Courtesy of the helpful folks at BlackberryGuy.com (nice folks - I’ve met them when speaking in Nashville, specifically Andy Bailey - at NationLink, the home of BlackBerryGuy.com), there’s important news about a planned Blackberry service outage starting tonight and ending tomorrow morning while a major OS upgrade is distributed. Here’s the announcement:

“BlackBerry Service Interruption Notification
Begins Tonight (6/27/08 At 11:00pm CST Until 7:00am CST Tomorrow (6/28/08)!

Summary: BlackBerry Internet Service v2.4 upgrade to v2.5
Start Date and Time: June 27th; 11:00pm CST
End Date and Time: June 28th; 7:00am CST
Duration Of Service Interruption: 8 hours
% Of Affected Subscribers: 100%

Impact: Subscribers will be unable to send or receive messages, use the BlackBerry Internet Service Website, use the BlackBerry smartphone internet browser, view email attachments, PIN message and use 3rd Party Applications which require a data connection.

BENEFITS OF THE NEW UPGRADE

Attachment Downloading In Native File Format*
Users will be able to save, edit, upload and transfer attachments in their native file formats

HTML E-Mail Message Viewing*
Users will be able to view HMTL e-mail messages on their BlackBerry smartphones, including:

Graphics and Pictures
•    Embedded images and tables
•    External Images
•    Active hyperlinks

Paragraph Formatting
•    Numbering
•    Bulleted Lists
•    Justification
•    Indentation

Font Formatting
•    Font type
•    Color
•    Size
•    Effects (bold/italic)

NOTE: HTML content cannot be created when forwarding, replying or composing a new email message.

Support For Windows Live Mail Integration
•    Real-time delivery of email messages replaces the 15 minute polling interval
•    No restrictions: All Windows Live Hotmail accounts can be integrated

NOTE: Current Windows Live Hotmail Account must be deleted and re-added to the BlackBerry Internet Service Account in order for enhanced features to be active.

*Feature requires Operating System v4.5.”

Thanks BlackBerryGuy.com!

No matter what you think about Microsoft in this Monkey-Boy-Ballmer-the-Bully-Cramming-Vista-Down-Our-Throats era, there’s no issue or question about the significance of Bill Gates in the tech world. Today was his last day at Microsoft as an employee. As a business owner myself of nearly 25 years, I can’t even begin to imagine how that must feel. No matter how much money he’s made, it has to feel bittersweet, to say the least.

It seems appropriate that PC Magazine, present at the dawn of the PC age, has the exclusive exit interview. Michael Miller’s article is a must read at this link.

Amusing sidenote: just to the right of the interview webpage is a big Apple ad with the tagline “Upgrade to Mac.” Coincidence? PC Mag with a sense of humor? A sign of the impending apocalypse (at least for Vista?) (this ad might cycle through so look now!)

First, regarding digital cameras, let me say this clearly - I *DETEST* the fact that most point-and-shoot digicams leave out any kind of optical viewfinder in lieu of just using the LCD display. Maybe I’m nuts, but it doesn’t feel like photography unless I’m squinting with one eye into a little viewfinder, especially if it happens to be a digital SLR and I’m seeing through the lens. But even with a point-and-shoot, Canon is just about the only company offering viewfinders on compact digicams anymore. I happen to carry around a diminutive Panasonic DMC-FX12 - almost entirely because the company’s Lumix series includes top-notch Leica lenses.

But here’s the run - try and see ANYTHING on the LCD display when you’re outside in the sunlight. Worthless. It’s invisible. You’re going to just have to guess when it comes to framing the picture. Cupping your hand over the top of the LCD helps a little.

And then, while in a Wal-Mart of all places, I saw a little gizmo from Delkin called the Pop-Up Shade. Specifically the “mini-universal” model for point-and-shoots available in sizes for 2.5″ and 3.0″ LCD displays. it’s a little plastic cover that pops up to surround the top and sides of the display, shading it from sunlight. Tried it and . . . it works! $9.99 at Wal-Marts everywhere. Cheap and clever solution to an irritating problem.

