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I recently purchased the Nintendo 3DS system and have been loving the fun games I've been able to play lately. We got the opportunity to review Ubisoft's Funky Barn 3D and have been farming our hearts away. At first glance at the cover art makes you think its your run-of-the-mill plow your land, grow your food game, but it's not. It's a funky game where you will encounter some very odd happenings.
At the beginning of the game you are to make a name for yourself, your farm, and your first little animal. You are then guided and introduced to the menu options that includes the shop, farm reports, map, etc. Basically all the basics you need to start playing. You learn along the way that your animals can lay eggs, grow wool, find truffles or produce milk, which you profit from. Providing them with needs (shelter, food, water, etc.) and planting and sprucing up your farm will attract new animals.
Now all is fun, raising animals, growing crops and whatnot. However, as if a problem in real life, there are pests along the way the threaten your farm; foxes, wolves, and even UFOs that attempt to abduct your animals! There are ways to repel these pests and not one of my animals has been taken as of yet. I'm steadily on my way to building a great farm.
Funky Barn 3D is definitely a fun game, rated E for everyone. My little siblings both have started their own farm, although my 5 y/o sister had a little bit of a hard time understanding what to do in the beginning, she got a hold of it quickly afterwords. The controls for the game are simple and you'll be cashing in on your first egg in less than 5min. into the game. The game can be switched to be played on 2D or 3D mode. A huge thanks to Ubisoft for another fun and quirky game the whole family can play! Funky Barn 3D retails for $29.99 and you can purchase it on ToysRUs.com or Amazon.com.
Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own. #UbiChamps
I recently got the opportunity to test out netTalk's Duo WiFi device. Just about everyone has a digital home phone nowadays and VoIP devices are becoming more and more common. The idea of the netTALK Duo WiFi is to use a regular phone by plugging this device to either your router, computer or via WiFi. It's ingenious. The device itself is very small and compact. But what I really like is that with the purchase of the device, you get 12 months of phone service.
As mentioned, the netTALK Duo WiFi device is very small and compact, it comes with an a/c adapter, ethernet and usb cable. All that is required is a telephone and high-speed internet. With the provided cables, it takes less than 2min. to plug everything in and setup is a breeze.
The features included with the device and service just blow all the phone companies away. They will charge an arm and leg for them. Wi-Fi enabled, option to port your phone number, call waiting, caller id, call forwarding, 3-way calling, visual voicemail, 411 directory assistance, enhanced 911 calling, fax-friendly, videophone capabilities and more.
As for the phone service included for 12 months, it's netTALK's Basic Call Plan which include Free calling to US and Canada. If you chose to renew, it's a mere $29.95 for each additional year. That's less than what I was paying a month for our phone service. There are great add ons as well, including a North America Add-On that includes calling to the US, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico starting a $5.85 a month or International Add-On with calling to 60+ countries for as low as $10 a month.
Overall, the netTalk Duo WiFi is a great bargain at $64.95. Although I have yet to buy a standalone cordless phone for it, when I use it, it gives me no problems. I don't get cut off, voices are very clear, just like our digital phone. I had Vonage for 1+ year, and the quality of that was sub-par with constant dropped phone calls, echoes, and delayed audio. The only con I have experianced with the Duo WiFi is that the volume isn't as loud as my phone allows, but by contacting their customer support, they can go in to your device (if connected via wifi) and raise the volume.
Disclaimer:
I was NOT paid for this post, however I did receive the
product in question, from the company or their representing PR
company, free of charge in exchange for my review. All
opinions are my own and I have provided a fair and honest
review. I received no other compensation for my review nor was I
under any obligation to give a positive review.
Thank you to Wikets for introducing me to this iPhone/iPad app. You can download Wikets from the App Store here.
Wikets is a FREE new App available for iPod/iPhone/iPad devices with iOS 4.1 or later. The APP was launched November 7th and is a great new APP that rewards you for recommending your favorite places to eat, shop, eat out, visit and products you have or want. Available via the iTunes Store, its described as,
"...the simply rewarding way to share your best recommendations. Wikets puts your friends' best product and place recs at your fingertips, and lets you reward each other for making and using great recommendations."
After a fast download on my iPhone I was setting up a profile. I was asked my favorite book, song, and restaurant, for which I received a good amount of points. I also got 200 for downloading and signing up with a member's code on Wikets. I shortly received 400 more points for sharing those "recs" (which are recommendations) on my Facebook profile. After that I went on a "rec" frenzy recommending products, restaurants, clubs, and whatnot.
Wikets allows you to recommend products or just about anything via stores like Amazon, iTunez, Best Buy, Etsy, etc. in their "Featured Stores" area. You can add stores in their "Favorite Stores" area; I added Marvel Store, Ebay, Zappos and ThinkGeek. Place Recommendations are made via Yelp and Foursquare. I find it great that they have a BarCode Scanner option for fast "rec"ing.
All recs or wishlisting of products or places gains you +1 point. Once you get 400 points you get a month of "double-points" and you get +2 points for every rec and or wishlist. Whats great is that you can friend people on the app, read and view their recommendations and purchase, "re-rec", or "wishlist" it. Every product or place that someone else re-recs or wishlists of yours, you get +2 points. All these points add up and you will be able to trade them in for giftcards.
Overall, Wikets is FREE (which I love) and very easy to use. I don't believe I've used a social AP like this in the past. Adding new recs takes a few seconds, you can add a comment to them as well. I love adding restaurant recs, as I have a couple friends added on Wikets who have called me to go together. The layout is seamless and very responsive. Through my friends recs they added to their wishlist I now have GREAT ideas of what presents to get them for the Holidays!
