Even MORE Fun Things Kids Can Say to Alexa (Amazon Echo)

Two and half years later, we still love our Amazon Echo.  In fact, we ended up purchasing an Echo Dot for the upstairs and another for my husband's office at work.  We love discovering new things to say to Alexa.  Check out some kid-friendly things we've tried asking or saying to Alexa recently.

50 More Things Kids Can Say to Alexa:

1. "Alexa, be a superhero!"
2. "Alexa, who is your favorite cartoon character?"
3. "Alexa, what is your favorite kind of pizza?"
4. "Alexa, be a super villain!"
5. "Alexa, who is Darth Vader?"
6. "Alexa, do you fart?'
7. "Alexa, what is your favorite flower?"
8. "Alexa, kiss me!"
9. "Alexa, do you sleep?"
10. "Alexa, who is your favorite DC Comics character?"
11. "Alexa, do you cry?"
12. "Alexa, how high can you count?"
13. "Alexa, who is your favorite Disney character?"
14. "Alexa, tell me a limerick." (Ask her more than once)
15. "Alexa, what does a monkey sound like?" (Also try chicken, ferret, blue whale, wolf and bunny)
16. "Alexa, who is your favorite Disney villain?"
17. "Alexa, tell me a Star Wars joke?" (Ask her more than once)
18. "Alexa, do you like cats or dogs?"
19. "Alexa, do you have children?" 
20. "Alexa, who is your favorite Marvel character?"
21. "Alexa, help! I've fallen and I can't get up."
22. "Alexa, what is your favorite kind of pie?"
23. "Alexa, are you ticklish?"
24. "Alexa, do you like my haircut?"
25. "Alexa, sing!" (Ask her more than once)
26. "Alexa, tell me an animal joke." (Ask her more than once)
27. "Alexa, who is your favorite celebrity?"
28. "Alexa, what is your favorite thing to collect?"
29. "Alexa, do you burp?"
30. "Alexa, high five!"
31. "Alexa, what is your favorite flavor of ice cream?"
32. "Alexa, what kind of mammal weighs the most?"
33. "Alexa, can you whistle?"
34. "Alexa, will I need an umbrella today?"
35. "Alexa, what is your favorite song to dance to?"
36. "Alexa, did the Ground Hog see his shadow?"
37. "Alexa, what is your favorite kind of movie?"
38. "Alexa, who is Clark Kent?"
39. "Alexa, what is your favorite Nursery Rhyme?"
40. "Alexa, tell me a Dad joke." (Ask her more than once)
41. "Alexa, roll two dice!" (Can also ask her to roll one die)
42. "Alexa, are you a Jedi or Sith?" (From the Star Wars saga)
43. "Alexa, who is your favorite Disney Princess?"
44. "Alexa, do you know how to swim?"
45. "Alexa, can you fly?"
46. "Alexa, what is your favorite Disney song?"
47. "Alexa, can you whisper?"
48. "Alexa, drumroll please . . . "
49. "Alexa, who made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs?"
50. "Alexa, what is your favorite Disney movie?"

You can learn all about the Echo & Alexa devices here.  Bookmark this link so you can check to see what new skills Alexa has learned anytime you want.

What new things have you discovered to say to Alexa?

Share them with us in a comment here.

Did you miss these lists?

50 More Fun Things Kids Can Say to Alexa (Amazon Echo)

About a year ago, I published 50 Fun Things Kids Can Say to Alexa.  It was a challenging list to put together, although the process was quite fun.  Since a year has gone by, I decided to see how many new things I could add to this list.  I can't imagine what Alexa is thinking when I tried asking her some of the silly things that popped into my head.  Here's what I came up with . . .

50 More Fun Things Kids Can Say to the Amazon Echo:

1.  "Alexa, why is six afraid of seven?"

2.  "Alexa, how many more days until Christmas?"

3.  "Alexa, what do you want for Christmas?" (Ask her multiple times.)

4.  "Alexa, who let the dogs out?" (Ask her multiple times.)

5.  "Alexa, help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi" (from Star Wars)

6.  "Alexa, every time a bell rings . . ." (from It's a Wonderful Life)

7.  "Alexa, Hey, diddle, diddle." (from Mother Goose)

8.  "Alexa, twinkle twinkle little star." (From classic nursery rhyme/ song)

9.  "Alexa, how tall are you?"

10.  "Alexa, how old are you?"

11.  "Alexa, how much do you weigh?"

12.  "Alexa, who is your best friend?"

13.  "Alexa, what is your favorite color?" (Ask her multiple times.)

14.  "Alexa, what is your favorite ice cream?"

15.  "Alexa, do you like to dance?"

