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Parents Get Organized With Windows Phone Samsung Focus (AT&T)

August 29, 2011 By 641 Comments

I love my Windows Phone, in fact, I had the opportunity to upgrade to a 4G phone but the phone wasn’t a Windows phone, it was a droid, so I gave it to my husband. I have the HTC Trophy and just love how I can pin the apps I love to use on my start page of my phone. I have my favorite Facebook friends and pinned, along with my twitter app, outlook, and calendar. It’s also so easy to move apps whenever I feel like life needs a reorg. HTC7_Trophy_lg

With kids going back to school and after school activities being juggled with work and the PTA, parents need all the help they can get. I know I do, I need everything on a list and that list needs to be on my device. Well, as they say there’s an app for that and Windows Phone is there for you with a line up of apps to save the day.

OneNote is the ultimate note taking tool on your phone that syncs to your PC. It lets you attach pictures and even voice notes, so you never miss a beat. Then, pin important notes to your Start Screen for easy on-the-go access.  Not only will you be organized with a calendar and email, but shopping is made easier too with these apps.

Best Buy: The Best Buy app for Windows Phone provides a fresh new way to shop for the latest and greatest technology. Browse the full product catalog, compare price specs and create your technology wish list. You’ll be sure to make the best tech choice this back to school season!

moBudget: Take advantage of this user friendly budgeting and expense tracking app that helps you organize your personal income. There are a lot of purchases made for the back to school season and moBudget app helps you stay within your budget.

ShopSavvy: With the latest and greatest in barcode scanning mobile technology, you will be sure to snag the best price for your kid’s must have back to school outfit. Don’t spend all day driving around to other stores, simply use the camera to take a picture of any barcode and ShopSavvy will provide you with a list of online and local prices.

Amazon Shopping: Avoid the lines at the bookstore by using the Amazon Shopping app for Windows Phone. You can quickly search, shop, compare prices, read reviews and purchase all the necessary books for your kid’s first day back at school.

Evernote: Evernote is the ultimate life organizer and a must have app to get everything done in time for the school year without missing a beat. You can store notes, snapshots and even recordings with the Evernote app – and it even instantly syncs from the phone to the web to your PC.

CleverToDo: This handy task management app based on David Allen’s “Get Things Done” methodology helps you stay productive on-the-go.

iRewardChart: Trying to get your kid back the school mindset by finishing up their summer reading? Utilize this handy app that makes it easy to reward your kids for good behavior and keep them motivated to start the school year off right!

Now you may think that your carrier doesn’t support Windows Phone, well think again. Windows Phones are available on every major US carrier with many different phones to choose from. So you can get the touchscreen you want while sticking with your family plan.

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, Cathy W.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules. We received free samples in the past.

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I Need a New Laptop, What should I get?

June 3, 2011 By 2 Comments

You know whenever your computer starts to get really slow? I mean, super duper slow? Usually that makes me think that I need to reformat my machine, but this time it’s more than that. It’s slow, and it’s making noises. Lots of icky noises. The screen is humming and the power just seems to be waning. It’s also making wheezing sounds, my blogging is quite dependent on my laptop. Luckily my husband is loaning me his machine for my upcoming trip to Chicago with Craftsman, Cincinnati with Pampers P&G, and my trip to LA/Hollywood with Disney and Dreamworks. He doesn’t think my laptop will last much longer let alone three trips in 11 days, so it’s time to start thinking about alternatives!

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I’ve considered a netbook and decided that’s not the way to go for me. netbooks are just too small. They are light and easy to travel with, but they just don’t have the processing speed and video capabilities that I need. I need a machine that can hold up to 20 – 50 windows being opened at one time. yes really, I do. It’s not excessive it’s how I work. I have ADD when I’m on my computer. I also want a big screen too. My current Sony Vaio is 16 inches so I need to decide if I want to keep the size, or go up an inch or down an inch. Oh too many decisions. I’m really not happy with my Sony Vaio, we never were, my husbands screen broke way too easily and the screen was the only part of the computer not covered by the warranty. Before my Sony I had an HP. HP does have a few good options for computers, and laser printers while I’m thinking about it.

