Accountants aside, no one looks forward to tax time -- but the folks at Intuit have been trying to make the task less painful for years with their TurboTax software. For your 2012 taxes, you now have the option of buying the software in the Mac App Store, and it's absolutely free to download and get started. Ready to find out more? Then read on...
It seems like every time we turn around, another startup is trying to get us to replace our traditional brick-and-mortar bank with one that we can hold in the palm of our hand. The latest is GoBank, the brainchild of Green Dot Bank and the creators of the popular Loopt social app. GoBank offers a custom Visa debit card with your own photo ($9, or the standard card is free), mobile deposits, a "massive" ATM network, online checkbook and the ability to send money most anywhere, all free of monthly costs while in beta and backed by the FDIC. Sounds great, right? The only catch is you'll have to sign up on the website and wait to be invited into the service, which means sticking with your old bank for just a bit longer.
2013 is here, and that means it's tax time for most Americans. To help get you started as early as possible, Intuit has released TurboTax 2012 on the Mac App Store this year, and it's absolutely free -- to get started, that is. The Mac app allows you to prepare your taxes with no purchase commitment, but when it comes time to actually file, you'll still have to pony up for the software. The good news is, TurboTax 2012 is a little cheaper than buying the retail boxed copy, and you won't have to fret about what to do with the disc when tax time is behind you. The 60.8MB download does come with the requirement of OS X 10.8.2 or higher, so buyer beware if you're still on an older version.
On the heels of its latest Thunderbolt-powered Drobo 5D a few months ago, the company has announced it is now shipping its networked storage equivalent, the Drobo 5N. Priced at $599 without drives, the Drobo 5N offers the same ease of use, data-aware tiering and optional mSATA SSD bay for juicing up file transfers, all in an attractive, Ethernet-equipped housing. Drives (including SSD) can be mixed and matched or hot swapped at any time, and the Drobo 5N is Time Machine compatible, perfect for networked backups from every computer in your home or office. The Drobo 5N is now available direct from the company's website or through authorized resellers including Amazon, B&H Photo Video and CDW.
AppleInsider is reporting that Chinese buyers of iPhones and MacBooks now have the option of paying for their Apple obsession in installments, thanks to a deal with the required China Merchants Bank Co. credit card. The cost of such purchases can now be spread out for as long as two years on purchases as little as 300 yuan ($48) or as much as 30,000 yuan ($4800). Options include a three-month, zero percent interest plan or an 8.5 percent finance charge for the 24-month plan. Let's hope the Chinese are more responsible with their credit card than most Americans!
Professional color timing is a complicated art form, and few are talented enough to call themselves a master at it. Among them is Dale Grahn, the man responsible for color timing the work of Steven Spielberg and hundreds of other feature films. To keep his art alive in the digital age, Grahn has teamed with Crumplepop to introduce Dale Grahn Color for iPad, an app that teaches users how to create striking images naturally, without the aid of filters or other gimmickry. Toss out Instagram and learn how to color alongside one of the best in the business, and if you act quickly, you can even do it cheaply -- the iPad app is only $3.99 for a limited time.
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