The Mac Lawyer : Ben Stevens : Using Macs In The Practice Of Law

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.

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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.

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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.

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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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.

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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.

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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:

1. Open iTunes 8 and find the song you want to turn in to a ringtone
2. Right click on that song and select “Get Info”
3. On the “Options” tab, use the “Start Time” and “End Time” boxes to customize the start and end times for your ringtone
4. Make sure that your ringtone 40 seconds or less and click “ok”
5. With your selected song still highlighted, click on “Advanced” in your menu bar and select “Create AAC Version”
6. A duplicate copy of your song will then appear in iTunes.  It will have the same filename but shorter “time”
7. Go back to the original song and uncheck the “Start Time” and “End Time” boxes
8. Drag the duplicate song to your Desktop, right click on it and select "duplicate"
9. Once the duplicate song has been created on your Desktop, delete the duplicate file in iTunes
10. On your Desktop, rename the file's extension from "m4a" to “.m4r”.  This turns your song file into an iPhone ringtone file.
11. Drag the newly renamed .m4r (songname.m4r) file back into iTunes and you should see your new ringtone under “Ringtones” in iTunes
12. 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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As expected, the WWDC was full of exciting news about the iPhone and its 3.0 software.  The new iPhone 3G-S boasts many new features, including:

• A faster processor that will launch most apps and load web pages much faster than the previously 3G model.  It also features more storage capacity, up to 32GB.
• Shoot, edit, and share video right on the iPhone, including the ability to email the video and/or post it to the internet.
• A new 3-megapixel camera (up from 2 megapixels) that has built-in autofocus, which allows you to focus on anything by simply tapping on it.
• Built-in voice control now allows you to start calls, find songs, and locate other information on the iPhone using only your voice.
• Cut, copy, and paste items between applications and from the internet.
• Rotate the iPhone and type on a larger keyboard in Mail, Messages, Notes, and Safari.
• Search all your contacts, email, calendars, notes, and iPod from one convenient place using Spotlight.
• Record your own voice or any audio with the new Voice Memos application.
• Internet tethering will soon allow you to share the 3G connection on your iPhone with your laptop computer.

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On Monday, Apple surprised many by revamping nearly its entire line of laptops at the WWDC.  The 13" aluminum MacBook is now part of the MacBook Pro line, and its 15" and 17" relatives received faster processors. 

In addition, the 13" and 15" models now come equipped with a lithium-polymer battery that Apple claims lasts for up to seven hours, while battery on the the 17" model lasts for eight hours.

Other notable improvements include a new SD card slot on the 13" and 15" models, as well as two USB 2.0 ports (three on the 17" model) and a FireWire 800 port.  The LED-backlit widescreen display offers richer, more vibrant colors, while being more power efficient.

The MacBook Air wasn't ignored, receiving a faster processor and a lower price.  Finally, the white MacBook received a slightly faster processor and a bigger hard drive.  All the revised models are available immediatley, and Apple says each model meets the criteria for the EPEAT Gold standard and Energy Star version 5.0.

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Safari 4 was officially released yesterday at the WWDC.  Apple claims that it is now "the world's fastest browser" and it boasts 150 new features, many of which look to be helpful to attorneys.  

I installed it yesterday, and I agree that it is noticeably faster than Firefox or the prior generation of Safari.  If you haven't checked it out, I recommend that you should do so.  You can download a free copy (for Mac or Windows) HERE.

Some of the other exciting new features include:

• Top Sites ::  Safari 4 tracks the sites you browse, ranks your favorites, and presents up to 24 thumbnails on a single page. You can customize the display by pinning a favorite site to a specific location in the grid.  Sites with a star in the upper-right corner have new content, and a single click opens the page and updates its thumbnail.
• Cover Flow :: You can review your site history and bookmarked sites by viewing a full-page preview of each website that looks exactly as it did on your last visit.  Simply flip through website previews in Cover Flow the same way you flip through album art in iTunes. Of course, when you find the site you want, simply click to open it.
• Nitro Engine :: Safari executes JavaScript nearly 8 times faster than Internet Explorer 8 and more than 4 times faster than Firefox 3 based on performance in leading industry benchmark tests: iBench and SunSpider.  In addition, Safari offers top-flight HTML performance, loading pages 3 times faster than Internet Explorer 8 and Firefox 3.  Safari 4 will run as a 64-bit application under OS X Snow Leopard, which will further boost the performance of the Nitro JavaScript engine.
• Other :: Safari 4 also includes HTML 5 support for offline technologies as well as support for advanced CSS Effects. It is also the first web browser to pass the Web Standards Project’s Acid3 Browser Test, which looks at how well a browser adheres to CSS, JavaScript, XML, and SVG standards designed specifically for dynamic Web applications.

