Rave & Review

Fitness goals made easy with AT&T {Fitbit Zip Giveaway}

It’s that time of year again when you shed your sweaters and jackets and get all ready for warmer weather and summer clothes… and then you realize that the dreaded swimsuit season is on the horizon again.  But, this year I’m going to be ready for it, thanks to a very welcome present from AT&T.

What does AT&T have to do with my fitness, you ask?  A whole lot, now that AT&T carries a range of smart fitness products that can communicate with your smartphone and help you track your fitness goals.

Why do you need a fitness product, you ask, isn’t that what diet and exercise are for?  It’s true that we all know that to lose weight you merely need to expend more energy than you consume, but the problem with that is that we habitually over-estimate our activity levels and underestimate our food intake.  It certainly makes it hard to figure out how many calories need to be cut to lose weight in a safe and effective way if you have no idea what fuel your body actually needs. 

New activity trackers from Fitbit help you figure out how many calories you’ve really burnt during the course of your day {and night} by tracking steps, miles traveled, flights of stairs conquered, and overall activity levels.  The data the Fitbit device collects automatically communicates with your computer when you have the USB pairing device plugged into your USB {I keep mine plugged in 99% of the time} so you can literally see your progress in real time on your computer.

Paired with the Fitbit dashboard where you can enter the foods you’ve consumed and activities you’ve done, you can get a better idea of if you have a calorie deficit or surplus right there in black and white {okay, it’s actually COLOR, but you get the point}.  

Ate too much lunch?  Better plan a long walk before dinner, or alternatively, go easy on the dinner to compensate.   Had a long morning running a marathon?  Maybe you need extra calories the rest of the day to refuel your body.

This is all great, but what if you’re not by a computer all day long to track your foods and fitness levels?  Well, that’s where AT&T comes in.  The Fitbit is intelligent enough to connect with your smartphone via app so you can see your dashboard and food diary with you wherever you go.  Just like with the dashboard on your computer, you can track your fitness goals, weight loss or gain, and see hour by hour how you are looking for the day and how you can best stay on track.

We’ve been using our Fitbit trackers {I have the Fitbit One, hubby has the Fitbit Ultra} for a few months now and we absolutely love them.  Straight out of the package you can use it like a smart pedometer, but once you connect it to your computer or smartphone you can add what you’ve eaten and add any physical activities {it can tell when you’ve been walking, going upstairs, or your general fitness level, but it’s not going to be able to detect if you’re carrying heavy items or pushing or pulling something} to help get an even better picture of your activity levels. 

We love our Fitbit wireless activity trackers so much that we were thrilled to find out that AT&T carries other fitness accessories that pair with our devices and smartphones, like the new Fitbit Aria WiFi Smart Scale. 

We’ve been trying out the scale for the last two weeks using both of our trackers and would definitely recommend adding it if you are already using the Fitbit.  Just like the Fitbit itself, it pairs directly with your smartphone or desktop to track your weight automatically, which is one less step you need to remember.

Really, the hardest part is remembering to weigh myself a few times a week, which I'm habitually bad at.  But, now that I've got the Aria Smart Scale to keep me motivated and on track, even that is getting to be less and less of a problem these days.  There's just something fun about seeing pounds disappear from a scale while watching your fitness levels rise. 

For me, one of the best parts about the system is that I've learned a lot about how I gain weight and how to lose it.  And, as it turns out, healthy competition is the way to go.  Since hubby and I are connected to each other on the Fitbit dashboard we are literally competing every day for the highest activity levels.  I love that we're not going pound-to-pound in a weight loss competition but rather the goal is to just beat the other person's step total to win. 

Unfortunately for me and my {mostly} sedentary job, I have to work extra hard to keep up, but had I not been tracking it, I would never have known the difference in activity levels.  Just knowing that I've been sitting while he is standing and walking makes me get up more and keep moving, which is a great thing for both my health and my bragging rights.  You decide which is the most important. 

The Fitbit Aria WiFi Smart Scale is available at AT&T stores as well as online for $129.99

Want to see the full range of fitness products from AT&T?  Check out their Health and Fitness accessories today or pop into a store near you!

How would you like to win a Fitbit Zip from AT&T? 

To Enter: comment on this post with why you think it's cool that AT&T carries fitness products like the Fitbit

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this awesome #ATTseattle Fitbit giveaway {bit.ly/12G6aVU} with extra credit if you tag Rave & Review

1 Extra Entry {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, follow on Pinterest, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet making sure you are using the #ATTseattle hashtag

1 Extra Entry - Like @RaveAndReview and @ATT on Twitter

1 Extra Entry - Comment love on any post, just leave a comment here as well.

On June 9th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. Open to US only, 18+ 

A big thank you to AT&T for providing the ARIA scale as well as a Fitbit giveaway for readers.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

 

Spy Tec Inventio HD 720P video recording sunglasses {Review}

by Tyler, editor and reviewer

Even from a young age, I was obsessed with spy technology.  I used to stay up at night thinking of how cool it would be if cameras could fit in the palm of your hand, if fingerprint scanners could lock your valuables or if Hollywood’s technology would ever be a reality.  Unfortunately, I was clearly born a few decades too soon, because it’s only now that technology is catching up with my imagination.

For instance these, which are the ultimate in spy high-tech gear.  Forget cameras that fit in your palm, the Spy Tec Inventio HD is a camera you wear on the bridge of your nose.  You can bet we were thrilled when we heard we would get to test these babies out this spring to see if my childhood dreams really had come true.

