Tools of the Trade
The technology you need to start your business
Priced at about $70 for the downloaded version or $100 for a
copy on CD, you get word processing, spreadsheet, drawing,
presentation and database capabilities. StarOffice 8 can import and
export from Microsoft Office, though formatting may occasionally be
a little off. One advantage over the related OpenOffice, which is
free, is that StarOffice comes with 60 days of free technical
support. That should be enough time to work out any kinks you come
across. Built-in PDF output capability is a nice bonus feature that
can help you share files across platforms. Hit Me With Those Lasers: Laser printing
doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. An affordable personal
monochrome laser printer like the Samsung ML-2010 can save your
budget from the strain of constantly replacing pricey inkjet
printer cartridges. For $130, you get room for 150 sheets of paper
and print speeds of up to 22 pages per minute. The TonerSave
feature lets you extend the life of your print cartridge by up to
40 percent. The ML-2010 is compatible with Linux, Mac and Windows
and connects through a USB port.A 5,000-page monthly duty cycle is suitable for most
small-office or personal printing needs. Its small size
(14-by-12-inch footprint) makes it a good candidate for even the
most confined work spaces. Go Go Gadget: Startup entrepreneurs need to
stay in touch with their employees and their customers from the
get-go. It can be a smart move to combine your cell phone with
mobile e-mail and computing capabilities in one small package. The
$399 (with plan and rebate) Palm Treo 700w smartphone runs on the
Windows Mobile platform and lets you access e-mail and the web and
carry your documents with you. The 700w works on Verizon's
network and is compatible with its high-speed EV-DO data network
and VCast for streaming video. A 1.3 mega-pixel digital camera and
thumbable qwerty keyboard round out the features. Users who prefer
the Palm operating system can look to the Palm Treo 650 for a
similar set of features.
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