1. Still Using Your iPod for Music? How to Use Your Portable Media Player in Your Litigation Practice. - 1 of 4
Still Using Your iPod for Music? How to Use Your
Portable Media Player in Your Litigation Practice.
David W. Mykel, M.A.
Litigation Consultant Courtroom Sciences Inc.
Abstract
Apple’s iPod has taken our country by storm. Everywhere you look, people have iPods coming out
of their ears. In this storm, Apple has inspired greater competition from other company’s and these
companies have come up with new uses for their media players, in hope of taking some of Apple’s
market share. Some of these uses include: playing music, viewing pictures, watching videos,
recording notes and even transferring files.
As litigation becomes more and more digitally oriented, it’s easy to see how a portable media
player can be an attorney’s best friend, next to, of course, his/her Blackberry!
Article
Every year, attorneys are looking for more ways to increase their efficiency, bill more hours and
overall make life easier for them. Imagine you’re working from your laptop at 35,000 feet: reviewing
video deposition testimony, reading over transcripts, documents and viewing case photos. Now
imagine doing all of this without having to carry around a bulky laptop, mouse, power source and
a bag. Can you? Probably for an expensive price tag, right? What if I were to say that you could
accomplish this with something you already own? Now imagine doing all these things as well as
record your “on the fly” ideas, proofing PowerPoint’s and listening to some relaxing music all while
in the back of a sedan. How you might ask? I have three letters for you: PMP (portable media
players).
Still don’t have an iPod yet? Why not? Have you been living underneath a bridge for the past 5
years, or maybe it’s because you don’t know what an iPod can REALLY do. Well if you haven’t
been living under a rock, then you should know that iPods and other portable media players have
taken America over by storm. It is estimate that nearly 75 million people in America have an iPod
or one of their competitor’s products (though Apple’s infamous iPod owns nearly 80% of the market
share). Nowadays, it’s impossible to walk in any city, let alone a metropolis, and not see at least
half of the people sporting wires coming out of their ears. But I will bet my next paycheck that most
of you do not completely know what an iPod or most other portable digital media players can do
for not only you, but your practice as well.
We all know that portable media players play music (what the majority of people use them for), but
as technology advances, they are taking on more and more tasks for the digital user. The majority
of players out there can now play music, view pictures and watch videos.
Just take a look at your basic iPod: http://www.apple.com/ipod/ipod.html
The basic iPod allows you to listen to music and store thousands of MP3’s at varying encoding rates,
view photos at a 320 by 240 pixel resolution and watch movies up to 1.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels,
30 frames per second, all on a 2.5” screen. The iPod structure is one of the easiest and most user
friendly interfaces out there, definitely a contributing factor to its immense popularity.
So you may be asking yourself, well, how can I use this for my litigation practice? The iPod would
be a good tool if you wanted something simple and user friendly to view case photos on or even
view some deposition video, though the smaller screen is something that may inhibit your attention
to detail. In addition to this, you will need to convert your videos using QuickTime Pro (Apple’s all-in-
one media player) in order to resize for playback on the iPod.
The iPod retails from $250 for the 30 GB version to $350 for the 80 GB version (a better buy in my
opinion).

