Valentine's Day Savings

In the market for a few new tech gadgets?  Amazon seems to have you covered this Valentine's Day!  The Kindle Paperwhite has been on my list and today's sale puts it just under the $100 mark - so today may be the day I give in and grab it. 

Unlike reflective tablet and smartphone screens, the latest Kindle Paperwhite reads like paper with no annoying glare, even in bright sunlight. It'll be the perfect addition to my beach bag this summer!

{This post contains affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy here.}

SHARE THIS:

LEAVE A COMMENT

3 Valentine's Gifts that are better than chocolate

This year, it's all about the tech 'bout the tech 'bout the tech - no chocolate. Actually, I still want my chocolate. Though it's unimaginative - I do still love it. But I want my tech too. Here are the three top gift categories sure to please and last longer than the flowers and sweet treats.

Entertainment

Have a film fanatic or TV enthusiast? Give them a gadget that shows how well you know them. One that streams Netflix and Hulu straight to their TV. Choose a Roku 3 Streaming Media Player, an Apple TV or Google Chromecast HDMI Streaming Media Player for your special someone.

Fit Tech

How do I love thee? Let me count the steps. Is your love into everything fit? Forget the gold and gift her a Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity + Sleep Wristband.

Tablets and E-readers

A sweet card or book can be great gifts. Step it up a notch with a Kobo, Kindle or Nook pre-loaded with favorite reads. It's a gift you can continue to add to throughout the year and will be toted around long after the flowers are gone.





{This post contains affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy here.}

SHARE THIS:

LEAVE A COMMENT

Fire HD Kids Edition - Currently just $134!

I'm not sure about most children - but mine (are now) preferring tech items that are like mom and dad's. If they ask for a camera, they aren't wanting a toy camera that "almost" works like mine. They want the real thing.

Fire HD Kids Edition starts with a full-featured tablet—Fire HD 6 or 7—for best-in-class performance. Fire HD Kids Edition starts in Amazon FreeTime with kid-friendly navigation and personalized child profiles. Parents can switch between Amazon FreeTime and their profile with a password to access the full-featured Fire tablet experience as needed.

Currently, the Fire HD Kids Edition Tablet is just $134!

• A real tablet, not a toy—A quad-core processor for great performance, a vivid HD display, front and rear-facing cameras, and Dolby Audio
• Built for even the toughest kids—Enjoy the peace of mind with an unprecedented 2-year worry-free guarantee—if they break it, return it and we'll replace it for free. No questions asked.
• Don't worry about the bill—The Kids Edition includes a year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited so kids get unlimited access to 5,000 books, movies, TV shows, educational apps, and games—at no additional cost.
• Starts in Amazon FreeTime—Built from the ground up for kids, the background color and fonts change to a kid-friendly design.
• Kids can navigate visually to content based on characters or topics. Parents can exit Amazon FreeTime mode with a passcode.
• Best-in-class parental controls—Personalize screen time limits, set educational goals, and choose which titles kids can access from your own personal content collection.
• Take and edit photos in Amazon FreeTime—Snap photos within Amazon FreeTime mode using front and rear cameras. Fun editing tools lets kids explore their creative side by adding stickers, drawing on their pictures, and more.
• Kid-Proof Case—Durable, lightweight case to protect against drops and bumps caused by kids at play.

What others are saying

"...the best tablet for young kids, in my opinion." – Babble

"Apple’s iOS doesn’t get anywhere near what Amazon offers in terms of time of day restrictions, time limits or now goal setting, as with FreeTime." – TechCrunch







Note: Pricing can change at any time. Hop over here to grab this deal while it lasts.



{This post contains affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy here.}

SHARE THIS:

LEAVE A COMMENT

Runtastic Pro App FREE Today!

Runtastic PRO is free today! Get PRO features like routes, voice feedback and many more at no cost. This is one of my favorite apps for tracking my road running. I also use their website www.runtastic.com to record and track my fitness goals and accomplishments.

