windows champion Archives

From One To Another The Windows Lumia 2520 #ATTSeattle #WindowsChampions

July 14, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

We received a Windows Lumia 2520 from AT&T. You can purchase yours at the AT&T Store.

From one machine to another Windows has changed the way your computer works. If you have signed up for a Microsoft account, which you probably did years ago and didn’t even realize what you did, you now have the capability of logging onto any computer with your Microsoft account and your settings are carried over to that machine. I was doing a review for AT&T using the Windows Lumia 2520 and I made some changers to my account. I forgot that the changes would then transfer to my regular computer, I was reminded when I logged into my regular computer and all my settings mirrored the Lumia 2520 that I was playing with. So I changed them back.

The Nokia Lumia 2520 was Nokia’s first Windows RT 8. 1 tablet, pulling out all the stops in design, power, and productivity on the go. Featuring a 10. 1-inch, full HD 1080p display with enhanced readability, the Lumia 2520 allows you to take your work where you need to whether in low lighting or direct sunlight so you can see what you’re working on. The tablet features a really great large screen, the device is thin at 8. 9 mm and lightweight with 2 GB of RAM. In addition to its unique display and design, the Nokia Lumia 2520 includes two cameras in its design. A 6. 7 megapixel lens with ZEISS optics and an f/1. 9 aperture rests inside the main camera on the back of the device, superior for capturing low light images. Another 2 megapixel HD camera sits prominently on the front, the biggest of any front-facing camera featured on a tablet and perfect for Skype video calls. It’s perfect for being on the Go and away from home.

The battery can last up to 10 hours, and when you do need to plug in can charge up to 80% in under an hour another great feature for travel. Its best accessory, the Nokia Power Keyboard, provides not only an additional feature of a full PC in a tablet, but gives you 50% more battery power, a touchpad, and two additional USB ports. It features the mobility of a tablet and the best of a PC with fast charge, battery longevity, and the ability to stay connected.

The power of multitasking is available thanks to the ability to use two apps simultaneously in split-screen mode, the ultimate way to stay productive. I use the multi-screen all the time. I do a lot of copy and paste from one screen to the other. The Lumia 2520 also has full-featured web browsing to access content on the go, and over 112,000 entertainment and productivity apps for download in the Windows Store. Personalize your Lumia 2520 to you with options for four tile sizes on the home screen, and more backgrounds, colors, and personalized lock screen options with a picture password.

Exclusive Nokia Apps

HERE: HERE Maps helps you discover all the best places in any neighborhood and find the smartest ways to get there, wherever you are.
Nokia Video Director: Unleash your creative side to take photos, record video clips, and use them to create your own customized videos.
Nokia StoryTeller: Taking you back to your captured moments to bring your memories alive.

Summer Travel & Fitness Apps for Windows Phone #WindowsChampions #VZWBuzz

July 3, 2014 by Momstart 1 Comment

Whether you’re hitting the pavement or taking to the air this summer, here are a few apps to make this summer the best yet.

1. Get Active

Start this summer off on the right foot – literally. Stay on track of your healthy lifestyle with the Bing Health & Fitness app on Windows and Windows Phone. This app features great fitness and nutrition content, along with trackers, tools and other features to get the most out of your day – and your workout. By logging into your Microsoft account, the app syncs across all your devices so your content and info will always be there. If you’re traveling or on-the-go this summer, download Bodeefit on Windows and Windows Phone for high intensity workouts, or try Yoga.com on Windows and Windows Phone, which lets you keep up with yoga workouts at your own pace anytime, anywhere.

2. Get Planning

Have a bad case of wanderlust? What are you waiting for? The Bing Travel app, available on Windows and Windows Phone, helps you explore the world and plan a perfect trip. Get inspired by the 360-degree panoramas, slideshows, photos and videos of scenic spots around the globe. Once you decide on a destination and book your flight, keep track of your travel info until you’re sitting on the plane, no matter who you’re flying with – Alaska Airlines on Windows and Windows Phone, American Airlines on Windows and Windows Phone or United, also on Windows and Windows Phone. Complete your trip by booking an affordable, discounted room from Priceline Hotels on Windows and Windows Phone and cruise stress-free to your destination.

