Lipstick to Crayons » Gadgets

The Coolest Photo Scanner!!

lipsticktocrayons — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 03:37:59 +0000

This week, Pandigital announced the Pandigital Personal Photo Scanner/Converter — a new portable photo scanner that can scan print photos up to 8½ x 11-inches large. I received one for review and I’ve been playing with it all evening and it is so VERY COOL and easy to use and portable and fun and . . .

The new photo scanner requires no PC to convert print photos into digital images. Users simply press a single button to scan photos as small as wallet-sized up to 8 ½ x 11, and the device is not a whole lot bigger than large tube of tooth paste, so I plan to keep it packed in my laptop bag.

This fun gadget was literally “plug and play.” I took it out of the box, inserted the small memory SD card that came with it into the back, plugged it in, and began scanning photos from my kids’ baby books. Then, I used the USB cord and plugged it into my laptop, and transferred the photos onto my computer. But, if you want, you can insert the SD card loaded with full-color JPEG images into your computer to upload the photos to your favorite photo site like Snapfish, or take the SD card to a Walgreens or CVS and have your photos printed directly from it — no PC or laptop required. You also can insert the card into a Pandigital digital photo frame to immediately view the images. (I wrote about my Pandigital photo frame here).

The best part about this Pandigital scanner is that it’s so FAST. My printer acts as a scanner, but it’s really slow. First, you scan the photo . . .slowly. Yawn. Then it’s converted into a JPEG image on the computer . . yawn, then I find it . . . yawn. It’s a process. I scanned about 50 photos in about 20 minutes with this dealy. I’m going crazy. First, I’m scanning all the photos from the childhood of my oldest kids. Then, I’m going to scan my photos from my early marriage, and then move my way backward to college, then high school. Facebook, look out!! I’m armed with an easy to use scanner. Here are some of my scans from this evening:

My oldest (now 15) with Santa

My middle child (now 12) getting the last of the soda.

Pandigital’s award-winning line of scanners have been acclaimed for their ease-of-use and excellent performance. The scanner does not require any expensive or confusing software and employs a new twin-roller feeding system to ensure that the photos are scanned evenly each time. Further optimizing the quality, images are scanned at up to 600 optical dpi for resulting scans that have a crisp and clear 3800×7200 24-bit color depth resolution. In addition to being able to scan images onto the included SD memory card, the scanner accepts other popular memory cards (SD, MS, MS Pro, MMS, XD) and can also be connected directly to either a Mac or PC computer via its mini-USB port.

The Pandigital Personal Photo Scanner/Converter weighs in at less than a pound at only 13.79 ounces and measures only 10.59(L) x 1.73(H) x 2.32(D) inches. It is available for now for a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of $149.99 here.

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Great Organization Products for Couponing Moms – Giveaway: CLOSED

lipsticktocrayons — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:27:30 +0000

If you have joined me on the couponing bandwagon (and I hope you have — if not, start reading here), then you know the value of being organized in order to save the most money. I recently had the privilege of trying out a few new products that make grocery shopping with coupons and lists much more organized and efficient (and they’re eco-friendly!).

The Koala Pouch ($14.95 at www.momcepts.com) – A stylish eco-conscious shopping organizer that fits securely over any shopping cart handle to hold EVERYTHING the grocery shopper needs. It has:
•A dedicated pocket with index cards to keep coupons and shopping lists organized
•A roomy see-through pocket for easy access to your mobile phone
•A pocket with two stylish and spacious reusable bags so you’ll never forget them again!
•Enough space for a List Caddy, Koalabiner, keys, money, debit/credit cards etc.
•A pen/pencil holder

The Koalabiner Purse Hanger ($4.95 at www.momcepts.com) – This is a must-have accessory for all purse toting grocery shoppers and moms. The Koalabiner is a super sturdy carabiner that clips purses securely to any shopping cart or stroller handle to free up cart space and provide easy access for the shopper, and difficult access for kids or purse snatchers. It also is a great for securing reusable bags while shopping, and for clipping full grocery bags together to prevent items from spilling out.

The List Caddy ($1.99 at www.momcepts.com) – This is a sturdy list, coupon and pencil holder that snaps onto shopping cart handles and attaches to refrigerators for easy list and coupon management.

