Every August or so, I write about “cool tech” for in-house lawyers.  It’s something I enjoy doing because I love technology and the promise that it brings to make life (work or at home) better and more productive. And over the past 10+ years (my first “cool tech” blog was way back in 2015), I have uncovered a lot of great bits of technology that in-house lawyers should check out.[1]  As always, I have been keeping my eyes open for the past 12 months to spot useful technology that will – I believe – make in-house counsel more productive (in addition to making work easier and – hopefully – more fun and interesting). While I am a big fan, I admit upfront that I am not particularly skillful with technology. I do not have a computer science degree, I do not code, and I don’t speak geek (but I am pretty fair with pig Latin when the situation arises).  I just like to find something interesting and bang away, seeing what could be helpful to you and what is not.  So, rest assured that I tossed a lot of crap technology to the side to come up with the list below.   

As usual, I like to highlight technology that is easy to use and low-cost – delivering value with little effort or expense.  Some years I have picked a “big piece of technology” that is more expensive and requires an implementation plan, etc.  I do not have one of those on the list this year.  As usual, I make no promises or warranties of any kind, implied or express and you assume all risks associated with reading further (and, as always, I have an army of litigators at my beck and call to defend me to their dying breath should something go astray – so just know that any litigation will involve lawyers, guns, and money!).  I can also assure you that I get nothing for recommending the technology below. I just think these are all useful tools and worth checking out.  Okay, with the preliminaries done, it’s time to get started.  Here is my “Ten Things” cool tech 2026 edition:

1.  PDF Barber.  You do not need a costly subscription to a PDF service to get a ton of PDF-related technology.  With PDF Barber, you get it all for free!  In fact, you get 15 PDF tools including split PDFs, merge PDFs, images to PDF, organize/reorder/remove/duplicate pages in your PDF, extract pages, edit metadata, sign PDFs, fill forms, “flatten” PDFs, add a watermark, compress, add QR codes, and remove passwords.[2]  Even better, privacy is built in from the start, i.e., your files never leave your device. Every operation happens entirely within your browser using cutting-edge web technologies.

2.  Vert.  If you have ever needed to convert an image, video, audio, or document file into a different type of file, e.g., .jpeg to .png, you know it can be a painful process to find the right tool (at the right price point). Vert converts just about everything to anything for free. All non-video files are converted completely “on-device,” so there is no delay between sending and receiving the files from a server (and Vert gets no access to the files you convert). Video files get uploaded to an RTX 4000 Ada server.[3] Your videos stay on there for an hour if you do not convert them. If you do convert the file, the video will stay on the server for an hour, or until it is downloaded. The file will then be deleted from their server.  If you need to convert a file, this is the place to start.

3.  Dlyfull Battery Tester.  Sure, go ahead and laugh at a battery tester as cool tech, but damn if this isn’t one of the best purchases I have ever made.  So much so that I own two and have given others as Christmas gifts.  Why?  Because knowing if you have bad batteries or a bad device is incredibly helpful.  More so than I ever imagined.  For under $20.00 USD, the Dlyfull can test AA, AAA, C, CR123A, D, 9V, N, CR2, CRV3, 2CR5, and CR-P2 batteries, as well as a wide variety of button cell batteries.  I use mine all the time.  You need one of these (you just don’t know it).

4.  Ithy.  Have you ever wondered what it would be like to enter one prompt and have it access several major Generative AI sites at one time?  Well, me neither. But apparently someone does because that is what Ithy can do, and it is incredibly powerful. Ithy is the first AI aggregator, combining the smartest AIs (e.g., Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and more) and synthesizing their answers into one interactive article with charts, buttons, videos, and more.  Unlike single-source AI LLMs, Ithy looks to “consolidate knowledge, reduce bias, and offer a more rounded perspective.”  Sounds pretty admirable.  You have to see it to understand[4] but give it a try and you’ll be hooked!  And if you want to have access generally to the major Generative AI tools without the aggregation into one article, try Kagi – it’s incredible.

5. SonaBuds.  So far this year I have been to Portugal, Denmark, and Scotland.  With me on these travels was a pair of SonaBuds – AI-powered real-time translation earbuds.  And they worked great – especially in Scotland, where I was completely lost in translation most of the time[5] (but what a wonderful place to visit!).  Anyway, with SonaBuds you can “speak” 140 languages in seconds with no Wi-Fi, no complicated apps or subscriptions, and zero stress.  You can (literally) have instant two-way conversations with anyone in any language.  Pretty amazing.

