06 Saturday Feb 2016
Posted in Android Phones, Blackberry Phones, Cell Phones, Discovery, E-Discovery, Evidence, Forensic Evidence, iPhones, Legal Technology, Preservation, Sanctions, Spoilation
≈ Comments Off on Clients – Don’t Wipe That Cell Phone!
Appeals Court Upholds Terminating Sanctions For Wipe of Cell Phone, by Doug Austin, eDiscovery Case Law
In Woodell v. Bernstein, et. al., No. 14-2836 (Cal. App., Dec. 30, 2015), the California Court of Appeals affirmed the judgment of the trial court, which imposed terminating sanctions against the plaintiff for spoliation of evidence and dismissed his lawsuit with prejudice after the plaintiff had wiped his cell phone, which was key to the case. . . .
02 Saturday Jan 2016
Posted in Android Phones, Cell Phones, Cybersecurity, Legal Technology, Passwords, Windows 10
≈ Comments Off on 2016 Tech Resolutions.
7 Technology Resolutions for a Better 2016, by Ian Paul, PC World
You may be ahead of the tech curve – maybe not. My bet is that you already have a smart phone and you probably have an iPad or some type of tablet reader. What about the rest of the things on this list? You have not want more than the tech you already have, but here’s some food for thought that scrapes the top of the tech iceberg. -CCE
16 Wednesday Sep 2015
Posted in Android Phones, Apple, Apps, Cell Phones, Clouds, Emails, iPhones, Legal Technology, Mac
≈ Comments Off on Want To Switch From iPhone to Android But Afraid of Losing Your Data? No Problem!
How To Switch From iPhone To Android And Keep All Your Stuff, by Ryan Whitwan, PC World
So you’ve grown tired of Apple’s walled garden of apps and the iron grip it maintains over the iOS platform. Well, the freedom of Android welcomes you with open arms, but don’t forget to bring your data along for the ride!
Apple doesn’t make it particularly easy to move your data from iOS to Android—it’s more interested in moving people in the other direction. Still, with just a few tools and some patience, you can be up and running on Android without missing a beat. . . .
03 Tuesday Mar 2015
Posted in 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, Android Phones, Appellate Law, Apple, Blackberry Phones, Cell Phones, Court Rules, Courts, Federal District Court Rules, iPad, iPhones, Laptop, Legal Technology, Local Rules, Oral Argument
≈ Comments Off on Can You Use iPads or iPhones in Court? Maybe – Maybe Not.
Court Rules on iPhone, iPad Use, by Jeff Richardson, iPhone J.D. Blog (with hat tip to Ray Ward, Louisiana Civil Appeals Blog)
http://www.iphonejd.com/iphone_jd/2015/03/court-rules.html
If there are rules for or against using any type of technology in a courtroom, you will normally find the court’s preference in its local rules. Courts don’t write local rules just for fun. They mean it when they say they don’t like something. If your court clearly states in its local rules that certain types of technology are not tolerated, don’t temp fate by assuming that you will be the exception.
Please note the comments at the end of the article. There is more valuable information about other court rules. -CCE
There are countless ways that an iPhone and iPad can be useful to an attorney while in court — whether you are at counsel table or just monitoring proceedings from the cheap seats in back. I often use my iPhone to look up a statute, check my calendar, get some information from an email, or remind myself of the name of another attorney in the courtroom. I often use my iPad to look at a case cited by an opponent, review the key part of an exhibit or transcript, or take notes. But you cannot do any of this unless the court lets you use electronic devices in the courtroom. I remember a time many years ago when the Eastern District of Louisiana did not allow any cell phones, even if turned off, and if my Palm Treo was still in my pocket, I had to walk back to my office, a few blocks away, and leave it there. Many courts are now more lenient, but attorneys should not just assume that it is okay to plan to use an iPhone and iPad in court. Instead, it is wise to first determine if there is an applicable court rule on the issue.
I write about this today because Ray Ward, an appellate attorney at my law firm, has a case that is soon set for oral argument before the U.S. Fifth Circuit, and in connection with that case, yesterday he received a notice from the Fifth Circuit of a new policy on electronic devices in the courtroom. Ray wrote about the notice (and attached a copy) in this post on his Louisiana Civil Appeals blog. In short, you can now have an iPhone or iPad in the courtroom, but it must be turned off unless you are presenting argument or at counsel table. And even then, you cannot take pictures or video, nor can you use social media. . . .
22 Sunday Feb 2015
Posted in Android Phones, Apps, Legal Technology, Recent Links and Articles
≈ Comments Off on Google Now Voice Commands for Android Phones.