These items have made my recent larger grocery shopping trips much more organized. The items are certainly affordable, but Momcepts is offering one of my readers a set for free, so enter the giveaway below for your chance to win.

Giveaway Guidelines:

To enter the contest, you MUST become an email subscriber to Lipstick to Crayons. The subscribe button is in the upper right corner of the site. Once you subscribe (or if you are already a subscriber), leave a comment below telling me you did so, and make sure the email address you provide is the one you used to subscribe. After completing this mandatory first entry method, you can gain additional entries by doing any or all of the following (but be sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do):

Blog about this contest
Tweet this giveaway on Twitter
Favorite Lipstick to Crayons on Technorati
Stumble this post
Add Lipstick to Crayons to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar
Become a fan of Lipstick to Crayons on Facebook.
Post a link to this contest on your Facebook page.

This giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. Central time June 29, 2010. Be sure to include a valid email address with each of your entries. Winners will be randomly chosen via random.org and will be notified via email and announced on this post.

If any winner does not claim the prize by July 1, 2010, he/she will forfeit the prize to an alternate winner who will be drawn at random.

USA & Canada residents only please!

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS TO JULIE, COMMENT #56.

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Organizing Cords and Cables

lipsticktocrayons — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:07:30 +0000

I’m a pretty organized person, and my husband might even say I’m a pretty “anal” organized person (Take that for what it’s worth — coming from someone who isn’t terribly organized).

But as a Total Type A, I never feel quite organized enough, so I’m always looking for ways to better organize this or that area of my life or the lives of my family members (loud sighs and eye rolls by family members inserted here) or some aspect of our household. Take for example, cords and cables. They drive me nuts and they always look messy and unorganized! We’ve got phone charger cords and iPod chargers and iPod ear phones, and mouse cords and computer speaker cords and USB cords and on and on!

Enter one of my favorite new companies –Cableorganizer.com. I am enamored with a few of their products (and their prices are something to love, too).

The Yin & Yang Cable Winder ($2.49)

This is a perfect device for taming extra-long mouse cords. It is a creatively designed cable winder that is easy to use: just insert the offending cord into the slot, then twist the top to spool up excess length. Reversing the process to let out some slack is just as simple: grab the cord on both sides and lightly tug to unwind however much you need.

The Core ($3.99-$7.99)

This is my personal favorite — no more tangled iPod earbuds. The CORE is the simplest portable cord manager around — it can manage your iPod, cell phone, MP3 player and other digital devices cords. The CORE features two channels on both ends where cords are easily inserted. Simply wrap the cable around the CORE’s center, then lock it securely in place using the channels on each end.

The CordBone Cable Organizer ($6.99)

This simple, easy to use “bone-like” design allows you to wrap up excess cables. It keeps cords and cables off of the floor and prevents tripping hazards. Cables can be easily wound or unwound from either end and it makes cables easily identifiable and untangled. It’s ideal for use on computer cords, power tool cables, and cables from household appliances.

Cable Turtle (Mini and Small Sizes: $4.99 – $5.99)

This is a fun little gadget that we’re using for the iPod chargers and USB cords in our lives. It’s a sleek little Dutch import that features a convenient “flip open, snap shut” design that lets you wind excess cable length around its hidden core to prevent tangled cords and unwanted clutter. It’s simple to use, highly functional, and is so aesthetically pleasing that it’s actually joined the ranks of the Museum of Modern Art’s Design collection. The Cable Turtle is also available in a rainbow of colors, so you’ll never need to sacrifice self-expression for cable management.

Come backSunday (3/14/10) for a great list of “Clever Spring Cleaning Tips” from Karen Eschebach, Clever Container co-founder. (She offers some “I gotta have it” products for any organization addict!)

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Very Chic Laptop Cases

lipsticktocrayons — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:42:55 +0000

Looking for a stylish carrying solution for that new laptop you got for Christmas, or the old one that never leaves your side but seriously needs an updated look? After all, it’s hard to look put-together and professional if you’re carrying your laptop in an old diaper bag, and it’s back-breaking to carry the thing in a case that weighs more than a than small child.

