Faster Calling Fewer Buttons

Many of us call the same numbers over and over again.  We don't want to be bothered having to redial the same ten digit numbers repeatedly.  Vonage offers a range of shortcuts to make this easier.

In an earlier post I explained how you can add users to your phone's LCD screen so that you can call them with a push of a single button.  In a different earlier post I explained how to look up a number quickly on the phone, either from the firm directory or from a list of previous callers.

Today, I'm going to describe yet another shortcut.  We have the ability to set up eight shortcut that can be dialed by pressing a single number.  Essentially, we assign a phone number to the numbers 2-9 on your keypad.  To dial any of those pre-programmed numbers, you simply need to press the button and then hit "dial".

If you have more than eight numbers, there is also an option called "speed dial 100".  This allows you to add up to 100 numbers by dialing # and then a pre-assigned two digit code, then press dial.

Adding users to the LCD screen seems preferable to either of these two options.  Adding to the LCD screen means you can see the user name, meaning you don't have to remember who is assigned to what button.  It is also literally a single button press.  Therefore, the only reason to use these additional shortcuts would be if you have already filled up all the spaces on your screen.

The speed dial 8 can be set up by dialing *74 then the shortcut number, then the number to be called.  For example, if I wanted to assign 215-922-1100 to number 2 on my phone, I would dial, *7422159221100 This can also be set up in the portal.  If you are not comfortable programming it yourself or going into the portal, the help desk will be happy to set up the numbers for you.  Just send us a list via email.  Once set up you simply press the number assigned (e.g. "2") then press "dial" and you are connected.

Speed dial 100 works in a similar way but allows you to store up to 100 numbers using a two digit code (00-99).  You can configure a speed dial 100 number by dialing *75, then the shortcut numbers, then the number to be called.  For example, to set 10 as the shortcut for 215-922-1100, I would dial *75102159221100.  Like speed dial 8, speed dial 100 numbers can also be set up in the portal.

Once configured, simply dial # plus the two digit code, then dial, to call a number.  For me it seems more complicated to memorize 100 different two digit calling codes then to simply look up the number and dial it.  But if you think this may be useful to you, it is an option we can program.

Internet Browsers

This week, Microsoft is ending support for all versions of its Internet Explorer Browser except the most recent version (11).  Until now, Microsoft had been providing security updates and other support for IE 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Last year, I posted an article discussing different Internet browsers generally.  Everyone should have Google Chrome, which updates itself regularly.  Many of you may also choose to use third party browsers such as Mozilla Firefox.  These are good browsers, usually superior to Internet Explorer.  They often will load pages faster than IE.  I recommend using Chrome for all Internet since you already using it for email and other Google Apps.

Why use IE at all?

The main reason we continue to use IE is that Elite Webview is designed to run only on Internet Explorer.  This was not always the case.  When we first purchased Webview, it ran on a variety of browsers.  Several years later, however, Elite became a Microsoft partner and restricted Webview so that it would only run on Internet Explorer.  If not for this limitation, I would have recommending dumping Internet Explorer years ago. As it is, I recommend using Internet Explorer for Webview.  It will work with the rest of the Internet as well, but may be slower than you would like.

Another great annoyance of Webview is that it does not always work with newer version of Internet Explorer.  It was designed to work with IE 6.  There are sometimes problems running later version of IE.  To get around such problems, we typically set up "Compatibility View" on your copy of IE, so that it will behave on that site like the older version of IE.  For many users, we stopped updating Internet Explorer on the computer to prevent future incompatibility issues.

So what does the end of support mean for older version of Internet Explorer?  

If you are using an older version of Internet Explorer to surf the Internet, you are at greater risk of attack.  Most security updates are designed to protect people from infected web sites that attempt to download and install malware on your computer.  If you do not have these protections, your computer can be at greater risk to attack.

How can I protect myself?

If you are on Windows 7 or higher, you can update Internet Explorer to version 11 which remains supported by Microsoft.  Keep in mind that doing so may mean we will need to reset the compatibility view settings in IE so that it continues to work with Webview.

