Mophie Juice Pack Air-Egrips combo

I recently started using the Mophie Juice Pack Air case for my iPhone. This is a combination case and extra battery that effectively doubles the run time of the iPhone. It is a good solution for those of us who regularly run out of power on the road. Egrips makes a number of different styles of grip but I chose the universal fit model since the Juice Pack changes the dimensions of the iPhone a bit.

Some folks have reported that the Mophie can reduce the strength of the signal recieved by the iPhone. I haven't experienced that issue thankfully. My one complaint with the Juice Pack though is that it is very slippery. My solution is to put Egrips on the outside of the case. Egrips are rubber grips that you peel and apply. The result is a much less slippery feel to the Mophie Juice Pack. I feel far less likely to drop the iPhone/Juice Pack combo now. Recommended.

Mobile Legal Research

I have been using smartphones for the better part of five years now. Throughout this period, I have attempted to conduct mobile legal research on these devices with varying degrees of success. Apple's iPhone, however, has now made it possible for me to utilize a variety of different legal research resources with enough in the way of effectiveness to be worth while. It is possible that some of what I have written below will also apply to other mobile platforms like Palm's WebOS or Google's Android devices. I do not have much personal experience with those platforms though and for that reason I am limiting my discussion here to Apple's iPhone.

For most folks who have used the iPhone, the standout feature of the device is its web browser. While many smartphones have had the ability to browse the web, the Apple Safari browser on the iPhone is in it's own league in many respects. As a law librarian, it didn't take me long to realize the potential of this device for mobile legal research. While my results have been mixed to date, I do believe that the iPhone can fulfill the role of an "in a pinch" method of getting useful research done in a hurry.

First off, there are two ways to get to the law on the iPhone, the browser and the dedicated apps from the iPhone store. As the apps are more limited in scope than what the browser can accomplish, I'll start with them.

Lexis-The Lexis app is free at Apple's iTunes store. It's function is currently quite limited however. As of now, this app can pull cases and Shepardize them. That's really about it. Given the wealth of information available at Lexis.com, this is a bit of a disappointment. Note, while the app is free, you do need a password to access the service.




Blacks Law Dictionary-Available in full text at the app store. This could be a potentially useful app but at $49, I'd just assume pass on it. Most iPhone apps are little more than a dollar or two and fifty dollars for this app seems a bit steep to me. I have read that it is a pretty well done edition of the dictionary and I suppose that if you really need it available everywhere the price would make sense. For $49 though, I'd buy a copy of the print edition for my home and let that be that.

Drug laws-Clearly tailored to providing some level of warning to potential drug users, the Drug Laws app has the criminal drug statutes from all states along with the sentences that each offnese carries. Available for $.99



Law Stack-A popular free app that includes The US Constitution, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, Federal Rules of Evidence and Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure. The app can also conect to a vendor run database that contains additional sources of law.



Legal News Reader-A legal news app that gathers articles of interest to the legal community from a variety of news sites. $.99



Fastcase-This company is a sort of budget competitor to Lexis and Westlaw that has proved very popular with small law offices. The included content is pretty light on secondary source material (treatises and the like) but its case law, statutes and administrative code coverage is quite good.

It should be noted that there are over one hundred thousand apps for the iPhone. I obviously did not go through them all to find the best legal apps. If I've missed a favorite, I apologize in advance.


Legal resources available through the browser.

Lexis-The mobile Safari browser is good enough to access Lexis.com. Login is pretty much what you would expect on the desktop. The screen is obviously a bit small for extended use but if one resizes the screen by pinching, it is usable for quick document retrievals. I find that emailing the material to myself from the lexis "Email a document" feature to be the best way to get what I find off the iPhone and over to where I need it to go. Unlike the Lexis app, there is no limit to what can be done via this method.



Westlaw-Thompson West has a dedicated mobile site for smartphone browsers that works pretty well on the iPhone. It is not the full Westlaw site but it does contain a number of popular databases. As a mobile site, it responds very quickly when accessed. Like Lexis, a password is needed for use.



