As we go through liveliness , we invariably gather up a lot of monomania — some of us so many that we need a tool to separate them all out . IntelliScanner Express , a compounding hardware and software program package , tracks your home asset , media , and wine-colored collections using the included Home Assets , Wine Collector , and Media Collector computer software , severally . It also features auction sale automation software to help oneself you unload those old grunge rock album now that you ’ve finally shaved your goatee and deal in your gabardine shirt . The included barcode scanner worked flawlessly out of the box , with both the bundled software system and other barcode - reading applications . However , there were problem with the software that I had to resolve with tech support .
The Components
The Wine Collector software works extremely well . When you read in a label ’s barcode , Wine Collector will question an online database , and then categorize and sort the bottle by name , wine maker , vintage , and varietal . A position tracking characteristic avail you remember if that bottle is in the cellar or the cabinet , while smart list ( similar to Smart Playlists in iTunes ) can help you happen all your wines from a particular winery or year , for deterrent example .
The Home Assets software is useful for tallying point around the family , and it could easily be used for a home business . Scan in an detail ’s barcode — or affix one of the include barcode stickers — and you’re able to consort product data such as a description , purchase price , resale value , insurance information , location , and category . The downside is that when you habituate the program ’s barcode thorn , you have to manually enter all the datum .
The Auction Automator helps you trade your medium and electronics online . It relies on eBay and Amazon databases to take care up uncouth electronics such as cell phones and even AirPort Express base station , but it did n’t recognize some of the older devices I try out . Auction Automator was also quite handy for sell spiritualist . Scan in the barcode from a playscript , motion picture , DVD , or biz , and the software automatically number your items for sales event on Amazon or Half.com . The software package also streamline the selling procedure on eBay . After you enroll a sales category , and run down in the barcodes , eBay will search for Pre - filled Item Information in its database , such as pic verbal description and film credits , and post it automatically .
The Media Collector tracks your movies , Scripture , music , and games . It ’s standardized to Delicious Library ( , March 2005 ) , although the latter can accept stimulus barcodes from either a barcode scanner or a FireWire internet television camera . While the Media Collector software package turn quite well for most items , I die hard into fuss when I tried to scan DVDs or tried to switch look at options from the default two - column layout to the three - column widescreen or cover layouts . When scan in DVDs , Media Collector would freeze during mid - lookup , and necessitate a Force Quit to exit the practical app . The company quickly released a patch that fixed both issues , noting that the glitch was the result of a major alteration to one of the third - party databases it uses to look up media . That change did not sham the other IntelliScanner software , but it illustrates the cosmopolitan problem of relying on third - party datum .
While Intelli Innovations merit praise for the immediate fix , I am disappointed with the company ’s tech support . I could not achieve a human being on the phone , and technical school living took several hours to respond via east - mail .
at last , considering that many USB barcode electronic scanner cost around $ 100 , this software / hardware combo is expensive at $ 249 .
Macworld’s Buying Advice
Some of IntelliScanner Express ’ features — specially the Wine Collector and the Auction Automator — are highly useful , while the Home Assets software makes a great armoury management tool for a habitation - based modest occupation . But for drug user who already have an iSight tv camera and who just need to track their book , music , plot , and movie collections , I highly prefer Delicious Library for that covering ’s superior interface and lower monetary value .
[ Mathew Honan is a San Francisco - based freelancer author and lensman . In addition toMacworld , his work has appeared inWired , Time , andSalon . ]