Get downloading!

iOS: http://bit.ly/RuntasticENiOS

Android: http://bit.ly/RuntasticENAndroid (Download Runtastic Lite > Settings > Runtastic > Enter Promo Code FREE-UBTP-XPTP)

Windows Phone: http://bit.ly/RuntasticENWP

SHARE THIS:

LEAVE A COMMENT

7 Exciting Holiday Gift Ideas For the Whole Family

Do you have a tough time shopping for gifts? When it comes time for the holidays and you're racking your brain trying to make the gift-giving fair between family members, there's a solution: get a gift for the whole family that everyone can enjoy. Check out these ideas below.

Tablet

Whether there's already a tablet in your home or not, another can never hurt. Buying one for the whole family can be a great alternative to buying a tablet for each one of your children. This is especially a great idea if you have little ones not quite old enough for their own device but still like to play games and learn on a tablet.

If you don't have a tablet at home, this will open you up to numerous handy apps. If you do have one, buying one for the family will free up your own so that you can have a private one while the kids enjoy a shared one. The iPad mini 3 is a good choice if you're an Apple lover. If you're an Android fan, consider the Google Nexus 9.

Sports Table

If your house is packed with guys, then you've probably had a tough time trying to come up with gift ideas for men. Good news! Your search is over. If your guys can't get enough of hockey, soccer, or tennis, even during the off-season, bring the sports inside with an air hockey, fooseball, or ping pong table. The good news? There are lots of models that feature multiple games in one. You'll have everyone gathered around the table ready to challenge each other in no time.

Ice Cream Maker

Everyone in your family is bound to benefit from new kitchen appliances. Why not make it something fun that will draw the kids into the kitchen and give them something to enjoy, too? You could start by exploring ice cream maker models. Or, if your family isn't big on ice cream, perhaps your kids would enjoy a cotton candy maker or even a popcorn popper.

Season Passes

Wherever you family likes to go often whether it's the zoo, a nearby museum, a sports arena, or an aquarium give your family the gift of experience this year by purchasing family season passes to one of your favorite places nearby. Not only will you family be glad that visiting will be a sure thing this coming season, but you can end up saving a lot of money depending on how often you go to places like this.

Chromecast

If you're on a tight budget this year and are looking for a super cheap gift for the whole family, a $35 Chromecast device is a great gift. Plug it into your TV's HDMI port and essentially turn your TV into a smart TV. With this little device, you can connect to the TV through smartphone and tablet apps like Netflix or Pandora to stream music, movies, and more through a wireless connection.

Board Games

Board games are another cheap option for the entire family. These more traditional games get the family interacting while eliminating the high cost of modern gaming consoles and tablets. Among some of the best selling games, you might consider buying Connect 4, Sorry, Trouble, and Life. If your family is all a bit older, games like Clue, Cranium, and Apples to Apples might be more appropriate.

Subscriptions

Perhaps your kids have been begging you for that Hulu Plus subscription so they can watch their favorite shows as soon as they come out. Or maybe your family could use an Amazon Prime membership to gain access to movies or books through the Kindle Owner's Lending Library. Whatever membership you think you family could use, give them the gift of a subscription this holiday season. The good news is that subscriptions like this are usually quite affordable for families.

Buying something for the whole family will bring smiles to everyone's faces and save you money on buying more individual gifts. Which one of these ideas will you go with this holiday season?

SHARE THIS:

LEAVE A COMMENT

Kids eat free at McAlister's on Halloween!

We love McAlister's - and I LOVE free McAlister's. Dress the kiddos up and visit McAlister's this Halloween for a free kid's meal!

Halloween is right around the corner and McAlister’s Deli knows that trick-or-treaters need fuel for the night. This Halloween (Friday, October 31, 2014), participating McAlister’s Deli restaurants will be offering free kids meals for those wearing a Halloween costume. Families can receive up to two free kid's meals with each adult entree purchased. This delicious deal features a menu of kid’s favorite meals such as mac & cheese, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, nacho basket, or cheese pita pizza. Bring the entire family to McAlister’s Deli this Halloween for a treat everyone is sure to enjoy!

For a complete list of participating locations please visit www.thesaxtongroup.com/locations

SHARE THIS:

LEAVE A COMMENT

Summer is over and we are back in school!

