Techno.Tidbits

Articles, Tips, News, Gadgets & Miscellaneous Ramblings

Date Last Updated: February 22, 2006

If you're a blogger, think of this as being "blogesque" in approach. In this section, we'll have regular updates with legal techno.news, happenings, people in the news, tips, articles, hot gadgets and more.

• Techno.Articles
• Techno.Tips
• Techno.News
• Techno.Gadgets
• Techno.People
• Techno.Fun

Techno.Articles - Tech for the Rest of Us

We are pleased to make our educational materials available for your viewing. Please click on the CLE program names and/or article names to view these files in PDF format. Some are large files and may take a few moments to appear. To download, "right click" an article title and then select "Save Target As." Enjoy!

Summer Diversions: Gadgets for Overworked Lawyers, Ross Ipsa Loquitur / Wisconsin Law Journal, July Techlink Issue 2004

Head-On Collision: Tech Knowledge Inseparable from Substantive Law Practice, Ross Ipsa Loquitur / Wisconsin Law Journal, Summer 2004

The Urge to Converge: Lawyers Fight "Digital Waist Clutter" With Smartphones, Ross Ipsa Loquitur / Wisconsin Law Journal, July 21, 2004

Knowledge Management: What the Heck is It? And Why do Lawyers Need It?, Ross Ipsa Loquitur / Wisconsin Law Journal, June 23, 2004

The Long and Un-Winding Road: How Mobile Lawyers Survive the Miles, Ross Ipsa Loquitur / Wisconsin Law Journal, May 26 and June 9, 2004

Barbarians at the Gate: Top Tips for Keeping Your System Secure, Ross Ipsa Loquitur / Wisconsin Law Journal, May 12, 2004

Mobile Lawyering Meets the Sherman Tank: HP's Pavilion zd7000 Series Laptops, Ross Ipsa Loquitur / Wisconsin Law Journal, March 1, 2004Why We All Hate Our Scanners: The Paper LESS Office™ is the Answer, Ross Ipsa Loquitur / Wisconsin Law Journal, May 5, 2004

Practicing Safe Computing: Security Tips, Products and Services to Protect Your Small Firm, Ross Ipsa Loquitur / Wisconsin Law Journal, April 21, 2004

Wireless Technology: Law Practice With "No Strings Attached", Ross Ipsa Loquitur / Wisconsin Law Journal, April 14, 2004

Blurred Boundaries: Case Management Systems for Small Firms Evolve, Ross Ipsa Loquitur / Wisconsin Law Journal, April 7, 2004

Case Management Implementation Success, Part Two, Wisconsin Lawyer, Vol. 75, No. 4, April 2002

Case Management Implementation Success, Part One, Wisconsin Lawyer, Vol. 75, No. 3, March 2002

Techno.Tips - Info to Put to Use Now!

Paul's Presentation Tip #1 - How to NOT Look Like a Fool In Front of an Audience

When preparing to deliver a multimedia presentation, never pack your bags without first checking and re-checking that all of your media are properly prepared. Whether your presentation media consists of markers on whiteboard, prerecorded audio-video, or gigabyte size Flash or PowerPoint shows, CHECK ALL COMPONENTS. Markers can get dry, video-cassettes devoured and, as I can painfully attest, CD burners can get doused. So please, don’t discover in front of an audience of one or of one hundred, that your flawlessly produced presentation simply no longer exists. Check your media before you leave the office. Please.

 - Submitted by Paul M. Driftmier, MicroLaw Legal Systems Consultant, Sept. 30, 2004

Tabs3 Tip - Enter New Client Info Quickly and Painlessly

In Tabs3 v.11 remember to right click for additional options. Right click in the client id field anywhere in the program and choose edit client. This opens up the client information screen and is a quick way to enter new clients on the fly.

- Submitted by Renee Kodner, MicroLaw Vice President of Operations, Septembe 30, 2004

Microsoft Word Quick Tip - Taming Word's Automatic Numbering

The most widely professed problem is Automatic Numbering – it’s a headache. The key to understanding this Microsoft Word feature is “formatting.”  If you understand how to format a paragraph in Word, you can make the numbered paragraph look the way you want.  Customizing the “Numbered Style” allows you to change the formatting for the placement and style of the number and also the indention and wrapping of the paragraph text.

- Submitted by Dora Pontow, MicroLaw Legal Systems Consultant and Payne Word Master Class Grad, July 16, 2004

TimeMatters Tip: Like Someone Else's Settings Better? Copy 'Em

If you like the settings of another Time Matters user on your system (and of course, presuming you have Security rights and permission to do this!) you can easily and quickly copy those settings. For example, you really like the way someone else customized the TimeMatters toolbar. You can do this by choosing File > Setup > User Level. Select Copy from the bottom of the screen. When the Copy dialogue box opens choose the person you want to copy from and then select the User(s) you want to copy to. Select the settings you want to copy and select OK. It's that easy!

