Keeping Your CDs and DVDs In Check

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February 10, 2006

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Those who have worked with me have seen the way I keep my files. Being the obsessive compulsive I am, I tell people, “I never write on my file folders!” I always use a label maker to label my files to keep them uniform and organized. I guess that drives some people insane, others have wanted to mimic me and asked to borrow my label maker. To this point, I was also printing out my little labels and using them to label all the CDs and DVDs I would burn. Now I don’t have to do that anymore with Casio’s latest printer.

The Casio CW-L300 is a thermal printer that will print directly on your CDs and DVDs without compromising the integrity of your disk contents. With the printer’s 200 dpi resolution, you can also create tape labels for your files and folders. For your disk printing, you can print up to eight lines and a maximum of 592 entry characters. For your labels, it’s capable of eight lines and a maximum of 225 entry characters.

Although there are other printers (i.e. Epson or Canon) out there that will print directly onto CDs and DVDs, with the CW-L300 you don’t have to worry about purchasing printable disks. It will print onto any CD or DVD. It’s nice not having to stick individual labels onto each disk I burn! This is a must-have printer for me, and the rest of you who appreciate efficiency and organization. It’s a perfect - and quick - way for titling your CDs and DVDs that have your pictures, videos or backup data without having to turn on your computer. For the business side, it’s also ideal for a professional look with your filing system. The disk printing comes out clean and does not smear.

The CW-L300 features a QWERTY keyboard (most commonly used keyboard layout in English) for stand-alone operation as well as a USB connection for easy hook up to a PC. The PC software includes five fonts, 4,000 characters, and prints in14 different languages.

The Casio CW-L300 package includes an AC adaptor, ink ribbon cassette for disk printing, tape cartridge for label printing, software for your PC, sample CDR, USB cable, cartridge adaptor and user’s manual in English and Spanish. Casio’s suggested retail price is $199.99, however you can find it on
www.amazon.com for about $130.

Get Ready To Rock!
Although I played a multitude of musical instruments growing up, I’ve never had much success with a guitar. I’ve tried to play my husband’s guitar, but I can never seem to match his Kamehameha Schools quality of musical talents. Well, I found an idiot-proof guitar that I can now play with Guitar Hero, Harmonix’s latest game release.

If you enjoy playing musical instruments, interactive games such as Dance Dance Revolution or Karaoke Revolution, or you’re just a pure Rock n’ Roll fanatic, you will love Guitar Hero. It is an exclusive PlayStation 2 game that gives you the thrill and excitement of being a rock star. No more “air guitar” action as you use the semi-realistic guitar controller to bang out your tunes. You can choose from multiple characters and jam at various concert venues that grow in size as your rock career progresses. You start your career playing at small clubs and bars. Keep doing well and you’ll work your way up to stadiums and arenas.

The songs in Guitar Hero include 30 of the greatest rock hits ever made, including songs made famous by legendary artists such as Ozzy Osbourne, Red Hot Chili Peppers, David Bowie, Boston, Sum 41 and Audioslave. You can choose among four difficulty levels (easy, medium, hard and expert), eight characters that have a unique look and style (metal head to classic rocker), six venues and different two-player modes to give you some multiplayer fun.

The Guitar Hero controller features five multi-color buttons, a responsive strum bar and a working analog whammy bar. With the easy mode, you only have to deal with the leftmost fret buttons. The medium level adds on the fourth fret, and the hard and expert levels will have your fingers flying all over the place. While you’re doing sustained notes, you have to hold down the fret buttons (and this is when you can slap the whammy bar to alter your notes’tones). If you whammy the star-shaped notes, those will help you build up a power meter, which you can use for a special score-boosting mode.

This all might sound complicated, but if you have the patience, it will probably take you a little under two hours to master it to the point you can play it comfortably. Since you don’t just get thrown into the game, the gradual increase in difficulty makes it manageable for everyone from novice to expert. In addition, Guitar Hero‘s graphics look similar to a high school graffiti art style, so it almost psychologically simplifies the game and puts you into that punk rock mindset.

The Guitar Hero bundle comes complete with the Guitar Hero game and guitar controller. It is rated T for Teen and is available for about $70 (multi-player bundle is about $110 and comes with two guitars). Check out www.guitarherogame.com for more information and ordering details. Rock on!