TechnoLawyer: TL NewsWire

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers a shared online contact management system (see article below), an accounting and billing application, an online tool for scheduling meetings, a hosted blogging service, and an iPhone time-tracking app. Don't miss the next issue.

Contact Management in the Cloud

Even if you work hard to keep all of your important contacts in Outlook (or whatever you use), invariably you'll need to contact someone whose information you lack — perhaps a new client or a client who usually works with a colleague of yours. Whatever the reason, a firm-wide address book would solve this problem — and you may as well make it accessible from anywhere while you're at it.

Customer Manager … in One Sentence
Many law firms find QuickBooks indispensable, but also frustrating because of all the client contact information locked inside.

Intuit's Customer Manager is a shared online contact management application.

The Killer Feature
Many law firms find QuickBooks indispensable, but also frustrating because of all the client contact information locked inside.

Customer Manager syncs with QuickBooks, enabling you and your colleagues to access and edit QuickBooks contact information from any Web browser — and also add new contacts.

Customer Manager also displays financial data for each client, including the current balance and open invoices. Given the sensitive nature of this financial information, Customer Manager will soon enable you to apply user permissions so that you can restrict access.

Other Notable Features
In addition to syncing with QuickBooks, you can import contacts into Customer Manager from Excel and Outlook. Customer Manager also has a search engine for finding contacts using any information such as a phone number. You can add custom fields to Customer Manager such as client and matter numbers.

In addition to managing your contacts, Customer Manager also provides a shared calendar, shared tasks, and groups. You can use the calendar to schedule team meetings, reserve conference rooms, etc. Shared tasks enable you to view work in progress, and assign tasks to subordinates. The groups tool can filter information. For example, you can view all clients with overdue invoices.

What Else Should You Know?
Customer Manager for Mobile is a free companion app for BlackBerry and iPhone. Customer Manager costs $9.95/month for up to five simultaneous users. Intuit sells customized plans if you have more than five users. Learn more about Customer Manager.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers timeline creation software (see article below), metadata management software, a Web-based task manager, an online widget for appointment scheduling at your law firm, and an iPhone app for listening to CLE courses on the go. Don't miss the next issue.

Show Them What Happened

Every case consists of a series of events. And in most cases, the events are in dispute (summary judgment being an exception). When the dispute involves not just the facts, but when they transpired, no amount of verbal gymnastics can compete with a visual timeline. Pedagogical studies have shown that children can understand timelines and other informational graphics before they learn how to read. Other studies show that such visuals also enhance comprehension among adults. So, how can you create timelines for your cases?

TimeMap 5 … in One Sentence
LexisNexis' TimeMap 5 enables you to create and present event-based timelines.

The Killer Feature
While timelines can wow an audience, they can become unwieldy to edit.

TimeMap's new Spreadsheet View enables you to add to and edit your timeline in an Excel-like environment. You can navigate the spreadsheet using the Tab key, and toggle between the spreadsheet and the timeline with one click. If you attach an exhibit or other file to an event, the spreadsheet displays a paperclip that you can click to view the document.

Other Notable Features
The new version of TimeMap also gives you more control over the labels on your timeline. For example, instead of displaying the specific dates, you can use terms like "Summer 2010." You can still see the actual date in the Spreadsheet View. You can also hide the month, day, or year as necessary (e.g., if the timeline covers a short time period, you may not want to list the year).

TimeMap now offers global search and replace. Thus, you can begin creating a timeline even when you don't know all dates, names, locations, etc. You can enter filler text and replace it later. You can also search for and find any text in your timeline.

To make your timeline more visually compelling, TimeMap now enables you to add graphics and photos to fact, text, and picture boxes in your timeline (.bmp, .emf, .ico, .gif, .jpg, and .wmf). TimeMap ships with some clip art, and integrates with Microsoft Office's Clip Organizer.

What Else Should You Know?
TimeMap 5 runs on Windows 2000 or later. Pricing starts at $417.60 for a two-year subscription. You can download a 30-day free trial. Learn more about TimeMap 5.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers a utility that links Microsoft Word to Google Docs (see article below), a Webbook, an online application for reviewing discovery documents, an online marketing research service, and an iPhone app for your postage needs. Don't miss the next issue.