- Submitted by Sherry Terrell-Webb, Esq., MicroLaw Legal Systems Consultant, TimeMatters AIC, July 16, 2004

Techno.Tip?  More Like Techno.Novel! (Thanks Paul)

I remember it like it was yesterday. Brand new Palm Vx in hand. Looking not unlike the Peanut cartoon’s Schroeder hunched over his piano as I memorized the arcane stylus strokes of Graffiti, struggling with the letters k and q like a forlorn kindergartener. Two years later I had worn a rough patch in the writing area. The stylus strokes were seared, SEARED into my mind.

Then the unthinkable occurred. My new Tungsten T2 arrived and with it came Graffiti 2. Well this old dog ain’t what he used to be and those old stylus strokes haunt me like a poltergeist, forcing my hand to write letters my frontal lobe never envisioned. More and more often I find myself launching the virtual keyboard when I can’t for the life of me create a capital K. Which brings me to my techno.tip.

FORGET ABOUT THE WRITING AREA. Now you can write anywhere on the screen and you can see the stylus stroke as you create it. This is very helpful in forging some new, seared bits on your cortex. You wanted more of those, right? If you can see why your ‘o’ Graffiti 2 stroke keeps being rendered as a ‘c’ because you weren’t closing the circle, your hand will quickly learn to make the correct shape. Pavlov would be so proud. This is a feature you’ll need to enable on your Palm device.

Here’s how. Go to the home page, then locate and tap the Preferences application icon. In the General group, you’ll see Writing Area. Tap that. Under the heading Write anywhere on-screen: you’ll find an On-Off toggle. Tap On. Make sure the check box labeled Show pen strokes is checked and you’re in business.

Now the entire display is a writing area.  It is divided just like the old style, itty-bitty writing area with letters on the left half and numbers on the right. To create a capital letter, guestimate where the center line is and write the Graffiti 2 stroke there. If you guess wrong, you’ll get numbers instead of capital letters, but soon you’ll be conditioned just like Pavlov’s dog and you’ll nail it every time. Watch out for the capital ‘K’, though; it’s a real son-of-a-gun. Woof!

- Submitted by Paul M. Driftmier, MicroLaw Legal Systems Consultant, Sept. 15, 2004

TimeMatters Tip: Work Smarter not Harder

A quick way to add an event without have to enter any client and matter information is to highlight the matter in the matter list and use the keystroke Ctrl > Shift > V. The event form will then be partially filled out – you will only need to enter the event date, time, a code, and a description. Save and close and you are done.

- Submitted by Sherry Terrell-Webb, Esq., MicroLaw Legal Systems Consultant, TimeMatters AIC, Sept. 15, 2004

Microsoft Word Quick Tip - Opening a Corrupt Word Document

A corrupt document is a frustrating hurdle to deal with.  The newer versions of MSOffice offer a great feature for repairing a corrupt document.  I personally have used this to “fix” several documents that just wouldn’t open.  The Open and Repair feature is located on the down arrow by the Open button on the Open window.  From a Word window, File, Open and locate the file that needs to be repaired.  Single click on the document and then click on the down arrow beside the Open button n the lower right hand corner; select Open and Repair.  This feature strips out formatting that is in the document but does bring in the text. 

- Submitted by Dora Pontow, MicroLaw Legal Systems Consultant and Payne Word Master Class Grad, Sept. 15, 2004

Techno.News - The Scoop

Note: "Any Techno.Tidbit posting related to online rebates or "deals" may very well only be valid the date of submission posting. The nature of the "online deal" is that it can be fleeting, so if you want, don't hesitate - it may be out of stock or expired, sometimes in less than a day." In other words, you snooze, you lose.

Wisconsin / Illinois Time Matters Users Group Forming!

It's about time - there are several successful independent Time Matters Users Groups around the country. I'm in the process of jumpstarting one for all Time Matters and Billing Matters users here in Wisconsin and in Northern Illinois. Here are the initial particulars:

What is it: An independent forum for law practices and businesses using Time Matters / Billing Matters. Members will exchange tips, ideas, techniques, Troubleshooting suggestions, forms and more. Read the announcement form by clicking here.

Who: Anyone interested in better use of Time Matters and Billing Matters
Where: The Milwaukee Bar Center
When: Inaugural meeting date to be announced - watch the MBA Messenger, Wisconsin Law Journal,
Wisconsin Lawyer and Techno.News here at MicroLaw.com for info
Volunteers: Volunteers needed! Anyone interested in helping contact Ross Kodner at rkodner@microlaw.com
Sign Up: Send an e-mail to rkodner@microlaw.com with the subject line: “Wisconsin TimeMatters Users Group” and then include your contact info

Note: This group is not affiliated in any way with Time Matters Software or LexisNexis. Time Matters and Billing Matters are registered trademarks of the aforementioned companies.

