My iPad is essential to my practice -- it allows me access to all of my client files, the Internet, references, and even a few games for those few times that I am not busy.  But sometimes it's also necessary for me to have some paper, because the tablet can be a little cumbersome for taking notes.

Thus comes my Booqpad.  This attractive iPad case from Booq carries my iPad in style, and also carries a 5"x8" pad of paper and a pen.  If you add a stylus-tipped pen, you'll be ready for anything.  There's also two slots for business cards or credit cards, and a larger slot for something about the size of a checkbook.  You can arrange the iPad and paper pad to be on either side, to suit your dominant hand.  The case allows access to the charging port, power button, earphone port, toggle switch, and volume controls.

Booqpad has only two drawbacks, and they are minor.  The first is that it does not make use of the iPad's magnetic sleep/wake capability, though this seems like it could be a difficult feat in a case that also carries a paper pad.  The second is that the case does not have an opening for use of the camera on the back of the iPad, though having one would diminish the stylishness of the case.  All in all, these are trivial faults in an excellent design -- one which draws compliments from other attorneys every time.

I store all of my client files, business records, tax returns, corporate records, CLE certificates -- everything that is important or that I want to save, really -- in the cloud.  I used to fear the cloud, but with the advent of multiple redundant storage servers in different locations and reliable online connections, I now fear not using the cloud.  My only concern with using online storage is that it may be compromised, and my files may be accessed by a malicious user.  I also take my ethical obligation to safeguard my clients' information seriously.  So, I won't reveal where I keep these files.

I will, however, discuss the pros and cons that I have found with the various online storage services, and provide my recommendations regarding them.  I have used several of the biggest and most popular services (Dropbox, Google Drive, Cubby, Box, SkyDrive, and SpiderOak), and have found quirks in each of them that reduce their usefulness.

For ease of use, Dropbox and SkyDrive are the best.  Google Drive is fairly easy to use as well (though not as easy as the other two), but its proprietary document formats make sharing documents with others problematic -- they may have trouble accessing the documents off-line if they don't have Chrome installed.  The user interfaces on Cubby and SpiderOak can be cumbersome.

For up-to-date file synchronization, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Cubby are the best.  Dropbox and Google Drive synchronize their files continuously, and I have seen files that I have modified updated within seconds.  Cubby also seems to always be updated, though I have not actually seen it in action.  Box and SkyDrive can at times be up to an hour behind, which is unacceptable when you're counting on having in-court access to the document you saved just as you were walking out the door.

For security and privacy, SpiderOak wins hands-down.  While the other services run indexes on your files, and some actually will share access to a file that several users have in common -- even if those users are not sharing it with each other -- SpiderOak (at least claims that it) does not examine your files at all.  If your clients expect top-level security and privacy, SpiderOak can't be beat.

For cost, all of the cloud storage services are comparable.  For free storage, though, SkyDrive offers the most that I have found (7GB).  Box and Google Drive are second (5GB each).  While Dropbox starts out on the low end of free space (2GB), it does allow you to gain bonus space by referring friends, linking your account to Facebook, and other marketing behavior.  You can get up to 18GB of free space this way, making Dropbox the top of the heap for (relatively) free storage.

Making use of cloud-based storage for your files is a good idea.  It reduces paper-file storage space, provides a secure off-site backup for your important information, and allows you to access your files anywhere with an internet connection.  Look at the various providers to determine which best suits your needs, and try out their free services before you commit to one.

Google's final features that make up its Google Now suite of functions rolled out several months ago, and were pushed out on Android phones, so I've been using them for a little while now.  But with the news that Google Now is available for the iPhone and iPad, I am considering switching from my beloved DROID to an iPhone.

Google Now has been integrated into the Google Search App, and provides several features that make Siri look less like a savvy personal assistant, and more like a simple voice-controlled search function.  To get the most from Google Now, you should use other Google applications, especially Gmail and Google Calendar.  (You should use these anyway -- if you aren't using as many Google apps as you can find, you're missing out on some incredibly useful features.)  Google Now integrates with these other applications and proactively gives you important information.