Force Google and Microsoft to Kiss and Make Up

Microsoft Word excels at document creation. But when you need to collaborate on a document with someone or access a document from another computer life becomes difficult. By contrast, Google Docs excels at collaboration because only one version of each document exists accessible from any computer. But try to actually write in a Google Docs document and your mood will quickly sour. Even selecting text is a chore. Too bad you can't use the best attributes of each word processor.

OffiSync … in One Sentence
OffiSync links Microsoft Word documents to Google Docs when you need to collaborate with others.

The Killer Feature
Some people think the Internet works best as a conduit rather than a destination. For example, would iTunes offer as good a shopping experience if it was a Web site rather than an Internet-enabled application?

With OffiSync, you work within Microsoft Office even when using Google Docs. You can save documents to Google Docs in Word format. You can even create folders and move documents around on Google Docs without ever using your Web browser. Similarly, you can share documents with others through Google Docs using your Outlook address book.

Other Notable Features
OffiSync enables you to set permissions for viewing and editing documents. If you share more than just the occasional document, you can also use OffiSync in conjunction with Google Sites, an extranet-like application with more flexibility than Google Docs. For example, Google Sites offers virtual file cabinets that you can use for a specific matter. You can apply the same security settings to every document stored in the cabinet.

Other features include the ability to search your Google Docs account, integration with Google Web and Image Search, and document comparison and change management.

What Else Should You Know?
OffiSync works with Microsoft Office 2003 or 2007. You can choose from two versions — Standard or Premium. OffiSync Standard, which is free, lacks native file support and Google Sites integration. OffiSync Premium costs $12/year or a one-time fee of $30. Learn more about OffiSync.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers a portable USB scanner (see article below), a speech recognition app for iPhone, discovery review software that automates coding, an expandable and redundant RAID-like storage solution, and an online marketing service for lawyers. Don't miss the next issue.

The Smallest Portable Scanner in Its Class

Work doesn't always end up at the office. That's why you probably have a laptop and a smartphone — so that you can take your office to your work. But what about documents that already exist as opposed to those you create? For this common scenario, you need a relatively new gadget — a portable scanner. Not as much choice exists as is the case with desktop and network scanners, but a new portable scanner shipped last week that looks promising.

Canon imageFORMULA P-150 Scan-tini … in One Sentence
Canon's imageFORMULA P-150 Scan-tini is a portable USB high speed duplex document scanner.

The Killer Feature
A laptop is portable. But a smartphone is more portable. Carrying cases exist for some desktop scanners, which means some people carry them from place to place, but six pounds is about four too many these days.

Canon's new P-150 Scan-tini weighs just 2 pounds. Just as importantly, it measures 1.6 x 11 x 3.7 inches. Look at it from the side and you may not see it. Canon claims it's the smallest scanner in its class.

Also, it's black, which may not seem like an important feature, but as we all know from our wardrobes, black has slimming qualities, making the P-150 Scan-tini look all the more sleek.

Other Notable Features
But enough about looks. How does the P-150 Scan-tini perform? Canon claims speeds of up to 15 pages per minute for black and white or grayscale documents, and up to 10 ppm for color documents. Scanning two-sided documents does not slow down the P-150 Scan-tini. Thus, you can expect up to 30 or 20 images per minute respectively.

The Scan-tini offers "Plug and Scan" functionality — plug it into your computer's USB port and start scanning. You need not install any software or a power source (external power supply). The embedded Canon CaptureOnTouch Lite software creates JPG, PDF, or TIF files.

For more advanced scanning needs, the Scan-tini includes ISIS/TWAIN drivers, which you can use to scan into a wide array of third-party applications such as Adobe Acrobat, document management systems, and litigation support software.

The P-150 Scan-tini compensates for less-than-perfect documents thanks to built-in technology that automatically deskews, prevents bleed-through, and removes background. Also, you need not tell the Scan-tini what you're scanning as it automatically detects page size and color.

The Scan-tini can draw power through a single USB port, eliminating the need for a power adapter (you need an available USB port on your PC). The bundled software includes Canon CaptureOnTouch, Nuance PaperPort, and NewSoft Presto! BizCard.

What Else Should You Know?
Canon's Scan-tini works with Windows PCs, and has an MSRP of $295. Optional accessories include a carrying case and AC adapter. The scanner is Energy Star certified, and RoHS- and WEEE-compliant. Learn more about Canon's P-150 Scan-tini.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers PowerPoint comparison software (see article below), a discovery document and deposition analysis program, a court rules and docketing application, an online marketplace for pleadings and other documents, and a Web-based service that transforms your firm's data into interactive charts. Don't miss the next issue.

