Tablet PC Lawyer Blog

Microsoft Invents a Reason to Buy a Tablet

Why would anyone want to buy a Tablet PC?

Tablet devices are perceived as little more than heavy and slow laptops with small screens and large price tags. The payoff? You get to write on them with a stylus and take notes as if you're writing on paper. Wake me when you're done.

Poor sales prove that the costs exceed the benefits in the minds of most potential buyers.

All that may start to change tomorrow, when a prototype application called InkSeine -- which is, essentially, a digital notebook on crack -- is released for public trial.

InkSeine is being developed by a small team at Microsoft Research. The application is for demonstration purposes only, and not on track to become a real Microsoft product you can buy. But if InkSeine gains traction as a popular enabler of pen-based computing, you can bet it will be productized -- or, better still, built into the Tablet PC version of Windows, possibly as a replacement for the Windows Journal application. Many revolutionary products started out as research projects. Google comes to mind, for example.

Here's what InkSeine can do:

• Serve as a virtual pad of paper. You can scribble and writes notes, draw pictures and doodle. Words can be recognized, and used as commands or search terms.

• Search. You can search the Web, your e-mail or your Tablet PC right from the "pad of paper" using pen gestures. For example, just write your search term longhand, circle it, flick your wrist in the right direction and the search is launched.

• Save running searches. Search e-mail for keywords, then save the search right there along side your notes. Future messages that meet that criteria will show up when delivered, and you can read them without exiting InkSeine.

• Select and embed "clippings" -- images, document or Web page parts, etc.

• Drag and drop links into notes.

• Create insta-icons (with automatic, in-page links) by just snapping a picture of any portion of any screen, including the document or Web page you're linking to.

InkSeine has user interface innovations, such as "radial menus" and pen gestures that make it one of those applications you have to see to understand, so check out this video.

If you have a Tablet PC or other pen system running either XP or Vista (preferably Vista), you should download InkSeine here (wait until tomorrow, Feb. 15, when the "public" version hits).

Be warned, however, that InkSeine is a science project, a proof of concept application that isn't polished -- or even finished.

Here's what InkSeine cannot do:

• Import text or receive pasted text.

• Respond to keyboard shortcuts.

• Scroll or resize objects. You can view only full "pages" of your notes -- you cannot zoom in.

• Import existing documents.

• Export to or import from OneNote (you can, however, copy OneNote pages and paste them into InkSeine).

• "Undo" actions after a page has been "flipped" (after you've gone on to another page).

• Handle languages other than English.

• Always provide zippy performance. The developers have not done extensive work to minimize file sizes or maximize performance.

• Share or sync notes.

• Play well with others. Non-Microsoft application document support is limited.

These are abilities the developers may add to future versions.

InkSeine is interesting because of the audaciousness of its pen and paper centricity, and the invention of an entire new language of gestures and menu conventions.

It assumes that you'll do everything with the pen, rather than use the pen as an afterthought mouse replacement. It assumes that everything associated with the project at hand should be embedded, referenced or captured into the paper alongside your notes and sketches.

I'm not sure if InkSeine will catch fire and become the Killer App that propels Tablet PCs into the mainstream. But it might.

SOURCE: Datamation in an article written by Mike Elgan
 

Series of Videos on Using Tablet PC's

Here is a series of video tutorials on using a tablet pc:

Tutorial Part 1:

This is the first video from ICON Pareto showing you how to use the basic functions of your tablet PC.

Tutorial Part 2:

In this video Starla shows you how to use Ink Pen Notation Tool for Windows Tablet Edition PCs.

Tutorial Part 3:

In this tutorial Starla teaches us how to use tablet specific programs such as Journal Note Writer, Microsoft Office OneNote and Sticky Notes.

Tutorial Part 4:

In this video Starla shows us how to use the Microsoft Snipping tool. This tool is a very powerful application that lets you take customizable snapshots of your screen and send it to others.

SOURCE: YouTube and IconPareto

Rethinking Technology ::: A New Adventure with a Tablet PC

Douglas Sorocco has a blog called Rethink(IP). He posted this article about Tablet PC's in 2005, but it still makes for interesting readng about the platform:

I have been somewhat quiet hiere lately and y’all must excuse me as I have been in tech-geek nirvana – I have been ‘demo-ing’ a Toshiba R15 Tablet PC (obligatory picture at right).

