Article posted: 1/26/2013 7:57 AM

SnapTax app promises quick tax filing

text size: AAA
By Hayley Tsukayama, The Washington Post

Snaptax

Taxes in 10 minutes? That's the promise of SnapTax, an app from Intuit that lets users take a smartphone photo of their W-2 and fill in the paperwork from there. It's an enticing promise for those with the simplest tax needs, but there are a few things to note before deciding you can use this tool to put off your taxes until the night of April 14.

Advertisement

For one, as with many photo-recognition features, the photo-to-text transfer isn't perfect. It works surprisingly well — and you can input your info by keyboard, too — but you will likely have to make corrections, which are significant given that these are tax forms. Check them carefully. This is also an app for the simplest filers, so it's probably not the best tool if you have a side business or contracting work to note on your forms. Finally, while the app is free to use, actually filing taxes will cost $25 deducted from your iTunes or Google Play account. Free, for iOS devices, Android devices and Amazon devices.

Gelo

Well, it's one way to make your life more colorful. Gelo, a photo app for the iPhone, gives users an easy way to add the effect of bright, vibrant gels to your digital snapshots to give them a little extra pop. The app itself is a little complicated to get into, but users can make some pretty cool effects once they puzzle through the controls. It's certainly a great app for those who like to play with color, but not an essential photo tool for your editing arsenal. And don't worry: If you get carried away, you can revert your photo to its original state. 99 cents, for iOS devices.

Comments ()
We are now using Facebook comments to offer a more inclusive, social and constructive discussion. Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the X in the upper right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.

This article filed under

Twitter Talk
Area Calendar

MostViewed

Today
Yesterday
Most Commented
Top Jobs

    View all Top Jobs Place a job ad

    DHExtras

       
    • Online calendar - Online calendar Zillow /real estate page
    • Mike North MORE logo
    • Discuss refer On Guard series
    • Newspaper archives -- Monday or anyday

    FacebookActivity

    BusinessDirectory

    Connect with a business or service in your area fast. First select a town, then enter a search term or choose one of the listed popular searches:

    Don't see your town listed? Visit our full directory to begin your search.

    Powered by Local.com