Author / Brett Burney

by Brett Burney

TextExpander Discount To “Lubricate” Your Writing Process

There are little snippets of text and phrases that you type over and over many times throughout the day. Why do you keep typing them over and over when the computer can do that FOR you?

I can’t remember exactly where I heard that quote but I love it because it appropriately describes what TextExpander can do for you every single day. Whether it’s your e-mail address, phone number, office address, courthouse, judge’s name, etc. there are things you type every day over and over and over and over. And if you are manually typing those things every single time, you are WASTING TIME!

Why not let the computer actually do something FOR you? TextExpander is one of those tools that is a NO-BRAINER.

My free TextExpander Webinar last month was a HUGE success and I’m thankful for everyone that logged in. And we’ve continued the conversation on TextExpander in the Small Firm Bootcamp Facebook Group (closed group for members of the Small Firm Bootcamp course – you can sign up here).

Even better, the folks at MacBundler are offering a 1-year subscription to TextExpander for only $19.98 which is half the regular price of $39.96. This is my affiliate link to the site or you can visit www.macbundler.com on your own and search for TextExpander. This is the best price I’ve seen for TextExpander, equivalent to the upgrade pricing if you owned an older version of TextExpander.

The subscription is good for Mac, Windows, and iOS since TextExpander now works across ALL of those platforms. Plus with the subscription all of your snippets sync across devices.

If you don’t have TextExpander yet, I strongly recommend picking up a 1-year subscription from MacBundler. And then start with something simple like your e-mail address. My “official” e-mail address is burney@burneyconsultants.com but I never, NEVER type it all out – it’s not very long but it takes a few extra seconds each time to type that repeatedly throughout the day. I simply type “bc@” (without the quotes) and it IMMEDIATELY expands out my full e-mail address. Start as simple as that, then add your office phone number, your office address, etc.

And for a Pro Tip look into the “inline search” function which is wonderful when you start getting too many snippets to remember all the time.

Let me know if you have any questions – always happy to talk about TextExpander!

by Brett Burney

Tips, Notes & Links – Apple Notes and Preview Tips

Tips, Notes & Links – my useful discoveries from around the Web accompanied by my thoughts for Mac-using legal professionals.

1Fix for 1Password

If you use 1Password (and you most definitely should) and you purchased it from the developer (AgileBits) then you may have received an error message this past week. I got it on both my Mac mini and MacBook Air but fixed the problem quickly and easily by manually updating the application. The error message was a result of a “perfect storm” of several factors described on the AgileBits blog and appleinsider blog.

The process is fast and painless – just follow the directions in this post from AgileBits complete with a video.

If you purchased 1Password from the Mac App Store then you were not affected.

A Note is a Note is a Note is a Note

 

Good tips from @AppAdvice on workflows using the Share menus in macOS and iOS for Apple’s Notes app.

I find myself using Notes more and more because 1) it’s built in, 2) it’s quick, and 3) I know that I can get access to my notes immediately from my Macs, iPhone and iPads.

Yes Evernote works the same way but it’s too bloated for quick notes.

I find myself using OneNote more than Evernote these days, but still not the best for quick notes.

Drafts is fantastic but just more than what I need for quick notes.

I used Simplenote before Notes got better in iOS 9.

Preview for More than PDFs…

Great list of tips for using Preview on your Mac from MakeUseOf.

My faves:

#3 – Create a New Image from Clipboard

#10 – Turn Image Backgrounds Transparent

See If You Need some USB-C

David Pogue really, REALLY loves the DART-C USB-C laptop charger. And even though I haven’t gone all USB-C yet (it’s only a matter of time), I think I love it too!

Here is his review of the DART-C.

The HORROR…

Make it STOP!

(Dinosaur head business person picture courtesy of GRATISOGRAPHY by photographer Ryan McGuire)

 

by Brett Burney

FREE Webinar “Magic Text Creation for Busy Lawyers” with the Amazing TextExpander (Thurs., Feb. 23, 2017)

If you’re not using TextExpander then I guarantee that you’re wasting valuable minutes of your day. I’m presenting a FREE webinar this Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017 where I will show you exactly what you need to know to incorporate the amazing TextExpander into your practice and SAVE TIME!

Do you type?

Do you want to save valuable minutes every day?

If you answered “Yes” to both questions (who wouldn’t???) then read on …

 

It amazes me how many lawyers actually CHOOSE to perform extra, manual, senseless work that the computer can do for them. Valuable minutes are wasted every day typing the same repetitive keystrokes. TextExpander tangibly and practically improves your daily efficiency and your overall practice. (Just ask Neil Tyra of The Law Entrepreneur!)

If you type everyday, and you long to be more efficient, then you can’t afford to miss a FREE webinar this Thursday (Feb. 23, 2017) where you will learn EXACTLY how to incorporate the indispensable TextExpander into your practice.

