The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/4983
www.iltanet.org 46 Peer to Peer manufacturers are jumping on board in full force. Just a few vendors include ASUS, MSI, Lenovo, Samsung, Dell, HP and, more recently, Toshiba. Some of those names are kings in the standard laptop and desktop market, which means that they see how much money there is to be made with netbooks and want a piece of the pie. And what this also means is that we can expect to see many of these same vendors translate what works so well for the netbook market into their standard offerings — lighter computers, better Internet access, greater portability and more affordable pricing. When this happens, the line between netbooks (2-4 pounds and 8.9-11 inches), ultra portables (less than 4 pounds and 11-13 inches), general laptops (4-6 pounds and 13-15 inches), desktop replacement or development notebooks (more than 6 pounds and 16-18 inches) will begin to blur even further. Price is an entirely different matter. You just aren't going to see the high performance of ultra portable or all- purpose laptop computers at the same price as netbooks. But manufacturers are learning that consumers who want to pay only US$349 will sacrifice multimedia and multi-tasking. They know their market, and they know that many of us have two or three computers and carry different ones depending on the circumstance. Ross Kodner, Esq. of MicroLaw until recently carried two computers with him, one of which was a Lenovo IdeaPad S10. He still carries the netbook, but he has decided to leave his laptop workhorse back at the office. I haven't gotten to this point because my ultra portable laptop offers so much more than the netbook and only weighs 8 ounces more, but I can see where it can be an attractive alternative depending on what you predominately use your computer for while you are on the road. Security is getting better on netbooks, but it won't be as robust as what you will find within your organization simply because most netbook operating systems are designed for home users or because of reduced processing capabilities. One thing to make sure you do when the netbook arrives is to set a password. And it's probably not a good idea to keep client documents saved on the netbook because the same security software and encryption most likely hasn't been loaded. To get around this, some firms with emerging netbook user populations are beginning to distribute secure drives to be used for data storage. Risk management policies should be expanded to include document security and retention on a netbook. According to a recent article in PCWorld.ca, security for netbooks and ultra portables in general should be of great concerns to businesses. If firms put proper policy and procedures in place, however, many of these vulnerabilities can be minimized. The Verdict Netbooks have many advantages. The more people use them, the more they will evolve to meet our needs. But ILTA members and the legal industry in general cannot be proving grounds because of the risks involved in what we do. Many firms just aren't willing to take a chance on the new technology. Not yet at least — or are they? Here's the final verdict. At PayneGroup, we've started adding them to our general laptop pool, and those who want a netbook can have one, provided that they take additional security precautions that we stipulate in advance. While the keyboard is not ideal, it's still easier to use than a BlackBerry, and you have more options for editing documents on a netbook or connecting to the office. Part of the appeal is the compact size of the netbook. Dale Qualls said his ASUS Eee PC netbook is small and light and fits right into the saddle bags of his motorcycle so it goes anywhere. His firm, on the other hand, doesn't have plans to roll out netbooks to the general population anytime soon. Nathan Smith from McKee, Voorhees & Sease, P.L.C. agreed that they have no plans to add netbooks. "I find the screen geometries to be odd and too small. The other reason is that the attorneys often start out saying 'I just want to (browse the Web, check e-mail, whatever).' Seemingly fine tasks for a netbook. But it doesn't stop there, next thing you know they want to do actual work on it, and the tools are different; and, before you know it, you are supporting a unique platform you didn't ask for." Sean Brady said that while Vinson & Elkins has not yet purchased any netbooks, doing so is something that management has been discussing. This topic is something that I believe will be on many administrators' lists in the coming months. Ben Weinberger said that Lathrop & Gage LLP intends to purchase a significant quantity of netbooks to provide as loaners and that many people there have already expressed interest in carrying something smaller than the typical "full" laptop. So it seems that netbooks might be around for a while longer, and they will continue to improve. At the same time, I'm hoping laptops and netbooks will continue to meet somewhere in the middle; perhaps by creating a subultra laptop computer that has a 10-hour battery, costs under US$800, weighs three and a half pounds and yet has all of the functionality of my current ultra portable Dell laptop. One can always dream at least. ILTA donna Payne is ceo of Payne consulting Group. she is the recipient of the first ever consultant of the year award given by Law Technology News, and the lex Proficio award for lifetime service advancement of legal software and publishing. she is a frequent speaker at legal and technical conferences worldwide and has spoken to congressional committees, the senate, and at international judicial conferences on the subject of metadata and preventing accidental disclosure. donna is a columnist for several legal and technical publications and writes a monthly column, "test drive" for Law Technology News. she has been featured in syndicated articles on women in technology. donna and Payne consulting Group have authored 12 books on Microsoft software and are creators of Metadata assistant, forms, numbering and outlook send assistants. Payne is a Platinum sponsor of ilta.