Monday, April 14, 2014
-
Pros
New for 2012: Can claim dependents, Earned income tax credit (with limitations). Excellent user interface. Easy W-2 import via smartphone camera. Online FAQs; can email support. Operationally sound.
- Cons Price. Form and schedule limitations. Can't download data for 1099-INT.
-
Bottom Line
If it's worth roughly $30 to be able to prepare and file your 1040EZ on your iPhone or Android, SnapTax should be your choice this year. It offers more preparation options than H&R Block 1040EZ, has better support, and performs well.
I remember filling out my 1040 when I was just out of college and had my first real job. It seemed silly to me that I had to complete this big, scary-looking form when all I had to claim was some W-2 income. No dependents, no home, no investments and no other deductible expenses. My friends shared my dismay. Today's young taxpayers—as well as older ones who have very simple financial situations—can now complete what used to be an unnecessarily time-consuming task by using Intuit's SnapTax on a smartphone; I tested on an iPhone, and the app is also available on Android, as well.
You can use SnapTax if your 2012 income was under $100,000 ($120,000 if married). It supports some of the most common tax topics:
• W-2 income,
• Interest income (1099-INT),
• Unemployment income (1099-G),
• Student loan interest (1098-E),
• Dependents (only your own children who lived with you all year),
• Child Care Credit,
• Earned Income Tax Credit (some limitations here).
There are many tax situations, of course, that SnapTax doesn't support, like home ownership, medical expenses, retirement income, and investment transactions. There are references in the app to the forms required for these, so if you need to complete one of them, you can easily transfer any data you've already entered into TurboTax Online and complete your return there (fees required).
Simple, Self-Explanatory Interface and Navigation
When you first open SnapTax, you can create a new account, enter an existing TurboTax Online user ID and password or just jump in and start looking around. You don't have to enter data in the prescribed order like you do with H&R Block 1040EZ. You click on links to progress and the "Back" or "Cancel" buttons (and sometimes, your smartphone back key) to back up. Simple app, simple navigation.
The home page consists of five separate elements. The toolbar at the top gives you access to security information; FAQs and an email link to Intuit (neither of which H&R Block 1040EZ offers); and a basic utility page. Below that is a running tally of your current Federal and state tax liability.
Three horizontal bars below the toolbar contain the app's three primary functions. When you click on the first, "Snap Photos," you see a list of the tax situations and forms supported: W-2, 1099-INT, 1099-G (new for 2012 in SnapTax), and 1098-E. Select one, and a submenu of options opens. The latter three ask for information like the names of related financial institutions and provide fields for your answers.
Easy Entry
The first, "Income From a Job," gives you the option of taking a picture of your W-2 with your smartphone camera. The app helps you position it, and when it's done correctly, the data from the form is automatically entered in the correct fields on the W-2. H&R Block 1040EZ offer the same input method. Unfortunately, neither of them connects to financial institutions for 1099-INT download, though this is usually a matter of a name and number.
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If your 1099-INT has numbers in boxes beyond the first one, SnapTax recommends that you import your data into one of the TurboTax Online sites. It makes this suggestion throughout the app to let you know when something in your financial situation warrants a more sophisticated solution.
To complete the last step before filing, you click on the, "Tell Us About You," bar on the homepage. If you've already entered data or snapped a picture of your W-2, a lot of the information required there will already be available, but you'll have to answer a few questions for the IRS. New this year: You can also report on dependents and childcare providers to get tax breaks for them, and SnapTax will calculate your earned income tax credit (with some limitations; you may have to switch to an online product). H&R Block 1040EZ doesn't offer this.
Performs Well, But Pricey
That's it. Once you've entered everything necessary and clicked the "Approve" button where required, you can preview your return and e-file. SnapTax tells you everything you need to know to get your return into the hands of the IRS.
Would you pay $24.99 for a mobile tax app, or $29.99 if you file after March 22? Seems excessive, considering you can get the Deluxe version of TurboTax for either the iPad or Web browser for $29.99. Still, if you want the "cool" factor and the convenience and speed of filing a 1040EZ on your smartphone, it's clearly the one to buy for the 2012 tax year.
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Tuesday, March 18, 2014
PS4 demand to ‘outstrip supply’ at launch suggests Sony
PlayStation
Sony has suggested that demand for the recently priced PS4 will likely ‘outstrip supply’ at launch, meaning many eager gamers are set to miss out in the run up to the Christmas period.
With the PS4 price having been formally unveiled as £349 earlier this week during the company’s E3 press conference, Sony has revealed that pre-orders for the next-generation PlayStation have soared since the announcement, forcing it to readdress its sales projections for the console.
