Tired of half naked people floating around on Pinterest?

If it’s James Marsden, maybe not.

You don’t have to put up with profanity or nudity, you just need to report it.

Here’s the rules when it comes to Pinterest,  according to the Pin Etiquette article found on Pinterest here.*

1. Be nice. Pinterest is a community of people. Individual taste is personal, but be respectful in your comments and conversations.

I once had someone pin the chicken coop my husband and I built, and they called it a dog house. I am embarrassed to admit I was offended! Then on second look… yup. It kind of does look like a dog house.

2. Credit your sources. Pins are the most useful when they have links back to the original source. If you notice that a pin is not sourced correctly, leave a comment so the original pinner can update the source. Finding the original source is always preferable to a secondary source such as Google Image Search or a blog entry.

Even though the picture often takes you back to the source, it’s always nice to say where it came from in your description.

No source:

Source listed:

I always try to also include if the pin is a true DIY project or not. I can’t tell you how frustrating it is thinking I am going to a tutorial, and ending up at an Etsy store.

3.  Avoid Self Promotion. Pinterest is designed to curate and share things you love. If there is a photo or project you’re proud of, pin away! However, try not to use Pinterest purely as a tool for self-promotion.

Don’t ya just love it when people only pin their own stuff?

I must admit pinning this pin above and including the self love just felt weird! I deleted it as soon as I took this picture. According to Pinterest, it’s okay to pin a great idea you made yourself. Chances are though, if you have friends that follow your blog, they will do it for you.

What do you guys think about pinning family and friends? I do it all the time. I even pinned a cool wood box that my husband made and sold in his Etsy shop. I made sure I put in the description it was an item for sale, but I didn’t feel bad at all showing my pride in his work.

4. Report Objectionable Content. Pinterest does not allow nudity or hateful content. If you find content that is objectionable or violates the Pinterest Terms of Service you can submit the content for review by pushing the “Report Content” link.

Sorry James Marsen.

I would like to feel comfortable surfing Pinterest while sitting with my kids next to me on my couch. As of right now, I’m not going to do it. You just never know what you might scroll into on the main page. I’m not even talking nudity either. The pins all about weight loss and body image are something I don’t feel comfortable with my teen viewing over my shoulder. Motivation is good, super skinny girls promoting extreme weight loss is not. What do you think?

5. Let Pinterest know  how to make it better.  Let them know what’s working, what’s not.

Ummm, an iPad app maybe? How about rethinking Windows 7 and Android?

I find it hard to believe that Pinterest hasn’t heard our cries for better applications. If you want to try anyway, here’s the best way to contact Pinterest:

• Suggestions: hi@pinterest.com
• Bugs: bugs@pinterest.com
• Help: help@pinterest.com

*Pinterest disclaimer: The guidelines above are based on collective input from people using Pinterest, and compiled by the people working at Pinterest. These are suggestions to help keep the Pinterest community positive and to ensure that every pin is useful to other people.

Happy pinning everyone!

It’s the SuperShell!

I am seriously so stoked to tell you about this amazing new case for the iPad 2. Made by M-Edge, the SuperShell was not only voted one of our CES Best in Show products, it is hands down one of the best priced cases for the iPad 2 at just $29.99.

Check out the bright atomic green color, and eye catching design!

The SuperShell is super kid friendly. The case contours for easy holding, and the awesome dimpled texture promotes easy gripping as well.

The SuperShell is made from ultra-protective closed-cell foam. This means the foam actually absorbs shock for when, not if, your iPad gets dropped. Trust me friends, if you have kids, it’s gonna happen.

The SuperShell fits snuggly over your iPad 2, and still has several openings allowing your rear facing camera, speaker, volume buttons, and power button to still function.

Man, that’s a good lookin’ iPad 2 case.

Now, let’s talk some serious business. I tried out the SuperShell with everyone from toddler to teen. But what really impressed me was when I took it to my sons local special education classroom.

