Category Archives: Mobile Productivity

Attorneys Love Their iPads. Must it be $2,000 Worth of Love?

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I work with many Am Law 100 (top 100 law firms in the US) who provide iPads to their attorneys. It’s public information that many of these firms achieve millions of dollars of profit per equity partner. Investing $2,000 to enable these profit-generating attorneys to work from anywhere and to be more responsive to their elite clients is a simple calculation.

iPads are fantastic. They are portable. The Pencil is fluid. It’s quick to get to work. Try comparing your time-to-work on an iPad with loading your Citrix desktop!

But what if your firm does not quite have the budget to put a $2,000 iPad Pro kit in each of your attorneys’ hands?

In 2024, there has been a new development in the iPad family. The processor in the iPad Air is now upgraded to the Apple M2, which puts it on par with the iPad Pro 2022. I’ve traveled with the 11″ iPad Air. The light weight is a breeze, and the screen size is perfect for my needs. I love it.

I sent this brief summary (below) of iPad Pro and iPad Air pricing to a law firm IT Director who is considering buying iPads. He told me that it presents possibilities. Feel free to share it, as it may open doors for you and your firm.

Sources: Apple Website and Tom’s Guide

The 11″ iPad Air starts at $599. However, that price is with 128GB of storage and supports WiFi-only. Above, I show relative iPad prices with 512GB of storage, where available, as I would not recommend anything below 512GB. I have also shown pricing for WiFi-only and Cellular-enabled models. The pricing above does not include cellular service.

As shown, you can opt for a 13″ iPad Pro with 512GB and Cellular-enabled for $1,699.
Or, an 11″ iPad Air with 512 GB, also Cellular-enabled, is $1,049.

With any iPad, a Pencil is a must-have. The ability to take notes and mark up documents and images with a Pencil is one of the joys and conveniences of working with an iPad. The Apple Pencil Pro is $129, the Apple Pencil is $79.

I also consider a keyboard necessary for real work. The Apple brand keyboards are pricey with the Apple 13″ Magic Keyboard at $349. There are many highly rated aftermarket keyboards, starting at $39. The Zagg Pro Keyboard with Case lists at $170 (13″) and $110 (11″). They are frequently discounted at 30% off.

In summary, let’s look at two options:

13″ iPad Pro, 512GB, Cellular-enabled, Pencil Pro, aftermarket keyboard ($170) = $1,998

11″ iPad Air, 512GB, Cellular-enable, Pencil Pro, aftermarket keyboard ($110) = $1,288

The delta is ~ $700 per kit.

You don’t have to rely on my analysis – read Jeff Richardson, aka, iPhoneJD. Jeff is an appellate attorney and an avid iPad Pro user. He also writes the best product reviews that any legal user could wish for. Jeff publishes a weekly “In the News” blog which you can subscribe to and receive in your inbox every Friday morning.

Here is the summary from Jeff’s May 2024 review of the new 13″ iPad Pro. For his practice, he prefers the 13″ iPad Pro, but he recommends the iPad Air to “most attorneys.”

With the nice new improvements to the iPad Air, very few users will have a reason to say that they truly need the iPad Pro versus the iPad Air. But anyone who enjoys using an iPad and does so regularly will have a reason to want a new iPad Pro because it is simply a better overall experience. The core of using an iPad is holding a screen in your hand and interacting with it. Making the iPad thinner and lighter, making the screen better, and giving you new accessories that improve the interaction with the screen are all improvements to the most important parts of the iPad. Add to that the M4 chip for even snappier performance and the other improvements and there is simply a lot to love. I’m sure that many people will decide to save several hundred dollars and go with an iPad Air, and that is a perfectly reasonable choice. It is even the choice that I would recommend to most attorneys. But if you are OK with spending more money for a premium experience, the new iPad Pro is not just the best iPad ever, it is one of the best Apple products ever. The iPad Pro 13″ M4 is incredible.
– Jeff Richardson, iPhone J.D.

Jeff captures it well.

It’s certainly worth it to take another look at the iPad Air.

-Maureen

App Authentication Gets Easier with Intune

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Remember the early days of MDM (Mobile Device Management)? You know, that company-mandated thing which black-listed your apps, tracked your movements, and monitored which websites you browsed?