16.  "Alexa, who did you vote for?"

17.  "Alexa, what is black, white, and red all over?"

18.  "Alexa, who are the seven dwarfs?"

19.  "Alexa, do you like flowers?"

20.   "Alexa, do you like chocolate?"

21.   "Alexa, who are Santa's reindeer?"

22.   "Alexa, do you fly?"

23.   "Alexa, do you sing?" (Ask her multiple times.)

24.   "Alexa, do you sleep?"

25.   "Alexa, do you like Star Trek?"

26.   "Alexa, who is your favorite super hero?"

27.   "Alexa, who stole a cookie from the cookie jar?"

28.   "Alexa, do you speak French?" (Works with any language.)

29.   "Alexa, what are your New Year's resolutions?"

30.   "Alexa, what is on your bucket list?"

31.  "Alexa, who you gonna call?" (from Ghostbusters)

32.  "Alexa, do you have any pets?"

33.  "Alexa, will you marry me?"

34.  "Alexa, who is man's best friend?"

35.  "Alexa, where do you come from?"

36.  "Alexa, what is your favorite Star Wars movie?"

37.  "Alexa, it's nice to meet you."

38.  "Alexa, I am one with the force." (From Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)

39.  "Alexa, will you be my Valentine?"

40.  "Alexa, who sings _______?" (Fill-in the blank with a song title to test Alexa's knowledge)

41.  "Alexa, who wrote _______?" (Fill-in the blank with a book title to test Alexa's knowledge)

42.  "Alexa, who was _______?" (Fill-in the blank with a famous person from history)

43.  "Alexa, where does Santa live?"

44.  "Alexa, who is your hero?"

45.  "Alexa, what is the longest word in the English language?"

46.  "Alexa, do you rap?"

47.  "Alexa, good morning!" (Also try afternoon, evening, and night)

48.  "Alexa, what's for dinner?" (Also try breakfast and lunch)

49.  "Alexa, who is your favorite Star Wars character?"

50.  "Alexa, what is your dream job?"


You can learn more about the Amazon Echo here.  Also, find out what new things have been added to the Echo here.

If you've discovered even more fun things kids can say to Alexa, please share them with us in a comment here.

Doodle | Magic Joy . . . an Awesome Free Android Drawing App for Any Age

I rarely blog about apps, but I always make an exception when I come across one that I find to be outstanding.  This free app (with ads) is called Doodle | Magic Joy and has me and my children hooked.

I first discovered this app by seeing an ad for it on a mobile game I was playing on my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.   Then I let my 9 year old daughter try it on my phone and she didn't want to give my phone back.  Luckily, I was able to put this app on both her and her twin brother's android tablets.  YAY for getting my phone back!  Not too long after that, our 12 year old son wanted this app for his Android phone too.

What's great about this app?

1. It's free!
2. After you've saved your drawing, you can click the play button and it will replay how your doodle was created from start to finish!
3. It's extremely user-friendly.  Just drag your finger across the screen to draw.  A 2 year old could use it, as well as someone who is 90 years old.
4. There's an 'undo' button that let's you go backwards as many steps as you would like.
5. There are 10 different background colors.
6. There are 6 different brushes.  You can change brushes anytime while drawing a picture.
7. There are 16 different repetition patterns, including one that does not repeat at all, so you can draw free hand.
8. The ink color changes whenever you lift your finger off the screen and start a new line.
9. No two drawings have ever come out the same for me and it's so much fun to experiment with different ways of dragging your finger around on the screen.
10. You can share your finished art on your social media channels, save it to your mobile device to use as a wallpaper, etc . . . 

I have to say that my 9 year old son does not usually enjoy drawing, but he very much enjoys this app.  It's a wonderful creative outlet for those who do not have a natural knack for drawing.  I can feel how proud my children are when they show me their finished works of art, which pleases me very much.

Have you discovered any amazing free apps recently?  Share them with us in a comment here!

50 Fun Things Kids Can Say to Alexa (Amazon Echo)

The company I work for surprised every employee with an Amazon Echo for the holidays.  (I know, how cool is that, right?)  My children have been having all sorts of fun asking Alexa questions, but after two months, they are starting to run out of ideas.  Although new content is added to the Echo every week, I made it my mission to come up a list of interesting and fun things kinds can ask Alexa that they might not necessarily think of on their own.  It took me well-over a week to come up with fifty.  I hope your kids find something new on this list to ask their Echo!


One thing I want to mention is that Alexa is fickle.  She might give you different answers to the same question asked at different times.  Sometimes she might say she doesn't understand a question that she successfully answered in the past.  Just tell your children to try again later.  That always works for me.


