Easier tax time
With 2007 several weeks old, now’s the time many small businesses begin preparing W-2s and other tax-related documents for last year’s operations.
Such tasks can often be a challenge, as the annual estimated cost to comply with the federal tax code for businesses tops $102 billion nationwide. To help ease that burden, the federal government has re-launched the website www.business.gov with a focus on taxes and compliance.
The website provides business owners with a search of 5,400 business and citizen forms. Business owners, for instance, can search for W-2s, wage and tax statements, or employment eligibility verification and W-4 forms. The site also provides links to regulatory agencies at the state and county level throughout the U.S., as well as contact information for a number regulatory agencies.
The website is managed by the U.S. Small Business Administration in partnership with 21 other federal agencies. The site was originally introduced as a resource for starting, growing and managing a small business. It was re-launched in October with a focus on compliance and tax issues. – Will Shanley, The Denver Post
Remote for road
Even seasoned business travelers need a bit of downtime. The Interlink ExpressCard Media Remote lets an average laptop act like a media center, complete with a couch-potato-worthy remote control.
The Media Remote is just four millimeters thick and fits into an ExpressCard slot, found on most recent laptops. When it is in the slot, the remote charges itself using the laptop’s battery, and when it is out, it communicates with the laptop using Bluetooth wireless technology. It should last about a week on a full charge.
The remote works with iTunes, Windows Media Center, Windows Media Player and RealPlayer and can switch tracks, pause and play audio and video and select on-screen items, all from up to 30 feet away. The device also works with PowerPoint, allowing it to double as a presentation remote.
The one-ounce remote costs $49.95 and is available online and in retail stores.
Fans of digital media will appreciate its small size and ease of storage. The only things missing are a few good DVDs and a library of music. – John Biggs, The New York Times