If you'd like to Download Wikets for FREE, head on to the APP Store and get it! When you sign up, make sure you put "SSBucks" to receive an EXTRA 200 Points! So after signing up with my code and sharing your initial recs via Facebook you will be earning "double-points"!
Thank you to Wikets for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about the app. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions expressed here are my own. #CleverWikets #spon
After taking advantage of the Buy (2) Games, Get (1) Free promotion over at Target, I found a nice little surprise inside the Just Dance 3 for the XBOX 360 Kinect video game box; A Target Q for $5 Off The Black Eyed Peas Experience Video game (set to release in November 2011). The coupon is only valid from 11/8 - 12/1. If you're looking to get that game and happens to also get the Just Dance 3, it will be a nice little break, and with everyone having a video game Christmas list, any little bit helps.
On that note, make sure you enter our $50.00 GameStop Gift Card giveaway. It ends on 11/12! Link is available via the "giveaways" tab on the left sidebar.
Traveling means taking a LOT of pictures, or at least it does for me. I have a camera, but since my iPhone 4 is always at arms reach I tend to use it to snap quick videos or pictures. This is all great, but constant picture and video taking paired with listening to music on my phone will drain it battery. Thankfully Kensington provides useful products to help with that.
I received the Kensington PowerLift Back-Up Battery, Dock & Stand for iPhone. As you can tell from the name, its does quite a bit. It serves as a battery charger in which you can dock your iPhone and use it as a stand. This is perfect for those who are busy at their office/desk areas and typing away and get a notification on their phone. You can have it docked and standing facing you, allowing you to ready your notifications without having to stop typing and pick up your phone.
The Kensington PowerLift is a portable 1200 mAh charger which provides up to 20 hours of music, 5 hours of video, 3.5 hours of talk, and 1.5 hours of FaceTime on the iPhone 4. All this is encased in a handy square case with a kickstand with an LED battery indicator light that lets you know how much battery yo have left. I just throw it in my bag, as it practically weighs nothing. The Kensington PowerLift has a handy attached USB cable to plug to your computer and sync it, while charging both the Kensington PowerLift AND your iPhone at the same time. That is a great feature, but it brings up a huge con, being that the USB cable is far too short. Its fine when plugged on your laptop, but a huge disadvantage for my desktop, as it would have to be left on the floor, plugged into the computer unit on the floor.
The Kensington PowerLift is so easy to carry around and gives me enough back up battery time to last throughout a day while constantly taking videos, pictures, listening to music and using FaceTime. It certainly is a great back-up battery to have, especially to take on my trip. It retails for about $49.99 and is very well worth it. A huge thanks to Kensington for the opportunity to review their iPhone battery and keeping us connected while out and about! :)
Disclaimer: I was NOT paid for this post, however I did receive the product in question, from the company or their representing PR company, free of charge in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and I have provided a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation for my review nor was I under any obligation to give a positive review.
Imagine being stuck on a long 6+ hour flight on a plane. Now imagine the hearing the flight attendants announce the featured movie they will be showing and its one you don't like or want to watch. That won't be a problem for me, since I'll have a handy Audiovox product to keep me entertained on the flight. On my last flight, I was stuck watching "Last Holiday"... and I am not a Latifah fan.
We were sent the Audiovox D710 7" Portable DVD Player that can play DVDs, CDs, CD-R/RW and has picture CD playback. We have no need to listen to music via CDs or view pictures on a portable DVD player, but the extra features are a nice perk. The portable DVD player works effortlessly, you pop in a DVD and it automatically plays. Nothing better than simplicity. It is very sturdy and has a nice form.
The portable DVD player has a 7" screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The built in stereo speakers are located right under the screen and have good volume, although at the highest setting it tends to sound a bit garbled. There are handy buttons all throughout the top left hand side of the device. Buttons are nice, identifiable and big. There are handy outputs for audio and video on the side of the device, as well as two, yes TWO headphone jacks. I think that is a wonderful addition, since either me and my sister or my baby sister and little brother will be watching movies on the plane and won't have to share earphones. In the box came came included a car charger which has come in handy since we've received it.
While I find the simplicity of using the Audiovox DVD player a great plus, the screen is not the greatest resolution but does have nice vivid color. At times it looked a bit grainy, but I do like how it is not a shiny screen, but rather matte. Another con is its size, not its weight, but its size. While closed, this portable DVD player is a whopping 1.6" thick. This wouldn't present much of a problem if you're going to a family's house or camping and want to take it (and its charger) with you, but when taking it on a flight, size matters. Overall we have really enjoyed taking the device with us on long 1hr+ car trips for my younger siblings. It will surely be a great thing to have with us on the long plane ride. A huge thanks to Audiovox for the opportunity to review their product.
Disclaimer: I was NOT paid for this post, however I did receive the product in question, from the company or their representing PR company, free of charge in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and I have provided a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation for my review nor was I under any obligation to give a positive review.
Energy. I need a LOT of it. I remember on my last trip to Nicaragua my phone would die so I wouldn't be able to receive or make any calls. This wasn't too much of a problem, since I was with plenty of people with working phones. Now, m phone acts as a backup device for almost everything... including "cell phone services". So if it dies... I'm out of luck. Not anymore! :) Thanks to the great people at Energizer, I received a pretty cool little gadget that will help ensure my phone won't be without power on my trip.
I received the Energizer AP1201 Energy To Go iPhone Charger. This is no ordinary charger, its a charger that doubles as a skin for your iPhone. The case is made of recycled silicone rubber. Most of the back is a harder type of plastic and inside the bottom is where you'll find the 30-pin apple connection where you'll slide your phone into. This skin is meant to protect your phone while being a portable charger as well. The one con I have is that the skin itself attracts a lot of dust and lint. I don't usually have a case on my phone, I have a Tokidoki-theme sticker skin which protects it from scratches but not falls. So, the change is quite dramatic for me. It feels a bit thicker in my hand with the case on, as its a little more bulky around the middle, where the harder plastic is located. The charger is about 1/2" longer than the phone itself, but does not look or feel like a dramatic extension. On the contrary, its shaped to redirect sound to you while watching videos or movies.