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Wow – what a day to be a Mac fan!  The WWDC today exceeded all expectations, and I will spend the rest of this week covering all of its major announcements.  From MacBooks to iPhones to Snow Leopard, there was something for everyone.  Stay tuned...

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Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is next week, June 8-12, in San Francisco, CA. I previously posted as to what might happen, but with it only being a few days away, I thought it would be interesting to see what the experts/pundits are predicting now. Enjoy the links below, and let's see who's right and who's not.

• WWDC 2009: What will Apple do?
• Wall Street analysts anticipate WWDC 09
• CNBC's Goldman: Apple's WWDC to be about software, software, software; not hardware
  
• Analyst: Apple's WWDC likely to 'disappoint'
  
• Flanked by Rivals, Apple Revs Up for WWDC
  
• Just a Thought - Bluetooth Could Big Big At WWDC
  
• Other iPhone Rumors with 4 Days Left Until WWDC '09

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Even though there are many fine time and billing programs for the Mac, some attorneys prefer to take an "old school" approach and use timesheets.  If you prefer this low-tech option, you should read the article at the Esquire | Mac blog, which provides the following easy to use templates:

• Numbers Billing Template
• Excel Billing Template

If you decide to use either of these timesheets, you will want to keep your spreadsheet easily accessible.  One way to accomplish this is to keep it in your Dock.  To do so, simply drag the document to the right side of the Dock (where your “stacks” folders are kept), and it will stay in the Dock for one click access to your timesheet.

Source:  "Excel and Numbers Templates for Attorney Billing Timesheets" by Adam Greivell, published at his excellent Esquire | Mac blog.

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I posted an article several years ago explaining how to use a PC version of the Fujitsu ScanSnap on your Mac.  In fact, that post has been one of the most popular ones on this blog.  My office is still using that PC ScanSnap (model 5110EOX2) on our Macs every day, without a hitch (for over five years now).

I have discovered that there is now a way to install the more recent version of ScanSnap Manager with virtually all of the PC ScanSnaps, so I thought that I'd post about the newest process and included models.  Thanks to the folks at the MacOSXHints Forum for their thread on this topic.  There are some important notes and cautions in that thread, and I recommend you read it before installing this software.

First, download and install the updated ScanSnap Manager (revision: V2.2 L11) by clicking here.  Then, you need to install the appropriate patch kit.  For models S300, S500, S510, fi-5110EOX, or fi-5110EOX2, install Patch Rev. 0.4a by clicking here, and for models S300, S500, S510, and fi-5110EOX3, install Patch Rev. 0.4b by clicking here.  Once you have downloaded, unzipped, and installed these, you should be ready to go.

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Do you need (or want) to find out what is being typed on a particular computer?  No, I'm not encouraging you to become a stalker, as there are some legitimate reasons to collect this information.  For instance, do you suspect that your employees are goofing off at work or stealing company secrets?  Maybe you want to know what are your minor children really doing on the internet?  Of course, you might also want to know if your spouse is cheating on you (see note below).

eBlaster | Mac 2009 allows you to secretly record all the keystrokes on a computer and surreptitiously send those keystrokes via e-mail to another one.  Once installed, it loads in the background, and it isn't visible in the Applications folder or via Spotlight search.  When activated, it can monitor and provide reports on a wide range of computer activity, including instant messages sent, Web sites visited, e-mails sent, keystrokes typed, online searches made, and applications used.  You can read a full review of eBlaster | Mac here.

Note:  Before using any program of this type, you should first determine whether obtaining such information if legal under state and federal law.  This article does not provide any opinion on the legality of same, and it should not be construed as such.  You should also consider that these types of programs are capable of capturing user IDs and passwords typed into banking or other secure sites, and thus make it easy to expose very sensitive information.

Source: "eBlaster 2009: Surreptitious Key-Logging Software Sees and Reports All" by Jeffery Battersby, published at Macworld.

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InfoWorld's executive editor, Galen Gruman, recently spent a month with an iPhone 3G and a BlackBerry 9000 Bold to "compare the two devices in depth: mail to mail, phone to phone, browser to browser, and thumb stroke to touch-tap."

He concluded that "it's time to bury the BlackBerry", saying that it is "way past its prime."  In fact, he called the BlackBerry "a Pinto in an era of Priuses."  Ouch, that had to hurt RIM.  You can read the entire detailed review HERE.

Source:  "Deathmatch: BlackBerry Versus iPhone" by Galen Gruman, published at InfoWorld.

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