TechnoLawyer Blog: Copiers/Scanners/Printers

Coming today to SmallLaw: The debate about scanners has shifted. Instead of wondering whether they need one, small law firms wonder which one they should buy given the growing number of models in the marketplace. In this issue of SmallLaw, New Jersey lawyer Edward Zohn reviews Ambir's ImageScan Pro 820i desktop scanner. Before setting finger to keyboard to write this review, Ed used the ImageScan Pro 820i for "many weeks." As a result, he explores every aspect of the scanner from its actual speed to its durability to its software and much more. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for tips on how to claim and optimize your Yelp listing.

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Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also ensures that you won't miss anything published elsewhere by linking to helpful articles (and podcasts and videos) about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 124 articles from the past week worthy of your attention. Below you'll find a sample article from each section of today's issue, including our BlawgWorld Pick of the Week.

Go Paperless Faster Than Ever

Review: Seven Mobile iPad Stands

How to Become a Master of the Legal Universe

Rainmaking in Dry Times

Congratulations to Walt Mossberg of AllThingsD on winning our BlawgWorld Pick of the Week award: A Comparative Review of Three iPad Word Processors

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Today's issue of Fat Friday contains these articles:

Tim Callins, How to Fix Law Schools

Timothy Morgan, How to Fix the Word-WordPerfect Compatibility Problem

Stephen Seldin, The Problem With Apple Products and Microsoft Surface

Frances Ruiz, Review: Fujitsu ScanSnap 1500

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Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers a document and records management system (see article below), an iPhone keyboard case, a cloud file server, and a text automation app for the iPad and iPhone. Don't miss the next issue.

GO PAPERLESS FASTER THAN EVER

Document management is so important for every law firm that it has spawned more cliches than a politician. For example, law firms "drowning in paper" desperately want to go "paperless." Many of the solutions designed to help law firms get from one cliche to the other cost an "arm and a leg" and require you to be a "rocket scientist."

FileCenter Professional 8 … in One Sentence

Launched this month, Lucion Technologies' FileCenter Professional 8 is a document management system with PDF and scanning tools that doesn't require a consultant to set up.

The Killer Feature

Many document management systems support scanning as an afterthought if at all. By contrast, FileCenter Professional captures all your documents, including those that arrive on paper. Accordingly, it offers multiple scanning technologies, each of which is aimed at a particular need of law firms.

For example "In-Place Scanning" enables you to scan directly into a designated client/matter "drawer" in image-only or searchable PDF format (FileCenter Professional uses a file cabinet metaphor). "Scanning Profiles" automate scanning jobs by applying presets such as resolution, optical character recognition, document format, and where to file scanned documents. It can even name your scanned documents automatically.

Scanning Profiles works in conjunction with "Document Separators" to automate large scanning jobs. Using this technology, when you scan a stack of documents, FileCenter Professional automatically splits them apart and files them for you, naming each document appropriately.

"Our new scanning features stem from spending many hours talking to lawyers who use previous versions of FileCenter Professional, and studying their scanning workflows," Lucion CEO Jeff Pickard told us. "As lawyers ourselves, we understand that law firms have unique requirements so we crafted FileCenter Professional 8 to be the most elegant and efficient tool available to meet these needs."

Other Notable Features

Also new in FileCenter Professional, you can edit and clean up your scans. The new image editing tools work on any PDF or TIFF scan, including those you scanned prior to using FileCenter Professional. The new Inbox provides a flexible workspace into which you can import documents from virtually any source — digital cameras, network scanners, portable scanners, etc.

FileCenter Professional requires minimal configuration because it overlays your current file and folder structure while enhancing functionality beyond that which Windows provides. For example, the software has long provided filename templates and reusable folder layouts. In the new version, you can also set up "Custom Lists" of common terms to draw from when you name a file. Thus, you can build filenames for new documents faster.

In addition to organizing your scans, FileCenter Professional also organizes the documents you and your colleagues create in Microsoft Word and other programs as well as client-related email. And it can eliminate the need for standalone PDF software thanks to advanced PDF tools such as combining PDF documents, annotating and editing them, digital signatures, form filling, and more. Other features include the ability to view documents in virtually any file format, and search the full text of your documents using advanced tools such as Boolean queries.

What Else Should You Know?

