New and events of the Philadelphia Bar Asso.
Issue link: https://thephiladelphialawyer.epubxp.com/i/434516
the philadelphia lawyer Winter 2015 43 can use the amount of data purchased for the flat fee, but will pay an additional charge if you use more data than you purchased. While many smartphones also operate as hotspots, doing so generally uses up the device's battery power quickly. On the other hand, mobile hotspots have far better battery life; they commonly use mobile broadband service from cellular providers for 3G or 4G Internet access, and are often priced based upon the amount of data included per month. While having a hotspot is an increased cost, it is generally worth the investment. LAPTOPS OR TABLETS For years, lawyers relied on laptop computers when they left the office. With the introduction of the iPad, the first successfully marketed tablet, a second alternative emerged. But there remain differences between the two devices. Laptop computers have an attached keyboard, whereas most tablets either have only an on-screen virtual keyboard or permit users to link to a portable keyboard. In addition, laptops are generally heavier than tablets, but can run most common software programs, such as Microsoft Office. On the other hand, tablets are lighter and run apps (except for Windows-based tablets that run traditional software), which commonly have fewer features and less power than laptops. In addition, laptops often have more built-in storage space, which means that if you store a lot of files (or are using a tablet for trial) or photos or videos, you may need to have external, portable hard drive. If you are primarily reading or reviewing information, then a tablet is a good solution. On the other hand, if you will need to use a keyboard extensively, such as for revising documents, you will probably be better served with a laptop. PORTABLE STORAGE AND BACKuPS Laptops and tablets tend to be fragile. In either case, you will be well served by having backup systems in place – to either carry your data, or as an emergency backup should the device break. These devices can be particularly helpful because many tablets, including iPads, have limited internal storage, and you may need to carry more data than they can hold. These drives, sold just about everywhere, can store more information than most of us will ever need for any given case. Fortunately, portable external hard drives are relatively inexpensive, with a 1 terabyte drive (which will hold more data than most of us will ever need) costing under $100. When you have one, you can back up your tablet or laptop, or have a separate device in your office can use when working on the case outside of the office. SCANNERS In recent years, lawyers have begun to use their laptops and tablets as scanners because of the devices' built- in cameras. While using the camera feature is practical for one- or two-page documents, it is slow and cumbersome to do so with larger documents. In that situation, you should consider acquiring a portable scanner that can either connect to your device through a wired or wireless service. A number of companies offer high-quality mobile scanners, many of which weigh only a few ounces and operate on batteries. PRINTERS If you need to print multipage documents, it may be economical to travel with a portable printer, many of which can connect to your devices wirelessly. However, these devices are often heavy, and you have to balance the convenience of portability against amazon echo Takes requests, Questions Echo is Amazon's latest foray into the home electronics market, a voice- controlled hands- free device that provides news, weather, music as well as answers to questions courtesy of Wikipedia. As soon as Echo hears the "wake" word (either Amazon or Alexa), it's ready to use. You can ask Echo questions about tomorrow's weather, how many ounces are in a quart or any other question and get a response. You can also use Echo to create a to-do list or shopping list, as well as use it as an alarm clock or timer. Echo also serves as a speaker that fills a room with 360 degree omni- directional audio. Echo gives you hands-free voice control for Amazon Music, Prime Music, iHeartRadio, and TuneIn. Echo is Bluetooth-enabled, so you can stream other popular music services like Spotify, iTunes, and Pandora from your phone or tablet. Echo automatically updates itself through the cloud, so new features and services become available as soon as the update is complete. The device uses seven microphones to hear requests from anywhere in the room in which it is located. When Echo detects the wake word, audio is streamed to the cloud, where Amazon Web Services recognizes and responds to your request. The 9.25-inch high cylindrical Echo is currently available by invitation only. It's $99 for Amazon Prime members and $199 for everyone else. More information is available at amazon. com/echo. For years, lawyers relied on laptop computers when they left the office. With the introduction of the iPad, the first successfully marketed tablet, a second alternative emerged. But there remain differences between the two devices. Tech briefS