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In honor of Snow Leopard, we’ve redesigned the TimeNet Law icon so it looks beautiful in full 512×512 glory. Here’s what it looks like:

TimeNet Law 1.9.9p is now available. This new version boasts speed improvements across the board, fixes several known issues, adds over a dozen new features. All this, and the Application file size is now almost 60% smaller!

Release Notes

• New Restore Data function in File menu

• Speed improvements through multi-threaded functions and control visibility methods
• Fixed an issue with invoice logos not properly showing up in Networked mode
• Automatic Bookkeeper now only auto-selects Matters with enough Trust/Escrow to pay
• Fixed an issue with Automatic Bookkeeper payments not deducting from trust/escrow in Networked mode
• Earnings Report no longer adds totals from Inactive clients (hold Option while selecting to see with Inactive)
• Matters and client names will no longer re-order themselves randomly in the Main window
• Clients are now added/edited from the Main window, not Preferences (option+double-click a client to edit)
• New View menu – Modify selected client, show Inactive clients and turn on/off columns
• Slip fields have been re-ordered to increase data entry speed
• Keyboard shortcuts for adding new slips to a Matter – found under the Matter menu
• Improvements to file reading/writing
• Command-clicking a checkbox in a listbox now checks/unchecks all checkboxes in that listbox
• Cut file size by almost 60% (was 34MB+, now under 17MB)

It’s not quite Tuesday yet, but for this installment of Technolust Tuesday, we will be drooling over the new 27″ quad core Intel i7 iMac.

I will be ordering the 27″ 2.8GHz quad core i7 iMac with 8GB RAM. If I can swing it, I’ll be ordering on Black Friday. If not, I will be ordering it the following week.

As soon as it arrives I will be posting a detailed review of everything from overall aesthetic appeal, to screen details, to port lineup and layout, ease of upgrading memory, and fine-tuned benchmarks. How fast are these things really? How do everyday tasks compare? Is Safari, iTunes or even plain old file browsing any faster? Is the screen bright enough? Is the glare bearable?

Then, for fun, I will be posting a head-to-head Geekbench benchmark comparing the new iMac to my current iMac: a 2006 model 20″ 2GHz Intel Core Duo with 2GB of RAM. Then we’ll pit it against a late 2007 model 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro with 2GB RAM.

I can’t wait to see hands on how this new quad core iMac shreds through my daily work flow. Stay tuned…

TimeNet 3.9.26 is now available for download. TimeNet 3.9.26 focuses on speed and performance. As a result, the Application file size is over 66% smaller, opening the Manager window is now practically instant even if you have 1,000+ projects and QuickSearches now perform up to 450x faster.

Release Notes

• Manager now remembers selection when opening projects

• Live example of how invoice numbers will look in client info window
• Projects no longer switch order underneath client folders in Main Window
• Possible startup issues resolved
• Multi-threaded functions and control visibility methods show huge speed improvements with large libraries:
  • Opening the Manager is now 500x faster

  • Changing views in the Manager is now practically instant
  • QuickSearches are up to 450x faster
• Duplicate listings in QuickSearch and Quick Timer issues resolved
• 67% smaller file size (was 35MB+, now under 20MB)

TimeNet 3.9.22 is now available for download. This update is free to all registered TimeNet users. This update is almost a complete re-write of the software. Every method, function and subroutine has been tweaked, polished and streamlined to provide a faster, more reliable user experience.

We’ve tried very very hard to get rid of all known bugs but we still need your help! Please test out the new version of TimeNet and if an error pops up, be sure to send us the error report along with a detailed description of what you were doing at the time of the error.