PowerPoint Collaboration's Missing Link

These days, law firms need to work twice as hard to attract new clients. That means your Microsoft PowerPoint presentations need to be twice as good. Which means you should seek input from everyone at your firm involved in making a sales pitch. Ditto for your litigation team putting together a presentation for court. But what happens when you end up with multiple versions of a presentation with the clock ticking ever closer to your deadline?

Workshare Compare for PowerPoint … in One Sentence
Workshare Compare for PowerPoint enables you to compare PowerPoint presentations, and manage changes to produce a final version.

The Killer Feature
Other software companies claim to compare PowerPoint presentations, but only after you convert the slides to PDF format. By contrast, Workshare Compare for PowerPoint compares native PowerPoint files.

Working with the actual files offers several advantages, one of which is the Themes technology built into Workshare Compare for PowerPoint. With Themes, you can define exactly which elements within the presentations to compare and how to display the changes to those elements.

For example, select only "Detect Text Changes," and you'll see only changes to the text (and not any graphics, layouts, etc.) across the presentations you compare.

You can modify the default Themes, and create entirely new ones on demand. The customization options include speaker notes, image content, embedded object content, text formatting, slide backgrounds, slide masters, and orientation. You can also adjust the comparison sensitivity level to ignore insignificant changes (e.g., an image that moved a few pixels to the right).

Other Notable Features
In true Workshare fashion, Workshare Compare for PowerPoint provides you with a single view that shows you the changes visually using color coding as well as in a written Change Summary. You can navigate from change to change or from slide to slide.

If you prefer one slide over another, you can designate the preferred slide as the final version. If neither is final, Workshare automatically launches PowerPoint for you to make edits. You can then save the new slide version back into Workshare Compare for PowerPoint to complete the presentation.

What Else Should You Know?
Other features include the ability to search the Change Summary, swap source files for your comparison, save comparisons in PowerPoint format for sharing and editing, and create reports. A one year subscription starts at $145, including product upgrades. Learn more about Workshare Compare for PowerPoint.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

In today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire we take a break from our typical coverage to bring you our 2009 holiday gift guide. Don't miss the next issue when we return to covering the hottest new legal technology.

Scroogenomics author and Wharton professor Joel Waldfogel counsels against holiday gift giving because of the value gap — what you pay for a gift versus the typically lower value the recipient places on your gift.

Professor Waldfogel's analysis suggests to me that we simply don't put enough thought into gift giving. After all, we like receiving gifts — right up until we rip off the wrapping paper to reveal yet another shirt or whatever else we don't want or need.

Below you'll find our 2009 TechnoLawyer Holiday Gift Guide for technophiles. The list is short, but it features items for people with discerning taste. Also, I personally use and recommend all three products.

Never Let a Loved One Get Lost: Magellan Maestro 4700

In ten years, GPS personal navigation devices (PNDs) may disappear, squeezed out by dashboard GPS systems and smartphone apps. For now, we're in one of those in-between stages in which the standalone devices still have advantages over both factory-installed systems (newer technology) and smartphone apps (larger screens and more powerful receivers).

I recently purchased Magellan's top-of-the-line Maestro 4700, which I recommend. Why Magellan? Garmin offers better graphics and TomTom offers celebrity voices, but as a Hertz customer, I grew to like Magellan's proprietary features such as the gong sound when you're supposed to take action, and the QuickSpell technology for entering addresses (similar to TiVo).

Furthermore, the Maestro 4700 has a unique form factor that I find perfect — a 4.7 inch screen. Most competing units have a significantly smaller 4.3 inch screen. Garmin's nuvi 1490T has a 5 inch screen, which seems too large for my small car (it would probably work well in an SUV or truck).

The Maestro 4700 pretty much matches any Garmin feature for feature (e.g., lane assist), but without the premium price. It costs about $230 at Amazon (the price fluctuates).

Earlier this week, Magellan released the Magellan RoadMate App for the iPhone at an introductory price of $80. I couldn't resist and bought a copy. How do I rationalize having two GPS devices? Not easily but bear with me.