Google Now furnishes the kind of information that is pretty standard, such as constant updates on weather conditions and traffic patterns in your area.  But what makes it really useful for lawyers (and other professionals) is the information that it proactively provides.  For example, if you have a hearing or meeting on your calendar, Google Now will find the route to that location from your current location, calculate the travel time (taking into consideration available information about traffic delays), and remind you when it is time to leave.  It has done this for me on a few occasions even when I have not entered the address of the meeting (though you really should always do this).  If you have a flight itinerary in your email (and most airlines email you one these days), Google Now will access flight information and let you know if it is on-time or delayed, and when you should leave for the airport.  It also appears to know whether you need to be on the departing flight, or at the airport to pick up a passenger on the arriving flight.  (It looks like this may only be currently available for certain airlines, but I'm sure that others will climb on the bandwagon soon.)

Thus, Google Now really functions as the personal assistant that some hoped Siri would be.  While some have remarked that this is really just creepy, and worry that Google is further intruding into our private lives, I have found it to be valuable. For starters, Google already has "access" to your information anyway, in the same sense that any email, calendaring, or contact-management application does.  The fact that Google Now integrates these various applications with a useful personal assistant does not change (or increase) this access.  Even if you already have a top-notch administrative assistant/paralegal/legal secretary/other helper, having an automated assistant like Google Now is invaluable, as it frees that person from reminding you to leave for your deposition, so he or she can focus on important things like drafting your disclosure statement.

Okay, I know that you're probably thinking, "Hey, I've already heard of the iPad!  This is nothing new.  This guy's a total hack."  Well, while you might be right about some of that, it seems that not enough lawyers are making use of this technology, which is extremely useful for any lawyer who spends even a little bit of time out of the office -- and it's useful in the office too.  Particularly if you're a sole practitioner or you manage a small firm, you need this.  Sadly, most of the attorneys I see with iPads use them only to amuse themselves while they're waiting in court to see the judge.  Some of the more tech-savvy use theirs to check their calendars or their email, but that's about it.  And my good friend Matt Schmidt, who regularly extolls the virtues of the iPad in his tech column for the Writ, recently suggested that lawyers use their iPads even less!

I use my iPad all of the time.  Of course, I have my calendar, email, and contacts synced to it.  I use it to check my calendar any time that I am in court and the judge plans to schedule an upcoming event.  But the most important and frequent use I make of it is to access my files, which live in the cloud.  I can look at any client file at any time (except one time when I was in the basement of one of the State office buildings and had no cell reception).  I no longer carry a paper file anywhere -- if I have papers that must be filed or delivered to someone, I will carry just those in a document sleeve.  I have been able to make disclosure to opposing counsel before leaving his office during a deposition (he found that impressive).

Additionally, though, I use the iPad for marketing purposes.  I check Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, and website statistics.  I find the iPad is much more user-friendly for a status update on-the-go than my phone, which despite its giant screen still has a tiny onscreen keyboard.  With the Google Voice app, I can check my voice mail, even while in court or a meeting.  I have had clients digitally sign representation agreements on it, and it can work as a portable document scanner.  Of course, on occasion I'll use it to play Sudoku, but just for a few minutes.

There are several versions of the iPad out there, and it can be daunting to choose among them.  I would recommend the new iPad with Retina display, which has a larger screen and a newer processor.  As for storage capacity, if you use cloud storage, this is less important, so you likely can get by with 32GB, or even 16GB.  You must, however, get one with both Wi-Fi and cellular capability, so you can make use of it outside the office.  When a Wi-Fi network is available, though, you should make use of it to save on your data plan.  While I use and recommend Verizon, your existing cell network will likely work for you.

I'll admit, I was reluctant to get an iPad, and not sure that I'd be able to make much use of it in my practice.  Now that I have one, I wonder if I would be able to run my practice without it.  Please, check it out!

* Really, many of these functions can be accomplished with other tablet platforms, such as the Google Nexus or Microsoft's Surface.  I really can't say how those platforms compare, though, not having used them.  I can say that the Surface does not appear to have the same wireless connectivity options as the iPad, which would require offline syncing of client files.  I also will say that the iPad is very user-friendly and widely supported.  And while the Google Play Store is exploding with apps, many app developers only create an iPad/iPhone version of their product, whereas it seems that few make only an Android version.