Updated 20/20/15 – A List of All The Google Now Voice Commands, by Jason Cross, greenbot blog
You pick up your phone and say ‘OK Google’… and then what? Your phone is listening. The microphone icon is pulsing. What do you say to your phone? What can you say to it? Google Now’s voice function has become surprisingly robust over the years.
Here’s a list of just about everything you can say to Google Now. Try experimenting with different phrasing, you’ll be surprised how much it understands. The part of the phrase in [brackets] can be replaced with any similar term you choose.
If Google Now doesn’t get your spoken commands right, you can correct it by saying ‘No, I said…’ and trying the phrase again. . . .
16 Monday Feb 2015
Posted in Android Phones, Attorney Discipline, Blackberry Phones, Cell Phones, Confidentiality, Cybersecurity, E-Filing, Emails, iPad, iPhones, Law Office Management, Legal Ethics, Legal Technology, Malpractice, Office Procedures, Passwords, Rules of Professional Responsibility, Supervising Support Staff, Technology, Technology
≈ Comments Off on Don’t Have A PIN Lock On Your Phone? Hope Your Malpractice Insurance Is Up To Date.
Tags
Android Phones, Confidentiality, Cybersecurity, DARKReading, Ed Hansberry, InformationWeek©, iPhones, Legal Ethics, Malpractice, PIN Lock, Smart Phones
Most Consumers Don’t Lock Mobile Phone Via PIN, by Ed Hansberry, DARKReading, InformationWeek©
My guess is that most people who use a smart phone access some kind of confidential information, such as your bank account or conversations with a client or the office. If you do not have a PIN lock on your smart phone, this truly is special kind of stupid.
This is not a hard one to understand. If you use your cell phone to communicate with clients, sync your phone to your office computer and docket, or attach yourself to your office and confidential information – without taking simple, basic security measures – you are inviting a dangerous breach of confidentiality. -CCE
44% of respondents say it’s too much of a hassle, new survey reports.
People put a lot of sensitive info on their phones, but they often give little though to how secure their data is. In a survey by a security company, over half of the respondents said they didn’t bother with a PIN lock. This takes on a whole new dimension when you begin to understand how many of these people keep corporate data on the device.
Losing an unlocked phone can be far worse than losing a wallet. Emails on the device alone can reveal a wealth of information about the person, including where they bank, where they live, names of family members, and more. If company email is on the device, and it often is, there can be competitive information, salaries, system passwords, etc. If any of those emails contain links, often clicking on it will take you into the website, be it Facebook or a corporate portal.
According to Confident Technologies, 65% of users have corporate data on their phone, even though only 10% actually have a corporate issued device.
For that majority that don’t lock their phone at all, 44% said it is too much of a hassle to lock it and 30% said they weren’t worried about security. These are likely the same people that store things like social security numbers, passwords, and other sensitive information in text files or basic note applications. They may even store their computer’s password on a Post-It Note in their center desk drawer. . . .
12 Thursday Feb 2015
Posted in Android Phones, Cell Phones, Criminal Law, iPhones, Legal Technology, Video
≈ Comments Off on Using Social Media In Police Criminal Investigations.
Tags
Cell Phones, Criminal Law, EvidenceProf Blog, Facebook, Jeff Bellin, Social media, Text Messages, Twitter
Monitoring Social Media: The New Face of Criminal Investigations, by Jeff Bellin, EvidenceProf Blog
A recent story illustrates the bonanza of social media evidence police can obtain without ever leaving the station.
From the Richmond Times Dispatch, someone allegedly crashed a van into a Richmond area high school.
‘After the crash, which occurred about 1:30 a.m., investigators monitored Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites for information on who may have been responsible. The effort paid off, police said.
In addition to incriminating tweets, text messages and phone calls, detectives recovered a cellphone video of the crash itself — footage that shows a 1996 Ford Club Wagon van slamming into the school, said Chesterfield police Lt. Steve Grohowski.’
07 Saturday Feb 2015
Posted in Android Phones, Apps, Cell Phones, iPad, iPhones, Law Office Management, Legal Technology, Management, Marketing, Trial Tips and Techniques
≈ Comments Off on The New and The Best Lawyer Apps for 2015.
Tags
Android Phone Apps, Brian Focht, Cell Phones, iPhone Apps, Lawyer Apps, Legal Technology, Management, Marketing, Styles Byrum & Horne LLP, thecyberadvocate.com, Windows Phone
Best New Apps for Lawyers from January 2015, by Brian Focht, Civil Litigation Attorney at Styles Byrum & Horne LLP
Whether you’re looking to market your firm, increase your practice’s productivity, prepare and present information at trial, or increase your practice management capacity, there’s an app for you! Check out the best new apps for lawyers, for iOS, Android and Windows Phone, from January 2015!