The school district is trying out this amazing new pilot program. They purchased three iPad’s for our autistic classroom – one iPad 1 and two iPad 2′s. The class consists of several teachers, and thirteen adorable elementary aged kids all with various degrees of autism. The kids earn work and play time on the iPads with good grades and behavior. The only problem, the classroom lacked the funding to purchase cases.

Can you imagine three unprotected iPads with thirteen children? Ahhhhh!

Well, M-Edge would not hear of that. Right away they sent two cases for the classroom to use. Nice!

(Since the SuperShell is intended for the iPad 2, Laura over at iLatch is hookin’ them up with a case for their iPad 1.)

I hand delivered the cases myself, and let me just tell you, those are some super duper happy teachers. The SuperShell performed fabulously in class, and this particular cutie did great adjusting the volume and power button.

In fact, the only thing this guy got frustrated over was that he wanted me to show him the screen-lock password so he could turn the iPad back on when his turn was over. So sad! (But seriously smart teachers, don’t you think?!)

Thanks M-Edge for letting me try out the SuperShell, and a HUGE thank you for hookin’ this class up with some much needed cases. The SuperShell is a fabulous case for babes, toddlers, preschoolers, and special needs children too.

To learn more or purchase the SuperShell, visit M-Edge here.

When you buy a smart phone, the first thing you start to think about is protecting your phone, especially when you tend to drop your phone repeatedly.

Or your kids constantly drop your phone.

At my house we seem to have a serious problem with both!

Well, just like you put a case on your phone, now you can put a case on your DSLR too!

This super sleek case on camera is called the Snug-it Pro made by easyCover.

The Snug-it Pro is washable, easy to slide over your camera, and allows you to still access your battery and memory card. The website is simple to search for your camera make and model, and also directs you to find the nearest distributor.

This case on my camera has been on for about three weeks now. I have put it to the test, including ice skating and shooting a hockey team at the same time with my camera. Luckily I never  fell down, but I loved the reassurance that my camera had extra protection.

Retail for the Snug-it Pro varies from $20-$40, depending on your camera model.  You can search the vast array of camera models and cases here.

Thanks easyCover for letting me try out the Snug-it Pro! Can you make a case for my flatscreen too? For some reason my three year old keeps running into our television.

To learn more about the Snug-it Pro, go here.

Looks like the latest cell phone doesn’t it?

Nope. It’s actually the coolest new way to tote around storage my friends.

This is the Kingston Wi-Drive.

It’s a portable hard drive, with w-fi capabilities.

It’s works with the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. The Wi-Drive  has 16 or 32 GB of storage, which means it can hold tons of extra photos, videos, music, and more.

The Wi-Drive works with just downloading a simple free app from the App Store, plug it into your computer to add your files, and your good to go.

The Wi-Drive can be used simultaneously with up to three devices, and can work within a 30 foot range of devices.

Still wondering what the heck you would use this for? Let me tell you friends. Ever heard of Air Video? Air video is what we use in our home to stream movies from our computer hard drive to all of our Apple devices. We have an entire  hard drive full of movies for kids and adults. With the Air Video app, we can wirelessly stream all of our stored movies on any Apple device in our home. This has come in handy on multiple occasions. For example, when my kids crawl in bed with me before dawn I just pick one of their favorite movies and stream it to my iPhone.

So here’s what that has to do with the W-Drive. The Kingston Wi-Drive is just like Air Video on the go. In the past when we travel I throw on about half a dozen movies on my iPad for the kids, and then my iPad is full. Now I can load up the Wi-Drive with tons more videos and music, and actually have room for a few movies and TV shows for me as well. All I have to do is use the Wi-Drive App, make sure the Kingston Wi-Drive device is within 30 feet, and then the magic happens! My iPad, iPod  Touch, or iPhone can stream the files where ever  I am.

Cool, no?

I tried out the Wi-Drive with 3 different movies on 3 different devices, and it ran perfectly without a single buffer problem. Nice Kingston!

