to take the plunge. How do you start?

The good news is, you don’t need your entire firm’s buy-in. You can come up with your own GTD system just fine.

Start Capturing

For stress-free productivity, you need a capture device. Get all of the noise out of your head out and into a system that can be reviewed. This means capturing anything you have to do, whether it’s prepare a motion, send a fax, call a client, or lookup a case on Westlaw.

The whole trick is to organize your to-do’s as a series of “next action” items. They can’t be vague or unclear. According to GTD, you want to write down the next possible step you can take to execute the task. It’s not enough to write “Do Research”. Instead, write “Research related case precedent for relevance to bankruptcy case”, a specific and concrete action you can perform.

Organize

Next action items need to be categorized for easy reference. This sounds obvious, but here’s the interesting twist: you might not want to label them as you have in the past. Instead of organizing your tasks by what they are, organize them by where you can perform them. If you have a list for “Courthouse”, “Phone”, or “Computer”, then you can always know what to work on based on where you find yourself.

Schedule a Weekly Review

Getting organized is one thing, but staying organized is another. It’s easy and invigorating to roll up one’s sleeves every once in a while and organize the office and write up a to-do list. The hard part is maintaining that level of focus on a day to day basis.

The GTD weekly review is designed to keep practitioners on course. Once a week, block off a an hour or so on the calendar. Make sure all lists are updated and reviewed. Like most things in the system, the weekly review is a simple yet powerful technique.

Tickler Files

Law firms, whether they realize it or not, use tickler files as a matter of necessity. They constantly calendar ahead court appointments and deadlines. But usually, that’s as far as their advance calendaring goes. GTD is a big proponent of maintaining tickler reminders, which is a very powerful technique for following up with prospective customers or referring attorneys.

What Organizational Tool Should I Use?

One of the cool things about GTD is it’s more of an idea that anything, and is “platform agnostic” as we say in technology circles. You could invest in technology, 3 x 5 index cards, Moleskine notebooks, or any other organization tool.

We designed Rocket Matter, with its new task functionality, for attorneys to leverage a full-blown GTD system. Tasks are quickly added and organized, can be associated with matters, and funneled into invoices.

On the other end of the technology spectrum is the Hipster PDA, a 3 x 5 index card system. Take a look at DIYPlanner.com for some cool templates to get you started, and Levenger sells a great leather index card holder to give it a little class.

The David Allen Company, in addition to providing educational material, offers their own paper-based organizers here.

Stay Tuned

We’ll be delving into these topics in further detail throughout the week. So stay tuned for tomorrow, where we’ll explore how to turn your “stuff” on the horizon into Next Action items.

Purchase “Getting Things Done” at Amazon.com.

Larry Port is a Founding Partner and Chief Software Architect for Rocket Matter, LLC. You can follow him on Twitter here.

iPhone 3G-S vs. iPhone 3G

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:01:16 -0500

Now that the iPhone 3G-S has been out for a little while, most people (including me) seem to agree that the 3G-S is much better and worth the upgrade. At least one person, however, has concluded that the additional features and improvements included with the 3G-S are "just not that big of a deal" and not "anything to lose sleep over." Read that article for yourself and see what you think. As for me, I'll happily stick with my 3G-S.

Source: "iPhone 3G or the 3GS - Which Is Really Better?" by Matt Hartley, published at OS X Fanatics.

MILO Chat Podcast. Vol.12

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:19:06 -0500

The latest episode of MILO Chat Weekly, Episode 12, has been released with one great change, the return of the BlawgFather, Grant Griffiths. Grant is back joining the regular cast of Ben Stevens, Victor Medina, and Finis Price.

In this episode, we discuss the new Mac hardware including the iPhone 3GS, Macbook Pro family, upcoming MILOfest 2009, and other great topics. We also have a working iTunes link so you can subscribe as well as a new website called MILOweekly.com, which hosts this and the past episodes.

Subscribe to this podcast using iTunes by clicking HERE.

Download the podcast directly by right-clicking and saving HERE.

Comments? Send them to milochat@miloweekly.com

Why Are There No Viruses on Mac OS X?

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:31:45 -0500

As I've previously discussed many times, one of the (many) things that makes Mac OS X such a great operating system is its rock solid security. The ability to work without having to worry about viruses not only saves money, it also provides peace of mind. But did you ever wonder why there aren't any viruses for Macs? The following article by Hedi Regaya does a great job of explaining "Why there are no viruses for OS X?"