3. Get Going

Once your feet are on the ground, you’ll need to get your bearings. Bing Translator, available on Windows and Windows Phone, is your companion when you need to overcome a language barrier. Want to make sure you hit all the best shops and restaurants? HERE City Lens, on Windows Phone, gives you an entirely new way to reveal what’s around you. Just hold up your phone like you’re taking a picture, and HERE City Lens overlays all the best points of interest right on your display – just tap the icon for more information

Emergency & Natural Disaster Preparedness Apps #VZWBuzz #WindowsChampions

June 2, 2014 by Momstart 1 Comment

Microsoft offers several resources and tips to keep you safe and out of harm’s way during natural disasters. As a Microsoft Brand Ambassador and also a Verizon Wireless ambassador currently using a Windows Phone, I wanted to share these aps with you guys. Last week was Hurricane Preparedness week and my mom lives in the panhandle of Florida so I know all too well about how one needs to be prepared for a hurricane and other natural disasters.

Stay Connected

Use technology to your advantage: During times of disaster, social media and texting are quick and effective ways to communicate with friends and family. Last year, Microsoft launched HelpBridge, an app designed to help people connect with one another, and with volunteer and donation opportunities, during any type of disaster. HelpBridge is a free cross-platform mobile application (Windows, Android, iOS) that provides you with the ability to send status updates to pre-selected contact groups via email, SMS, Twitter and Facebook. Through your phone’s GPS capabilities you can also choose whether to share your location in your alerts. Today, Microsoft released an update to the app including a new easy to navigate User Interface and push notifications. In times of disaster, Skype on Windows or Windows Phone can also help you stay connected via the internet or a mobile device when phone services are down.

Plan Ahead

Develop a family emergency plan: One of the best ways you can weather the storm is to prepare for it. Microsoft Excel offers several free templates, including emergency contact lists and family emergency plans. Remember to plan for senior citizens and pets in your household, and communicate this plan to family and friends so they are aware. Your plan can be accessed during a disaster by saving it to a cloud service, like OneDrive on Windows or Windows Phone, so you can access your documents on any computer or smartphone – even when Internet access is not available.

The United States Department of Homeland Security also offers several resources and games to make disaster preparedness planning easy for the whole family, including Facebook application, bReddi, which helps you and your family prepare for emergencies. The American Red Cross and FEMA provide extensive preparation guidance and status information for various types of natural disasters, including hurricanes.

Use Your Resources and Take Action

Monitor your health information: Quick and reliable access to your health and medical information is important to ensure the appropriate medical aid during a natural disaster. HealthVault on Windows and Windows Phone helps you gather, store, use, and share important health information for you and your family by creating an emergency profile. Here you can manage and track your family’s medical contacts, allergies, medication, immunizations, and health conditions. Your medical providers can securely log in and see a full picture of your history and medical needs.

Download the HelpBridge app on here and visit Microsoft Disaster Response site to learn more about the Microsoft Disaster Response program.

Spring Cleaning with Dell’s 8.1 Venue 8 Pro #WindowsChampion

March 29, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

I’m a Windows Champion and received a Dell 8.1 Venue as part of my membership

There’s no better way to get a head start on organizing your life than using the latest technology from Dell & Microsoft! Although the arrival of spring is daunting to most, Dell’s new Windows 8.1-based Venue 8 Pro, XPS 11 and XPS 18 all offer unique tech gadgets to help simplify and reinvigorate the often grueling process of de-cluttering before summer.

Have you ever dreamt of a portable device that would allow you to manage your home improvement projects, complete your tax returns, touch up your latest PowerPoint presentation for work, and then kick your feet up and watch Netflix on when it’s all said and done? Dell’s Venue 8 Pro is an 8-inch tablet perfect for being on-the-go, allowing you to access all of your work and play essentials on a sleek and slim, lightweight device that can be held in one hand – it features all-day battery life to boot!