Here’s the downers:

-There are no security settings by default so anyone nearby can connect to the drive. Not a big deal if you are in the car or visiting family away from home. Also not a big deal in public if your kids are watching movies. If you have photo files or music that you want to keep private, it’s something to think about.

-The device is finicky if you want to use it and charge at the same time. Just make sure you turn it on first, let it establish a signal, then plug it in to charge and continue using.

-3 hours was about the max I got out of the Wi-Drive while streaming to multiple devices. I would love to see it make it to at least 6. I do however love that the LED light changes color letting you know how much battery life is left. Green, fully charged. Orange, half way. Red, it’s time to plug in.

-This device does create an unauthorized WiFi access on an airplane. Check with your stewardess before using it in the air.

Overall, we have been very happy with the Wi-Drive and I really look forward to future  traveling with it.

The 16 GB Wi-Drive retails for $100 , and the 32 GB retails for $177 here. Check Amazon though, prices seem to be much better there.

Thanks Kingston for letting me try out the 16GB Wi-Drive! Though the device was given to me to try out, I was not financially compensated for this post, and the opinions are all mine. I was also not financially compensated for traveling with my children, an act that in itself is often not worth any form of financial compensation.

If there was one thing that really stood out to me at CES this year, it was the Sony Bloggie Live.

And the adorable video the Sony booth was playing of a family watching their daughter get married via Bloggie wi-fi.

I might have cried.

Maybe.

The Bloggie Live is a beautiful camera and HD video recorder that just so happens to be the first fully capable camera able to handle live streaming over Wi-Fi.

No way!

Yes way, my friends.

This means that with wi-fi you can film, and your friends and family can watch live as you are recording.

Just imagine your toddlers next birthday party, with Grandma and Grandpa watching at home while she screams in fright over flamed candles being shoved in her face.

Just imagine all the possibilities!

Mom can’t make it to a school play, or dad wants to join in a parent teacher meeting… seriously I could go on for hours.

The other cool thing about the Sonny Bloggie Live is that you can upload your videos wirelessly too!

Need to connect?  The bottom of the camera has a pop-down USB connection for uploading and charging.

See that? It pops right back up when you are done.

Here are some other cool specs about the Sonny Bloggie Live:

Full HD 1080p video – up to three hours!

12.8MP camera

8MB built-in memory

3.o” Touch screen display

Built-in LED lighting for photos and video

In hand the Bloggie Live feels great, and we can’t forget the necessary accompanying camera wrist strap that is legally obligated to be sold on all camera’s purchased by families.

Okay, having a camera strap is not exactly a written law, but it should be.

And, I cannot forget, my absolute favorite part ever when it comes to Sony and photography.

White balance!

Sony, I don’t know how you do it, but your camera’s always produce the perfect color in photographs.

Bless you for not turning my children and their friends into a grotesque shade of magenta like another brand who will not be named.

To learn more about or purchase the Sony Bloggie live for $249 go here.

Thanks Sony for hookin’ me up with a Bloggie Live. Though given this uber cool camera, I was not financially compensated for this post, and all opinons are mine. So is the dinner placement that I shot these pictures on. Just so ya’ know.

First, a disclaimer. I am an Apple girl. I have never ever used anything Android related in my whole life. I have had a very unhealthy relationship in the past with my iPad. Like, drooling on it while I am sleeping because I just can’t let go kind of relationship.

I have always assumed learning a new operating system would be tedious and difficult. And I am lazy. Those two are not a good combination when it comes to trying new things.

With that said, I was not hesitant to try the Sony Tablet S. After seeing it at CES I was beyond excited to get my hands on it. But before I tell you why I now like it better than the iPad, let’s take a peak, shall we?

It’s different isn’t it?!

The Sony Tablet S has this cool folded magazine look to it, which makes sense because that is usually how we hold a book or a magazine. It also has this great texture on the back so it’s not slippery like typical tablets. No matter which way you turn it, it’s really comfortable in your hands.