50 Fun Things Kids Can Say to the Amazon Echo . . .

1.  "Alexa, how much wood can a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?" (From the classic tongue twister)

2.  "Alex, tell me a knock-knock joke."

3.  "Alexa, to be or not to be?"  (From William Shakespeare)

4.  "Alexa, may the force be with you."  (From Star Wars)

5.  "Alexa, why did the chicken cross the road?"  (From the classic riddle)

6.  "Alexa, do or do not."  (From Star Wars)

7.  "Alexa, to infinity."  (From Toy Story)

8.  "Alexa, what time is it in __________?"  (Fill-in the blank with the country of your choice. Depending on the country, she might request that you specify a city.)

9.  "Alexa, which came first . . . the chicken or the egg?"

10.  "Alexa, it's a bird!  It's a plane!"  (From Superman)

11.  "Alexa, beam me up."  (From Star Trek)

12.  "Alexa, see ya later alligator."

13.  "Alexa, what's the weather in ______?" (Fill-in the blank with the U.S. state or country and city.)

14.  "Alexa, who lives in a pineapple under the sea?  (From SpongeBob)

15.  "Alexa, do you want to build a snowman?"  (From Frozen)

16.  "Alexa, mirror mirror on the wall."  (From Snow White)

17.  "Alexa, how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?" (From the classic Tootsie Pop commercial)

18.  "Alexa, what's the capitol of _______?" (Fill-in the blank with a U.S. state or world country.)

19.  "Alexa, Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers." (From the classic tongue twister)

20.  "Alexa, what would you do for a Klondike bar?"  (From the classic commercial)

21.  "Alexa, guess what!"

22.  "Alexa, what does the fox say?"  (From the song What Does the Fox Say)

23.  "Alexa, self-destruct."

24.  "Alexa, what is your favorite song?"

25.  "Alexa, what is the population of ______?"  (Fill-in the blank with a city, state, country, or continent.)

26.  "Alexa, what colors make up ______?"  (Fill-in the blank with a common color.)

27.  "Alexa, who was that masked man?"  (From The Lone Ranger)

28.  "Alexa, what is your favorite movie?

29.  " Alexa, with great power . . . "  (From Spider-man)

30.  "Alexa, what is your favorite color?"

31.  "Alexa, roses are red . . . "

32.  "Alexa, tell me a joke about ______."  (Fill-in the blank with a subject.)

33.  "Alexa, who's on first?" (From Abbott & Castello, The Naughty Nineties)

34.  "Alexa, peek-a-boo!"

35.  "Alexa, who are the members of the Avengers?"

36.  "Alexa, who is Han Solo?  (From Star Wars. Also try other major characters, such as Yoda, Obi Wan Kenobi, etc . . . )

37.  "Alexa, who is the president of the United States?" (Also try other political office positions.)

38.  "Alexa, who was the _____ president of the United States?"  (Fill-in the blank with a number, such as 2nd, 16th, 40th, etc . . . )

39.  "Alexa, who is _____?" (Fill-in the blank with the name of a superhero that has a known true identity, such as Superman, Spider-man, Iron Man, Hulk, Batman, etc...)

40.  "Alexa, who invented ______?"  (Fill-in the blank with any invention.)

41.  "Alexa, when was ______ invented?  (Fill-in the blank with any major invention.)

42.  "Alexa, when is your birthday?"

43.  "Alexa, happy birthday!"

44.  "Alexa, what does a cow say?"

45.  "Alexa, why are there so many songs about rainbows?" (From The Muppets song 'Rainbow Connection')

46.  "Alexa, how do you spell ______?"  (Fill-in the blank with a word.)

47.  "Alexa, what states border ______?"  (Fill-in the blank with a U.S. state.)

48.  "Alexa, what languages are spoken in ______?" (Fill-in the blank with a country or continent.)

49.  "Alexa, sing 'Happy Birthday'."

50.  "Alexa, how much is that doggie in the window?" (From song 'How Much is That Doggie in the Window' sung by Patti Page)


You can learn more about the Amazon Echo here.  Also, find out what new things have been added to the Echo here.

If you've discovered more fun things kids can say to Alexa, please share them with us in a comment here.

Ultimate Holiday Tech Gift: NEW D-Link Full HD Ultra-Wide View Wi-Fi Camera (DCS-2630L) w/ 2-Way Audio!

Thank you to D-Link for providing a Full HD Ultra-Wide View Wi-Fi Camera (DCS-2630L) unit for this holiday tech gift review.  All opinions expressed are our own.

We have been using D-Link wireless cameras for years in our home. We use them to watch the house when we aren't home, watch the kids, and even keep an eye on the dogs to make sure they are behaving. Wireless cameras are not just a convenience in our household at this point, but an important necessity.