What I really want is a tablet pc or a slate. I used to have a tablet pc once upon a time when they first came out. Or rather it belonged to my husband but I loved to play with it. It had a swivel screen and you could use a stylus on the screen. I want another tablet in some form or another, having a new Windows 7 Phone, a NookColor, and an iPad for a brief period of time really makes me want a tablet pc of some kind. But what should I go with, Andrew says the technology isn’t what I expect it to be.

What would you suggest to someone that uses their laptop all the time, it would be my main computer?

 

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Loving Windows Phone 7 Facebook Integration

April 14, 2011 By 2 Comments

I have been wanting a Windows phone 7 since they were announced. I was so very excited, only to find out that Verizon is taking it’s sweet time in releasing the phone. I was first introduced to it from my husband telling me all about it. Then, I saw a demo of the Windows 7 phone at Blogher and fell in even more love with it. Then my neighbors got Windows 7 phones, they actually left Verizon so that they could get a Windows 7 phone when they first came out. Finally, I received a phone on behalf of Microsoft to try out for myself for a month, and now that the month is over….

VERIZON, please please please, give me Windows 7!

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The phone is the easiest phone I have ever had to operate.

Set Up…Easy

Making Phone Calls… EASY

Playing Games EASY – Miles plays lots of games

Search… Easy

Customization Super Easy. Pinning things to your start up page is so easy. Have any app, or personal Facebook account pinned to your start page. I was able to read my friends sites every day and I’ve never been able to do that before because I have over 1000 friends. If I knew how to delete people that I don’t know in person, I would.

The touch screen was AMAZING (my only complaint would be the fact that some of the apps don’t support dual touch, even thought the phone does, and that’s not Windows 7’s fault it’s the individual app)

The greatest feature is how well integrated the Windows phone 7 is with Facebook. Before being introduced to Windows phone 7, I really wasn’t very big into Facebook. I post what I need to for my site, but my personal page is a disaster of nothingness. I just don’t post because it has never been convenient; with Windows phone 7 it is.

My kids and I were at a park and it was a beautiful day so I took some photos with my Windows Phone 7. The camera can be used without unlocking the phone, all you need to do is push the camera button on the side of the phone and it goes into photo mode. I took the shots and was able to post them directly to my Facebook account. Of course there are other locations you can post your photos to with the greatest of ease, but knowing you guys, Facebook is the place you’re going to be putting your photos, videos and blurbs about your life.

We were able to call my SIL with the greatest of ease. We have her Facebook Account pinned to our startup page and her number is in her Facebook profile so we were able to call her without adding her phone number to the directory. Facebook and Windows Phone 7 go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly, it’s the perfect combination. You can get your on-line connection fix much faster and have more free time to do other things in life.

There is plenty more to say about Windows Phone 7, I thought I would just start off with a little bit about Facebook.

Be sure to stay up to date with features by following Windows Phone on twitter and becoming a Facebook Fan of Windows Phone on Facebook.

Disclosure: I received a Windows Phone 7 and a one month service free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation

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10 Educational Apps For Windows 7 Phone

March 31, 2011 By 5 Comments

I received a Windows Phone 7, the Samsung to review for National Reading Month. Well today is the last day of National Reading Month and I wanted to show you some of the best educational Apps on the Windows 7 phone. A recent AVG study showed that more kids aged 2-5 can play with a smartphone application (19 percent) than tie his or her shoelaces (9 percent). The reality is, young children are becoming technologically savvy younger and younger now-a-days. My son was able to unlock my sisters smart phone when he was only 1 year old. Kids just have a knack with smart phones.