Keep calm, take a deep breath and ~~don’t~~ flip out! You heard us right – Dell’s acrobatic XPS 11 is a 2-in-1 that features an innovative hinge allowing 360-degree rotation, enabling you to smoothly transition from tablet to laptop in seconds. And it’s not just any 2-in-1: at 2.5 lbs and measuring less than half an inch thin, it’s the world’s lightest, thinnest and most compact 11-inch convertible. Its flexibility and QHD touch display empowers you to entertain or multitask, no matter what life throws at you.

Dell’s XPS 18 is the world’s thinnest and lightest portable all-in-one desktop, making it easy to move from room-to-room when working on the fly. It features an 18.4-inch full HD touch display, perfect for viewing and creating digital floor plans, comparing vibrant paint samples, ordering furniture and accessories – and when the projects are done, you can run a loop of photos from your last family vacation on your room’s new tech centerpiece.

Celebrate Dr. Seuss Birthday with Windows 8.1 Apps #WindowsChampions

March 5, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

In celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, I wanted to find some apps that you could also find for Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 that also celebrate the birthday of our favorite cat. I found five apps that are great for you and your child to get into the world of Dr. Seuss.

The Cat In The Hat:

On a cold and wet day, two children are visited by a mischievous cat, wearing a tall, red and white-striped hat. To entertain the children, the Cat performs wacky tricks, creating a mess of the house. Will mother find out about the Cat and see the mess?
"I know some good games we could play,"
Said the cat
"I know some new tricks,"
Said the Cat in the Hat.…

Features:

Three reading modes: Read to Me, Read it Myself, Auto Play
Picture / Word association — words zoom up and are spoken when pictures are touched
Individual words highlight and are read aloud when tapped
Professional audio narration
Custom background audio for each scene

The Lorax:

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not,” proclaims The Lorax in this cautionary tale of greed and environmental destruction. The story recounts how the Lorax tries to save the Truffula Forest and its inhabitants from disaster at the hands of an insatiable factory owner. The Lorax’s pleas are ignored and tragedy follows. A Dr. Seuss classic, it also serves as an ecological warning that st…

Features:

Three reading modes: Read to Me, Read it Myself, Auto Play
Picture / Word association — words zoom up and are spoken when pictures are touched
Individual words highlight and are read aloud when tapped
Professional audio narration
Custom background audio for each scene

One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

"Did you ever fly a kite in bed? Did you ever walk with ten cats on your head?"
Such are the profound questions posed in this well-loved Dr. Seuss classic. Through his rhymes and riddles, Seuss’s intention is clear: teach children to read in a way that is both entertaining and educational. From a one-humped Wump and Mister Gump to yellow pets called the Zeds with one hair upon their heads, children will be entranced–so a…

Features:

Three reading modes: Read to Me, Read it Myself, Auto Play
Picture / Word association — words zoom up and are spoken when pictures are touched
Individual words highlight and are read aloud when tapped
Professional audio narration
Custom background audio for each scene

Green Eggs and Ham – Dr. Seuss

"Would you eat them in a box? Would you eat them with a fox?"
This timeless Dr. Seuss classic has been delighting readers since 1960. Sam-I-am never gives up trying to convince his friend that green eggs and ham are a tasty treat. He tries everything – in a house, with a mouse, in a box, with a fox, with a goat, on a boat – to no avail. Then finally, finally his friend caves in… and tries them. And guess what? "I…

Features:

Three reading modes: Read to Me, Read it Myself, Auto Play
Picture / Word association — words zoom up and are spoken when pictures are touched
Individual words highlight and are read aloud when tapped
Professional audio narration
Custom background audio for each scene

How The Grinch Stole Christmas:

