Giveaway - Brookstone Rover 2.0 Wireless Spy Tank

Brookstone has come back again this year with a faster, cooler Rover 2.0 Wireless Spy Tank.  In sleek black, the Rover 2.0 is faster, and now records video as well as still photos.  As soon as I hooked it up the iPad to its wireless network, my kids once again took the controls intuitively.



Now we can capture the true chaos that is my kids on video.



You don't need to trust super sleek product photo, it is really that cool looking, especially with the controllable headlights.



And there's no escaping the Rover's all knowing eye!



*** If you'd like to win your own Rover 2.0 Wireless Spy Tank, head to their site and tell me what your favorite feature is in Rafflecopter below (click read more if necessary) and check out the easy ways to earn more entries. The giveaway ends on November 16th at 12:01am and is open to residents of US and Canada. ***

Giveaway - Brookstone iConvert Scanner

The Brookstone iConvert Scanner is every digital hoarder's dream!  I purchased my first digital camera in 2000, one month before my first child was born.  So all my son's and then my daughter's photos were digital, but there are so many documents and photos that aren't.  In the past, I used my printer/fax/scanner machine to scan photos but it was a tedious process.  I scanned artwork and portraits from school and other items such as birthday cards to save digitally. Now it is even easier with the iConvert Scanner.

The iConvert scanner works perfectly with my new iPad 3 as well as older iPad models. You simply plug it in and the app will automatically come up in the iTunes app store.  It comes with a power adapter but it also works from a powered USB hub with a standard USB cable (not included - it was just easier to power it this way on my desk). 

One of the really cool features of the iConvert scanner is that it will scan any size paper from a business card to a full 8.5x11" sheet.  The scan will be automatically cropped to the proper size.  Check out my cool new business card, it even has a QR code (the square barcode...  Also I crossed out the phone number - you didn't want that anyway).



Being the resident software test engineer person as well software developer at my job, I like to test things to their fullest. So I threw a variety of things at the scanner. One of them was this note that Dova wrote on a napkin.

Dear Mom, I can't stand another minute with Adam. Please don't let him annoy me! He threw me on the couch and I hit my head on the wood. He has been bothering me so much. Love, Dova.

Yup, it scans napkins. And artwork.  Check out these cozy kittens on a rug.

Last but not least, it scans photos. Here's the artist of these creations.



The scanner is extra handy compared to the old-fashioned kind and we are always thinking of new things to scan.  The quality has been outstanding as you would expect from all Brookstone products.

*** If you'd like to win your own Brookstone iConvert Scanner, tell me what device you'd use the speaker with in Rafflecopter below (click read more if necessary) and check out the easy ways to earn more entries. The giveaway ends on June 24th at 12:01am and is open to residents of US and Canada. ***

Review - Spot It by Blue Orange Games

Looking for a great family game that's hours of fun and super easy to learn?  Spot It from Blue Orange Games has taken a favorite "spot" in our family. The premise is simple. On any two cards, there is always one and only one matching symbol.  Spot it and you win. Sounds easy, but with different size images, it can sometimes take a sharp eye. Sometimes you can get on a roll with the same image, which makes the game fast and exciting.

My engineering mind marvels at the fact that only one image matches between any two cards.  With 22 different images and eight images on each card, you would think it would be impossible, but sure enough, it works every time.

Spot It is for ages 7 to adult and my 8-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son love it.  For younger kids, Blue Orange also offers Spot It Jr. for kids ages 4 and up.  Check out Spot It on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter and buy it on Amazon.

Special thanks to Blue Orange Games for providing the Spot It game for review.  No other compensation was received.

Giveaway - Brookstone Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard Pro for iPad

When considering a Bluetooth keyboard for your iPad, have you considered the ability to remove the keyboard to type more comfortably (although not necessarily poolside in a turquoise bikini as shown above)?  How about premium supple leather (in my favorite leather color)?

The Brookstone Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard Pro is the must have accessory for the everyday user to the executive looking for the very best in iPad accessories.  The keyboard has excellent tactile feedback and is super easy to pair to your iPad or even a smartphone through the wireless Bluetooth connection.

With the iPad and the keyboard, you can do some serious work editing documents, writing emails and even blog posts (you can bet this one was written using it!).  With the keyboard, your iPad screen is no longer half-filled with the graphic keyboard which makes creating content much easier and rewarding.

The leather case extremely high quality and stylish.  The iPad sleeve and bezel fit well and all the iPad controls are readily available.  But you know what?  You can use the volume controls right on the keyboard, as well music controls, brightness, home screen and locking the screen.

The iPad is secure in the leather case and well protected against accidental drops.  The removable keyboard is held in place magnetically and the integrated stand hold the iPad at the perfect angle.  All together, the combination of the iPad, case and keyboard is a bit heavy and bulky, but it's a small concession to make considering the huge jump in productivity.

