irs

Vizio VIA tablet seeks multitasking couch potato

We first spied Vizio's VIA Android tablet in the gadget-blur of CES 2011. It held the unfortunate distinction of being one of the last tablets we wrote about before Google and Motorola stole the show.

Still, we've been wondering what became of Vizio's 8-inch VIA tablet, and we jumped at the chance to catch up with it during a CEA showcase yesterday.

The Android 2.3 tablet hasn't changed much since January, but it looks to be shipping soon, priced at $349 with 4GB of onboard memory. A microSD card slot supports up to 32GB of additional memory.

Of course, the VIA's most unique feature is still here. Hidden beneath the top edge of the tablet is a universal IR blaster that Vizio claims is compatible with 95 percent of remote controlled consumer electronics. Combined with Vizio's preinstalled universal remote app, the VIA can be used to remotely control anything from your TV to your home stereo, regardless of brand. … Read more

Save time by filing your taxes online (video)

If you're like a lot of Americans, you probably dread doing your taxes. And if you're like 70 percent of Americans, you try to make tax season a little less painful by filing them online. This story is geared more toward the other 30 percent--the people who still pick up a pencil and punch out figures on a calculator, the people who still line up at a post office or April 15, awaiting their receipt for registered mail.

Filing taxes online is quick, and it guarantees your refund will arrive faster, says CNET editor Jessica Dolcourt. And if … Read more

The 404 791: Where we're rolling with the homies (podcast)

Happy 404 Day! To celebrate the second most popular day in April, we've kicked Wilson off the show and replaced him with Mark Licea. Happy Monday! Today we're chatting about an immersive new take on Shakespeare's "Macbeth" story, nude therapists working in New York, an Android bootleg that publicly embarrasses pirates, and Web vigilantes Anonymous joining hackers GeoHot and Graf_Chokolo in their fight against Sony.

The 404 Digest for Episode 791

"Sleep No More" offers a modern take on classic theater. Pirates beware: a bootleg Android app punishes with public shaming. A therapist in NYC meets with clients with clothes on, then slowly takes them off. Speaking of nudes, a Web developer site is looking to recruit nude female Web coders. .01% of Wikipedia is equivalent to 952 volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica...and it's for sale.

Episode 791 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Android Atlas Weekly 33: The show where everyone loves Android (podcast)

The internet is abuzz with rumors that Blackberry's Playbook may run Android apps, hints that Nokia may adopt Android OS; and speculation that the T-Mobile Sidekick may resurface as a Samsung Android phone. Also, Justin Eckhouse and Antuan Goodwin go hands-on on with Android 3.0 Honeycomb in this week's edition of Android Atlas Weekly.

Android 3.0 Honeycomb: SDK Details, Photos and New Easter Eggs! http://www.readwriteweb.com/mobile/2011/01/android-30-honeycomb-sdk-details-photos-new-easter-eggs.php Android SDK … Read more

IRS launches iPhone, Android apps for taxpayers

Everyone's favorite government agency, the Internal Revenue Service, has launched its own mobile application.

Released last week to iPhone and Android users, the free IRS2Go provides a few tidbits of information that could make April 15 a bit less stressful.

Those of us fortunate enough to qualify for a refund can find out exactly when Uncle Sam will be sending out that check. Entering your Social Security number (which the IRS says is masked and encrypted), filing status, and expected refund amount delivers the due date for your payment.

People who file their federal taxes electronically can check their … Read more

The tax app

Links from Tuesday's episode of Loaded:

Verizon is going to sell the iPhone with a $30 per month unlimited data plan

Barnes & Noble may be discontinuing the 3G Nook

Facebook mandates that all games use Facebook Credits

Mobile Gmail users can now print from their mobile devices

The IRS launches an app that lets you track your tax refund, get daily tax tips, and follow the IRS on Twitter

A new site challenges you to do nothing for two minutes.