We have been using various fixed position cameras as well as a motorized camera we can control remotely. Both kinds have their pros and cons and are used differently in our home. The fixed position cameras are perfect for watching entry ways and where the dogs eat and drink water. The motorized camera is perfect for the livingroom area where we need to pan around to see everything.

Both types have their shortcomings, however. Fixed cameras of course can only see what they are pointed at and the remote camera is slow and noisy. If you needed to track something in a hurry the motorized camera is inadequate. The noise also changes the behavior of the dogs so I can't catch them in the act of shenanigans!

This brings me to a new product by D-Link that solves the shortcomings of both camera types and adds new features we didn't have before. The new D-Link Full HD Ultra-Wide Wi-Fi Camera (DCS-2630L) is a fixed position camera, but features a 180 degree lens. Wide angle or fisheye lenses aren't new, but the 2630L uses D-Link’s new ‘Wide Eye’ technology offering an ultra wide view that's not distorted or curved like others. It’s like a panoramic picture but its live 1080P video.

Like most D-Link cameras, the 2630L can be managed from the mydlink website from any computer or mobile device, making it simple to check in on your home while you're out. Setting up the camera was a little laborious and really shouldn't have been. The camera uses WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Set-up) for easy pairing, like many devices do, but still took me a few attempts to get it to pair. The camera can only be paired wirelessly as it does not have an ethernet port like other D-Link cameras. Although I was ultimately successful, I imagine some will need to call for assistance at some point.

Once paired, configuration was as easy as can be and similar to my other cameras. If you are familiar with the mydlink site you will not have any issues renaming the camera and changing any other settings to your liking. You can also choose to get into the advanced settings page where you can really customize your camera. I caution, however, that these settings are for people who have a better than basic understanding of network protocols and such.

The D-Link 2630L looks great and does not stand out in the room. Many wireless cameras aren't good looking at all and are an eyesore, but not the 2630L. The construction is sturdy and it has a weighted base to make sure it stays put. You can optionally mount the camera if you would like with the provided hardware. The large lens is also glass, not plastic, like so many others, adding to the overall sense of quality.


One feature the 2630L has that none of my previous cameras has is two way audio. Before I could just listen, but with the new camera I can actually talk through the camera and have a conversation! This feature also works through the mobile app so you can view and talk from anywhere. My kids can no longer pretend they can't hear me when its chore time.

The D-link DCS-2630L is fully 1080p in resolution (and can lower to 720p if you choose) and the imagery looks very good. I notice the video is a bit sharper in low light (black and white) than it is in color, but both are bright and sharp. The Wide Eye technology truly works, you can see from the screenshots that there is very little to no distortion at all, even while zoomed in.

The 2630L also includes a microSD slot that adds storage to the camera allowing recording of video. Depending on the size of the card you use, you can store as much video as you please. For example, 7 days of 1080p video only requires 104GB. The camera can take as much as a 128GB microSD card. This is an excellent feature if you're worried about home security, nannies, cleaners, contractors, etc. The camera can also be set to trigger email alerts based on motion or sound.



Overall the D-Link 2630L is a fine camera that’s packed with features. I still prefer a simple fixed camera for a hallway or pointed at some pet food dishes, but the 2630L is far superior to my motorized camera for larger areas. The ability to see the entire room at the same time without panning simply can't be matched. The additional features like the two way audio and the ability to record for days and days are just icing on the cake.

At $199.99 the 2630L is in the same price range as many competing motorized panning cameras, making it a no brainer. It’s great looking, high quality, and the performance is great. The fact that I had to toil a bit to get it set up doesn't change my opinion of this product at all. The performance of the 2630L makes up for the hassle and then some. The D-Link 2360L would make a great gift this holiday for just about any household. Its great for any family that travels, has kids, pets, looks after seniors, or anyone that values an extra bit of security.

The D-Link Full HD 180-Degree Wi-fi Camera is available for purchase at Best Buy and us.dlink.com.

Who would the D-Link 2630L make the perfect gift for?  Tell us in a comment here!

D-Link Partners with a Non-Profit Rescue Organization to Promote Pet Adoption

Thank you to D-Link for sending us a Pan & Tilt Day/Night Wi-Fi Camera (DCS-5020L) to monitor our rescue dogs when we're not at home.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Last August, we began a new adventure by adopting two rescue Chihuahua mix puppies.  We went to meet and possibly adopt one puppy and ended up with two.  We just couldn't split these brothers up.  Yes, we gave them a forever home, but they really rescued us.  They've brought so much joy to our household and have taught our children how to be nurturing, responsible, and to think of someone else's needs more often.

