Tag Archives | Multitasking

Day in the Life of an iPad Lawyer

By on April 4, 2011 in Legal Workflows

Take a peek at how the iPad fits into my legal workflow in the March/April issue ABA’s Law Practice magazine, A Day in the Life of an iPad Lawyer. I had fun writing this article and even surprised myself with how useful the iPad is in my daily practice.

This issue features a couple other tablet computing related articles including an iPad v. gTablet shootout between Nerino Petro and Tom Mighell (I will be speaking with Nerino Petro on a slate shootout panel at the ABA Tech Show in a couple weeks) and 10 recommended iPhone apps by Jeff Richardson from iPhone J.D.

Comments { 0 }

Lawyers: Is the iPad Right for You?

By on April 12, 2010 in Opinion

The Daily Kos posted today an excellent take on an issue I’ve been noodling for some time. Rather than rehash extensively, I commend it to your attention.  I like this article especially because it is from a technology user, but not someone who is a technology pundit or self proclaimed hacker. Kos concludes:

My iPad scored big as my new travel machine. I needed it for basic word processing, downloading and viewing business documents (like the PPT presentation), web, and email. It did those tasks perfectly. The lack of third-party multi-tasking was at most a mild-annoyance, as I had no problem switching between Tweetdeck and whatever other task I was working on at the time. On my laptop, I can switch between apps near instantaneously. On the iPad, it might take 4-5 seconds, and that mild annoyance will be gone with the new OS upgrade this fall.

Will this work for you? Beats the shit out of me. It depends on what your job is, whether there are apps that fill your needs, whether you’re happy or not with an on-screen keyboard, and whether you care enough about “open versus closed” systems to let Apple’s heavy-handed control over the device’s hardware and software bother you.

For me, all I care is whether a device makes my life easier. I could give a shit about whether the hackers love or hate it, or how much hype something has. The iPad filled my needs seamlessly, with only minor hassles. It was better than a laptop, allowing me to travel more efficiently.

Key takeaway here is really figuring out what you need. I think the use case Kos describes is pretty typical of most lawyers. Add that to the “family friendly” features that many people use at home (photos, music, videos, games, internet, etc.) and the iPad becomes a pretty compelling tool.

Comments { 1 }

iPad Missing Features? A Lawyer’s View

By on February 2, 2010 in Opinion

A couple days ago we talked about how how the features of Apple’s iPad might appeal to lawyers. In this take, we consider what a lawyer might find missing from the iPad

What's Missing?

  • User Facing Camera. I think a camera facing the user is a significant omission. A front facing camera is the tool for video conferencing, video chat and Skype. That said, news came today that the prototype that Steve Jobs demoed last week may have included an unannounced user facing camera. Further, examination of iPad parts reveal a notch in the bezel that perfectly fits an iSight camera. So, it is possible that this omission may be resolved in the production units. If not, lawyers needing video conferencing ability must continue to tote their laptops.
  • Outward Facing Camera. While some have made much about the absence of an outward facing camera (away from the user), I’m not persuaded. Holding the iPad up to use it as a camera would be awkward at best. Moreover, I suspect most users will still have their camera phone (likely an iPhone) with which they can capture photos or video and move it to the iPad for viewing or editing.
  • GPS. It appears that only the 3G models will have “true” GPS. This is a bit personally disappointing as I was considering purchasing a WiFi only model. I think many people will use the iPad to get directions the same way the iPhone is used. Better yet, with its bigger screen, it would be much easier to follow a map while the iPad rests on the passenger seat of your car (compared to a map on the iPhone screen) on the way to court, a client or opposing counsel’s office. But, as a work device for a lawyer, this is a big drawback of the WiFi only models.
  • Flash. This seems to be the big issue for folks. I’ve gone back and forth. As a multimedia reading device (e.g., The New York Times), Flash functionality is a must have. Countless news, client and product websites have Flash functionality. This doesn’t really bother me on my iPhone, when I’m typically just browsing the net or searching for something specific. In contrast, I think one reasonably expects to be able to view Flash on the larger screen especially as a work device. Steve Jobs says that Flash is buggy and is betting that HTML5 will replace Flash for that type of content. For my practice, I’d call the absence of Flash an annoyance, but I can see how it could affect other people’s practices more significantly. Note that by omitting Flash, Apple is doing us a favor in terms of battery life.
  • Multitasking. For me, this is huge. The ability to run multiple processes is critical as a work device. I typically have 6-10 programs or windows open on my desktop. It isn’t unreasonable to conceive of needing a few different applications running to use the iPad as a true working device. That said, my understanding is that this is a software issue that can be addressed in an upgrade. I’m hoping this is the case. What I absolutely don’t want to see is application developers building Frankenstein applications to try to do multiple things within one app. My guess is that this will be addressed in the next major OS upgrade.
  • USB. There is no standard USB in, which would be helpful for moving documents, photos and other information to the iPad. Of course, while docked the 30 pin connector is your conduit. Apple has already announced a camera connector (30 pin to camera) to allow downloading of photos directly to the iPad. I suspect a third party manufacturer will make a USB adapter. In the end, with products like DropBox, I don’t see the need for USB connection to move basic data and documents.

For many lawyers, the practice involves email, the web, document preparation and document review. While I’m not convinced yet of the iPad as a substitute for the work one can do on a computer (especially for document preparation), the above limitations don’t seem to be major impediments to these basic functions. If the goal was to replace a laptop or work computer, the iPad will likely fall very short. If the goal is to supplement the tools one has to give more working flexibility, then the device has potential.

Comments { 3 }