Though Summer hasn't technically ended, our Summer schedule has and we are now back into our homeschool routine. I'm always excited to begin a new school year, but sad to say 'goodbye' to our Summer fun. I think this past Summer was one of our busiest and most enjoyable.

It seems as if we spent half of our Summer at the ballpark. Savannah loves softball and played her final year in Rookie League. Joey isn't as big of a fan of baseball - but played another year in the Rookie League as well.

We started the Summer with a family-vacation to Destin, Florida where we had a very fun and relaxing week on the beach. It was of course, a very long drive from Indiana to Florida. So, Savannah took her Acer C720P Chromebook! Her Chromebook has become one of her go-to items for learning new things as well as entertainment.  When she found out that we were going to Florida - she used the Acer C720P Chromebook to research information about our destination.  The Chromebook went in her busy-bag for entertainment and came in handy when we spent a rainy evening in the condo.

We also made several trips to Kings Island and Cedar Point!  Both are amazingly, fun amusement parks in Ohio.   We all enjoy the coasters, thrill rides and water parks that they have to offer.

Joey loves trains - and we were able to take a short ride on another train this past Summer. It's always so much fun. I'm constantly amazed at the number of kids that are so interested in locomotives.

We also learned a lot!  Though we don't have homeschool classes during the Summer months - we encourage a lifestyle of learning.  Access to information on the internet has helped fuel our children's hunger for knowledge and the desire to know how things work.  Savannah loves learning new things and having the Chromebook has really opened the door for her to learn more on the various subjects that interest her. She has spent a lot of time researching information on Laura Ingalls Wilder and Abraham Lincoln. And we can't forget Minecraft. Minecraft made its way into our home this Summer. Using her Chromebook, Savannah has found a lot of tips and information about this new favorite game.

Now that school is back in full-swing, Savannah is using the Chromebook to begin collecting information for her home-state project. I've been looking forward to this project since we began to homeschool. In fourth grade, I also had to complete a project gathering information on my home-state - Indiana. Now, Savannah gets to explore her state. We plan to travel to various historic locations throughout the state for this project and use the Chromebook to help us with this journey.

Looking for a Chromebook? Click the image below to find great deals on Amazon! Don't forget to Join The Intel Fan Advocate Experience

I am in a partnership with Intel. Through this partnership I gain access to content, product, or other forms of value. This is a sponsored post - all views are my own.









{This post contains affiliate links. Please read the A Bloggy Mom Disclosure Policy here.}

SHARE THIS:

LEAVE A COMMENT

Summer Must Have: Chromebook #IntelAIO #IntelChrome

We have just finished the school year and are heading into the Summer at full speed! Savannah and Joey are thrilled to finally be done with the school books for a few months.

Though, mommy is sneaky. I use reward charts and other clever schemes to create a world of learning around them during their Summer "break". During the last few weeks of school, we combined the Intel AIO PC with our new Acer C720P Chromebook (with touchscreen!) for a more personalized learning experience for each of the children. Savannah and Joe love it when I help them find educational videos that compliment their lessons - and now they each have their own device for diving into their topics. That helped our days to move a little more quickly. Savannah loves researching historical information on the Chromebook - while Joey enjoys documentaries on various structures around the world. His top-two favorites are the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Now that Summer is here - we'll use the Chromebook for on-the-go learning and entertainment. It is the perfect size to slip into our busy-bag for road trips, time spent in waiting rooms, etc. It's also the perfect tool to use in creating a fun environment of learning. Looking for a Chromebook? Click the image below to find great deals on Amazon! Don't forget to Join The Intel Fan Advocate Experience

I am in a partnership with Intel. Through this partnership I gain access to content, product, or other forms of value. This is a sponsored post - all views are my own.










{This post contains affiliate links. Please read the A Bloggy Mom Disclosure Policy here.}

SHARE THIS:

LEAVE A COMMENT

Samsung Gear 2 Review

I love that the Gear 2 is lighter, thinner, and overall better looking than the Galaxy Gear. All of the components are moved into the watch housing itself now - which is what I would have expected in the first place for a smart watch. Its new and sleek design lends more comfort than its predecessor and even allow for you to change the strap.