This FREE webinar is hosted by my good friend Ernie Svenson (aka “Ernie the Attorney”) who also offers the fantastic Small Firm Bootcamp course. I’ve been working with Ernie on cooking up a live Small Firm Bootcamp event offering hands-on workshops on items like TextExpander. We’ll provide more info on the live Bootcamp soon, but for now just sign up for the FREE webinar “Magic Text Creation for Busy Lawyers” and you’ll be on the mailing list to learn more.

I’ve spoken about the remarkable benefits of TextExpander before in November of 2012. Planet10Tech was gracious to record the presentation but so much has changed and improved in the last 4 years that you need to attend the FREE webinar this Thursday (Feb. 23). I’ll show you exactly how to incorporate TextExpander into your practice.

If you’re repeatedly typing the same things every day like e-mail addresses, client or judges’ names, thank you e-mails, date & time stamps, etc., then you are LITERALLY WASTING TIME!!

We’ll start off with simple snippets in TextExpander and then dig a little deeper into constructing complicated documents and designing form fields. And lastly I’ll share a gaggle of valuable tips & tricks to ensure you’re getting the most out of TextExpander. And like past webinars, we’ll keep answering your questions for as long as you’re asking them!

Sign up for the FREE webinar “Magic Text Creation for Busy Lawyers” and I’ll see you there!

by Brett Burney

Tips, Notes & Links – Microsoft Office Alternatives (or not) and a Powerful Pointer on PDF Printing

Tips, Notes & Links – my useful discoveries from around the Web accompanied by my thoughts for Mac-using legal professionals.

Microsoft and Mac Make a Lovely Pair…

Great list of Microsoft Office alternatives from MakeUseOf to answer the question I still continue to get: “What can I use to edit Microsoft Word documents without buying Microsoft Office?”

And I respond by saying the very fact they are asking about MICROSOFT WORD documents reveals they should make the professional investment in Microsoft Office … and today that means a subscription to Office 365.

But I do like the mention of Microsoft Office Online at which is FREELY available with a FREE Microsoft account allowing anyone to use Microsoft Word in the browser (similar to Google Docs). And this gets even better if you have a subscription to Office 365.

And if you want to stick it to the man and not pay Microsoft then download the FREE Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or Excel apps and subscribe to Office 365 from inside one of those apps. You won’t save any money, but Apple gets 30% of what you pay 🙂

And by the way, if you have one of them new-fangled MacBook Pros with a Touch Bar AND you’re a Microsoft “Office Insider“, you can start using it with Office apps.

Don’t Be A Paster Hater…

Great write-up on how to use Alfred as a clipboard manager from @thesweetsetup.

I used LaunchBar for several years which is very similar to Alfred and was terrific. But like @thesweetsetup article I stopped using it when Spotlight got so much better at launching applications and finding documents.

A few months ago, however, I did need to find a good clipboard manager and found EXACTLY what I needed with Paste from www.pasteapp.me.

Paste has a beautiful, minimal, graphical interface that I can search when needed. The best part is that I can either paste exactly what’s on the clipboard (with all the formatting), or I have a shortcut (Shift + ⌘ + V) that pastes the plain-text of whatever I’ve copied (you have to install the Paste Helper utility separately).

I plan to post a video review of Paste here very soon.

A Perfectly Practical PDF Tip

Great PDF tip from Jonny Evans, the Apple Holic at Computer World.

I use the PDF dropdown in the Print dialog ALL THE TIME but I’ve never taken the time to customize the list. So next time I’m doing some research and saving web articles as PDF files I’ll automate the folder location where I save them.

Smarter Safari Surfin’

Always smart to skim through Safari tips since it’s an app that we use every day. After all, more and more of what we do is inside a browser instead of standalone software.

I was familiar with most of these tips although my favorite by far is the Reader View. If you’re not using this on your Mac, iPhone & iPad, then I don’t know how you can tolerate web pages today that throw gobs of ads and videos and cyber-detritus at you.

And another great list from MakeUseOf on Safari extensions. I try to keep my extensions to a minimum so my Safari overhead is low, but I couldn’t use Safari without extensions from 1Password or OneNote (which has largely replaced the use of the Evernote extension).

(Bunny picture courtesy of GRATISOGRAPHY by photographer Ryan McGuire)

by Brett Burney

ABA Webinar: Macs in Law – The Latest and Greatest Developments from Apple (January 11, 2017 @ 1:00pm EST)

If you’re interested in the latest news on using Macs in a law practice, don’t miss the ABA Webinar today: Macs in Law – The Latest and Greatest Developments from Apple.

I’m thrilled to be presenting this webinar with Mac-using lawyer Katie Floyd, who is also the co-host of the amazing Mac Power Users podcast.