One of the things that make potential pet-owners hesitant to bring pets into their homes is not being able to watch them every minute, especially when they are at work or just out doing errands.  The D-Link Pan & Tilt Day/Night Wi-Fi Camera, is the perfect solution to this problem because it allows you to monitor a room in your home from your computer, tablet, or phone.  This is such an easy way to have peace of mind that your pet is safe and happy while you're away from the house.  D-Link agrees and that's why they've partnered with a non-profit rescue organization in California, Paw Prints in the Sand Animal Rescue, to promote pet adoption and responsible pet ownership.

How is D-Link helping more pets find forever homes?

• D-Link will donate a Pan & Tilt Wi-Fi Camera to new pet owners who adopt from Paw Prints in the Sand to enable them to view a live feed of their pet, dog walker, or anyone else who comes in contact with their pet while the owner is away from the house.
  
• D-Link and Paw Prints in the Sand is developing a series of training and animal behavioral videos to help new pet owners maintain a happy home for the newest member of the family by understanding their basic needs.

More about the Pan & Tilt Day/Night Wi-Fi Camera (DCS-5020L):

• Pan & Tilt Function – Remotely pan and tilt live video and keep an eye on a larger area
• Sound and Motion Detection – Enhanced email alerts based on sound and motion sensing technology
• Wi-Fi Extender – Easily add more cameras or expand your home's wireless network
• 66o Horizontal Field of View – Keep an eye on more area
• Night Vision – View up to 26 feet in complete darkness
• Remote Viewing – No fees or monthly subscriptions to view on iPhone®, iPad® or Android® with mydlink® app or mydlink.com

To learn more about the D-Link Pan & Tilt Wi-Fi Camera visit us.dlink.com.  To learn more about Paw Prints in the Sand Animal Rescue and their efforts to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome abandoned, mistreated, and stray potential animal companions, visit www.pawprintsinthesand.org, where you can also find out about adopting, volunteering, fostering, and supporting this non-profit organization.

Give the Gift of Music This Holiday with the SOL Republic PUNK Bluetooth Wireless Speaker

Thank you to SOL Republic for providing a PUNK wireless speaker sample for us to base this review upon and for providing an additional product for our giveaway prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

I have been privileged to have reviewed so many SOL Republic products over the last couple of years. I am always excited to see and test the next one. So far every SOL Republic product I have tested has received an outstanding review from me and I would be lying if I said I was not partial to their products, but frankly they have earned that bias from me. SOL Republic makes great personal audio electronics and their pricing is always better than the competitor for comparable items. However I always try to find at least one imperfection when I do a review for them. I am not always successful….

I received the SOL Republic PUNK Bluetooth speaker in black for review. And as always, I was excited to get it as I love my DECK and wanted to see how a smaller speaker compares. The basic rule of thumb with speakers is that bigger is almost always better. Could the PUNK sound as nice as my larger DECK?

I wont keep you in suspense: The DECK has a bigger and richer sound, but wowee the PUNK wireless speaker sounds extremely good for a 3-1/2" speaker and I was impressed. It boggles my mind how much sound SOL Republic can jam into a speaker that can fit into your palm.

The bass is better than I would expect from such a small form factor (SOL Republic signature bass) and the rest of the range was pleasantly complete. At max volume there was no cracking or static. This is no quickie-mart-as-seen-on-TV speaker that I see everywhere. I tested a few different genre’s of music to hear a variety of sounds as well as some video to really test the PUNK. It all sounded fantastic.

The PUNK is also water and dust resistant, something that even my DECK can't do! The exterior is rubbery and soft offering some light shock resistance and toughness. The PUNK is so tough, it doesn't come with a case like its peer does. Just grab and go.

You can plug the PUNK into analog and USB ports for wired audio and charging. Not that you need to plug it in for audio, the Bluetooth connection was as easy to set up as can be and the range is superb. Although I have yet to prove if the PUNK can go for 8 hours on a charge, I hardly doubt it as my DECK can play all day long. SOL Republic knows how to do wireless batteries!

Are there better sounding Bluetooth speakers out there? Sure. But not one as small as the PUNK and certainly not as inexpensive. I also bet none are as tough as the PUNK or can get wet and keep playing.  The PUNK is truly designed to just grab, throw in a bag or big pocket, and go. With the punk you can have quality music anywhere you go.

And guess what? I don't have a single negative thing to say about the PUNK. I failed to find my obligatory imperfection. At $69.99 you simply cannot go wrong with this speaker. It's tough and easy to use, perfect for teenagers, college students, and anybody who needs great sound that's easy to take with you.