What sets it apart is this sleek and metal design. Gear 2 features an elegantly contoured, brushed metal-finished face that accents a bright 1.63" Super AMOLED display. Whether for work or a night on the town, you can interchange Gear 2 bands to fit the occasion.

What we love

• Hands-free calling: Making calls on the move has never been easier. Place and answer calls directly from Gear 2. It’s the simple way to keep up when you have a lot going on.
• Voice Command: Now you can get full text updates and notifications on your wrist and respond to them, too. Voice Command lets you respond to texts, make hands-free calls, check email and more.
• Change the channel: No more getting up to search for the hidden remote control. Now you can control your TV right from your wrist, using WatchON and the built-in IR blaster on the Gear 2.
• Music, minus your phone: Take your music with you and leave your phone behind. The Gear 2 works as a stand-alone music player, so you can store your favorite songs and playlists right on the device for easy access.
• Go anywhere: Whether you’re headed towards a meeting or a jog on the beach, Gear 2 is prepared for action with an IP67-certified dustproof and water-resistant design*.

Compatibility

Having a Galaxy S III, the Gear 2 was the obvious choice for me. Pair your Gear 2 with the following Samsung devices:

• Samsung Galaxy S 5
• Samsung Galaxy S 4
• Samsung Galaxy S III
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3
• Samsung Galaxy Note II
• Samsung Galaxy Mega

Overall:  We do like it.  We feel that smart watches are at the beginning of their journey and that you'll see a lot of improvement in the overall usefulness and design of future models.  They aren't quite at a level of a smart phone as far as performance - but for a device you can currently wear on your arm, it works.


We also like:  Sumsung Gear 2 Neo Smartwatch 






*Water-resistant and dustproof based on IP67 rating, which tests submersion up to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. Not shockproof.





{This post contains affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy here.}

SHARE THIS:

LEAVE A COMMENT

NETGEAR Nighthawk and WiFi Range Extender Review

I work from home.  I also homeschool my children.  Between all of the work, research, articles and papers that must be done - we have a lot of devices that are constantly connected to our WiFi.  It had been several years since we last purchased a router and it was long past time for an update.  We're constantly needing to restart our router or even inch closer to a stronger signal.  I've even found that angling my laptop toward the East seems to help!  As much fun as that's been - we've moved on.

As a NETGEAR Ambassador, I was able to try out the Nighthawk AC 1900 Smart WiFi Router and AC750 WiFi Range Extender.

Though our home isn't large - it's also not tiny. This means that it was a bit tricky staying connected to our previous WiFi router when I was on the opposite end of the house and on a different floor than the router.  I could always tell when it was about to disconnect.  The connection would begin to be a bit sluggish and then suddenly disappear.

The NETGEAR Nighthawk has changed all of that.  It's capable of handling our updated devices and manage the tempo at which I need to work.  Switching between programs and sites quickly is a luxury that is a necessity for me.  Between online learning programs for the kids and my need to upload, post and view a lot of media  - we've put a lot of demanding work on the NETGEAR Nighthawk and it has held up nicely.

What we love

• AC1900 Wi-Fi: 600+1300 Mbps Speed
• Easy and automatic installation of the NETGEAR router with Internet provider gateway to upgrade your WiFi
• 1GHz Dual Core Processor
• Beamforming+ improves range and performance
• High powered amplifiers and antennas to extend your Wi-Fi coverage
• Includes: Nighthawk AC1900 Smart Wi-Fi Router, Three (3) detachable antennas, Ethernet cable, Quick install guide, Power adapter

We often move our homeschool lessons or my daily work to the dining room table.  This is on a different floor and on the opposite end of the house from the router.  The AC750 WiFi Range Extender has come in very handy for this!  When I know that we'll spend a few days in the dining room working on lessons - I plug the extender in on that side of the house. 