I loved the packaging it came in, included inside was the Energizer AP1201 Portable Charger, the USB Charging Cable, a users manual and welcome card. The charger itself is great, very lightweight. Although its a bit bulkier, I have gotten used to it in the past month. It is non-slippery so my phone has not fallen out of my hands since using the AP1201. I do not use it on a daily basis, but have found that carrying it in my bag (fully charged) works out better for me when I won't be away from a power source for long. As for how much extra power its given me, I have estimated it at about 4-6-hours, depending on many things. With WIFI on and running a couple apps, browsing the internet and listening to music or watching youtube videos, I got at least an extra 4-hours. It was longer without the extra apps, youtube videos and/or WIFI. It is very reliable. The cut outs were cut cleanly, especially the wide cutout for the camera and flash. There is a cool feature hidden on the back plastic area of the AP1201; when you press the button on the bottom corner, blue LED lights will appear indicating how much energy is left on it. When pressed for about 2-3 seconds, a red LED light will appear and the AP1201 goes into "quick charge" mode, in which it charges your iPhone faster.
Overall, this Energizer AP1201 iPhone charger is a GREAT lightweight solution for me. It is travel-friendly and will serve me wonderfully on my trip in December. Although I do not like the fact that it easily attracts lint and dust, it keeps me in the loop by keeping my phone from dying. A huge thanks to Energizer for the chance to review this product and the Energizer Universal USB Wall & Car Chargers.
Disclaimer: I was NOT paid for this post, however I did receive the product in question, from the company or their representing PR company, free of charge in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and I have provided a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation for my review nor was I under any obligation to give a positive review.
There is no need for me to mention that we want to be able to record our trip to Nicaragua in December, because everyone that travels like to have digital memories. During our hunt for travel-friendly products, Coby has been a strong contender, as we previously reviewed the Coby VZon MP957 HD Media Player, which is ideal for the plane ride. Now we get to review another great Coby product I think everyone who is not too tech-savvy should have without sacrificing sleek looking device OR its ability.
I'll be recording our memories with Coby's SNAPP CAM5002 HD Digital Camcorder. Off the bat I will say this is a great digital cam for the non-tech savvy people. It is extremely easy to use. There is a switch on the top left hand corner that hides an integrated USB plug that allows you to easily plug it into your computer and upload whatever photos or videos you took. There is only 32MB of internal storage on the device, but there is a handy SD slot for an SD memory card (up to 32GB) to record much more. If you're not tech-savvy, chances are you can't get around to editing your videos, but Coby includes Muvee software which makes editing very simple, so simple my parents can actually edit videos.
On to the specifics of this device. The camera came handy with an A/V cable, USB extension cable, hand strap, CD and a handy black pouch to keep it from getting scratched up. The SNAPP CAM5002 comes with an integrated battery, so no need for AA or AAA batteries to carry around. It has a 2" color LCD viewfinder to allow you to see what you're filming, 4x digital zoom, integrated speaker and the ability to take pictures (5MP) and record in 720p HD resolution. The battery allows you to record a little over 1-hour of video (when set to HD recording).
The SNAPP CAM5002 retails for about $99, but can be found for as low as $40 on sites like Amazon. We used a 4GB SD memory card and have comfortably recorded many things since we received the camcorder. We don't have a need to record for hours so its perfect to use on 10-30min. clips for us. I can't stress how easy it is to use. You turn it on, the menu is simple, then press the record button to capture it all. I can't lend my parents my iPhone 4 to record, but they can certainly use the SNAPP camcorder, as it is 1000x easier to get around. As for quality of videos, Its not HD channel on your TV-type quality, but the video is rich. When plugged into our HD tv it certainly shows rich colors, the zoom does not have a choppy effect on the video and the audio is very decent. The device is VERY light in your hand, so much that it feels a little unsturdy, but we have not had a problem with it. The only con I have about the device is that it does in fact feel light, as if there is a lot more empty space in there than should be. If that were the case, a slimmer casing would be ideal.
Overall, for the price, the Coby SNAPP CAM5002 HD Digital Camcorder is great! Especially for the non tech savvy people who want to capture special moment in life here or while traveling. I honestly can't wait to head to the Isletas de Granada in Nicaragua and video tape the boat ride on this device! A huge thanks to Coby for providing us with both great devices! They will be coming in handy on our trip! :)
Disclaimer: I was NOT paid for this post, however I did receive the product in question, from the company or their representing PR company, free of charge in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and I have provided a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation for my review nor was I under any obligation to give a positive review.
Continuing my journey of finding some travel-friendly products for our trip in December just gets better. There is nothing more convenient than coming across a products that you can use for traveling, and is JUST as handy at home. I found one! Energizer was kind enough to send over their Universal USB Wall Charger and Car Chargers. I have them in use now, and they will be in my bags when we leave as well.
The Energizer Universal USB Wall Charger and Universal Car Chargers are perfect for me. The majority of things I own or carry with my on a daily basis has some sort of USB cable I can charge it with, but along with each of those cables comes a bulky AC adapter. I was not looking forward to lugging all of those with me on my trip so the Energizer USB Wall Charger is a PERFECT product for me to have.
The Energizer Wall Charger I received to review was a double. The wall charger itself was a little bulky, compared to the smallest single one I have, which is for my iPhone 4. The convenience of being able to charge two of my electronics via one USB wall charger is absolutely great! It can charger USB powered devices up to 5W of power, this means most of your Cell and Smart Phones, MP3/MP4 Players, Digital Cameras, etc. The Energizer Universal USB Car Charger is just as great, but in a convenient single or double USB device you plug into your car's cigarette lighter outlet. For those of you who are international travelers, the wall charger is 100-240V, 50/60 Hz, meaning you can use it anywhere in the world, provided you have the right plugs.