Acme Made, designer of chic carrying solutions for digital gear, has the answer for you.

Available nationwide in boutiques like Fred Segal, Sony Style and online, Acme Made was created in 2002 with the sole purpose of designing, manufacturing and selling well-designed products to protect computer and peripherals. From the chic Bowler camera bag to the sassy Smart Sleeve, Acme Made carrying solutions deliver form and function.

I am now the proud owner of the Smart Sleeve, and I love the style and function of this laptop case. It’s ultra thin, but has enough padding and protection to protect the valuable assets it is carrying, and it has a removable shoulder strap. It sports a designer-styled front panel and a highly water-resistant exterior, and while it is sleek and slender on the outside, it’s all business on the inside. The Smart Laptop Sleeve boasts some heavy-duty protection with its ballistic nylon and premium tricot lining to its closed-cell foam padding. Available in two colors, white and black, and three sizes: 13” sleeve, 15” sleeve and 10” sleeve, it retails for $29.99 to $34.99.

The Kate is another smart and stylish design not only protects a laptop, but carries all the other must-have items as well. From the contrasting trim and interior fabric, to the slanted front pockets, the Kate is the perfect bag for work, school, or play. For all the times we try and get our wallets, keys, cell phones and other necessities to fit in our laptop bags, the Kate is the solution. It is available in black and white and sells for $99.99.

So, go check out the many styles of laptop bags (and camera bags, cell phone cases, iPod holders, etc.) at Acme Made and if you end up sporting something really cool, send me a picture.

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Moms: Your Gift Might Be Damaging the Hearing of Your Child

lipsticktocrayons — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:07:38 +0000

Did you know that when MP3 players are purchased as gifts, the majority of purchasers are moms? That finding emerged at the Mommy Tech summit at the recently concluded Consumer Electronics Show.

But do you know about the potential risks? Kids often don’t know how to use audio technology safely and they can harm their hearing as a result. In fact, hearing loss among young people is reported to be on the rise and there are strong concerns that a generation of young people could end up with prevalent hearing loss.

“For some time, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has warned that hearing loss in the United States could rise significantly due to the misuse of personal audio technology,” ASHA President Tommie L. Robinson, Jr. explains. “Unfortunately, a report released today by the Kaiser Family Foundationcites some alarming trends about excessive entertainment media consumption among our nation’s children, indirectly supporting ASHA’s concerns. This should be a warning to parents that they must regulate children’s exposure and fully understand the potential health threats associated with misuse and over exposure to such technologies.”

According to a 2004 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, children were reported as being exposed to six hours and 21 minutes of media (TV, music, internet, etc) per day. By 2009, this statistic had increased dramatically to seven hours and 38 minutes per day. When media multitasking is taken into account, this leaps to 10 hours and 45 minutes per day. This massive consumption of media has led to decreased grades in school and ASHA contends it puts kids at an increased risk of hearing loss.

One thing that is clear from the study is that parents can be very positive influencers on how their children use entertainment media.

How You Can Help – Spread the Following Message

Whether your child received an MP3 player, gaming device, cell phone, laptop, or any other device with headphones, don’t overlook the important health threat of hearing loss.

Here are two simple ways to protect your children’s – and your own – hearing.

Keep the volume down. A good guide is half volume.
Limit listening time. Give your hearing ‘quiet breaks’.
Consider upgrading from earbuds (which fit inside the ear) to sound-isolating earphones that go around the ear.

For more information, go the ASHA’s Web site, follow their Twitter feed or fan them on Facebook.

Find more information and statistics at ASHA’s website. You can also follow their Twitter feed or fan them on Facebook to get real time updates on their work.

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New, Compact Hand-Vac Means Less Toddler Messes

lipsticktocrayons — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:55:11 +0000

Last week, while a friend was at my house trying to show me how to enter the high school swimming and diving team scores and statistics onto the local newspaper’s sports Web site, my toddler felt neglected. So, she asked for some crackers (aka Cheez-its). Then, she proceeded to pour them on the floor and stomp all over them.

When the crumbs all over my hardwood floor didn’t get the desired reaction, she carried a handful of the crackers into my family room and crushed them into the carpeting, singing, “Mommy. I make a meeessssy.”