The Grinch hates Who-ville’s holiday celebrations, and plans to steal all the presents to prevent Christmas from coming. But the Grinch soon discovers the true meaning of the holiday, changing his heart forever.
New features only available in this omBook include professional narration, background audio and enlarged artwork for each scene. To promote reading in young children, individual words are highlighted as the story is read and words zoom up when pictures are touched. By combining the or…

Features:

Three reading modes: Read to Me, Read it Myself, Auto Play
Picture / Word association — words zoom up and are spoken when pictures are touched
Professional audio narration
Custom background audio for each scene

A Few Apps You Need For Super Bowl Sunday #WindowsChampions

January 28, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

(I’m a windows champion and was provided this information)

With The Super Bowl just a few days away, it’s time to start making those game day plans. Actually you should already have your plans but if you are like me you don’t have plans yet because you are an ultimate procrastinator.

So Either way if you were dubbed last minute to plan the party, or its your responsibility to keep the kids entertained during the commercials, don’t worry! Apps from Windows and Windows Phone have got you covered!

1. Host the Party

Nervous to plan the game day party? Serve the best food on the block with recipes from Bing Food & Drink! And because we always seem to have too much or not enough, Party Food on your Windows pc/tablet will help you shop for the right amount. No party is complete without a fancy cocktail in hand, so let 111 Cocktails on your Windows Phone do all the work in finding the right drink for every guest.

You might also check out Craving Snacks

2. Watch

Having trouble keeping up with the games? Enhance your Super Bowl viewing and don’t miss a beat with our Super Sunday Collection and Bing Sports on Windows and Windows Phone.

3. Keep Everyone Entertained

Scared of that semi-awkward lull during commercials (unless the commercials are your favorite part)? Keep up the energy and get even the kids in the room involved with fun sports entertainment apps like My Trivia Sports on your Windows pc/tablet, Football Kick Flick on your Windows Phone, or Touchdown Run on your Windows Phone or tablet/PC. Want to interact with the game? NFL Connect is the only app that lets you play LIVE alongside the game!

For up to date details you might also check out the NFL NEWS app and if your local be sure to check out the Seattle Seahawks.

4. Be The Next Star

Need some help on your own form? Never fear! You’ll be passing touchdowns or coaching your team to victory with Coach’s Eye on your Windows tablet and Adidas miCoach on your Windows Phone.

How TO Take a Screenshot in Windows 8.1 #windowschampions

October 9, 2013 by Momstart Leave a Comment

Disclosure: I’m a Windows Champion and receive products to review.

Whenever I use Windows and I need to take a screen shot I’ve been using the Snipping Tool. However, with the introduction of Windows 8 I found that I could only using the snipping tool within the desktop portion of the operating system. So how does one take a screen shot in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 without using the Snipping tool?

To take a screen shot you will hit the Windows Start Key and the Print Screen button (PrtSc)

The screen will go dark and then you will find a new screen shot in the screen shots folder inside of the pictures folder that is located in your libraries.

Then I did a search using the search charm and took a picture of my results. Because once you are using the search charm you are in the app portion of operating system.

So I love this, because now when I’m reviewing an app like my favorite app fotor, I can do a tutorial by taking screen shots.

4 Windows 8 Summer Travel Apps To Try #WindowsChampions

August 1, 2013 by Momstart Leave a Comment

Summer’s not quite over, I think some families only have two weeks left to get in those last minute travel itches and the rest of us won’t start until September so we have a month left. I’m planning on traveling to Florida in August for a last minute family hurrah and I’ll be keeping my tech with me. As a Windows Champion, I have four Windows 8 Summer Travel Apps you should try!

Kayak: Planning a last-minute summer vaycay? KAYAK can help! This app helps you find the right flight and the perfect hotel – comparing hundreds of travel sites on your Windows 8 PC. (Free)

Fotor: Fotor is a fantastic all-in-one photo editing application. It perfectly combines the Windows 8 user experience with a variety of cutting edge tools, all bundled together in one powerful package. A great way to spice up your summer photo albums!