I have been using DocScan HD on my iPad for about a month or so now, and it is by far the best mobile scanning app I have found.  It is available on iTunes.  I have used CamScanner on my DROID for at least a year, and have found DocScan to be far superior.  For starters, DocScan is free and not ad-supported.  While this is a minor bonus in the grand scheme, I think it demonstrates ifunplay's commitment to a user-friendly product.  There is a Pro version, which allows you to export scanned documents to Dropbox, Evernote, Box, SkyDrive, and Google Drive (with OCR!).  At $3.99, I think that is is more than worth the price.

The interface is very easy to use -- just line up the document in the device's camera and press the button, then use the on-screen guide to define the edges and corners of the document.  You can scan multiple pages, save them all as one document, and upload it to your favorite cloud-based storage on-the-go.  Being able to scan a multi-page document from your client's office, and leave it there when you leave, should impress even the most jaded and tech-savvy clients.

For anyone seeking to run a paperless (or less-paper) practice, a good scanner is essential.  No matter how much we eschew the use of paper, we will always get some from courts or other parties.  If you run a solo practice or small firm and can combine the scanner with the printer that you also still need (let's face it, not everyone accepts electronic copies), and throw in a copier and fax machine, then you're all set.  For me, the Canon imageCLASS MF4370dn fits the bill perfectly.

I have used one of these for about 28 months now, and it has never let me down (unless you count running out of toner, which really is my own fault).  It scans pretty quickly, and gets great resolution -- I find that 150 dpi is plenty for text documents, and it can go up to 9600 dpi for photos.  It has a 35-sheet automatic document feeder, which I have found is big enough for most scanning projects.  If you have larger batches of documents to scan, though, its software allows you to combine jobs into one large file (which Apple's native Preview app allows you to do anyway).  For printing, it manages a respectable 23 pages per minute, and can do double-sided printing without the hassle of turning over your print job.  My only gripe is that it cannot scan or copy double-sided documents without turning them over and manually collating the pages.  I have not used these functions, but it can be set up to run on a network

Though it appears that Canon might not be selling these any more, they still can be found at a good price on Amazon.  If you can pick one up for $300, I think it is well worth the price.  Replacement toner cartridges run about $100.

In honor of Google's exciting new offerings Google Nose, Gmail Blue, Google Maps' Treasure Mode, and others, I chose this week to review Google Voice, which I have used for more than two years.  Though it is perfectly suited for sole practitioners, it can also be useful for small firms.

Google Voice gives you a telephone number in just about any area code that you want (though popular area codes may be exhausted), and you can search for available numbers that have strings of certain digits or alphabetic number-equivalents (like 555-LAWS).  Plus, you can designate any landline number or one mobile number to ring when the number is called.  The technology is all Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol (VOIP), so any call within the United States is free.  You also can pay for international calls.

Two features that make Google Voice awesome, though, are its handling of voice mail and its call widgets.  Any voice mail that you receive is transcribed and a transcript can be automatically or manually emailed to the address you designate.  The audio file also can be downloaded to a computer as an mp3 file.  (All of this also works with calls that you record with the built-in recording feature -- perfect for telephonic witness interviews!)  There's also a mobile app that lets you review voice mail and transcripts from your cell phone or tablet.

Finally, the call widgets allow you to put a widget on your website that anyone can use to call your Google Voice number.  (Check out my contact page to see one in action!)  This essentially provides you with a toll-free number for clients or prospective clients, without having to pay the phone company extra -- and it makes you look tech-savvy to boot.  Considering that this is a free service from Google (it requires only a Gmail account -- though you get only one Google Voice number per account), it is almost too good to pass up.

I recently began using SignNow (https://signnow.com/), and I really cannot say enough about how useful it is for a paperless practice.  Previously, if I had a document that I could file or deliver electronically, but that did not come in an editable format (such as a non-fillable PDF), or that required a written signature, I was forced to print the document, complete it, and then scan it.  SignNow completely removes this ridiculous process.  With it, I can put an actual signature on a document, fill in text, and even send it to others for similar treatment and return to me.  Plus, they have mobile applications!  (Available for Apple and Android)  Even better, it's free!

I have installed it on my iPad, and find it to be the perfect app for that platform.  It integrates well with all of my cloud storage apps, as well as eFax -- and probably with more apps that I haven't even tried out yet.  It really is one of the best apps that I have ever seen.  And to top it off, their customer support is very proactive.  I got an email from their CEO shortly after signing up, and then another a few days later from an account representative.  There was no pressure to buy anything, just a friendly follow-up.  Again, this app is a must-have for anyone running a paperless practice.