What we love

• Extend your existing Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home
• Eliminate Wi-Fi dead zones in hard to reach areas
• Lower your phone bill by reducing data plan charges
• Create faster access for 802.11 b/g/n and AC Wi-Fi devices
• Create access points in your home and improve Wi-Fi coverage
• Connect a wired device like Blu-ray player, game console, smart TV or streaming player to your Wi-Fi network
• External antennas for better Wi-Fi coverage and more speed

When I know we'll be in the classroom and will have no need for the WiFi Range Extender, I plug it in near the upstairs printer - for wireless printing!  The combination of this router and extender have been a great addition to our work and school schedules.  Thrilled to finally have this boost in ability to get through our work without interruption!

{This post contains affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy here.}

SHARE THIS:

LEAVE A COMMENT

High Power Dual USB Emergency Charger

As a social media mom, I am on the go and on my phone a lot. A lot. There are always Bloggy Moms or Bloggy Conference questions to answer, tweets that need a reply and messages that need read. All of this activity is a drastic drain on my smart phone's battery. Also, I opted for a phone with a slide-out keyboard (Yes, I know - I'm way uncool - but I like keyboards!) instead of the amazingly long battery-life like my brilliant husband chose. Maybe I should have gone with the Samsung Galaxy S4? So, I always carry my charger - though I need a wall outlet in order to recharge.

You see, the cigarette lighter/charger in my car has decided to go on strike and only works when it feels like it. Which is largely never. So, I'm at its mercy and constantly seeking an outlet. Though I've become very skilled at knowing which social media apps I'll need to turn off while on different outings.

As fun as constantly being worried about my phone's battery-life is, I've spent the past few  months looking for a different charging option.  Not a new phone (love my keyboard remember) but a charger.  I've see many emergency options.  Though, I'm always nervous to make a purchase.  I don't want to buy something that will at most only partially charge my phone.

Enter the High Power 10400mAh Dual USB Emergency Charger!

I was offered this amazing charger for review.  What could it hurt?  I needed one anyway.  This would be the perfect opportunity to see if it actually worked.

Most often, my phone will die when we need to spend a day away from the house - yet I still have a lot of work that needs done.  Our upcoming trip to Kings Island Amusement park was a great place to test the emergency charger's power!  I always need to return messages and answer questions - and love sending a few tweets while I'm there.  Of course my phone always dies on me! I'm always needing to use it.

Before we left that morning for Kings Island - I packed the charger into my cross-body handbag.  My battery went down to 5% charged by 2:00pm.  I plugged the phone into the emergency charger and it charged my phone fully after about an hour.

It was great to have a fully charged phone for the drive home!  I was so unconcerned with it - that I forgot to put my phone on its charger that night. 

Then, the next day - my son played a game on my phone that drains the battery like crazy!  I hadn't noticed that my phone was dead before we had to leave in the afternoon.  My phone was completely dead when I pulled out of the drive!  Luckily I had the emergency charger still with me.  It still had half its power and charged my phone fully within an hour or so.

- Amazing 10,400 battery life provides multiple charges
- Dual USB ports allows you to charge 2 devices at the same time
- Ultra portable so you can charge your devices wherever you are
- Universally compatible
- Rechargeable

Description
Amazing 10,400 battery life provides multiple charges.
The Kit: Emergency USB charger is designed to give almost any mobile device a full charge whilst you're on the go. With an amazing 10,400mAh capacity, it's powerful enough to charge any smartphone 7 times and can almost fully charge an iPad 4.

Dual USB ports allows you to charge 2 devices at the same time.
The Kit: comes with 2 USB ports which allows you to charge 2 devices at the same time. Each USB ports comes with a different output, one is 1000mAh and the other is 2100mAh so you can charge a smartphone and a tablet at the same time.

SHARE THIS:

LEAVE A COMMENT

Current Top Ten Popular DSLR Cameras

Looking to update your current camera? Check out this list of the current top ten most popular DSLR cameras on the market.

• Canon EOS Rebel T4i
  
• Canon EOS Rebel T3i
  
• Nikon D3200
  
• Nikon D3100 (Updated to new model)
  
• Nikon D7100
  
• Nikon D5100
  
• Canon EOS 60D
  
• Canon EOS 6D
  
• Canon EOS Rebel T3 (Updated to newer model)
  
• Canon EOS 5D Mk III
  

SHARE THIS:

LEAVE A COMMENT