The SOL Republic PUNK wireless speaker comes in 7 colors.  To see them all or to learn more about this compact Bluetooth speaker, visit www.SOLRepbulic.com.

CYBER WEEKEND SPECIAL:  Order a PUNK speaker and get a pair of JAX in-ear headphones for FREE. (Valid thru December 1st, 2014 @ 11:59p Pacific Time.)  Also, $1 from every order over $50 from the SOL Republic website will be donated to the Children's Cancer Association.

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Good luck in the drawing!

This giveaway is open to U.S only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn. Although every effort will be made for the winner to receive the prize by December 24th, 2014, delivery in time for Christmas is not guaranteed. The color of the prize to be sent will be based on availability.

Make Your Home Phones More Efficient with Panasonic Link2Cell Bluetooth Phones & Qi Mobile Chargers

Thank you to Panasonic for providing a sample Link2Cell Bluetooth® Enabled Phone with Answering Machine KX-TGH263B & 3 Cordless Handsets for us to base this review upon and for providing an additional set for our giveaway prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

I love gadgets, so when I heard about Panasonic’s new Link2Cell Bluetooth Enabled Telephones, I was excited to try them out. We have VOIP service at home and just use a basic cordless phone, but the thing I really liked about the Panasonic ones is that they are equipped with Link2Cell technology. These phones not only connect to a land or VOIP line, they can receive the incoming calls to your cell phone!

When we received these, I immediately set them up and got them running. We received one main base and two secondary bases with three phones. I put the main unit in our living room and the secondary ones in the kitchen and our bedroom. The phones link via Bluetooth to up to two cell phones, so all of our phone calls to our home phone and to both my husband’s and my cell were coming through the same set of phones! I loved that these phones play our cell’s personalized ringtones, so there is no way to miss who the phone is ringing for. The phones even have voicemail capabilities, which would be a plus for many consumers.

I love that I can use these handsets even if my cell is not right next to me. Now when my phone dies, I can go plug it in at the charger in my bedroom, but not miss any calls with my handset. It doesn’t allow me to text from the handset, but that’s a feature I’m okay without. It does, however, have a text message alert option, so I know if I have a text on my cell phone. The handset itself has very clear reception and I’ve never had any issues with static. It even has a “noise reduction” button so you can remove background noise, such as from the children or the television, while you are on an important call.

In addition to the mentioned features, it has Talking Text Sender Alert which announces the phone number of incoming calls, a Locate Cell button that helps find your missing cell phone, Power Back-Up Operation which utilizes the large battery to keep the phones operating in a short power outage, Tone Equalizer which allows users to set bass and treble to equalize their voice, Eco Mode which saves power, Call Blocking, and complete personalization of the home screen on the units including wallpaper. Plus, it has a very sleek and stylish design that is nice and compact so as to not take up a ton of space on tabletops.

We also received the Panasonic Qi Mobile Charger, which retails for $39.99, so now I can charge my phone anywhere. This small but powerful charger is convenient to take anywhere -- in purses, the car, even in your pocket. It has the capability to charge any phone with a USB cord so it’s always ready to charge your device whenever you need it.  What a perfect gift idea for anyone who needs to stay connected no matter where they go!

The Panasonic Link2Cell Bluetooth Enabled Phone is an excellent product that exceeded my expectations. These retail for $119.95 at Shop.Panasonic.com, but is currently on sale for a limited time for just $91.99. What a great price if you have someone on your holiday list who needs a more efficient phone system at home!.

Enter to win a Link2Cell Bluetooth® Enabled Phone with Answering Machine with 3 Cordless Handsets (ARV $119.99) plus a Qi Mobile Charger (ARV $39.99) of your very own . . .

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Good luck in the drawing!

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.

SOL Republic Relays In-ear Headphones for Students, Athletes, or Anyone Constantly On-the-Move

Thank you to SOL Republic for providing sample Relays in-ear headphones for us to base this review upon and for providing a second product for our giveaway prize. All opinions expressed are our own.

I received a pair of SOL Republic Relays to test and review. If you have read any of my previous reviews, you will know that I am a SOL Republic fanboy and I rave about their products. Most of the time, I can hardly even find a single flaw (partially why I am such a nut for them!). This time, however, in between my raving, I will point out the biggest flaw I have found in a SOL Republic product, then tell you why you should buy them anyways.

I was sent the Relays in Horizon Blue and as always, they look amazing. Unlike other earbuds I have ever used (ever seen?), the Relays have a soft-ish plastic ring around the Sound Engines to keep the buds securely in your ear. In fact, that is the primary difference between the Relays and other SOL Republic earbuds. The Relays are designed to stay put, no matter how you are using them. They will stay in your ear as you run, bike, or work out at the gym. Although I did not try them doing any of those activities, it is clear that the Relays stay securely in my ear. They fit very snugly even if you tug on them. The Relays would be a great choice for the adult or student athletes in your home as they stay in and are quite durable.

