Educational Fun With Osmo

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osmo genius kit review

My girls love technology. What kid doesn’t these days? But I was really getting tired of them just wanting to play mindless games on their cellphones. If I let them, they’d play on their cellphones all day. That’s why I set up our Summer Electronics Rules. They have to earn electronics time by doing chores but to cash in their earned electronics time they have to do various tasks such as reading for 30 minutes and playing 15 minutes on an educational website or with an educational game. When were were offered an Osmo to review my girls couldn’t wait to test it out. I’ll admit that when I first heard of Osmo I worried that my girls (10 and 12 years old) would be too old for it but boy was I wrong. The product says it is for ages 5-12 but it each game has so many levels and grows with your child’s skills so it is challenging even for my 12 year old. I played with Osmo and some of the levels of games like Osmo Tangram were even challenging for me. And any age can learn to draw with Osmo Masterpiece. But I’ll get into all that in a bit. Let’s talk about what Osmo is.

So what is Osmo?

Osmo, created by young parents, encourages creative thinking and social interaction by expanding gameplay beyond the screen, turning any physical object into a digitally connected game piece.

Osmo is a game system that is integrates with your iPad for a unique gaming experience. There are five games can be downloaded for free from the iTunes App store. Search for Osmo and you’ll find Newton, Tangram, Masterpiece, Words, Numbers and the newest game Coding. All 5 games require use of the Osmo reflector and base which come in all 3 of the Osmo Kits. Tangram, Coding, Words and Numbers use physical objects that come with the set, whereas Newton and Masterpiece only require use of the Osmo reflector and base. We received the Genius Kit to review which comes with the physical objects needed to play all the current games except Osmo Coding and my girls have already asked if I would begged me to buy them the coding set.

What Comes With Osmo?

  • Genius Kit comes with reflector, base, and Words, Masterpiece, Tangram, Newton and Numbers Games
  • Coding Kit comes with reflector, base, Newton, Masterpiece, and Coding.
  • Wonder Kit comes with reflector, base, Newton, Masterpiece, Tangram, Words, Numbers, and Coding Games.

Important Details

  • Groundbreaking system encourages creative thinking and social interaction by expanding gameplay beyond the screen.
  • Games can be played and even created by the whole family, anywhere, and on any surface.
  • Works with latest iPads: iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4 iPad Mini, iPad Mini Retina, iPad Air.
  • Recommended Ages: 5-12
  • Suggested MSRP $99.99
Get an Osmo on Best Buy. Learn more about Osmo on the official Osmo site.

playing with osmo

The Osmo is very easy to set up and can be used almost anywhere with a flat surface. Right out of the box you just  have to adjust the base for your model iPad by following the direction. Once the base is set up for your model iPad simply place the iPad in the base, slide the Osmo reflector over the iPad’s camera and you’re ready to play. Osmo works by “reading” the playing area in front of the iPad. We found that it works best (especially playing Tangrams) when you play on a light surface so we put a big piece of white paper in front of the iPad when we play. It just makes it easier for the iPad camera to properly see what is in the playing area. Playing in a well lit area helps, too.

Osmo Tangram ­

Arrange wooden puzzle pieces into matching on­screen shapes. Play with your child or challenge yourself to more advanced levels with Osmo acting as your mentor by lighting up with each victory

osmo tangram

Tangram can be played individually or with more than one player cooperating together to solve a puzzle. There are 7 Tangram tiles in various shapes and colors. On the screen the game shows the players an image formed with the various tiles and they have to figure out how to place the tiles to form that image. In easier levels the picture on the screen shows each individual tile that is used to form the image and in harder levels players just see an outline of the image and have to figure out how the tiles get arranged to form the image. Tangrams is a great game for spacial and visual problem solving. Players have to look on the screen of the iPad to see the image and move the pieces in the right position in front of the iPad on the table. As the correct tiles are placed in the correct place the image changes color on the screen to let players know it’s in the right spot. Make sure to move your hands out of the way after you place a tile so the camera can see the pieced you put down. As you complete the puzzles, the harder levels become unlocked.

The game Tangram has been around for almost a thousand years, but Osmo reinvents this classic using a fully interactive video experience. With visual and audio feedback, multiple levels of difficulty, achievements and more.

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Osmo Newton ­

Use your creativity with inventive objects such as a hand ­drawn basket, grandma’s glasses, dad’s keys or anything around you to guide falling on­screen balls into targeted zones.

newton

Newton is one of the games that can be played without any special pieces. Balls drop from the top of the screen and players direct the balls to bounce off of various targets by drawing shapes to direct the balls where they want them to go. Players can also put random objects, even Tangram pieces on the playing surface and the iPad camera will turn those objects into lines that will also direct the onscreen balls to bounce off the target. Players have to plan how to get the balls to bounce off of the targets and adjust their technique as the balls come down so there is lots of problem solving and strategizing involved.

