| | |
Quick View Plus
Quick View Plus 10, by
Kim Plonsky.
QVP enhances Windows Explorer; when configured as the default e-mail viewer, also enhances overall PC security; saves time and money, and increases productivity; easy to use, nominally priced, and helps keep software costs down. QVP doesn’t include the ability to search across file folders. While Avantstar thoughtfully included a forward and back button so that a user can retrace his or her document viewing history, it doesn’t include page forward and back buttons, so a user can’t advance through the pages of a viewed document. QVP doesn’t handle video or audio files — only images. QVP is an essential file viewing, copying and printing utility that should be in the software arsenal of every busy legal professional, offering great value at a low price.
Category: Document Management. Written:
2008. Added:
2-11-2009.
Legal Assistant Today
|
|
deskPDF Professional
Docudesk's deskPDF Professional: A low-cost alternative to Adobe Acrobat, by
Sandra Rosenzweig.
My favorite of the Acrobat alternatives is still Docudesk's deskPDF Professional (www.docudesk. com). At $29.95 it's one-fifteenth the price of Acrobat Professional ($449) and it does about half of the chores its costlier cousin does. Like Acrobat, deskPDF creates PDFs out of one or more files selected from a directory tree, and it integrates with some Microsoft Office programs and countless other Windows programs-but not Outlook.
Category: Document Management. Written:
2008. Added:
1-12-2009.
California Lawyer
|
|
Bill4Time Mobile
Hot Products 2008, by
Tom McNichol.
Software developers have come up with several handy iPhone applications customized for the practice of law. Among the best is Bill4Time Mobile (www.bill4time.com), which lets you enter and track billable time and expenses while on the go. With Bill4Time Mobile, you don't have to sync your iPhone to the office computer--all data is wirelessly uploaded to Bill4Time's servers. You access all the features and reports of the Bill4Time application from any Internet-connected computer--Windows or Mac--needing no special software or setup. The mobile app offers flexible options for billing, such as letting you define a specific hourly rate or a combo platter of hourly, flat-fee, and contingency billing rates. A reports library visible on your PC lets you see your firm's total billable time so you can quickly determine who is and isn't billing his or her share of hours. For one to six users, Bill4Time costs $39.99 per user, per month; additional users cost $19.99 each per month.
Category: Time and Billing. Written:
2008. Added:
12-25-2008.
California Lawyer
|
|
Practice-Specific Software
How Lawyers Practice Law and Serve Clients with Macs - Really!, by
Jeff Richardson and Ben Stevens.
Attorneys that specialize in a particular area of the law will undoubtedly have certain software programs aimed at their area of practice. However, through the use of virtualization programs noted above, Mac users can run any Windows program when necessary, all while still being able to enjoy all the benefits that Macs provide.
Category: Other. Written:
2008. Added:
10-17-2008.
abanet.org
|
|
Microsoft Office Accounting Express 2007
Microsoft Office Accounting Express 2007, by
Jeff Bertolucci.
The good:
Microsoft Office Accounting Express 2007 is free; lets you manage eBay auction sales and purchases; has a clean interface; integrates with hundreds of online banks.
The bad:
Some of the features within Microsoft Office Accounting Express 2007 require the paid Microsoft Office 2007, which isn't available yet; requires Windows 2003 server, XP, or Vista; time-intensive installation; expensive tech support.
The bottom line:
The Professional version is impressive too, especially for eBay users--although not stellar enough to convert QuickBooks' legions of fans.
Category: Accounting. Written:
2006. Added:
10-03-2008.
CNET
|
|
Norton
Norton 360, by
Robert Vamosi.
Norton 360 is a good example of the "out of the box" thinking needed by traditional security vendors today. For home and student use, we think Norton 360 represents the best value of ease, tools, and performance, and we recommend it over McAfee Total Protection or Microsoft Windows Live OneCare.
Category: Anti-Virus and Firewall. Written:
2007. Added:
9-05-2008.
CNET
|
|
Mozilla
Mozilla Thunderbird 2, by
Elsa Wenzel.