While I’m past the age of dreaming of espionage and covert operations, I still think these are pretty darn awesome for all sorts of applications.  From recording fast moving sports and action shots hands-free, to capturing your perspective on the world, the Spy Tec glasses offer an unobtrusive way to record just about anything.

While I could go on and on about how fun it would be to pop these on and go for a bike ride or hike, my favorite thing about the glasses has nothing to do with sports or spying – it has to do with kids.  We all know kids freeze up as soon as you pull out your camera and start filming, so I love that the Spy Tec glasses are so discreet that they have no idea when you’re filming and when you’re not.  This means you’re more likely to catch that amazing trick they do, the funny pronunciation, or simply them just being them. 

We also like to let our kids wear the glasses to film and let them record the world as they see it.  Instead of worrying about what buttons they will press or whether they will drop the video camera on its lens, we can put the Spy Tec glasses right on the kids {use the included sunglasses neck strap if you are worried they might fall off} and let them make art all by themselves. 

Sure, they are tiny and great for kids, but I bet you’re wondering what kind of quality a “spy camera” could possibly be.  The answer is that it’s better than what you might think.  While some fast-moving  shots may produce videos that shake the entire time or be completely unwatchable, normal movements like walking or turning your head produce nice clear shots just like a regular video camera.  

And, at 720P, the videos are a nice clear HD quality image, which makes it perfect for YouTube, watching on your TV, or making high quality videos.  While it’s not IMAX quality, or DSLR quality, it does better than most point-and-shoot video cams we’ve tried, and is far more portable and unobtrusive. 

This was a big issue for me as I’m constantly feeling very removed from the action when I’m behind my camera, and then am stuck holding it all day long, even when I’m done filming.  With the Spy Tec glasses I can simply wear them like normal sunglasses {which I always have with me} and hit record when something exciting happens.  Then, when the sun goes down and I don’t need sunglasses, I merely pop them into their included case.

The sound quality is also decent and does a good job of picking up voices and environment sounds.  Naturally, your voice will be the loudest sound if you speak at all, due to the proximity to the microphone, so you really don’t need to speak loud at all to be heard.

Of course, every technology has its drawbacks, and the fact that this video cam fits on your face means it doesn’t have many bells and whistles built into the camera itself.  No LCD screen, no menu, and no special effects, but none of these things would be worth sacrificing how small the glasses are, so I say it’s well worth it. 

Some things did take a little getting used to, like the fact that you have to take them off your face to see if they are recording, the way that the angle of the lens is a bit above where your eye is looking so you need to compensate a bit while filming up close, that you can’t really “compose” your image the way you can with a traditional video camera and the fact that you can’t see what you recorded until you connect it to your computer. 

You also need to take into account that some fast-moving  shots may produce videos that shake the entire time or be completely unwatchable, depending on camera movement.  Even walking or turning your head too fast can produce dizzying videos if you're not fully aware of your movements, so I have to remind myself to move more slowly while wearing them.

But, the biggest issue we found with not having an LCD screen or menu option is that you don’t know when you are out of memory or out of battery.  We had a whole day of thinking we were recording only to find that my daughter had used all the memory taking videos of what we can only imagine is the inside of her purse.  As for the battery, we found that thankfully it lasts about 2 hours of recording before needing to be charged, so we just charge it up when we’ve been filming a lot and we actually haven’t had it run down on us yet. 

Speaking of recording all day long, I love that the Inventio-HD automagically separates long videos into 1.2GB {which is approximately 15 minutes} increments for you.  Having smaller chunks of footage makes it much easier to find specific moments you've shot later as well as for editing purposes if you're making compilations.  While making our video I was very grateful to have smaller clips to work with instead of 1-2 hours videos to wade through. 

The Spy Tec Inventio HD sunglasses come with nice polarized lenses straight out of the package, but I love that you can also buy replacement lenses, mirrored lenses or even clear lenses for $12 apiece.  Depending on what you are filming or what activities you have in store, having different lens options is a big plus to me, especially since changing out the lenses makes it possible to film indoors as well. 

Here's the rundown on the Spy Tec Inventio HD video recording sunglasses:

• 720P HD video and audio recording 
• 16-bit digital audio recording 
• Cables included to connect to computer or TV
• Battery life of 2 hours
• 8GB of Class 10 internal memory
• Compatible with PC and Mac computers
• Includes 1 year warranty
• Bonus carrying case, cleaning cloth, and neck strap included

If you’re looking for an easy way to record everything from a helicopter ride to a walk through your favorite spot, from action shots to catching your grandma sweetly singing a lullaby while rocking your baby, the Spy Tec glasses are a great purchase.  They retail for $129.95 and can be purchased at SpyTecInc.com

Want to see the Spy Tec Inventio HD sunglasses in action?  Check out our video showing our favorite uses. 

A big thank you to Spy Tec for providing the Inventio HD sunglasses to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions remain 100% ours.

Memory making season is here – get ready with Best Buy

Five years and two kids ago, I took about half the photos I do now.  Granted, as someone with a photography degree under her belt I still took a ton of pictures, but there are really only so many photos you need of yourself and your husband or the sunset from your deck.  But, once I had kids it was if I was seeing the world all over again and there were a million reasons to bring out the camera each day.