FileCenter Professional costs $199.95 with volume discounts available. FileCenter, which lacks some of the features in the Professional version, costs $49.95. Learn more about FileCenter Pro 8.

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Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 124 articles from the past week worthy of your attention. Below you'll find a sample article from each section of today's issue, including our BlawgWorld Pick of the Week.

Take Control of Printing Costs

A Lawyer's Briefcase Then and Now

Five Steps for Using LinkedIn For Recruiting

Ideas for Riding on LegalZoom's Coattails

Congratulations to Seamus Bellamy of The Wirecutter on winning our BlawgWorld Pick of the Week award: The Best iPad Keyboard Case

Today's issue also contains links to every article in the May 2013 issue of Law Practice Today. Don't miss today's issue or any future issues of BlawgWorld.

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Our newsletters provide the most comprehensive coverage of legal technology, practice management, and law firm marketing, but not the only coverage. BlawgWorld enables you to stay on top of all the noteworthy articles (and podcasts) published online without having to hire a research assistant. Even when you're busy, you won't want to miss each issue's Pick of the Week. The BlawgWorld newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers business intelligence and cost recovery software for your printers (see article below), an application for defensibly capturing evidence on the web, a task manager for teams, and an iPhone communications app. Don't miss the next issue.

TAKE CONTROL OF PRINTING COSTS

Many lawyers misunderstand cost recovery technology. They think it's only for law firms that charge separately for telephone calls, faxes, and copies. However, this data has many other uses, including determining hourly or fixed fees, identifying your costliest clients, matters, and employees, tracking the time spent on telephone calls for accurate billing entries, and more. This is called business intelligence. Until now, one activity has flown under the radar despite its growing cost — printing documents.

The Count for Prints … in One Sentence

Launching today, Lex Systems' The Count for Prints tracks the usage of all the printers in your law firm.

The Killer Feature

The Count for Prints works with both network and standalone printers. It doesn't just track the number of printouts by client/matter and user. You can also create rules and restrict access to optimize printer usage and reduce costs. For example, you can route jobs to designated printers depending on their nature — number of pages, draft or final version, type of paper, client/matter, user, etc.

If you charge for prints or use the data to bake the costs into your hourly or flat fees, The Count for Prints includes a pricing table for assigning a value to each print job according to your firm's policies. Pricing can vary depending on the attributes enumerated above. The Count for Prints can keep your lawyers and staff apprised of their printer usage so that they print more judiciously.

"In the early days of PCs, users would just print their work product," Lex Systems President Owen Rice told us. "Nowadays, lawyers also print documents they used to duplicate using a copier thanks to the popularity of scanners and the paperless office movement. Accordingly, printer usage has increased. By controlling access to each printer, routing large jobs to high-capacity printers, and accounting for all print jobs, The Count for Prints reduces paper usage and toner costs, making printing more cost effective."

Other Notable Features

In addition to The Count for Prints, Lex Systems also offers The Count for Copies, The Count for Faxes, and The Count for Calls. All modules consist of software that runs on off-the-shelf PCs. There's no proprietary hardware to license or purchase. Lex Systems guides you through the installation process and provides training.

To track an activity, you can enter client/matter and other required information from your computer or from a PC or tablet connected to a device such as a copier or printer — whichever makes more sense. You can use a mix of both input options.

The Count integrates with all major accounting systems, eliminating the need to export and import data. All captured data remains within your law firm on a central server. Lex Systems claims that anyone can learn how to use its administrative tools (you need not be an IT professional). However, the company provides unlimited support and training at no additional cost if you need help.

What Else Should You Know?

Lex Systems charges an annual fee for The Count that depends on which modules you use. Learn more about The Count for Prints.

How to Receive TL NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TL NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The newsletter's innovative articles enable lawyers and law office administrators to quickly understand the function of a product, and zero in on its most important features. The TL NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 152 articles from the past week worthy of your attention. Below you'll find a sample article from each section of today's issue, including our BlawgWorld Pick of the Week.

Tips for Successful Legal Technology Projects

Review: Canon imageFormula P-208 Scan-tini

Tips for Lawyer Road Warriors

Want More Clients for Your Law Firm?