We’ve come a long way from those days. Recent developments from Microsoft make authentication and data management easier for both users and for IT admins. Let’s take a look at these newer offerings from Microsoft and how you can benefit from them with our LINK App.

Integration with the Intune SDK and Microsoft Authentication Library

We have integrated the Microsoft Intune SDK and the Microsoft Authentication Library (MSAL) into our LINK App. If you are either an Azure Entra ID user, an Intune user, or both, our integration offers a simpler experience for users and IT alike.

Fewer sign-ins for both frequent and occasional LINK users

Integrating MSAL into our LINK App allows LINK to leverage Microsoft Authenticator as an authentication “broker.” This means that LINK employs the familiar federated sign-in process used by the Office apps from Microsoft. If you are signed-in to Office, you are signed-in to LINK without any additional password prompts. From the security and policy perspective, LINK supports all of your conditional access policies, including:

  • MFA requirements (either with MS Authenticator or a 3rd party such as Duo)
  • Device requirements (e.g., requiring Intune deployment)

Focused security of your data with MAM policies

LINK’s integration with the Intune SDK adds another layer of security and simplicity to managing and securing LINK. In addition to the standard MDM policies and management tools, Intune supports a different type of policy known as Mobile Application Management (MAM). These MAM policies apply to all apps that support the Intune SDK, including the Microsoft suite of apps and 3rd party apps like LINK. Many MAM policies are particularly focused on the careful treatment of corporate data.

Apps with MAM policies can be used together to enable secure workflows. For example, MAM policies allow our LINK App to share a document from a Document Management System to the Word app for secure, yet uncomplicated, editing.

MAM is a great way to ensure the security of your corporate data without asking users to give up any control of their personal devices.

Image Source: Microsoft

LINK for Intune

To add MAM support to LINK, we have released a new app – LINK for Intune. Deploying LINK for Intune offers the same functionality as the “regular” LINK app, and it adds in a deeper integration with Intune so that policies can be applied to LINK even when the device is not MDM-managed.

With these recent developments from Microsoft, we think that the optimal path going forward is:

  • Use the Microsoft Intune SDK and the Microsoft Authentication Library (MSAL) to simplify authentication
  • Advance from “managed devices” to “managed apps” using Intune MAM policies

Are you considering moving to these newer approaches? What questions or observations do you have? You may download our Intune brief here.

-Seth

Seth Hallem is the Mobile Helix CEO, Co-founder, and Chief Architect

Mobile Helix makes the LINK App which is used by attorneys and knowledge professionals to review, edit, annotate, compare, and email documents from a single, secure app.

At iManage ConnectLive 2022 in Chicago

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On October 12th and 13th, iManage held their first in-person ConnectLive conference since 2019. It was at the Willis Tower in iManage’s home town of Chicago. Attendance was very good. Attendees reported that they were very pleased with the content of the sessions. The venue, Convene in the Willis Tower, was wonderful, adding to the friendly ambiance.

Meredith Williams-Range and Neil Araujo at iManage ConnectLive, Oct. 12, 2022

One of my favorite sessions was a fireside chat between Meredith Williams-Range, Chief Knowledge and Client Value Officer at Shearman & Sterling, and Neil Araujo, iManage’s CEO and co-founder. Ms. Williams-Range is a leader in the world of digital knowledge management. In 2018 Williams-Range arrived at Shearman and Sterling, a firm founded in 1873. The firm had one billion documents in locations across the globe, an aged document management system, and very little process around associating files with a Client-Matter and filing to DMS.

They studied the way forward and decided that they would migrate to a cloud-based document management system. This was not a minor decision for a Big Law firm in New York City. Risk averse clients, including those in financial services, have historically been opposed to cloud storage. However, the team worked with their clients to educate them about the change. Ultimately, there was no client resistance. Kudos!

Of course, then COVID hit. Their decision served them well. They were able to migrate to iManage’s Work 10 Cloud during the pandemic. The migration was a success.

For more background on Ms. Williams-Range’s pioneering career and her work at Shearman, I recommend this Profile Magazine spotlight, Meredith Williams-Range Builds the Law Firm of the Future.

To all of the attendees, heavens, it was wonderful to see you again and to show you the latest enhancements in our LINK app. I have to say that the most appreciated new feature in our LINK app was automated check-in after editing.