6.  Guidde.  If you are a long-time reader, you know I love to create checklists and standard operating procedures.  Guidde allows you to take that to 11 via an AI-driven platform that allows you to effortlessly create training videos for your team or in-house clients.  Any subject matter expert in the legal department can create high-quality video documentation while in the flow of their work and do it in minutes without any design or video skills.[6]  For example, legal operations folks can use Guidde to create teaching videos of all of the standardized processes within the department.  It can even translate those videos into 50 different languages. You can also create teaching videos for the department intranet site or for kickoff meetings (and more!).  See it in action here: Guidde Demo.

7.  Granola. Another AI-driven product, Granola is a note-taking tool that doesn’t produce transcripts of your meetings and calls, just excellent summaries of what transpired.  The cool part is that it takes notes like a person does and it’s super useful. Granola uses your computer audio, so it doesn’t “invite” a bot to join the call (spooking the shit out of everyone),[7]  and it works with Zoom, Google Meet, Teams and every other meeting app.  Granola allows you to stay more present in the meeting because no matter if you take copious notes or just draw doodles of bizarre shapes and cartoon characters, it works in the background, capturing all the key elements of meetings and producing “human-like” summaries and action items.  And you can edit, change, delete or do whatever else you want to do with the notes it produces.  I just like the basic live note-taking capture, but you can sync Granola with your calendar and other tools if you like. For more, check out this video: Granola Demo.

8.  TECKNET EDC Clip-on Flashlight.  I don’t know if it is just me getting older and my eyesight getting worse,[8] but it can be incredibly difficult to find anything in my backpack.[9] It is like the Krubera Cave in there! The solution was actually pretty easy: the TECKNET EDC Clip-on flashlight. Now I can find anything I need in my bag thanks to this compact rechargeable pocket-size flashlight. It produces up to 650 lumens (a shitload of light) and offers multiple lighting modes. You can clip it to most anything, use its magnetic base, or use a lanyard for multiple hands-free options.  Best of all, it is only about 2 inches long and weighs next to nothing. It’s also a great bedside light (especially when you are traveling) and it is light enough to use as a safety light when you walk or run.

9.  Travel Tech.  As most of you know, I spend a good amount of time on the road.  Here is some of the travel tech I recommend for 2026 (besides the SonaBuds described above):

• Solis Edge Global WiFi Hotspot – an incredibly handy travel gadget, the Solis Edge is a compact 5G/Wi-Fi 6 travel hotspot that connects to 300+ mobile carriers across 140+ countries without requiring a physical SIM card or long-term contract. It uses scan technology to select the best available carrier network automatically and is small with multi-day battery life.  It has been a lifesaver on multiple occasions.[10]
• Pocket Personal AI Assistant – most of the time I jot ideas, things to do, etc. down on a piece of paper.  I still do that, but when I travel, I tend to rely on the Pocket Personal AI Assistant.  It is a compact, screen-free AI recorder designed to capture meetings, phone calls, conversations, and spoken ideas, then turn them into searchable transcripts, summaries, action items, and mind maps. It supports 120+ languages, has 64GB of onboard storage, and up to four days of active battery life in a pocket-sized device. Its core transcription features are available without a subscription, while an optional “Pro” plan adds more advanced AI capabilities if needed.
• SUPERDANNY Power Strip – When I travel, I need a lot of plugs.  The SUPERDANNY 10Ft Flat Plug Surge Protector Power Strip combines 8 AC outlets, 2 USB-A ports, and 2 USB-C ports, allowing up to 12 devices to be powered or charged from one travel-friendly small unit. It has a 10-foot flat extension cord for when the hotel decides to put the nearest plug 10 ft from the desk (which seems to be the case most of the time – get your shit together, hoteliers of the world!). It also provides 1050-joule surge protection, which you will never know how important this is until you need it and don’t have it.
• Nekteck 65W USB-C Charger – I always pack a power cord for my laptop and a second one as a spare (because I have had power cords crap out on me on the road and getting a replacement can be a challenge depending on where you are).  But both cords are heavy and bulky. Say hello to the Nekteck 65W USB-C Charger, a compact wall charger that delivers up to 65W of power for fast charging laptops, tablets, and smartphones. It is compatible with PC laptops, MacBooks, smartphones, etc. It is also super lightweight, making it perfect for travel.

