How in the world will anyone know you’re a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant if you don’t have any profile information? How do you expect to gain followers or credibility if people don’t have a clue who they’re following?

For those Certified Legal Nurse Consultants who want to make a splash on Twitter, log into your Twitter account, select Settings and select Profile. Then upload your photo, put in your website’s URL and, in the bio field, add a short paragraph about yourself and your legal nurse consulting business.

Next, open another tab in your web browser and navigate to TweetyGotBack.com. This website gives you all sorts of custom backgrounds ready for your use. Browse around and find one that fits you. (One tip, you don’t want too dark a background on the right side of the screen or it will hide that profile you just set up!) Once you’ve selected your new background, follow the easy TweetyGotBack.com steps and your new background will be in place!

Your new background will be much better than the over-tiled backgrounds you often see when someone uploads a background photo that’s not properly sized. If you have the skills and can create your own background, go for it! Take a look at Vickie’s Twitter page to see an example of what’s possible. Remember, backgrounds will display differently at different screen resolutions so be careful. For many CLNC^® consultants, a professional looking standard background (along with a full profile) will do. While you’re looking at Vickie’s Twitter page – follow Vickie_Milazzo to stay up on the most current legal nurse consulting business information!

Get your Twitter page looking good and working hard!

Keep on techin’,

Tom

In contrast, we have a friend who lives and dies by her BlackBerry^®. It’ll beep, rattle and roll and do everything it can to get her attention every time she gets a text, email or reminder. Talking with her in person (or on a landline) can be frustrating as she’s constantly pulling her BlackBerry out of her hip holster (which isn’t hip at all) to see each obviously very and absolutely important communication she’s just received. You can always tell when you’ve lost her attention (What?).

Even worse, she’s developed phantom rattle. When she’s not wearing her BlackBerry (which is rare) you’ll see her reflexively touch her hip because she’s felt a rattle that isn’t there. Anyone else want to confess to this? But even worse than even worse, she’s confessed to me that if she’s in line at the grocery, post office or OTB counter and there’s no email to read, she’ll play one of the games loaded on her device. Even though I consider her a social person, she won’t talk to people, instead preferring to play games or sometimes even re-read email that she’s already read.

As much as I love tech, there’s a time and a place for tech. Sometimes you just have to put down the phone and drive or walk or wait in line or talk. Do you remember the time before cell phones when people would actually engage in civil discourse while waiting in a line or standing in an elevator? Today people use tech to isolate themselves. Their smart phone becomes an excuse to ignore you. Sorry, but I’m too busy and important to say hello to you – I’ve got email to read.

You never know what opportunity you’re missing when you put your head down and play the 15th level of BrickBreaker instead of engaging in a little “Who do you know who…” or “I’m a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant, what do you do?” Every person you meet is a potential legal nurse consulting lead to a new attorney-client or prospect opportunity. Even if they’re part of the 0.003% of Americans who don’t know an attorney (I just made up that statistic), they may simply brighten your day or become a new friend.

This week, make it a goal to talk to people and keep your BlackBerry or other smart phone holstered or in your purse while you’re in public spaces. If we all talked to each other a little more, we’d make the world a friendlier place (and safer to walk and drive around in). In the meantime, stop updating your Spacebook, MyFace and Twister accounts and actually tell a real person what you’re doing and what you do. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Keep on techin’,

Tom

My customized Firefox^® browser will often warn me of bad or suspect sites while doing a Yahoo!^® search (yes, I’m a Yahooholian versus a Googallion).

For legal nurse consultants who’d like a little more advice on which sites are possibly good or bad, you may wish to consider downloading the WOT – Safe Browsing Tool from WOT Services. Web of Trust (WOT) relies on its member community to rate websites based on the individual user’s experience. You can find the FireFox add-on as a download here and the Internet Explorer^® (version 6.0 and higher) download here. If you’re a Safari or Opera user, there’s no add-on available but there is a cool bookmarklet you can get here. Drag the link to your bookmarks in Opera/Safari (then rename it something like “WOT”) and when you’re visiting a website, you can click the WOT bookmarklet and it will display the site’s rating in a pop-up. Clicking on the bookmarklet again will close the window.