Congratulations to Jack Wallen of TechRepublic on winning our BlawgWorld Pick of the Week award: Reviews of Five Apps to Manage Multiple Cloud Accounts

Today's issue also contains links to every article in the May/June 2013 issue of Law Practice. Don't miss today's issue or any future issues of BlawgWorld.

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Our newsletters provide the most comprehensive coverage of legal technology, practice management, and law firm marketing, but not the only coverage. BlawgWorld enables you to stay on top of all the noteworthy articles (and podcasts) published online without having to hire a research assistant. Even when you're busy, you won't want to miss each issue's Pick of the Week. The BlawgWorld newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TL Answers contains these articles:

Steven Finell, Your Three OCR Choices for Acrobat, Including ClearScan

Brian Moore, Review: Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500

Mark Whitney, Document Naming and Organization Tips

Vusumzi Msi, Review: WordPerfect X6

Don't miss this issue — or any future issues.

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Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 167 articles from the past week worthy of your attention. Below you'll find a sample article from each section of today's issue, including our BlawgWorld Pick of the Week.

Bill Your Time Everywhere Your Practice Takes You

A Scanner at Home in Your Bag and in Your Office

The Mandatory CLE Question No One Wants to Ask

Law Firm Mobile Web Sites 101

Congratulations to Joe Kissell of Macworld on winning our BlawgWorld Pick of the Week award: How to Edit PowerPoint Documents on an iPad

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How to Receive BlawgWorld
Our newsletters provide the most comprehensive coverage of legal technology, practice management, and law firm marketing, but not the only coverage. BlawgWorld enables you to stay on top of all the noteworthy articles (and podcasts) published online without having to hire a research assistant. Even when you're busy, you won't want to miss each issue's Pick of the Week. The BlawgWorld newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in our free TL NewsWire newsletter. Instead of reading TL NewsWire here, sign up now to receive future issues via email.

A SCANNER AT HOME IN YOUR BAG AND IN YOUR OFFICE

Paper remains the gold standard in certain situations, many of them involving law practice. For example, regulations often require mailing a paper version of a document. Perhaps most importantly, paper remains the cheapest and easiest way to share documents at closings, depositions, and other legal settings. Notwithstanding paper's persistence, it's easier than ever to go paperless thanks to the increasing mobility of scanners.

ProductName … in One Sentence

Launched last week, Canon's imageFORMULA P-208 "Scan-tini" (imageFORMULA P-208) is a portable document scanner.

The Killer Feature

Most portable scanners spend their time in a drawer when you're not traveling because they lack the power and speed you expect to have in your office. The imageFORMULA P-208 has desktop-class features in a small package, making it feasible to use both in your office and on the road.

For example, it has a 10-page automatic document feeder, scans duplex at up to 8 pages per minute (16 images per minute), provides a maximum resolution of 600 dpi, features embedded optical character recognition technology for creating editable and searchable documents, accommodates the ISIS and TWAIN standards for connecting to legal-specific and other software, and has a daily duty cycle of 100 scans. In addition to paper documents, it can handle business cards, driver's licenses and other plastic and embossed cards, and photographs.

Other Notable Features

The imageFORMULA P-208 measures 1.5 x 12.3 x 2.2 inches when closed and weighs 1.3 pounds. It connects to your PC or Mac via a single USB cable. You can scan wirelessly as well using the optional WU10 Wireless Adapter and Battery Pack. And with the CaptureOnTouch Mobile app, you can scan to an iPad, iPhone, and Android device.

Speaking of software, you can start scanning out if the box with no setup thanks to the embedded CaptureOnTouch Lite software. For more control over various settings such as document format, resolution, and output location, you can install the free CaptureOnTouch software on the PCs and Macs with which you primarily use the scanner. Canon also bundles Presto! BizCard business card software.

The imageFORMULA P-208 has a number of advanced technologies designed to improve quality and speed and eliminate problems, including deskew, elimination of blank pages, and automatic color, page size, text orientation, and double-feed detection.

What Else Should You Know?

The imageFORMULA P-208 has a list price of $229. In addition to the optional WU10 Wireless Adapter and Battery Pack, Canon also offers an optional soft carrying case. Learn more about imageFORMULA P-208.

How to Receive TL NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TL NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The newsletter's innovative articles enable lawyers and law office administrators to quickly understand the function of a product, and zero in on its most important features. The TL NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.