How to Get Well Connected
1999; American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; Volume: 187; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0021-8448
Autores Tópico(s)Securities Regulation and Market Practices
ResumoEXECUTIVE SUMMARY * TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY gives traveling accountants instant and convenient access to all the information in their offices. Here are some of the tools that make such connections possible: * Itty-bitty computers, such as the Philips Velo and LG Electronics Phenom, run pocket-size versions of the Microsoft Office applications and function well as both an Internet and a presenter's tool. * E-mail on the run is possible with Sharp Tel-Mail TM200 or a JVC HC-E100, which are linked to PocketMail's email service. * Data at your fingertips (or on your wrist) are available from a Timex wristwatch called the Data Link, the credit-card-size Franklin REX-Pro5 or the shirt-pocket-size Palm. * IF YOU NEED TO DOCUMENT physical inventory counts, gather images for Web site development or create a newsletter, a digital camera--such as the Kodak Digital Science DC260--may be the perfect tool. * ANOTHER WAY FOR the mobile CPA to copy documents is with a Hewlett-Packard CapShare 910 scanner. * FOR A MOUSE REPLACEMENT, consider the Handwriter Manta if most of your computer work involves clicking a mouse, not typing, and such tasks as doing a PowerPoint presentation or reading e-mail; the fully Crosspad Portable Digital Notepad; or the Twiddle, a strap-on, hand-size keyboard. * FOR SECURITY WHILE TRAVELING, Port Defcon I can protect your laptop and your luggage. Out of the office--but still in touch. Accountants are on the move--literally. Whether they're in public practice or in management accounting, CPAs are likely to be out of the office a lot visiting divisions, corporate customers, suppliers or clients. Just a few years ago CPAs who traveled and needed their records had to heft 30-pound portable computers--nicknamed luggables. But with today's advanced technology tools the virtual office is light, convenient and easily accessible. However, finding the right tools--software and hardware--to stay in touch can be difficult because there are so many high-tech products screaming for attention. Even worse: The rapid pace of new product introductions, most of which are described in unintelligible high-tech jargon, adds another obstacle when searching for a solution. I've sifted through hundreds of technology tools and tested scores of them in an effort to come up with a collection that works well for me and may well suit the needs of many CPAs. All the prices listed here are street prices. ITTY-BITTY COMPUTERS While laptops continue to shed pounds and girth, for some travelers they're still not enough. Enter the world of subnotebooks, which are so compact they even run on a slimmed-down Windows operating system called CE. Although they have some limitations--mostly sluggish speed, cramped keyboards, lack of internal floppy disk drive and miniature viewing screens--they have offsetting advantages: instant boot-ups and the ability to run without a hard drive and to operate for as long as 10 hours before needing a recharge. For the traveler who doesn't need to load software on the road and who can transfer files via the Internet, the trade-off may be well worth it. Two models that are popular among accountants are the Philips Velo and LG Electronics Phenom. The $509 Velo 500 Handheld PC (www.velo.philips.com) comes with 24 megabytes (Mb) of RAM, weighs less than a pound and operates at 75 megahertz. It runs pocket-size versions of the Microsoft Office applications and functions well as both an Internet and a presenter's tool. The $600 Phenom Express Handheld PC (www.lge.ca) weighs 1.65 pounds and comes with 32 Mb of RAM, a 56K modem, a keyboard larger than the Veld and standard-size VGA and parallel ports so it can be easily plugged into a display unit for presentations and printing. E-MAIL ON THE RUN When you're on the move and you've got to send or receive e-mail, you can spend 10 minutes looking for a pay phone that has a modem port and another few minutes setting up your laptop. …
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