Like this gem from Easter a million years 3 years ago.  I know everyone says it, but they just grow up so fast.

But, in addition to million reasons to pull out the camera, there were also a million reasons to get a new camera altogether.  Although I had awesome film SLR cameras and a so-so point and shoot, my kids also came along during the digital revolution when film processing labs were harder to find than swimsuits in December {Trust me, I know.  I’ve been the poor schlep looking for both…at the same time}.  Add in the fact that my cameras were awful in low light and flash and fast movement seemed to ruin all my pictures, and it won’t come as any surprise that the first thing I asked for was a new digital SLR to celebrate becoming a mom.

I know I’m not alone in this, because one of the first thing friends and family ask as soon as they become parents is for advice on getting a new camera.  So, what do I tell them?  I tell them not to risk all those precious firsts of a new baby, graduation memories, or that family vacation to a smartphone.  While incredibly convenient at times, they certainly aren’t the quality you can get from a dedicated camera and with memories that valuable you don’t want to compromise.

So, with Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduations and weddings on the horizon, now is the time to upgrade your camera and get one that is worthy of all those memories.  Thank goodness Best Buy is here to help.  With a low price guarantee and a huge selection of cameras you can try right in the store {that last one is important if you’re picky like I am}, you can make sure you’re getting your perfect camera at the perfect price and even get free shipping to your home.  From DSLR camera to point and shoots, camcorders, and cameras with zoom lenses, low light capabilities, and even wi-fi, there’s a camera for everyone.   

AND, to make their low price guarantee even better, they also have an amazing trade-in program that buys back old cameras and pays in gift cards just like their cell phone buy-back program I was raving about a few months ago.  So, collect all the cameras that you aren’t using or have outgrown and bring them in for instant store credit on the camera you really want.  Isn’t that awesome? 

Then, once you have your amazing camera and files and files of gorgeous pictures of the cutest kids/pets/husband/etc, you can spring for a digital photo frame from Best Buy that can display them all in one place for a whole lot cheaper than printing them all and framing them.  And, now you can get that frame at 25% off, which makes it even more economical in the long run, and something that would make a great present for mom {hint, hint}, dad, or the newest grad.

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free

Mother's Day Gift Idea - LG Optimus G Pro from AT&T {Giveaway}

Just like so one will forget when they first heard the term “smartphone”, no one will ever be able to forget the first time they heard the term “phablet” {you know, a phone and tablet in one}.  My first time was in reference to my NOKIA 920 Windows Phone from AT&T, which I was assured was a “phablet” based on size alone. 

Well, it turns out that my phone is not a phablet, but it is actually a real thing, and I think that’s really awesome.  I really love having a phone on the bigger side as I do a lot of picture viewing and video watching on my phone, so to me, bigger is better and I’d love to get a phablet some day.  I don’t want to carry around a full-size tablet with me each day in addition to my phone, so a phablet is a compromise that offers a bigger screen and all the bells a whistles of a tablet and only one gadget to pay for on your cell phone plan.  


Just in time for Mother’s Day, AT&T is set to release the new LG Optimus G Pro that would be the perfect phablet for mom.  Whether she’s the sentimental type who will swoon over the grandkids picture on the big screen, the adventurous type who will make good use of the dual recording feature, or the snap-happy traveler that needs a phone that takes stellar pictures, the LG Optimus G Pro is the perfect solution.

Seriously, just look at all these features:

- Powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 1.7 GHz Quad-Core Processor with 2 GB RAM
- Expansive 5.5" 1080p Full HD IPS Screen (400 ppi resolution)
- Long-Lasting 3,140 mAh Battery
- Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean)
- Advanced 13 MP Full HD Camera with Dual Recording
- 2.1 MP Full HD Front-Facing Camera for Dual Recording and Video Conferencing
- Visually and Audibly Collaborate in Real Time with VuTalk
- QSlide 2.0 for Advanced and Convenient Multitasking
- Audio Zoom for amplifying sound while using Live Zooming
- QuickRemote for Universal Remote Control
- Pocketable Ergonomic Design with Narrow Bezel
- Internal Storage: 32 GB total, support for up to 64 GB of expandable memory
- Bluetooth® Version 4.0

About the AT&T network: The LG Optimus G Pro runs on AT&T 4G LTE, currently covers nearly 200 million people; with plans to expand to cover 300 million people by the end of 2014.  In a report by independent testing organization RootMetrics, AT&T's 4G LTE network was called “blazing fast."  The report found AT&T’s 4G LTE network delivered the fastest pure LTE speeds in markets where AT&T provided 4G LTE.


Although the Optimus G Pro from AT&T doesn’t come out until the 10th, you can pre-order the device beginning May 3 at www.att.com/optimusgpro for $199 {or, even cheaper if you have a new-ish phone you can trade in}.  And, to sweeten the deal even more, anyone who pre-orders will receive a free Quick Cover black folio case while supplies last.  How awesome is that? 

Be sure and make your mom a personalized e-card by clicking on the image below.  My daughter adores all the "it's not complicated" commericals with the kids, so I'm going to have her make me a card tonight {with a little help from daddy-o}.

And, want to make Mom extra super-duper happy this Mother’s Day?  Sign the pledge to not text and drive at #itcanwait.  Have you signed it?

How would you like to win a LG Optimus G Pro smartphone from AT&T? 