TimeNet 3.9.22 Release Notes

Bug Fixes:

• Invoicing functionality has been largely rewritten to improve reliability and speed

• Occasional invoice calculation and layout issues have been resolved
• Issues with data loss, duplication and random file read/write issues have been resolved
• Issues with invoicing from the manager have been resolved
• Switched from Floating Point Integers to Fixed Point Integers for increased reliability
• Issues where TimeNet could become unresponsive while checking for updates have been resolved
• Issues with setting a Networked folder and switching from Networked mode to Local mode have been resolved
• Issues with foreign numeric formats and date issues have all been resolved
• Dozens of tiny issues and potential issues have been corrected

New Features/Changes:

• All windows have been re-designed and polished

• Global Menuitem allows you to control the timer from any application
• Project windows now remember their size and placement on screen
• Expenses now have a quantity option
• Rounding is now always available under the Project menu
• Added GROWL support for beautiful visual feedback
• The Backup option under the File menu now functions much better
• Buzz Me! reminders can now be sent to all networked TimeNet users
• Employees can now store hourly rates
• Cmd+up and Cmd+down arrow now works in date fields
• Explorer has been deprecated; options for HTML templates are now Safari or FireFox
• All listboxes can now be re-ordered with simple drag-and-drop
• Brought back the Blocks easter-egg (hint: About Window…)
• Can now add items to the Project window with contextual menus (right-click)
• The Project Time Log has been deprecated
• Error reports can now be sent when an unhandled error occurs

TimeNet Law is going to see one or two more small updates as we gear up for the big 2.0 release. These smaller releases will mainly be in the realm of solving a billing conundrum we’ve been stuck on for a little while now. We’re nearing a solution that elegantly handles the problem. After this issue is resolved, TimeNet Law 2.0 will be quick to follow. This release will truly take TimeNet Law beyond billing. Here’s the lowdown on what’s to come:

- Conflict checking. TimeNet Law will allow you to list the names/companies of people associated with clients you represent. A Hot Tier will let you list names/companies that absolutely do conflict with that client. And of course you’ll be able to run a quick conflict of interest check anytime, plus you’ll be notified when creating a new client if there are any conflicts. All of this will be achieved with a methodical and well-thought-out design that is easy to understand and fun to use.

- More case management. TimeNet Law currently allows you to link a file to a slip. That’s pretty great, but sometimes you need a list of files at hand that revolve around the entire matter. And sometimes you don’t want these files to all pop open every time you start the timer. Enter the new Matter Briefcase. Inside your Briefcase you can have a clean, organized list of files, as well as notes and to-dos for that matter. You can even sync due dates and appointments with iCal.

- Reporting. TimeNet Law recently added the Trust and Escrow Funds Report, which is a great tool, but that’s just the beginning. Timekeeper reports, income reports, client reports and more displayed in beautiful, printable pie charts and bar graphs. You’ll always be in the know on exactly how your firm is doing.

- Finally, fully customizable bill templates. Your firm will be running smarter and looking good doing it.

TimeNet Law 2.0 is going to be a really great upgrade and there will probably be a few more surprises. Oh, and one more thing: TimeNet Law 2.0 will be an absolutely free update!

TimeNet is going to see a major update (3.9.22) in the next few days. This update is a massive interface overhaul (every single window has been polished and improved). In addition to the new UI, we have re-written almost all of the code base. Here’s what we’ve been able to achieve:

- Much more stable. Reading/writing files is now virtually fail-proof. Disappearing data, networking problems, and other strange issues that crept up randomly have also been fixed. The data structure has been streamlined and prepped for the new features of 4.0 as well (more on this coming soon).

- It’s insanely fast. Launching, opening projects, invoicing, reports, searching, quitting… it’s all faster. We’re fully taking advantage of multi-core processors. Much of the under-the-hood code is now multi-threaded.

- Bugs-be-gone. Foreign date and number format problems and invoice calculation problems were rare (or none) for some, and quite persistent for others. The good news is we’ve fixed all of this (as far as we can tell, you’ll have to be the judge of that).

- Improved invoicing. Polished and tweaked invoice templates and revisions to the internal invoice layout and calculations. Your invoices will look amazing.

After the 3.9.22 solidifies TimeNet with a fresh and current UI and a massively improved code-base, 4.0 will follow right after bringing a slew of highly anticipated new features, and it also has a few tricks up its sleeve.

Every once in awhile we have gotten reports of people experiencing strange behavior with TimeNet Law in networked mode. Sometimes it’s new users who’ve just started using TimeNet Law, while others have been using it for years and are just now experiencing problems.