And,
The Best New Apps for Lawyers – January 2015, thecyberadvocate.com
Whether you’re looking for marketing, practice management, or litigation strategy, here are the best new apps for lawyers from January 2015.
20 Tuesday Jan 2015
Posted in Android Phones, Cell Phones, Consumer Contracts, Consumer Law, Contract Law, Cybersecurity, Legal Technology
≈ Comments Off on Verizon Zombie Cookies Must Die!
Tags
Electronic Frontier Foundation, Online Privacy, Smart Phones, Tracking Cookies, Turn, Verizon, Zombie Cookies
Zombie Cookies Slated to be Killed, by Julia Angwin and Mike Tigas, ProPublica
Tech company Turn said it would stop using tracking cookies that are impossible to delete. The decision came in response to a ProPublica article this week that revealed the controversial practice.
‘We have heard the concerns and are actively re-evaluating this method,’ Max Ochoa, Turn’s chief privacy officer, wrote in a blog post.
He said the company plans aims to suspend the practice by ‘early February.’
Turn’s zombie cookie was exploiting a hidden undeletable number that Verizon uses to track its customers on their smartphones on tablets. Turn used the Verizon number to respawn tracking cookies that users had deleted. The company said it will now re-evaluate its practices.
Turn’s decision to suspend the practice was a sharp reversal from its previous stance. It had previously argued that ‘clearing cookies is not a reliable way for a user to express their desire not to receive tailored advertising.’
Critics across the Web vocally disagreed. Jason Kint, CEO of a trade association for digital content companies, wrote that ‘this kind of surreptitious behavior does nothing to build trust between consumers, advertisers and publishers.’ The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital rights organization, said Turn’s action made it ‘ impossible for customers to meaningfully control their online privacy.’
01 Thursday Jan 2015
Posted in ALWD, Android Phones, Citations, File Naming Conventions, Law Office Management, Legal Ethics, Legal Technology, Legal Writing, Legalese, Microsoft Office, Office Procedures, Outlook, Readability, The Bluebook
≈ Comments Off on Top Posts for 2014.
Tags
Android Phones, Legal Citation Format, Legal Ethics, Legal Writing, Legalese, Microsoft Outlook, Top Posts for 2014
Here they are – the posts ranked highest during 2014, the first full year for this blog. Posted in order of popularity, it is an interesting mix. Many thanks for stopping by. -CCE
Android Users – Good Advice And Alternative Options For Google Calendar Sync.
Peter Martin’s Introduction to Basic Legal Citation — An ALWD and Bluebook Cheat Sheet.
Legal Ethics Head’s Up – Don’t Get Drunk, Move A Dead Body, And Lie To Police.
What The Heck Does “SS” In An Affidavit Mean Anyway?
https://researchingparalegal.com/2014/05/25/what-the-heck-does-ss-in-an-affidavit-mean-anyway/
Plain English Tools include Gobbledygook Generator.
https://researchingparalegal.com/2013/11/20/plain-english-tools-include-gobbledygook-generator/
Please Use Electronic File Naming Conventions!
https://researchingparalegal.com/2014/03/29/please-use-electronic-file-naming-conventions/
Sayeth or Saith? Actually, It’s Neither.
https://researchingparalegal.com/2014/02/22/sayeth-or-saith-actually-its-neither/
01 Monday Dec 2014
Posted in Android Phones, Apple, Blackberry Phones, Clouds, Confidentiality, Emails, Encryption, iPad, iPhones, Legal Ethics, Legal Technology, Malpractice, PC Computers, Technology
≈ Comments Off on Is Email Between You And Your Client Safe? No, And This Is Why.
Tags
ABA Legal Ethics Opinion, Allen Mihecoby, Email, Encryption, Gmail, Hacking, Internet, Lawyerist Blog, Lisa Needham
How to Encrypt Attorney-Client Communications, by Lisa Needham, Lawyerist Blog (with hat tip to Allen Mihecoby, CLAS, RP!)
If you have decided you need to get serious about client data protection, you will need to consider encrypting both your data and your communications. We have previously covered how to encrypt your data and will focus here on how to encrypt your email communication.
What Is Encryption?
Simply by using the Internet, you are probably using some sort of encryption scheme during some activities, whether you know it or not.
Encryption is simply the act of turning your data into unreadable gibberish. If your data is intercepted or hacked, the thief now has nothing but a pile of garbage.