They are available in single (MSPR $14.99) and doubles (MSRP $19.99), as are the Energizer USB Car Chargers. Both have a fold-out plug for easy storage and a 1-year limited warranty. They are worth the purchase, I highly recommend them if you have many electronics that require charging via USB. A big thanks to Energizer for the chance to review these great products
Disclaimer: I was NOT paid for this post, however I did receive the product in question, from the company or their representing PR company, free of charge in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and I have provided a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation for my review nor was I under any obligation to give a positive review.
I've been on the prowl for some great products for our upcoming trip in December. Since we are traveling with the entire family, we need things to keep my 5 and 9 y/o siblings entertained during the 6+ hour flight. Naturally, a portable DVD player came to mind, but when I got the chance to reviewCoby's media player, I didn't know which would be better! We received the Coby VZon MP957 HD Media Player to review. Off the bat, this thing looks great, handy size, but with a small 5" screen, I didn't know if it would be worthwhile. I'll start off with the contents available in the box, and this was a big plus for Coby, as the VZon MP957 comes with handy cables. Included were Stereo Earphones, USB Cable, AC Adapter, Black Protective Pouch, Remote Control and an HDMI Cable.
This small but powerful device packs 4gb of internal flash memory with an additional expansion for micro SB cards. The internal memory was enough for me to pack 2 seasons of Are You Afraid Of The Dark, which has a total of about 22 episodes about 25min. in length, with room to spare. All this is viewed on a 5" TFT LCD screen (800 x 480 resolution) that has the ability to display movies in 1080p HD quality. One thing I love about it is that it is a true MEDIA player, I have loaded a couple ebooks to read, it has a functional calendar, FM radio and storage to view pictures and listen to music. Loading media on the device is simple, you can also load it onto an existing microSD card and pop it in.
The Coby VZon MP957 comes with handy cables, ports and outputs, including 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD slot, video output, MiniUSB port, and HDMI output to watch your content on a big screen. That is where the handy little remote control comes in, and handy it is. It feels a bit delicate to me, but we don't really use it. The device also has integrated stereo speakers, and the volume is quite loud when set at highest volume. I've tested out its rechargeable internal battery and have gotten about 3-1/2 hours of play time on the highest brightness setting, which isn't really enough, I wish it were able to give more play time on its charge. Its small size is what I love about it. It will surely be on my carry-on luggage loaded with movies and shows for my siblings to watch.
As for the MP957's interface, it takes some time to get used to it. Holding it in your hands you can't help but touch the screen to click something, but it is not a touch screen. Everything is done with the handy navigational button on the top of the device, where the power button, ESC, forward, back and menu button are located. Its interface is difficult for kids to use, my little brother who is 9 had a hard time, and he is very handy with electronics. The screen, despite only being 5", it surprisingly accommodating. Also, big pro is that the LCD is NOT glossy whatsoever, which tends to glare when watching or reading off the screen. No messy fingerprints to wipe off either. A huge thanks to Cobyfor the opportunity to review their MP957. Although we have found a few cons with the product, we think the pros outweigh them. This is a great little device with a wonderful high resolution screen that will surely keep little eyes busy and entertained when traveling in any form. It retails for about $99.99 but can be found cheaper on Amazon or other online retailers.
Disclaimer: I was NOT paid for this post, however I did receive the product in question, from the company or their representing PR company, free of charge in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and I have provided a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation for my review nor was I under any obligation to give a positive review.
I came to the conclusion that I was addicted to "staying powered up" a long long time ago. Its so bad that I sleep with my cell phone on my bed next to me. My cell phone never gets turned off, I don't even turn off my desktop or laptop (they go on hibernate) and there have been instances where I have almost forgotten my bag, but have never forgotten my cell phone. Go Figure!
Being for addicted to my electronics makes it difficult when I'm out and about about because at times I'm not around a readily available outlet where I can charge my iPhone. These moments sometimes spark a bit of desperation and leads me to shut down any apps I may have running, WiFi and other energy-consuming things in order to save battery in case I need it for emergency calls. Now, my last phone, an HTC, had a universal mini-USB which made it easy to buy portable chargers to use for it. I also had other electronics with a mini-USB that used the same portable charger. I later upgraded to a solar power charger which made my life a bit easier.
Finding a portable solar battery charger for my iPhone 4 will be my next step. I loved the old one I used for my HTC a lot. Its very eco-friendly and provided me with FREE power for my phone, and all in a neat portable product! Nothing beats that. So it looks like my addiction to staying powered up will not change any time soon! lol.
Disclaimer: I am participating in a blogger campaign with Bucks2Blog and was compensated. The views and opinions are my own.
How much would you pay for a Toshiba Laptop with a widescreen HD 15.6" TruBrite LED Backlit Screen, Intel Pentium processor, 3GB Memory, 250GB Hard Drive, Built in Webcam and Mic? Around $500 - $600, right? I PAID $299! Last week, Fry's Electronics had a sale for the Toshiba L655-S5147 at $299. I saw this deal and literally RAN to the store the next day. This deal couldn't of came at a better time. I finally had managed to save up for a new laptop, since my old Sony Vaio laptop completely died after 5 years.
