The Dymo Label software allows you to change the orientation of your text. At least the Mac version does. This software is available from http://www.dymo.com

that’s too bad

No, it doesn’t work with Click n Ship. The software for the DYMO just prints out postage stamps from a selection of denominations.

Thanks for the info!

I post it because when you google, it seems to mostly come up with something called the Tape Shark Pro which looks bigger, closer to a regular tape dispenser and not what I got. However, the picture isn’t very good with it in the package so you can’t fully see what it looks like. Staples and office super stores probably handle it and best to check it out in person.

As you can see it is not very expensive. I haven’t used it long enough to really fully endorse it. The rolls of tape are smaller than usual which can be a disadvantage if doing volume shipping but also an advange for keeping the dispenser small for storing. It would fit in a desk side desk drawer and still leave some room, while a conventional dispenser would take up most of the drawer. They also now sell dispensers that have batteries for a heated automatic tape cutter! Even more gadgety.

I’ll have to google the Tape Shark!

Yeah, I’m also all for spending money to save even a small amount of time. Actually, I might even consider one execpt having it remain on all the time is unacceptable for me. The time I would spend unpluging it would closely equal the time I would spend reaching elsewhere for a stamp, but it’s nice to see this is where things are headed. I do the cut and paste with the QL-500 or use a database. Sounds like you need a better tape machine. I just got this one called the Tape Shark which is smaller and more comfortable than the usual larger ones and kind of gadgety.

Am I correct that the stamps the DYMO prints out are not date stamped? That can be a nice feature, especially when sending out rebate forms. Without it, the only advantage I see is that you don’t have to purchase postage in advance and don’t have to go to the post office to do it. Of course most of the stamps sold now are self stick so they would seem to be similar to the ones printed with the DYMO. And I believe you can use a credit card to have stamps delivered to your house, so am I right in saying you are left with the only advange being not having to buy postage in advance? To me 8 cents extra per stamp seems like a lot to pay for that convenience if you are doing any volume.

I’ve been using Click-n-Ship for a long time now. I like the DYMO solution better because it doesn’t require me to cut out the postage label and then tape it to the box or letter. With the DYMO, I just peel and stick. Yes, I really am THAT lazy. Seriously, anything that can save me even a minute is ok in my book.

I bought one of the Labelwriter 400 Turbo printers about 9 months ago, and I love it. Fast, quiet, efficent…like the duo, you can’t turn it off, but it doesn’t seem to use that much power.

By far, it’s one of the best investments I’ve made. My chicken-scratch handwriting is terrible…I’ve always been afraid letters would be lost in the mail. The labelwriter makes it that much easier for me to use.

Also, it appears that owners of the Labelwriter 400 Turbo can take advantage of the Endicia offer through Dymo.

For Priority Mail it is also free to schedule a free pickup the next day at your house and you can also tell them where you left the package. As long as at least one package is sent Priority Mail or Express Mail they will also pick up all the parcel post packages you also might have. I believe you must sign up on the web by something like 1AM of the day of the pickup to get the free service. I just went to a USPS Ebay class and learned this. However, I could not get my printer to print out the label properly on my first try, but the package pickup service did work when I just used some regular stamps.

I did run into a situation this morning that I wasn’t sure how to handle. I had a priority mail package to mail that was 1 lb 6 oz. The options to print Priority Mail postage was only for a 1 lb package. I didn’t know if you could make up the difference with regular first class stamps, so I had to make a trip to the post office. Argh. At least I learned that I could have used first class stamps to make up the difference. Next time I won’t have to make a special trip to town. No big deal for people that live close to their post office I suppose, but I live about 15 miles from mine.

Thanks for another great review. I’ve been wanting to get into printing my own postage for some time but the monthly minimum fees of the services I looked at always put me off. This looks like a great device, and no monthly fees is nice.

However, I suspect the postage is not really “free”. Given the media costs in your review, the address labels come out to just under 3 cents per label, but the stamp labels are 8 cents per. I’m guessing the 5-cent difference per label makes it’s way back to Endicia to cover their fees. Which is fine – much better than the $10 minumum fee (I’d never mail enough in a month to make that worth it).

BTW, Amazon has the Twin Turbo for $155, which takes a bit of the initial sting off.

You’re the 2nd person to write me about this. I was really surprised when I saw the info and wrote to my contact at DYMO. I’ve pasted his response below. I’m sorry for the confusion and will go update the review.

Hi Julie,

This is not true, yet its understandable how someone might get confused.
Endicia is a separate entity from DYMO – you can purchase stamps
exclusively through their site which requires a monthly fee, but if you
decide to go the DYMO route, you won’t have to pay the monthly fee.

Also important to note – users must download the software through
http://www.dymo.com/stamps (not endicia.com) in order to avoid the monthly fee.
For people buying printers today, the software is included with the DYMO
Labelwriters CD (as of May 18). Following purchase of the hardware,
there is no installation/usage fee. Let me know if you have any other
questions.

Thanks,
Matt

In the article you refer to Endicia as being free but really it is only a free 30-day trial. Endicia’s pricing page is here. The cheapest plan is $9.95/mo(or $99.95/yr) Windows only. For Macs you have to get the Premium plan $15.95/mo($174.95/yr)also available for Windows.