End-to-end encryption is a must for transferring sensitive data across the internet. In end-to-end encryption, your data is encrypted while it travels towards your intended location and the same encryption occurs on the reverse trip. Your bank (hopefully) uses end-to-end encryption. Your practice management software (hopefully) uses end-to-end encryption if it stores and syncs data remotely. This sort of encryption is done for you without any effort on your part, as it is just a standard feature of the infrastructure you are using to bank or update client data or similar activities.
Why Do You Need to Care?
A few years ago, the ABA issued a formal ethics opinion stating that if there is a significant risk that a third party might gain access to the email, attorneys have to warn clients about that risk.
This poses a problem, because unlike your bank and practice management software, email is usually unencrypted. This is true whether you are using a desktop client or a web-based email like GMail. . . .
26 Wednesday Nov 2014
Posted in Android Phones, Blackberry Phones, Cell Phones, Criminal Law, Evidence, Experts, Forensic Expert Witness, iPad, iPhones, Legal Technology, Trial Tips and Techniques
≈ Comments Off on Using Location And Time To Exonerate Or Implicate.
Tags
Ball In Your Court Blog, Cell Phones, Cell Towers, Craig Ball, Evidence, Geolocation Data, Legal Technology
Location. Location. Location., by Craig Ball, Ball In Your Court Blog
Okay, you have to admit that it’s pretty cool when a judge calls to pick your brain! – CCE
I’m peripatetic. My stuff lives in Austin; but, I’m in a different city every few days. Lately looking for a new place for my stuff to await my return, I’m reminded of the first three rules of real estate investing: 1. Location; 2. Location and 3. Location.
Location has long been crucial in trial, too: ‘So, you claim you were at home alone on the night of November 25, 2014 when this heinous crime was committed! Is that what you expect this jury to believe?’ If you can pinpoint people’s locations at particular times, you can solve crimes. If you have precise geolocation data, you can calculate speed, turn up trysts, prove impairment and even show who had the green light. Location and time are powerful tools to implicate and exonerate.
A judge called today to inquire about ways in which cell phones track and store geolocation data. He wanted to know what information is recoverable from a seized phone. I answered that, depending upon the model and its usage, a great deal of geolocation data may emerge, most of it not tied to making phone calls. Tons of geolocation data persist both within and without phones.
Cell phones have always been trackable by virtue of their essential communication with cell tower sites. . . .
30 Saturday Aug 2014
Posted in Android Phones, Apps, Cell Phones, Family Law, iPad, iPhones, Legal Ethics, Legal Technology, Social Media, Tablets
≈ Comments Off on Jim Calloway’s Recent Technology News and Developments.
Tags
Androids, Facebook, iPhones, Jim Calloway, Jim Calloway's Law Practice Tips Blog, Legal Techonology, Oklahoma Bar Journal
Recent Technology News and Developments for 2014, by Jim Calloway, Jim Calloway’s Law Practice Tips Blog (Originally published in the Oklahoma Bar Journal , August 9, 2014 — Vol. 85, No. 20.)
I can always depend on Jim to recommend the best practices to keep a law office moving smoothly, as well as a preview of new technology. Although Jim’s home base is the Oklahoma Bar Association, he is in national demand. If you like what you see, I recommend checking out his articles at the ABA web site. Better yet, especially for Oklahoma solo and small firms, the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Solo and Small Firm Annual Conference is a fabulous event due to Jim’s leadership and connections. You will meet technology experts from all over the country.
Jim has moved his blog to a new address: www.lawpracticetipsblog.com. The old one still works, but I do not know how long it will work. -CCE
There’s been quite a lot of technology-related news over the last several months. Some of it is directly related to the legal profession. Much of it is at least indirectly related to the legal profession. There have also been some interesting court rulings related to technology. Rather than featuring just a few items, I decided to do a roundup of many of these items with a few comments. . . .
24 Sunday Aug 2014
Posted in Android Phones, Blackberry Phones, Cell Phones, Cybersecurity, iPad, iPhones, Law Office Management, Legal Ethics, Legal Technology, Mac, Passwords, Tablets, Technology, Technology
≈ Comments Off on Survey Says! iPhone Top Choice Among Attorneys.