I can't even compare the two, even though I prefer the Sony brand over Toshiba. I have been using this laptop for about a week and have a huge pet peeve already. It isn't directed at the laptop or its manufacturer, but Windows 7. I can NOT install my Photoshop 7 program on it. I feel like pulling my hair out, its so frustrating. I can't do anything without Photoshop, and I refuse to go find some other low-grade photo editing program. Other than that unfortunate road block, I am enjoying the computer. It has the brightest screen I've ever come across, its beautiful. I LOVE that the laptop also has a dedicated numerical keyboard, not many laptops do. Now, I'm not sure if I'll stick with this one, I really had my eye on an HP Laptop I planned on getting from Staples with the current $100 Student promotion, but this deal was too good too pass. I'm thankful my parents have allowed me to give it to my sister and pay the difference for a new one if I decide not to keep it.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO BUY A NEW LAPTOP, WATCH THE SALES! Right now, all the freshmen going to college are probably scrambling around looking to buy a new laptop for school. There are TONS of great deals on very good laptops everywhere. Places like Staples and Office Depot are offering a $100 Prepaid VISA Gift Card when you buy a new laptop for College Students (just have proof; acceptance letter, Student I.D., etc.). There are tons of great deal online too, laptops (not netbooks) as low as $249! Also, don't forget, sites like DELL are offering a FREE XBOX 360 console when you purchase a new laptop (you don't have to be a student to take advantage of this deal). So if you are looking to buy one, right now is a very good time. :)
Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post. The product in question was bought by myself.
1SaleaDay is having a GREAT sale on the Creative Live Optia 1.3mp Webcam for $7.99 (originally $80). That is a 91% savings, no coupon needed :) The webcam has a 270 Degree Swivel Range, Face Tracking & Video/Image Editing Software! If you choose to buy some, you can make a quick profit on Ebay, where they sell for more. Also, these make great inexpensive stocking stuffers! This deal ends 7/19 at 9pm PST.
I very often buy things from ISaleaDay, as they are always very cheap! I've never had a problem and shipping never take over a week. I'm also a HUGE fan of creative products. They are quite pricey, but the quality is well worth it, I still have 3 mp3 players from Creative that work a good 7 years later.
I've had the pleasure of playing around with the HTC Inspire 4G Smart Phone from AT&T's lineup. I currently own an iPhone 4 but have and forever will be an HTC groupie. The first one I had was about 5 years ago when I would roam the halls at my High School with the HTC 8125 in hand and had everyone completely jealous! Who wouldn't be? Smart Phones, even touchscreen phones, were not at all common back them, I just liked to flaunt my beautiful phone, which by today's standards looks huge. The HTC Inspire 4G comes with an 8GB microSD memory card, battery data cable, a/c charger and all necessary manuals.
Before I get on with my review, all my comparisons below will be with my iPhone 4, as it is the phone I own at the moment. The HTC Inspire 4G at first glance is huge, it has a 4.3" display with WVGA (480 x 800) resolution, which I didn't find to be the best. Compared with my phone, the Inspire's resolution is sub-par and not as sharp when watching videos or movies, however, I do like that the screen is vibrant and doesn't get washed out in the sun. What I absolutely love about the Inspire is it's back-lit capacitive touch buttons located behind the touchscreen (home, menu, back and search). The Inspire 4G smart phone runs on Android 2.2 OS and this was my first experience with it. I am a Windows Mobile-type girl but found many similarities with both. Nonetheless, the interface is very easy to use. You have a great array of choices while personalizing you phone, which is not the case with my iPhone 4. I must say, I am a huge fan of these widgets on HTC Sense platform.
Included in this little package of goodness is an 8-megapixel camera with the ability to record video in 720p HD. I took plenty of pictures and was pleasantly surprised at the quality. The camera is great, but the video recording was quite laggy for 720 HD. The Inspire 4G boasts a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and 4GB internal memory, which isn't too bad. Everything loads quite well, youtube videos tend to be a little slower on the device though. The Dolby Surround and SRS WOW sound playback on this smart phone is great! The phone itself feels very sturdy in your hand. The encasing on the Inspire 4G is quite frustrating though. To slide off the cover to expose the microSD and SIM card slots is easy, the problem is removing the battery cover. I had to look up how to do it and it was still quite a challenge to pop it open, luckily I have no need to constantly open it.
The top things that I adore about the Inspire 4G is the social media integration. The Twitter for HTC is beauty to my eyes. Its so flawless, as is its FriendStream which you can also include Facebook. Now, as a blogger, this is a great thing to have. The addition of being able to integrate Gmail was great, but the interface and layout makes me enjoy checking my email via the Inspire 4G as opposed to my desktop computer. All this and the fact that the Inspire 4G acts as a mobile hotspot via tethering. I connected my laptop to the internet with the Inspire 4G acting as a mobile hotspot and was amazed at the speed it loaded websites. This phone would be on my definite to buy list just for that simple reason.
Wait! This is a phone though, correct? Sound quality is surprisingly great. On my side, no echos, weird static or any other interruptions like dropped calls. Same on the other end, no loud background noise just crystal clean voices. Overall the HTC Inspire 4G is a great inexpensive phone (available on AT&T for $99 w/ a new 2/yr contract). As a smart phone, this phone is certainly competition and had so many great features that I'd be here all day blogging about them. The social media integration is just amazing, makes it great for us college students to stay in the loop when we have our heads buried under tons of papers and textbooks. I want to thank HTC for the opportunity to review this great device.
Want to win this HTC Inspire 4G Smart Phone? Click "read more" to enter the giveaway!
