Productive Apps New Ways to Stay Connected and Productive in the New Multi-Device World

TTeecchhnnololooggyy Productive Apps New Ways to Stay Connected and Productive in the New Multi-Device World

BY Daniel J. Siegel

pps. Think about the word. A year or two ago, no one A used it. We talked about computer programs, but not apps. Now, however, anyone with a smartphone or a tablet device (like an iPad or Kindle Fire or Android tablet) talks about apps like these mini-computer programs have always been around. Of course, we do the same thing with Cloud-Based Storage Dropbox, the most popular cloud smartphones. Products While the earliest usage of the term storage app, integrates with many One of the reasons that these devices other apps and programs, including “app” dates back to around 1985, it are so popular is because users can really is a new term, and one that really various cloud-based case management access their files from almost anywhere; and document management programs. matters to attorneys in this fast-paced, in other words, they can save and always-in-touch world in which we live. Dropbox users can store information retrieve files on their phones, on their and automatically synchronize their As a result, most attorneys can’t live tablets, from their laptop computers, without their high-tech phones and their files among computers. In addition, and from their office PCs. This means Dropbox makes it easy to share files tablet computers, generally iPads or that there is no need to carry portable Android-based items and, of course, the among multiple people, and to facilitate flash drives and other similar items. collaboration. Plus, unless you need apps that run on them. To use these products, you must use With the growth of these forms of lots of storage, Dropbox is free. But be the cloud, i.e., storage systems based careful, Dropbox has been the source mobile/portable computing, lawyers on servers not generally housed in their are able to be more productive and of a few security breaches, and many offices. Of course, if you’re using the law firms and other businesses limit responsive, regardless of whether cloud, make sure that your information they’re in the office, at home, on or prohibit storing highly confidential is password-protected and that you have information on Dropbox. For most of vacation, in a courtroom, or anywhere complied with your ethical obligations else where Internet access is available. us, however, it’s a perfectly solid and to protect client data. The Pennsylvania secure product. In this article, I will highlight essential Bar Association Committee on Legal apps that every lawyer should consider SugarSync, another highly popular Ethics and Professional Responsibility’s cloud storage system, is a bit more having on his or her Smartphone or Formal Opinion, No. 2011-200, is tablet; where possible, I highlight apps versatile than Dropbox. SugarSync considered the leading ethics opinion works with virtually every platform that work on both operating systems. on the topic and, of course, it provides Fortunately, most are reasonably priced, and device, but at times it is a bit more detailed guidance for lawyers who clunky. Because of this, I actually use many are free, and most are priced practice in this state. under $15. both Dropbox and SugarSync depending