To Enter: comment on this post with why you {or your mom} would love this phone

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this awesome #ATTseattle smartphone giveaway {bit.ly/ZDjB6N } with extra credit if you tag Rave & Review

1 Extra Entry {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, follow on Pinterest, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet using the #ATTseattle hashtag letting me know why you love the LG Optimus G Pro for yourself - or your mom

1 Extra Entry - Like @RaveAndReview and @ATT on Twitter

1 Extra Entry - Comment love on any post, just leave a comment here as well.

On May 12th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. Open to US  only, 18+ 

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to:

80 JD Northwest said...Facebook posted and tagged. https://www.facebook.com/john.carroz/posts/10201142672679569

A big thank you to AT&T for providing a giveaway for readers.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

From toddler to teen: the answer is the Zazoo Kids photo clock

Up until just a few months ago, our kids were a parent’s dream at night.  We would literally pop them in their beds after their bedtime routine and not hear from either one again until I would have to wake them up in the morning.  Yes, true story. 

But, while my son is still firmly in the “parent’s dream” category of sleepers, our daughter has been asserting her own, uh, independence.  Independence from things like “bedtime” and “naptime” and “reasonable wake up times” and because of it, her schedule is all out of sorts.  This means that getting her to sleep is a big huge struggle, often involves bargaining, and most of the time, involves tears {mine}.

While the major problem might be that she’s simply outgrowing her nap and moving towards being a full-time big girl, there are definitely other issues at play.  Things like the fact that she cannot tell time so she has no idea her schedule’s off or how to actually fix it, so she does things like fighting sleep at nap only to finally succumb at 3:00pm when she should already be up and playing.  This, of course, makes bedtime a nightmare, which leads to problems the next day as well. 

So, what do you do with a spirited child that needs a set schedule of sleep and rest periods but is too young to tell time?  Why, you call in Zazoo Kids, that’s what.  We recently got the chance to review one of their amazing Zazoo Kids Photo Clocks and I can honestly say that I don’t know what we would do without it. 

Instead of fighting with a four year old on too little sleep, we simply set up the ground rules ahead of time.  No getting outta yer bed unless the photo clock has a sun.  If it’s got a moon, you better be laying down and resting, or better yet, sleeping.  No exceptions. 

And, since she has a bedtime and a naptime, I really love that I can set TWO alarms – one for morning and one for afternoon – that signal it’s okay to leave her bed.  I really wish there was an option to add even more alarms so I could set times of the day for certain activities and she could see what she should be doing just by looking at the Zazoo or a way to set the wake up time later on the weekends and earlier on school days, but I do appreciate the two that I can program for now.  

Speaking of programming, I love that you can make alarm, picture and clock changes right on the back of the Zazoo, but you can also use the included remote control as well.  Since my daughter is of the young and curious variety, we simply put the clock on a lower shelf for now that’s not too tall, but just a bit out of reach so she can't change the settings inadvertently.      

The easy to understand sun and moon that comes pre-loaded on the Zazoo clock was perfect for our use right now, but I also love that you can choose your own image as well.  You can customize the clock with your child’s name, program special images for holidays and events, and use any of the pre-programmed images, or load your own pictures of your child with the SD, flash drive, and USB slots. 

Since I adore anything personalized, I love that I can customize the clock completely for my daughter and change it any time I would like as the mood strikes me.  Whether it's a new background image, how the clock is displayed, or even how she wakes up in the morning, changing things up is quick and easy. 

As great as the Zazoo clock is for little kids who can’t tell time, I really love that the photo clock grows with your child also.  When my daughter will be waking up for school every day next year, I’m simply going to add in an audio alarm to assist in waking her up, and I’m going to change the “naptime” to “quiet time” when she can do homework, read, color, or do any other activity that will let her brother get his beloved nap.  Then, when she’s even older and wants a photo frame that scrolls through pictures of her friends, plays music, or can even be used for audio books, the Zazoo is going to work well into her tweens and teens.

Instead of buying a kids clock now, an alarm clock when she starts school, and then something that can play her music and showcase her photos later, I love that the Zazoo photo clock can grow with her and become a beloved fixture in her room from childhood on up. 

When you factor in how many electronics I won't have to buy her, the $89.99 price tag for the Zazoo Kids clock seems more than reasonable.  And, really, I would pay that amount to sleep in even a few days a week, so this really is an investment into a happy mom. 

You can buy your own customizable PTPA winning Zazoo Photo Clock at zazookids.com and you can choose between many different designs and color schemes to fit your child's room.  For even more information that shows a great overview of the ZAZOO Kids Clock, check out this video.

A big thank you to Zazoo Kids for sending their photo clock to facilitate this review and give me less stressful mornings and afternoons.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours. 

VINCI Tab III M 5” Learning Tablet {Review - Part I}

I love teaching my daughter new things and watching her eyes light up with each newfound piece of knowledge.  Nothing can beat the feeling of watching her process something complex or advanced for her age and seeing the puzzle pieces slowly come together as she gets the concept fully.  Unfortunately for us, I am vastly under qualified to teach her anything curriculum based and I must rely on others to teach her the basics of reading, writing, arithmetic and science. 

But, even though I am envious of all the mothers who can homeschool and teach their own curriculum, I am less so now that we have discovered VINCI Early Learning Systems.  Named after the amazing Leonardo da Vinci, VINCI is a mom-invented and award-winning learning system designed to prepare kids for school success. 