About a month ago I got the opportunity to review the EA Sports Active 2 for XBOX 360 Kinect. I will say upfront that I LOVE this game. I have tried demos for other games on the XBOX 360 platform including The Biggest Loser, and none really sparked my interest. The lack of interest is minor compared to their lack a heart rate monitor, which the EA Sports Active includes. It also has an online community and groups to join in the game to keep you motivated, competition is a great motivator after all :)
The EA Sports Active 2 game includes the resistive band and the wireless heart rate monitor along with the game and retails for around $40 at major stores like Target or Best Buy. The versions for the Wii and PS3 include extra sensors, but the XBOX 360 seems like it is the best system to get this game for. The Kinect sensor truly tracks your movements effortlessly. I have read mostly great review for this game, the negative ones go on about the sensor not being able to pick up movement. Now, I will say that I've had this problem too but it was my fault. I had the Kinect sensor placed badly and as soon as I moved it i did a quick reconfiguration that takes less than 3min. and everything worked fine afterwords. I love the Heart Rate Monitor thats included in the bundle. It is wireless, you just strap it on your left arm and turn it on. It is fully integrated into the game and allows a more accurate count of calories you are burning. It includes the batteries and mine died right after earning my achievement for 13 hours of exercise.
The graphics in the game are not bad, you can customize yourself in the game and as you move, your movements can be seen by you alternate self in the game. I do wish there was more upbeat music in the game, even though I love hearing my trainer tell me to push harder and that I can do it. There are over 70 exercises to choose from, including aerobic workouts, athletic training, and muscle-toning exercise. You can chose to do trainer-generated workouts or make your own. I find myself doing the activities more than any other exercise. I enjoy the boxing, soccer striker and outrunning exercises the most, they really make you sweat! I work out with the Active 2 everyday for a minimum of 30min and burn a minimum of 500 calories. When I started the game I couldn't do more than 5-10 minutes but over the month and daily exercise I have more stamina and enjoy it too.
As of today, I have used the Active 2 daily and have exercised over 14 hours, ran a distance of 13.67 miles, hit 5,080 boxing targets and burned 15,546 calories (the equivalent of 4.1 lbs.) in a little over a month. How do I know all of this detailed information? The game tracks is but I go to www.easportsactiveonline.com to track it online. This game paired with eating better on my Nutrisystem program has been work, but great. So far, combining the exercise with the Active 2 and Nutrisystem I have lost a little over 16 lbs. in 5 weeks. I wish I had an extra copy to give away to you guys but I don't :( This is one game I HIGHLY recommend and give it 5/5 stars! If your true to the game and push yourself you will lose, and sometimes losing is a great thing!
Disclaimer: I was NOT paid for this post, however I did receive the product in question, from the company or their representing PR company, free of charge in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and I have provided a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation for my review nor was I under any obligation to give a positive review.
HuluPlus and XBOX have a great promotion going on right now. ALL XBOX Users will have access to sign up for a FREE 1-Week trial of HuluPlus. You can go here to see more details on how to sign up. Just sign in to you XBOX Live account and look under "Spotlight", click on the HuluPlus promotion and it will promt a download and they will give you a special access code to enter over at http://www.hulu.com/plus/unlock where you will enter your email to sign up (be sure you enter the access code they give you)
If you don't know what HuluPlus is, just think of it as a major upgrade of YouTube with premium access to shows on T.V., as well as movies and others. You can also cut your expensive ass cable bill (Time Warner on my part) and pay only $7.99 a month for HuluPlus. The downside is you'd only be able to stream it through you XBOX console or computer (but you can easily stream it to your T.V. from your comp. via an HDMI or old school VGA cable) Also note, for this promotion you DO NOT NEED TO HAVE AN XBOX LIVE GOLD MEMBERSHIP, which I don't anymore, so its great :) I just got the email about this promotion in my inbox and signed up, so I'm off to watch House and The Biggest Loser (love these shows) and some other goodies :)
Oh, forgot to mention, after your 1-week trial is over, they are also offering a 1-month free trial. Unfortunately, for the additional 1-month trial you WILL need an XBOX Gold membership... not something I want to shell out money for right now so I'll pass. :)
By getting the trial you can also enter the XBOX / Hulu Contest with a bunch of great prizes!
As a College student paying my own way, I treasure every dollar and cent I earn or get. I shop sales, use coupons, and everything I can to save money. When I Found out about CarMD and how it can help save money by avoiding unnecessary trips to a mechanic, I was exited!
I have seen many of these mechanic and shop scams on the news where they overcharge and even charge for things that aren't wrong with your car. This is a scary thing for those that don't have the slightest idea about cars, like myself. I received the CarMD which came with a USB-cable, CD, storage pouch and user guide.
As i mentioned previously, I know nothing about cars. I had my dad help me find the 16-pin Data Link Connector (DLC), which is universal on all 1996 and newer OBD2 (On-Board Diagnostics) certified vehicles. The CarMD website also help you find it by inputting you car model and year. Unfortunately, the connector in my car is upside down so I couldn't see the light turn on or anything. Thankfully there are beeps that you can listen for to inform you when the CarMD device is turned on and when the test is over and you can unplug it. It took less than 10 seconds for the CarMD to finish its test.
As I unplugged the device I noticed no codes on the screen and a "yellow" light. There are some explanations on the CarMD website regarding as to why a yellow light appears, one being that the car tested had not gone through all the necessary "self tests".Installing the CD software was a breeze. I then connected the device with the USB cable and it logged me on to CarMD.com, where i had to register. Thankfully the device somehow determined and saved the VIN on my car, as I couldn't see it well from the windshield.
From the CarMD website regarding the yellow light, "There is either a pending problem or your vehicle’s monitors have not run all of their tests (may recently have had service or computer codes cleared); proceed with caution or see your qualified repair professional". I take it there is a pending problem and/or something the OND2 saw most likely will be a potential problem. For now I'm happy to know that I''ll be able to find the problem in the future using the CarMD device.