OS X is built on UNIX. UNIX was a multi user system with a security architecture built into it at the beginning. WINDOWS came from a single user architecture with security and multi user capability as an after thought.
UNIX had networking built into it from the beginning, again in Windows this was bolted in at a later date.
Windows built Internet Explorer into the O/S at a very deep level, and allowed code execution within the browser. In OS X the browser is a completely separate application, its not a integral part of the OS. IMHO, this is the fundamental screw-up Microsoft made, as they created so many hooks into which someone can attack the OS.
In earlier Windows everything ran as the system user, so the capability to compromise an entire system was easier. (see reason 1)
Microsoft’s backward compatibility mantra doesn’t do them any favours as to run old software they need so many old APIs, all of which can have holes in them.
OS X has no registry. IMHO, second fundamental flaw Microsoft made.
OS X asks for your password before allowing you to run new software or install something. Not fool proof, but at least fool resistant.
Where do viruses usually hang out in Windows:
1. At the root.
2. In the user’s local settings temp folder.
3. In these folders: \windows, \system, \system32 — the most common places where I find viruses.
4. As registry entries.
None of those areas are exposed to the environment in OS X. You can’t see those folders. Virus writers can’t access them. Thus, viruses can’t exploit those areas. Vista’s UAC is MS’s attempt to prevent changes to those totally exposed folders without your being aware of the changes.

Source: "Why There Are No Viruses for OS X" by Hedi Regaya, published at Mac Amour.

Macworld Reviews iPhone Twitter Apps

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:56:32 -0500

Macworld published an article today reviewing some of the top Twitter apps for the iPhone. I have listed each of the reviewed ones below. If you're a Twitterer or want to be, check these out:

Tweetie 1.3.2 from atebits (4.5 mice, $3)
Twitterrific 2.0.2 from The Iconfactory (4.0 mice, Free)
Twitterrific Premium 2.0.2 from The Iconfactory (4.0 mice, $4)
Twittelator Pro 3.0 from Big Stone Phone (3.0 mice, $5)
TwitterFon Pro 1.5.2 from naan studio (3.0 mice, $5)
SimplyTweet 1.7 from MotionObj (2.5 mice, $4)
SimplyTweet Lite 1.2 from MotionObj (2.5 mice, Free)
TwitterFon 1.5.3 from naan studio (2.0 mice, Free)

Source: "Twitter Clients for the iPhone" by Lex Friedman, published at Macworld.com.

10 Things Every Lawyer Should Know About Legal Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:01:06 -0500

If you are considering using Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) in your practice or if you are just interested in learning more about it, you should check out the following “10 Things Every Lawyer Should Know About Legal SaaS”:

What is Software-as-a-Service? A discussion of what exactly Software-as-a-Service is, and how it compares to the more traditional desktop computing model.
Why (Or Why Not) Choose a SaaS Solution? Why SaaS offers compelling advantages over traditional desktop software solutions, and some of the compromises that have to be considered.
Why Web-Based Practice Management? Why Software-as-a-Service is a perfect fit for practice management, particularly for solos and small firms.
Security. An outline key concepts and terminology for web-based security, including SSL, server security, client security, and password security.
Privacy. What you should be looking for in a web site’s privacy policies.
Data Availability. An outline of the answers you want to be hearing when you ask your SaaS provider “What are you doing to ensure that my data remains available, even in the event of a natural- or human-induced disaster?“
Total Cost of Ownership. An explanation of how to compare costs of SaaS to traditional desktop software via a Total Cost of Ownership calculation.
Terms of Service. What to look for in the legal agreement describing the services your SaaS provider will provide you.
Data Migration. How you can migrate your data from existing desktop software application to the web.
Offline Access. Why offline access is important, and an outline of some of the technologies that make offline access to SaaS applications possible.

This series was published by the folks at Clio, and it is available via e-book, Word doc, or PDF doc (thanks to JD Supra),

Voice Control on the iPhone 3G-S

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:01:22 -0500

I picked up my new iPhone 3G-S yesterday, and I love it. Of course, I really like its faster speed and its improved camera and video recording capabilities. I have also been playing around with the Voice Control feature, and it seems to work pretty well thus far.

Ernie The Attorney published his thoughts on the iPhone 3G-S yesterday, and he paid particular attention to the Voice Control functions, which he calls "the killer upgrade feature." Some of the things you can do with this new feature are:

"Call [name of person]"
"Dial [phone number that you say, slowly]
"Play music"
"Play songs by [name of artist, spoken clearly and carefully]
"What is this song?"