Thunderbird renders HTML e-mails via the Firefox browser, which is good. Mozilla Thunderbird 2 is a fine, free, extensible e-mail client and a solid alternative to pricey Microsoft Outlook 2007 or the free Windows Live Mail.
Category: Email. Written:
2008. Added:
9-04-2008.
CNET
|
|
Eset NOD32 3.0
ESET NOD32 3.0 Antivirus System (Windows), by
Robert Vamosi .
The good:
Eset NOD32 3.0 offers a new interface, faster scanning, and thorough technical support
The bad:
Eset NOD32 3.0 doesn't include firewall protection.
The bottom line:
Eset NOD32 3.0 finally gets its interface right and, along with high-rated performance among independent testing labs, deserves consideration on your desktop.
Category: Anti-Virus and Firewall. Written:
2008. Added:
9-03-2008.
CNET
|
|
Acrobat 8.1
Acrobat 8.1 Professional for Windows, by
Elsa Wenzel.
Acrobat 8.1 is more useful and intuitive tool than its ancestor. Acrobat 8.1 lets you fill out and collect forms digitally instead of having to print them; intuitive wizards walk you through the features; better manages redactions, metadata and security; integrates with Acrobat Connect to collaborate with other users.
Category: Document Management. Written:
2006. Added:
9-03-2008.
CNET
|
|
Windows Mobile 6
Windows Mobile 6, by
Bonnie Cha.
Though it doesn't offer earth-shattering new features, and interface issues remain, Windows Mobile 6 brings a collection of noteworthy improvements that makes its mobile devices easier to use and equips mobile professionals with more robust productivity tools.
Category: PDA. Written:
2007. Added:
9-03-2008.
CNET
|
|
Windows Vista Ultimate
Windows Vista Ultimate, by
Robert Vamosi.
Perhaps we're spoiled, but after more than five years of development, there's a definite "Is that all?" feeling about Windows Vista. Compared with Mac OS X 10.4, Windows Vista feels clunky and not very intuitive, almost as though it's still based on DOS. Windows Vista SP1 promises to fix what's known to be wrong within Windows Vista and should offer a few concrete reasons to switch.
Category: Operating System. Written:
2007. Added:
9-03-2008.
CNET
|
|
Windows Live™ OneCare
Product Review: Windows Live™ OneCare, by
Tommy Magee.
OneCare Performance Plus is a “one-click” solution for all of the optimization services that Windows Live OneCare provides. It is an automated tune-up process that defragments the hard drive to speed up file access, scans the computer for viruses and spyware.
Category: Other. Written:
2006. Added:
8-24-2008.
LogicForce
|
|
Skywire Software
New Matter No Matter, by
Susan Plummer.
The advantage of using Microsoft tools for the interface is that it leverages software with which attorneys are already familiar, such as Microsoft Outlook and Windows SharePoint. There is no new software to learn, and they do not have to toggle in and out of multiple systems to check the status of their matters.
Category: Other. Written:
2008. Added:
8-19-2008.
Legal Management
|
|
Acrobat 9.0
Acrobat 9.0 - Worth getting for one new feature, by
Ernest Svenson.
I've tried Acrobat 9.0 on both Mac and Windows and I have to say that it's an impressive upgrade. Initially, I was lukewarm about the prospect of upgrading, mostly because 8.0 offered most of what I need as a lawyer (e.g. bates-stamping and redaction). But 9.0 offers one thing that, by itself, makes this a worthwhile upgrade for many lawyers. Definitely, those who use Casemap will want to get the new version.
Category: Document Management. Written:
2008. Added:
8-15-2008.
PDF for Lawyers
|
|
Abacus Law, Amicus Attorney, TimeMatters, Case Master III, Gryphon, Needles, Trial Lawyer's Assistant, Jr. Partner, LawBase for Windows, LegalEdge for Windows and 21st Century Lawyer
Case Management, by
Terri Olson.
Case management software is designed to provide the lawyer with an up-to-date database of information. Inexpensive programs can be very feature rich, and should certainly include solid calendar control, flexible contact and case information databases, note-taking capabilities, basic network functionality.