Tags
ABA Legal Technology Resource Center, Android Phones, Blackberry Phone, iPads, iPhone, iPhone J.D. Blog, Jeff Richardson, Legal Technology, Smartphone Security, Smartphones
2014 ABA Tech Survey Shows More Attorneys Using iPhones, But iPad Use Holds Steady, by Jeff Richardson, iPhone J.D. Blog
Every year, the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center conducts a survey to gauge the use of legal technology by attorneys in the United States. My thoughts on the prior reports are located here: 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010. No survey is perfect, but the ABA tries hard to ensure that its survey has statistical significance, and every year this is one of the best sources of information on how attorneys use technology. Yesterday, the ABA released Volume VI of the report titled Mobile Lawyers. This year’s report once again shows that a large number of attorneys are using iPhones and iPads.
Six out of ten attorneys now use an iPhone
In both 2014 and 2013, the survey revealed that 91% of attorneys use a smartphone. (In 2012 the number was 89% and in 2011 the number was 88%.) For the past four years, there has been a slight correlation between law firm size and smartphone use. In 2014, for example, 86% of solo attorneys reported using a smartphone, 89% in firms of 2 to 9 attorneys, 95% in firms of 10 to 49 attorneys, and for firms with 100 or more attorneys, 96% use a smartphone. As a whole, though, it is fair to say that the survey consistently shows around nine out of every ten attorneys use a smartphone. . . .
17 Sunday Aug 2014
Posted in Android Phones, Apple, Apps, Blackberry Phones, Cell Phones, iPad, iPhones, Legal Technology, Mac, PC Computers, Tablets
≈ Comments Off on Pushbullett App – Connect Instantly Between Computer And Mobile Devices.
App of the Week: Pushbullet- Share Anything Instantly Between Your Electronic Devices, by Lisa Pansini, Legal Productivity Blog
In June’s WWDC Keynote, Apple introduced their new iOS for mobile devices as well as Yosemite, their new Mac operating system (both of which are due sometime in the fall). One of the most talked about features is the way it will connect your computer and mobile devices. Phone calls and SMS can be pushed to your computer, and with the new ‘handoff’ feature you can pass whatever you’re doing from one device to another.
If you don’t own a mac, or you’re just tired of being left of of the Apple loop and would still like to have similar functionality on your devices, download the free Pushbullet app today.
Pushbullet makes it easy to get files, links, and more from your computer to your phone or vice versa. You can also send information from one mobile device to another (e.g. phone to tablet) and anyone else who uses the app. All it requires is a chrome or firefox plugin for your computer and an active gmail account. Once the plugins are configured, you can use it to push links to your other devices, or go to Pushbullet.com to send files, notes, lists, or addresses.
Android and Windows devices have full use of the app’s abilities, but Apple devices are currently lacking the “notification mirroring” feature that allows you to receive your sms, phone calls, and other app notifications on your computer. While a major bummer, the Pushbullet website mentions that this feature is coming soon!
All other push notifications show up instantly on your desktop or your mobile device, making the Pushbullet app perfect for anyone who wants a seamless way to stay on top of their notifications. Pushbullet is currently available for iOS and android devices. You can download the apps and necessary plugins directly from Pushbullet’s website.
27 Sunday Jul 2014
Posted in Android Phones, Appellate Law, Apple, Blackberry Phones, Cell Phones, Computer Forensics, Crime Scene Investigation, Criminal Law, Cybersecurity, Discovery, E-Discovery, Emails, Evidence, Experts, Forensic Evidence, Forensic Evidence, Forensic Expert Witness, Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure, Google, Internet, iPad, iPhones, Legal Technology, Mac, PC Computers, Privacy, Search Warrants, Tablets, Trial Tips and Techniques, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
≈ Comments Off on Government Can Access Individual’s Gmail Account In Money Laundering Probe.
Tags
Computers, Email, Evidence, Forensic Experts, Gmail, Google, Hard Drives, Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein, Money Laundering, Search & Seizure, Warrants
In a landmark ruling that might fuel a nationwide debate, the New York Court issued a warrant against Google, giving access to user emails.
A New York Court issued a warrant against Google Inc ruling that the government can access all mails of a Gmail account of an individual under a money laundering probe. The judge said that courts have long been waiting for law enforcement to take the required documents in the custody if it is within the purview of the warrant.
Contrary to previous rulings
This decision is not in line with the previous court rulings including courts in the Districts of Columbia and Kansas, Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York noted on Friday. Also, this latest ruling will spark a debate over the privacy, in the country, according to Computer World.
A District of Columbia judge denied from revealing the entire content of the email as this will seize a large amount of emails for which the authorities have not given any reason.
The Court in Kansas, also, did not rule in favor of a similar warrant, stating that it failed to ‘limit the universe of electronic communications and information to be turned over to the government to the specific crimes being investigated.’