TIPS- Use a dry erase board to draw shapes to direct the balls into the targets. Grab items around the house and see what works best to direct the balls. We tried various markers, pencils, our hands, and even some dolls and toys.

60 levels of fun! The more you succeed, the harder it gets! You can use simple strategies in the beginning, but as you progress Newton will challenge you with bouncing balls, accelerating platforms and fans that force you to think in new ways!

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Osmo Words ­

Be the first to guess and spell out the on­ screen hidden word by tossing down real ­life letters faster than your friends. A related picture gives the clue

osmo words

Words is similar to a game of hangman. There are 2 sets of letters and you can play by yourself or with several players. In Verse Mode players compete and in Zen Mode players work together. An image appears on the screen and players have to figure out what is depicted in the image. There are circles on the bottom of the screen that represent how many letters are in the word. Players put letters on the playing surface that they think are part of the word that is being represented. If the letter is correct they get a point and the letter shows up in the word. If they get the letter wrong the letter goes up on the top of the screen so players can keep track of letters that have been tried. But you have to be fast or your opponent will put the letters down before you!

As the levels get harder the images get harder, too. For example one round there was a picture of a horse jumping. We thought that the word was HORSE but when my girls put down an S it was wrong. It turned out that the word was RIDER. So they had to think outside of the box a little and not pick the obvious word. It’s all trial and error but you only get a certain amount of guesses per round so be careful! For younger children this is a great game to learn to spell various words and while older children might already know how to spell the words, the harder levels make them think about what the words might be and act fast to get the letters down quickly.

Words comes with over 150 default puzzle images, but if you guess your way through those it’s easy to log on to myOsmo and download new albums created by the community. This added content can extend your playtime endlessly! Do you have a great idea for a Words album? If so, you can create and share it with the community at myOsmo! The platform allows you to easily build and download your own custom albums. For teachers, this is a great way to translate class material in an engaging way.

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Osmo Numbers ­

With a counting, addition, concatenation and multiplication mode, there is a challenge for everybody. As kids get more confident in one mode, they can move on the the next one, allowing them to learn at their own pace.

osmo numbers

Numbers is a fun math game that players play with the Osmo number tiles. The goal is to fill up the tank with water and collect all the fish. There are 4 different modes that range from simple counting using dot tiles to more complex multiplication problems using numbered tiles. Again this just shows how the system will grow with a child through various math levels.

Kids arrange physical tiles, including dots and digits, to make numbers and complete levels. Add by putting more tiles, subtract by removing tiles and multiply by connecting tiles together. Experimenting becomes fast and intuitive. Kids play math without the pressure of time or the fear that they’ll get the wrong answer. Osmo’s real-time feedback lets kids learn through experimentation in a stress-free environment.

osmo numbers shot

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Osmo Masterpiece ­

Supercharge your drawing skills with Masterpiece. Pick any image from the camera, curated gallery or integrated web search and Masterpiece will transform it into easy­ to ­follow lines and help you draw it to perfection. You can then share a magical time ­lapse video of your creation with your friends and family

hello kitty osmo masterpiece

Masterpiece is a great tool to learn how to draw everything from objects around the house to pets and people. My girls love art and love to draw but they sometimes get intimidated by drawing things from their own minds. That’s why the both love Masterpiece. Simply use your iPad to take a picture of what you want to draw and Osmo will turn it into a lined drawing that you can draw. You can even adjust how simple or complex the drawing will be.

TIP- We found that the less shadow in the picture the easier it was to draw because Osmo will turn shadows into random lines in your drawing. We use a light to get rid of shadows when we’re taking pictures for Masterpiece.

drawing hello kitty

Once you take a picture in Masterpiece it turns it into a lined image. Then simply look at the screen and use your pencil on your paper to follow the lines and draw the picture. It is great for eye hand coordination. As you draw the lines you can see what you’re doing on the screen.

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

There is no limit to the images you can create with Masterpiece! There are also lots of templates in various categories that you can learn to draw such as animals, food, nature, and lots more plus you can search for images, too. My daughter has problems with handwriting and there is even a set of block letters and a set of cursive letters for children to practice with.

hello kitty final

When you are finished with your picture you can save the time-lapsed video of you drawing the image and even email it to someone. It’s fun to watch the video to see how the drawing was made.

Take a picture of anything you want, be it a friend, a toy or anything online. Masterpiece will transform it into simple outlines so you can draw it to perfection. Kids love to draw, but with the rise of smartphones and iPads, they increasingly dismiss pen and paper. With Masterpiece kids can combine their love of technology and drawing, while learning useful skills.

Why We Love Osmo

Both my girls are loving using Osmo. They are asking to use it instead of playing on their phones or watching tv. Both said it would be too hard to pick a favorite game because they are all fun. They enjoy the challenge and the variety of the games. It’s nice to have an electronic toy that you want your children to be playing on. I love that as a parent I set up an account and add each child as a user so I can track their progress in each game. I also love that my girls can play the games together, learn to work cooperatively, and they are learning while they are playing. It’s a win win all around! If you have an iPad and children you need this game!