I absolutely love my Brookstone Bluetooth Keyboard! It makes my iPad as useful as a laptop with a keyboard.  The Bluetooth Keyboard Pro is available from Brookstone online or in stores for $149.  You can also check out the Bluetooth Keyboard with Tech-Grip Case and the original Bluetooth iPad Keyboard Case for $99 each.

*** If you'd like to win your own Brookstone Bluetooth Keyboard Pro, tell me what device you'd use the keyboard with in Rafflecopter below (click read more if necessary) and check out the easy ways to earn more entries. The giveaway ends on May 16th at 12:01am and is open to residents of US and Canada. ***

Review - Kidz Bop Ultimate Hits

On May 8th, Kidz Bop will be releasing their Ultimate Hits CD featuring the most popular releases from their hugely successful line of Kidz Bob CDs, "sung by kids for kids". As I heard about it,

I Gotta Feeling May 8th is going to be Dynamite! We’re going to Party In The USA with the release of KIDZ BOP Ultimate Hits! The California Gurls will be dancing to all 13 hits this Fire Burning summer! You don’t need to be a Billionaire to get a copy, its only $13.98! 

As well as these hits, the Ultimate Hits CD contains, Tik Tok, Break Your Heart, Hey Soul Sister, DG Got us Falling in Love, You Belong with Me, Single Ladies and Fireflies. The songs are excellently produced and even contain kid-friendly lyrics (I want to be a Billionaire, so very bad).

My 8-year-old daughter immediately began singing along with the songs.  She knew all but two of them already and within two playings, she was singing along with those catchy tunes as well.  She gives it a two huge thumbs up and a huge smile!



Special thanks to Kidz Bop for providing a review copy of the CD.  No other compensation was received.

Giveaway - Disney On Ice Presents Mickey & Minnie's Magical Journey

Disney On Ice is back in town for April vacation in Massachusetts! Our plans to visit Walt Disney World in April were squashed when DirectAir went under, but we are still planning to enjoy the Disney's magic locally. The last Disney On Ice show we attended was spectacular in every sense, and everyone is looking forward to this latest installment.  Disney On Ice presents Mickey & Minnie's Magical Journey runs from Thursday, April 19 to Sunday April 22 at the DCU Center in Worcester.  Here's the show description:

Make imagination your destination! Join Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse on a journey into the magical worlds of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Peter Pan and Lilo & Stitch. Discover Ariel and Sebastian’s enchanting undersea kingdom; visit the Pride Lands with Simba and Nala; soar through starry skies with Peter Pan and his sassy fairy friend Tinker Bell; and say “aloha” to fun with Lilo and Stitch. You'll be captivated by the music, beauty and laughter in a journey so magical, you’ll never want to go home.

We cannot wait until school vacation for this event!  Check out the YouTube video and ticket information.

*** If you'd like to win a family four pack of tickets to Disney On Ice presents Mickey & Minnie's Magical Journey on April 19 at 7pm, tell me your favorite Disney character in Rafflecopter below (click read more if necessary) and check out the easy ways to earn more entries. The giveaway ends on April 9th at 12:01 am and is open to anyone who can attend the Worcester show. ***


April 11, 2012 - If you didn't win tickets and are still interested in attending, check out these offers for the Friday and Saturday night performances (4/20 and 4/21):

• Offer: Kids Tickets $10 – Friday Night
• Offer:  Kids Tickets $10 – Saturday Night

Giveaway - Brookstone Big Blue Live Wireless Bluetooth Speaker

If there's one thing that is inconvenient about the iPhone, it is getting quality sound without having to plug it in or dock it.  As a musician, I routinely dock my iPhone in Bose SoundDocks around my home when I am learning fiddle pieces or for accompaniment.  I am serious about my sound!  But what about the times where I just want to listen to music casually?  I either have to don the earbuds, plug in speakers or deal with the tinny speakers on the phone itself.

Thankfully, Brookstone has come through with the answer to my problems!  The Big Blue Live Wireless Bluetooth Speaker packs a great sound in a small package.  It plays music in your library as well as from apps like Pandora.  In fact, my son especially loves to listen to music while playing Bejeweled so he came time the explosions to the music. Whenever we hang out in my bedroom, my kids always ask to listen to "Big Blue".  The sound is surprisingly full range, with big bass.  It is not as clear as high end speakers, but perfectly fine for casual listening.

Big Blue Live is truly wireless in that it has a rechargeable battery so you can easily take your sound with you for about 4 hours.  It was easy to pair to my iPhone (very similar to pairing a Bluetooth headset) and syncs up quickly when turned on. There are controls for volume as well as skipping tracks and fast forward/reverse.  It even has a built-in microphone so you can use it as a wireless speakerphone.

*** If you'd like to win your own Brookstone Big Blue Live Wireless Speaker, tell me what device you'd use the speaker with in Rafflecopter below (click read more if necessary) and check out the easy ways to earn more entries. The giveaway ends on March 4th at 12:01am and is open to residents of US and Canada. ***