Here’s what I mean. In our LINK app, check a file out of iManage Work. Edit it in the Word app. Then there is an easy process for the lawyer to check the edited version back into iManage Work. But…if the lawyer does not check the edited version into iManage Work, LINK will automatically check it in. Voila! Lots of love for automatic check-in.

ConnectLive 2023 may be back in NYC. We’ll see you there!

-Maureen

The Modern Lawyer Report from Above the Law and Litera

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How Technology, Mobile Devices, and AI Are Shaping the Legal Industry in 2022

In February of 2022, Above the Law interviewed 500 attorneys on their views on technology, mobile devices, artificial intelligence (AI), and more. Of those 500, Associates made up 32%, Partners were 26%, and in-house counsel were over 12%. Above the Law and Litera have published their findings in The Modern Lawyer Report.

Over 58% over these lawyers consider themselves to be slightly ahead of the curve or a trendsetter in terms of use of technology. The lawyers who agreed to participate in this technology survey appear to be more tech-savvy than the general lawyer population.

Above the Law / Litera

Mobile Device Usage

Roughly 57% of attorneys reported that they can do “many things” or “everything” on mobile devices. From our vantage point this seems high, but consider the point above, that the majority of the attorneys who responded self-report that they are ahead of the curve in using technology. From our view of law firms, the third option, “I can follow email on mobile but that’s about it,” is the the common state of the art in law firms today.

Above the Law / Litera

Document review and approval is certainly the greatest need which attorneys and legal professionals have on mobile devices. Our clients tell us that the ability to review, annotate, compare, sign, and email documents in order to have complete workflows is their goal.

Above the Law / Litera

What is delaying mobile device adoption?

The report cities, “One partner stated, “My vision is too poor to work on such small screens,” while an in-house respondent noted that “security risks preclude the ethical use of mobile for most legal tasks.”

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence or AI is a somewhat amorphous term, granted. Over 60% of these advanced technology users consider AI to be valuable to business success in legal services.

Above the Law / Litera

One of the conclusions of The Modern Lawyer Report is that, especially with respect to mobile devices and artificial intelligence, lawyers are not taking advantage of technology’s full capabilities. There is plenty of opportunity for them to adopt these technologies further.

Update: Here is a link to register and download the report from Litera.

If you have questions or comments, I’d like to hear from you. Write to: contact at mobilehelix dot com

-Maureen

Maureen Blando is the President and COO of Mobile Helix, the makers of the LINK encrypted app for lawyers. LINK provides simple workflows for Document Management and Email in a single, secure app. Note: the LINK App offers font sizes up to XXL. (See above. for relevance.)

Meet LINK: The Easy Way To Handle All Your Document Workflows On Your Mobile Device In A Single App

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By Stephanie Wilkins

From Above the Law, a new product profile on our LINK app.

Here’s an excerpt:

Do Everything, Everywhere With LINK

When you think about the tools you use most in your day-to-day work, your document management system (DMS) and Outlook are probably at the top of the list. Working in both on your mobile device, though, has historically been a huge struggle, if not impossible. LINK brings them together in a single, secure, easy-to-use app.

LINK is designed to support the workflows attorneys use all day, every day. The app works with today’s most popular mobile devices – iPhones, iPads, and Android phones and tablets – and supports the three leading document management systems, iManage Work®, NetDocuments, and eDocs by OpenText.

LINK for Smartphones and Tablets

LINK is solving the pervasive problem of lawyers being unable to adequately work on their mobile devices. With LINK, lawyers can fully access their documents, compare them, mark them up, edit them, email them, and more, as easily and securely as they can on a computer.

Read the full profile here.

Questions? Write to us at: contact at mobilehelix dot com.

-Maureen

The LINK App for Android is here!

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Yes! LINK is in production for Android smartphones and tablets.

Now you can use LINK’s workflows including annotation, comparison, and Word app editing with Manage Work® 10 on Android. NetDocuments and eDocs are supported, too! LINK is an encrypted container app therefore your files are separate from device access.

It looks fantastic, if I do say so myself. 🤩

Take a look at this brief video to see the LINK App’s easy workflows with DMS, Outlook, and web resources.🔽

LINK App for Android Video – 3 minutes

Let me know if you want to see a demo or to do a trial including Android, iOS, and iPadOS

-Maureen write to: contact at mobilehelix dot com

What is the LINK App? Find out in 112 seconds.