A recent thread about Outlook mail organization and archiving on the ABA’s Solosez listserve reminded me of my two favorite approaches that I’ve been recommending to my clients for several years, as follows:

1. My Favorite Outlook Email Organization Approach Uses Worldox GX - there is simply no easier way to organize Outlook inbound and outbound email, and its attachments, than to use a legal document manager like Worldox. Worldox GX, in particular, allows literally a two click approach to connecting an email and ALL attachments to it, to an electronic case file (and if you’re running PracticeMaster, TimeMatters, Amicus and several other practice management systems with which it integrates, this will transparently and automatically connect the email to matter files). It’s just plain brain-dead simple and so easy to do, there’s no reasonable excuse not to do it. This works for both inbound and outbound mail. The attachment handling is incredible - even if you have a bunch of attachments, it’s still a two click process. Click, drag and drop on the Worldox-created matter “folder” in Outlook’s folder pane, then click “move.” Yet another compelling reason for use of Worldox besides it being the “digital glue” that holds my Paper LESS Office process together.
2. My Favorite Outlook Archiving Approach uses Acrobat - everyone who has Acrobat 7 or 8 has likely seen the trio of “PDFMaker” buttons that were installed on your Outlook toolbar. The middle button’s hover-tip says “Convert Selected Folder to PDF.” I’ve used this as one of my “60 Tips” for several years - it’s an elegant and powerful alternative to the pretty brain-dead archiving capability in Outlook. Point to any Outlook folder, then select the option. A progress indicator box will churn away while every email in the selected folder is incorporated into a single consolidated searchable PDF. With an automatically created bookmark list that allows hyperlinked access to every single email, sortable by sender, subject and date. Even attachments are incorporated into the PDF with live links - click on an attachment link in an email in the file and the attachment is launched in the appropriate app. Then the file can be stored in one’s electronic client file/folder system under a particular matter folder or wherever it makes sense. It’s really just plain magic - people’s jaw’s drop when they see this function. The emails themselves remain untouched in their Outlook folder - of course, you could then delete them and clear them from Outlook entirely, keeping your PST or Exchange database as lean as can be.

Every single one of us faces Outlook organization and archiving issues daily. These are two of the simplest possible ways to do something that can otherwise seem almost insurmountably difficult. Hope you find them useful!

The bids on this summer’s Gadget Garage Sale have been coming fast and furious. Please be sure to check back for the most recent pricing updates so you know what the current high bids are.

I’ve got two new items to add:

• Brother 640CW low-profile all-in-one printer/scanner/fax with wireless printing capability. Used through three black cartridges and one color set. Includes one brand-new unopened color cartridge set. Perfect condition. Has a multimedia card reader built-in. Less than a year old - all manuals and software included.
• NEC VT575 LCD Projector. This is an XGA projector that has been rarely used. Less than 200 total hours of operation. Bright unit with 1500 lumens (looks brighter), native XGA mode. Perfect condition with remote and all cables, padded carrying bag included.

Same rules, as per the original auction posting which you can see here.

The bidding on the items in the Ross’ Gadget Garage Sale has been fast and furious. Here’s an update:

• Lenovo Thinkpad T61: $1301 so far (reserve not yet met)
• IBM Thinkpad T43: $400 so far
• Fujitsu ScanSnap S510: $301 so far
• Palm Treo 700p: $75 so far
• HP CapShare: $150 so far
• NeatReceipts Scanner: $105 so far
• 2.5″ Hitachi 120 Gb SATA notebook hard drive: $75 so far
• Samsung SCH-600 for Verizon: No bids so far

So that’s the update folks - remember, bidding ends on July 8th! Have fun and good luck!

PC Mag Online, as part of their annual “Future Tech” focus, has a fascinating article up today - exploring seven technologies that will change your life. From robotic prosthetics to tools that smell and hear, this one is really thought-provoking. The one thought that kept recurring to me as I was reading this, is God help them if Vista is used to control any of this. Here’s the article link.

OK, I admit it! I’m totally powerless over Solo & Small Firm Conferences! I *LOVE* the whole experience of attending as a speaker. This year I’ll have spoken at more SSF conferences than any previous year. If I could, I’d just travel the SSF circuit (you know, get a VW Microbus, psychedelic paint, the whole nine yards). Why the passion for these events? Because there are no more friendly folks on the planet than those State Bar people and the attendees of SSF conferences. I’ve been fortunate enough to be invited multiple times to many of these events and each year, it’s like old home week - seeing several hundred of my friends.

Here’s the rundown and one great takeaway from each of the conferences I’ve presented at this year so far:

