How to Get Well Connected

EXECUTIVE 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 portable 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 portable 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. …