However, the New York Court ruled in favor of such warrant, allowing authorities to take into account the emails and other information from a Google inc’s Gmail account, including the address book and draft mails, and also the authority to search the emails for certain specific categories of evidence.
Experts must scan emails, not Google employee
Judge Gorenstein argued that it is not possible to search the hard-disk drives of computers and other storage devices on the spot due to the complexities of electronic searches. Thus, the authorities can seize such storage.
‘We perceive no constitutionally significant difference between the searches of hard drives just discussed and searches of email accounts,’ the judge wrote. He added that in most of the cases data in an email account will be less ‘expansive’ compared to the information contained in the hard drive.
Judge Gorenstein stated that Google employees are not expert enough to know the importance of particular emails without having been given proper training in the substance of the investigation. Judge said this in response to an opinion by the District of Columbia court that gave the government the option of getting the email scanned by the host itself.
He said that an agent, who is completely absorbed in the investigation, will be able to understand the importance of a particular language in emails contrary to the employee.
26 Saturday Jul 2014
Posted in Android Phones, Apple, Apps, Cell Phones, iPad, iPhones, Law Office Management, Legal Technology, Tablets, Technology, Time Management
≈ Comments Off on Jeff Richardson’s Latest for iPhones and Ipads.
Tags
Apple, Apps, GoTenna, IBM, iOS, iPads, iPhone J.D. Blog, iPhones, iStick, Jeff Richardson, Wi-Fi
In the news, by Jeff Richardson, iPhone J.D. Blog
http://www.iphonejd.com/iphone_jd/2014/07/apple-2014-q3.html
In this version of Jeff Richardson’s “In the news,” we get a wide variety of iPhone and iPad candy. There is information about Apple’s new partnership with IBM, smart watches, making the most of Wi-Fi on an iPhone or iPad, apps to track billable hours and listen to podcasts, the iStick – a new thumb drive with a USB and Lightning connector to transfer files between a computer and an iPad without having to use a cloud (a bit pricey for my budget), and Touch ID – a fingerprint scanner for iPhone 5s.
For those of you already in football mode, Jeff shows us how to subscribe to NFL Sunday Ticket from any iOS device for $200.
If you are a hiker, you may be interested in a new device that lets you connect to another iPhone or Android device up to 50 miles away even when there is no cell or Wi-Fi Service. You may think of other ways this kind of thing would be handy. It is nice when traveling abroad because it will allow you to remain in touch with another GoTenna user without having to pay the high international cell roaming fees.
If you think that no one hears you, send an email to Apple COE Tim Cook. Someone sent an email about the quality of the music played while waiting on hold with Apple. Mr. Cook read the email, and fixed it. -CCE
09 Wednesday Jul 2014
Posted in Android Phones, Apps, Cell Phones, Google, Legal Technology, Microsoft Office, Outlook
≈ Comments Off on Android Users – Good Advice And Alternative Options For Google Calendar Sync.
Tags
Android Apps, Android Phones, Gmail, Google Apps, Google Calendar Sync, Jeffrey Taylor, Outlook, The Droid Lawyer Blog
How to: Alternative Options for Google Calendar Sync, by Jeffrey Taylor, The Droid Lawyer Blog
Android users who sync their Google calendars with Outlook received a shocking email:
Important Announcement about Google Calendar Sync
Almost two years ago, we announced that we ended support for Google Calendar Sync. Starting on August 1, 2014, this app will no longer sync events between your Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook Calendar.
As a Google Apps for Business, Education, or Government customer, you can use Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook®.
Follow these instructions to uninstall Google Calendar Sync from your computer.
– The Calendar Team
This is frustrating, because as some folks point out, Microsoft should provide this integration for Outlook users. But the truth is, instead of helping its loyal Android customers, Microsoft wants more people using Windows phones and Office 365. This news makes many Android-Outlook users want to abandon their Android devices all together.
Purely out of coincidence, I have a local friend who emailed me a similar question about syncing his calendar with Outlook:
You know that I am fairly stupid when it comes to this stuff! LOL! I use [a big name telephone company] as my primary email, and too many people have it to change it after so many years. I guess I could keep that as my primary email address and just use Google Calendar exclusively. I just hate to have to log in to use the calendar. Lazy I guess. I do, however, also have a Gmail address! Any suggestions other than ‘using all of Google’s products’?
Stop the insanity: software solutions
There are a number of third party applications available for syncing Google Calendar with Outlook. However, a lot of questions remain about whether Google Calendar will still sync with third party programs.