Watch how teachers can use Osmo in the classroom, too:

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Meghan Trainor and My HP x360 Inspire 4 Things That Make Me Happy

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I am so excited to be teaming up and writing this post on behalf of HP x360 and Meghan Trainor.
bend the rulesI am all about technology.  I love all things electronic.  As a blogger I need to stay connected and I like to be able to work from any place in my house.  The HP x360 helps with that.  It has a range of 360 degrees so it #BendsTheRules and is very versatile.

The 4 modes that the HP x360 goes into helps me (and my family) throughout our day.

hp 360 laptop modeThe most obvious way to use my HP x360 is in LAPTOP MODE.  As a blogger I love the freedom of being able to blog from anywhere.  I have a desk that I sometimes work from but I can’t see the television from my desk.  I also like to be sitting with my girls on the couch but still be able to work if I need to.  I love taking my HP x360 with me on the couch and either using it on my lap or using a tray table as a mini desk so I can watch television while I work.  It is so light weight that it is easy to take it anywhere with me.
HP 360 TentI’ve been in a dinner idea slump lately.  My girls aren’t very adventurous when it comes to eating new things for dinner, we were all getting tired of eating the same things, and when I was making new things my girls weren’t giving them a fair chance and tasting them.  It is so frustrating to work hard on a new recipe only to have it rejected by my children just because of how it looks.  I’ve found recently that if they help me come up with dinner ideas and prepare it, they are more likely to give dinner a chance.  I love putting my HP x360 in TENT MODE to search for recipes and follow new recipes with my girls while we’re in the kitchen.  We find a recipes together and with the laptop in Tent Mode we can cook and follow the recipe as well.  I love that we can turn it horizontally or vertically to suit our needs.
stand modeMy girls love using my  HP x360, too.  In STAND MODE my girls can comfortably watch their favorite shows and videos and I don’t have to worry about them pushing buttons, getting into files I don’t want them to, etc.  With BeatsAudio™ and dual speakers optimized for use in any position, the HP Pavilion x360 has great sounding audio for all that we watch.
tablet modeTABLET MODE is so convenient for us, too.  My girls like to snuggle in their oversized chair with my HP x360 in tablet mode and watch their favorite videos or read their favorite books.  The touch screen makes it easier for all of us to use and because the screen it so much bigger than our regular tablets, the viewing experience is so much better.  Now we can take the fun wherever we want.

bend the rulesHP has teamed up with Meghan Trainor for her #ThatBassTour.

This February & March, HP is going on the road with Meghan Trainor to cover her entire US tour. From Vancouver to Nashville, they’ll have a camera crew and some of their favorite Meghan Trainor fans from her Lips Are Movin’ video to help bring the tour to life—check it out here!

When I need a little pick-me-up to make me smile and brighten my mood I often turn to YouTube to watch some videos and chill-out for a bit. Inspired by the 4 modes of my HP x360, here are 4 of my favorite types of videos to watch on YouTube when I want to chill-out.

Little Children:

Puppies and Kittens:

Music:

Other Random Videos That Make Me Happy:

What do you like to do to make yourself happy?

This #BendTheRules moment was brought to you by HP.

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BassBuds Earphones and BassBoomz Bluetooth Speaker Review #YCYS #YourColourYourStyle #Bassbuds

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Thank you for visiting Cori's Cozy Corner! Please make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our E-mails!

Disclosure- I received the items mentioned below to facilitate my review.  I received no other compensation and all opinions are 100% my own.BassBuds Earphones and BassBoomz Bluetooth Speaker ReviewHave a music lover on your holiday gift list?  Look no further!
BassBuds and BassBoomz make the perfect gift for music lovers, each individually packaged in a luxury gift box.

BassBoomzPerfect for listening to music on the move, the stylish BassBoomz speakers can connect wirelessly to any Bluetooth audio device or to any audio device using the enclosed aux wire.  Either way you connect it, the sound quality However you choose to connect the sound quality is amazing.

Use your BassBoomz for lots of things:

● Watch films on your tablet or laptop
● Listen to music around the house through your smartphone
● Blast out your music at parties
● Take your BassBoomz on holiday and listen to your tunes on the beach
● Listen to an audio book
● Playing those Christmas favorites when tucking into your Christmas dinner

Simply twist your BassBoomz to release the Bass Expansion Chamber for an explosive sound, with deep, rich bass tones and crisp trebles, with a quality and colorful style that is now synonymous with the BassBuds brand. BassBoomz aren’t just limited to pumping out loud tunes – listening to classical music or an audio book? Simply close the Bass Expansion Chamber to experience the exceptional sound without the bass.