Ernie also praises the Apple In-Ear Headphones with Remote and Mic. If you already have the 3G-S or are considering getting one, you should read his article, as I agree with his thoughts on the Voice Control functionality.

Source: "The New iPhone 3G|s| - Voice Commands Rock!" by Ernest Svenson, published at Ernie The Attorney.

Review of MacSpeech Dictate for Lawyers

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:03:13 -0500

I'm pleased to repost the following "MacSpeech Dictate 1.5 Review for Lawyers" by my friend, Finis Price, from his superb TechnoEsq blog:

As most of you know, TechnoEsq posted a review by Victor Medina of the early version of MacSpeech back in March 2008. That review has now become the most read post on TechnoEsq, probably due to the overwhelming demand by attorneys and law firms for dictation software. Earlier this year, MacSpeech released the latest version of MacSpeech Dictate version 1.0. As most of you know, MacSpeech’s Dictate program is powered by the same dictation engine as the windows application Dragon NaturallySpeaking produced by Nuance.

Unfortunately, MacSpeech Dictate uses the Dragon NaturallySpeaking dictation engine number 9.0 instead of the latest 10.0 Dragon NaturallySpeaking users are raving about. As a result of this, it can be said that MacSpeech Dictate in some respects lags behind the Windows version of the dictation software. However within the past month and a half, MacSpeech has released version 1.5 which is a major update to Dictate. This update, costing upgrade users $55 and $199 for new users, is perhaps the greatest update in an application without moving to the 2.0 version of software ever seen. As a result of this, I highly recommend paying for this nominal upgrade fee.

What makes this new upgrade worth $55 is the update of MacSpeech Dictate’s speech recognition engine to the 10.0 engine. This engine is the same one utilized by our Windows brethren running Dragon NaturallySpeaking. As a result of this upgrade, MacSpeech claims an improved speech recognition of 20%, however I feel this is probably an understatement as I have seen an almost 50% increase in speech recognition. As well as improved accuracy, many of the insufferable bugs which were previously present in version 1.0 of Dictate have completely disappeared. These include random letters being generated at the end of sentences, problems in going back through dictation for editing as well as an improved speed difference which is very welcome.

As a practicing attorney, I do utilize a legal transcriptionist for dictation. When using Dictate 1.0 I was growing increasingly irritated with the bugs mentioned above and found myself going back to my transcriptionist because it was just too hard to deal with these issues. However after the upgrade to dictate 1.5 I have gone back dictating to my transcription less and less. This is directly correlated to the improvements with the new speech recognition engine and the bug fixes.

This is not to say that using a program such as MacSpeech Dictate does not have its faults. Obviously, it is very difficult to when there is any sort of background noise, especially other speakers. While a human being may have no problems in isolating the intended user’s speech, MacSpeech Dictate and any program used for dictation have a difficult time in determining which speaker is to be listened to and whose words are to be transcribed. On this note, I’ve spoken with a number of other attorneys who have attempted to use MacSpeech Dictate as well as other dictation programs who have had limited success in having their speech recognized effectively. More often than not, this is a result of using subpar microphones and headsets in the dictation process. MacSpeech has consistently stated that in order to achieve the best transcription percentages, it is imperative to use either the included headset with MacSpeech Dictate or one of the recommended microphones on MacSpeech’s website.

As a test of the microphone’s effect on dictation, I have attempted to use my Blue Snowball, a microphone far superior to the headset included with MacSpeech Dictate, for dictation. Using this other microphone, I noticed an immediate decline in accuracy. This is likely due to the location of the microphone in relation to my mouth and Dictate’s profiles in what type of microphone it is used to receiving audio from. Thus, don’t assume using a superior microphone or headset to the one included with Dictate will work better.

Setting up Dictate is extraordinarily easy. After running the installation program and loading the data CD which comes with the program, you are led through approximately 3 to 5 minute reading lesson in which Dictate learns the nuances of your speech. After this training, Dictate is literally ready to go. You can open up any application such as Microsoft Word, any basic text editor or the built in word processing program within Dictate and begin dictating immediately.

Transparent “help” windows are available to the right of the application you are dictating into which provide the most common available commands for that program. There is a slight learning curve in learning the miscellaneous text editing and movement commands, however these helper windows are essential as you begin dictating. I typically recommend individuals use these windows in the beginning and then as they get used to the commands close them to save on screen real estate.

