BIOS: Technology Means Business

The Smart Label 430 Printer lets you create one black-and-white label at a time, which is ideal for ad-hoc envelopes, files, storage boxes, floppy or Zip disks, video cassettes, 35mm slides, barcodes and a variety of other office and home applications. The small footprint printer can also make nametags and ID badges for tradeshows, conferences, parties and other business or social events, but its direct thermal print quality is relatively poor (lots of jaggies) and it can't be used independently of a computer. It may suit if your label needs are basic, but demanding users will be better served elsewhere.

Pros: Easy to use; fast; USB and serial ports; networkable
Cons: Mono only; no on-screen text editing; basic print quality

Seiko Instruments has recently expanded its flagship line of label printers with three new additions. The new products offer single-label printing at comparable or lower price points than competitive offerings, and are extremely easy to use. We've taken a look at the high-end model to see if it offers any benefits compared to a regular desktop printer.

The company's new range of black-and-white label printers comprises the entry-level Smart Label 410 (£62.30 inc. VAT), Smart Label 420 (£78 ex. VAT) and Smart Label 430 (reviewed here). Each Smart Label printer features a relatively compact new design (117x161x158mm) and support Mac users, for the first time. Each model also has a basic print resolution of 203dpi, so you can forget about high-quality photo printing. The differences between the models comes down to media handling and speed, with the high-end Smart Label 430 being both more capable and faster.

The biggest appeal of the Smart Label 430 Printer is that it lets you print labels quickly and easily, eliminating the hassle and expense of printing labels with a standard inkjet or laser printer. The fact that the printer uses thermal technology also means you don't need to worry about ink cartridges, ribbons or toner. The downside is that you can only print labels one at a time, colour isn't supported, and you have to boot your computer due to the lack of on-screen text editing. On the plus side, being able to produce only one label on an as-needed basis means you'll not waste sheets of labels.

The Smart Label 430 Printer is a relatively compact device and shouldn't take up too much desk space. It also prints labels in just 3 seconds, and it virtually silent when printing. Also impressive is that the printer is networkable via Windows networking thanks to built-in USB and serial connections. The printer supports a maximum paper width of 58mm and has a maximum printable width of 48mm. Compatible labels are provided by Seiko, Dymo and Avery, among others.

Loading labels into the printer is a snap. You simply have to lift the printer's label cover, place the label roll on the removable spindle, adjust the guide to fit against the roll, and then feed the roll into the slot at the back of the printer. Labels are then automatically output from the Smart Label 430 Printer's front-mounted exit slot. There's also a feed button at the front of the printer to manually feed labels, and there's a power button to turn the unit on and off.

The bundled software makes it easy to mix and match fonts, graphics and barcodes (Code 39, EAN/JAN-13, UPC-A, UPC-E, Codabar, Code 128) all on the same label. You can also prepare customised formats with your own company logo, as well as capture an address from popular applications including Word, Act!, Goldmine, Palm Desktop and Outlook. Other neat features include shrink-to-fit and word wrap, which ensure addresses and other text fit the label perfectly and don't run on unnecessarily.

Up to 10 different elements can be added to a label, such as a photo or barcode, and you can resize objects quickly and easily using the drag handles. You can also save labels using the built-in database, which is useful if you frequently mail the same person or company. The software also lets you select different label types, as well as adjust print margins if the printing isn't positioned properly when the label is printed - particularly on small labels. [6]