Small in size but big in sound, your BassBoomz like to travel; use them around the house, at a social gathering, or in your bedroom chilling ; ensuring wherever you are you can enjoy first – rate sound quality through your BassBoomz.  Use a dual connector, to link two BassBoomz together generating double the sound in stereo and with outstanding quality.  Presented in a luxurious gift box, BassBoomz make a fantastic gift who anyone who wants to experience outstanding sound quality.

● High performance Portable Bluetooth Speaker
● Bluetooth Connectivity and compatible with all
SmartPhones, MP3 Players, Laptops via enclosed
AUX cable
● Available in 8 stunning colors
● Rechargeable LiThium Battery last up to 6 hours @
70% volume on only a 2 hour charge
● High performance Bass Expansion Chamber for a
fuller richer sound
● Solid quality Aluminium housing
● Vibration damping high grip base
I received the BassBoomz Bluetooth Wireless Speaker to try out and I am amazing at the sound quality from this little thing.  I tried several types of music from classical to pop and it all sounded amazing.  I love how it comes in a variety for colors so it can show off your taste, too.  It comes in a nice box so it is ready to give as a gift for any music lover on your holiday gift list.  The BassBoomz ­retails for $130 USD.
BassBuds Earphones

A fusion of style and technology, BassBuds are the leading luxury high performance audio solution. Adored by celebrities across the world, including multi platinum music artists such as Rita Ora, BassBuds in-ear headphones are the ultimate in audio technology.

A perfect combination of style and sound; the fine-cut Swarovski Elements embedded into each earpiece adds a touch of class and original style to your BassBuds. With the BassBuds portfolio comprising of the largest color range in the world, there’s a pair for everyone, making them the perfect gift idea.

The Advanced Crystaltronic Sound Technology delivers superior HD sound quality with distortion free, deep bass tones and crisp trebles meaning your music will sound like never before. Each pair comes with 6 sizes of silicone tips and 3 sizes of memory foam earbuds as standard. The memory foam earbuds mold to the shape of your ear canal for optimum comfort, meaning you can immerse yourself in your tunes without any external interference.

The handsfree mic and mp3/call controller, which is compatible with all smartphones, allows you to answer your calls on the go.

Uniquely packaged in a luxurious gift box, BassBuds earphones look astounding, without compromising on sound, quality, and features, provide fantastic value for money and will make the perfect present for anyone this Christmas.
● High performance luxury in ear – headphones
● The largest color collection in the world with 20 colors
● Each earpiece is embedded with genuine SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS
● High definition crystal clear Advanced Crystaltronics Sound
● Hands-free call handling: answer / end calls on the move
● Integrated MP3 controller: play, pause, skip tracks, voice control
● Compatible with all smartphones and MP3 players
● 3 different sizes of both memory foam and silicone ear buds
● Anti-tangle wire
● Gold Plated 3.5mm jack for optimum connectivity
● Precision cut lightweight Aluminium housing, not plastic like so many other headphones for $100.

I just love my BassBuds!  They are so stylish and I love that they come in many colors and each includes a Swarovski crystal for a little bling.  My girls want to borrow my BassBuds but these babies are mine!  They sound quality is amazing and I love that I can control my tunes or my smartphone right from the controller button.  I’ve received several phone calls while using my BassBuds and I was able to easily answer the call.  The sound quality on the calls was great, too.  Give everyone on your holiday gift list a little luxury with the BassBuds earphones.  They retail for $85 USD.

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LG OLED Televisions Are Now at Best Buy! @BestBuy #HintingSeason #OLEDatBestBuy

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

Holiday Tree 2014Have you seen the new LG OLED TV at Best Buy?  Best Buy is THE Holiday Shopping Destination this Holiday Season for all things electronic including the new LG OLEG TV.  But let’s be honest.  It’s not just the holiday season, it’s often the “hinting season” so start dropping hints to your loved ones that you want the LG OLEG TV.   So what makes the tv so great?  It features superior picture quality, infinite contrast ratio and stunning color that delivers a greater sense of realism and depth, enhanced color range and accuracy, super thin design and the intuitive webOS™Smart TV interface that lets you find content faster.  You need to see it for yourself.  I am just amazed at how thin it is.  The LG OLED TV is as thick as a pencil!  I still have an old school television in my living room that is HUGE front to back.  You can be sure I’ll be hinting to hubby this holiday season about the LG OLED TV.
LG_OLED_Infill_smaller file 2

What is OLED TV?
The stunning design of LG OLED TV is only 0.21″ thick at its thinnest point. Picture quality is spectacular, with Infinite Contrast that ranges from the most blazing whites to the deepest blacks. And, LG’s exclusive 4 Color Pixel technology delivers bright, vibrant colors.
Learn more here: LGOLEDatBestbuy.com

LG_UHD_smaller fileYour first kiss. A baby’s first steps. The majesty of a desert sunset. Some things in life defy all explanation and must be experienced to be believed. Such is the case with LG’s latest display technology. With deeper and richer colors, stunning contrast and ingeniously curved screens, it is unlike any technology you’ve ever seen, and it delivers a picture that exceeds your wildest imagination.

