(FORTUNE Small Business) – QuickBooks for the Web/QuickBooks 2001 www.quickbooks.com

Intuit has been busy this year, launching both an update of its QuickBooks accounting suite and a Web version for the first time. An Internet-based subscription software offering ($14.95 per month for 20 users), QuickBooks for the Web is absolutely splendid, especially for small service-based businesses, since no inventory or payroll features are included. The setup process is a snap, navigating the system is intuitive, and the online features are clever (e.g., one click sends customer statements via e-mail).

If you still need the desktop software version ($149.95), QuickBooks 2001's main window is easier to use and more logical than previous versions. Among the new features are a spell checker and the ability to invoice via e-mail and fax. The QuickBooks Pro version ($249.95) has added multiple price levels for service and inventory items. Just create price levels (each level is a percentage discount or increase) and apply them to customers or jobs. This is a great way to control pricing for different types of customers. Unfortunately, there's still no process for performing a traditional year-end close of the books. Also, service and inventory items still have to be linked to existing revenue accounts instead of letting users apply accounts during data entry. (This approach requires too many setup tasks and makes QuickBooks files larger than they need to be.) But these are mild irritations in an otherwise good, full-featured product that's worth the upgrade cost. If you're a first-time buyer of small business accounting software, though, seriously consider the Web version if it meets your needs. --Kathy Ivens

AOL Mobile Communicator $329.95 plus $19.95/month; www.aol.com

If this 4.1-ounce gadget looks familiar, that's because it's a repackaged BlackBerry, a cult favorite in corporate circles for providing wireless access to e-mail. AOL brings the BlackBerry to the masses (or at least to anyone with an AOL account), with one big drawback: You can only access AOL mail. Its appeal, then, is that it also serves up instant messaging, so if you create a buddy list on AOL, you can keep in real-time contact with colleagues, whether you're in a taxi or on a tarmac. Your buddies don't need to be AOL members, but they must use AOL's instant messaging software. While there is a full keyboard, the buttons are minute, so thumb-typing is mandatory. (It still beats banging out e-mail on a cell phone.) If you're worried that you may like this gadget too much and start IMing in bed, fear not: The screen lights up, but the keys don't. --Alan Cohen

Mitsubishi Diamond Pro 920 $479; 888-632-6487; www.necmitsubishi.com

With its refreshingly crisp and clear picture, the Mitsubishi 19-inch Diamond Pro 920 is an ideal choice for any professional who works with graphics on a regular basis. Its price tag is somewhat high, but that's because of a technology known as aperture grille CRT, which delivers exceptionally bright, high-quality images. And its flat, rather than curved, screen significantly reduces the glare coming from that window behind your desk. We were particularly impressed with the Fine Picture display mode, which makes color contrasts even crisper. The only major shortcoming here is the poor explanations in the user's manual of the many function controls and settings. Also, like all aperture grille CRTs, the Diamond Pro does produce two very faint horizontal lines that are particularly visible over a white screen and may annoy some users. --Eyal Rabinovitch