If you follow the instructions in terms of speaking clearly as well as in complete sentences you’ll notice a marked improvement in the accuracy of the programs transcription. Most users have difficulty when they pause and stop either waiting for the program to catch up with their speech or when they are speaking very slowly for the transcription program. This speaking in fits and starts causes serious problems for dictation programs as they use percentages and likelihood of words appearing next to each other in order to determine what words you used and in what context you used them. Navigation is as easy as stating “Train the Word”, “Insert before” or “Insert After” and the word which you are offering two. Dictate will then go back through the cache of words that it has transcribed and locate the word you are looking for and begin the command which you have instructed it to perform. At that point you can simply state “Go to end” and proceed with the dictation.

A welcome new feature in version 1.5 is the ability for Dictate to go through any document files which you give to it and go through them for words it is unfamiliar with to add to its dictionary. This is particularly useful for lawyers as Dictate does not have a specific lawyer application. Thus much of the legal jargon and medical terms attorneys use can be easily and quickly added and immediately available for Dictate to understand.

As mentioned previously, Dictate is able to transcribe your speech into any program which you have open on your computer, including social media sites such as twitter and Facebook, as well as mail and any other program which accepts text input. You can also use Dictate for complete control of your computer going even as far as opening and closing programs and control of the cursor. One reader of TechnoEsq.com has commented that due to certain disabilities he is forced to use Dictate for complete control of his computer which he is able to do quite effortlessly.

Probably my only complaint with Dictate is its inability to import a dictation file from a digital recorder or other audio file. This feature was available in the previous MacSpeech dictation program iListen, which has its origins with MacSpeech however this ability was not included in any of the versions of Dictate for unknown reasons. My suspicion is that the microphone quality of portable dictation recorders is not up to par with the type of microphone used with Dictate and that this causes an unacceptable number of recognition errors.

If you need any assistance, MacSpeech has even put up videos covering such topics as installing the software, phrase training, text macros and editing documents. These are great for those users who want to see what Dictate can do prior to purchasing the software.

Overall the upgrade to version 1.5 is most welcome and is well worth the $55 upgrade for previous users of Dictate and $199 for new users. The speed increase and amazing accuracy this upgrade provides is second to none. If you’re willing to speak clearly and think prior to actually speaking, MacSpeech Dictate can work wonders at replacing or at least augmenting your transcriptionist in your practice. As you suspected, I dictated this entire review using MacSpeech Dictate version 1.5 and only used the keyboard for inputting those commands within the quotation marks which were not able to be dictated.

We welcome any comments from current users of version 1.5 or any users of version 1.0 have who have recently upgraded. I will make the disclaimer that MacSpeech did provide a review copy of version 1.0 and version 1.5 of Dictate to TechnoEsq.com however as with all product reviews this played no part in our opinion concerning the application.

Source: "MacSpeech Dictate 1.5 Review for Lawyers" by Finis Price, published at his TechnoEsq blog.

MILO Fest 2009 :: Official Announcement

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:01:35 -0500

If you are a Mac-using attorney (or if you want to become one), then you should attend MILO Fest 2009, the Mac-focused conference for attorneys. After weeks of anticipation and speculation, details have just been announced this week about this exciting seminar.

I am excited to be one of the speakers, and I think that this seminar will be one that is discussed for years. You should make plans now so that you don't miss out. Topics announced to date: 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.

If you want to find out more about MILO Fest, you can click HERE for dates, location, pricing, and much more, and if you're ready to register, you can click HERE. If you want to learn more about MILO or join, simply click HERE. I hope to see you all at MILO Fest later this year.

Pros & Cons of Web-Based Software for Attorneys

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:01:44 -0500

Web-based software is continuing to gain in popularity and usage among attorneys. My firm uses several of these in our daily practice, including Rocket Matter (case management / time & billing), gMail (firm email), and Evernote (electronic filing / storage system). If you hear the terms "the cloud" and "SaaS" but aren't quite sure what all the fuss is about, you can find out everything you need to know in the following article:

Understanding "The Cloud": The Pros and Cons of Web-based Software for Attorneys

If you've attended a technology CLE or read a technology publication over the last year, chances are good you've at least heard of "the cloud" or cloud computing. Cloud computing is a term that's used to describe a spectrum of services, software, and infrastructure delivered over the web rather than installed on a user's computer or server.

One of the better-known forms of cloud computing is software as a service (or "SaaS"). SaaS aims to mirror (or even improve on) the experience of traditional software without requiring the user to buy expensive software licenses, struggle with complicated installations, or manage upgrades and updates.