This is a cool add-on. Once you’ve installed it, register for membership in the WOT community and you too can start rating websites and helping keep the web safe for surfing.

Keep on techin’,

Tom

Happy Birthday Vick – with what’s in the works, I know 2010 will be your (our) best year ever! Thanx for sharing it with me (I’ve got one of your favorite bottles of wine to go with your favorite dessert tonight! Woo-hoo!).

Now that the important stuff is out of the way, let’s start techin’! Many, if not all of you, are automatically updating the Windows^® operating system using the “Automatic Updates” function (or you’ve bookmarked the Windows Update webpage) for your home and legal nurse consulting business computers. That’s great for Windows but we all have a lot of other programs on our systems – many of which need updating too.

Some of the biggest offenders are those cool programs from Adobe^® that we all love. You know which ones I mean – Flash^®, Shockwave^® and even Acrobat^® – all are security risks from time to time. How do you stay up to date on these? Well, Adobe is finally taking steps to update some of its programs automatically – read this article – but not until April 13! In the meantime, my CLNC^® amigos, you’ll need to visit Adobe’s Security Center to see the list of “buggy” programs and Adobe’s recommended steps for dealing with them. It may involve determining which version of each program you have and uninstalling it or it could be as simple as downloading the newest version. In any event, you should visit this page on a regular basis. You can also sign up for security alerts here so that Adobe can tell you when there’s a new patch, etc. available.

If, like many Certified Legal Nurse Consultants, you’re using the Firefox^® web browser as an alternative to Internet Explorer^® you’ll need to keep on top of updates too. Open up your Firefox browser, left click “Tools,” then left click “Options,” then click “Advanced” and finally click the “Updates” tab. Make sure the boxes next to “Firefox” and “Installed Add-ons” are checked and close those boxes being sure to save your changes. This way you’ll be automatically notified each time Mozilla updates Firefox or one of your add-ons is updated. You should also take a minute to visit Mozilla’s Plugin Check page to be sure all your Firefox plugins are up-to-date.

I know it’s a lot of work, but you need to keep on top of your updates. They’re not going to do it by themselves (yet).

Keep on techin’,

Tom

NOT WITH ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE! Yes Virginia, I was shouting. But that’s only so you’ll hear me. Antivirus software is one of those software programs in which quality trumps quantity. Antivirus programs don’t play well with others so only run one at a time on your computer. They’ll often identify each other (perhaps out of professional spite) as viruses or malware. If you discontinue one program, remove it (while offline) before installing the new one.

That being said, the next question I get is, “Which antivirus software is the best?” Like computer brands, everybody has a favorite antivirus software vendor. I’m a Symantec fan. I’ve used Symantec’s Norton ever since Norton was in short pants and I’ve had good luck with it. Others are fans of Kaspersky while still more like Panda or BitDefender and there’s a few who swear by McAfee. As far as I’m concerned, as long as you’re running a top-notch antivirus program, or even better, a suite (all-in-one product) from one of the three top-notch vendors (Symantec, Kaspersky or BitDefender) you should be in good shape.

I like antivirus suites that include phish-filters, spyware identification, malware blocking, etc. In this Tech Tip, I’ve linked only to the antivirus software but you can also trust the suites from these vendors if you choose. Some suites even include firewalls (and we all know you shouldn’t depend on your Windows^® firewall alone), if you need one. Whether you’re running Windows^® or a Mac, read carefully before you buy and remember the key, my CLNC^® amigos, is to keep the program’s definitions updated, make sure you scan your computer on a regular basis (at least twice a week – schedule it to run at night so it doesn’t interfere with your productivity) and make sure your antivirus software is simple to use without giving off too many false alarms.

Good antivirus software today can protect you from a variety of online and offline ills. Be sure you practice safe surfing.

Keep on techin’!

Tom

To avoid this hassle, simply visit this page, download the CloseAll.zip file to your desktop or downloads folder and then unzip it. Next, locate the CloseAll.exe program (you’ll see a red “X“). Right click on that x and drag it to your Windows^® Quick Launch toolbar or your Desktop, then let go and left click on “Create Shortcut Here.” That’s it!