Although no problem was readily available to be determined, the CarMD website did show that there were 60 available Technical Service Bulletins and 5 available Safety Recalls for my car. The member page shows a Summary, along with full diagnosis and cure for the problem on your car. I'm able to register up to 3 cars, which is how many we have right now so its not problem. I love the fact that if for whatever reason you can't log on online they have a hotline which you can call, give them the code that shows up and they'll give you all the info. Overall, I'm content with the ease of using the device. Its very straightforward and easy. Knowing that I can leave this device in my car and pop it out if my car ever acts up is a good feeling. The CarMD device, along with the CD, USB cable and storage pouch retail for about $98. A big thanks to CardMD for the opportunity to review their great device.
Disclaimer: I was NOT paid for this post, however I did receive the product in question, from the company or their representing PR company, free of charge in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and I have provided a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation for my review nor was I under any obligation to give a positive review.
Sony Ericsson has been a favorite brand of mine when it comes to phones. I can remember my second cell phone at 14 was a Sony Ericsson, as I was attracted to it because of the fun design and look. I had the opportunity to review a Sony Ericsson's Vivaz, which is available via AT&T. I found both pros and cons, more on that below. From their Press Release,
"With Vivaz™, AT&T customers can capture spontaneous moments and memories instantly with two quick camera keys – video and photo, which lock focus on the action as soon as it starts. Pre-loaded links to YouTube™ and Picasa™ Web Albums make it easy to upload HD videos and high resolution photos for sharing with friends and even the world.
In addition to its superb imaging features, Vivaz is loaded with applications to keep customers connected to their world. Topping that list is AT&T Social Net, allowing customers to share exciting moments with friends– on Facebook®, MySpace™ and Twitter®– all through one simple application. Other highlights include Wi-Fi®, aGPS with AT&T Navigator®, Stereo Bluetooth® wireless technology, and Vlingo® voice recognition interface for searching the Web, composing"
Sony Ericsson's Vivaz cell phone is slim (4.2 x 2.0 x 0.5 inches) and at a mere 4.2 oz., lightweight. It is available in Cosmic Black, Moon Silver, Pink, Ruby Red and Galaxy Blue, the latter which is the color I received it in. The colors on its 360x640 pixel screen are very deep and livid. Vivaz comes complete with a 3.2” nHD 16 million color touchscreen. The phone has a 75MB integrated memory with an extension slot for a MicroSD card (up to 32GB supported). It runs on Symbian S60 OS, which looks quite dated and with its resistive touch screen, makes it difficult to use. Top pro, the phone has a dual-use charging cord that connects to the wall charger and can be used as a USB connection.
In comparison, I have an HTC 8525 smartphone, which is quite old, but its Windows 6 OS (operating system) and UI (user interface) is much more user-friendly. Considering my HTC was released back in 2006, the Sony Ericsson's Vivaz, which was released September 2010, should not be having complaints and negative reviews for UI and its OS.
The Vivaz features many great apps, including the one for YouTube which I enjoy a lot. However, the videos were somewhat choppy when streaming them on the phone. The phone also has great features, including 5 homescreens (dedicated Twitter homepage, media viewing homepage, ect.), GPS, WIFI, Bluetooth and even the ability to listen to the Radio by connecting your headphones to the 3.5mm audio jack. It also features a full web browser that is very difficult to get use to. The text is tiny and the scroll bars are so thin you'd need the stylus to use is efficiently, which I think highly defeats the point of a touchscreen phone.
As noted before, my HTC 8525 has a 2mp camera and horrible choppy video recording. This is one point where my phone comes no where near the Sony Ericsson's Vivaz, and neither do many phones that have been released in the last couple of years. The Vivaz has an amazing 8.1mp camera and is one of the few phones on the market that record video in 720p HD.There are two dedicated buttons on the right side of the phone for "video" and "camera", which certainly comes in handy. Above are a couple of sample shots I took while reviewing the phone. Although it is 8.1mp, some photos seem out of sync. The color in bright sun, I noticed, make some details disappear on my pictures. The camera has a couple of shoot modes; normal mode, panorama (which is amazing), smile detector and touch capture.
I have taken plenty of videos and am just amazed at the quality. My family and friends were amazed at the quality as well, we shot videos in the dark, in daylight, and while only the videos shot in the dark were a tiny bit grainy, the others turned out great and when imported to my computer were crisp and the sound was actually very good for a cell phone. I hate to say it, but this phone shoots better videos than my Kodak 10mp Camera. It has continuous autofocus when recording videos.Another neat feature is that you can upload videos on youtube, straight from your phone. Below you will see a quick video sample I made to show some great qualities this HD video recording phone has, be sure to watch in 720p by selecting it below:
Overall, there is no doubt that the phone is attractive and has an amazing camera and HD recording capabilities, but it certainly lacks in some departments. UI is an important factor when I, or anyone I know, choose to buy a new phone. I don't like being frustrated using my phone trying to find simple tools like the calculator or even change my ringtone, and that is what I feel with the Vivaz's unfriendly UI. However, the camera and video recording capabilities are amazing, and its what it seems Sony Ericsson focused on while developing this phone. Hopefully Sony Ericsson will improve on these points and continue producing their amazing video/camera phones in the future. The Sony Ericsson is available at AT&T for $79.99(see restriction(s) at ATT.com). A big thanks for the opportunity to review the Vivaz. :)
Disclaimer: I was NOT paid for this post, however I did receive the product in question, from the company or their representing PR company, free of charge in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and I have provided a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation for my review nor was I under any obligation to give a positive review.
With MP3s becoming more and more common with younger kids, parents are looking to protect them from harming their hearing. I am amazed that my 8 year old brother had been asking for an MP3 player since he was 4. So I bought him one a year ago and it came with standard earphones. At the highest setting they surprisingly hurt me, and I have abused my hearing quite a bit in my 22 years. Riding in the car with s full blown out stereo system (amplifier, bass, etc) that you can feel blocks away is just one of the ways I've abused my hearing. I don't want want my little brother harming his hearing at such a young age.
