Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.
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TIPS & TRICKS I Keep the Gift-Giving Going: More Tech for the Holidays or Any Day In our annual December Giſt Guide (www. CPAPracticeAdvisor.com/10431680), I wrote about a couple of dozen cool-to-quirky gadgets for business and personal use. T ere are always many more that I don't get the chance to cover, whether because of space or time or other factors, so I've decided to share a few more of them here in the January issue. Since this issue actually comes out in mid-December, about a week before the holidays, these tech toys could make a great last-minute addition to somebody's stocking, maybe even your own. Or they just might be good any time of the year. You don't need an excuse to buy a new gadget anyway, right? Enjoy the holidays with family and friends, and toast to a prosperous New Year! One for the Road I know a lot of professionals who are frequently mobile, whether it's accountants who prefer to sit in a coff ee shop all day, those who are audit experts and more likely to be at a client's offi ce than their own, or those who work from everywhere with a laptop. Each one keeps wishing for a bet er mobile monitor, and this might be the answer. T e Toshiba USB Mobile LCD Monitor looks similar to an iPad or other tablet device, and is about the same size. How- ever, it's designed to be used as an additional monitor, with a simple USB connection that supplies the power and the data connection. It sports a 14-inch screen with 1366x768 HD resolution, and comes with the case that's shown in the picture, which can double as a stand. ($199; ht p://us.toshiba.com/computers/accessories/ mobile-monitor) Get Chatty on a Global Scale For those who have clients, friends and loved ones in faraway places, there's no need to worry about high calling rates or other charges. With the free ChatTime app, iPhone users can call anywhere on earth, including land and mobile phones, at rates way lower than regular phone charges, and even a lot less than Skype. Unlike web-based apps, ChatTime doesn't require a Wi-Fi connection because calls aren't sent over Isaac M. O'Bannon, Technology Editor Isaac is the Technology Editor for CPA Practice Advisor. Through his experience in the areas of consumer and professional-level software and peripherals, as well as knowledge of the public accounting fi eld, he provides reviews of technologies used by accountants and their business clients as well as contributing a regular column that provides helpful information that ranges from improving search techniques, when to upgrade a computer and computing security issues. He can be reached at isaac.obannon@cpapracticeadvisor.com. the internet. Whether calling China, India or from New York to California, pay-as-you-go rates are a fraction of other options, and unlimited plans are available for calls to the United States and Canada ($4.99/mo.), to anywhere in Asia/Pacifi c ($9.99), to Europe ($9.99/mo.), or the Unlimited World package ($14.99/mo.). (Free app, no subscription required; www.ChatTimeApp.com) Cold Outside? No Problem T e winter months can make it more diffi cult to use your smartphone and tablets, since gloves and touch screens don't get along. One alterna- tive is taking off your gloves, 14 January 2012 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com but there's no need for that with T mbDog Not just a fashion accessory, the Dogs slip over the fi ngers on any glove and have a surface made for optimal contact with device screens. Perfect for cold-weather professionals, winter sports enthusiasts or other outdoorsy types umb Dogs. Go Hands-Free with Style People have been making their gadgets more visually appealing for years, with artsy skins and wraps that show a bit of personality but can peel, fade and come undone. With Ear- loomz, now you can have a technologically advanced and fashionable earpiece without relying on wimpy wraps. Earlooms are top-of-the-line Bluetooth earpieces avail- able in hundreds of styles, including fashionable, artistic, with NCAA and NBA logos, fi lm and TV themes, recording artists, and other trends, such as Lady Gaga, Hello Kit y, Star Trek and Bet y Boop. ($59; www.earloomz.com) Out of this World Audio If you're frequently mobile, your audio options are usually limited to headphones or tinny- sounding lit le speakers that rob you of the quality of digital media. T e Orbit USB Stereo speakers can launch your mobile multimedia experience to a new level, off ering the full power of Altec Lansing's acoustic quality, in an easily por- table size. T e speakers connect via a simple USB cable and require no bat eries or power outlets. T e cord retracts into the casing when not in use, making it easy to take it with you. ($49.95; www. AltecLansing.com) Turn Your Phone into a Wallet For many people, their mobile phone has become the central gadget in their lives, let ing them constantly stay in contact via text and social media, as well as take pictures, use apps and even talk. Now, it can take on a fi nancial role, as well. T e Callet is a phone case that also includes wallet slots, making it easy to keep your ID cr keep your ID,, credit cards, event tickets, cash and other items all together, without having to carry an additional wallet. who want to keep their fi ngers and thumbs Designed for iPhone and BlackBerry devices fl ying. ($12.99; www.T umbDogs.com) and available in a variety of colors, T e Callet is a great accessory for anybody looking to lighten their load by carrying fewer items. ($19.95; www.T eCallet.com) Awesome All-in-One Lets You Print On the Go Some professionals are just as likely to be on the road, in the air, meeting with a client or at a coff ee shop as they are to be in their offi ce, but that doesn't mean that they don't need to print things. T ere's no longer any reason to search for a printer to borrow, though. T e new HP Officejet Pro 8600 e-All-in-One has all of the traditional features you'd expect from a com- bination device, such as high-speed black-and-white or color printing and copying, faxing and scanning with PDF generation, along with web connectivity. T is ePrint capability allows users of smartphones, tablets, laptops or other internet-capable mobile devices to use the Offi cejet from wherever they may be. It also off ers dual-sided printing and is Energy Star rated to cost less. ($169.99; www.hp.com) A Cup of Joe at the Ready A lit le caff eine goes a long way, especially during tax season. Now you can keep a cup of fresh gourmet-style coff ee constantly within reach with the NESCAFE Dolce Gusto Genio. T e single-serve coff ee brewing system is compact for use at your workstation, or in cubes, dorms and kitchenet es. It uses precisely designed fl avor capsules to give the Genio a professional 15-bar pressure system like those used in coff eehouses. Now you can have a fresh cup within seconds. ($129; www. dolce-gusto.us) Check out the online version of this article at www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com/10453153 for even MORE gadgets & gift ideas.