My lust for a tablet pc has not been exactly a new phenomena – I had reviewed the options a couple of years back and decided that the form factor wasn’t something that would be useful at the time.  The screens were too small for my taste, no integrated optical drives etc. 

ABA TechShow and LexThink got me thinking about the whole process once again and I decided to devote some time to exploring the newest generations of the device.  Additionally, Matt and Buzz spent a lot of time talking up the benefits of a Tablet PC – and how can anyone ever refuse Buzz?

Originally I was quite impressed with the new HP TC1100 – I had the opportunity to use one of these devices for a short period of time at LexThink and I was really digging the form factor – a detachable slate/keyboard combination.  The screen was somewhat small for my taste (12”) but I thought the detachable nature would come in handy and alleviate some of the weight while traveling and/or holding the tablet.  I was looking forward to bringing a couple of the devices into my firm for testing but HP didn’t seem to want to work with me – numerous phone calls and emails to sales and support folks went unanswered. 

Tablet PCs are the new laptops

Notes can be written right on monitor

Laptops, more commonly called notebook PCs these days, are well known for their portable, light weight computing power. Tablet PCs, while not as well known, are beginning to make their mark.

There are essentially two types of tablet PCs on the market today. The most common version, sometimes referred to as a convertible tablet, looks very much like a standard notebook, but with a screen that swivels and collapses to form a flat surface. Other tablets are exactly that, a tablet where one side is the screen and one side is the bottom of the unit, just like on a standard notebook.

The key to what makes a tablet is the fact that the screen is touch sensitive, the fact that it accepts input via a special pen called a stylus and also that the screen automatically adjusts to the way you hold the unit — vertically or horizontally. A tablet is essentially the same as a notebook, except that you may also use it just like a pad of paper, writing onto the screen as one of the methods of input.

Tablets are beginning to show up in all kinds of applications. Insurance adjusters, health care providers, lawyers, anyone who has a need to work efficiently in a very portable manner, may benefit from a laptop.

Through the handwriting recognition software that is standard with a tablet, a user may take notes right on their computer screen in nearly the same way they would on a traditional paper notepad. The difference is that the input is saved right into the software you are using, saving you the step of transcribing your notes into your PC after the fact.

This operates the same regardless of which type of tablet you may be using. Most users seem to prefer the convertible tablet that can operate as a notebook. With a swivel of the screen and a fold back down on top of the keyboard, it will look and act more like a standard tablet or paper notepad.

Using OneNote in Litigation

Jeff Riffer, senior litigation partner in the law firm of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Marmaro in Los Angeles, CA, discusses why and how he uses Microsoft's OneNote^TM software for day-to-day litigation.

In looking for software to help him win cases, he originally wanted software that would help him organize facts and data he obtained during the progression of the lawsuit, software that would be learned easily, and software that would be easy to use.

As litigation unfolds, attorneys learn many disparate facts; they don’t always know if the facts will be important during trial or even how they may be connected to other parts of the case. Thus, the software must be capable of collecting the information and then searchable later when the entire picture comes into keener focus.

In other words, the process is analogous to the collection of pieces of paper with notes scribbled on them. However, with many pieces of paper, especially in cases with many documents, organization is often difficult. With Microsoft's OneNote^TM, this process became much easier for Jeff.

In this interview, (runs 22 minutes, 45 seconds) Jeff Riffer talks about OneNote^TM and how he uses the software.

SOURCE: LawBiz.com

The TabletPC Revolution: Mobility, productivity, on the spot document assembly

In this article, legal technologist Seth Rowland predicts that the Tablet PC will revolutionize the way lawyers work and interact with their clients. With the evolution of fully powered Tablet PCs and wireless networks, the Tablet PC has emerged as a productivity force that can now serve an important purpose in client meetings, not just as an expensive note-taking device. With the proper software, the Tablet PC can bring attorney and client closer together and foster greater productivity. Could a Tablet PC empower your legal practice?

INTRODUCTION

The Tablet PC Revolution has been a long time coming. The use of a "tablet" as a means of communication has ancient origins. Look to the Hebrew and Christian Bible for sources.

There were the Ten Commandments -- written on a tablet. In the Book of Isaiah, it is written: "And now, go, write it before them on a tablet, and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness for ever" (Isaiah 30:8).