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Don’t be hesitant to let your children play with your phones. Giving them a piece of technology loaded with something educational would be the same as giving them a game, or book at the doctor’s office. It’s a great way to keep them occupied when you need to carry on a conversation or do something quickly.

Here is a list of 11 educational apps (because I had to include the Kindle app) some we actually tested out as a family.

Kindle – Users have access to more than 750,000 books with this app.

The Kindle is my favorite way to read books. Even on my iPad I was using the Kindle app to read my books. So now, I can read my books from anywhere, because I always have my phone with me.

Animal Kingdom – Teaches the names and sounds of animals in different languages with flashcards.

Animal Kingdom was fun and easy for the kids to play with. The touch technology is right on the mark, and the kids were able to listen to different animal sounds as we had fun naming each animal.

Flash Cards – Use addition, subtraction, multiplication and division or all of the above in one deck.

Again, too old for my children but this is a great way to get kids that need to learn those multiplication tables to practice. It’s quick and easy to use, and more  fun than sitting there with mom and dad going over the same cards for hours.

Flashcards – Study from six built-in decks – Cell Biology, French Vocabulary, Spanish Vocabulary, Sports Trivia, State Capitols and Trigonometric Identities.

I thought these flash cards were kind of fun. I played with the Capitols for a while and realized, I’ve forgotten a lot of state capitols. I’m ashamed and embarrassed and I’m going to practice some more to re-learn them.

Flash Cards for Kids – Flash Cards that display the alphabet A to Z. Also displays the numbers (one through twenty), colors, shapes, planets and mini-games.

My kids had fun playing the alphabet. Any game that has the letters of the alphabet on it was appealing to them.

Giggle Pad – Fun and educational game for children ages 9 months and older. It includes two modes. The first mode, called “Play Phone”, is a pretend phone that speaks. Numbers, voices and songs play when you or your child press the pretend keys and call button. The second mode, called “Tap Shapes”, shows random shapes, letters, and numbers when you touch the screen or press a key on your phone’s keyboard. All letters, number, colors and shapes are spoken out loud.

Giggle Pad was really cool. The only draw back with it was that it was unable to accept dual finger input so my kids had just a little trouble because their fingers would be in one location when they needed to push on another location and they would get frustrated that it wasn’t accepting their intended input. I found it to be a very educational game when we got past that one barrier.

And a few more we didn’t get the chance to try:

English Grammar – Includes chapters on grammar and writing, focus on commas, adjectives and adverbs.

Flash Cardz! Alfabeto – Now you can learn your Spanish A,B, C’s the fun and easy  way. With pictures and sounds!

Math Reference – Useful for quick access to math formulas. Contains basic and advanced math – great for parents who want to help their kids study but can’t recall the formula.

Slurpy the Fog – An activity book for preschool aged children designed to help your child learn shapes, colors, sizes, relationships and facts about the world.

Toddler Flashcards Plus – Toddler flashcards for animals, things, food, colors, numbers, shapes, the alphabet, and a “mix it up mode” for animals, things and food combined into one.

Disclosure: I received a Windows 7 Phone and service for a month to use the phone, however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

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Windows Phone 7 …. Really?

October 11, 2010 By 11 Comments

I’ve been really excited about the New Windows Phone 7, until I found out that Verizon will not be carrying one until next year. Ugg, I don’t want to wait for a new phone, my phone is a technical dud that I want to throw into the bottom of the Ocean. I still find myself checking my e-mail and website from it all the time so I found this commercial hilarious. Aren’t we all like this, Really? We’re all so stuck on our phones and technology. I think the better you make a phone though, the more we’re going to be on it, not less. The only thing that keeps me off mine is that I can’t do everything I want to do!

I need a phone that I can do all of my social media on. I need twitter, facebook, a camera, a touch screen and a keyboard. Is that too much to ask from a phone. So will Windows Phone 7 really hold up to all of our expectations?

What do you think of the commercial?

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