Need Labels On Your CDs or DVDs? Try A Smile.

Yes, there is a Mac software developer called “SmileOnMyMac.” One of their products is non-creatively named ‘disclabel.’ Not even capital letters.

‘disclabel’ is simple, it’s elegant, it’s feature-laden, it’s intuitive, it’s affordable, it’s attractive, and it works. That will put a smile on your face.

Let’s face it. Even with iPods storing thousands of songs, we still use CDs. CDs hold photos, slideshows, music, and are a big part of ‘sneakernet’ now that we don’t have floppy disks.

DVDs hold even more music and photos and are great for archiving important files and getting them to a safe and convenient location. Simple enough, discs are here for awhile.

In a year or so we’ll be basking in discs that will hold 15 gigabytes or maybe even 50 gigabytes of data.

How will you ever know what’s on the disc? SmileOnMyMac software has a nifty disc labeling application for the Mac that’s, well, nifty. So nifty, that just creating a disc label is a minor issue.

For examle, disclabel imports the track lists from iTunes playlists, iPhoto album photos, and iDVD menus.

Every disc needs a label but what you want is a label that either 1) communicates simply, or 2) has great style, or 3) does both well.

dislabel has a shoebox full of attractive, pre-designed templates that look as though you’d hired someone who knew what they were doing to design your label.

Of course, if you know what you’re doing, you can design your own, too. disclabel simply adds your design to the other templates, so you can use it again and again.

Once you’ve selected an appropriately designed template, you’ll need to print it to a label. I couldn’t find a CD/DVD label manufacturer not supported by disclabel.

Love those new LightScribe CD/DVDs where you can burn designs right into the disc without printing a label? disclabel does that, too.

There are a number of disc labeling solutions for Mac OS X. These include discus, exPressIt, Click’N Design, and others. Click Here for a comparison list of features.

You’re not just limited to printing on Mac OS X Tiger. Panther and Jaguar are supported, too, but only on older versions, pre-3.0. Also supported is drag and drop of images from the Finder, and cut and paste from other Mac applications.

Very handy is the integration of disclabel and Mac OS X iLife. You can select playlists from iTunes and albums from iPhoto and movies from iDVD.

The number of templates available means you don’t have to struggle for an hour to create a simple label. If you can’t find one on the template list, then you’re obviously a creative type with a penchant for do-it-yourself. Go for it.

The disclabel user interface is truly Mac-like. Select a template from the lists (more than one) in the section tab called Template. Then select the list of information to display on the disc.

You may also modify the design, modify the text, and reposition until you’re dizzy. That’s handled in a location called Factory.

The familiar brushed aluminum design looks like iPhone with disc templates and tools instead of photos. The Edit tab lets you make additional modifications using graphics tools.

The Media tab brings up the labels and lists of manufacturers; Avery, Canon, Esselte, Fellows/NEATO, Imation, LightScribe, Memorex, Verbatim, and dozens more.

Labels don’t mean just discs, either. Labels for CD/DVD jewel cases are included.

My favorite disc labels always came from Fellows/NEATO and disclabel includes a Store tab with a direct connect to the NEATO store to select and purchase the labels you want.

disclabel is from a Mac developer, SmileOnMyMac, who just ‘gets it.’ Simple, intuitive, many features but layered so you don’t get confused or burdened from too much too soon.

Better yet, disclabel is a free download with full functionality (except for the standard ‘demo’ watermark). $29.95 is not the least expensive CD/DVD labeling application, but the best is usually worth it.

Bambi Hambi
disclabel is what I use. I can’t believe all the attractive templates. It makes demo work so much easier and I use plenty of CDs and DVDs at work.

Tera Patricks
Download disclabel and try it (no, they didn’t give us free copies; we tell you what we like and pay for our own). Very nice. You can be printing up a gorgeous label and jewel case in just minutes.