Little did she know that I recently was invited to be a part of the Black & Decker Flex Team, which means I received a Black & Decker Flex Mini Canister Vac with which to fight her “messy’s.”

And this mini canister vac is giving my toddler a serious run for her money. It’s super small (about the size of a basketball) and as cute as a vacuum can be. Plus, it’s powerful. It comes with a 4-foot flexible hose and high-performance motor that has 40% more suction power than a 12V Dustbuster® (according to Black & Decker). I’m buying that claim, because it did a great job sucking up those heavy magnetic marbles from under my couch that I keep reminding my son are DANGEROUS to a toddler who might swallow several of them, only to have them join together in her stomach!)

So, the Flex has the versatility of a full-size canister vac, but in an ultra compact and portable design that makes it easy to carry throughout the home or car. (I’m not known for keeping my car clean, but I’m doing better as a member of the Flex team). The 2-in-1 brush/nozzle attachment is ideal for quick clean-ups, or you can flip the brush up for dusting blinds, baseboards, and more. The Flex also comes with an a pet hair cleaning tool with rubber bristles that help remove stubborn pet hair from couches, stairs and upholstery. It also works at removing sticky pieces of lollipop from the carpeting of minivans. I’m just sayin’.

So, while I’m not a big proponent of giving a vacuum to a woman for Christmas, I am a proponent of giving a vacuum to a woman as a nice “Hey, that was a great batch of homemade soup” gift, or a thoughtful, “I know you spent a lot of time driving carpool last week, so here’s a little thank you” gift, or a “this isn’t your Christmas present, but merely a stocking stuffer” gift. You get my drift, eh?

You can buy the Flex here.

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New Pulse Slither Scooter a Great Gift for Wheel-loving Kids

lipsticktocrayons — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:56:31 +0000

I always kinda thought that all scooters were created equally (one wheel in front, one in back, or one in front, two in back, push with your foot, glide, push, glide, etc). Not so, according to my son. And not so, according to Bravo Sports, one of the world leaders in outdoor rolling fun and action sports products.

Bravo Sports recently introducted their latest creation — the one-of-a-kind Pulse Slither drift scooter — and my 11-year-old son says it’s in a class by itself in coolness.

At first, I thought my husband and son had put this scooter together improperly, because it has TWO wheels in front and one in back. Again, I was mistaken. This innovative three-wheeled scooter with two large front wheels offset by a single pivot-mounted swivel rear wheel offers the ability to pull off tricks and maneuvers that are simply not possible on any other scooter or wheeled good.

The Pulse Slither translates the fun of riding a snowboard, skiing or surfing into a street toy. It can be ridden facing forward or standing to one side and is propelled by “slithering” from side to side or by pushing with your foot, opening up even more trick possibilities and making it that much harder to put away. The tension on the rudder-like rear wheel is adjustable, which is key to helping smaller riders (such as my son) the ability to maneuver the scooter. It also gives the rider the freedom to drift in and out of turns, zip around corners, execute lightning-quick 180º turns and adjusts to their skill level.

Emblazoned with vibrant in-molded graphics, that won’t chip or peel, the Pulse Slither is available in two dynamic color ways: Electric Blue “Skull Wing” and Toxic Green “Von Scroll.”

Upsides:

Easy to assemble (according to husband)
Fun to ride (according to son)
Cool-looking (according to son)

Downside:

The “slithering” motion takes some practice! (according to son)

You can buy a Pulse Slither for $59.99 here.

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BEST, BEST Toddler Toy This Year

lipsticktocrayons — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:38:08 +0000

If I were “king of the world” and got to give an away for top toy for toddlers this year, it would be the Tag Junior from LeapFrog, hands down.

Leapfrog has long been a leader in creating educational but FUN toys, and now they’ve gone and created one that even a two-year-old can enjoy. The Tag system makes it fun for toddlers to connect words with pictures and other thoughts. By pressing the Tag Junior Book Pal onto the pages of specially designed books, the words and pictures come to life.