I received the dB Logic earphones to review. They are in-ear earphones, which I prefer over the traditional ones. They come in 7 fun colors, i got silver. These in-ear earphones have a silicone tip that comfortably goes into your ear and seals out noise very well, you don't have to worry about them falling out. They came with interchangeable silicone tips in varying sizes. More info:
"Unlike traditional ear buds, our Earphones include silicone rubber tips that route sound directly into your ear canal. In addition to directing the sound, the tips provide a better seal, decreasing the amount of ambient noise by as much as 26 decibels. This means significantly greater sound quality when compared to ear-buds. You also don’t have to turn the music up as loud to get the same sense of immersion."
I tried these out with my MP3 at the highest volume and it was no not as loud as my regular earphones BUT that is because the earphones have SPL2 technology. The sound emitted from these earphones comes off a lot better and more crisp. At the highest volume the sound is less distorted as well.
"SPL2 stands for “Sound Pressure Level Limiting,” the patent-pending technology from dB Logic that manipulates sound waves and selectively lowers the volume while still keeping the shape of the sound wave curve."
dB Logic's earphones are great. I love them, I gave to my brother and explained to him that they are much better for him and now he is enjoying them. I'm glad I no longer have no worry about that. These earphones retail for $29 and are well-worth it. Thanks to dB Logic for the opportunity to review them! These will definitely make a great stocking stuffer this Holiday season! Disclaimer: I was NOT paid for this post, however I did receive the product in question, from the company or their representing PR company, free of charge in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and I have provided a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation for my review nor was I under any obligation to give a positive review.
I'm very tech-savvy. I was raised during the 90s and we were no strangers to computers. I can remember my family's first computer, we had bought it back in 1998 and it cost a little under $2,000. Back then computers didn't have a lot of hard drive disk space like they do now. I have 3 computers which include 2 desktops and 1 laptop. My laptop, a Sony Vaio, only has 120 GB hard drive, compared to my desktop that has 650 GB HD.
The lack of hard drive space on my laptop is a negative thing that affects a lot that goes on in my life. I'm a college student and having something that has the capacity to store documents and such but also be portable is a must. Thanks to Lyda over at Seagate i was able to review one of their hard drives. In particular, their FreeAgent GoFlex Ultra-Portable Drive.
I received a FreeAgent GoFlex Ultra-Portable hard drive in a silver color with a capacity of 500GB. I was ecstatic when i opened it. It has very sleek, clean lines and weighs only .33lb. Also, at half an inch thick, its very portable and fits almost anywhere without adding bulk or weight to your daily load. This is perfect for college students, or anyone really, who needs a portable device with backup software that will not only protect their files by encrypting them, but be easy to use. The FreeAgent GoFlex drive comes in blue, silver, red, and black with different capacities ranging from 320GB to an amazing 1TB. It also features USB 2.0 plug-and-play connectivity along with pre-loaded back-up software which makes it a perfect portable hard drive for those who aren't very tech-savvy. You just plug it in to a usb port on your computer and it will be automatically recognized. You can choose to leave it at that or explore and install their back-up software which is amazingly easy to use.
I took a screenshot of their Memeo back-up software which takes just minutes to install. As soon as you open it, the software automatically scans your computer for anything that you can back-up like music, video, files, and documents and then shows you how much space it would require to back-up on the hard drive. You then press "start backup" and you can close it and leave it running in the backround. You also have the "advanced options" tab which lets you pick what specific files you want to back-up with a drag-and-drop window.
One thing that made me fall in love with Seagate's hard drive is the instant backup feature. One thing i definately had to back up was my large library of music. After you chose what you wish to back up, if you add something new to that particular folder it will be automatically backed-up on your portable hard drive. If it isn't plugged in the files will be backed-up the next time you connect it. This is, in my honest opinion, the best part of the software. It also an encryption option for those looking for extra security when backing up important files.
This is not your average hard drive, its part of the GoFlex Storage System Family–which includes the GoFlex ultra-portable drive–to make it easy for you to upgrade your interface via USB 3.0, eSATA or Firewire 800 adapters, and access your content on your network, your TV, and everywhere you go. When paired with the GoFlex HD Media Player you're able to access music, photos and movies stored on your device on any T.V. There are many great featured this hard drive, and the "family", has to offer.
Overall I am very impressed with this device, its durability, portability, ease of use and software. I can easily say its the best hard drive I've had, and I have had many. The Western Digital "My Book" being the worst, by far. So if you're currently looking to buy a hard drive or give one as a gift for Back-to-School, buy this one on my recommendation, i know you won't regret it!
Disclaimer:I was NOT paid for this post, however I did receive the product in question to review. All opinions are my own.
...because students like to save too! Coupons, deals, early previews, reviews, giveaways and LIFE. My blog is a journey of my savings, helping others save and my exiting life in general :) After all, I am a Student Saving Bucks! :)
I'm Ai Mei, a 26 y/o Latina-mix blogger and owner of Student-Saving-Bucks.com
I live in Los Angeles and am a College Student (Anthropology Major) who loves to save money, spend time with friends and family and review a plethora of products :)
At the beginning of the game you are to make a name for yourself, your farm, and your first little animal. You are then guided and introduced to the menu options that includes the shop, farm reports, map, etc. Basically all the basics you need to start playing. You learn along the way that your animals can lay eggs, grow wool, find truffles or produce milk, which you profit from. Providing them with needs (shelter, food, water, etc.) and planting and sprucing up your farm will attract new animals.
As mentioned, the 
...because students like to save too! Coupons, deals, early previews, reviews, giveaways and LIFE. My blog is a journey of my savings, helping others save and my exiting life in general :) After all, I am a Student Saving Bucks! :)