·         Infinite contrast ratio and stunning color – delivers more natural, lifelike viewing.

·         4 Color Pixel technology enhances color range and accuracy.

·         Super thin design (consider how to show visually)

·         Find content faster with webOS

When at the store as for LG  55EC9300 SKU# 7846019 – OLED TV.  Happy shopping!

 

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Animalz by ReTrak- Adorable Plush Headphones

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Disclosure- I received one or more of the product mentioned below in exchange for my post.  All opinions are 100% my own.
animalz animalz pictureCute, lovable and lightweight enough to take anywhere, Animalz by ReTrak headphones are a fun, furry accessory for holiday road trips, airplane rides and casual listening.  Designed for little ears with volume-limiting technology (MY FAVORITE FEATURE TO KEEP LITTLE EARS PROTECTED!) and a retractable cord for tangle-free travel and storage, Animalz are available in six fun fabric animal designs.

Animalz HeadphonesIn addition to being fashion-forward enough for the ladies and cool enough for the gents, parents will be pleased to know that Animalz’ volume limiter sets the maximum volume at 85 decibels – recommended for protecting developing ears.

animalz

We picked Biker Bearz and Jam Bunneez and they are SOOOOO adorable!  My girls love them so much.  They’ve been using them in the car to watch movies, using them with their computers so they won’t bother each other, and with my cellphone to listen to music and play games.  My girls said they are very comfortable and they enjoy using them.  Plus it’s like having a plush friend with you wherever you go!  These adorable headphone would make a great gift or stocking stuffer!

Look how cute they’d be peaking out of a stocking:headphones stockingsWatch this video to see how much fun kids have wearing them while enjoying their favorite tunes, shows or learning activities:

Family road trips, casual listening and airplane rides will never be the same. Say goodbye to long, boring hours and squabbles in the backseat and say hello to Animalz headphones for kids!  Whether at home or on-the-go, Animalz by ReTrak retractable headphones are designed for little ears and feature volume-limiting technology in six lovable soft fabric animal designs: Biker Bearz, DJ Panda, Jam Bunneez, Scuba Shark, Skate Monkeez  and Surf Dawgz*. Kids can now enjoy listening to their own music, playing games or watching movies all with their favorite Animalz!

Volume-Limiting Technology

According to the Journal of Pediatrics, more than 10 percent of children ages 9 to 19 have noise-induced hearing loss. Prolonged exposure to sound louder than 85 decibels can damage a child’s ears, causing permanent hearing impairment. With Animalz’s volume-limiting technology parents don’t have to worry about overexposure for developing, sensitive ears.  Animalz volume limiter sets 85 decibels as the maximum volume for optimal ear protection.

Tangle-Free Storage 

Animalz headphones offer crystal-clear sound quality and are equipped with a built-in 3.2-foot retractable cable. Designed with children in mind, kids can simply retract the cord once they’re done listening. Parents no longer have to waste time unraveling knotted wires. The convenient, tangle-free headphone storage makes clean up easy.

The cord comes with a gold-plated 3.5 mm connector that is universally compatible and works with most portable devices.Manufactured with high-quality components, Animalz have a soft fuzzy headband and ear pads with a lightweight design that are comfortable to wear. Built for years of fun, Animalz are backed by a lifetime warranty!

Which Animalz Retractable Headphones Are Your Kid’s Spirit Animal?   Take this fun quiz to find out!

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Best Buy Has All The Latest GoPro Cameras For This Holiday Season #GoProatBestBuy

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

Best Buy is one of my go to places for all the latest electronics.  They have all of the gadgets and electronics I am looking for and their employees are great at helping me make my decision on what would work well for my family.  I especially love to check out Best Buy for all the latest cameras and camcorders and this holiday season is no different.  Best Buy has the full line of new GoPro cameras, plus a wide assortment of accessories.  GoPro cameras make a perfect holiday gifts for everyone on your gift list from kids and teens to those gadget junkies on your list.  GoPro’s new line of cameras allow you to capture and share the experiences that bring adventure and joy to your life.  Imagine being able to capture moments like these:

 photo Herolifestyle3_zps8e06b775.jpg
 photo Herolifestyle20_zps98f0ff52.jpgGoPro has 3 new camera models- GoPro Hero, GoPro Hero4 Silver, and GoProHero Black.
 photo Hero_0_zpsf5ee45ee.jpg

·         GoPro HERO4 Black: the most advanced GoPro ever, featuring improved image quality and a 2x more powerful processor with 2x faster video frame rates1, HERO4 Black takes award‐winning GoPro performance to a whole new level.

 photo Hero4Silver_Cluster_01_zps468ec7e5.jpg

·         GoPro HERO4 Silver: the first-ever GoPro to feature a built-in touch display. Controlling The camera, playing back footage and adjusting settings is ultra-convenient—just view, tap and swipe the screen. With 1080p60 and 720p120 video, and 12MP photos at a staggering 30 frames per second, HERO4 Silver combines powerful, pro-quality capture with the convenience of a touch display.

 photo Hero4Black_Cluster_01_zps4e282651.jpg

·         GoPro HERO: Featuring high‐quality 1080p30 and 720p60 video, and 5MP photos up to 5 fps, HERO captures the same immersive footage that’s made GoPro one of the best-selling cameras in the world.