Category: Case Management. Written:
2008. Added:
8-13-2008.
gabar.org
|
|
Windows, Mac, Linux
Mediating a Holy War Windows vs. Mac vs. Linux, by
Aaron J. Rittmaster.
The key is to make the best use of tools to maximize law office productivity while minimizing the costs of buying and maintaining equipment and supporting users. Because Windows, Mac, and Linux computers all communicate well with each other in this age of the network, it’s not even necessary to choose only one option.
Category: Operating System. Written:
2008. Added:
8-12-2008.
GP|Solo
|
|
TrialDirector
Review: TrialDirector Version 5.1, by
Bruce A. Olson.
All aspects of document, transcript, and video management, as well as trial presentation
management, have been combined in one program with a familiar Windows Explorer interface. It makes TrialDirector much easier to learn and work with day to day. The enhancements to TrialDirector 5.1 have made an already outstanding product even better.
Category: Trial Presentation. Written:
2007. Added:
7-28-2008.
TechnoLawyer
|
|
Citrix and Terminal Services
Citrix Versus Terminal Services - An Overview, by
Dean Leung of Davis LLP.
The choice to implement TS or Citrix depends on the need for the enhanced feature set included in Citrix. With the relatively low barriers to entry for Terminal Services, cost-sensitive organizations can start with TS. As further features are required, these organizations may look at third-party enhancements before jumping into Citrix. With new versions of both Terminal Services and Citrix Presentation Server due out in early 2008, those who are interested in the technology should carefully consider the new feature sets in each. Organizations should also consider whether they are going to be early adopters of Windows 2008 or add Citrix to a more mature Windows 2003 platform.
Category: Remote Access. Written:
2007. Added:
7-15-2008.
International Legal Technology Association
|
|
Workshare Pro
Workshare Professional 5, by
Kim Plonsky.
Workshare Professional 5 offers many tools for streamlining, simplifying and controlling the process of collaborative document drafting. The real-time alerts option, while working in documents, keeps security and confidentiality issues at the forefront. Some of the dialog box options are displayed in an unconventional fashion for most Microsoft Windows programs. I did experience some technical issues that prevented me from running the add-in program policy designer, and the technical support department is investigating a resolution of the issue. This software represents the continuing evolution of state-of-the-art document and data security best practices.
Category: Document Security. Written:
2008. Added:
7-09-2008.
Legal Assistant Today
|
|
Sanction
Sanction v2.8, by
Kim Plonsky.
Extremely powerful, versatile and user-friendly with Windows-like interface. Has clear and useful help files and user manual. Broad range of functionality, with both default and customizable features and options. Outstanding trial presentation, video clip creation, exhibit numbering and transcript tools. Affordable pricing. The only problem I experienced was that it didn’t recognize CaseMap, a third-party application that integrates with Sanction, on my computer. I could find no setting to manually force the integration. (Sanction recognized CaseMap after installing the software on a different PC.) Sanction gets my wholehearted recommendation based on its combined features and its relatively low cost.
Category: Trial Presentation. Written:
2006. Added:
7-09-2008.
Legal Assistant Today
|
|
A Parallels Reality
A Parallels Reality, by
Brett Burney.
I have become a huge fan of the Mac and of Parallels. I am literally running two fully operational computers for the price of one. I bought a Mac, but I can use Windows as if I had purchased a separate Windows laptop.
Category: Operating System. Written:
2007. Added:
7-09-2008.
GP|Solo
|
|
Vista
Vista: The Good, The Bad, and the Buggy, by
Jeffrey S. Krause.
As you can probably tell, I am very impressed with Windows Vista. Certainly, there are a number of things I wish were different. I understand the necessity for User Account Control and will eventually appreciate it in my role as a technology consultant, but the feature, with its constant prompts, makes installing a new Vista system remarkably annoying. Once my system is fully installed, I am sure my annoyance with this will subside. If you are buying a new Windows PC or laptop, yes. Vista Business has been quite stable on my Inspiron E1705 since I upgraded. On the other hand, there are no features in Vista that make it an immediate must have if you are happy with your existing PC and its functionality.
Category: Operating System. Written:
2007. Added:
7-05-2008.
GP|Solo
|
|