We recently got to check out the VINCI Tab III M 5” Learning Tablet that works in conjunction with the VINCI curriculum and it’s been a huge hit at our house.  The VINCI Learning Devices are the only Android tablets tested and approved by the FDA for children 18 months and older and they feature educational tools to help your child succeed at any grade level. 

So now instead of starting out at square one and teaching myself everything I can about adolescent learning and childhood development, I am thankful to have a handy and fun tool on my side to help me with this process.  This means I can now help my kids learn in a very interactive way, right here at home without all the worry and stress of if I’m doing it correctly and in a way that will resonate with them.  

And, when the VINCI Tab III M 5” learning tablet arrived, I immediately knew it was going to be a hit.  Before trying it, I had mistakenly thought that all children’s electronic learning gadgets were somewhat the same, and thus I wasn’t expecting the VINCI system to be much different.  But, from the moment my daughter turned on the VINCI tablet, I’ve been a true believer in tablet-based supplemental learning.

What I found was that the “games” she plays on the VINCI Tab are different than other systems and are more fitted to her age and abilities.  She got more out of playing a 5-minute game on the VINCI than she had in hours of other systems, and there was never a time she was frustrated or bored with the games she was playing.

Part of the reason it has been frustration-free is the fact that the system is separated into three categories: The Curious, The Confident, and The Capable.  Since the system is designed to grow with your child, it’s perfect for families with multiple children and can expand all the way up to age 9 to help throughout the early learning years.

Whether my daughter and son are working on a farm where they milk cows and manage their own market stand, or they are exploring the park, putting towers back together, or simply making music with their own band of monkeys, they have a ton of fun and really absorb each lesson.  In fact, the only problems we have had is when I forget to charge it and the battery runs out when one of them is playing.  Since you can't play while the tablet is charging, I always feel really bad when they earn tablet time only to pick it up with a few minutes of life left in it, which is why we now check it every morning and make sure it's charged enough for afternoon play.   

Whereas my daughter {age 4} is more independent and likes to play on the tablet on her own and then show me what fun games she’s been doing, my son {age 2} likes to snuggle up and play right in my lap where I can help explain what each task is he’s doing and offer pointers.  For this reason, I love that the games are all very diverse and use different ways of thinking to solve logical problems because even though they are both in the same learning category with their age difference, they both get a very different takeaway from each game.   

If you are like me and struggle with the idea of teaching from home but would like to offer supplemental learning to help your child in school, I highly recommend the VINCI system that grows with your child through many ages and stages.  Watching them play in a very open environment using all the new fun technology they love allows me to see where their skills are advanced or lacking, and help them learn in ways I have never been able to before.  And, after seeing how well they have both responded to the first set of games, I’m really excited to move on to the next set of lessons with my daughter while helping my son make the most of the first VINCI stage. 

To buy: VINCI learning tablets retail between $169-$199 and you can purchase them directly on the VINCIgenius.com site. In addition to offering two different sized tablets, they also have one that can expand to your smartphone for even greater possibilities for learning.

A big thank you to VINCI for sending the Tab III M learning tablet to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Early Spring Cleaning Thanks to the Best Buy Electronics Recycling Program

Are you like me and have a pile of electronics lying around your house gathering dust.  I always convince myself that I *might* use them someday or they would be great for the kids, and then I never actually make it happen and instead they sit cluttering my house.  Well, I’m getting a jump on my spring cleaning by clearing out all my electronic “clutter” and taking it where it can be disposed of properly.

And no, proper disposal is not setting it by the curb on garbage day; most electronics need special handling because they shouldn’t be sent to the landfill.  While I knew that they didn’t belong in the trash, I was never quite sure where to take them, so even the items I had convinced myself to let go of typically ended up sitting in our garage where our cars should be. 

But, no longer will I walk over keyboards and monitors, broken toasters or discarded DVDS, now I can take them to somewhere I’m already headed anyway – any of our local Best Buy stores.  Not only is the Best Buy electronics recycling program incredibly convenient, it’s also FREE and oh so easy. 

I went to Best Buy this past weekend and didn’t even set foot in the door before I was greeted by signage and stations for recycling my old electronics.  They had bins for all sorts of common household electrics right there inside the first sliding door, and a helpful employee right nearby who could take anything that was too big for the recycling stations. 


While I knew some of the electronics I was dropping off were toast and just needed to be put to rest, some of the items I brought were actually pretty new and I just didn’t have a need for them {work Blackberry and Google phone I never quite got the hang of}.  The employee helping me suggested that I take those to the mobile center in the middle of the store so I could cash in my old phones for Best Buy credit, which is something I wasn’t even aware that they did. 


About 15 minutes later, I was cleaning off the phones of all my old info {which they talked me through since I had no idea how to do this on my own} and signing away phones and chargers I wasn’t using anyway.  I left Best Buy roughly 20 {electronic} pounds lighter and with a Best Buy gift card burning a hole in my pocket.  Add that to the fact that I cleared out the electronic “graveyard” in our garage with almost zero effort, and I was a happy girl.  Not bad for a Sunday afternoon spent shopping, right?

I know many of you have similar graveyards in your offices, garages, and homes and could stand to purge them once and for all.  Why not head to Best Buy and ensure your electronics are safely and responsibly disposed of?  It’s easy, convenient, and it’s free, which makes it a huge win.