12x more powerful processor with 2x faster video frame rates

With GoPro you’ll never miss capturing all the action again!  Imagine all the breathtaking shots you’ll be able to take while you are right in the middle of the adventure!
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Learn more at www.bestbuy.com/GoPro or visit your local Best Buy to check out the latest cameras in person.  Let me know which one is your favorite and if you get a GoPro, I’d love to see some of your pictures!  And if you talk to my husband, please tell him I want a Go Pro this holiday season. 😉

 

 

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ASUS Memo Pad ME176 Giveaway- June 23rd- July 11th

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Welcome to the ASUS MeMO Pad ME176 giveaway, sponsored by ASUS
and hosted by Thrifty Nifty Mommy and Viva Veltoro.

ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s digital home, office and person, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, displays, desktops, Eee Box and all-in-one PCs, notebooks, netbooks, tablet devices, servers, multimedia and wireless solutions, networking devices, and mobile phones. ASUS is a global technology leader in the digital era. It is the world’s top 3 consumer notebook vendor and the maker of the world’s best-selling and most award-winning motherboards.

Janessa at Thrifty Nifty Mommy recently had the opportunity to review the ASUS ME181 MeMO Pad 8. ASUS also just released a similar yet smaller version of that tablet, the brand new MeMO Pad ME176 7-inch Tablet! Features of this new tablet include:

  • Intel Atom Bay Trail-T Z3745 Quad Core 1.33GHz (Turbo up to 1.86GHz)
  • Android 4.4 (Kit Kat), 7-inch HD Screen
  • 16 GB Storage, 1 GB RAM Memory
  • 0.65 pounds, 0.38 inches thick

One lucky person is going to win an ASUS MeMO Pad ME176!

This giveaway is open to residents of the US only who are 18 years of age or older, unless prohibited by law. The giveaway will end at 11:59pm EDT on July 11th, 2014 and a winner will be drawn randomly from all eligible entries received. Enter using the Giveaway Tools entry form below. Good luck!
Entry Form
Disclosures: The participating bloggers have not been compensated for sharing this giveaway. Prize fulfilment is the responsibility of ASUS. This giveaway is not associated with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest. For questions about this giveaway, please email thriftyniftymommy {at} yahoo.com

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Gardening Mama 2: Forest Friends on Nintendo 3DS

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Disclosure- We received a copy of Gardening Mama 2: Forest Friends to facilitate our review.  We received no other compensation and all opinions are 100% our own.

gardening mama 2It’s finally here!  The sequel to the best-selling Gardening Mama DS game that’s sold more than 13 million copies, Gardening Mama 2: Forest Friends is now available now for Nintendo 3DS.   If your children like the original Gardening Mama, they’ll love this new game.  In the game, players can plant and tend to their gardens with the help of furry critters while learning the importance of food.  Mama and her woodland friends need your help growing flowers, fruits and veggies for Bear’s Restaurant, Cat’s Beauty Shop, Rabbit’s Flower Shop, Squirrel’s Cake Shop and several other fun stores.
gardening mama screen shot3Your stylus is used as your gardening tool as you plant, grow, and harvest your crops.  You can decorate your garden with over 100 items that you earn while playing.  What will you grow in your gardens?  Juicy watermelons?  Plump eggplant?  Spicy hot peppers?  Your animal friends will mail you asking for help and you’ll need to plant, nurture, harvest, and deliver the garden items to their various stores.  If you do a good job you’ll be rewarded with items such as seeds, flower bulbs, trees, and more so your garden critters can expand your garden, make their shops bigger, and attract even more customers.  There are also fun mini games as well like ironing and mowing the lawn.
gardening mama screen shot4Gardening Mama 2: Forest Friends is a great game for children to learn all that goes into growing a garden.  My girls really enjoy playing it.  The animals are adorable and the game is lots of fun.  Fruits, veggies, flowers, and woodland animals…..what’s not to love!

gardening mama screen shot

Check out the Gardening Mama 2: Forest Friends Gameplay Trailer:

gardening mama screen shot2

Game Overview:

Mama is back in her gardening gloves planting the seeds of friendship! Make your animal friends happy by growing flowers, fruits and vegetables they can sell in their forest shops. With intuitive, stylus based-activities, customization and tons of fun rewards, Garden Mama 2: Forest Friends will get you growing in no time!