Katie and I will be discussing the pros & cons of using a Mac in a law practice, what Mac that lawyers should consider purchasing, and a variety of software applications that keep a Mac law office humming.

Whether you’re considering switching to a Mac, or you’ve been using a Mac for years, you’ll pick up some great tips and recommendation from the Macs in Law webinar today.

Registration page is here.

by Brett Burney

My Wireless Keyboard Never Needs Batteries or Re-Charging!

I’m a big fan of many Logitech keyboards, and highly recommend the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 which never requires replacement batteries!

Last month, BGR posted about my favorite wireless keyboard: the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750.

I actually use the black Logitech K750 for my Windows machine in my office, but there is a lovely silver version specifically for Mac … complete with the Alt/Option & Command keys.

I’ve been using the wireless Logitech Solar K750 for close to 6 years and it has been fantastic. AND I’VE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERIES!!!!

Two “solar” panels above the Function keys work with ANY light source. I’ve never used it outside, so the lamp and overhead light in my office (and presumably the light from my multiple monitors) keep the thing running all the time.

You can download Logitech’s “Solar App” if you want to track the battery life, but I rarely open it. A little sunshine button on the keyboard launches the app.

There’s also an on-off switch on the keyboard if you need to preserve battery life (I never turn it off).

The Logitech Solar K750 is a full-size keyboard, complete with a number pad on the right so make sure you have enough room on your desk. This is better than the OLD wireless Apple keyboard that came with iMacs. The rounded backs on these OLD wireless Apple keyboards were round and held two AA batteries, WHICH I HAD TO REPLACE SO OFTEN!!!!

The NEW wireless Apple keyboard (what Apple calls the “Magic Keyboard“) released in October 2015 does NOT use disposable batteries, but rather an internal rechargeable battery that is charged via a USB-to-Lightning cable.

Apple does sell a full-size keyboard WITH a numeric keypad but it is wired.

The Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 (black/Windows or silver/Mac) NEVER has to be re-charged OR have its disposable batteries replaced.

This is NOT a Bluetooth keyboard, but comes with a teeny-tiny USB receiver that Logitech calls the Unifying Receiver. And while you must give up a USB slot, the Unifying Receiver is kinda amazing – it can connect up to 6 devices on one receiver. I actually use it to connect BOTH the Solar Keyboard AND the Logitech Anywhere Mouse MX and it works great.

A couple of other interesting Logitech keyboards:

(Post contains affiliate links to Amazon.com. Please feel free to visit Amazon separately.)

by Brett Burney

FREE Webinar! Brett Burney to Speak on Boosting Mac Efficiency in Small Law Firms – December 15, 2016

Are you already using a Mac in your practice but believe you should be MORE efficient?

Are you considering moving from Windows to a Mac but just want to be sure it’s the right decision?

Then don’t miss my FREE webinar I’m hosting with my friend Ernie Svenson (aka Ernie the Attorney) at Paperlesschase.com and Small Law Firm Bootcamp. I’ve know Ernie for many years ever since he started using a Mac in his law practice.

Last week I gave a presentation on Macs at the Ohio State Bar Technology Conference and a gentleman attended who had been using a Mac for 2 months. He recently switched after getting completely frustrated with the “forced” updates from Microsoft to upgrade to Windows 10. We had a great discussion and I offered him several suggestions for streamlining his daily work on the Mac and he was thrilled.

I’ve updated my entire presentation on laywers using Macs and can’t wait to present “Boosting Mac Efficiency in Small Law Firms” on Thursday, Dec. 15 from 1:00pm-2:00pm Eastern.

More information and registration here.

by Brett Burney

From Tools & Toys: Great iOS Apps for Managing and Enjoying Content

Great collection from Tools and Toys.

I still hear people criticize the iPad as just a gadget for "consuming" information rather than "creating" information.

And I’ve always said GREAT!

Because isn’t that what most of us are doing every day? Consuming information from blogs, websites, news pubs, videos, books, radio, podcasts, Twitter, Facebook, etc. etc. If an iPad can HELP us consume information BETTER than GREAT!

The only addition I would make is Mr. Reader for RSS feeds on the iPad. I use Reeder 3 on my iPhone (as Tools & Toys suggests) but Mr. Reader is so much more customizable on the iPad.

See Great iOS Apps for Managing and Enjoying Content

by Brett Burney

Apps in Law – New Blog Featuring Mercifully Short Video Reviews of Apps for Lawyers Using iPhones & iPads

I’m happy to announce my latest project Apps in Law at www.appsinlaw.com. I offer short video review of apps that lawyers can use on their iPhones and iPads.

I plan to offer at least one review each week and readers can subscribe to the newsletter to be notified of new reviews.

Visit Apps in Law to view the reviews so far for iAnnotate, Week Calendar, Noteshelf, and GoodReader. And be sure to subscribe to the newsletter while you’re there!