• Louisiana (early May in New Orleans) - Eric Barefield and his team from the Louisiana Bar had what I believe is the most heavily attended first year SSF conference in history - with 340 paid attendees - way to go Louisiana Bar. Getting to eat charcoal-grilled oysters THREE times at Drago’s in the Hilton was a highlight as a wonderful time spent with techno.pals Tom O’Connor, Monica Bay and Craig Bayer. Top takeaway - great conference, but those Drago’s oysters are one of the world’s ultimate culinary miracles.
• Indiana (early June in Fort Wayne) - Steve Terrell’s Indiana Bar swansong after seven successful years. Ever hung out with Hoosiers for a few days? If not, you’re really missing something - what incredibly kind, appreciative and welcoming folks! Great to be able to spent time with uberpal Bruce Dorner (who just happens to be the founder of Solosez and the original brain behind the entire SSF conference idea!) and to co-present with him, as well as Ellen Freedman, one of my favorite people on the planet and the PMA for the Pennsylvania Bar.  I had the great pleasure of presenting at the very first Indiana SSF at Valpo Law school back in 2001, and now have presented there three times. Can’t wait to come back to Indiana! Way to go Steve (and Jim Springer, conference co-founder)!
• Chicago Bar Solo Success Conference (late May in Chicago) - the second year for this event which played to a sold-out crowd at the Chicago Bar Center. Planners Tony Schuman, Josh Friedman and Beth McMeen get a standing ovation from me for putting together a great slate of programs. I had the pleasure of being on a panel with Tim Stanley, co-founder of Findlaw and now CEO of legal webhaus, Justia.com. Terrific questions from the audience and many familiar faces in the crowd.
• Missouri (mid-June in Osage Beach) - the mother of all solo & small firm conferences, the 13th annual event at the Tan-Tar-A resort in the Lake of the Ozarks area shattered all previous attendance records with over 900 attendees! Linda Oligschaeger’s name is synonymous with solo & small firm conferences for good reason - no one, anywhere does it better. This was my 10th appearance at the conference - I just love these people - the incredible MoBar staff and most of all, all the Missouri lawyers and their staff who I’ve met over the years and are so welcoming every time I get the privilege of joining them.  Top takeaway was the E-Discovery program I presented with pal Dennis Kennedy. While we only got through four of our 80+ slides, the time was taken up by audience questions which ended up being a totally interactive conversation on this ridiculously complex and grey topic. Audience members made a point of telling both Dennis and me that they felt it was perhaps the best CLE program they’d ever attended. Not bad when Dennis and I both thought we’d let them down by only getting through three slides. Also enjoyed our luncheon conversation about parenting and our kidlets.

  My materials for all six of my Missouri SSF Conference sessions are available to download now as PDFs. Perhaps the other takeway was the utterly fascinating (in a disturbingly absurdly comedically insane kind of way) dinner conversation with pals and co-presenters Nerino Petro, Jr. and Ellen Freedman and our dinner companions including long-time pal Penny Umstadd-Cope from the conference planning committee.

Up next are the Washington Bar in Wenatchee in mid-July, the Wisconsin SSF Conference in October in the recently water-logged Wisconsin Dells area, and then the West Virginia SSF Conference in late October. Can’t wait!

Thanks folks - many of you have inquired wondering if I was alright after not posting for more than two months. Everything is fine, but I’ve been diagnosed with Type II Diabetes - and have been working at managing it. It’s also been a wildly busy speaking and consulting period - the demand for MicroLaw consulting and advice has just gone through the roof. There have also been four Solo & Small Firm Conferences since then: Missouri, Indiana, Chicago and of course, Louisiana. So . . . wow . . . barely time to breathe, no less post and still keep up my Solosez and local bar postings.

But I’ve decided to commit to at least one post a week from this point forward. So watch for the new content including a new feature I’m toying with called “What’s In Your Bag?” I may actually spin it off as a new blog - not quite sure yet - as to what it’s going to cover, you’ll have to wait and see, but it will feed curiosity many of us have about all the rest of us . . . let’s just leave it at that!

By popular demand, the Summer 2008 edition of Ross\’ Gadget Garage Sale is back! It\’s a simple process. I have extra stuff and I’m auctioning it off. The rules are really simple:

• Bids will be accepted ONLY via email to rkodner@microlaw.com with the subject stating: Ross\’ Gadget Garage Bid.
• Bids must contain your bid amount and specifically identifying the item.
• Shipping will be at your expense via FedEx (you\’ll get to specify the FedEx method you prefer).
• Payments will be accepted via Paypal only. Instructions for payment will be provided to winning bidders.
• The close of bidding is Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 5:00PM CDT.
• Winners will be announced unless you specifically indicate anonymity is preferred.
• Highest bids will take each item unless there is a reserved noted
• Bids must include full contact info or they will be rejected (name, shipping address, phone, email)
• I reserve the right to post about mid-auction bid statuses, but might not do so.