     - Submitted by Ross Kodner, July 29, 2004

Flat Panel LCD Mania - TigerDirect Has Sceptre 15" for Under $200

TigerDirect is listing a 15" Sceptre LCD flat panel - new, not a refurb - for $199 after the $20 rebate. That's quite a deal. It may not be "first tier", but Sceptre and its Komodo series is an established second-tier monitor purveyor. 1280x1024 SXGA resolution and a 12 month warranty round out the value. The rebate expires 8.16.04.

     - Submitted by Ross Kodner, August 8, 2004

eCost.com Deal Alert - What's With These Guys?

I've become addicted to two websites lately: Dealuniversity.com and eCost.com's Bargain Countdown page. Both have a mixed bag when it comes to specials. But as any female aficionado of Filene's Basement will tell you, sometimes you have to dig through layers of crap to get to the diamonds. Such is the case with these two sites. The first is a "deal aggregator" - they do nothing but list various deals found on the net, primarily on tech products and gadgets. The latter is a major web merchant who happens to have this particularly very entertaining "bargains" page.

Here are several examples from today:

eCost.com has an Edge 128 MB USB 2.0 Flash drive for $4.00 after the $30 rebate. Even with the $5-$7 they charge for "handling,", with free UPS Ground shipping, it's ridiculously cheap. What's next? Rebates that have them giving US money?

Other irresistable eCost.com items online today are:

• Edge 64 MB SD Card. Free (yes, $0.00) after $25 rebate.

• GoVideo PVP4040 Personal Media Player for $99. Everyone else has these for $229 to $299. Just came out - it's actually the gadget I posted about over a year ago. Basically an LCD display (3.5") in a device with an SD Card slot. Let's you read and play/view JPGs (I have one on order - finally the perfect eFamily photo album to whip out and show off the HTMLets), plays MP3s, multiple Windows movie formats. Sure it's just SD, but it's also only $99. Review coming soon in the Techno.Gadgets section.

• 3G Technology 15" LCD Flat panel display for $229 after $50 rebate. I've been looking for one for my daughter, Kodner2.html's PC. I've seen this one and it's perfectly adequate. The price seems to be a steal after the rebate. They also have a 17" model for $299 after rebate, also not bad. A 14" model at $199 after rebate would seem to be the ideal choice for a server rack or server room.

• Fiberline 4-Port USB 2.0 hub for $8.99 after $5.00 rebate. Can never have two many open USB ports, right?

• Ok, it may be hard to peg $1999 for something as a bargain, but when it's a brand-name Viewsonic 42" Plasma display, it's definitely in the "deal" category. It's the first time I've seen a major brand plasma display for under $2000. It has VGA and DVI inputs for PC connection (although relatively low SVGA resolution, so it's really focused more on being a TV with the built-in TV tuner)

     - Submitted by Ross Kodner, August 4, 2004

Got Cables?

I'm obsessed with cable neatness. I can't stand wires, cables, cords jumbled everywhere in my laptop bag. With companies like Ziplinq and Ultra producing a plethora of small, inexpensive retractable cables, I'm in organization heaven. Readers of Mobile PC magazine have a "secret" hot cable deal available. Go to the special Mobile PC page at TigerDirect and find a 13 piece Ultra Retractable cable kit (Item no. 5) which is normally $20 (but easily worth $100 if you're familiar with the Ziplinq equivalent), only $10 after rebates (rebate expires 9/30/04). It's got everything from RJ-11 (modem), RJ-45 (network/High speed Net), USB, Firewire and various adapters. Amazing, especially when each of these is normally $10+ each from other sources. There's no other way to get to this link through the TigerDirect site's main page and I don't know how long it will last. UPDATE (8.8.04) - I received mine in mid-July. It's AMAZING - much better than I anticipated - high-quality retractables, and so many parts and pieces it kept me amused for nearly 20 minutes, taking each one out and playing with it (who could resist?). The case quality is impressive, with perfectly cut padding holding each piece.

     - Submitted by Ross Kodner, July 9, 2004, updated August 8, 2004

Techno.Gadgets - The Latest, Greatest, Weirdest

Note: "Any Techno.Tidbit posting related to online rebates or "deals" may very well only be valid the date of submission posting. The nature of the "online deal" is that it can be fleeting, so if you want, don't hesitate - it may be out of stock or expired, sometimes in less than a day." In other words, you snooze, you lose.

Combo USB Flash Drive / Laser Pointer

The new adage: "There's a USB version of everything." Continued proof comes in the form of a new combination laser pointer and USB flash drive available from Wolverine Data, a company which extorts us to "Empower Yourself with USB." With capacities ranging from 32MB ($35) to 256MB ($70), it's hard to argue with the practicality if you're a CLE speaker or presenter. Light it, store it . . . works for me.