The other option is simply to use your current IE only for Webview and other internal sites.  Since we control internal sites, we can keep them free from malware infections.  It is only when you go to sites outside the firm that you put yourself at risk.  For most internet browsing, I recommend using Google Chrome, which remains up to date and protected.

The Future of Internet Explorer

Microsoft seems to be phasing out IE altogether.  Windows 10 came with a new Microsoft browser called Edge.  However, Edge only works with Windows 10.  Those of us using older versions of Windows will have to wait.  Edge is not terribly useful anyway since, despite being a Microsoft product, is still not supported by Webview.

Because so many enterprises have applications like Webview that continue to require Internet Explorer, Microsoft continues to support IE 11 on Windows 10 as well as older versions of Windows, including 7 and 8 (there is no 9).  Should the firm move to Windows 10, we still have the option to use IE for Webview.

At some point in the next few years, I suspect Microsoft will end support for IE altogether.  Presumably by that time Elite will come up with an alternative browser option for Webview.

Scan Documents With Your Cell Phone

There are times when you are out of the office.  You come across a document and need a copy of it. You can use your smartphone as a document scanner.

There are numerous apps that allow you to capture a document through a phone's camera.  One of the most useful for me is the Google Drive App.  If you don't already have this app, it is a free download from Google's Play Store or Apple's App Store.

Open the Google Drive App on your phone.  Click on the red circle with a plus sign to add a new document.  Select the camera and take a picture of the document.  You have the option to add additional pages or complete the document.  Once complete, the document saves as a PDF file to your Google Drive.

When you get back to the office, simply download the PDF to your computer. You can use PDF Xchange Editor to OCR the document if you need that, or simply use as is.

The scan directly to PDF only seems to work on the Android version of the App.  The iPhone Drive App scans to JPG format.  Still, once the document is saved to your Drive, you can use the Drive's "download as PDF" option to convert it to PDF when you download it to your computer.

This can be a convenient way to snap receipts to be uploaded into Chrome River for reimbursement.  It is also a convenient way to store a paper document that you need for further review later.

Google Photos

We all use our phones as cameras, but many of us find it difficult to transfer pictures from the phone to a computer or some other device.  We end up letting the pictures fill up on our phone and then have to figure out what to do when it is time for a new phone.  Worse, we break our phone and lose all those pictures forever.

There are numerous ways, of course, to get photos off of the phone. One of the most convenient is Google Photos.  This can be installed as an App on your Android or iPhone.  You can configure the app, so that all photos are immediately uploaded to Google's cloud storage.

There are several things I find particularly attractive about Google Photos.  First, there is no storage limit.  You may upload and store as many photos as you like without ever having to pay extra storage fees.  There is no need to worry about limits.  Second, once it is configured, it works without you having to do anything.  Just take a picture and you are done.  It will upload automatically.  Third, access to the photos is easy.  Just go to http://photos.google.com and see all of your photos (assuming you are already logged into your Google account).

You can leave the photos on the site, share them with others, or download them for use elsewhere.  No need to worry about transferring between devices or losing them when a computer dies.  If you have photos stored on your PC, you can also upload them manually to the Photos site for permanent free cloud storage.

Photo size is limited to 16 megapixels for the unlimited storage.  This is not a problem for pictures taken with your Galaxy or iPhone as neither phone can take pictures above that level.  It may be an issue if you are uploading high quality pictures from another device.  If you want the unlimited storage, Google will automatically reduce the photos to the required levels for storage.

Video can also be uploaded and stored.  Again, there is a limit that the video of 1080p HD.  But again, that will suffice for most people.  Your phones are not capable of higher video quality.

If you delete a photo from the web site, it will also delete from any synced devices, such as your phone.  So do not delete from there if you want to keep the photo.  You may, however, delete a photo from your phone and keep it stored in the cloud.

Also, if you plan to store pictures there forever, remember that if you leave the firm and we shut down your Google account, those photos will go with them.  If you are taking personal photos, you may want to sync them to a personal Gmail account that you control.

iTimeKeep v.2 Updates

I received the following message from iTimeKeep.  They are upgrading their Version 2 release with some requested additions.  Below are the details.  If you have auto-updates turned on for your phone or tablet, you should get this updated app automatically.

