There are gadgets - and then there are those gadgets that change the way you work. It’s probably not even fair to call many of these gadgets since some are really useful business tools. Once you have them, it’s hard to imagine how you functioned before. Think about how cell phones enable us to stay in touch with the office, family and clients no matter where we are. Of course, that’s also a mixed blessing!

I was one of the early adapters of Palm technology. The ability to have my contacts and calendar with me when I was out of the office was a huge improvement over predecessor systems. Umpteen years ago, I set up a paper Rolodex system. The advantage over a paper phone and address book was obvious: As people moved or changed information, I could replace the old card with an updated one. If a firm name changed, I could even move that to another section of the Rolodex. That system was replaced by a DOS-based database from which I devised a printout I could fit in a small date book. Keeping both the computer version and printed copy current was cumbersome; printing it was painful and time consuming.

My DOS-based database was imported into Time Matters nearly a decade ago, around time the first Palm pilots hit the market. Time Matters had one of the first links to the Palm and I quickly recognized the ability to keep my contact list both updated and portable.

Cell phones were developing on a parallel course. While they’ve actually been around 30 years, the early ones looked and felt like bricks. The reception was limited, voice quality poor and they were exorbitantly expensive. A 16-ounce phone from Motorola in 1983 cost $3,500 — and that didn’t include monthly service.

Meanwhile, as cell phones became ubiquitous, pagers were filling another need. This technology enabled people to immediately reach pager owners without interrupting them and without relying on cell phone towers for signals. Early pagers simply let people know someone called and left a return phone number. Gradually, the ability was added for the caller to send a text message. Over the past decade, these pagers, using wireless data transmissions, have morphed into Blackberry devices for sending and receiving e-mail.

The early Palm based phones seemed plagued by problems and regularly had to be reset or repaired. Even when they were working, there were complaints of poor battery life and reception. Even the first such phones (first Palm, then 3Com, now PalmOne) were clearly a compromise between the traditional Palm functions like the contact, calendar and to-do lists and a decent cell phone. The early Blackberry, which excelled at e-mail delivery, also suffered from limitations like hard-to-read screens.

Overlapping functions

In the past few years, there’s been a convergence of these technologies, as well as the functionality of gadgets like MP3 players and digital cameras. The latest Palms, Blackberrys and cell phones overlap in function. The good news is that for the most part, there are fewer compromises required.

Each of these competing devices has strengths and weaknesses; the trick is to figure out where to compromise and determine which best fits your most critical needs. The combination of my cell phone on its last legs and my husband’s Palm pilot dying gave me the push to purchase a Palm Treo 650 to replace my phone and Palm, and pass my Palm to my husband.

There were a number of considerations that weighed in favor of a Palm based phone solution. I already was a Verizon customer and it offered the Palm Treo 650. While it’s important to keep my contact and calendar information on my Palm, I also needed a high quality telephone since I’m often out of my office. I prefer having a single contact list on my phone from which I could make calls, and the Palm worked better than the Blackberry in this regard. The ability to check e-mail during the day wasn’t even on my wish list.

My main office application is Time Matters, which, with the release of version 7, has improved its Palm link. Version 7 added the ability to view Time Matters records and create billing records on the Palm for those who use their Billing Matters application.

Time Matters also has a similar link to the Blackberry. In working with clients who have both Palms and Blackberrys, we found Blackberry’s limited storage made it difficult to carry a firm’s entire contact list or a longer period of “event” records. Additionally, the Time Matters application on the Blackberry is separate from the Blackberry address book. This leaves people with two choices: Keep them separate, eliminating the ability to highlight and dial a name in the Time Matters contact list, or synchronize Time Matters to Outlook and then synchronize Outlook to the Blackberry. Space constraints still are a factor with this method.

Logical choice

Having used both Time Matters and a Palm device nearly 10 years, the Treo was my logical choice. While the quality of the built-in speaker isn’t as good as my old cell phone, there are benefits I didn’t anticipate. When I’m out of the office and a client or potential client calls, I don’t need paper to jot down phone numbers. As long as they were added to Time Matters and synched to the phone (which I do almost every day), the numbers are accessible anytime. While they were on my previous Palm, the simplicity of having them in my phone where a simple click lets me dial a number is a huge improvement.

Another unforeseen benefit is e-mail and web access. For years, I’ve instructed my clients that if they really must reach me, the best method is to call my office or cell phone rather than send e-mail. Now, I can monitor my e-mail from the road and send quick replies as needed. Similarly, the ability to access the internet for directions or quick information is incredibly convenient.

Recently, Palm introduced a new free tool, Avvenu. When installed on your office desktop, you can use a Palm Treo (it also works with several other Palm devices) to work with files on your computer. It’s similar to products like Gotomypc, but is designed to work from a Palm. To use it effectively, you should purchase an expansion card for additional storage, which will come in handy if you want to use the built-in digital camera or video recorder. You can even store MP3 music files on the device.

Blackberrys are the competing technology to Palm Treos, although new versions and models were recently announced but aren’t available yet. Blackberry’s strength is its ability to get e-mail as soon as it’s delivered to your server. I think the Treo is superior because it has a better telephone, better display (easier on older eyes), more built-in storage and the option to add an expansion card.
Anyone in the market for a new phone or a personal digital assistant also should consider what applications are used in the office and which platform best integrates with the main programs.

Much of the technology we rely on today began as cutting edge gadgets used by early adapters. We’ve come a long way since cell phones were cutting edge.

Carol L. Schlein is president of Law Office Systems in Montclair, a training and consulting firm specializing in law firm automation. Copies of previous columns are on her company website, www.losinc.com. For information about her quarterly meetings for Time Matters users, check the website or e-mail info@losinc.com. Schlein formerly chaired the Computer and Technology Division of the ABA Law Practice Management Section.

Questions for Carol L. Schlein on law office technology may be faxed to New Jersey Lawyer at (732) 650-7010, e-mailed to news@njlnews.com or mailed to “Law Technology Questions,” New Jersey Lawyer, Edison Square, 2035 Lincoln Highway, Suite 3005, Edison, N.J. 08817.