This guest post is from Kevin Krist, a Houston personal injury attorney and Android phone user.
In terms of mobile operating systems, Android is gaining popularity alongside another formidable name, iOS. The fun thing about the Android operating system is its wide selection of free, quality apps and users like me are definitely happy about this. After all, most gadgets are expensive in the first place, what’s left to shell out for apps?
People from all walks of life will definitely enjoy the free Android apps at their disposal. Professionals such as lawyers can take advantage of these freebies that can easily be downloaded via Google Play. Here are the top five free Android apps lawyers should download on their Android smartphones or tablets:
If you are like me, you may need to get some clarification of the legal meaning behind a term every now and then. In the past I was forced to carry around heavy books just in case I needed to look something up on the spur of the moment. Now, with this app, I was able to stop toting around back breaking book bags and instead could easily look up legal terms in a jiffy with The Law Guide/Dictionary. Not only have I found this useful but the new lawyers or people I know attending law school have also found this app to be extremely beneficial.
2. DroidLaw
I have found DroidLaw to be one of the best legal reference apps out there. Just as I had to lug around heavy dictionaries a few years ago, I also had to carry with me reference books. Now, I frequently reference this app for quick refreshers on specifics. There is a basic version and add-ons are available for specific areas of law. For me, I chose to add on a few topics that have come to help me tremendously in my practice. These add-ons are specific to different law specialties and are simple to get via the Google Play store. The developer is an attorney and knows what lawyers need so this app is not only one of a kind but one that you can rely on to give you the best and most accurate information.
3. Google Drive
I have found that there are a number of online storage options for documents, but Google Drive has consistently remained the top of my list for the one I use the most. Unlike Dropbox where you need to install the software in order for synchronization to happen, Google Drive’s sync is accessed through Google Accounts so everything is simple and automatic. You can also create a new document without having to open word processors which for a busy lawyer like you and me, is a huge time saver.
4. CamScanner
Just the other day I was in the doctor’s office and read a few paragraphs that I knew would help me with a case that I was currently working on. Instead of risking upsetting the receptionist and ripping out the page from the magazine, I used my CamScanner app on my Droid smartphone to scan the page. With CamScanner, you can turn your phone into a document scanner. I have used this for a variety of reasons, such as when I can’t seem to stop reading wherever I am and want to take the material with me to go or when I just want to keep a copy of an interesting article I have read in the coffee shop.
5. Jorte
I used to hate the apprehension I felt when I did not know what my schedule looked like for the day. I would panic if I thought I was late for a meeting or if I was driving to the wrong location in the morning. With Jorte, I am able to see my schedule right away from the minute I wake up each morning. This free app will keep your agenda organized and easily accessible. It even has options for widget display, so you can instantly see your schedule for the day on your home screen.
Guest contributor Kevin Krist is a Houston personal injury attorney. A Doogie Howser of the law, Kevin has been practicing law since he was 22 years old and is known in his parts to be one of the best and brightest personal injury trial attorneys around. And he blogs at his Personal Injury Blog!