Now, at the end of your day, if you’ve stored “Close All Windows” on your desktop, simply click on Window’s cool “Show Desktop” icon (located in your Quick Launch toolbar) to clear your screen, then double-click on the red “X” icon (or skip “Show Desktop” and double-click it on your Quick Launch toolbar). Close All Windows will instantly shut down all open programs, and if you have one running with unsaved data, you’ll get the option to save that data.

This is a handy little program and it’s free. I highly recommend it.

Keep on techin’,

Tom

That’s where Certified Legal Nurse Consultants come in. I’ve heard raves about the Blackberry Bold^®, seen the myriad of zombie-like minions tapping and sliding away on their iPhones like Alice-the-Goon from Popeye while muttering, “I love Steve Jobs, I love Steve Jobs.” I even listened to a friend describe his Droid with a near-religious fanaticism. This has left me up in the air about what I should choose for Vickie and my next phones.

The Blackberry tends to be the smartphone of choice for many business users and even regular people. Go to a Little League^® game here in our hood and just about every parent there is busy emailing each other their schedules and updates, but the Blackberry Enterprise software has a propensity to cause synchronization problems for business users who live and die by their calendars.

iPhones stubbornly refuse to multitask, are slaves to AT&T coverage area and have such a high “cool” factor that they’re rapidly becoming “uncool,” but that doesn’t stop me from wanting one. Droids seem to have been adopted entirely by the “geek” class which, believe it or not, includes me out. That’s why I’m asking you for your help.

Let me know what smartphone you use and why you like it or dislike it. Do you use it to surf the Internet or not, do you email, text, keep your calendar on it, etc? Tell me how the sound quality is when you’re making a phone call. If you’ve had issues that have caused you to switch phones, I’d like to know what they were. I don’t want to hear any complaining about a particular carrier, their customer service or anything else. I only want to hear concrete and real advice regarding the iPhone, Blackberry and Droid or another choice. Remember I’m counting on your feedback for making my purchasing decision.

Hurry! Here’s your chance – ready, set, go!

Help keep me techin’,

Tom

I want to hear from the following groups of CLNC^® consultants, nurses and/or geeks:

• People who upgraded to Windows 7 from XP on an existing machine.
• People who upgraded to Windows 7 from Vista (tell me your Vista version) on an existing machine.
• People who upgraded from 32-bit to 64-bit systems (you know who you are) at the same time as one of the above.
• People who bought a new machine with Windows 7 preinstalled.

I want to know how the upgrades went and whether you think it was worth it. Tell me what you think about the new operating system and, whether or not, in your learned opinion, it is or isn’t a better version than XP or Vista. Be honest in expressing what you think, tell me how you’re using it and whether it’s making a difference in your legal nurse consulting business.

There are a few rules:

1. No profanity.
2. Comments must contain at least five words of more than four letters each and those words must be in the Oxford English Dictionary (abridged).

Comments may not consist solely of symbols (like in the comic strips – #!*@# OSX).

3. Anonymous comments will be allowed but, to keep the level of discourse civil, comments with names will be given preference in posting.
   
   As far as I know, Bill Gates isn’t reading my Tuesday Tech Tips (he should) so you shouldn’t have to worry about him hunting you down and wiping your system if you say something he wouldn’t want to hear.
4. Mac users will be allowed to submit an opinion which will be fairly reviewed, then ignored prior to being deleted.
5. You must have used your own copy of Windows 7. I don’t want to hear that the second cousin of a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant subcontractor you work with has a friend who’s dating someone whose roommate tried it in a kiosk at the mall.
6. If you’re willing, you can also let me know what kind of computer you’re running it on (laptop or desktop) and any details (processor speed, RAM, etc.) you want to share.
7. If in doubt about your response, see Rule #1 again.

Here’s your chance to help the rest of the legal nurse consulting community make their own upgrade decisions about Windows 7. If you have any great user tips you want to share, this is the time to do that too.

I personally know three CLNC^® consultants who have Windows 7 so I’m expecting to hear from each of you.

Keep on techin’,

Tom

Here are some tips for doing your own legal nurse consulting videoconferences with attorney-clients.