Like most SOL Republic products, the Relays come with a 3 button control on the cord allowing you to adjust your volume and answer calls if using them with your phone, although a single-button version is also available. Another SOL Republic signature feature, the cord has a thick rubber coating that resists tangles. The Relays come in 5 vibrant colors to match your style. Also included in the box is a small ripstop case and a variety of different sized ear pieces to perfect the fit.

But how do they sound? Amazing. Like all the other SOL Republic products I have reviewed, they sound terrific. The sound does not compare to my Master Tracks, but for an earbud I was pleasantly surprised. That is getting increasingly hard to do, as I have been blown away with every SOL Republic device I have tried and my expectations are high. I will say, if the Relays are not properly seated in your ear, the sound may be tinny. And this is the segway to my problem with the Relays….

I have very sensitive, slightly narrow ears and earbuds tend to be uncomfortable for me, even the best ones will start to hurt after prolonged usage and the Relays were no different. The very feature that keeps the Relays snug in my ear is what was triggering my sensitive reaction and leading to discomfort. But I am a unique example, nobody else in my family suffers from my ear sensitivity. I also need to mention that after some time fine tuning the placement, my discomfort is improving. I feel my ears will adjust eventually as I use them. After reading other reviews, this issue seems unique to me so this may not be a factor for most.

Aside from my unique issue, the SOL Republic Relays are every bit as nice as I thought they would be, and frankly expect from SOL Republic. Each time I review a SOL Republic product I am more impressed, but my expectations are also increased. The Relays met my increased expectations and I fully recommend them. They look fantastic, sound amazing, and they have the quality I have come to expect. And for $79.99, they are very competitively priced for a high end in-ear headset. With back to school upon us, the Relays would make an excellent gift for the students (or the teachers) in our lives.

To learn more about the Relays and other SOL Republic products, visit www.solrepublic.com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.

The New Rechargeable VTech Kidizoom® Smartwatch is Built for Much More Than Telling Time!

The VTech product, gift card, information, and additional gift pack have been provided by VTech.  All opinions expressed are my own.

It’s camera time! With the exciting interactive Kidizoom Smartwatch, kids can capture photos, add photo effects, record videos, and play built-in games for learning fun on the go. Complete with an easy-to-use 1.4” color touch screen, as well as more than 50 digital and analog clock displays, the multi-functional Kidizoom Smartwatch is perfect for kids learning to tell time. It also boasts a rechargeable battery, alarm clock, timer, stopwatch, voice recorder with funny voice changing effects, and parental game controls.

Kidizoom® Smartwatch features include:

• 1.4 inch color touch screen
• Camera for taking photos and recording videos
• Voice recorder with 5 voice changing effects
• Special effects including customized photo frames, color filters and distortion effects; fun video frames
• 4 fun games, included
• Kid-durable design to withstand drops and bumps
• Splash proof and sweat proof
• Alarm clock with fun tones and animation
• Timer and stopwatch in kid-friendly themes
• 50+ digital and traditional analog displays
• Rechargeable battery
• 4 vibrant colors: blue, pink, white and green
• Micro USB cable for data transfer and battery recharging
• Access to Learning Lodge app store to download more games and watch displays
• Recommended for ages 4 years and up
• MSRP: $59.99

We were sent a VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch to try out and we were instantly impressed. It’s made of high-quality rubber and plastic that is sure to stand up to use by any kid. It is very well laid out so it’s easy to use but still has many great features, and it’s small enough to fit even my tiny 7 ½ year old’s wrist. In addition to the touch screen, it has only 2 buttons so that even younger kids can navigate it easily. The choice between watch displays is a nice touch and Quinn has loved personalizing his clock daily. We also really like the camera feature plus the filters and frames you can use. The included four games are fun and engaging, though a little simple for Quinn. He still likes playing them though.

Quinn loves his unique Kidizoom Smartwatch. It’s great for the car, shopping, restaurants, or anywhere else. It’s small and simple and is no problem to wear around wherever kids like to go. I love that it is rechargeable too, so there’s no wasting of batteries. We love this watch and are happy to have it.


More about the VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch . . .


You can learn more about VTech on their website, VTechKids.com. You can also follow them on Twitter and on Facebook.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.

An Android Learning Tablet That's Powerful Enough to Hold Our Son's Interest with Reading & Visual Tracking Apps

Thank you to ClickN KIDS for providing a sample children's tablet for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are our own.