GuidePal: Make sure you don’t miss out on popular local hotspots and the must-see classics while traveling this summer. Each recommendation has been selected by locals who love their city and enjoy uncovering its latest gems.

XE Currency: Whether you’re working on your desktop computer or traveling with your tablet, you can easily convert every world currency with this app. It features a currency converter with live rates and stores your latest update, so it works even when the Internet doesn’t.

Feeding The Fitbit Addiction On Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 #WindowsChampion

March 13, 2013 by Momstart 1 Comment

This is a really hard thing for me to admit to but yes, I’m addicted to my Fitbit. I received my Fitbit just a little over two months ago and I’ve been challenging myself for a while to find a day where I could get 15,000 steps in. On most days I’m lucky to get in only 3000 steps. I sit on the couch a lot working from my laptop. Because I’m at the couch all day for the first few weeks it was very hard to find ways to get over 5,000. I would take a nap instead of going to the gym. As I’ve found myself getting to 5000 lately and 10,000 on occasion, I was quite proud of myself when I reached 15,000 yesterday. Each time you reach a new goal you earn a badge and you can set your account to share on Facebook tweet out your badges and daily accomplishments. (I’m not so fond of it sharing with the world how lazy and in active I am most of the time) But I’m still addicted because it gets me moving more.

Fitbit is on Windows 8, it’s an app that you can download and use on your desktop. From the app you can sync manually but you don’t have it. It seems that as long as you have the fitbit dongle plugged in it will sync automatically whenever you are near it. When using the app sometimes I have to bump the fitbit to wake it up

Then I can go to Fitbit.com and find out all about my stats. If I had more time I could find out how to manage my eating. I could also find out my sleeping habits if I purchased their newer device the wireless sleepband, which I might just do. I already have the scale that connects wirelessly to the network. It’s so cool to track all my exercise and like I said before, I have to challenge myself just to get to 5000 steps a day with the ultimate goal being 10,000 steps a day.

Today was actually an active day because I went to the Gym this morning and you can see that by my steps I’ve already taken today. I’m at 9,000. WOOT! Fitbit is also on Windows Phone 8 (at least sort of), a few different developers have written their own versions. Let me tell you what I think of them so far.

That’s the Fitbit Companions version I can’t even log into it.

Fitbit Companion allows Fitbit tracker users to access statistics about your activity. This app supports viewing your tracker- and body details (activity, sleep, body, devices). It allows you to get some details for a specific date or gain some more perspective using historical data. You can also log activities, sleep, body weight and body fat percentage. A fitbit device is not needed to use this app. It can also be used to track activities, sleep and body details. This application is NOT an official Fitbit application, but is created by a fan. It uses the official Fitbit API and doesn’t share your personal information outside of this application.

The DotNetNuzzi Fitbit Tracker works quite well. You can add water, food, exercise and weight. works much better!

The DotNetNuzzi WP7 Fitbit Activity Tracker helps you view your activities, food, water, and weight entries wherever you are to assist with tracking your progress towards your goals. The DotNetNuzzi Fitbit Activity Tracker syncs up with your account on the Fitbit website so you can have an overall view of your stats and back up your data. A summary of the features are listed below. DASHBOARD – Check your stats for today and up to 2 weeks in the past – See your latest Steps, Floors Climbed, Calories Burned, Active Score, and Distance Traveled when your Fitbit Wireless Tracker* syncs with a base station LOGGED ACTIVITIES – View your logged activities for today and up to 2 weeks in the past – See your Name and Description total distance and steps logged – See your total calories burned or a break down by activity logged LOGGED FOOD ENTRIES – View your logged food entries for today and up to 2 weeks in the past – See your calories, carbs, food names, brands, fat, fiber, protein, and sodium for food entries logged – View a total calorie count and a break down by food logged LOGGED WATER CONSUMED – View your logged water consumption for today and up to 2 weeks in the past WEIGHT ENTRIES – View your logged weight entries for today and up to 2 weeks in the past – View an active chart of the your weight entries to monitor progress YOUR PROFILE – View your profile information, such as Name, Nick Name, Birthdate, Weight, Height. Note: This DotNetNuzzi Fitbit App and any information given by it, is for informational purposes only. They are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should always consult your healthcare provider before beginning any fitness program. You must also have a network connection and a Fitbit account to use the app. Fitbit, the Fitbit Logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Fitbit Inc. DotNetNuzzi is not affiliated with Fitbit and Fitbit is not affiliated with DotNetNuzzi.

