Week in Review: January 31, 2010

Here's a few interesting things that happened in the world of technology and law practice management that I didn't get around to writing about this week:

iPad

Unless you recently emerged from a coma, you know that Apple released its new tablet computer (the iPad) this week. The web resounded with a veritable Hatfield vs McCoy feud of Apple fanboys breathlessly contending that the iPad just changed everything and PC geeks breathlessly arguing that it is giant flop.

Here is a balanced, short intro to the iPad -- if you decide you want to know more, there are a bunch of links to other articles and reviews.

As for me? I agree with Lee Rosen on this one: I want one but I'm not sure why.

iPhone app for Fastcase

In legal research news, Fastcase isn't letting the grass grow under their feet since Google announced they are dipping a giant toe in the lega research waters with Google Scholar. Fastcase just released an iPhone (and presumably, iPad) app that makes its research free.

Carolyn Elefant is excited about this democratization of legal research and wrote a thorough article on the topic. Incidentally, Carolyn and I are presenting together at ABA TECHSHOW in a couple of months - hope you can make it!

Facebook Privacy

If you are one of the gazillionty trillion people on Facebook, you have probably already wrangled with Facebook's legendarily byzantine set of privacy options to try to keep your personal information personal. This past week on January 28 was data privacy day, so the bloggers at All Facebook took the opportunity to remind us of 5 Facebook Privacy Tips You Need to Know.

Have a good Sunday; I hope it is warmer and less icy wherever you are than it is here in Chapel Hill!