Want to know what happens to your electronics after they are recycled?  Watch this video that shows every step of the process – including how they destroy anything that might have sensitive user information. 
 
Here’s some facts about the program:
•    Technology is the fastest growing waste stream on the planet. As one of the world's largest retailer of consumer electronics, Best Buy wants to be part of the solution.
•    No matter where you bought or how old it is, Best Buy will recycle it.
•    Best Buy recycles 387 pounds of electronics each minute our stores are open.

That’s a whole lot of blenders, TVs and flip phones that didn’t clog our landfills! 

And, since you are already out shopping and are feeling much lighter, now is the perfect time to check out Best Buy’s line of Energy Star certified products in store.  You can upgrade your appliances to more energy efficient models, learn about the ways that they help you save as well as protect our environment, and swoon over front loader washer and dryers like I do.  To learn more about our Energy Star certified products, you can check out Best Buy’s Energy Star page and even find rebates for even more savings!

Have you used the Best Buy electronic recycling program before?  Did you love it as much as I did? 

This post has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.  As always, all opinions remain 100% ours.

Nokia 920s are red and violets are blue…

I think we all know that old rhyme.  I, for one, have been singing it all week as I’ve been learning and loving my new fire engine red Nokia 920 Windows 8 phone from AT&T that arrived just in time to celebrate Valentine’s Day with me.   

I’ve said before how utterly amazing it is that nearly everyone I know is walking around with a palm-sized computer in their pockets, but sometimes it takes a new phone ike the Nokia 920 with all the newest technology to really drive that point home.  We’re long past the days of merely making phone calls and marveling about text messaging, we’re at the point now where we are able to do nearly everything you can do on a laptop right on our phones, and let me tell you, I love it.      

If you’ve been reading a while, you already know that I’m a Windows gal who has been looking to make the leap to Windows 8, and with this phone I finally got the push I needed.  Say what you will about iWhatevers and Google, but as a PC gal, I will happily keep my Windows phone that goes quite well with my Windows PC and access all of my files easily right from my phone or computer, thankyouverymuch.

So, what makes the Nokia 920 different than my Samsung Windows 7 phone?  Even at first glance it was clear the answer was *a lot*. 

Size Does Matter:  The first thing you’ll notice is that the size of the Nokia 920 is much larger than most smartphones, which I immediately liked.  Having gone from a Blackberry Bold to a Google phone to my old Samsung, my screen size was progressively getting bigger with each new model and I think I’ve finally topped out at what I think is the largest size that makes sense for my needs.  Since I’m online a lot over my phone and needing full screen access, this really does give me huge freedom over even the slightly smaller Samsung that I couldn’t see full frame on. 

While I wouldn’t expect the larger screen size to be a deal breaker either way for most users, it actually saves me a ton of time when working on certain sites because I don’t have to scroll over or zoom out with each new page load.  It may only be seconds we’re talking about, but when you multiply that by 1,000 page loads, it more than adds up. 

Kids Corner:  You’ve probably seen all the commercials recently with Jessica Alba and Gwen Stefani talking about the Windows 8 Kids Corner function that locks down the phone and allows your kid to use it safely, without deleting all of your important information.  Having been subjected to a phone with locked contacts for over 2 weeks after my then 8 month old son nicely reprogrammed my phone for me, I am all for anything that protects my data and keeps junior from emailing my boss at midnight with a string of incoherent messages. 

While I love the idea of keeping my phone just for me, I’ve often been tempted to hand over my phone during meetings that run long or times when we’re stuck in waiting rooms, but the fear of getting my phone back reprogrammed has always stopped me.  With the new Kids Corner, I no longer have to worry about what they are doing to the phone without my constant supervision because everything in their “corner” has already been approved by me and set up just for them.  As cool as this is now with really little ones, I feel this feature is only going to get more and more useful as they get older and get even more tech-savvy. 

Heavy on the Tech, Please:  I honestly thought my Samsung was high tech as late as last week.  It turns out there are phones out there that take better pictures than my point-and-shoot camera, stream movies faster than my laptop, can charge wirelessly with an additional accessory, and come with PureMotion HD+ screens with ClearBlack display featuring curved Corning Gorilla Glass 2.0 and sunlight readability enhancement.  Yeah, that. 

Customized for Me:  I don’t know what it is about Windows phones, but from the very first time I touched one, I just “got it”.  I personally love the live tile display that shows me which of my dozen emails are filling up, how many calls I missed during the last meeting, which Facebook post is blowing up and where my next appointment is with one quick glance.  With the Nokia 920, the live tile display is even more customizable and you can shrink the tiles to ¼ size or you can expand them so you can read your emails and calendar right from the home screen.

Since I can never commit to anything for long, I love that it’s incredibly simple to reorganize my home screen with literally a few clicks.  If I’m using an app a ton for just a few days I can bring it above the fold and move apps I haven’t touched in weeks down to the bottom, and then change it all back in a matter of seconds. 

Stalk Your Friends, In a Nice Way:  If I’m working on a project with a colleague or needing to keep in touch with someone with limited availability, I love that I can actually pin that person’s profile to the home screen on my phone so I can see when they are available to chat and call them with a push of a tile.  Their newest messages will display right in their tile along with their picture so I can see at a glance who is on right now and get messages in real time. 

While I don’t plan on pinning all my friends to my homescreen, I love that I can pin my husband so the kids are able to call him simply by selecting his picture on my phone.  Whereas I might have trained them to recite his number only years ago or sat with them and taught them about how to use the phone’s rolodex, I love that even my 2 year old could call daddy using the live tiles if there was an emergency and we needed help. 