The Fitbit family of products motivate you to stay active, live better, and reach your goals. The Fitbit app enables you to view graphs of your activity levels, sleep and weight and gives you a clear picture of your health and fitness trends. You can stop by select Microsoft Stores to see devices, learn about the app and get hands on with Windows 8.

I’d love to know what your daily steps are!

Western Digital Live TV Hub Gets You Ahead of the TV Tech Curve

July 30, 2012 by Momstart 17 Comments

By: Ashley

We are SO happy to work with our friends at The Windows Blog and Western Digital. Thanks to them, we will be bringing you some GREAT information on Western Digital products and ways to get your media ahead of the technology curve. Did we mention there would be great giveaways too? Stay tuned and check out some of our favorite in home media center must haves. =)

Can you believe that 30 years ago we didn’t even care about having cable for our television? Families were happy to have the typical handful of channels that the rabbit ears could bring in. Now, most families compare satellite, cable, and online television viewing to decide what’s right for their family. It really is crazy to think about how many options we have these days.

When my family and I moved, we decided it was time to ask some of those questions ourselves. We decided that we wanted to try and get ahead of the technology curve. What do I mean by that? Things seem to moving towards all online, shared media. Yes, there is definitely still a time and a place for cable/satellite if your family watches a lot of live events (like my husband who is the diehard sports fan). Outside of that, you can really do all you need to do with a few simple in home devices.

Thanks to Western Digital, we have been testing out the WD Live TV Hub to help us get ahead of that technology curve. I am NOT a very tech-savvy person, but after using the Hub for about a month, I’m getting the hang of it and LOVE having it in our home.

So what is the Western Digital Live TV Hub and what does it do? Good question.

In my non-techy terms, the LiveTV Hub allows you to store and share media files throughout your home to any internet enabled device. The easiest way for me to think of it was like an external hard drive for all of our media files (movies, TV show files, music, and pictures).

– If you connect the WD Live TV Hub to your wireless router, it pops up on menus and allows you to play the movies, music, etc. from any device (TV, DVD player, or even an XBOX) on your TV.

– If you connect it directly to your internet ready TV, the hub comes with its own remote and you can select what files you would like to play.

– You can choose from the TONS of apps (Netflix, Spotify, Facebook, Pandora, Hulu) to watch your favorite shows, listen to your favorite songs, and stream some great movies. (When connected to the internet.)

– As long as everything is connected to the internet, it is SUPER easy to add files to your WD Live TV Hub. It’s basically just a drag and drop to the right filebox on your computer.

– All of the pictures and videos stream from the Live TV Hub with AMAZING clarity and quality. (Full-HD 1080p)

– You can set your smart phone to work as a remote! (How cool is that!)

I really love our Western Digital Live TV Hub. I have to say though, I feel like I’m missing out a little since we don’t have any of the WD Live TV boxes. Then I could have all of our files stored (and accessed) from the Live TV Hub and still use all of the cool apps at any of our TVs. I know Louise has one though. Maybe she’ll send it out to me so I can test it out! 😉

Learn more about the Western Digital Live TV Hub. And Stay Tuned because we will have one to give away very very soon.

Disclosure – I was provided with a product to facilitate this review and giveaway. I am a Windows Champion and they helped support my relationship with Western Digital. All opinions expressed are my own.

About Ashley (Managing Editor at MomStart): Ashley is a mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend, and former teacher working to navigate through the mysterious world of Mommyia. Read more about her adventures at Momicles and follow her @Momicles2010 .