Thank you all for the wonderful feedback since our Version 2 release. We have been hard at work to continue to meet our customers’ needs. We are excited to announce that we will be releasing an update to both our mobile and desktop applications on Wednesday, December 16th!  What is included in the update? Ability to Submit All While the new version of iTimeKeep gives your attorneys the flexibility to individually submit timecards, we understand that the change in workflow might have slowed down some attorneys that are already used to submitting timecards all at once.For those entries that are created as “drafts,” attorneys will have the ability to submit all of those entries at once. Check out a screenshot of what to expect to see with the update! For additional information, click here. Calendar View We understand that attorneys want the ability to see the whole picture as it relates to their worked hours. So, we have created a new feature within iTimeKeep called the “Calendar View”. The “Calendar View” will allow users to see a complete daily total of all their submitted, draft, and errored time entries. Check out a screenshot of what to expect to see with the update! For additional information, click here. What is included in the update? The current mobile iTimeKeep application will update by an automatic update or having your users manually update the current application. These actions are dependent upon the users’ app settings on their device. In case your users need to manually update the current version of iTimeKeep to gain access to the new feature, here are two documents that will be helpful to pass along. How to update an iOS device How to update an Android device The iTimeKeep desktop application will automatically update without the users taking any action. If you have any questions regarding the update, please contact our Product Manager at product@bellefield.com. Sincerely, The Bellefield Team Copyright © 2015, Bellefield Systems All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you are a registered iTimeKeep user. Bellefield Systems 2605 Nicholson Road Suite 202 Sewickley, PA 15143 Add us to your address book

iCore Communicator

Our phone accounts also come with a license to use a software program called "communicator".  This is a program that you can install on a computer, tablet, or cell phone that gives you the ability to make and receive calls as if you were in front of your office phone.  It also gives you access to voicemail and allows you to do a number of other things.

Firm policy allows only attorneys and other non-hourly employees to use Communicator.  Hourly employees are expected to use their phones only, since they should not be making or receiving work calls when not at work and on the clock.  If you have some wish to use Communicator on your computer in the office, please contact Michael Troy to explain why and get approval first.

You must install the Communicator application.  Your license permits you to install the program only on one computer and up to three tablets or phones.  So don't try to install it everywhere.

If you want the computer version of the software (PC or Mac) you can download it here:

http://www.icore.com/support/icore-one-communicator-download/

If you want the software for your Android or IOS device, you can download those for free from the Google Play Store or Apple's App Store respectively.  Just search for "icore communicator".  Note that there may be separate apps for tablets and phones.

Once installed, you will need to log in using your full 10 digit phone number as your user name. Please contact Michael Troy to get your password.

From there, you can view a list of callers, look up numbers, make or receive calls, or change some of your work phone settings.

If you are using this app on your cell phone, note that it uses your data rather than cell phone minutes for calls.  If you are connected to Wifi on your phone, the call will use neither minutes nor mobile data.

Phone Hoteling - for the Lawyer on the go.

Perhaps you occasionally or often need to work in another office.  You would like to be able to receive calls, but don't want to deal with all the calls on your cell phone.  There is a phone at the location where you are working, but it does not have your number on it.  This is where the phones "hoteling" feature comes in handy.

Hoteling allows you to set up temporarily any phone in the firm with your phone number.  We just need to know the extension of the phone where you are sitting.  From that, we can configure your calls to ring directly to that phone.  Further, any calls you make from that phone will identify you as you, rather than the name of the phone you are using.  It will also alert you about pending voicemail messages.

Hoteling is really limited to the phone number itself though.  It will not import your favorites or other settings you may have on your permanent phone.  The LCD screen does not change at all.  Hoteling also will not work with phones outside the firm.  Also, while you hoteling, calls to the host phone will go directly to voicemail.

With those limitations, hoteling can be a valuable tool if you are visiting another office and want to keep in touch.  If you have the need, feel free to call the help desk to set it up for you.