Cool Tech Tools for Lawyers and Law Students : Making Life Easier

1. Cool Tech Tools for Lawyers and Law Students:Making Life Easier Barbara Fullerton Manager of Librarian Relations 10-K Wizard Houston Association of Law Libraries March 14, 2007

2. Generation X • Born between 1965 and 1980 • Ages of 24 and 39 • Comfortable incorporating technology into their practices • Looking for ways to self-command • Value freedom and versatility • Balance between career and family life HALL: Gadgets Presentation

3. Generation Y • Born after 1980 • About 24 years old or younger • Raised with a cell phones, PDAs, Smart phones, IM, 3-D games • Visual, visual, visual • Heavy duty techno-savvy • Expect a high level of diversity as measured by race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and religious beliefs HALL: Gadgets Presentation

4. What Technology Does Not Mean • How to create a template for a Word document • How to develop an Excel Spreadsheet • Access…What?? • PowerPoint…Overdone but can be quick to the point • E-mail etiquette HALL: Gadgets Presentation

5. What Technology Does Mean • Instant Messaging (IM) • Smartphones • PDAs/Blackberrys • iPods or mp3 players • iTunes • Text Templates • Voice Over Internet (VOIP) • Tivo • Podcasting HALL: Gadgets Presentation

6. Blackberry 8800 & 8820 • More sleek, trimmed version • Advanced noise and echo cancellation • Voice activated dialing, speakerphone, Bluetooth 2.0 • Unique: Camera: 1.3 mp, 5x digital zoom, flash and video recording • WI-FI on the 8820 • Sound quality: ??? • Coming: Spring 2007 • Price: N/A http://www.blackberry8800.com/index.jsp HALL: Gadgets Presentation

7. Treos • March of the Treos: 680, 700p, 700w, 700wx, 750 • Depends on service • 680: Palm OS (yucky camera) • 700 & 750: Microsoft OS • Price: $299-$499 +plan http://www.palm.com/us/products/index.html HALL: Gadgets Presentation

8. iPod • 20,000 songs/7,500 songs • 25,000 photos • 100 hours/40 hours of video • 20 hours of battery life for songs & 6.5 hours for movies • Easy to use • Easy to search/shuffle • 80GB/30GB • Comes with earphones • Price: $349/$249 http://www.apple.com/itunes/ HALL: Gadgets Presentation

9. iPhone • Widescreen • Easy menu • Touch controls • High tech • Wi-Fi • Multi-tasking (read webpage while downloading e-mail) • Internet access • Price: $499 • Release: June 2007 http://www.apple.com/iphone/ HALL: Gadgets Presentation

10. Aliph Jawbone Bluetooth Headset • Noise-canceling technology • Matches outline of face • Hands-free conversations • Light-weight & stable • Noise shield enabled • Colors: black, gray or red • Available online or Cingular • Price: $119.99 http://www.jawbone.com/ HALL: Gadgets Presentation

11. Golan i.Tech Virtual Keyboard • It’s finally here! • Uses Bluetooth technology to connect wirelessly to the user's handheld device • Infrared technology to project a full-size QWERTY keyboard onto a nearby flat surface • Sensors recognize keystrokes • Gives a familiar sound of fingers tapping a keyboard • Price: $170 http://www.vkb-support.com/ HALL: Gadgets Presentation

12. Touchless Trash Can • Uses infrared sensors to automatically lift and close the lid whenever your hand is near • Smart chip • Four D batteries • 20 opens a day for six months on the same set of Duracells • Sold online & at Target • Price: $100 http://www.itouchless.com/share/cgi-bin/site.cgi?site_id=itouchless&page_id=home&qd.query HALL: Gadgets Presentation

13. Logitech FreePulse Wireless Headphones • As Joan Crawford says: NO WIRE HANGERS… • Wow, no cables here! • Range: 33 feet • Frequency: 2.4 GHz • Rechargeable batteries • 6 hours of playing time • Price: $99.99 http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/US/EN,CRID=2412,CONTENTID=12492 HALL: Gadgets Presentation

14. Google’s Dodgeball • Users of text-messaging • Social tool • Any SMS-enabled carrier in 22 major U.S. cities including Houston, Austin & Dallas • Can use any SMS-enabled phone • Send a text message to the service indicating your location, & then Dodgeball alerts any of your friends who are within 10 blocks • Check when friends were at a location • Price: Standard text-message rates www.dodgeball.com HALL: Gadgets Presentation

15. Samsung Blackjack • 3G-enabled • Full QWERTY keyboard • Bluetooth 2.0, push e-mail capabilities • Good call quality • Windows Mobile • Navigation controls are cramped • No integrated Wi-Fi • Price: $199 +service http://www.samsungblackjack.com/ HALL: Gadgets Presentation

16. Trillian • Instant Message client • Connects to multiple services without need of running multiple clients • Use only one service • Trillian Astra 4 just released • Price: Basic/no charge or Pro/$25 http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/ HALL: Gadgets Presentation

17. AIM Express • No need to download software • Send IM info directly from the web • Can be used on IE, Firefox, Mozilla, Netscape • Price: no charge http://www.aim.com/aimexpress.adp HALL: Gadgets Presentation