The whole industry of mobile communication has undergone a revolution over the past decade or so. It is thus not surprising that legal research is now becoming a part of that process. I believe that the applications and websites that I have discussed above represent the leading edge of a wave of similar developments. From my standpoint, the ability to tend to the needs of the lawyers who I support from almost anywhere has been a great convenience to me. Time that I would have otherwise spend on my home PC or in the office can now be devoted to friends and family without worrying that I'll miss something important. That piece of mind alone is valuable.

Otter Box Defender for Iphone

This case is, without a doubt, the most rugged I have seen for the Iphone. It is not waterproof but, aside from that, there isn't much it can't take. My Iphone fell into the street a few weeks back. Thanks to this case, no damage at all. Even the case was unharmed. The Otterbox consists of a hard plastic exoskeleton (that includes a built-in transparent screen protector) and a soft rubber cover that goes over the hard case part. Ports and switches are covered by rubber tabs that force fit into slots. If you are worried about your Iphone getting damaged, this is your case.

The one disappointment with the Defender is the belt clip. The case ships with a hard plastic belt clip that holds the phone/case combo on your belt. It is not very secure in my opinion. My solution was a leather Nutshell case that is specifically marketed for Iphone users of the Otterbox. This carrying case solution has been my choice for a few months now. It isn't cheap but it really works very well.

Beyza Iphone Case Review

Well, it took some doing but I finally found a nice case for my Iphone that looks good, protects the screen and is easy to carry. The Beyza case you see pictured above is made in Turkey and was purchased directly from their website . (As an aside, their shipping is unbelievable. I ordered this case on a Monday. UPS said I would get it by Friday. It arrived on Wednesday, 2 days early and in time for me to take on vacation. Good stuff!)

On to the case itself. This model uses a flap-over design to protect the Iphone's screen when not in use. The flap is held in place by a pair of magnets that seem reasonably strong. The inside of the flap includes a card pocket for business cards and the like. If you don't want the screen of your Iphone covered for some reason, the flap can be removed easily. It is held on to the back of the case by a pair of snap fittings. The Iphone is secured in the case by a leather strap that snaps to the back of the case. There are cut-outs in the leather to allow easy access to the phone controls with the exception of the home screen button. That one (at the bottom of the screen) is covered with leather but has a small pad behind it to allow for easy use of the control.

Like any leather case, the Beyza adds to the thickness of the Iphone a bit. I personally think that's an acceptable trade-off given the likelihood that sooner or later the phone is going to get knocked or dropped. Additionally, the leather makes the somewhat slippery Iphone a lot easier to grip thus reducing the possibility of dropping it in the first place.

As for carrying the phone/case, this model comes with a belt clip that secures to a metal stud. When connected to the clip, the phone feels pretty secure on my belt. Incidentally, the stud need not be screwed on to the back of the case if you don't plan to use the belt clip. Beyza includes a tool to attach and remove the stud as well as a second screw should it be needed. My only suggrestion to Beyza would be to include a second belt clip with the case. In my experience with both Vaja and Piel Frama cases (which use a similar design) these clips usually need replacing within 6-8 months of regular use.

If you are familiar with the leather quality of Vaja and Piel Frama then you will not be disappointed with the Beyza. Both the build quality and the leather appear first rate. I opted for the Vintage Brown model but there are a number of other color/finish choices. At $59 + $10/shipping, this case is a good deal in my opinion and looks like it should last quite well. Beyza warrants its cases for 1 year which certainly doesn't hurt to know.

Incipio Gel Shell Case

If you are one of the many folks who are looking for a nice case for your Iphone, I recommend the Incipio Gel Shell. This model is a two piece case consisting of a silicon gel case (that ships in both white and black) and a hard sort of exoskeleton that snaps over the gel case. The result is both very attractive and quite protective. Doesn't add much bulk either. The silicon could be a bit tackier to the touch for my taste (easier to grip that way) but it suffices as is quite nicely. I particularly appreciate the fact that the gel case covers the edges of the screen a centimeter or so from the top and bottom of the face. That hides those bubbles that always seem to appear in most screen protectors.

I'm very impressed...

It's not hard to understand all the hype over Apple's Iphone for me now. This phone is really a small handheld Macintosh computer. There really isn't much it can't do as computing goes. Definitely recommended.

iPhone!

This is the coolest thing since sliced bread!