Red is the Color of Love:  Don’t believe me that a red phone has magical powers?  Check out the ratings for all the Nokia 920s on the AT&T site and you will find that even though all colors are very high rated, the red phone has a perfect 5 star rating.  The color of love, I tell you.  In fact, if you’re looking to surprise your Valentine with a trip to the AT&T store to get one of these awesome red beauties, I have it on good authority you should call ahead to make sure it’s in stock first.  Of course, I’m sure you’d love a black or a white version as well, but I’m telling you, there’s just something special about the red.    

If you are thinking of getting this awesome phone for Valentine’s Day, you will be happy to note that AT&T is running a special through the 21st where you can get two phones for the price of one or get the wireless charging accessory free with purchase.  We all know how cool accessories are with your brand new phone, so if you go with the second option you can get one of the newest and coolest accessories for free and never be limited by cables again!

To Buy: You can find the Nokia 920 in AT&T stores or you can order online here for $99.99 with 2 year service agreement. 

A big thank you to AT&T for sending the Nokia 920 to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

RadioShack Holiday Gift Guide {AUVIO Expanding Bluetooth Speaker Giveaway}

Is anyone else out there still shopping this year?  I'm guessing you are, because the malls near me are still at their capacity, filled with frantic last-minute shoppers and I'm hearing the same from friends all over the country. 

I will admit that while I was 99% done shopping at the end of November, I have then continued to procrastinate until the week before Christmas for the remaining 3 presents, like usual.  Luckily, there are great resources out there for those of us still out shopping, like the RadioShack holiday gift guide that showcases some of my favorite tech items for kids of all ages. 

I was really happy to find that many of the items on the list were actually perfect for the age I have the most trouble with, ages 8 – 14, when they don't like kiddie toys but aren't ready for grown-up stuff yet.  I found numerous things on the RadioShack holiday gift list that would be perfect for grabbing in-store next time I was near one of their many retail locations near me.

The Elenco Snap Circuit Green Alternative Educational Kit is probably my favorite item on the list, as it’s basically a whole year of fun and learning with 125 projects to complete.  I think it would be perfect to give your tween for the dreaded mid-winter break and summer vacation “I’m bored” days and keep them learning over the holidays.  Not only does it look like a ton of fun, it also costs about half as much as I was expecting, which is always a nice surprise.  Is it wrong that I want this to play with myself? 

As much as I love the robot building kits and the Elenco Snap Circuit kit, one look at this bad boy and I knew it was perfect for hubby.  Since most of what he does on the computer is on the iPad, I thought it would be nice to get him a good speaker that can also go anywhere and still give him a decent amount of bass.  With how notoriously quiet the iPad speakers are, an external wireless speaker is a must-have to make gaming and movie-watching much more enjoyable.  

While these are just two of my favorites, there are tons more where these came from.  Just check out the list below to find a little something for every tech-lover on your list this holiday season!

Toy Investments Brush Robot Kit
Build your own robot kit that includes a battery case with wires, wooden brush, paint brush, googly eyes, a motor, a set of plastic mechanical parts and instructions.  Once assembled, you can set it on smooth surfaces and it will clean up after you.  Moms out there, rejoice!

Elenco Snap Circuit Green Alternative Educational Kit
Learn about clean, renewable and alternative energy in this amazing kit that lets you snap together parts to assemble more than 125 separate projects.  Great for kids and parents to work together on and perfect for science projects and more!

Power Trains™ Crane City Super Set
A realistic motorize train set for any train lover, the Crane City Super Set comes with 18 feet of track, a crane set, tunnels and other accessories.  And, as cool as that is, it runs on batteries instead of having an electrified track, which means it’s safe for even young kids!

Stealth Flyer II - Indoor RC Helicopter
What boy doesn’t want to fly a helicopter?  Well, now they can with the Stealth Flyer indoor RC helicopter that operates in a range up to 80-feet.

Atomic Racers 1:64 Scale Micro RC
A miniature 1:64 scale racer that is not only compact in its own self-contained case, it also comes with a full-function remote that lets you go forwards, backwards and left and right.  Includes everything you need to start racing!

HEXBUG Warrior Battling Robots
We love HEXBUG micro-robotics, so I know the HEXBUG Warrior Battling Robots are going to be on my kids’ wish lists this year.  Now you can control your own insect as well as battle them with their special armor attachments. 

AUVIO® Expandable Bluetooth® Speaker
Boost your sound without adding cords or wires with the AUVIO Expandable Bluetooth speaker.  It compresses together for storage and portability, but when you want some real sound, you simply open them to expand.  Powered by mini USB with a rechargeable li-on battery gives you 6-8 hours of sound. 

AUVIO Elite Headphones
High precision audio balance and superb bass combined with a full ear cup ensures the best and most comfortable fit every time while delivering clear and quality sound.  When you are through listening, you can even fold them up in their protective case for the ultimate in portability. 

Enercell® 700mAh Credit Card Size Power Bank
Small enough to fit in your wallet yet powerful enough to give you up to 80 minutes of extra talk time, the Enercell 700mAh Power Bank is a no brainer for anyone that uses their smartphone a lot.  It charges via micro USB and is available in black or white.
While you're out last-minute shopping, I would definitely keep RadioShack in mind.  Not only do they have the hottest new technology, they also have some fun stocking stuffers, accessories and unexpected gifts for every tech- and gadget-lover on your list.

