Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

Ever wish you had an inventory of all your games, software, DVDs, CDs and books? Well, you can easily create one – using a webcam and your computer!

If you have a Mac (and who doesn’t these days), you likely already know that Delicious Library 2 was just released. With it running, you simply hold up a barcode to the camera lens – and seconds later, Delicious Library will scan Amazon for that media and automatically import the information and box shot into a virtual shelf. Use it for books, movies, music, software, toys, tools, electronics, video games, etc. Just about anything with a barcode, really (just about anything in Amazon’s index, really).

You can also easily keep track of which things you lend out to what friends, publish your library to the Web (or view it on your iPod), and… okay, maybe I’m getting a little excited about it.

If it sounds boring, you should try it for yourself. And if you don’t have OS X, then there’s a lousy (but free) knock-off for Windows called Libra. In my opinion, it doesn’t come close to the power and presentation of Delicious Library.

Still, with programs like these, why aren’t you keeping track of your things already?

Post update! I received the following email from Steven:

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed this yet, but if you scan anything related to Star Wars, it says “I am your father” in a creepy voice. I did it with the video games, but not the movies. We all know that if you don’t own anything about Star Wars you’re not a geek.

FirstRSS ERROR: "http://shop.tagjag.com/products/inventory" NOT FOUND!

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/t3mualviv70"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/t3mualviv70" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://chris.pirillo.com/">Chris</a> | <a href="http://live.pirillo.com/">Live Tech Support</a> | <a href="http://media.pirillo.com/">Video Help</a> | <a href="http://feeds.pirillo.com/ChrisPirilloShow">Add to iTunes</a>

Is Home Inventory Delicious?

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

Ponzi learned a valuable lesson this week. Never buy software before you try it. If there’s no free trial available, stay away from it! Always check to see if you can find a comparable open-source or free software. You might actually find one that’s better than its paid counterpart.

Ponzi stopped by the Apple store last week, and came home with a $50.00 Screenwriting software title. Fifty dollars?! Ouch! I set out to find a free or open-source alternative, and found one quickly. The ratings for the open-source program are better than the one she bought, so I took hers back to the Apple store. I refuse to pay for software that I can get an open-source or free version of that’s just as good… or better!

Ponzi has also been wanting to start doing an inventory of our home and possessions for insurance purposes. She mentioned to me that all the software she was finding was expensive, and “ugly”. Well crud. I do NOT like ugly software. So I set out once again on my software quest.

Luckily, I came upon StuffSafe.com. This site and its services are completely free. There are two big pluses in my mind:

• Being online, it’s available no matter what Operating System you use. As long as you can get online, you can access your inventory
• Again… being online: say my house were to burn down, and my only inventory was residing on my computer. If I don’t have time to get the computer… the inventory is lost. Being online like this allows me to access the information anyway, and still keep a copy on my computer. .

With StuffSafe, there are no restrictions. You can add as many “things” as you own, as many rooms, and as many homes. You can also download and save or print customizable reports. There are options for reports by room, by house, by item type, and more!

What home inventory software do you use? Is it any good? I’m happy to look at it, but I’m warning you… if it’s ugly, I won’t use it.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/D_0KBSFGHnY"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/D_0KBSFGHnY" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://chris.pirillo.com/">Chris</a> | <a href="http://live.pirillo.com/">Live Tech Support</a> | <a href="http://media.pirillo.com/">Video Help</a> | <a href="http://feeds.pirillo.com/ChrisPirilloShow">Add to iTunes</a>

My Choice for Home Inventory Software