SaaS has proven both popular and controversial among attorneys. While some have adopted it wholeheartedly and swear they'd never go back, others have chosen to steer clear, claiming the risks outweigh the benefits.

To help you better understand SaaS and to decide whether it has a place in your practice, here are a few of the pros and cons:

The Pros:

It "just works." With SaaS, you avoid the headaches of installation and maintenance. As long as you have an Internet connection and a web browser (like Internet Explorer), using your software is as simple as logging in. Furthermore, most SaaS products have been built with usability as a high priority, making them easy to learn and use.
Mac friendly. Because SaaS products operate through the web browser, they usually run just as well on a Mac as they do on Windows.

Lower up-front costs. Add the price of software licenses, new servers and other hardware, and the hourly rates of the consultants needed to put it all together, and buying traditional software can be tremendously expensive. Most SaaS products require a relatively low monthly fee for each user and can be cancelled at any time.
Mobility. Traditional software is tied to the computer it's installed on. If you don't have your computer with you, you don't have your software. With SaaS, your software is available anywhere that you have an Internet connection--your home, a relative's home over the holidays, even the train via a Smartphone. This can be particularly helpful if you're forced from your office due to a natural disaster like a flood or hurricane.

The Cons:

Lack of control. You, and your data, are at the mercy of your vendor. If the vendor suddenly goes out of business or goes offline for any reason, you could find yourself without access to your client files and unable to work. Similarly, the security of your data is entirely in the hands of your vendor--a significant concern for attorneys.
Internet is a necessity. If your web connection goes down, you lose access to your software and your files. If you live in an area where your web connection is unreliable, SaaS may not be a realistic option.
Lack of features. Most SaaS products are newcomers to the legal market, and as such their features are limited. Traditional software developers have spent years--even decades--adding features and functionality to their products.

If you're ready to learn more about SaaS and want to know what kind of questions to ask when evaluating a SaaS vendor, visit the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center's FYI: Software as a Service (SaaS) for Lawyers.

Source: Joshua Poje, ABA Legal Technology Resource Center

Can Law Firms Be Run Like Apple Stores?

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:06:40 -0500

Apple Stores are known for their knowledgeable personnel and excellent customer service. Not coincidentally, those are also the hallmarks of outstanding lawfirms. Jay Shepherd has written an article which questions what it would be like if these stores were run like law firms – and by extension, why law firms can't be run more like Apple Stores. It is a very thought-provoking article, and I recommend it to attorneys everywhere.

Source: "What if the Apple Store Billed by the Hour?" by Jay Shepherd, published at The Client Revolution.

Top 20 iPhone Apps for Busy Attorneys

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:05:48 -0500

There are many good iPhone Apps out there – maybe so many that you're overwhelmed and unsure where to start looking at them. If that applies to you, consider the following list of "Top 20 iPhone Apps for Busy Attorneys" as a starting point and see if any of these will be helpful to you:

CardLasso:: This program lets you take a photo of any business card with the iPhone camera, scan the info on the card, and automatically convert it into pertinent data, such as contact information. For lawyers on the go, this can be the ultimate time-saver.
DocScanner :: If you need to scan on the go, this legal-friendly app is for you. It lets you take a photo of any document with your iPhone camera and automatically convert it to a PDF document.
SmartTime Schedule Organizer :: This app is an organizer with the edge you need. Using advanced logic, this program schedules times for meetings and tasks, combines your various task and appointments into a single view, and re-organizes everything on the fly, as needed.
Conference Call :: This app lets you schedule your legal conference calls with the click of a button. Your iPhone, in turn, will automatically call your contacts and connect them to the conference call.
Take Me Back to the Office! :: This simple program lets you program in a location (such as your law office), and this program will give you directions back there, no matter where your work has taken you.
Documents Free (Mobile Office Suite) :: This easy-to-use mobile office suite lets you keep track of spreadsheets and text files, as well as sync up to Google Docs to take the law wherever you go.
Remote Desktop Lite :: The only problem of being on the go is, of course, not having access to your Desktop PC. This app lets you access your XP professional PC, meaning all of your important documents are just a click away.
PDF Reader Pro :: This short and simple program lets you read your PDF documents on the go. With easy document management, wi-fi synchronization and a cool landscape view, this has all your PDF needs.