Tablets were used to record visions: "Then the LORD answered me and said: Write down the vision. Clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily" (Habakkuk 2:2).

Or even better: "He asked for a tablet and wrote, 'John is his name,' and all were amazed" (Luke 1:63).

Tablet PC technology has advanced through the millennia. Tablet PCs weigh much less than those used by Moses when he came down from Mt. Sinai. The text storage is virtually unlimited; today's Tablet PC could in fact store the entire Torah, Talmud, and commentaries with gigabytes to spare. And the ability to communicate with a tablet connected through a WiFi network to the Internet dwarfs the ability of the early tablet writers.

Tablet PC Demo - Experience Working Naturally

See How it Works TEST The Tablet PC is a highly mobile, powerful PC that is as easy to use as pen and paper. Discover how it enables you to capture, use and share your ideas naturally in this interactive demo. • See the Tablet PC demo (opens in a new window)

Traveling With Your Tablet PC

Whenever Alan Pearlman fires up his Hewlett Packard TC1100 Tablet PC in court, he braces for the stares.

The Northbrook, Ill., attorney takes notes during a trial, schedules appointments, and even makes printouts of documents, thanks to a wireless printer at his desk.

"After court, I have to spend 15 minutes talking to the other attorneys about how this thing works," Pearlman says. "One thing I've learned in using a Tablet PC is that, as an attorney, I have to change the screen color to yellow, to make everyone more comfortable. That way, they think I'm using a legal pad - until they look twice."

The novelty may wear off soon. Two out of every five business users will prefer either a "convertible" or "slate" model Tablet PC by 2007, according to The Meta Group, a Stamford, Conn., market research company. A "convertible" features a tablet-sized screen with an integrated keyboard that you can fold over like a notebook PC, while a "slate" model is where the screen is detached from the keyboard and can be hooked together at a docking station.

The Meta Group also found that Tablet PC functionality is so in demand that, by 2005, more than a quarter of all notebook PCs will have tablet functions. Until then, Meta says, Tablet PC users will have to get by with more limited functionality, particularly for those using models that don't have integrated keyboards.

Being on the go with a Tablet PC is currently not an ideal experience, I've found. I remember Bill Machrone's January 2003 column in PC Magazine about traveling with his Portégé 3500 Tablet PC - an ordeal he described as "less than fulfilling" - and I couldn't help but think of the early days of the personal digital assistant. Back then, you just longed for the familiar touch of a keyboard and a screen you could actually read.

If The Meta Group's predictions are correct, then the technology is about to evolve to a point where people don't just endure it, but seek it out. Some of the early reviews on the latest Tablet PCs suggest we may almost be there, which is good news for those of us who now rely on the technology.

But still, how do you make the most of your Tablet PC when you're mobile? Here are four tips.

Be more vigilant about protecting your unit. When you use your Tablet PC, it's often easy to forget that it's a computer, not the paper notepad Pearlman's colleagues sometimes mistake it for. If you drop it, you could lose your data and incur thousands of dollars of expenses. Spencer Goad, executive editor of the Web site TabletPCBuzz.com, uses a well-padded case for his tablet (it's a hard-sided Tom Bihn case called the Brain Cell).

"You don't want to drop a Tablet PC, but it's going to happen when you travel with it," he says. Another tip: Try one of the more durable tablet models, such as Panasonic Toughbook Tablet PCs, which have magnesium alloy casings to protect them from bumps and drops.

Mind the battery. Avoid allowing it to give up the ghost at the exact time when you're wrapping up that winning proposal, articulating your most profound thought, or putting the finishing touches on that really, really important e-mail.

Marc Strauch, who hits the road with an Acer TravelMate, knows the feeling well. "I have an early version, which only has about 11/2 hours of battery life," he says. "I always carry an extra battery with me. I always keep my power charging unit with me. I never pack it away." Strauch knows Tablet PCs: He was involved in the launch of the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition operating system in 2002, and now, as the chief marketing officer for NS8, a Seattle software developer, he takes a Tablet PC with him on his travels.

Some of the newer batteries have reportedly yielded run times of as long as 8 to 12 hours, according to the experts I've interviewed. But I'd rather be safe, like Strauch, than sorry.

