Label printer labels
Even with just the serial port interface, both business and home users will find many benefits to using the SLP220. The SLP uses thermal labels, which you'll need to buy from Seiko or your local office supply store. The advantages here include no ribbons, no ink cartridges, and no noise. The SLP220 prints type, barcodes, and graphics clearly and crisply. You can custom-print labels to meet just about any need.

Many different types of labels are available for the SLP220, including white, clear, and pastel address labels, file folder labels, diskette labels, name badges, 35mm slide labels, VHS spine and face labels, 8mm DAT tape labels, and chemical/tear-resistant "toughie" labels. Smart Label Printer labels are available at CompUSA and Office Max, and are priced comparably with regular labels.

The Smart Capture software
Installing the Smart Capture software places an icon in the Windows system tray. All you need to do to print a label from the Palm Desktop is to highlight the address in your Palm Desktop application and click on the Smart Capture icon, as shown in Figure B. That's it!

FIGURE B

Here's the Palm Desktop with a highlighted address. The Smart Capture icon features a green arrow pointing to a label. In this picture, it's between the HotSync icon and the Dial Up Networking icon. Click picture for a larger image.

Clicking the Smart Capture icon brings up the screen shown in Figure C, which displays a mock-up of the address label you just created. You can modify the label, add graphics or barcodes, and change fonts within the Smart Label Printer's software. Unfortunately, I tried choosing multiple address entries and clicking the Smart Capture icon, but to no avail. Apparently if you use the Smart Label Printer's database, you can print multiple labels, but as far as I can tell, you can't do it from the Palm Desktop.

FIGURE C

Here's the label, ready to print. Click picture for a larger image.

The Seiko Instruments Smart Label Printer is a handy tool for any Palm device user that wants to easily and quickly print all types of labels.

Product availability and resources You can find out more about the Smart Label Printer 220 at http://www.seikosmart.com. SIIG is located at http://www.siig.com.

Ray Rischpater is a freelance author entranced by mobile devices, having published several books and articles on the topic, including Palm Enterprise Applications: A Wireless Tech Brief, from John Wiley and Sons. He lives near Santa Cruz, CA with his wife and son.