Key Features:

  • The latest addition to the successful Mama franchise: 13 million+ games sold worldwide!
  • Sequel to the best-selling Gardening Mama DS game that defined the gardening genre.
  • Use your stylus as your master gardening tool to plant seeds, bulbs and saplings, then care for them with water and fertilizer. Grow 50+ different plants, from gorgeous hydrangeas to delicious watermelons to sizzling hot peppers!
  • New play mechanic! Your animal friends send you mail asking for help. Nurture, harvest and deliver garden items to 6 different animal stores including: Bear’s Restaurant, Rabbit’s Flower Shop, Cat’s Beauty Shop and Squirrel’s Cake Shop.
  • Earn rewards like new varieties of seeds, flower bulbs and trees from your critter friends so you can expand your garden and they can grow their shops into bigger, more extravagant businesses that attract additional customers.
  • New activities with multiple variations star Mama’s friends and family featured throughout franchise games. Sort, pick, clean, organize, mow, arrange, water, harvest and much more!
  • Protect your plants from lack of nutrients, viruses and bugs to maintain a healthy garden.
  • Customize and decorate your garden with 100+ items: fences, fountains, playground equipment, topiary, pergolas, sculptures, benches, pets and more. You can even dress up Mama in fun new outfits!
  • Interact with your animal pals and earn garden points by fulfilling their requests. Trade points for items and decorations that let you create a one-of-a-kind garden. Use shop tickets to purchase more flowers, fruits and vegetables to enlarge your garden and make it more productive.
  • Use Spot Pass to receive new backgrounds for your garden.

 

 

 

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HP Saving Center and More HP Printer Services! #HPSavingsCenter @HP @HPPRINT

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Thank you for visiting Cori's Cozy Corner! Please make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our E-mails!

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a program on behalf of HP and received an HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One printer and an HP Instant Ink package as part of my participation.
hp savings center
I have already told you about my new HP Envy 5530 e- All-in-One Printer and how much I love the HP Instant Ink service.   Those aren’t the only way to save with HP.  The HP Saving Center saves time and money by delivery coupons right to your printer.  And the best part, it’s FREE!  Setting up the HP Savings Center is easy and can be done in 3 simple steps.

hp set up screen shot3

Step 1- Enter your location to unlock local offers in addition to the regular coupon savings.  This includes things like dry cleaners, plumbers, and more!
hp set up screen shot2
Step 2- Teach the HP Savings Center your category preferences.  There are lots of categories to choose from such as clothing, office, health & beauty, kids, and more.  When you thumbs up or thumbs down it will teach the HP Savings Center what you like to it will show you more savings that you will prefer.
hp set up screen shot

Step 3- Set up your household in the HP Savings Center.  This lets it recommend more savings based on similar households.  Add your pets, too, so it will recommend savings on things like pet food and services.

savings center The HP Savings Center will then show you all the available coupons and offers.  Click to “clip” which coupons and offers you want to print and when you are finished, click to print only those selected coupons.  Last week there was a $2 off coupon for toilet paper that we use in our house.  It happened to be on sale for $6 at our local grocery store so I was able to get it for only $4.  I happened to see some bonus packages on an end cap at the store so my packages had even more toilet paper than normal.  I might not have even looked for the toilet paper if I hadn’t first seen the coupon on the HP Savings Center.  You can print 2 of most of the coupons which is awesome.  The coupons print 4 to maximize all printable space on each sheet.   I love being able to grab my coupons that are waiting for me on the printer when I run out the door to the store.  The HP Envy 5530 also has it’s own email address so I can send coupons (or anything else) wirelessly from anywhere in the world to print right on my printer.  How cool is that?!?!  I could even type a message to my kids when I am out of town and have it print on the printer as a special surprise for them.  COOL!

hp apps

HP also has lots of fun and helpful apps that can be set up to deliver HP printables right on your printer.  I love the 7 Day Menu Planner that gives me meal ideas and recipes for the entire week plus coupons to go with the items you need for the meals.  It is a great help when I am at a loss for what to make for dinner.  There are lots of fun printables for the kids such as Garfield, Dora, Highlights Magazine, Crayola coloring pages and more.  The Busy Moms Weekly is another good one for a busy mom.  It prints a schedule, parenting articles, money saving coupons, and more once a week for you.  I love walking by the printer and seeing my printed pages sitting there waiting to help me each week.
See how much you can save with the HP Savings Center, HP Instant Ink, and HP Printables!

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Save Time and Money With The HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One Printer, HP Savings Center and HP Instant Ink! #HPSavingsCenter @HP @HPPRINT

This post may contain affiliate links.
Thank you for visiting Cori's Cozy Corner! Please make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our E-mails!