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In this short video, view the major features of our encrypted LINK app.

LINK is integrated with iManage, NetDocuments, and eDocs DMS as well as Outlook and SharePoint. LINK enables essential workflows in a single app. Review, annotate, compare, and email files. Edit securely with the Word App.

Want to learn more? Email us at: contact at mobilehelix dot com.

-Maureen

Get the Most from iManage Work® on Tablets and Smartphones with LINK

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https://vimeo.com/608594025

Our “baby,” the LINK App, is a full-fledged teenager now, growing by leaps and bounds and taking the car out for a spin.

If you have not seen LINK in the past 12 months, you’ll find this demo video an eye-opener. Split-screen mode and multi-tabbed view are a fantastically productive way to work on tablets. You work in several lives screens.

This new demo video is a quick way to see some of LINK’s best workflows. Use the timeline to go directly to the feature which you want to see. Let us know what you think. To schedule a demo, write to us: [email protected].

0:00 – Authentication
0:34 – LINK Home Screen
1:42 – SharePoint / Portal / Web Resources
2:15 – My Files in LINK
3:11 – Navigate in iManage Work
3:22 – Split-screen Mode & Multi-tab View
5:57 – Search iManage
7:30 – Quick Lookup – Client/Matter & Doc ID
8:42 – List All Files
9:36 – PDF Viewer Features
11:02 – Annotation
12:25 – Check-in to iManage
13:20 – Email a File from iManage
15:15 – Edit with the Word App
17:15 – Check-in to iManage
18:20 – Compare Edited Version
19:00 – Inbox: Search, Sort, Filter
19:28 – Open an NRL, Annotate, & Email
20:13 – Predictive & Multiple Filing to Outlook and iManage Folders
22:25 – Compose an Email, Attach a File in iManage, Send & File

Our next ILTA webinar is: “Email Management Integrated with DMS in the LINK App” on October 20th. You’ll see LINK’s email usability features as well as predictive filing to Outlook and DMS folders. Learn more and register HERE.

-Maureen

Productivity Boost: Compare Word Files in the LINK App

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Did you know that in our LINK App you can compare Word files?

  • Compare two files
  • Compare two versions of a file
  • Compare an attachment in email to a file in DMS

Watch this 16 second video to view comparing two versions of a file in iManage Work in the LINK App.

https://vimeo.com/565705436

LINK has the compareDocs engine from DocsCorp built-in for high fidelity comparison results within the LINK secure container.

LINK is integrated with iManage Work®, NetDocuments DMS, OpenText eDocs, and Outlook email. In a single app, compare your files, then email or check-in to DMS.

Watch this video to see full workflows using in-app comparison and using the Word app for editing.

https://vimeo.com/565376734

If have any questions, write to us at: contact at mobilehelix dot com. We’d be happy to answer your questions.

-Maureen

Word App Editing Just Got Easier for Lawyers with LINK

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We have developed several editing workflows using the Word app over the years. Our newest one is the easiest one which we have seen anywhere. This is in part because our LINK app securely integrates your Document Management System and Email with the Word app. Therefore, you can choose to edit a file from DMS or an email attachment and it will open directly in Word.

Take a look at our 2 minute, 44 second video to see this workflow.

Here’s what you don’t have to do in our workflow:

  1. No need to copy the file in the Word app. LINK encrypts the file and moves it to Word.
  2. No need to save the file as .docx in the Word file. LINK converts .doc to .docx for you.
  3. No need to delete the file from the Word app after editing. LINK deletes it.
https://vimeo.com/530569777

This video shows how straightforward it is to edit from LINK with the Word app.

LINK is integrated with iManage Work® 10, on-prem and in the Cloud; NetDocuments DMS; OneDrive; Network File Shares; and OpenText eDocs is in development. LINK is also integrated with Microsoft Exchange, therefore, you have your Outlook Email, Contacts, Calendar, Tasks, and Notes within the LINK App.

If your attorneys are looking for a simple way to edit files in DMS or in Outlook email with the Word app, email me. We are happy to show you a demo of this workflow.

-Maureen

contact @ mobilehelix dot com