SpeedMailer :: If you often have to send out similar e-mails, this is the ideal program for you. It lets you record the address, subject, and content of e-mails before you send them, and then lets you easily choose from a list of contacts who the e-mails will be sent to.
QuickVoice Recorder w/ Free Voicemail :: Busy lawyers don’t have time to fiddle with a million portable devices. That’s why you use nFinity, which turns your iPhone into a free voice recorder.
AT&T Virtual Receptionist :: This program lets you instantly set up a professional phone service for your legal business. That means a free toll-free number, a professional auto-greeting, and 60 toll-free minutes each month.
WorkMate :: If you’ve got to deal with problems at work, you need this program ASAP. It provides instant access to the ACAS code of practice, as well as ACAS guidance on disciplinary procedures and grievance procedures, minimizing your legal risks.
Wallet Pro (password manager) :: Another great legal-friendly app, this program stores all of the passwords that you need. With military-grade encryption, this app will keep you safe.
BizExpense :: This program is, in short, expense reports made easy. Your legal expenses can be thoroughly documented with images, e-mail, currency conversion, and password protection.
Mocha VCN Lite :: Providing access to a VCN server, this app lets you access the files on your PC or Mac. With this app, you’ll have your own legal counsel wherever you go.
Folders - Private File Storage and Viewing :: This app lets you add all the files and folders from your computer or the web to your iPhone. You can even hide folders, making sure your documents stay safe and secure.
Timewerks-Lite :: This app lets you keep track of time spent on projects, as well as invoices. Great for lawyers, this app lets you add clients, uses a built-in stopwatch for timekeeping, calculate sales tax and, of course, create invoices.
Right Signature :: This program has one great purpose: letting you sign contracts, proposals, and NDS from your iPhone. You can even integrate your photo with your signature, ensuring authenticity.
Business E-Mail :: This app replaces the onboard e-mail of the iPhone with a slick interface that has a landscape keyboard, spellchecker, and other great features to speed your e-mail up dramatically.
File Sender - Send Files via SMTP :: If you have a MobileMe account, this program’s for you. It lets you send and receive files, and organize them in creative ways, such as saving groups of files you’ve sent so you can send them to others (or yourself) in the future.

Source: "Top 20 iPhone Apps for Busy Attorneys" by Kat Sanders, published at the Court Reporter Schools blog.

Frequently Asked Questions About the iPhone 3G-S

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:01:00 -0500

Macworld published answers to many Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the new iPhone 3G-S, including the following:

How is this iPhone different from the iPhone 3G?
How did Apple boost performance?
What are the new features in the iPhone 3G-S that aren’t in the iPhone 3G?
I’ve heard that the camera is better in the iPhone 3G-S. Is that true?
So can this iPhone finally shoot video?
How much does the iPhone 3G-S cost?
I’ve already got an iPhone. Should I upgrade to this one?
Will existing accessories and cases for the iPhone 3G fit the iPhone 3G-S?
When will the AT&T network support the new high-speed 7.2 HSPA network that the iPhone 3G-S supports?
I bought an iPhone 3G on May 9. Can I turn it back in for an iPhone 3G S?
How does the battery life compare to the iPhone 3G?
Can we stream live video?
Will the iPhone video recorder be on par with the Flip-type cameras?
Will my old, deactivated iPhone 3G still work without AT&T service as an iPod touch?

Source: "iPhone 3G S: What You Need to Know" published at Macworld.com.

How to Create Custom iPhone Ringtones for Free

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:02:42 -0500

For better or worse, ringtones are here to stay, and everyone seems to want to personalize them. Fortunately, you can now create simple, free iPhone ringtones from your iTunes library. I have made several for myself, and you can too by following these easy steps:

Open iTunes 8 and find the song you want to turn in to a ringtone
Right click on that song and select “Get Info”
On the “Options” tab, use the “Start Time” and “End Time” boxes to customize the start and end times for your ringtone
Make sure that your ringtone 40 seconds or less and click “ok”
With your selected song still highlighted, click on “Advanced” in your menu bar and select “Create AAC Version”
A duplicate copy of your song will then appear in iTunes. It will have the same filename but shorter “time”
Go back to the original song and uncheck the “Start Time” and “End Time” boxes
Drag the duplicate song to your Desktop, right click on it and select "duplicate"
Once the duplicate song has been created on your Desktop, delete the duplicate file in iTunes
On your Desktop, rename the file's extension from "m4a" to “.m4r”. This turns your song file into an iPhone ringtone file.
Drag the newly renamed .m4r (songname.m4r) file back into iTunes and you should see your new ringtone under “Ringtones” in iTunes
Sync your iPhone to get your new ringtone on it, and you're done!