The Tag Jr. is easy for a toddler to use because all she has to do is touch the book pal (which fits perfectly in a toddlers chubby little hand) anywhere on the page and she will be rewarded with a response. Each Tag Jr. book has a theme and focuses on a skill.

The Tag Jr. system is geared toward young preschoolers ages 2-4. Leapfrog
also lets you create an account at LeapFrog’s Learning Path site where you can track your child’s learning progress online and download and print free activities to compliment your child’s Tag Jr. books.

LeapFrog toys are always fun-forward and engaging with educational benefits and skill-building fundamentals that last well beyond the holiday season. In other words, they’re invaluable.

Upsides:

Easy for a toddler to use
Great learning tool
Encourages reading
Portable – great toy for road trips and hotel stays
Reasonably priced

Downside:

The process of downloading the audio from the Leapfrog site to your Tag Jr. Book Pal was a little tricky for me, but there is lots of online support on the site.

You can buy the Tag Junior here for $24.99 and it comes with a book. You can buy extra books here and here.

Also from Leapfrog is the Text & Learn. Tech-savvy preschoolers on your shopping list can imitate Mom and Dad (Big Sister in our house) with this durable, just-for-kids learning PDA. Games focus on letter recognition, shape matching, and QWERTY keyboard skills, allowing preschoolers to exchange text messages with Scout, check Scout’s planner, and explore in a pretend browser mode. You can buy it here for $21.99.

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Adorable/Affordable Kitchen for Preschoolers, Plus Other Great Deals

lipsticktocrayons — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 03:14:04 +0000

I absolutely had to share this deal with those of you who might have a pre-schooler who loves to play pretend — Walmart has “rolled back” the price on this adorable Step2 LifeStyle Custom Kitchen to $79.

This kitchen has all the bells and whistles that would delight any kiddo — oven, microwave, refrigerator, sink with faucet and accessory set. It comes with frying and boiling sound effects and cabinet and drawer space. I think I might be spending some of my toddler’s Christmas gift money on this item from which I’m sure she’ll get plenty of years of play.

Walmart also is offering some other amazing online specials. Check them out:
Save on Amazing Online Specials at Walmart.com!

Huge Savings on Holiday Rollback Electronics at Walmart.com!

Holiday Rollbacks in Electronics, Toys and Video Games at Walmart.com!

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Easiest Slideshow I EVER Made

lipsticktocrayons — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:33:33 +0000

I love taking pictures, and I love doing things with those pictures. It’s a hobby. I have more than three dozen 12×12 scrapbooks lining my bookshelves. I upload pictures to Facebook and Flickr. I’ve even taken classes on Adobe Photoshop Elements so I can learn to do other things with my pictures, like add or remove people from a photo, blur the background and make really cool slideshows.

But Photoshop is HARD to use. It’s a great program, but like I said, I had to take a class. And if you don’t use it regularly, you forget how to do stuff. Plus, it can really slow down your computer (at least my computer, which isn’t brand new, but it’s not a dinosaur, either). That’s why I was really excited about getting to review a new gadget called Fotobox. It’s a portable USB device for multimedia slideshow creation. Here’s how it works:

You plug your SD memory card from your camera into the Fotobox.
You plug the Fotobox into your USB port.
Fotobox launches (no software to install — it’s all self-contained in this gadget that isn’t much bitter than a pack of gum).
You select Easy Mode or Advanced Mode and pick a theme from a list.
If you want, you can delete any photos that were on the card that you don’t want in your slideshow and/or rearrange the order by dragging and dropping.
You click buttons to save your slideshow to your computer, save it in a format that makes it compatible with your iPod or iPhone and upload it to YouTube or Facebook (or all of the above).

Check out the this slideshow I made in seven (yes, 7) minutes and it was the first one I EVER MADE using the Fotobox.

In the advanced mode (which was actually very easy to use and the mode that I selected for making my first slideshow), you can edit photos, add special effects, add text to slides and add music, among other fun options.

Even if you have all your pictures saved on your computer, you can transfer them back to your SD card by plugging your camera into your computer, and then you can make slideshows from photos that were already removed from your SD card (that’s what I had to do because I regularly empty my memory card.

This gadget would make a very fun gift for any shutterbug! You can purchase it for $61.99 on Amazon.