Peer to Peer Magazine

Fall 2015

The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association

Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/588021

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PEER TO PEER: THE QUARTERLY MAGA ZINE OF ILTA 48 When used with the newly released Windows 10, lightweight tablet- laptop hybrids offer amazing versatility and mobility for the law office. WINDOWS 10 WILL BE POPULAR Microsoft is making things easier with its latest products, including the newly released Windows 10, the Surface 4 (rumored to be coming out this fall) and Office 2016 (due out at the end of this year). Windows 10 brings back the Start Menu, which was missed by many users of Windows 8/8.1. The addition of Metro UI in Windows 8/8.1 — a customizable, full-screen menu in the form of tiles — was a controversial change and proved too difficult for many users to assimilate. Windows 10 promises to be popular in the workplace. Many firms that skipped Windows 8/8.1 will likely upgrade directly to 10, allowing those firms to deploy and manage Surface tablets, which do not support Windows versions before 8. In a departure from its usual M.O., Microsoft is letting home users upgrade to Windows 10 for free. The company has been all but forced to do this by relentless competition in the consumer market from Apple and Google, including the latter's free products that compete with Microsoft's flagship Office and inexpensive, Windows-free laptops. For lawyers who get comfortable with the new Windows at home, the transition to using it in the office will be easier, and the preloaded OS on new tablets and laptops will be familiar. With Windows 10, laptop and tablet users can operate the computer by: • Typing and clicking • Using the touch screen • Giving voice commands • Writing with a stylus For those who reluctantly adapt to upgrades, this flexibility is an advantage. Lawyers can use the technology as they wish, taking full advantage of bring your own device (BYOD) policies without putting a significant burden on IT support. THE ADVANTAGE WITH LAPTOP-TABLET HYBRIDS Nearly every manufacturer has a hybrid laptop-tablet. Lenovo has its Yoga series, HP has Pavilion, and Dell has Latitude. As an early adopter of every new Surface device and having used it as my primary computer for three years, I will focus on the advantages of using the Surface 4 with Windows 10. The Surface 4 is rumored to have significant improvements in performance with no major changes to the physical design. Like the Surface 3, it will be lightweight and ultrathin. With heightened performance and a new operating system, the tablet will allow attorneys to work from anywhere as they would in the office, and with increased flexibility. Talk: Aside from bringing back the Start Menu in the more traditional list form, Windows 10 has a virtual assistant, Cortana (comparable to Apple's Siri), that helps people use the system and manage their schedules. A Microsoft marketing video showed some of Cortana's features. Windows 10 on Tablet-Laptop Hybrids for the Law Office FEATURES

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