So . . . it\’s a really simple way to get some great stuff (or a classic item such as the CapShare). So good luck and happy bidding! Without further adieu, here are the goodies:

• Lenovo Thinkpad T61 - heavily equipped 15.4\” laptop with T7700 processor - used less than 8 hours total, perfect condition, officially downgraded (upgraded?) to XP Pro though Lenovo\’s Microsoft XP Downgrade Program, as new in every way, still under factory on-site and accidental damage warranty. 160 gb hard drive (5400 rpm), 2 GB RAM, 1650 x 1050 high-res display (WUXGA I think). Paid over $2500 in June 2007. DVD-writer, larger 9 cell battery, brand new Corel WordPerfect X4 suite included (unopened and unregistered). Includes original packaging. There is a reserve on this flawless unit. Sold as is.
• Fujitsu ScanSnap S510 - new, opened and tested only. Less than one hour of use. Includes original packaging and Acrobat 8 Standard Edition. Sold as is.
• HP CapShare - yes, an actual legendary CapShare - no box, but includes everything else - very rare! (if you have to ask what it is, you\’re probably not a potential buyer). Used only to evaluate and test the product. I do not have the original packaging. Out of warranty, as is.
• NeatReceipts Scanner System - as new, bought to evaluate only, very slick portable scanner that can be used for anything as well as a powerful receipts tracking software system. Used less than one hour. I have the original packing SOMEWHERE and will find it to ship with the scanner. Sold as is.
• Seagate Mirra Backup Server - already spoken for to NOLA SoloSezzer Mark Peneguy now that I\’ve learned how to clean off my data. Does not have original packaging. Sold as is.
• 2.5″ 120 Gb notebook hard drive - Hitachi 5400 rpm . . . used less than one hour for a demo session on how to install a replacement notebook drive. Sold as is.
• Treo 700p Smartphone for the Sprint network. Perfect condition, current model. Palm operating system. A bunch of accessories including various car chargers, regular chargers. Sold as is – ready to activate on the Sprint network. Stopped using it five months ago when I switched to a Blackberry – it was less than six months old at that point, having been provided as a new replacement for a previous damaged Treo 650. As is.
• Samsung SCH-600 cell – Windows Mobile Smartphone for the Verizon network – about three years old, but perfect, never used condition. Original packaging. As is.
• IBM Thinkpad T43p - heavily equipped previous generation Pentium M system - works perfectly and is an ideal spare or secondary system for anyone - very good condition. 15\” standard-width display – 1450 x 1050 resolution. 80 Gb hard drive, 1 Gb RAM, Windows XP Pro. DVD Writer, IBM Port Replicator, two AC adapters (I might be able to find a third – no promises on that). Out of warranty, as is.

In looking at Woot.com’s “deal of the day” today, I saw they are offering iMate’s Momento 100 digital picture frame. At first blush, and the immediate impulse to click away, I paused and read a little further . . . and an idea hit me. First, it’s not an ordinary digiframe for several reasons:

• It’s a larger than typical 10.2″ frame
• It’s a cheaper than usual for the size frame - Wooted at $129.95 for the day - I had seen one literally last night at a West Orange, New Jersey Staples for $289 - same frame
• It’s WiFi-enabled

I’ve been thinking about the idea of wireless digiframes for awhile. After all, instead of laboriously having to copy fresh photos to an SD card and plugging it into a traditional frame, who wouldn’t want to create visual versions of “playlists” - “photoplaylists” on your PC and just stream them from your home server or laptop or media center or wherever you keep your digipics. So that’s cool, right? But as I read the Woot description, I saw that you can also authorize other people to upload pics, via the Net, directly to your frame.

By the way, here’s a YouTube review of the device: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCFNdm-2vkI.

Let me repeat that - you mount your digiframe on the wall at home, powered by some AA batteries. My brother in San Francisco can log into the MomentoLive website and stream his photos of my new niece, Sadie, to *my* frame? The possibilities seem limitless - how about a site that let’s me stream fine art images, so I can have a poor man’s version of Bill Gate’s “wall of masters” digital art gallery? How about streaming visual files directly to a client, or to an expert - without having to do anything on their PC - just to glance at the nice picture frame on their desk or on their wall at home (with their express permission of course!)

Of course, this does open up some opportunity for mischief. I wonder precisely what we’ll be viewing when I give my geographically far-flung family members access to my new frame, currently on the way from Woot. One thing I know for certain - techno.pals Bruce Dorner, Dan Coolidge and Jim Calloway are NOT getting login information!

Much to the surprise of many, Microsoft announced (at least for now), it is not planning on adjusting the June 30^th deadline for shipping retail copies of Windows XP. I think they’ll change their minds, or at least continue to make XP available to “select” customers (read: large enterprise customers).

I think this is especially surprising in light of the widely-publicized challenges created by Vista’s first service pack – it’s been a fairly significant disappointment. However, in the usual Microsoft fashion of being incredibly vague, there will apparently be a NEW version of XP – huh? A NEW version of a discontinued operating system? Apparently MS is scheduled to announce XP Starter Edition, a stripped down XP for low-priced PC systems (hey . . . stripped down XP? Would the word “lean” apply??? If so . . . this may be interesting . . . ).