The Setup – 4/5 stars
Getting it ready to go was easy. I just had to insert the ink cartridge and plug in the power supply. I decided to use my Apple iMac running OS X Leopard instead of my Windows Vista laptop for a chance since the box claimed that it supported both platforms. For some reason installation failed the first time around. After uninstalling everything and reinstalling the software, it seemed to work just fine. I don’t know whether it was just a random glitch on my end or if there’s a real underlying problem. But other than that once it was setup everything looked and ran quite well. The program seems to be a bit outdated for OS X Leopard, however it still worked and got the job done.

Creating Labels – 3.5/5 stars
For my first test, I decided to scan the top of the Juno DVD that was sitting on my desk using my flat-bed scanner. Once I imported the image I cropped it in Adobe Photoshop and imported it into the “Discus for Dymo” application. I then centered and adjusted the image to fit properly on the overlay of the disc it would be printing onto. For the second test, I downloaded a high resolution digital image of the Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron CD. I followed the same procedure to adjust it on the screen, before I proceeded to print anything. Overall the label creator was functional, but could seriously use a GUI update. I also had Roxio Toast 9 Titanium, which included a CD/DVD label creator. The program supported the Dymo DiscPainter and also had a very powerful designing application which was much more modern than the included software. Despite that, I continued to use the included program for the purpose of this review.

Disc Printing & Quality – 5/5 stars
In the end the most important aspect of this entire product is the quality of the discs it produces. Fortunately it did a superb job of printing the discs. The Dymo DisPainter works fairly fast as well, it didn’t take more than a minute or two for each disc. In addition if you happen to be really bored, you can entertain yourself by watching the printer inject the ink onto the CD/DVD since it has a clear cover in the front. The final product looked glossy and truly professional. Although the colors weren’t entirely prefect, I wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference between the blank CD with the Juno label and the original Juno DVD if I had not seen both of them together.

Conclusion
Overall the Dymo DiscPainter is solid and gets the job done. The included software could really use a major overhaul, however for those aware of alternatives such as Roxio’s Labeler will benefit using those. The only downside of this product might be the fact you’ll have to purchase ink specific for this product and purchase special media with printable tops. Continuing with that thought, this is an excellent product for those who plan to be constantly using this device to print labels onto discs. However for those who use this occasionally, I would rather suggest going about using a standard printer with sticky labels since it is a much more affordable route. The DiscPrinter has a MSRP of $280, however it is available for prices around $250 from stores such as Amazon.

Links: Dymo.com DiscPainter
Buy Now: DiscPainter for $250 via Amazon (no tax + ships free)

Yesterday, smart USA, announced the pricing and availability of the smart fortwo models in the United States. The smart fortwo is a mini car produced by Mercedes, which offers driving with over 40mpg efficiency. The smart car is only 8.8-feet long and 5.1-feet tall and includes all the standard features found in cars today such as ESP, anti-lock brakes, and air bags. Although it only seats two and limited storage space, it has become quite a popular car in Europe since it’s easy to maneuver through small streets and even friendly to park in crowded areas. The car can also hit a top speed of 90mph, therefore can be driven on highways and is fast enough for most areas.

Anyways the entry-level coupe starts at $11,590 and included 5-speed automatic transmission with a manual mode. Unfortunately this model doesn’t even have powered windows, air conditioning, or even a built in CD player with AM/FM. Therefore paying another $2,000 will the three items mentioned above plus a panorama roof, alloy wheels, gear paddle shifters, heated mirrors, and sports steering wheel. Finally for $16,590 the smart car becomes convertible with an automatic soft top, a sound system with MP3 playback and a 6-CD changer. Although it may seem that this car lacks many features, which are now taken granted, it offers a wider range of price customizations, is one of the smallest car on the market, and offers almost double the fuel efficiency of any other car at that price range. The smart fortwo series will hit dealerships during the first quarter of 2008.

Links: SmartUSA.com | Wiki Info

Less than two weeks after the launch of the revamped iTunes Music Media Store, Apple has quietly pushed out a minor update to patch many of the bugs iTunes users were experiencing. Apple claims that the patch will improve performance, increase stability, reduce memory usage, and fix issues with CD importing/iPod sync/Coverflow.

I do have to say that iTunes 7.0 is not for everyone. I recently tested it on a slightly older machine, which did just meet the minimum requirements for running iTunes, but even so, it took an extremely long time to load iTunes even only a handful of items in the library. I also found that iTunes 7.0 is a memory hog, which can consume over 3x the amount of RAM that iTunes 6.0 did. Therefore be warned if you are on a slower machine.

However if you do have a decent machine, iTunes 7.0.1 is still probably the best media play available for both Windows and Macintosh machines. I suggest getting the new update if you are experiencing any problems with 7.0. Finally, we want to know: What do you think about iTunes 7.0?

Links: Apple iTunes (info) | Download iTunes 7.0.1
Related: NEW iPod Shuffle | NEW iPod Nano

Ever forget you password? Well luckily, we have a quick and easy solution for iPod owners. After completing the following, your iPod will become a password recovery disk, which will allow recovering your system password in case you get locked out. Note: This tutorial is only works for WinXP.

