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.

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.