Google Reader Shutting Down

Google Reader is a great app that I have used for years to find and filter information of interest on the internet.  Unfortunately Google has decided to end the service as of July 1.  What to do?  What to do?

For the last couple of weeks I have been sampling alternatives, trying to find a replacement for my valued Reader.  I believe I have succeeded.  Feedly is a snappy reader that is helping me to forget al about Google Reader.  

As the folks at Feedly explain it:  Feedly is a news reader for creative minds. Seamless migration from Google Reader.  Feedly combines the visual appeal of a magazine with the efficiency and convenience of an RSS reader. The result is a powerful tool which allows you to organize, read and share the information which helps you stay current and creative in your life.

Feedly syncs with Google Reader. When you read an article in feedly, it is marked as read in Google Reader. When you save an article in feedly, it is starred in google reader. When you add a source in feedly, it is added to Google Reader.

When you find an article you like, you can easily share it on Twitter, LinkedIn or Evernote. Directly or via the Buffer app.

Click here to get feedly.

Feedly is also available on iOS and Android phones and tablets and syncs seamlessly through the clouds:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.devhd.feedly
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/feedly/id396069556
http://www.amazon.com/DevHD-Feedly-Your-News-Deck/dp/B0050DZN4K

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The Video Wall

Ours is a less-paper practice at Harding & Associates Family Law.  Everything is converted to digital format.  For the most part if we work on a document, we do so on our computer.  Research is all done electronically.  Much of our practice is handled with software applications.  The days of spreading books and papers all over the desktop are long gone.  The one problem I found with this practice was a when it came to meeting with clients.  In many instances I did not have a piece of paper to show to the client.  Swiveling my computer monitor around so that the client could review a document with me, or look at a Dissomaster screen, or so that we could simultaneously see an internet page just did not work well.  What to do?

I was having a phone chat with my friend Ken Raggio, a family lawyer in Dallas, and he explained that he had recently installed a flat screen television in his office.  He connects it wirelessly to his laptop and then uses it as a jumbo monitor when he meets with clients.  Sounds good, but not a perfect solution for me.  I did not want to have to fire up a laptop, log onto the office network, and then use the laptop and the TV while working with the client. I was also concerned with wireless transmission speeds.  I wanted a big screen that could act as an external monitor for my desktop computer, without any signal lag. Nonetheless, Ken had planted the seed, and the spending began.

The Before Picture

First the location.  The east wall of my office had the most free space, and it was at a 90 degree angle to my desk allowing clients to easily swivel to their left and view.

I called my family electrician (a good guy to have).  In three hours he had hard wired a dedicated plug and a video box.

Next I found a great Samsung Smart, flat screen television.  The Smart designation was important.  Smart TV refers to computer-like features and internet connected technologies that are built into the television, such as web browsing and social networking.  I have always found it sound practice to go with new technologies that can grow in the future rather than buying last year's model, and outgrowing it next year.  The Samsung model that I bought is a Smart TV, and it comes with an abundance of USB, HDMI, and AV ports.  Of course it is designed to connect to a computer.  At 55" there would be no doubt it would be big enough, and easy enough for viewers to see from roughly ten feet away.  At the same time I ordered a flat wall mount.

The hardware arrived a week later.  Hanging the wall mount was a piece of cake.  Did it myself in about thirty minutes.
 

Next step was to get my IT guy out.  The cable run from my computer to the TV was too long for HDMI.  A USB cable does not work for running a TV as a monitor (at least not the USB 2.0 ports that I have on my computer).  So my IT guy connected the TV to the computer with a CAT5/ethernet cable, an adapter on the TV end and a video card on the computer end.

Then I hooked the TV to the mount, plugged in the cables, and powered her up.  Walked over to the computer, selected the external monitor from the Windows controls and Voila!  We are computing large.  Not only are we computing large, but because of the high def the TV is clearer and sharper than the computer monitors on my desk!

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Apple iOS 7

Apple devotees always have higher than reasonable expectations for new stuff coming out of Apple's annual developers conference; and advance reviews of new operating systems from Apple are usually hyper critical.  Guess what?  Apple has announced the new iOS 7 operating system for iPhones and iPads, and the advance reviews are not all bad.  In fact, I would say this year's advance reviews are more positive than usual.  Some techies are even loving what they are seeing.

I consider Boy Genius Report (www.bgr.com) to be a fairly neutral and reliable source of tech information.  There is a series of reviews over at BGR that I have found to be particularly insightful regarding iOS 7.  Click here to check out all the fun stuff hitting the electronic highway via iOS 7 this fall.

Please visit hardinglaw.com for more information about Harding & Associates Family Law

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Straighten and Deskew PDF Pages in Acrobat XI

Straighten and Deskew PDF Pages in Acrobat XI

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How About a Tablet for $99!

Hisense today entered the tablet marketplace with the Sero 7 Series, delivering category-leading battery performance, stunning screen quality and exceptional value. The Hisense Sero 7 PRO ($149) and the Sero 7 LT ($99) are available in Walmart stores and on Walmart.com on May 24.

Hisense Sero 7 PRO is a 7-inch 1280 x 800 High Definition touch screen powered by NVIDIA's Tegra 3 quad-core processor and runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Key features include:• NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor

• Android 4.2 Jelly Bean

• 7 inch, 1280 x 800 IPS display

• 1GB of RAM

• 8GB of on-board memory

• 2.0MP front camera

• 5.0MP rear camera with flash and auto-focus

• Mini HDMI, SD, and USB ports

• 10-hour battery life - Twonky Beam, which allows users to share local and Internet resources with other equipment via a DLNA network• Built-in NFC (Near Field Communications) to share pictures, playlists and videos clips

• Bluetooth enabled, providing secure transmission of data to and from devices

"Tegra 3's quad-core processor and fifth battery saver core deliver outstanding performance and amazing battery life," said John Lonergan, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Americas, NVIDIA. "The Hisense Sero 7 PRO, powered by Tegra 3, functions effortlessly with battery-saving technology and brilliant graphic capabilities, providing an amazing experience at a fantastic price for consumers."$99 Tablet With Stunning Screen, Unmatched Features

The Sero 7 LT is a feature-packed introductory tablet that is the foundation for the Sero 7 family. It is a perfect gift, PC companion or introduction of technology to a young child at just $99. Features include:• 1.6 GHz dual core processor

• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

• 7 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel display

• Built-in WiFi, Mini HDMI, SD, and Micro USB ports

• 1GB of RAM

• 4GB internal memory

In addition to being Google Play certified which provides users with an almost-endless array of apps, games and more, the Hisense Sero 7 tablets come preinstalled with VUDU, walmart.com, sams.com, Nook eReader, Pandora Internet Music, Facebook and NVIDA's TegraZone applications.

Did I mention that pricing starts at $99?  

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