42 the philadelphia lawyer Summer 2013 Of course, if you’re using the cloud, make Tech briefs sure that your information is password- protected and that you have complied with your ethical obligations to protect client data. on the situation and the device I’m carriers. I especially like the product’s running. Smallnetbuilder.com provides popup notifications, and the ability to an excellent comparison of the two send a quick reply without having to products. open the app itself. It also lets you delay Pogoplug/Cloudstor is my favorite sending a text – just in case you typed cloud storage product, but for different the wrong thing or sent it to the wrong reasons. When you buy Pogoplug, you person. Plug and Play the Solar Way are purchasing an external hard drive Of course, you should also backup (in 1 TB increments) that you attach your text messages so that you can save to your own network. Thus, you aren’t them or retrieve them in case your device The Window Socket offers a cool way relying on another company for access, crashes. Handcent offers that feature. So to harness solar energy and use it as and you don’t have the security worries does SMS Backup & Restore, a separate a plug socket. So far we have seen solutions that act as a solar battery that can happen with third parties. All Android app that lets you back up and backup, but none as a direct plug- you do is enable access to the device store your text messages. For iPhone in. Simple in design, the plug just using the Cloudstor website (www. users, Backuptrans iPhone SMS Backup attaches to any window and does its mycloudstor.com), and you can access & Restore is a good option. job intuitively. your stored items from just about Email anywhere. Pogoplug also has apps Designers Kyuho Song and Boa Oh Although many text messaging apps have come up with a “why didn’t I for iOS (Apple) and Android-based work on both operating systems, when think of this?” way to power small devices, which means accessing stored it comes to email, iOS users may want electric devices with solar power. items is simple. Pogoplug also lets you to continue using the Apple default. share files just like you do with Dropbox Their Window Socket attaches to That’s because the default iPhone email any window and soaks up sunshine, and SugarSync, but without any of the program is versatile, works with most security concerns. converting it into electricity. It takes types of email accounts and is easy to anywhere between five and eight BoxCryptor is a terrific app that setup. On the other hand, if you have hours for the Window Socket to allows to securely save items on an Android device, you should consider become fully charged. But once it’s Dropbox, SugarSync, Microsoft using a different app. charged, it can power your device for as long as 10 hours. Right now, the SkyDrive, Google Drive or any other My favorite is Kaiten, a versatile cloud storage provider. The program Window Socket only fits European product that can handle virtually standard plugs. encrypts (password protects) your files any type of email, including Gmail, and only lets you (or other authorized Outlook-based accounts, AOL, and users) view the contents of the files if others, while offering many of the you type in the correct password. If you features you are used to from Microsoft Keeping Your Passwords don’t, then all you see is gibberish. The Outlook. If you don’t want to spring for nice part is that BoxCryptor is easy to the $4.99 fee, you might consider K-9 use; it’s free for personal use, and there Mail, a similar product with a few less Looking for a safe, secure way to keep is a one-time fee for business users. bells and whistles. Either will generally track of 206 different user names and Text Messages passwords for your online accounts? be an improvement from the app that Try Dashlane (dashlane.com). Look around at a CLE and you will see ships with your device. attorneys feverishly viewing, answering Notes This free app for Mac, Windows, and saving text messages and email. Of iPhone and Android works in Safari, When you’re away from your office, Chrome, Internet Explorer and course, there’s an app for that. you probably need to write things down, Handcent is my favorite text- Firefox. Each time you enter your or record your thoughts. My preference account information into a Web page messaging app because it is highly is Evernote, an app, especially or app and press enter, Dashlane customizable. In addition, the app the premium (paid) version that memorizes the data for next time. offers optional online integration with synchronizes all of the items stored in It also logs you in to a site you’ve a user’s My Handcent Online account, Evernote on all of your computers and thus allowing users to circumvent any visited before, completely bypassing devices, and does just about everything the sign-on screen. limitations imposed by their wireless you would want. You can create written

the philadelphia lawyer Summer 2013 43 notes, jot down handwritten notes (if Android users have other choices. My PDFs, and perform other functions, your device lets you), make lists, record favorite is Kingsoft Office, which has an including creating annotations and notes, save photos, clip pages from interface that looks like the Microsoft comments, filling out forms and websites and then synchronize all of Office Ribbon Bar. From its ribbon, electronically signing documents. If you them. you just tap an icon and select from the prefer a non-Adobe product, take a look Of course, there are other great most common commands. Even nicer, at ezPDF Reader, a terrific product that Android and iOS note apps. Catch Notes the app marks every file so that it’s easy makes working with PDFs a joy. is another great app that’s available for to know what type of file it is (such as Adobe Reader is available for all both platforms. a document or spreadsheet) and shows types of Apple devices, and the app lets Microsoft Office Files styles. It also has an excellent comment you search, annotate, comment, fill out When you work on Microsoft Word, and review panel. Another option for forms and organize your PDFs. Other Excel and PowerPoint files, you need both Android and iOS users is CloudOn, iOS alternatives include Foxit Mobile versatile programs. For iPad and iPhone which actually uses Microsoft Office PDF for iOS Lite and Foxit Mobile PDF users, the best options are Pages and 365 (the web version of the Office for iOS Pro. DocumentsToGo, which are available Suite). Mobile technology continues as stand-alone apps. Pages was designed Adobe PDF Files to change how lawyers work and for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch, PDF files are everywhere, and communicate. To get the most from and lets users create, edit and view Android users have countless options. these devices, attorneys need the best documents wherever they are. Pages also Plus, many Android PDF apps are free apps possible. Fortunately, with roughly integrates with iCloud, Apple’s cloud or cost very little, but include features 1.5 million apps available (combined storage product, allowing users to keep that available to PC users only in between the Google Play store and all of their documents synchronized and far more expensive products. If you iTunes), you have lots of choices. up-to-date. need to create a PDF, I suggest Adobe DocumentsToGo works on both CreatePDF, which lets you turn a file Daniel J. Siegel ([email protected]), a operating systems and has been around into a PDF. It also lets you annotate local attorney who operates the Law Offices since the days of the Palm Pilot. It PDFs, with many of the features only of Daniel J. Siegel, LLC and is president is efficient, easy-to-use and if you available to PC users in Adobe Acrobat of Integrated Technology Services, LLC, is remember it from long ago, it’s still the Standard or Professional. Similarly, a member of the Editorial Board of The same solid product. Adobe Reader lets users view and share Philadelphia Lawyer.

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