Note: This process works with MP3, ACC, and AIFF files. Only DRM-free songs can be used with this ringtone creation process. Any song downloaded from iTunes Music Store will have DRM (Digital Rights Management), so don’t use those songs. Any song ripped from a CD or downloaded from DRM-free sources (P2P, Amazon, your friend) will work just fine.

Source: "iPhone Ringtones: Create FREE iPhone Ringtones Using iTunes 8" by Will Park, published at IntoMobile.com.

Mac Pricing :: "Apple Tax" or "Microsoft Discount"?

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:01:50 -0500

Microsoft has begun an aggressive "laptop hunters" ad campaign to attempt to convince consumers to buy PCs instead of Macs. In fact, the latest one actually shows one of their "hunters" standing outside of an Apple Store complaining about the high costs of Macs.

PC advocates claim that there is an "Apple tax" – defined as the supposed premium that Apple computers usually cost over comparably equipped PCs. Mac advocates counter with the concept of the "Microsoft discount" – the theory that maybe PCs cost less because Windows is worth less.

For instance, PC World compared comparably equipped machines and found the following:

MacBook Pro vs. Dell XPS 1330 :: When configured with similar features, the MacBook Pro was only $95 more ($1,399 vs. $1,304). These machines included the following: 13.3" LED backlit screen, 4GB RAM, 320GB Hard disk, Nvidia GE Force 9400M Graphics Card, 802.11n networking, integrated webcam, backlit keyboard, and Bluetooth. The Mac has a 2.26 GHz Intel processor with a 1066 MHz frontside bus, whereas the Dell XPS 1330 comes with 2.4 GHz and 800 MHz, respectively.
MacBook Air vs. Dell Adamo :: The starting price for the Air is $1,499, whereas the Adamo starts $500 higher at $1,999. In its $1,799 configuration, the MacBook Air matches the 128GB Solid Stage Drive of the Adamo and bests its 1.2 GHz processor with one that clocks in at 2.13 GHz. Both come with 2GB of RAM and no optical drive. The Air weighs one full pound less than the Adamo at 3 lbs. As it turns out, the Air is less expensive than the Dell.

When I give presentations on the benefits of using Macs in a law practice, the "cost" question is one of those that almost always comes up. I have always pointed out that Macs hold their values much better than PCs, as can be easily seen by visiting eBay and looking at the resale prices of each. Now, I can point to the articles below to help show that Macs don't cost much (if any) more on the front end either.

Sources: "Reassessing the Apple Tax" by Michael Scalisi, published at PC World, and "The Microsoft Discount" by Dan Miller, published at Macworld.

The Legal Mac :: Working Remotely on Your Mac

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:01:22 -0500

This month's The Legal Mac column from Law Practice Today, the ABALaw Practice Management Section's webzine, discusses the issues involved in working remotely with your Mac. I am pleased to present, "Working Remotely on the Mac" by Jason Wietholter, Director of Technology, Opveon Litigation Services:

Get advice for using your Mac as a work tool no matter where you are.

In this day and age, demands for our time and our presence require us to be everywhere and work from everywhere. We choose Macs because they are dependable and easy to use. Working remotely on the Mac platform is just as simple and reliable. With services such as Mobile Me and the growing popularity of the entire Mac platform, more and more options are opening up to facilitate working on the road; everything from the hardware necessary to the software and services that help keep everything running smoothly.

The hardware is simple. It just works. Whether you have a MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro or even an iPhone, your Apple device has the tools you need to work on the road - already built in. All you’re missing is an internet connection. Each one of these Macs has its benefits and a certain set of constraints. Obviously, the iPhone is the smallest and most mobile option, but you give up some flexibility in not having expansion options, such as USB ports. All of the other laptops in the Mac line offer different levels of power. The MacBook and MacBook Air are the “lightweights” of the breed while the MacBook Pro is for the “heavy lifting” users out there. The beauty of the Apple hardware lineup is that you can have a laptop for the road and a desktop for your office or home and use them in perfect harmony. The basis of the Mac OS X operating system and the software available for the Mac platform make working remotely as beautiful as the hardware your run it on.

With OS X, services such as VPN and VNC along with File Sharing and the ability to connect to Exchange servers are already built in and easy to set up. Just open System Preferences, then look under the Networking and Sharing panes to set up each feature. Additionally, the security and the scarce number of viruses targeted at OS X allows you to work with peace of mind that your files are safe. You can walk in to any coffee shop or cafe with WiFi, connect securely to the office, review files from your computer back home and even control the machine from your comfy booth. The OS is a great platform to work with, but it only gets more powerful with additional software.