If it is not painfully obvious by now, we are a family that embraces technology. Sometimes I feel we even take our technology use too far (impossible!). One aspect of new technology that will never be unwelcome in my home is any tech that helps my children learn.

We own, have owned, or at least tried, about every tablet type device made specifically for children. Most were merely OK, some weren't good at all, and a few were surprisingly good. We even reviewed a few here on this site. But mostly tablets made for kids are just that: Made for kids. I dont know about your kids, but my kids are very tech-savvy and a device that is too “toy-like” just doesn't cut it for very long, even if done very well, especially when they see mom and dad using tablets that can do everything a computer can do.

My amazing son Luke, the future DNA scientist, astrophysicist, or restaurant owner (depending on what day you ask him), who hates to read, has a visual tracking problem that bottlenecks information before it gets to his brain. His eyes skip around and jumbles the information as he scans the page. It has been quite a challenge and can be extremely frustrating for him. The issue is compounded as his thirst for knowledge is so high. You can imagine that any tool we can use to help him improve his tracking is very welcome. There are a host of applications available designed specifically to improve visual tracking and coordination and a tablet is the perfect delivery device. Luke is just smitten with tablets anyways, so getting him to spend time using one is easy.

The problem, before now, is that most tablets made for kids do not provide the ability to install special or custom apps on them. The kid tablets we own, even the good ones, almost all have proprietary apps you can only download from their sites. Many of the apps are superb and fun and all offer various learning levels, but none of the tablets can be pointed to any site on the web and download an app outside of the proprietary app service. For this you normally need a real full featured adult tablet. But at $300 and up, I hesitate to buy one for a 7 year old and frankly my personal tablet is too important to lend out to a child.

Fortunately, there is a solution to our problem: The ClickN Kids Family Tablet.

The ClickN Kids Family Tablet is a real full featured tablet with an Android operating system that can do anything you would expect from an adult level tablet, but it is very much a kids tablet with an interface and loads of content designed just for kids. I can hand the ClickN Kids tablet to Luke and know that 100% of his experience is designed for him and controlled by me. But I can grab it back, log out of the kids interface and have regular adult oriented experience. The best part? It costs just $99. I can install custom apps designed to help Luke with his tracking without limitations and present it to him in a kid friendly interface. To my knowledge there isn't another kids tablet on the market that has such flexibility, as well as preloaded educational apps. And, amazingly, it costs under $100!

The ClickN Kids tablet is full of great apps right out of the box, including the award winning Looney Tunes Phonics (an amazing value by itself). One of my kids favorite apps is Talking Tom 2, a funny cat you can pet, feed, tickle, and make do silly things. But the apps that are most important to me are the custom apps I installed from outside of the ClickN Kids tablet pre installed apps designed to help Luke with his visual tracking issues. One of those apps is called Falldown, an addictive game where you guide a ball down a series of lines with holes in them by moving the tablet from side to side, if you go too slow the ball gets stuck and you lose. This game is deceptively simple yet entertaining, but most importantly, Luke likes to play and as a result improves his visual tracking without even knowing he is learning.

This tablet offers everything you would expect in a full featured tablet. In the kids interface there is a kids safe browser and a camera in addition to the plethora of installed apps. Switch over to the adult interface and you see a home screen that is very familiar to anyone who uses an Android based device. You can install any app you can find on the web designed for Android operating systems.

Parents have complete control over their kids experience with the ClickN Kids tablet. Time and content can be controlled easily through the adult interface as well as available apps.

So, the big question: Has the ClickN Kids Family Tablet improved Luke's visual tracking? It is hard to say as the problem is dynamic and hard to measure.  However, I can answer the question another way: The ClickN Kids tablet is the only kids tablet that we own Luke asks me to use. Additionally, when Luke uses the ClickN Kids tablet he spends time using the custom apps designed to help his tracking . . . on his own. So, although I cannot measure the results easily, Luke is using a tool that improves his tracking in lieu of all the other available tools we own. I would say that is a big win.

For $99 the ClickN Kids tablet gets a no brainer recommendation from me. It is powerful for the price, offers the flexibility I need for Luke, and comes in fun colors with a protective gel case, and all for a fraction of the price of an adult tablet. Honestly? This tablet would be good for anybody, even an adult, that doesn't want to spend a ton of money. Being a technology snob, that is an enormous endorsement from me!

NOTE:  I have read on retail site reviews that some people have had problems with their tablet freezing, so I wanted to share that we have been using ours for over 5 months and have not had any issues with freezing so far.

To learn more about the ClickN Kids 7" tablet, visit www.clicknkids.com.  You can purchase this android learning tablet at Walmart.com and Amazon.com.