18. USB Missile Launcher • Need to let out some frustrations? • Annoyed at people? • Holds three foam missiles • Missile Command is on desktop • Use mouse to control the launcher • Rotates, tilts and fires • USB activated with software: Windows 2000 & XP • Simulates a radar tracking screen • Requires 3 AA Batteries • Price: $39.95 http://www.gadgets.co.uk/item/USBMISSILE/USB-Missile-Rocket-Launcher.html HALL: Gadgets Presentation

19. Podcasting Software • Audacity (no charge) http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ • Camtasia ($299) http://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.asp • GarageBand ($79) http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/ • Microphones. Don’t go overboard in buying expensive microphones. USB microphones are inexpensive and work well NOTE: Training Tutorial Tours & Tipshttp://www.notess.com/screencasting HALL: Gadgets Presentation

20. Linksys Travel Router WTR54GS • Pocket-sized • Wireless G router • SpeedBooster • Single Ethernet connection in your hotel room & turns it into a WiFi network • Enable secure encryption between your PC and another • Just plug it in • Price: $80 http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1907612,00.asp HALL: Gadgets Presentation

21. Nintendo Wii • Watch out Xbox! • Next-generation gaming machines • Wand-shaped remote controller with motion and pointing sensors • Can be swung like a golf club or aimed like a gun • Compact • Connect 24 hours a day to the Internet via WiFi networks • Players can create digital look-a-likes of real people, & give them cameo appearances in games • Price: $250 HALL: Gadgets Presentation http://wii.nintendo.com/

22. Zune • An alternative to iPod • Mixed reviews • Big display • 30GB for music, pics, and movies • Unique: ability to share songs with other Zune users within a 30-ft. radius • Price: $249 http://www.zune.net/en-US/ HALL: Gadgets Presentation

23. Last.FM • Music-centered social networking site • Tracks what users are listening to on their computers or players • Automatically clues them in to what similarly minded people like • Personalization • Registration required • Data feeds • 15 million users • Price: no charge http://www.last.fm/ HALL: Gadgets Presentation

24. USB Toaster • No time for breakfast? • Need a boost in the morning? • Just add bread, butter and jam • Works on your computer’s USB port • Great for April’s Fools • Price: $7.50 http://store.theonion.com/product_info.php?products_id=219 HALL: Gadgets Presentation

25. BD100 HD/DVD/Blu-Ray Player • NEW!! • South Korea's LG to sell the player compatible with both standards: Blu-ray and HD/DVD • Higher powered laser is needed for recording • LG says “to end the confusion and inconvenience of competing high-definition disc formats.” • Price: $1199 http://us.lge.com/index.jhtml HALL: Gadgets Presentation

26. Dell XPS-M2010 • Has remote control so you can watch TV or movies on its 20 in. widescreen display • Packs multimedia punch, with a detachable wireless keyboard and fully loaded video and audio components • Folds into a handy briefcase • Weight: a whopping 20 lbs. • Wow factor on this laptop! • Price: $2,999 http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/xpsnb_m2010?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19 HALL: Gadgets Presentation

27. Mio C310X Digiwalker • Highly accurate GPS device with North America/Canada maps • Natural-sounding voice commands gives turn-by-turn directions • Plays MP3s • Touch Screen • 3.5” screen • Price: $299 http://www.miogps.com/US/products_c310xfeatures.htm HALL: Gadgets Presentation

28. CALI Radio • NEW! • Premier law school Podcast resource • Subjects relevant to students and professors • Use your mp3 or iPod • Podcasts’ examples • Life of a Law Student • Advice to a 1L From a Law Professor • Conversations with Law Professors http://cali_radio.classcaster.org/ HALL: Gadgets Presentation

29. Top 10 Questions to Ask During an Interview • How would you describe the atmosphere here: it is more like a labor camp or a slave ship? • I heard there was this guy who came here and only billed like three hours a week. They say it took the firm two years to kick him out, and they gave him a nice bonus to leave, too. Is that true? •  Is it as bad as they say? •  No. Should I? •  I'm sorry, can you repeat the question? •  Is your managing partner qualified to be on the Supreme Court? •  Is there a bathroom on this floor? •  How many partners here are still on their first wives? •  Where am I? All of these firms look alike. •  Where else are you interviewing? • Bonus question for current judicial clerks: How long do I have to stay before I can keep all of my clerkship bonus? --The Volokh Conspiracy HALL: Gadgets Presentation

30. Resources/Ideas • Create Library Podcasts or Wikis (using P&J) • Create a webpage or blog dedicated to Summer Associates and/or Associates/Paralegals • Create an IM Library Research User ID • Create links to AIM Express, Flickr, and other social networking sites • Work with IT/Marketing/Recuiters • The Podcast Network (Gadget Show) http://gadget.thepodcastnetwork.com/ • PhoneScoop http://www.phonescoop.com/ • Flickr http://www.flickr.com • Peanut Butter & Jelly http://pbjt.pbwiki.com/ • Director of Law-Related Podcasts http://blawgsfm.justia.com/ HALL: Gadgets Presentation