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| By Rhonda M. Jenkins |
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| For many legal professionals, working from home or while traveling on the road is a normal part of the drill. Mobile solutions make it easier than ever to stay in touch with the office and with clients – no matter where you might roam. Here are nine steps for putting mobile technology to work in your practice. |
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Portable computer - Tops on the list of mobile "must haves" is a powerful, lightweight notebook or Tablet PC. The latest and greatest portable computers rival their desktop cousins and come equipped with built-in wireless networking cards. You can conveniently access the Internet over high-speed connections via the growing number of wireless hotspots found in hotels, airports, courtrooms, coffee shops, etc. |
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PDA - Handheld personal digital assistant (PDA) devices like the HP iPAQ Pocket PC offer a compact bundle of productivity and communication tools that easily fit into a suit pocket or a handbag. To reduce your mobile load, consider the latest PDA "smart phone" devices that have cell phone, contact management, calendaring, email and Internet access, GPS, digital video/camera capabilities, and more. |
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Cellular modem - When a high-speed wireless Internet hotspot or low-speed dial-up telephone line cannot be found, wireless wide area network (WWAN) services and cellular modems can be a real life-saver. Dedicated cellular modems are optional equipment on certain laptops such as the lightweight HP Compaq 2510p Notebook PC or can be purchased as a separate device that plugs into the PCMCIA slot found on most portable computers. The latest crop of broadband modems provide high-speed Internet access any time, any where, with speeds up to 2mb. There are also inexpensive cable kits available that allow you to plug your computer into a cell phone. However, Internet connection speeds can be painfully slow (56k) but can vary greatly from one cellular provider to another. For more tips on turning your cell phone into a data modem, see "How To Use a Bluetooth Enabled Cell Phone" on the About.com web site. |
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Portable printer - For hard copies on-the-go, lightweight portable printers provide quick, office-quality printouts any time, any where. Weighing less than 5 lbs., portable printers are small enough to carry in your computer bag. With a portable printer, you can get those last minute edits done and printed on an airplane, in a cab, in the courtroom, or in a client's office. For maximum convenience, consider a portable printer like the HP Officejet Mobile Printer which provides wireless, cable-free color and black and white printing at speeds up to 22 pages per minute |
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Wires & Plugs - Even with the abundance of wireless connection solutions, wires are sometimes a necessary evil. Make sure you pack an Ethernet cable and basic RJ-11 analog telephone cord (just in case). Consider a travel-friendly cable kit with retractable cords that make it easy to avoid a tangled mess of wires. Note that not all electrical plugs are created equal; so if you're planning to travel outside the U.S., make sure you have an electrical adapter and portable surge protector that will fit the host country's power requirements. |
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Extra batteries & memory - An extra battery for your notebook can be worth its weight in gold - especially on long flights or in areas where an electrical outlet is hard to find. Also, flash memory cards, drives or "memory sticks" are a great investment and provide quick and easy data portability. USB flash drives, which are about the size of your thumb, provide up to 5 GB of storage space, which can be used to transport or share electronic images, exhibits or entire case files. |
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PDA applications - HP iPAQ Pocket PCs come equipped with slimmed down versions of popular Microsoft Office applications such as PocketOutlook, PocketWord and PocketExcel. These powerful, little apps provide email attachment viewing and editing capabilities directly from your handheld device. |
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Mobile security - Technology, in general, and especially working in the world of mobility requires some precautions and safeguards to ensure that information does not fall into the wrong hands. In addition to using the tools and tips cited above, a critical "must do" is keeping your mobile data secure, backed up and in synch with the office. HP offers convenient packaged services for virus protection, online backup, data encryption and other security and data management solutions designed to protect your important confidential data from mishaps, hackers and thieves. |
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Rolling brief bag - Save your shoulder some pain and suffering and pack your mobile equipment into a sturdy rolling travel bag. Rolling brief/computer bags can provide enough room for your paper files, your notebook PC, portable printer, projector and all the extra batteries, plugs and cords you want to carry. Plus, it only counts as one bag for your airline's overhead compartment quota. See About.com's "Top Ten Rolling Cases for Laptops" for a good list of choices. |
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| Rhonda M. Jenkins is the former President/CEO of Legal Web Technologies, LLC, and is currently working as an Associate Director for Navigant Consulting, Inc. The information contained herein is in no way intended to provide legal advice, and is subject to all of the terms of use of this web site. |
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