One lucky Rave & Review reader will win an AUVIO Expanding Bluetooth Speaker {ARV $39.99} from RadioShack

To Enter: visit RadioShack and tell me something you would like to gift or something you would keep for yourself

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this awesome AUVIO giveaway {bit.ly/V2L1Uf} and tag Rave & Review

2 Extra Entries {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet

1 Extra Entry - FB. Like RadioShack on Facebook to stay up to date with all their current promotions

4 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus. Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup

1 Extra Entry - Comment love on any post, just leave a comment here as well.

On January 10th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.

A big thank you to Radio Shack for sending the AUVIO speaker to facilitate this review and for offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

 

The New Era of Handheld Electronic Games: Sifteo Cubes {Review & Giveaway}

Remember when being a “gamer” meant you loved board games?  Now there are handheld games, computer games, console games, electronic games, and more that all compete for this title, most of which are missing the collaborative and tactile nature of board games of our youth.

And, that’s where Sifteo Cubes comes in.  Sifteo is a unique electronic game made up of three separate touchscreen cubes {up to 9 additional cubes can be purchased for even more fun} that communicate wirelessly with each other to shake your game out of the box and allow you to take gaming to a whole new level.  Instead of a joystick and A/B button combinations, you simply shuffle the cubes around, place them side-to-side, tilt or shake them, or press on their touch screens to play.

Unlike other electronic games that are almost always single-player and excludes everyone else in the room, I love that Sifteo can be played alone, with a partner, or in groups just by dividing up control of the cubes.  A hybrid handheld game that plays more like a traditional board game that you manipulate by hand, Sifteo is the latest and greatest electronic gaming system and sure to be the big buzz this year. 

I’ve been a fan of these little cubes since I saw them showcased at BlogHer this summer and was thrilled when I found out I would get a chance to play with the newest version of the Sifteo Cubes this fall.  Honestly, my first reaction was that it was almost as if someone surveyed me and asked all that I would look for in a game and then created this system just for me.  With a little bit of brain teaser and handheld game mixed with my crazy love of puzzles and with a whole lot of addictiveness built in, it’s clear that this is no ordinary game system, it’s something much, much more. 

But, while it may be hard to describe what they are and the various ways to play, it’s quite easy to get the hang of it once they are in your hand.  This is partly because the Sifteo system doesn’t require a computer system, a game console, or a specialized handheld video game system to play; all of the brains are built directly into the cubes themselves, which makes them very intuitive and easy to grasp. 

While you can connect them to a computer to download additional games, the Sifteo Cubes come pre-loaded with 4 games so they are ready to play out of the box – just insert the included batteries and press the power button on the base and all the cubes automagically pair with the base for play.  On one cube you will see a menu that allows you to select which game you’d like and you can tilt that cube to select your choice and then you’re ready to play. 

And, that of course, is where the real magic is.  Within moments, we were off and running, playing different games and learning how the cubes recognize each other and work together seamlessly so you can play math and word games as well as strategy and adventure games. 

Each of the four pre-installed games starts out easy enough with helpful tips and prompts along the way, but as you continue playing they get harder and harder.  Before long you will realize that hours have passed and you’ve been playing educational games well into the wee hours of the morning. 

Whether you use Sifteo Cubes as a relaxing distraction on your desk in between meetings or to decompress at lunch or you like to get the whole family involved and make a competitive game out of it, Sifteo Cubes are a great bet.  These fun and addicting little cubes are not only a great way to blow off steam, they are also fun to challenge yourself and your friends to see how quick you can think and how creatively you can solve problems.  They are recommended for ages 7+, but younger kids can play them as well with a little bit of help. 

Geek alert: Did you know you can even write your own Sifteo games?  I heard that rumor and didn’t believe it was true, but then I found this blog post, which seems to confirm what I had believed all along: Sifteo is the coolest game ever. 

The Sifteo Cubes Starter Set retails for $129.95 and comes with 3 cubes, the Sifteo base, a USB cord and a soft storage pouch so you can take your gaming on the go.  Additional cubes can be purchased for $29.95 each, directly from Sifteo or on Amazon and ThinkGeek which will allow for even longer words and more twisting, turning, sliding, and tilting fun.  Each starter set comes with a free game download but you can also download additional games for $8-$12 from Sifteo by purchasing their credits that you can redeem for games.  Psst, you can also get FREE SHIPPING at the Sifteo site thru 12/18/12! 

Visit Sifteo.com and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.  You may also want to watch this little video, which can explain everything I just did in a fraction of the time:

One lucky Rave & Review reader will win a Sifteo Cubes Starter Pack that includes 3 cubes - wooohooo!

To Enter: visit Sifteo.com and tell me something you learned about the company

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this awesome Sifteo giveaway {bit.ly/Y08HLE} and tag Sifteo and Rave & Review

2 Extra Entries {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet

1 Extra Entry - Follow Sifteo on Twitter

1 Extra Entry - Like Sifteo on Facebook

4 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus. Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup

1 Extra Entry - Comment love on any post, just leave a comment here as well.

On December 29th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to:

#152 Michelle Tucker said... One of their core values is "Treat your customers like you would treat your friends." Love that!

A big thank you to Sifteo for sending a starter pack to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.