If a lawyer in late 2014 were to be transported by time machine to the pre-PC era, say 1980, he or she would have a very hard time functioning. We have become dependent on technology to run our practices.
We think of dependence as bad. However, our reliance on technology is good because it allows us to provide better service to our clients, be more efficient and profitable, and hopefully spend more time with family and friends. For all of this, we are thankful.
Many new technologies were introduced or advanced in 2014 with a positive impact on law firms. The rapid expansion and falling prices of cloud-based file storage such as Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and Dropbox has been useful. The long-awaited release of an iPhone with a screen large enough to appeal to aging baby boomers is another advance for which we are thankful. Android aficionados can rejoice in an abundance of great phones and a rapidly improving operating system.
On the desktop. Microsoft's preview of Windows 10 promises that traditional keyboard and mouse users of Windows will be happier than they were with touch-focused Windows 8. New Office 365 subscription plans make MS Office more affordable and available than ever.
We also have new releases of law office software such as PCLaw, Tabs3/PracticeMaster, and Amicus Attorney. All of these advances make us thankful for the technology that helps us help others.
This year the technology press has been full of stories about how "voice" is replacing "touch" as the next paradigm in communicating with our tech devices. To see how that works, join us for a FREE webinar on voice-driven productivity described in the article below.