Learn to use the Tablet PC to its full potential. This is true for any user - not just those who take the tablet on the road. But it's especially important for those of us who are mobile.

Most Tablet PCs can be used in three different ways: As a "desktop" from a docking station, as a laptop (with the keyboard), and as a tablet, which lets you use a pen to point and write directly on to the screen. Think of it in its simplest terms as an oversized PDA. Each has its strengths. A Tablet PC, for example, is easier to use in close quarters, like sitting in an economy-class seat on a plane.

Pearlman recommends learning how to use the Tablet PC in all three modes, and making it your primary computer. After a few trips, you'll get a feel of how to use the unit in a given situation. "If you don't, then you won't only end up using the Tablet PC the wrong way," he warns. "You could also have to transfer information from one PC to another - which is a waste of time."

Watch your wireless connection. The newest Tablet PCs can connect to just about anything with an antenna. I asked Jeff Ayers, who works for the Panasonic division that manufactures Toughbooks, and he rattled off the different ways you could send and receive data over the airwaves: GSM, CDMA, CDPD, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, to name a few. But, interestingly, people don't pay much attention to how they're connected - and that's the problem.

A faster Wi-Fi connection is always preferable to a slower (and probably more expensive) cellular hookup. "You have to know where and when to make the right connection," Ayers says. "Ask yourself: What's in my area? What's available? And which network is faster?"

Tip: Keep your eye on the signal strength meter. It will tell you what's out there and the connection quality. Some newer Tablet PCs even come with antennas that will boost your range on certain kinds of wireless transmissions.

Chances are, you can follow all of the above and still feel a little awkward when you're using a Tablet PC on the go. That's because the tablet is neither an enormous PDA nor a laptop computer. It's a different type of computing device, a hybrid of both. But as time goes on, more people will be using Tablet PCs - and fewer people will be staring at those who do.

SOURCE: Elliott.org

A Field Report on the Tablet PC: Flash in the Pan or Ideal Computing Platform for Lawyers?

In this article, legal technology expert Dennis Kennedy reports on his move to the world of the Tablet PC. He gives the Tablet PC high marks, highlights ten key observations, and comments on how the Tablet PC has changed his approach to computers in some fundamental ways. He then wonders aloud what it will take for law firm IT departments to equip lawyers with these tools.

Introduction

Has the Tablet PC become the best computer platform for lawyers? If you simply count the number of lawyers you see using Tablet PCs, you might not think so. However, based on my experience using a Tablet PC for the last few months, the answer, with two important qualifications, is a resounding "Yes."

Getting Hooked

Appreciating the Tablet PC requires a "hands-on" experience. While you might read a review and buy a notebook PC, moving to a Tablet PC seems to require a few more steps. It helps to watch someone use a Tablet PC and then get a little hands-on experience before buying one. However, you want to be careful. Using a Tablet PC for a few days may be addictive.

When I first used a loaner Tablet PC for a couple of weeks more than a year ago, I told the provider of the computer that I was within about two days of not being able to give it back. That was also when I first wrote that the Tablet PC could become the computer of choice for lawyers. I've since learned that my writings probably do not drive markets in the ways that I might hope.

I rang in 2005 with a new HP Tablet PC TC1100 and, although my comments in this article will address Tablet PCs in general rather than the HP units, I'm hooked. I am even more convinced that Tablet PCs, especially when combined with Microsoft OneNote and wireless Internet access, offer the electronic replacement for the ubiquitous legal pad.

While the desktop computer brought computing power to lawyers, it also bound them to their desks. Notebook computers first gave lawyers a sense of portability and then, especially with the advent of wireless Internet access, mobility.

Tablet PCs usher in an era of versatility, while keeping the benefits of portability and mobility. I also like to describe Tablet PCs as being as much a platform as a device.

4 Tips for Improving Tasks at Work

From Michael Linenberger, author of "Seize the Work Day: Using the Tablet PC to Take Total Control of Your Work and Meeting Day":

Too many meetings and increasing responsibilities mean I need to make the best use of my time as possible—without sacrificing quality. Saving bits of time can add up to a lot at the end of the day. I use the Tablet PC as my only computer and throughout the day it helps me work more efficiently and quickly. In this article I'll talk about how the Tablet PC helps me with 4 key tasks at work.