2. Still Using Your iPod for Music? How to Use Your Portable Media Player in Your Litigation Practice. - 2 of 4
There are many similar devices out there like the iPod for very competitive prices. Some include:
The Samsung Yepp YH-999 (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/devices/devicedisplay.
aspx?module=deviceDisplay;PMC;americas;116). Retails for $249.99
The iRiver PMC-120 (http://www.iriveramerica.com/prod/multi/). Retails for $499.99 for the 20 GB
version.
These two devices will play Window’s encrypted media, such as .wmv and .wma (the iPod cannot
play these files) as well as have a larger screen (3.5”) for viewing whereas. These players will be a
better investment, over the iPod, if you prefer Windows media.
If you would like all of this functionality plus an FM tuner, then you should take a look at:
Toshiba gigabeat S Series
http://gigabeat.com/
The Toshiba offers all the same features as the above, but integrates an FM tuner so you can listen
to radio stations. Another cool feature is that you can download shows from your TiVo to watch
as well. Though is does have this extended feature set, it sacrifices screen size (a mere 2.4”) as an
offset. The gigbeat retails from $299.99 for the 30 GB version to $399.99 for the 60 GB version.
Zen Vision M
(http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=213&subcategory=214&product=1433
1). Retails for $249.99 for a 30 GB version that includes a voice recorder.
Even though these devices are still pricey, they are on the lower end of the scale when is comes to
versatility and function. Some of the more recent/advanced ones can also push an audio or video
source out for viewing on a TV or computer and even act as a PDA. While even the higher end
players can record from ANY source, whether it is analog or digital (television, DVDs, VCR’s, other
audio players, cassette tapes and computers) in addition to acting as a storage device for all your
files and documents: enter the big guns.
First off is the:
Zen Vision W (http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=210&subcategory=211&p
roduct=15752). Retails for $299.99 for the 30 GB version & $499.99 for the 60 GB version
On this player, you can listen to music, view photos and videos on a 480x272 (higher resolution than
previously mentioned players) resolution 4.3” wide screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio (widescreen).
This device also allows you to push out your photos, music and video to a projector or television,
functions as a voice recorder, personal organizer and a FM radio. One of the features that stand
out on this player, as compared to the aforementioned players, is that you can directly transfer
photos from your digital camera to it.
iRiver PMP-140 (http://www.iriver.com/html/product/prpv_product.asp?pidx=45)
Retails for $599.99 for the 40 GB version.
This is, like the previous, plays music (.mp3, .wav & .wma), videos, photos on a vivid 3.5” screen, has
a FM tuner, a voice recorder, can push out audio and video to an external source and you can
directly transfer photos from your digital camera. Some of the unique features to this device are
it has a built in speaker, can record audio from any external source as well as transfer any file type
from your PC or Mac.
Our last and final product the ultimate, at least for now, portable media player. Archos has been
engineering media players for years and still continues to lead the pack in progressive, all-inclusive
technology. Their latest and greatest player is the AV series:

3. Still Using Your iPod for Music? How to Use Your Portable Media Player in Your Litigation Practice. - 3 of 4
Archos AV 500 & 700
(http://www.archos.com/products/video/av_500/index.html?country=global&lang=en)
(http://www.archos.com/products/video/av_700/index.html?country=global&lang=en)
The AV 500 comes with a 4” screen and in 30 & 100 GB versions. Retailing for $499.99 & $599.99
respectively. The AV 700 comes with a 7” screen and in 30 & 100 GB versions as well. Retailing for
$499.99 & $699.99 respectively.
These players are identical in features to each other and only differ in screen size, either a modest
4” or a cinematic 7”. Both devices contain all the features of the above reference players
(ability to play all audio files, all video files, all photo files, directly transfer photos from your digital
camera, built in speaker, pushes out audio and video to any source, can record audio from any
source as well as store and transfer any file type). In addition to this wealth of features, it also
has a replaceable battery (a big problem with the iPod), plays video back at near DVD quality,
downloadable and upgradeable firmware, games and the ability to record audio and video from
any external.
Imagine having the ability to walk into a deposition, hand the videographer your Archos AV,
record the deposition as it progresses; hand your Archos to the court reporter, have her download
the deposition, then hand it to the other side and have them download all their exhibits onto it as
well. As your waiting for your cab, you take some beautiful pictures of the city skyline at sunset
and download them directly to your Archos in order to share with your family. Now you’re sitting
in the cab on the way to the airport, listening to your favorite MP3’s to unwind for the plane ride.
Once you board the plane, you can now review the deposition, read the transcript and review
the exhibits without having to worry about your battery dying (5+ hour battery life). Once you finish
with the depo, you can look at the scenic pictures you took on your vivid 7” screen, all with one
handheld device.
Now, stop imagining and go out and get yourself one of these!!

4. Still Using Your iPod for Music? How to Use Your Portable Media Player in Your Litigation Practice. - 4 of 4
David W. Mykel is a Litigation Consultant for Courtroom Sciences, Inc. He comes from a psychology
background, having a B.A. in Psychology and Criminal Justice as well as his Master’s in Forensic
Psychology. David considers himself to be part of a new breed of technologically savvy
psychologists who specialize in witness preparation, case presentation and strategy, jury selection
as well as trial technology. His background also includes mock trials and focus groups.