10. Aura Picture Frame.  Meet the gift that “won” Christmas at our house last year.  One of the gifts to Mrs. Ten Things was an Aura picture frame. When she first opened it, you could tell she was thinking, “Great.  Another piece of electronics that will take forever to set up and learn and will constantly fail.”  Wrong!  We now have four of them and have given them as gifts to grandparents because Auras are such wonderful and easy-to-use devices.  The Aura picture frame is a WiFi-connected digital photo frame that automatically displays photos and short videos sent from your phone, computer, or by invited friends and family (you literally just send them a text and your friends and family can load photos onto the frame in seconds). It includes free unlimited cloud storage with no subscription, supports remote photo sharing, and uses a high-definition display so your pictures always look great as they rotate through.  Once it is set up, you can easily load photos from your phone or computer remotely – no matter where the frame is located (which is why grandparents love it).  I have one in my office now and the most challenging part of my day is to try to not stare at it constantly… like I am doing now.    

*****

Well, that’s all for this year’s edition of cool tech for in-house lawyers.  I hope you find one or two of the suggestions above useful to you (and your team). At a minimum, don’t be afraid to try something.  You really cannot break it, and you might find something that makes an impact.  One thing I do that is really helpful any time I am learning about some piece of technology is to look for videos on YouTube showing how the technology works.  I have included some of those above, but it is an easy way to learn how to use legal tech quickly.  And if you have some piece of cool technology you would like me to share with the readers of this blog, send it my way. 

Sterling Miller

August 30, 2026

For more on how to use technology to be more productive or add value, check out two of my books: Showing the Value of the Legal Department: More Than Just a Cost Center and The Productive In-House Lawyer: Tips, Hacks, and the Art of Getting Things Done.

My newest book (number seven), More Slow-Cooker Savant, is out!  Join the cool kids and buy a copy (or ten) right now!

Two more of my books, Ten Things You Need to Know as In-House Counsel – Practical Advice and Successful Strategies and Ten (More) Things You Need to Know as In-House Counsel – Practical Advice and Successful Strategies Volume 2, are also on sale at the ABA website (including as e-books).

I have published two other books: The Evolution of Professional Football, and The Slow-Cooker Savant. I am also available for speaking engagements, webinars/CLEs, coaching, training, pet sitting, bartending, and consulting.

Connect with me on Twitter @10ThingsLegal and on LinkedIn where I post articles and stories of interest to in-house counsel frequently.

“Ten Things” is not legal advice nor legal opinion and represents my views only. It is intended to provide practical tips and references to the busy in-house practitioner and other readers. If you have questions or comments, or ideas for a post, please contact me at sterling.miller@outlook.com, or if you would like a CLE for your in-house legal team on this or any topic in the blog, contact me at smiller@hilgerslaw.com.

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[1] If you would like to see past editions of the “cool tech” edition, check out these links: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015.

[2] Which is really handy for those times when assholes send you a password-locked PDF to review.  Seriously, if you truly want someone to have the opportunity to review and edit a contract: 1) send it in Word/Google Docs or 2) if it is a PDF, unlock it!  Don’t be an asshole.  Plus, it’s almost Christmas and Santa is watching, so this could matter.

[3] Yeah, I had no clue what this was either, but apparently it is a server for video streaming.  You’re welcome.

[4] Oddly, I could only find one video on YouTube and it is not in English:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfN2x9UIUTM But you can see what Ithy produces and that is the important part.  Ithy dudes, get some demos out there!

[5] Uncle Alan, I have no idea what you were talking about at dinner, but that may have been the scotch vs. your Scottish accent.  Or both.

[6] Which may be the epitaph on my tombstone unless Mrs. Ten Things carries through with her threat to have me buried at sea or pulverized into mulch for her garden (depends on the day).

[7] That said, if you are going to record a call or meeting, good manners (and potentially the long arm of the law) require you to give everyone a heads up.  And no matter what, review and edit whatever AI produces.

[8] As all of you know, I do suffer from oldness and, regrettably, it is fatal.

[9] If I carried a purse or wanted to peer into the dark recesses of a portal to hell, it would be great for that too.

[10] I know you are asking why you don’t just use your phone as a hotspot, Sterling?  You can, but especially if you travel internationally, the Solis Edge is better for sustained tethering.  It is far better internationally and automatically selects the best available 5G/4G network. Your phone hotspot is generally dependent on your carrier’s coverage and roaming arrangements.  It doesn’t drain your phone battery. It provides dual-band Wi-Fi and supports up to 16 connected devices, which is useful for laptops, tablets, and multiple travelers. So, just depends on the need.