     - Submitted by Ross Kodner, July 9, 2004

Laptop Ergonomics Rolls Onto Your Desk

Keynamics, an Austin, Texas company with expertise in ergonomics, has released the Laptop Stand with Wheels. Screaming for a better name (LapRoller? LapWheels?), I'll be writing a full review as soon as I receive my evaluation unit. The concept looks brilliant - good laptop positioning, getting the screen height up so the neck can be held straight. At the same time, lowering the typing height for better wrist positioning. And the ability to roll the whole thing out of the way when you need to. Makes a lot of sense. After communicating with Keynamics principal Greg Bright, I loved the fact that his e-mail sig lists him as "Partner / Inventor." We need to see more "inventors" out there. $79 with a free shipping special currently and a 30 day money back guarantee. Watch for my review in Ross Ipsa Loquitur soon.

     - Submitted by Ross Kodner, July 9, 2004

Four Dollar Air Conditioning

More or less. ComputerGeeks.com sells a private-labeled (actually no label at all) version of Kensington's USB FlyFan. This is a soft-nylon bladed fan mounted on a 14" flexible metal stalk which plugs into and is powered by any USB port. Bend the fan head towards you and the soft-touch nylon blades throw a surprising amount of cooling air, virtually silently. Of all the over-priced, big-promise gadgets I've spent money on over the years, this is the best four bucks I think I've ever spent. I use mine every day - I travel with it - I'm comfortably cool during CLE presentations. Get the real Kensington model for $10 at www.kensington.com or the ersatz work-alike, look-alike from ComputerGeeks.com.

     - Submitted by Ross Kodner, July 13, 2004

Techno.People - Who's in the News

MicroLaw's Sherry Terrell-Webb Achieves TimeMatters AIC Certification

Atty. Sherry Terrell-Webb, MicroLaw Legal Systems Consultant, achieved TimeMatters Authorized Independent Consultant (AIC) status recently. Sherry has been working with TimeMatters extensively. Combined with her many years of document assembly system experience, Sherry helps MicroLaw clients design, implement and support their TimeMatters case/practice management systems.

     - Submitted by Ross Kodner, July 16, 2004

MicroLaw's Renee Kodner Achieves PracticeMaster Certification

MicroLaw VP/Owner and Tabs3 whiz Renee Kodner achieved PracticeMaster Certified Consultant status recently. PracticeMaster is the case management system from the publishers of the Tabs3 billing/accounting system so many of our clients use. Leveraging her many years of Tabs3 experience, Renee is helping MicroLaw clients design, implement and support their PracticeMaster case/practice management systems.

     - Submitted by Ross Kodner, July 16, 2004

Techno.Fun - All Work and No Play . . .

Run For Your Lives! It's Hubzilla!

OK, you've got to see it to believe it - At Charismac they've got Hubzilla - it's a 4 port Firewire hub actually built into an 8" tall plastic Godzilla figure. Why? Seriously, why would you even ask . . . just because. Note that the specs list two key characteristics: "Doesn't bite" and "Rarely eats." Note the latter has a footnote to the disclaimer which states: "Disclaimers: *Charismac claims no responsibility for broken personal or business related property should Firewire Dino go on a rampage. As always, a clean and fed Firewire Dino results in a happy Firewire Dino. **Please keep small children away from Firewire Dino, just in case." $75ish.

      - Submitted by Ross Kodner, July 9, 2004

Why? Please Just Tell Me Why?

One of the coolest sites for the elite gadgeterazzi is Dynamism.com. This site offers a mind-blowing array of the latest Japanese electronic wizardry that is sold only in the home market. For years, Dynamism takes these items, anglicizes them with English language manuals, keyboards, Windows versions, and then sells and supports them to U.S. and other customers worldwide. Certainly, take a few moments and wander the virtual aisles - I can guaranty that like me, you'll begin to drool and wonder . . . how can they not ship us this stuff! Once you're past the tiny laptops (check out the $3600 Carbon Fiber 2 lb. Sony VAIO X505- wow), and you dig into the "Gadgets" listing on the Products page, scroll down to find the i-Duck (www.dynamism.com/iduck). I stared at my screen for at least two minutes before I formulated the single thought: "Why?" What is an i-Duck? It's a 256 MB USB 1.1-compatible flash memory drive in the shape of little rubber duckie. In six different color schemes. Including one that is pink with little hearts on it. And when they plug them, the little duckie glows. If you can answer my question, please write to me!

     - Submitted by Ross Kodner, July 13, 2004

Products described, linked to or listed in any way do not constitute any kind of endorsement or recommendation by MicroLaw. Use this information at your own discretion. Please note that all materials are ©2004 Ross L. Kodner  and/or ©2004 MicroLaw, Inc. and all rights are reserved.