First, the iPhone app provides a backup. Second, I like traveling light. On a recent trip, I left my Maestro in my glovebox and paid extra for a rental car with a GPS unit. On my next trip, I can use my iPhone. Third, I never used Magellan's nifty Find My Car feature because I don't want to carry the Maestro with me. Again, because I take my iPhone everywhere, I'll never again roam aimlessly around a parking lot. Finally, the iPhone app may come in handy for walking directions.

My advice? Buy the Maestro 4700 — it's a solid GPS PND at a great price. Consider bundling the iPhone app along with it if warranted. Plus I also recommend and use ProClip car mounts.

Big Sound in a Tiny Package: Ultimate Ears 700

About a year ago I praised the Ultimate Ears triple.fi 10 vi earphones, which I still use as my primary earphones. But with a list price of $420 (I paid $371), I cannot recommend them for a holiday gift, especially this year. I can, however, recommend the less expensive Ultimate Ears 700.

Disclosure: As a beta tester, I received my Ultimate Ears 700 earphones for free. I would have purchased a pair. They sell for $200.

The Ultimate Ears 700 do not sound as good as the triple.fi 10 vi, but they sound very good and they're also a fraction of the size. In fact, they're the smallest dual driver earphones in the world (last time I checked). As a result, they virtually disappear in your ear canal. You can lay sideways on a pillow while wearing them.

My advice? Buy the Ultimate Ears 700 for music lovers, especially those who don't want to sacrifice quality while exercising, travel frequently, enjoy listening to music while laying down, or don't want to look like a nerd.

Decent Sound in a Slick Package: Yamaha PDX-30 Speakers

Repeat after me — "I understand that I cannot get concert hall sound from speakers the size of a grapefruit." Speaker manufacturers should require customers to sign this disclaimer.

Now that we've taken care of expectations, I recommend Yamaha's PDX-30 Portable Player Dock for iPod and iPhone.

Mine sits on a nightstand in my bedroom. While a $125,000 Sonicweld Pulserod speaker system would sound a lot better, bedrooms require more practicality than other rooms. For example, we all need alarms. The Yamaha PDX-30 does not include an alarm, but every iPod and iPhone does — and you can find many third-party alarm apps in Apple's App Store. The Yamaha PDX-30 costs $200.

I searched fruitlessly for a long time for a speaker system with the Yamaha PDX-30's feature set — genuine iPhone compatibility (no nag screen, no speaker buzzing), small footprint, a color other than black (you can choose from black, blue, pink, or gray — I got the latter), and a remote control with full iPod navigation.

The remote control does not have a screen. You must still look at the iPhone, but you don't have to touch it — a big plus because it's awkward to use an iPhone while docked.

My advice? Buy the Yamaha PDX-30 for the iPod- or iPhone-lover on your list who needs a small speaker system that sounds good for its size.

The Holidays: There's an App for That

Professor Waldfogel suggests that if you give gifts, go with gift cards because they provide the most economic value. Here's a suggestion to make gift cards more heartfelt — house it in a homemade card with suggested items from the store. Use screen capture software to take snapshots of merchandise to use in your card.

Given that we all have company-issued iPhones here at TechnoLawyer, I asked around the office for app suggestions in the event you buy someone an iTunes gift card:

Air Sharing Pro — WiFi file transfer.
Scrabble — the classic word game.
WordJong — another word puzzle game.
Ranch Rush — farming fun.
Police Radio — the next-gen police blotter.
OmniFocus — a task manager for busy people.
HarborMaster — dock incoming cargo ships.
Homerun Battle 3D — swing for the fences.
Doom Resurrection — don't play with the lights off.
Skyscrapers — think Tetris with buildings.

Happy Thanksgiving and Holidays from TechnoLawyer!

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers an online billing application (see article below), an iPhone app for Shepardizing, a Microsoft Word add-on for creating a table of authorities, a new Twitter feature, and a BlackBerry app that helps you find a restaurant. Don't miss the next issue.

Semi-Automatic Billing

Someday, software will completely eliminate administrative jobs. For example, if a client owes you money, your billing system will hash it out with his banking software. You will only get involved when your software cannot close the deal. You'll then pick up your holographic phone and start yelling at your deadbeat client. Well, not really because none of us will live long enough to witness such smart software. In the meantime, you can at least seek billing software with more automation than what you use now.

