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Cricut Design Studio Bonus Pak Software
Studio : Provo Craft
by Provo Craft
Brand : Provo Craft
Model : 29-0500
Publisher : Provo Craft
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
EAN : 0093573205002
UPC : 093573205002
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 5 reviews)
List Price : $94.49
Our Price : $42.50
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Includes:one Software CD, Bonus 10 ft USB connection cable, and Mouse Pad
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Requirements: Windows XP or Vista, Minimum of 512MB RAM, Minimum of 100MB Hard drive space, CD/DVD-ROM, USB port 1.1
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can be used with your original Cricut or Cricut Expression machine and Cricut cartridges.
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Features an on-screen cutting mat so you can design your unique cutting layout by moving, reorganizing, rotating, resizing, skewing, and welding letters, shapes, and phrases.
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Easily save your one-of-a-kind layouts for later use, or to share with others!
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Product Description |
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This design studio is a phenomenal creation! With this program, you can load your Cricut cartridges (not included), and mix and match the designs from all of your cartridges to make truly unique designs. Features: On screen cutting mat with measuring grid, pop-down menu bar, cartridge selection window which lists your cartridges, your favorites, and allows you to search using keywords, an automatic interactive keyboard overlay window for the cartridge you are currently working from, tool kits, sizing buttons, and a help menu. You can mix, resize, reverse, rotate, compress, stretch, and slant any images from your Cricut cartridges. System requirements: Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista 32-bit, 800MHz Processor speed, 512MB RAM, 100MB free hard disk space, CD/DVD drive, 1.1 USB port, 1024x768 or higher display. Included: CD, 10ft. USB cable, and a bonus Cricut mouse pad. Software can be used for your original Cricut, or Cricut Expression machine and Cricut cartridges. |
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Software problems! |
This software has great features to expand the options of your cricut cartridges. You need to know that this does NOT replace purchasing the cartridges, but only gives you more options using them.
I installed the software on my Dell laptop, Vista 32 bit system, and have gotten an error message. After three weeks of trying EVERY thing to repair it, I still cannot use it on this laptop. Cricut customer service is awful! They are too busy with all of the other people having software problems. If you call, you speak with an employee who knows nothing, but tries to get her techs to give you basic things to try. Eventually, you might get to speak with the head tech, but he had never heard of the problem I was having, and I haven't heard back now in two weeks, despite calls and emails. Their hours are "bankers hours", and the one person who know anything doesn't always work. Forget about getting help in the evenings/weekends. Now I am trying to get Cricut to give me another registration number so I can use the software on a different laptop.
BEWARE: You can only install this on one computer per purchase!
If you are lucky enough to have a system the software works on, I recommend the program. TRY THE DEMO ON YOUR SPECIFIC SYSTEM BEFORE YOU BUY THIS SOFTWARE!!!!! That way you will know whether it works. The demo only uses one font, so buying the software lets you use all of your cartridges. |
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Awesome Software |
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Now this software makes the cricut cutter way worth it, because now you can do sooooo much more with your cricut. I have recently welded several images together to create a wonderful original creation, which has got me excited about my cricut cutter all over again. |
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Makes the cricut much more versatile... |
Previously when using the cricut (I still have the baby...I really only use it on layouts and cards, and just don't need the bigger size), I found it very frustrating trying to cut images that would be randomly flipped in different directions. As a result, it could be very difficult to figure out how big an image would cut the first time you cut it. Also rather annoying having to run the mat through multiple times for a layered project. Now, using the grid on the mat as you set up your project, you can actually lay multiple papers on the mat and run it through just one time.
You can also link letter together to make a much more professional looking title.
With the multi-cut feature, I have run thin cardstock through, too (stick with easy patterns for this...it doesn't make intricate cuts well)! (A very under-publicized benefit of the DS software!!)
You can also share your .cut files with others online, which means that if you create something really beautiful, you can share it with others. I have seen some designs that look just like the KI Memories lace cardstock!
This should be the second thing you buy--right behind the cricut! It is really what you need to get the very most out of your cricut.
Now, as for the contents...it has a LIBRARY of all the cartridges, and you can even make designs using them! You cannot, however, cut the design unless you actually own the cart. I have to say that this is kinda common sense...DS is only $10 more expensive than EACH cartridge...this would mean that NO-ONE would purchase cartridges anymore!! What I have done is to create the cut files, and wait until I go in to my LSS that has all the cartridges and then cut. (I have quite a few of them, but not all--yet....haha!) It does give you a fantastic opporunity, however, to browse all the content of other carts and see what you want to get next!!
Why four stars?
1. It now approaches the versatility of the Pazzles, Wishblade, etc., but not quite, as you are limited to just the carts, and those are pricey! (Not nearly as pricey as steel dies, though, when you work out how many options you have!). On the other hand, it is WAY WAY easier to use than those other software based cutters, and the software is still very straighforward and easy to use.
2. It is still somewhat buggy, but I think they're working on that a little bit at a time, and 'fix' downloads are available frequently.
Now--for those of you who are interested, but not positive! Please go to the cricut homepage, and download the demo. You can use it to create any design, but can only cut with the George cartridge at the moment. This allows you play with the software, and see the versatility before you spend too much money and start feeling too ripped off!!
=0 )
Good luck! I know this helped my cricut change from being an occasionally used system to something that I use on most of my cards and a good number of my layouts!! |
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I love it |
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I don't use my Expressions machine without the Design Studio. I absolutely love it. I like it because you can see they layout before you cut and you can also weld (attach) letter together. You can twist and turn or resize everything. |
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Feel Ripped Off |
I spent about 45 minutes in the store reading what information was available before buying the Cricut Expressions and the Cricut Design Studio. The Cricut Design Studio clearly says, "Using an on-screen cutting mat, this program allows you to explore, design, and cut the complete Cricut Cartridge Library." Page 6 of the manual tells how to register your software with Cricut. Page 25 (of 26 English pages) says, "Remember, you can view all content, and even design layouts with all content, but you can only cut characters from the cartridges you own. Hopefully, this feature will be useful..." I chose to buy the Cricut Expression based on what I could do with it with the Cricut Design Studio Software. Together, they were a major investment and Provo Craft misrespresented the Design Studio's real cost. Now to do what I thought I had bought for about $500, I'll have to spend over $3,000 more for the cartidges.
Does the softward do what it says it does? Yes. It was easy to install and worked well with my Windows XP machine. The designs are as small on the screen as they are on the machine keypad overlay. I had to have the cartridge books with me to see the designs, which doesn't work for cartridges that are not in your possession. This software would be a blast for an avid Cricut user. It's escpecially nice for scrapbookers who want to cut an entire 12 x 12 page layout with words and photo frames to lay over the photos.
If you already have the machine and cartridges, the $60-$90 price is a reasonable addition to what you can do with your Cricut collection. |
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