• First of all, to videoconference successfully, you’ll need to have a webcam. Make sure the webcam you use has a high-quality picture with a good microphone built-in. Prices are pretty low so this might be a good time to buy a new webcam. If you’re stuck on using an older, microphone-less webcam, you can purchase a separate microphone. Avoid the headset/boom-mike look unless you really want to look like a telephone operator or someone from NASA. Many Apple laptops come with a built-in camera and microphone so you won’t need to buy any additional gear to start videoconferencing.
• Be sure your hardware – that means your computer, Internet connection and especially your webcam – are all in working condition. Then check that the volume and picture settings are correct. My personal webcam has a motion detector that can track movements in a limited area (people on the other end of the videoconference said the constant motion made them queasy). It will also move to pick up anyone who walks into view of the webcam. I find this to be distracting and have disabled it. Now the picture is stable.
• Be sure that both you and the attorney(s) are using compatible software. Skype is an easy to use, and free, program that allows videoconferencing over just about any Internet connection. It’s fairly intuitive when it comes to setting up and connecting with other Skype users. There are other programs out there that you can research using Google.
• Dress professionally and be dressed from head-to-toe. One of Tom’s treasured Dilbert cartoons shows an unshaven, unshowered Dilbert videoconferencing while wearing a bathrobe. He’s holding a Dilbert finger-puppet in front of the camera. In reality you can’t predict whether you’ll be standing up, retrieving a legal nurse consulting document or doing something else that may expose more of you to the videoconference than you expected. You don’t want to forget and accidentally show your attorney-client that you’ve got on Sponge Bob pajama bottoms under your suit jacket. You may walk through the webcam’s range too so dump the fuzzy pink slippers (they’re a fire hazard anyway). The newer webcams can pick up and broadcast an amazing amount of detail with complete clarity so check your teeth for broccoli before you fire up the conference.
• Clear your background and clean up your legal nurse consulting office. Whatever is shown in the background of your webcam’s picture reinforces your image as a professional. You may need to temporarily move your computer to a different room and even shuffle some furniture around.
• Cut down on possible distractions. Move your cell phone and land-line telephone handsets to another room (to avoid ringing) and consider putting a sign on your doorbell asking visitors to knock. If you have your email program running in the background be sure to silence any sounds that indicate the arrival of new email.
• Send any visuals in advance. If you’re going to be showing exhibits, demonstrative evidence or your CLNC^® work product to the attorney, remember that these may be difficult to see over a webcam. Consider sending them before hand in .pdf format (so your attorney-client can easily open them without worrying about document format compatibilities).
• Prepare a list of bullet-points or write out a script you wish to follow during the videoconference. Keep it handy and even consider posting it behind your webcam so that you can see it without looking away from the camera.
• Address the webcam, not the picture of the attorney on your screen, otherwise you’ll appear to be looking down.
• Practice videoconferencing with other Certified Legal Nurse Consultants and ask for their feedback before you take it to the big time with your attorney-clients. You may need to learn to sit up straight, address the camera directly and avoid unnecessary movements. Think of it as good training for your first expert witness experience.

Finally, remember to have fun. Be yourself and let your personality come through. Videoconferencing can add another dimension to your legal nurse consulting business if you let it and, if you’re prepared and ready for it.

Success Is Inside!

Saving money and fast computing can be compatible. Yes, I still recommend either the use of software or tweaking of your power settings to put your computer to sleep at night. If you’re compulsive, you can even set it to go to sleep after a couple of hours of non-use. I’ve got Vickie’s computer set to sleep after two hours. It’s a power-saving feature (that’s also a security feature). Every time she comes out of a long meeting, she’s got to push the power button on the front of her computer to bring it out of hibernation and reestablish her network connections. This only takes a couple of seconds (really more than a couple) but for a busy CEO, those seconds add up. Think about it, all that time you spend waiting each day can turn into billable hours by the end of the year but there’s that darn memory leak thing that happens to real computers (but obviously not Macs – just kidding).

So what’s a busy CLNC^® consultant to do – sleep or not? Well, follow my lead and set your computer to save money when not in use by setting it to sleep at night. Keep in mind that you’ll still need to reboot the darn thing every couple of days to wipe out those pesky memory leaks. Reboot it while you’re on a bathroom break (you deserve one).

This is one way we can be green, save time and still keep our computers running fast.

Keep on techin’,

Tom