Smart Invoice … in One Sentence
Acumantra Solutions' Smart Invoice is a Web-based billing system.

The Killer Feature
The biggest news in billing software this year? Credit card processing. With bankruptcy filings up, suddenly those credit card fees don't seem so bad. They certainly beat not getting paid at all.

Smart Invoice has jumped on this trend. It integrates with Authorize.net, 2CO, PayPal, and Google Checkout. You can embed these payment options in the invoices you send so that clients can click and pay. Smart Invoice notifies you when it receives a payment.

Other Notable Features
Smart Invoice integrates with QuickBooks, which you can use for your general and trust accounting. You can also import client information from Outlook and other programs into Smart Invoice.

Smart Invoice offers a time tracking widget. Once you capture or enter time, you can create an invoice. Smart Invoice also handles other billing methods such as flat fees, and can add taxes and late fees.

You can customize your invoices using CSS, a simple programming language that all Web designers know how to use. You can also use domain mapping to send invoices from your own domain. In addition to emailing invoices, you can export them as PDF files or print them.

In addition to invoicing, Smart Invoice also features estimates, which you may find helpful for flat fee services. As you would expect, Smart Invoice offers a number of reports, which you can customize. Smart Invoice's API enables other companies to develop add-ons for Smart Invoice such as a desktop or mobile application.

What Else Should You Know?
You can select from three versions of Smart Invoice — Free, $14/month, and $39/month (the latter two plans don't have names). The Free plan does not offer domain mapping or PDF invoices, and limits you to three clients. The other two plans offer 25 and 5,000 clients respectively. Learn more about Smart Invoice.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers a Web application for collaboration and project management (see article below), a Microsoft Word add-on for automating the creation of legal documents, a reminder system that works with BlackBerrys and iPhones, illustration software with legal and medical graphics, and a wireless print server. Don't miss the next issue.

Clear Your Mind in the Cloud

See that pile of paper on your desk? No, that one behind the other three. You can't continue to manage your cases like that. Don't feel bad. You're not the only lawyer who needs professional help. Seeking assistance does not suggest weakness. Think of it as the first step to a better you. Will it cost money? Of course, but it'll make you more money … or at least bring you some peace of mind. In the meantime, you may want to hide those piles. Your client just arrived for his meeting.

WizeHive … in One Sentence
PivotPoint Software's WizeHive is an online collaboration and organizational application.

The Killer Feature
Have you noticed how social networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook rely heavily on email? They know that if something isn't in your inbox, it's invisible.

Recognizing that online life revolves around email, WizeHive integrates with any email program using a special address and a notation system. By sending a message to this address with the name of the workspace (see below) in the subject you can create new notes or tasks without having to use the Web interface.

Similarly, you can receive WizeHive communications from your colleagues via email. So why not just use email? Because WizeHive organizes everything for you with threaded messaging, search, large file sharing, and more.

Other Notable Features
WizeHive organizes your information into workspaces. You'll probably want to create a workspace for every client. Within a workspace you'll find sections for people, tasks, data, files, notes, and questions. You can further organize a workspace with pages, which you might create for each matter.

Through the Activity window, you can track all communications across all workspaces and pages that apply to you. Other system-wide views enable you to manage Tasks, People, and Files across all workspaces. The Tasks view offers filtering. For example, you can view tasks assigned to you or to others. Regarding file management, you can edit Word and Excel files within WizeHive without downloading and re-uploading them.

WizeHive also includes an iCal-compatible calendar that displays all date-specific tasks. You can also schedule meetings and events on the calendar.

What Else Should You Know?
You can customize WizeHive with your firm's logo and preferred colors. Another setting enables you to receive all email alerts in a single daily digest. You can choose from five versions of WizeHive — Free, Basic ($9/month), Plus ($24/month), Premium ($39/month), and Enterprise. The versions differ with regard to workspaces, pages, storage, and features such as a vanity URL. Learn more about WizeHive.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers a document management program that integrates with scanners (see article below), an iPhone app for finding legal documents and showcasing your own, backup software for Amazon S3, an online recommendation service for technology products, and a unique gadget for mobile phones. Don't miss the next issue.

A Port of Call for Your Law Firm's Piles of Paper

Most people who buy iPods use the earbuds that come with it. But a sizable minority have more discerning tastes, and pony up for earphones that cost as much as an iPod. If the music matters, the money is well spent. A similar situation exists with scanners. Most people use the bundled software, but many law firms find this software insufficient for their document management needs. So they pony up for a more robust solution.