With a number of retailers now suggesting the PS4 is proving more popular that the £80 more expensive Xbox One, Sony has warned that at the current rate of interest, demand for the PS3 follow-on “may well outstrip supply.”
Speaking on the eagerly awaited console, Andrew House, Sony’s Global Head of the PlayStation Business told the WSJ: “The company is shifting its internal projections for the product after favourable reaction to the company’s presentation Monday.” He reportedly added to those considering the console, “demand may well outstrip supply.”
Earlier this week Sony looked to quell concerns that launch stock for its next-generation console would be limited, with the manufacturer stating it will look to accommodate all interest ahead of release. Presently, Sony has confirmed a PS4 release date will be held during the “2013 holiday season” but no more precise details have yet been given.
Speaking during E3 2013, Fergal Gera, Head of Sony PlayStation UK told reporters, “We’ve been really pleased with the boost overnight of pre-order figures of the PS4 following our E3 press conference.
He added: “We’ll do our best to have plenty of stock for gamers in the UK.”
Further suggesting that PS4 demand could be greater than supply figures at launch, a number of retailers currently allowing for PS4 pre-orders to be made are restricting eager gamers to just one console each.
On the expected PS4 stock shortages, supermarket behemoth Tesco stated: “We allow 1 pre-order per customer and reserve the right to cancel any duplicate orders.” The retailer added: “We are expecting demand of the Sony PlayStation 4 Console to be very high and stock availability limited so pre-orders will be prioritised in the order in which they were placed.”
Read More: PS4 Pre-orders: Where you can buy it
Monday, March 3, 2014
AOL steigt ins Mobilfunkgeschft ein
Der Internet-Dienstleister AOL bietet ab sofort eigene Handytarife an. Der Basistarif bei "AOL mobile" betrgt 19 Cent pro Minute, und zwar bundesweit in alle Fest- und Mobilfunknetze. Fr SMS werden 16 Cent berechnet. Eine Grundgebhr sowie eine Mindestvertragslaufzeit gibt es nicht. Darber hinaus stehen die Zusatzoptionen "Plus Family", "Plus Web" und "Plus Friends" zur Auswahl, fr die dann eine monatliche Grundgebhr gezahlt werden muss. Alle Infos sowie eine Tariftabelle gibt es auf dieser Seite.
Link
Link
Monday, January 20, 2014
Is Samsung working on a 8-core, 11-inch Nexus tablet
Nexus 10
Google and Samsung will join forces once again to launch a Nexus 11
tablet, which will boast the Korean company's Exynos 5 octa-core
processing technology, according to reports.
The mostly reliable Sam Mobile site
claims to have uncovered Samsung's tablet roadmap for 2013, which
includes a Google-branded Nexus device that may launch later this year.
The
site says it'll be the first tablet ever to offer the eight-core
processor, which appears in some international versions of the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone.
The
so-called Nexus 11 will, naturally, boast an 11-inch Super PLS TFT
screen according to the report, with 8 and 2-megapixel cameras and up to
64GB of storage through micro SD.
If this were to come to
fruition, it would seem likely that it would arrive whenever Google
decides to refresh its Nexus tablet line-up later this year.
Apparently,
the Nexus 11 isn't all Samsung has up its sleeve, Sam Mobile reckons.
The site lists three more tablets including a dual-core Galaxy Tab 11
and a quad-core Galaxy Tab 8.0.
Also on the agenda, according to
the site, is a Samsung Galaxy Tab 'DUOS' 7.0, which would offer dual-sim
functionality and a dual-core processor.
Obviously, it'd be wise
to take this report with a pinch of salt at the moment, but we
certainly wouldn't rule out a Google/Samsung Nexus 11 tablet sometime in
2013, especially seeing as Samsung built the popular and affordable
Nexus 10 tablet for Google last year.
Via Sam Mobile
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Judge denies Samsung a retrial over contentious Apple 'rubber-banding' patent
Judge Lucy Koh handed down a ruling on Thursday denying Samsung's motion to retry a high-profile patent case between the two rivals based on changes to the scope of Apple's so-called "rubber-banding" scrolling patent.
Apple scored another victory on Thursday in the legal wrangling surrounding its lawsuit against Samsung when Judge Lucy Koh denied Samsung's request for a retrial on the Korean company's infringement of Apple's rubber-banding patent, known colloquially as the '381 patent, according to FOSS Patents.
