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Improvement Sites
June 2006
It has only been a few months since Dennis Kennedy and I posted a comprehensive listing of the best legal ethics sites on the Internet, and I think that list is pretty good. So this month I'll be taking a "summer vacation" from the legal links. Instead, I'd like to feature 10 great sites I've come across in the past few months. The theme of this set of links is "improvement sites" -- one way or another, these sites will definitely help you with something, whether it's getting your job done faster, de-stressing from the hassles of the day, or taking a vacation. Enjoy!
43 Folders -- If you're familiar with the "getting things done" method of improving your personal productivity, you'll love this blog. If you're not, you'll still benefit from the tips offered by Merlin Mann. He writes about "simple ways to make your life better," and I always find something I can use here. As I'm writing this article, his most recent posts include tips on e-mail management, mindfulness, and getting rid of your personal "info-glut." He also has a series of articles titled "Inbox Zero," that feature some terrific ways to clean out your bloated e-mail program.
LastFM -- Looking for some new music? LastFM is one of several new services that takes your personal music preferences and introduces you to similar artists. Just download the (free) player and conduct a search for a singer or composer. LastFM will create a "music station" with songs by that artist, as well as songs in the same genre. If you don't like a song, press a button and you won't hear it anymore; if you love the song, press another button and LastFM will play more like it. You can also interact with other LastFM users and share music profiles. The quality of the music is terrific and did I mention it was free?
Legal Sanity -- All right, I can't help mentioning a legal blog, but this one definitely fits our theme. Arnie Herz is a lawyer who recognizes that many in the legal profession are stressed out and looking for ways to improve the outlook on their professional lives. Arnie provides "practical information, ideas and advice on remaking the everyday practice of law to achieve optimal outcomes, professional and personal success, and work-life balance."
Lifehacker -- This blog is consistently in the top 10 of the sites I read each day. As you might gather from the title, a "lifehack" is a tip, utility or other useful item that will make your life easier. And that's just what Lifehacker does -- it recommends downloads, Web sites, and shortcuts that will actually save you time. Recent posts include "Unbiased Hotel Reviews and More at TravelPost," "Presentation Tricks" (on improving your presentation skills), "How to Delete Usage History in Windows," and "Avoiding E-Mail Miscommunication." And those posts were just on one day.
LogMeIn -- Jim Calloway mentioned this site at the "60 Sites in 60 Minutes" presentation and it's a great new tool lawyers should consider. LogMeIn is similar to GoToMyPC and other virtual desktop services; it allows you to access your home or office computer, no matter where you happen to be. You can open files, run programs, read e-mail -- just about anything you could do if you were sitting at your computer. Best of all, it's free. If you're willing to spend $70 a year, you'll get more features, like the ability to transfer files, print remotely, share large files without uploads, and remote collaboration with others.
Process Library -- In my presentations on computer security, I always recommend computer users take a moment to CTRL-ALT-DELETE every once in a while, and click the Processes tab to see what's running on their PC. You might see a program there you don't recognize, or something that's hogging a lot of your computer's resources. What should you do if you don't recognize the name of the process that's running? Process Library to the rescue -- just type in the name of the process, and you'll get a full explanation of the program. You'll learn what it does, if it's harmful, and whether you can safely remove it without compromising your computer's stability.
Pzizz -- Here's a new product I found recently and it deals with something I don't usually do -- nap. The software in Pzizz is designed to combine music, sound effects and a binaural beat to achieve a relaxed state similar to that experienced during REM sleep. You can customize your own "naps," specifying whether you want an energizing power nap, or nap that will lead to a deeper, more refreshing sleep. And because it's customizable, you can literally create millions of variations -- from one minute to one hour, with different levels of music and speech. Once you find a combination you like, just download it to your iPod or other MP3 player so you can nap wherever you like. You can try it out free for 60 minutes, and the full version will set you back about $60 total.
Speedfiler -- I recently became acquainted with Itzy Sabo, the developer of this software, and his product addresses a very specific need I have in dealing with e-mail management: What to do with Sent Items? When I send an e-mail in a particular case, I want a copy of that e-mail to be deposited directly into that case folder. Unfortunately, Outlook by default puts my sent items in the Sent Items folder. Speedfiler changes all that. When you click the Send button on an e-mail, SpeedFiler pops up, asking you to specify the folder in which a copy of your e-mail should be placed. In Outlook, you would have to click through the tree of folders to find the right one, but in SpeedFiler, just start typing the name of the folder. SpeedFiler begins to work instantly, finding the folder you need. This utility has greatly improved my efficiency in dealing with e-mail, and at $19.95 it's a great buy.
Yahoo! Trip Planner -- Here's a great way to plan your summer vacation. Just choose a destination and then start adding information, using Yahoo's travel resources -- hotels, restaurants, entertainment, shopping, things to see, you name it -- each item will have a map and other helpful information accompanying it. You can keep a travel journal, share your plans with others, and even print out your trip to take along with you.
YouSendIt -- More and more, I find myself having to e-mail very large files to people -- usually Powerpoint files, in my case. Unfortunately, many ISPs have limits on the size of attachments that can travel through their pipes. It's good to have a service like YouSendIt that can handle the heavy lifting. Just upload the file, along with the e-mail addresses of everyone you'd like to receive the file; they'll receive a link to the file, which will be automatically deleted after seven days. Additional features are available for a small subscription fee.
About the Author
Tom Mighell is Senior Counsel and Litigation Technology Support Coordinator a Cowles & Thompson in Dallas. He publishes the Internet legal research and technology weblog Inter Alia , and is the current Chair of ABA TECHSHOW 2008. He and Dennis Kennedy talk about legal technology, with a focus on the Internet, in The Kennedy-Mighell Report .