Omega Reporting

Omega Reporting | Memphis Court Reporters

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info@omegareporting.com

 

Archives for February 2015

Court Reporting & Captioning Week 2015

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As Court Reporting & Captioning Week is winding down and I am reflecting on my assignments for the week, I am ever grateful and thankful to be a court reporter! I’m sure my family and high school friends wouldn’t believe the person I have become today — gone are the days of the introverted girl who could barely speak during class. Thank you to my social studies teacher for pushing me to pursue court reporting and encouraging me to learn more about it.

I have grown and evolved because of this profession and the amazing people I’ve met during my career. It has pushed me to soar and reach that next certification. It has helped me conquer my fear of putting myself out there when meeting new people. My colleagues make it fun to learn together and grow together by finding new and better ways to write short, sharing realtime tips, technology and gadget advice, and much more.

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During this special week, my assignments included CART; depositions; and public hearings, with more than 30 people in attendance, to celebrate the Blueprint for Safety program in our city.

What a glorious ride! I wouldn’t trade this profession for anything.

My New Favorite Scanning App for Court Reporters — Scannable

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scannable

My new favorite scanning app for court reporters is Scannable by Evernote! The ease and intuitiveness of this app is amazing. I already use Evernote to keep track of my digitized world. With this new app, scanning is even faster and easier.

My smartphone is my number-one gadget that I take with me to every job. With so many app options available, it essentially means that I can leave the bulkier gadgets back at the office for the more heavy-duty production tasks.

Here is a list of some of the uses for scanning during a deposition or hearing:

  • The attorneys are retaining the exhibits and you need to check a quote on one of the docs.
  • A physical exhibit may be marked that cannot be attached to the transcript. Simply take a pic of the object, print the PDF scan, and slap an exhibit sticker on it.
  • A witness may be reading and quoting from a text and not marked as an exhibit. So during a break, ask to take a quick snap of the quoted text.
  • One of the participants in the deposition ran out of cards. Simply scan their contact information from a pleading.
  • Oftentimes an attorney might have only one business card left and doesn’t want to let it go. Ask him if you can scan his card and return it to him within seconds.
  • Business cards should always be scanned. I scan the cards at the time of the job. This one little step ensures that their contact information will never be lost in a drawer or at the bottom of your handbag.

The advantages of Scannable:

  1. Faster to scan. Simply place the doc on a contrasting background and point the app at the document and it will auto-capture it. No more tweaking the edges or color.
  2. Within the app, you may sign in to your Evernote and LinkedIn accounts. This means that once a business card is scanned, it takes that information and adds in details from that person’s LinkedIn profile, including a picture. If you’re like me, having a face attached to a name is an excellent memory tool.
  3. Once the business card is scanned, you may also save it directly to your Contacts. My Contacts are synched across all my devices. What that means is that once it’s saved to my smartphone, I can go to my computer or iPad and have access to email addresses there, too. The information is entered once automatically, so I don’t ever have to type in the information on multiple devices.
  4. You can also send or save documents and meeting notes from within the app: email, Evernote, Photos, text message, and more.
  5. The app does give each scanned image the name Scannable Document. Edit the scanned document within the app and give it a name that you will remember later.

Technology is great!

Skype – An Affordable Option for Remote Depositions

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skype-icon

Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice and video calls and chat over the Internet with the click of a mouse.  With the advancement of this technology, sharing information has never been easier.

I’ve been reporting depositions via Skype for several years now. It seems that attorneys are getting more comfortable with Skype recently, and Omega Reporting, your Memphis court reporters, are receiving more requests for this service. With the high costs of airline travel and the expenses associated with it comes the need to find affordable solutions to take depositions critical to a litigator’s case.

The benefits of using Skype rather than the traditional videoconference and/or telephone deposition are many.

  1. Skype is free — there is also an upgraded account available at an affordable price.
  2. Eliminates long-distance telephone charges one would incur in a traditional telephone deposition.
  3. Eliminates costly airline travel and extra expenses associated with air travel.
  4. Cost-effective method to use when your client may be budget conscious.
  5. Viable option when you cannot conveniently meet in person.
  6. Allows legal professionals more time on deposition preparation and the discovery process.
  7. Gives legal professionals a face-to-face experience with potential witnesses.
  8. Skype gives you the ability to gauge reactions and facial expressions of all participants.
  9. Share exhibits and documents easily utilizing Skype. You can send files online to multiple contacts during a voice, video or group call, and in an instant message.
  10. All Skype-to-Skype voice, video, file transfers, and instant messages are encrypted. This protects you from potential eavesdropping by malicious users.

What you’ll need to get started:

  • The latest version of Skype for your device
  • A high-speed broadband connection
  • A high-quality or HD webcam
  • A microphone and speakers (built-in or external headset with microphone)
  • If using Windows, a DirectX 9.0c compatible video card.

Your computer will also need to meet the following hardware requirements:

CPU:     1 GHz (minimum);  at least 1.8 GHz (recommended)
Graphics card:   32 MB (minimum); at least 64 MB (recommended)
Memory:    256 MB (minimum);  at least 512 MB (recommended)

Skype works on computers (Windows and Mac), tablets, and many mobile devices. There are apps for the following mobile devices: Android, iPhone/iPad, BlackBerry, Windows phone, Nokia X, Amazon Fire Phone. I’ve successfully used an iPad and my Mac computer on Skype depositions. The iPad, of course, is such a great portable and lightweight option. Just set it on the stand in front of the witness and we’re ready to go!

Tips for making your next group video call/Skype deposition:

  1. With Skype you can enjoy group video calls with up to 10 people (including yourself), anywhere in the world.
  2. Although mobile device users cannot initiate a group video call, they can join it.
  3. All callers must meet the minimum specifications for Skype video calls.
  4. Audio transmission problems may be a concern when using Skype. If testing reveals problems with the audio, setting up a conference call is an easy solution. If a conference call is your method of choice for audio, remember that everyone needs to mute their speakers on their device of choice.
  5. Everyone should set up a Skype account and provide you with their Skype name.
  6. Check your call quality settings. If you or the person you’re talking to have a lot of programs open, try closing some (or all of them). If you’re using Skype on a laptop and you’re in power-saving mode, try plugging your computer into AC power or switching it to maximum performance mode. More hardware settings troubleshooting tips.
  7. Turn off any and all notifications on the device you are utilizing for the Skype deposition. You don’t want any distractions during the testimony.
  8. Practice a mock Skype deposition with your friends to ensure that you are comfortable with the features of the service and, also, that you’re comfortable with the proper settings for your hardware.
  9. Be sure to schedule a test call with your booking attorney or legal professional. Sometimes it’s their first time for a Skype deposition and you want them to feel comfortable with the service as well. The test call will provide the time necessary to address any potential problems that may arise.
  10. All participants should call 15 minutes prior to the start time of the deposition to make sure everything is set up correctly.

Technology is great!

Contact Us

T: 901.827.8671

E: Info@OmegaReporting.com

Conference Facilities:
 6465 North Quail Hollow Road
Suite 200
Memphis, TN 38120

Conference Room Complimentary
(with transcript order)

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