Web Works

SelectLaw Helps Deliver Counsel

Santa Monica's SelectLaw.com says it can help deliver legal services from attorneys, in real time over the Internet. The site, it promises, connects individual consumers (as well as operators of small- to medium-sized businesses) to pre-screened affiliated attorneys, who can provide binding legal counsel, it says. The lawyers can produce documents and deliver other services available at traditional firm environments, says the company. Once screened and approved, the lawyers use SelectLaw's centralized infrastructure, back office management, and browser-based interface to offer legal services over the Internet, it explains. Clients can communicate with attorneys through text chat; two-way voice-over-IP; or via streaming video technologies, it says.

The company currently charges $120 per hour (or $2/minute via its "Ask a Lawyer" service), as well as other fee arrangements ($299 for a California incorporation, it notes). It has targeted 10 states for coverage in the next six months: Calif., N.Y., Ill., Ore., Fla., Mich., Ohio, Pa., N.J., North Carolina, and Georgia.

Information: Reader Response no. 257.

RightPro.com

RightPro.com is a Los Angeles-based interactive marketing service that is initially targeting attorneys, then plans to rollout to other professionals (such as accountants, financial advisors and doctors). The free service allows consumers to filter through specific key information about professionals, including years of service, specialities, education, location and price.

Information: Reader Response no. 258.

Work Optimizer

Journyx Work Optimizer helps large firms and organizations track time for payroll, billing and project management, reports Journyx Inc.

It enables data entry and access via Web browsers, telephones, PDAs, wireless Web cell phone applications and services, and bar code collection devices.

Real time entry and access to information helps employees better manage time and expenses and projects, says the company, based in Austin, Texas.

Information: Reader Response no. 259.

Picturestage.com

Panasonic Consumer Electronics Co. has launched www.picturestage.com, a new site that offers editing tools to help users digitally enhance photographs. Tools include iWarp, which allows users to twist turn or squeeze photos into unusual shapes; iFrame for frames and borders; iEffects for special effects such as "emboss" functions; and iMontage, to create photo composites.

Information: Reader Response no. 260.

Biscom FAXCOM

Biscom Inc. has announced the release of an upgraded version of its Web Client for FAXCOM fax servers. It automates the process of adding new users, while adhering to computing security policies, says the company.

It offers administrators the option of handling user authentication through Microsoft's integrated Windows authentication, and to establish groups of users who are authorized users of the WEb Client. When members of these groups log in to a Windows NT/2000 network, they are automatically logged into the Web Client with their network user name and password, explains the company.

Information: Reader Response no. 261.

Broadband

Zentality Corp., of Indianapolis, has launched ibuybroadband.com to help users choose high-speed Internet access technology and services. The free site compares Internet service options, and includes a glossary of "service definitions." It compares DSL, cable modem, T1, ISDN and basic dial-up options, and will match your location to a list of system partners in your area. Zentality offers technology assistance with Internet access, document imaging and management, multimedia services, networking and security.

Information: Reader Response no. 262.

Whitehill Upgrades

Whitehill Technologies Inc. has released Whitehill Transport 2.0, its XML conversion software, and Whitehill Composer 2.0, its XSL software. Transport allows users to transform data from multiple sources into XML.

Composer includes a new XSL editor function. Using existing XML data, the software creates XSL/CSS (cascading style sheets), which can be used trender Web versions of electronic bills, invoices, statements and reports, as well as for XML/EDI data exchange.

Information: Reader Response no. 263.

Dot.com Death Watch

Looks like the wildly popular www.fuckedcompany.com, which has been chronicling (and predicting) the demise of dot.coms, has spawned imitators. The latest vulture site, www.dotcomdoom.com, calls itself a one-stop site for employers, employees, investors and venture capitalists who want to monitor the latest Silicon community shakeouts. It offers news reports and discussions on various topics, including copyright infringement, downsizing, lawsuits, layoffs, reorganizations and rumors. DotCom Doom also has set up an auction service to provide a platform for death-spiraling companies to liquidate assets. There's also a separate section on "rebuilding careers" that offers links to job listings and training.

Information: Reader Response no. 268.