The Symptoms
This fix will apply to you if you experience any of the following:

• In Networked mode creating new clients, new matters and/or making changes is not reflected across the network

• In Local mode creating new clients, new matters and/or making changes does not seem to “stick” Locally or to other Networked users
• When changing Preferences (in either mode), quitting and reopening TimeNet Law loses the changes

These issues have kept us scratching our heads for awhile now, but I’m happy to announce that this weekend, with the help of several sharp legal minds (yes, lawyers work on weekends too!), I think we’ve found a fix.

Read further in our Support Forum.

With the release of iTunes 9, Apple has upset a lot of people, myself included.

If you scour their online discussion forums, you will see host of others complaining as well. From changes in long-standing design models to developers seeing huge decreases in their App Store sales since the redesign, there is plenty to be upset about.

Here are my main griefs with the latest fruity jukebox software, and I hope Apple is listening:

1. A long-standing bug that I have reported several times over the last 2+ years is still very present. For all of the details, view my post by clicking here.

2. iPhone and iPod developers are now seeing large drops in their sales revenue: up to 50%! This is because of the “improvements” to the App Store layout and design which seem to snuff out the little guys and further promote the “big dogs”. Read More

3. The green + button no longer sends the iTunes player into Mini Mode. I understand that they may have wanted to more strictly conform to their own Aqua Human Interface Guidelines, but they’ve left this feature in for far too long, and now lots of people are too used to it. It’s especially annoying when I’m working on music, because now you have to use two hands to minimize the iTunes player into Mini Mode by either holding Option while clicking the + or using the Command+Shift+M shortcut, making me put down my guitar or other instrument first.

The Green + is Broken

4. The background color for many of iTunes layout modes is now a bright white instead of black. This is too harsh on the eyes of most people, and Apple needs to change it back to black, or a darker shade of grey, or at least let the background color be user-changeable.

5. Apple has removed the Shopping Cart feature of the iTunes Store, or at least made it much harder to find and use, and this makes the entire experience much less user-friendly. Now it’s too easy to accidentally purchase songs, and no longer can you create a shopping cart of items over time to purchase at a later date.

Apple needs to listen to their millions of users and the thousands of complaints on their own website alone and get these issues straightened out right away, or they risk alienating a lot of people (myself included, and I’m the biggest Apple fan I know).

If you agree, please take a moment to comment on this post (as a sort of petition), and/or file your grievance at http://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html.

TimeNet Law 1.9.9j is now available. A public release will be issued tomorrow. To get the new version ahead of time, download here.

TimeNet Law 1.9.9j Release Notes

New Features:

• TimeNet Law is now a multi-threaded application to take advantage of multiple cores/processors
• Optimized for a 64 bit kernel and other Snow Leopard enhancements
• Opening Matters is now 30-70% faster
• Generating batch bills is now 50% faster (with a progress bar indicator)
• New Trust Funds Report
• New Escrow Funds Report
• The client box no longer loses it’s scroll and selected status when opening and deleting Matters
• Added many abilities to customize bill layout
• Many improvements to bill layout
• Timers in the Timekeeper Timer window can now be manually changed
• Data structure improvements with data redundancy and temp files
• Companies in Address Book now properly appear and import
• Client’s full name appears in file name of batch-generated bills
• Include Notes and Show Only Notes settings now remember their states

Fixes:

• Fixed: issue with possible false previous balances
• Fixed: deleting a client from the Main Window didn’t work
• Fixed: issue where date didn’t appear on bill until Preferences window was opened
• Fixed: issue with logo not appearing on bills until Preferences window was opened
• Fixed: issue where creating a slip from a timer and clicking cancel before finishing could result in lost data
• Fixed: deleting a Matter with the contextual menu didn’t work
• Fixed: possible OutOfBounds cast exception when creating invoices

Snow Leopard is fast. It really is. Benchmarks can’t really show this, as they primarily only measure hardware speeds. Unless you got a new Mac with your new Leopard, the best way to compare speed is by timing a task several times and taking the average of it. This is what I did.

A few Mac review/blog sites have posted benchmark comparisons, but these don’t show off the true speed increases you’ll achieve with Snow Leopard. Here are some real-world tests I’ve done on my own on my two personal machines.