If you want to test them, here’s a short list of some programs with good reviews:
•gSyncit ($19.99 single license)
•Outlook4Gmail ($19.99 single license)
•Calendar Sync Pro for Outlook ($9.99)
•synqYa
•CompanionLink ($49.95)
I’m not sure how well these will work after the August 1 deadline, though gSyncit indicates they’ve rewritten their program to coordinate with Google’s API demands. If I was going to pick an option, I’d probably select gSyncit based on that statement.
I also suggest you keep up to date with any advances by following this Google products forum thread.
Submit yourself to “the Borg”
I think my friend’s easiest option is to commit himself to Google’s services, and here’s why.
First, no attorneys should be using free Google accounts for their business work. Thus, if you’re using a yourname@gmail.com to send and receive firm and client related information, stop right now. Sign up for a Google Apps account — ask me for a referral partner discount discount code — that offers more features (including no scanning), security, and encryption of email. Having a Google Apps account also enables you to access Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook. . . .
Don’t stop here! There’s more. -CCE
01 Tuesday Jul 2014
Posted in Android Phones, Apple, Blackberry Phones, Cell Phones, Clouds, Computer Forensics, Confidentiality, Cybersecurity, Disaster Preparedness, Emails, Encryption, Google, Intellectual Property, iPad, iPhones, Law Office Management, Legal Blogs, Legal Ethics, Legal Technology, Mac, Management, Marketing, Passwords, PC Computers, Social Media, Supervising Support Staff, Tablets, Technology, Using Social Media
≈ Comments Off on Is It Time For A “Bring Your Own Device” Policy for Your Law Office?
Tags
Apple, Blackberry Phone, Cell Phones, Confidentiality, Curo Legal Blog, Cybersecurity, iPads, iPhones, Legal Ethics, Mobile Device Policy, Passwords, Tablets, Will Harrelson
Mobile Device Security for Lawyers: How Solos and Small Firms can Ethically Allow Bring Your Own Device, by Will Harrelson, Curo Legal Blog (with hat tip to Jeff Richardson, iPhone J.D. Blog!)
The Start of Bring Your Own Device Policies
It really is the iPhone’s fault. Yes, Apple is to blame for designing the most desirable piece of technology of the last decade. So desirable, in fact, that employees of all stripes requested (and, often, begged) their IT departments to toss the increasingly-‘corporate’ Blackberry out the window and allow the use of their personal iPhones for corporate emails and calls. As a result, we have been living in the age of ‘Bring Your Own Device’ where employees use a single personal mobile phone (or tablet) for both their personal email, texting, and social media while also using it for work email, word processing, and other enterprise applications.
Before the Bring Your Own Device era, a company’s greatest out-of-office security concern was an employee who left a briefcase in a taxi. Today, the worry is an employee misplacing a device the size of wallet containing almost limitless amounts of data that criminals or hackers would easily and quickly exploit if given the chance. Clearly, there is an obvious financial motivation for all businesses to protect their own or customer’s sensitive data.
However, lawyers face particular ethical consequences if they fail to take reasonable efforts to either investigate the technologies that they implement or protect their client’s confidential information. . . .
28 Saturday Jun 2014
Posted in Android Phones, Appellate Law, Blackberry Phones, Cell Phones, Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure, iPhones, Legal Technology, Search Warrants, United States Supreme Court
≈ Comments Off on The U.S. Supreme Court’s Recent Cell Phone Ruling.
Tags
Cell Phones, Fred Barash, Judge Learned Hand, Search Warrants, U.S. Supreme Court, Warrantless Search, Washington Post
The Scary Part Of The Supreme Court’s Cellphone Ruling, by Fred Barash, The Washington Post
That Supreme Court ruling on cellphones was supposed to be reassuring. The government needs a warrant to search your phone, the court ruled.
But read Riley vs. California more closely and it’s just a little scary — particularly for those who pay little attention to what’s on their smartphones. If you don’t think your phone exposes your life-all of it-take it from the nation’s highest court.
Your phone, says the court, is your life. Cracking it open is even more revealing than rummaging through your home, which the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable searches was designed to protect. . . .
18 Wednesday Jun 2014
Posted in Android Phones, Apps, Cybersecurity, Legal Technology
≈ Comments Off on Android App Honey Pot For Lawyers and Law Students.
Android Applications for Lawyers, Law Faculty and Law Students, University of Wisconsin Law Library
I’ve already posted Jeff Richardson’s fantastic “60 Apps in 60 Minutes” presented at the ABA TECHSHOW this year. It seemed only fair that Android devices get their own honey pot as well. So, here it is. Legal Research Apps, Legal Professional Apps, Productivity Apps, Security Apps, Government Apps, Fun Apps, and more – all for Android devices. Yes, there is more out there, but this may get you by for now. -CCE
15 Sunday Jun 2014
Posted in Android Phones, Cell Phones, Cybersecurity, Encryption, Fraud, Identity Theft, iPad, iPhones, Legal Technology, Malware, Tablets
≈ Comments Off on The Hole In Mobile Security Making Your Phone An Easy Target.
