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While everyone is ranting about Apple's iPod Mini, I will draw the attention to something potentially way cooler. Hewlitt Packard's new LightScribe technology:

LightScribe Direct Disc Labeling is a new technology, invented by HP, that enables CD and DVD images and disc labels to be etched onto discs using the same drive that is used to burn the data. The technology requires three elements to deliver lasting, silkscreen-quality labels: 1) a LightScribe-enabled optical disc drive, 2) LightScribe compatible media, and 3) LightScribe-supported software applications. HP's intent is to create a market standard by licensing LightScribe to manufacturers in the PC and consumer electronics markets, including optical disc drive manufacturers, media manufacturers, software providers and PC and consumer electronics brands.

How cool is that? You actually turn the CD over after you are done burning it and the same laser is used to etch the design/label onto your cd. Sure it will be quite expensive at first, but I really dig this idea. For Christmas this year, I burnt a custom Mix Tape for many of my friends using CD's I bought at 5inch to kind of stand out from the day to day mixes of blank cd-rs that everyone has. This could open up a whole new world for self publishing. You could create audio cds, photo albums, or even cd's for clients that come off as original, professional, and without all the negatives of sticker labels (alignment hassles, peeling, getting stuck/rubbing in cd-rom drives etc).

You can read more about it over at lightscribe.com. Thanks to Tristen for the heads up.

On a sidenote, I picked up all my books at Amazon and Half.com today. Saved myself lots of money. BigWords.com is a godsend. Check out Chirag's Writeup on the best way to buy/sell textbooks (although I tell my friends about this most people seem to be intimidated by selling/buying online and pay more anyway).