I know from the e-mails that I have been receiving that quite a few iPhone J.D. readers will be in Chicago this week for ABA TECSHOW. This will be my fourth TECHSHOW, and it is always a great opportunity to learn about technology from formal CLE sessions, vendors showing off cutting edge technology and (best of all) other attorneys who enjoy using tech.
One of the "problems" with TECHSHOW is that there is too much to do, with multiple sessions going on at the same time. To help you plan your time, this year there is a free TECHSHOW app that includes lots of information, including a schedule that you can customize to your personal preferences. What a great idea. Click here to download the app: 
Here is where I currently plan to be at TECHSHOW this week.
Wednesday, March 28
7:30 - 9:30 pm: LexThink.1. A fast-paced Ignite-style event.
Thursday, March 29
8:30 - 9:30 am: Smartphone Wars. Pennsylvania attorney/consultant Jennifer Ellis, Toronto attorney and risk management specialist Dan Pinnington and I will talk about all things iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone.
9:30 - 10:30 am: This is a break in the schedule, so feel free to catch up with me after the Smartphone Wars session if you want to talk about the iPhone and iPad. This is also good time to get a first look at the booths on the Expo floor.
10:30 - 11:30 am: Tablet Wars. Josh Barrett of Tablet Legal and Nerino Petro of Compujurist will compare and contrast the iPad and Android tablets.
12:30 - 1:45 pm: Luncheon / Keane Memorial Awards Presentation
2:00 - 4:00 pm: I'll be "working" at the Concierge Desk. If prior years are any indication, that means that I'll spend a little time helping people find things at the conference, but most of the time will be devoted to talking about iPhones and iPads with anyone who stops by to chat. It's usually the most social spot at the conference.
4:00 - 5:00 pm: Tough choice between watching Social Media for Litigators by Antigone Peyton and Ernest Svenson or iWin: iPads for Litigators by Tom Mighell and Paul Unger.
5:30-7:00 pm: Welcome Reception.
7:45 - ???: Taste of TECHSHOW dinner. Josh Barrett and I are once again hosting a dinner for fans of the iPhone and iPad. It's been sold out for a long time, but sometimes extra spots open up so if you want to attend, check in at the concierge desk to see if there is a waiting list.
Friday, March 30
I still haven't decided what sessions I will attend on Friday. There are so many good choices, but sessions I may attend include:
- Angel and Devil: Danger of Emerging Technologies That Lawyers Love by Ivan Hemmans and Antigone Peyton
- Keynote Address by Ben Stein.
- Paperless Productivity on a Mac by David Sparks and Ernest Svenson
- You Can Take It With You: Your Mobile office by Marc Matheny and Donna Neff
- Mac Power Users by Brett Burney, Randy Juip and Hon. Paul D. Mathias. (It seems strange to me that David Sparks isn't on this panel, and where is Katie Floyd?!?)
- The Gear Report: Tools, Toys, Gadgets and Gizmos by Lincoln Mead and Nerino Petro
4:45 - 5:45 pm: 60 Tips in 60 Minutes. Always a great session to learn how to be more productive with technology in a law practice.
5:30 - 7:00 pm: Fifth Annual Beer for Bloggers hosted by the ABA Journal and LexBlog. More details here.
7:00 - ???: I'm attending the Taste of TECHSHOW dinner hosted by David Sparks and Nerino Petro titled "Ebony and Ivory - Can Mac and Windows Get Along?"
Saturday, March 31
9:45 - 10:45 am: 60 Apps in 60 Minutes. I'm teaming up with Josh Barrett and Brett Burney for the third year of this fast-paced session that is always great fun. We'll talk about some of the latest and greatest iPhone and iPad apps, as well as the old favorites that we still use all the time. Once again, it looks like we have far more apps to talk about than we have time, but we'll do our best. And if by some miracle we finish early, I hear that Brett Burney will perform his rendition of Zou Bisou Bisou.
11:00 - Noon: 60 Sites in 60 Minutes. Like the 60 Apps session that I am doing just before it, the 60 Sites session is always fast-paced and a lot of fun, usually one of the highlights of TECHSHOW.
For those of you going to TECHSHOW, it looks to be a great show this year. If you bump into me, I'd love to talk with you about the iPhone and iPad. For everyone else, the above should give you a taste of what you can get at this conference if you attend next year, April 4-6, 2013.