Software and services such as Mobile Me allow for unparalleled ability to keep your calendar and email, even your whole computer synchronized. Although this option costs about $100 a year, it is well worth it. You can find it by opening System Preferences and looking under the Mobile Me pane. With this service, your Mac syncs all of its preferences, Dock icons, Mail accounts, calendars, notes and even 3rd party programs’ preferences across each and every Mac you own. This provides you with an almost universal interface across your computers that stays in sync so you never really feel like you are in front of a different computer. Mobile Me also includes storage space online to keep important files that you might need away from the office or to backup other files offsite. In addition, with the right combination of hardware and Mobile Me, you can control your Mac at home or the office, just by opening Finder and looking under Shared . While Mobile Me is your most comprehensive option, there are other services and software available that you can piece together to accomplish the same goals. For example, with a Google account and SpanningSync, your calendars in iCal can sync to your Google account and then be accessible on any internet connected computer or synced with another Mac; a quick search will result in a plethora of other options. With VNC software you can access the mouse and keyboard controls of your home or office computer and work on it just like you would if you were sitting in front of it. I’ll warn you though, VNC is quite technical, but a more user-friendly option is LogMeIn which allows file and monitor/control sharing of multiple computers from any computer with web access. These tools allow you to keep multiple computers in sync or to control one computer from another, but the following software lets you work independent of any specific computer.

SaaS (Software as as Service) opens up a whole new world of possibilities to road warriors and desk jockeys alike. You don’t necessarily need a Mac to utilize this type of software, but you can take comfort in the fact that most of the creators of this software are Mac users like you. Search online for Basecamp or Highrise, some great SaaS products created by 37signals, and you can instantly see the popularity of this option. The beauty of these systems is that most all of them are created with streamlined features so there isn’t confusing fluff to muddle through, just powerful tools to keep you organized and your practice running like a well-oiled machine. These services offer you ultimate flexibility by allowing you to work from any machine, anywhere. From contact management to billing and project management software, these services are modular. You can pick and choose only what you need. RocketMatter is one lawyer-focused SaaS solution with a solid feature set and good road map for development. Keep this in mind if you are looking for a turnkey solution.

With all these options and the constant addition of new software and services, mobile computing on the Mac platform is simple and efficient. Everything works seamlessly to provide the ability to work from the office, from home, from the plane—even around the globe. The Mac platform offers you the freedom to work on the computer in your lap, connect to your desktop at the office, and to utilize any internet-connected computer to access your information from any location. All these tools help you be where you need to be and still accomplish what you need to get done. No longer do you need to sit in your office all day long to stay on top of your business!

About the Author: Jason Wietholter is the Director of Technology for Opveon Litigation Services.

Are You An Appophile?

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:01:01 -0500

This month's MacNotes column in the ABA GP|Solo's Technology eReport webzine describes what it means to be an "Appophile," and it takes a look at how to find and manage the appropriate Apps for your iPhone. I recommend that you check it out HERE.

Source: "On Becoming an Appophile" by Jeffrey Allen, published in the ABA GP|Solo's Technology eReport webzine.

WWDC Recap :: Snow Leopard Preview

stevens@stevensfirm.com (J. Benjamin Stevens) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:01:02 -0500

Today, I conclude my look back at the big news items announced at Monday's WWDC with a closer look at OS X 10.6, better known as Snow Leopard. Some of its key features include:

The installation process has been streamlined – installing 45% faster and occuping 6 GB less space than Leopard
Exposé is now integrated in the Dock, and by simply clicking and holding an application icon in the Dock, all the windows for that application become visible.
Snow Leopard makes Time Machine backups up to 50 percent faster.
Your Mac will wake from sleep up to twice as quickly, shut down up to 75 percent faster, and join wireless networks is up to 55 percent faster.
Microsoft Exchange support is built into Mail, Calendar and Address Book in Snow Leopard, and you can search for Exchange messages located on the server using Spotlight.
QuickTime X includes a completely new QuickTime Player with a new trimming interface, easy uploads to YouTube and MobileMe, HTTP-based live streaming, and greater color accuracy.
The multitouch trackpad now allows handwriting recognition, enabling users to write words and letters with their fingers.

Snow Leopard is scheduled to be released in September, and it will be very reasonably priced, with the upgrade being only $29 for Leopard users and $49 for a five user family pack.