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Engadget giveaway: win an iPhone 5s courtesy of TurboTax!
It's that time of year again, when you have to try and wrestle back as many of those hard-earned dollars as you can from the insatiable gaping maw of the tax beast. In an effort to assuage that annual suffering, the folks at TurboTax created the free SnapTax app for 1040EZ/A returns and this year they've upped the ante for one lucky Engadget reader by offering an unlocked gold iPhone 5s so they can file on the go. Available for iOS and Android, the SnapTax app lets users file by simply snapping a photo of their W-2, answering a few questions and clicking "file my return." This is one little slab of gold that you won't want to stash in a safety deposit box, so head on down to the Rafflecopter widget for up to three chances at winning. And don't forget: It's time to do those taxes! Winner - congratulations to: Scottie K., Schaumburg, IL
TurboTax for iPad just in time for tax season
You may not have thought that doing taxes on your iPad was an option, but turns out it is. TurboTax has released what seems to be a full version of its tax software for the iPad, available on the App Store right now (the app is actually called 2010, but that's because it's for your 2010 taxes, not because it's a year old). The app is a free download and will help calculate your taxes for you (along with any financial tangles you happen to have), though actually filing those taxes will cost you: $29.99 for federal returns, and $36.99 for state returns. I haven't used the software (being a freelancer, I've got quite a few more complications, and I usually hook up the services of someone more qualified than I am), but if you've just got a simple form from one company and would rather enter the numbers from a couch, the iPad app should come in handy. If you'd rather do your taxes from the iPhone, TurboTax also offers a Snaptax app that will put them together with just a snap of your W-2 form. Again, there are limits on what it can handle (no dependents, and no home or real estate ownership), but if you just want to put the numbers in and get that return back, check it out. Editor's note: Many other solutions for e-filing your U.S. taxes exist, and unlike TurboTax, quite a few of them are free of charge. The IRS itself provides a list of free tax filing services on its website. These alternatives may not be as geek chic as TurboTax's iPad app, but at least they won't hassle you for money just to file your tax return. [via Doc Rock]
App review roundup: VoiceBand, Soulver, Doc²
VoiceBand: Personal music artistry gone wild I don't usually gush during App reviews. I think today I will change things up a bit. Because If you like playing with sound and music, and you like GarageBand, empty out your change purse, check... Soulver brings a calculator scratchpad to your iPhone Acqualia's Soulver, a very cool "calculator scratchpad" (which we've covered before), has come to the iPhone [iTunes link]. Both versions allow you to enter expressions in regular mathematical... Doc² 3.0: iPhone word processing with Google Docs, iDisk goodness When it comes to using an iPhone as a word processor, I'm probably not the person you want to talk to. After all, I've never been a fan of writing on handheld devices -- I can type much faster on... Also of interest: Billings Touch hits the App Store SnapTax allows you to do your taxes on your iPhone
SnapTax allows you to do your taxes on your iPhone
It's a new year, which means that in a few months, taxes will come due yet again. So why not get a head start on them with your iPhone -- there is, it turns out, an app for that. TurboTax has an app coming out called SnapTax that promises to make taxes easy. All you do is take a picture of your W2 form with the camera, and then the software automatically reads the form, extracts the necessary information, and then uploads it into TurboTax's software and processes your return. Pretty amazing. There are, of course, a few drawbacks here. First is that you need to be in California. While the software will eventually work everywhere, they're beta testing in the Golden State this year only. Second is that you should have a later generation iPhone -- the optical text software works better with more processor power, so you'll have to fix fewer errors on your 3GS than earlier versions of the hardware. And finally, you'll need to have a pretty simple tax return. There are more options to handle more complicated tax issues, but basically the software is designed for a simple W2 plus maybe some extra income. Being a freelancer, I have all sorts of hoops to jump through, so I'll have to head to the accountant yet again. But hopefully this will help some of you. The app is coming later this month and will be available for $9.99. I'm not sure if that includes the actual return, but if it does, that's a bargain. If you're lucky enough to be in California and in the position to use this app, keep an eye out for it.