The patent, which covers the rebounding effect seen when a user scrolls to the end of a list on an Apple device, was a key piece of Apple's 2012 victory in the lawsuit. The United States Patent and Trademark office tentatively rejected all claims in the patent in April of this year, but was confirmed by the government agency in June.
In her ruling, Judge Koh also confirmed that a limited retrial to adjust the amount of damages awarded to Apple will proceed. Judge Koh has already cut the award, originally set by the jury at more than $1 billion, by more than 40 percent.
Apple scored another victory on Thursday in the legal wrangling surrounding its lawsuit against Samsung when Judge Lucy Koh denied Samsung's request for a retrial on the Korean company's infringement of Apple's rubber-banding patent, known colloquially as the '381 patent, according to FOSS Patents.
The patent, which covers the rebounding effect seen when a user scrolls to the end of a list on an Apple device, was a key piece of Apple's 2012 victory in the lawsuit. The United States Patent and Trademark office tentatively rejected all claims in the patent in April of this year, but was confirmed by the government agency in June.
In her ruling, Judge Koh also confirmed that a limited retrial to adjust the amount of damages awarded to Apple will proceed. Judge Koh has already cut the award, originally set by the jury at more than $1 billion, by more than 40 percent.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Apple releases iPhone 5c ad first shown at last week's special event
Apple has released an iPhone 5c television spot the company first showed off at its iPhone media event last week, highlighting the device's plastic shell in a variety of vibrant colors.
The ad, titled "Plastic Perfected," is a bit of a departure from the most recent iPhone ads in that it focuses solely on the product, a style still used with the iPod lineup.
Set to Sleigh Bells' hit track "Rill Rill," the short 30-second clip shows an iPhone 5c being "built up" with liquified plastic seemingly poured into an invisible mold, hammering home that the phone is made of polycarbonate.
Unlike the last iPhone 5 commercials, which were powerful and contemplative, the iPhone 5c spot is all about the phone. Specifically, it's all about one feature of the phone: the plastic shell.
Ending the commercial is a flat black iOS 7 Apple logo and the text "Coming Soon."
Not much can be said about the ad aside from how divergent it is compared to Apple's recent direction in iPhone marketing. It can be assumed that the company is targeting a different demographic with the 5c spot, as it has a "fun" feel to it. Apple has yet to create a "feature" commercial for the iPhone 5s, though short snippets showing off the forthcoming handset's functions have been uploaded to YouTube.
The ad, titled "Plastic Perfected," is a bit of a departure from the most recent iPhone ads in that it focuses solely on the product, a style still used with the iPod lineup.
Set to Sleigh Bells' hit track "Rill Rill," the short 30-second clip shows an iPhone 5c being "built up" with liquified plastic seemingly poured into an invisible mold, hammering home that the phone is made of polycarbonate.
Unlike the last iPhone 5 commercials, which were powerful and contemplative, the iPhone 5c spot is all about the phone. Specifically, it's all about one feature of the phone: the plastic shell.
Ending the commercial is a flat black iOS 7 Apple logo and the text "Coming Soon."
Not much can be said about the ad aside from how divergent it is compared to Apple's recent direction in iPhone marketing. It can be assumed that the company is targeting a different demographic with the 5c spot, as it has a "fun" feel to it. Apple has yet to create a "feature" commercial for the iPhone 5s, though short snippets showing off the forthcoming handset's functions have been uploaded to YouTube.
Friday, December 20, 2013
BlackBerry demos world’s first smartphone to car video chat
BlackBerry Live
During the BlackBerry Live Keynote, the Canadian handset manufacturer carried out the world’s first smartphone to car video chat, demoing upcoming technologies.
Utilising a BlackBerry Z10 handset and a stunning Bentley car, BlackBerry showed how it is working on in-car video calls, with users soon to be able to make face-to-face video chats from their smartphone synced in-car entertainment systems.
Although demoed on a concept vehicle, the in-car video call shows where future in-car capabilities are going to head, with the demonstration Bentley boasting a BB10 powered system further enhanced by a 17-inch touchscreen display.
Functioning in much the same way as modern smartphone sync entertainment systems, the smartphone to car video call demonstration saw BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins chat with one of the company’s product managers.
While offering new business potentials, in the interest of safety, however, these video calling features will not be available at all times, with drivers able to make use of in-car video calls only when their car is stopped, with calls automatically switching to audio only communications when the car begins to move.
As well as showing the world's first smartphone to car video call, the BlackBerry Live keynote saw the unveiling of the BlackBerry Q5, a new budget QWERTY hosting handset with four colour schemes set to see it appeal to youth markets.
More to follow.
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