Abstract: Various embodiments of a hand-held printer that includes an area for receiving a cassette carrying label material, a drive system for positioning the label material relative to a printhead, and a processing circuit for receiving inputs, producing outputs and controlling the drive system. In addition, a cassette having an ID circuit is described. The hand-held printer obtains information from the ID circuit when the cassette is inserted into the printer. The information may include, for example, a label type, label quantity, date information or information regarding printer settings for a print job previously printed from the cassette. In other embodiments, the hand-held printer may have a modular keyboard, such as a keyboard adapted for a particular application or language. The hand-held printer may include a latching mechanism that is capable of positioning a nip roller in relation to a printhead after a cassette is inserted and/or secure the cassette.