Well, my embargo has finally lifted, and I’m happy to be reporting on the newest extension of Thomson Reuters Legal’s (TRL) WestlawNext artificial intelligence technology, the WestlawNext “Flash.” Honestly, after having been able to spend a couple of weeks with this objet d’art, I have been blown away. And if you get a chance to experience it, you’ll understand why this is the Next New Device. (Sorry Apple iPad!)

When I received the package, it was housed in some kind of space age material with geometric ridges. It looks and feels like plastic, but it isn’t. I’m fairly certain it is designed to prevent any kind of damage to its precious cargo. It has an easy to open snappish enclosure that emits an audible whoosh sound when you open it. Very cool.

{Space-age packaging. Reminded me of the X-Files.}

Once open, you are able to easily slide out the contents, which includes the Device, a lanyard, and “instructions” for use. When I touched the Device, I was just giddy. I mean, much more so than using WestlawNext on the old Internets. Seriously, when you’re holding its smooth polished finish all you are thinking about is the possibilities. How could WestlawNext.com be smarter than this Device?

Once it is out of the protective space-age packaging, the Device comes alive. It isn’t on, but it’s humming. Just waiting to make a connection. I consumed the instructions because I wanted to get to the good stuff as soon as possible, and learned that the Device “speaks” to other computers by being inserted. Seriously. I read the instructions and thought to myself,

This is so … human.

And sure enough, when I plugged the Device into one of my computers, they talked, without any need for me to intervene or translate. I was greeted by a screen that identified the Device and asked whether I wanted to open files for viewing. That. Is. So. Cool. You can create any file structure you want and name your files whatever you want. You can put anything digital on the Device. You can even search using terms that appear in the files. The results are lightning fast, just like you would might expect from WestlawNext. I have no idea if the Device is communicating with the Mother Ship when it is plugged in or not, but it’s amazing.

One interesting thing I noticed about the Device was the fact that it had a label “2gb” on the backside. The instructions don’t say what this means, but a source tells me that the “gb” stands for giant brain. And when you use the WestlawNext Flash, you get the sense that this is exactly that. How else could it know what I want?

{The mysterious “2GB.” The Giant Brain fascinates me.}

Another cool feature to the Device is the fact that when it is communicating with another computer, it has a solitary red light that glows. In many ways, it reminded me of Maximilian from “The Black Hole.” I know that dates me a bit, but I don’t know how else to get my brain wrapped around this technology.

{The glowing eye of the Device. It’s mesmerizing.}

Once it is done with communicating, you can disconnect the Device and use the TRL-approved lanyard to carry Giant Brain around. And honestly, I think you’ll agree that it looks pretty cool. The Device is almost like a buddy that reminds you of how smart you can be, all the time.

{Giant Brain hanging out with me. How fucking cool is this?}

Before the big TRL launch of WestlawNext.com, I was able to catch up to Sloane Reynolds, who you may now know as the “face” of WestlawNext, to ask her what she thought about WestlawNext Flash. She was really busy and in a hurry, but she said (totally unscripted) that it had changed her life. I tried to get some clarification on the statement, but it was really windy and I don’t think she heard me as she stepped into the limo.

{Sloane Reynolds, who was really busy when I tried to talk to her.}

Over the last couple of weeks, I have found that the Device and I are pretty much inseparable. I rely on it all the time, and never once have I been disappointed. TRL has not told me (despite repeated requests) how much it is going to cost above and beyond a customer’s current Westlaw subscription, but if I had to guess, it will be a lot. In my opinion, though, it’s probably worth it. Seriously, what would you pay for this kind of technology?

Given WestlawNext, and now WestlawNext Flash, what could be next? A digital music player that suggests songs I want to listen to based on preferences? That would be some shit wouldn’t it?