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a program on behalf of HP and received an HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One printer and an HP Instant Ink package as part of my participation.
HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One Printer
It’s a new year and you’re trying to save money and use coupons more.  You plan out your shopping trip and go to print your coupons but you find you are out of ink for your printer.  Or when you kids need to print that important report for school and of course they waiting until late Sunday night to print it and yup, you’re out of ink.  HP has you covered with their HP Instant Ink Program.  With this great program HP sends you ink BEFORE you run out.  I am so excited to be able to share not only this program with my readers but also one of their awesome printers, the HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One Printer which is one of their Instant Ink compatible printers.  You need an Instant Ink compatible printer to be able to use the Instant Ink program.
HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One Printer collage
The HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One Printer is so easy to set up and I was ready to get printing in a few minutes.  I took the printer out of the box, plugged it in, and followed the instructions.  The printer printed an alignment page to get the settings right.  I scanned the alignment page after it printed and I was good to go.
HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One Printer test page
The first time I set up the printer wasn’t to use it at home or for this review.  I was volunteering at my daughters’ school for the PTO and we needed to scan and print some forms for a fundraiser we were doing.  We were in a portable in the back of the school and going up to the front office and back was getting to be a pain.  Especially because teachers were also copying and printing at the same time so it was taking forever to get what we needed do.  I decided to run home and grab my new HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One Printer.  When I got to school and set the printer up at first I was worried because I realized I didn’t have internet access, access to the school’s network, or even a cable to connect my computer to my printer.  That’s when I remembered that the HP ENVY 5530 could connect to my computer wirelessly by itself.  It was so easy to turn on the printer’s own wireless, get it’s password, and then connect my computer just like you would connect to a wifi network.  Easy peasy and I was up and printing in minutes.  The other PTO members were amazed that my printer could connect this way, too.

Here are some of the specs for this amazing printer that not only prints, but also copies and scans, too!

  • Prints up to 8.8 ISO ppm* in black, up to 5.2 ISO ppm* in color- . Maximum print speed up to 21 ppm* in black and up to 17 ppm* in color.
  • Built-in wireless LAN (802.11b/g/n)
  • Color resolution up to 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi (1200 input dpi)
  • Memory card slot – Lets you expand the printer’s memory (card not included).
  • Wireless printing capability – Using HP ePrint or Apple® AirPrint for direct printing from a compatible device.
  • Copies up to 6 cpm* in black, up to 4 cpm* in color (laser comparable speeds) – So you can easily make copies of documents. Maximum copy speed up to 21 cpm* in black and up to 17 cpm* in color.
  • Copy resolution up to 600 x 600 dpi in black, up to 600 x 1200 dpi in color
  • 24-bit flatbed scanner with 8.5″ x 11.7″ scan area and  HP Printer Control lets you scan to your mobile device.
  • 2.7″ color touch screen
  • 100-sheet input tray
  • HP Live Photo
  • USB 2.0 connectivity

I love how easy the HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One Printer was to set up.  It walks you through everything and was easy to bring back home and set up in my own house with my home network, too.  I accidentally loaded a piece of paper that was a little crinkled in the printer and it jammed but even getting out the jammed page was easy.  Normally opening up a printer to find a jammed page can be intimidating but it was really easy to find the page and get it out.

instant ink
I really love that I don’t have to worry about running out of ink anymore with the HP Instant Ink Program.  Once my printer was set up I simply went to HP Instant Ink to open a new account, entered the code that came with my Instant Ink Enrollment Kit, and followed the sign up directions.  With the Instant Ink program you can save up to 50% on original HP Ink.
instant ink2
HP Instant Ink has 3 different plans to choose from and the savings can really add up.  You can choose from 50 pages per month, 100 pages per month, or 300 pages per month.  That’s right, you don’t pay for the ink you use, you pay per page you print.  You can change your plan easily by logging into your account and if you go over your allotted monthly prints they just charge your account.  For example on the $4.99 per month plan that I am on I can print up to 100 pages per month.  If I go over they will charge me only $1 for every 20 more pages I print.  If you don’t use up all of your prints for the month you can roll over some of your prints, too, so you won’t lose them.
hp instant ink savings

The HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One Printer connects to the internet so the Instant Ink program can monitor your ink levels (both black and colored inks) and send you new Original HP Ink BEFORE you run out!  No more running out of ink right when you need it most.  No more having to remember to get ink, remembering what model ink number you need to get, running to stores hoping they have what you need, or wasting gas to get to the store!  I love that!  And when you receive the new ink cartridges you also receive a mailer to mail back the used cartridges so HP can recycle them.
Easy to set up and easy to use printer- CHECK!
Money saving ink program so you never run out of ink- CHECK!
PLUS keep your eye out for my upcoming post about about some more exciting features from HP:
Savings Center to help save you money- CHECK!
Great apps with printable pages for every member of the family- CHECK!

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