Tags
All Tech Considered, Apple, AT&T, Comcast, Dave Porcello, Encryption, Facebook, Google, Hackers, Internet, Mobile Phones, NPR, Pwn Plug, Sean Gallagher, Security, Starbucks, Steve Henn, Twitter, Wi-Fi, Yahoo
Here’s One Big Way Your Mobile Phone Could Be Open To Hackers, by Steve Henn, All Tech Considered, NPR
Despite the fact that every major Internet provider has added some kind of encryption to its services over the past year, tracking your online traffic is easier than you think.
And you don’t have to be the target of the hacker or the NSA for your traffic to be intercepted. There is a hole in mobile security that could make tens of millions of Americans vulnerable.
Unsecure Wi-Fi networks have been a well-known vulnerability in the tech industry for years. They can let even the most unsophisticated hacker capture your traffic and possibly steal your identity. . . .
17 Saturday May 2014
Posted in Android Phones, Apple, Apps, Cell Phones, Clouds, Computer Forensics, Dashboards, Emails, Encryption, iPad, iPhones, Law Office Management, Legal Technology, PC Computers, Tablets
≈ Comments Off on 2014 Best of Legal Tech from Jim Calloway.
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Jim Calloway, Jim Calloway's Law Practice Tips Blog, Legal Technology, Solo and Small Firms, Weblog
This month’s Digital Edge podcast covers ‘The Best of Legal Tech for Solos and Small Firms 2014.’
John Simek is our guest, who is the business partner and spouse of my podcast teammate, Sharon Nelson. Together with Michael C. Maschke, they were the authors of The 2014 Solo and Small Firm Legal Technology Guide: Critical Decisions Made Simple, published by the American Bar Association. I was quite honored to be asked by them to write the forward for the book.
We discuss all sorts of technology for solo and small firm lawyers, including practice management software, workstations and cloud-based services. Enjoy the podcast.
02 Friday May 2014
Posted in Android Phones, Apps, Cell Phones, Clouds, Criminal Law, iPhones, Law Enforcement
≈ Comments Off on Cloud App Used By Police and Public To Catch The Bad Guys.
Tags
App, Associated Press, Boston Marathon bombings, Clouds, Computers, Forensic Magazine, Large Emergency Event Digital Information Repository, Law Enforcement, LEEDIR, Police, Tami Abdollah
New Tool Helps Police Crowdsource Evidence, by Tami Abdollah, Associated Press, posted by Forensic Magazine
An annual spring party in a Southern California beach town devolved into a riot last month when revelers turned violent, rocking cars, smashing windows and throwing rocks. Dozens were injured and about 50 people ended up in the hospital, including several police officers.
Today, as authorities seek help with the investigation in Isla Vista, they’re employing a new online and mobile app that designers say was created specifically for this type of situation.
‘When the public really wants to catch these bad guys as badly as we do, this is the mechanism,’ said Los Angeles Sheriff’s Cmdr. Scott Edson, who helped conceptualize the system in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings. ‘They can help us by sending us pictures and video.’
The innovation, known as LEEDIR, the Large Emergency Event Digital Information Repository, pairs an app with cloud storage to help police use smartphones as tools to gather evidence. . . .
27 Sunday Apr 2014
Posted in Android Phones, Cell Phones, Legal Technology, Tablets
≈ Comments Off on What The Nokia-Microsoft Union Means For You.
Tags
Android Phones, Brad Chacos, Cell Phone, Digital Devices, Microsoft, Nokia, PC World, Windows Phones
With This Phone, I Thee Wed, How the Nokia-Microsoft Union Changes Everything, by Brad Chacos, PC World
There’s no getting cold feet now. On Friday, Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia’s device business will be official, after months of delays and regulatory hurdles. The remnants of Nokia will get a whopping $7.2 billion. In return, Microsoft will get 25,000 new employees, a legion of Lumias, and oh yeah, those funky Android-based Nokia X phones.
So what?
Sure, Microsoft and Nokia each stand to gain (or lose) billions from the deal. But why does that matter to you? What should you and I hope to see from the Microkia conglomerate, in terms of Windows Phones and devices that we can actually touch and hold and feel? I’m glad you asked. . . . .