Required Items:

• Windows XP Home/Pro
• iPod Nano or iPod Video
• USB-iPod Connection Cable

Set Up Procedure:
1) Connect your iPod to your machine and verify that it appears as a standard drive in “My Computer”. (ex: “Joe’s iPod (G:)”)
Note: If it doesn’t appear and you have iTunes Installed, make sure “disk use” is enabled.
2) Go To Control Panel -> User Accounts -> Select Your Account -> Related Tasks – > “Prevent a forgotten password”. A Wizard should appear.
3) Select Your iPod’s Drive Name -> Enter Current Password -> Finish

Once complete your iPod should be setup as a password recovery disk. Do not delete the “userkey” file, which you may see when browsing your iPod’s contents. To test your recovery disk do a quick Log Off and try logging in with an incorrect password. Select “use password reset disk”. Then proceed and select your iPod’s drive name. If all goes well it should you will be allowed to create a new password.

Note: Non-iPod users can use the same procedure to save the “userkey” file to a Thumbdrives, CDs, floppy, Memory Sticks, etc.

Links: Microsoft Support – Password Reset Disk
Related: Apple iPod | Windows XP Royale Theme

The all-new Lexus IS 250 and IS 350 are expected to reach dealerships by October 15, 2005. These two care are both complete remakes of the current IS 300, which has now been discontinued. The new IS line is expected to be a breakthrough for Lexus, as it is expected to yield better performance than the BMW 3 Series. The IS 250 is expected to start at $30k, while the IS 350 is set at about $40k. I have managed to snap plenty of shots of an IS 250 that was temporarily located at a dealership (Stevens Creek) for tune-up before an auto show. From the looks of it, the IS has a more sporty car feel than the previous model. This car has the new style that the GS line currently has on the interior and exterior.

This car is loaded with ton of gadgets and features, some are:

• Mark Levinson 14-speaker sound system
• 6-disc DVD/CD changer (supports WMA & Mp3)
• AUX input for iPods & Walkmans (12V power supply)
• Navigation LCD touch screen + voice controled
• Safety backup camera & DVDs play while in park mode
• Bluetooth phone support & steering wheel phone controls
• Smart keyless entry system & push 2 start button
• Pre-collison system and front/side/knee airbags
• Ventilated heat/cool front seats
• Paddle-shifters and console shifter (Manual)

The IS 250/350 both have the same body, but both are about 3 inches longer and wider than the current IS 300 (“05). The 6-speed IS 250 is powered by a 2.5L 206hp engine and is available in manual, automatic, and tiptronic transmissions. The 6-speed IS 350 has a 3.5L 306hp engine and is also available in manual and auto. (V6 engines) The IS 350 is only offered rear-wheel drive, while the IS 250 is offered in rear-wheel and all-wheel drive. The IS 250 can get up to 32mpg and the IS 350 can get a max of 28mpg. (varies on AWD/RD & M/T vs. Auto) There is also word on a IS 430 that might be released next year that has a V8 engine and is possibly a hardtop convertible, another possible addition might be a hybrid IS as well. Both are concept cars so no “offical” Lexus announcements yet.

Update (10/11/05): The Lexus IS 250 and IS 350 (2006) pricing has been released by Lexus. IS 250 starts at ~$29,000 and the IS 350 starts at ~$35,000. – [via Yahoo Biz]

Link: TheNewIS | Lexus.com | GoogleSearch
More: ‘05 Lexus IS 300 | ‘06 IS Message Board
Related: Lexus Concept Cars

Recent Post: Set Multiple Firefox HomePages

1) Google has created 4 new ad link formats. All are in the formation of a line and have either 4 or 5 related ads. Google RSS/Atom ads should be open to all users very soon, currently only available to chosen users.
Link: AdSense Samples | +digg | digg

2) Here are some great sites to find deals, coupon codes, and freebies: CurrentCodes, FatWallet, TechBargains, ResellerRatings, DealCatcher, XpBargains, SlickDeals, and SaleCircular.

3) Sony BGM has sold ~2 million CDs with their new copyright protection. First, to copy the CD onto your WINDOWS computer you will need to install a little app to listen to the music, otherwise the CD will eject itself. Second, if you do install it you will only be able to copy the music in Microsoft DRM formats. (Microsoft WMA & Sony ATRAC) They will also limit the max burns to CDs to 3 times per song and a max of 3 transfers out to DRM enabled portable players. Apple computers will not be able to copy or even listen to the music because Apple declined to use DRM in their computers. This also means Apple’s iPod line of products won’t be able to play the music even if it is transferred from a Windows computer. BGM’s goal was to place locks/limits to prevent people from sharing their copied music on P2P and BitTorrent networks. Their CDs are also enraging many unaware customers, who have not been able to copy their music or even play them in their standard CD players or home/car stereos.
Link: MercuryNews | Reuters

4) TiVo – DirecTV has disabled the serial port channel-changing feature on their D10 units so that standalone TiVo boxes will not be able to record shows automatically. No word yet whether it was done purposely or was a bug. – TiVo Demos downloadable movie service (Netflix?) via Broadband. Service most likely allows downloading of movies (payperview) and probably has a 30-day store limit and a 24-hour limit once the movie is played.
Link: Wired (DirecTV) | PVR Blog (Downloads)

5) Others:
DivX 6.0 is out – allows creation of menus and chapters, similar 2 DVDs.
vSkype – add video to your VoIP conversations.
PSP Homebrew 9 – from the creators of PSPVideo9
Google Maps + Census Data