* note that for this experiment, both machines had completely wiped hard drives and fresh installs of Leopard and then Snow Leopard.

2GHz Intel Core Duo iMac 20″
Western Digital Caviar Green 7200rpm 1TB HD
2GB DDR2 SDRAM
2006 model, 3+ years old

With 10.5.8 Installed

Full Boot: 48 seconds
Launch Photoshop CS4: 7.4 seconds
Launch xCode: 21 seconds
Launch REALbasic: 1 minute 22 seconds

Copy 750MB of files in Finder: 2 minutes 54 seconds
Empty 2GB from the Trash: 1 minute 19 seconds

Wake from Sleep: 3.5 seconds
Activate REALbasic from being hidden in the Dock overnight: 40+ seconds
Load apple.com: 4 seconds
Login to MySpace.com: 9 seconds
Login to PayPal.com: 14 seconds

Max download speed from ISP News Groups using Panic’s Unison (as reported in Activity Monitor): 642KB/sec

Shut down: 26 seconds

With 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Installed

Full Boot: 27 seconds
Launch Photoshop CS4: 3.9 seconds
Launch xCode: 14 seconds
Launch REALbasic: 54 seconds

Copy 750MB of files in Finder: 2 minutes 12 seconds
Empty 2GB from the Trash: 58 seconds

Wake from Sleep: <1 second
Activate REALbasic from being hidden in the Dock overnight: 1.5 seconds
Load apple.com: 2.8 seconds
Login to MySpace.com: 6.5 seconds
Login to PayPal.com: 11 seconds

Max download speed from ISP News Groups using Panic's Unison (as reported in Activity Monitor): 714KB/sec

Shut down: 3.5 seconds

2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro 15″
Western Digital Caviar Green 7200rpm 250GB HD
2GB DDR2 SDRAM – 2006 model, 3+ years old

With 10.5.8 Installed

Full Boot: 39 seconds
Launch Photoshop CS4: 6.9 seconds
Launch xCode: 17 seconds
Launch REALbasic: 1 minute 4 seconds

Copy 750MB of files in Finder: 3 minutes 7 seconds
Empty 2GB from the Trash: 1 minute 12 seconds

Wake from Sleep: 2 seconds
Activate REALbasic from being hidden in the Dock overnight: 30+ seconds
Load apple.com: 5 seconds
Login to MySpace.com: 10 seconds
Login to PayPal.com: 15 seconds

Max download speed from ISP News Groups using Panic’s Unison (as reported in Activity Monitor): 628KB/sec

Shut down: 14 seconds

With 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Installed

Full Boot: 29 seconds
Launch Photoshop CS4: 3.5 seconds
Launch xCode: 11.5 seconds
Launch REALbasic: 51 seconds

Copy 750MB of files in Finder: 2 minutes 4 seconds
Empty 2GB from the Trash: 49 seconds

Wake from Sleep: <1 second
Activate REALbasic from being hidden in the Dock overnight: <1 second
Load apple.com: 3 seconds
Login to MySpace.com: 7 seconds
Login to PayPal.com: 11 seconds

Max download speed from ISP News Groups using Panic's Unison (as reported in Activity Monitor): 708KB/sec

Shut down: 2.9 seconds

The Results: Snow Leopard Runs Circles Around Leopard in Every Task

As you can see, Snow Leopard is A LOT faster in just about every basic task. Some tasks, such as waking heavy apps from being open but inactive for 12+ hours, are just insanely quicker. Other tasks are just a smidgeon faster, but multiplied by a few times each day over a couple of years, the time saved adds up quickly. Getting info on a big folder to figure out its size, searching within Mail.app, Spotlight indexes and searches, everything feels genuinely snappier.

The speed increases alone are enough to warrant an upgrade to Snow Leopard, but add all of the additional new (albeit small, but very welcome) feature enhancements, and more importantly, the foundation for future potential that this operating system promises. In another year or so, expect many apps and common tasks to fly at much quicker rates than my modest 3 year old Apple hardware can currently achieve; meanwhile, I’ll enjoy my 15-35% speed increase throughout.

Go Snow Leopard!