PaperPort Professional 12 … in One Sentence
Nuance's PaperPort Professional 12 integrates with many scanners, and helps you organize and share your scanned files.

The Killer Feature
Some PDF software makers try to make a quick buck in the legal market only to learn that lawyers are a tough crowd with lofty expectations. For example, if your PDF software doesn't handle forms, don't even bother.

Nuance got the memo. PaperPort Professional 12 includes FormTyper, which recognizes the fillable elements in scanned forms, enabling you to fill them out on your PC. You can also create your own forms.

Other Notable Features
The new version of PaperPort Professional also offers improved handling of PDF files. Nuance even claims they will look better. You'll also find improved annotation and stamping tools. You can create PDF files from any application using any PDF protocol through 1.7. PaperPort Professional also creates PDF Packages.

In a nod to law firms, PaperPort Professional integrates with Microsoft SharePoint 2003 and 2007. You can send a document from PaperPort to SharePoint or scan directly into SharePoint with the PDF conversion handled by PaperPort.

Nuance also made some under the hood improvements, boosting OCR accuracy by 42% and PaperPort Professional's overall speed by 500%. Other new features include a new tabbed ribbon interface, a "Scan Now" button for one-click scanning, a customizable Quick Access Toolbar, support for documents photographed by digital cameras, and how-to-guides for common tasks.

What Else Should You Know?
PaperPort Professional runs on Windows XP, Vista, or 7. It costs $199.99. Existing customers can upgrade for $149.99. Nuance also sells PaperPort 12 ($99.99), which has fewer features, and PaperPort Enterprise 12 for large firms. Learn more about PaperPort Professional 12.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers an expert witness research service (see article below), an operating system with improved search technology, a smartphone with a video camera, a notebook computer with seven hours of battery life, and a desk designed to burn calories while you work. Don't miss the next issue.

The Next Best Thing to Reading an Expert Witness' Mind

If you practiced law on TV, you would conduct your expert witness research in gumshoe fashion. Scene 1 places you in a deserted back alley receiving a dossier from an informant. In scene 2, your friend and former CIA technician writes a program that searches where Google can't. It sure makes for compelling TV, but let's face it — your clients can't afford that kind of lawyering. You need a more streamlined solution since you live in the real world, not a dream world.

LexisNexis Full-Service Expert Witness Search — in One Sentence
LexisNexis Full-Service Expert Witness Search is a service that creates comprehensive expert witness reports to help you with your case strategy.

The Killer Feature
Most of the world's information still resides in private databases. Last year, LexisNexis acquired one such database — IDEX — and then combined it with many of its own databases. The result — more than one million expert witness records with an additional 3,500 records added each month.

While you can search this material on your own at Lexis.com, the LexisNexis Full-Service Expert Witness Search offers you the option of outsourcing your search if you don't have the time. This service provides you with a number of useful reports, including the popular Testimonial History Report.

This report includes the expert's contact information, a summary of the cases in which the expert testified, and contact information of the lawyers who previously hired the expert. For each case, the report provides the claims, subject matter of the expert's testimony, and verdict, including the amount awarded if available. The Testimonial History Report costs $140.

"An independent market study found that 100% of interviewed users were Very Satisfied or Satisfied with the service they received," marketing manager Jessica Carter told us.

Other Notable Features
LexisNexis Full-Service Expert Witness Search offers a number of other services. For example, you can obtain the expert's testimony in court and at depositions, as well as previous curriculum vitae and other documentation. If a transcript does not reside in the IDEX database, LexisNexis can retrieve it for you.

You can also order articles by or about the expert. If a court has barred an expert from testifying as a result of a "gatekeeping" defense such as Daubert, LexisNexis will let you know. Other reports list disciplinary action taken against the expert.

Thanks to LexisNexis' "unique expert identifier" system, you need not worry about your report containing information about a different expert with the same name as the expert in which you have an interest.

What Else Should You Know?
You can order a report by telephone or on the Web. LexisNexis does not endorse any of the experts in its database. Instead, it simply provides data and lets you render an opinion. The service takes about 2-3 days. Learn more about LexisNexis Full-Service Expert Witness Search.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.