Peel universal iPhone remote puts discovery first

A handful of companies, including ThinkFlood, L5, and New Potato, offer hardware/app solutions to help you transform your iPhone or iPod Touch into an adaptable, touch-screen universal remote. It seems like a no-brainer, which is why I'm a little surprised I haven't seen them much in the wild.

With full-featured universal remotes hovering in the $200-$300 range, you'd think convergence would win out and the iPhone would gobble up this market the same way it took a bite out of MP3 players, portable gaming devices, e-readers, Internet radios, and so on.

Start-up company Peel believes it's hit on one part of the problem: People don't want to use adapters. Whether it's a plug that you stick in a headphone jack (that you'll inevitably lose), or a dock adapter (which doesn't fit with your case), the simple truth is that expensive adapters suck.

The Peel system uses no iPhone adapters. Instead, a free Peel iOS app communicates with a wireless transmitter plugged into your home's router. When you use the app to turn on your TV or home theater component, or select a show to watch, the selection is bounced to the wireless adapter and back to a little battery-powered pear-shaped IR blaster, which can be placed anywhere in your living room.… Read more

Bugatti Veyron sells for half price at IRS auction

A blogger recently reported a replica Bugatti Veyron available on eBay for $620,000. For a fake!

Even for a $1.7 million automobile, it's hardly a deal. One buyer purchased a 2008 Bugatti Veyron with only 801 miles on it at an auction for "only" $858,000.

The bargain was a result of an IRS specialty auction of Ponzi-schemer Scott Rothstein's luxury automobile collection June 3. The Florida lawyer used other people's money to curate a large stable of specialty vehicles, including a 1967 Corvette and a 208 Ford Expedition Limousine.

But the piece … Read more

The 404 559: Where we rub Jill's nose for good luck (podcast)

It's April 14, the day before Tax Day, if you live in the U.S. Appropriately, we have Jill Schlesinger of CBS MoneyWatch.com on the show to dig through all your tax preparation software questions and the smart financial planning you should be doing now--not later--if you want to live a comfortable life.

For those of you who have never filed U.S. tax returns, tomorrow at the stroke of midnight is the last moment you have to send your returns in to the IRS. The United States is a bit strange in that we have to self-file our returns, but that means there is a lot of responsibility on our part to get it right. Conversely, there are a lot of chances for us to screw it up. Well, Aunt Jill says her No. 1 tax tip is to "not freak out."

Whether you should use a CPA or something like TurboTax online is entirely dependent on your situation. So if you're like Jeff who gets his cash flow from a single W-2 and has no assets to his name, self-filing is pretty straightforward.

However, if you're more like Justin, who owes a couple of loan sharks money from a couple of bad bets and has to work the late shift at the Hustler Club, you should probably see a CPA. And if you're like Wilson, who was a little too goody-two-shoes and filed his tax two months ago, you probably shouldn't be taking financial advice from The 404.

We do answer some questions about when you should start saving for your newborn's college fund and what the difference is between stocks, mutual funds, indices, and giant pools of money. If we didn't get to your question on today's show, please be sure to follow Jill on Twitter, where she will do her best to answer your life's toughest financial questions in 140 characters or less.

Finally, as a treat for our loyal listeners, we have a Web exclusive, where we talk to Jill for an extra 15 minutes about the economy, health care, and what you should do with your retirement funds and investments.

If you're new to the show, yes, it's very strange that we're offering actual sound, thoughtful advice, but hey we like throwing you for a loop every now and then. Check back later today for the video of the Web exclusive!

EPISODE 559 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Anti-fraud tips and tools for tax season

As April 15 approaches, U.S. citizens preparing to file their taxes are susceptible to online scams designed to steal their personal information and, ultimately, their money. Here is a roundup of tips for how people can protect themselves.

First off, the Internal Revenue Service does not initiate taxpayer communications through e-mail, and the agency does not request details on personal information via e-mail. The IRS has detailed information on how to report and identify phishing and e-mail scams and bogus IRS Web sites here. More information about specific tax fraud schemes is here.

Microsoft's Security Tips & Talk blog … Read more