The screen is a beautiful 9.4 inch touch screen, and the tablet boasts a Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz processor.

The tablet comes with the usual ports, some with a solid little plastic covering. The charger cable fits in the front. I was worried about being able to charge with a case on it, but after ordering a case online it all fits just fine.

Though certainly not the best feature, this one is by far the most family friendly: the Sony S Tablet actually comes with a removable wrist strap. If you have kids that have ever carried a tablet around while you squirm in concern of them dropping it, now your little ones can actually strap it on, giving the tablet one more step of protection from dropping. For those of you who insist your kids wear the strap on compact cameras, this Tablet to will give you just a little more reassurance.

And speaking of kids, they are going to LOVE the Sony S. It is the first tablet to be Playstation certified. It is perfect for families and gamers alike. It totally supports Playstation 3 DualShock controllers. For the first time, you can play playstation games, with a controller, on your tablet.

I feel like I should be shouting that from the roof top. Isn’t that cool! I would be lying if I said I hadn’t spent several hours already playing Crash Bandicoot. 

Another cool feature with the Sony Tablet S is the built in front and rear facing camera’s. The front camera is 1.3 MP, and the rear is 5MP with 720p video. As impressive as those numbers are, what impressed me most was actually the white balance. I have shot with enough phones and tablets to know the Sony S rocks when it comes to good photo color right out of the camera. Here’s a shot of my kids in low light, and as most kids will be, in motion.

Another evening shot of my daughter. The camera shutter is a nice big button on screen, and I found several post processing Android apps that I love.

Now, I am going to say something, and I am pretty sure you are not going to freak out, but just hear me out ‘nkay?

The Sony Tablet S is better than the iPad 2.

I know, I know! It’s sounds crazy!

Just hear me out.

The iPad 2 camera sucks. It only has a 1MP camera, and the Sony S Tablet has a 5MP camera.

The iPad 2 does not support flash. Sony Tablet S? Yup!

The iPad 2 has a mono speaker, and the Sony S has stereo speakers with Clear Phase and xLoud technology. Trust me, they rock.

The Sony S has a full-size SD card slot. iPad, nope.

The display on the Sony S has higher contrast, more vibrant colors, deeper blacks, and has a higher resolution than the iPad 2.

The Sony S has a mini-USB port built-in. iPad 2 has nada.

The Sony S Tablet has wireless streaming to CE devices. (CE means Consumer Electronic and it refers to audio and video equipment for the home, including CD and DVD players, stereos, TVs and home theater components.) The  iPad not only does not have wireless streaming, but it also requires you purchase Apple TV and add-ons in order to be comparable.

At a starting retail price of $399, the Sony S Tabet is cheaper.

Android apps rock. They have a very competitive marketplace, and the app prices are just as good as the App Store, if not better.

Why are we still having this conversation???

Seriously folks, you need to check out more about this tablet. You can read more about the Sony Tablet S or purchase it at the Sony Store here. To read more about the nitty gritty details, all of which I could never cover because it has so many cool features, go here.

And lastly, I must now go because my husband is watching football, I have got me feet up with some Netflix on my Sony S, and it’s time my new tablet to get familiar with some napping drool.

Thanks Sony for hookin’ me up with the Sony Tablet S!  Though I was given this tablet, I was not financially compensated for this post, and all opinions (and drool) are mine.

Thank you to who?Comics for sponsoring this post and encouraging my child to read biographies in comic book form! Please click here to learn more about the app. And follow who? Comics on Twitter for updates! 

I have just recently been given the opportunity to review a really great app for the iPad. It’s called Who? Comics, and it’s an educational comic book style app intended for kids 9 and older. (Though I must say I read it to my six year old and she enjoyed it as well.) I tested the app with my two oldest children, ages 11 and 13. I sat down with each of them on separate occasions and read two books: Steven Spielberg, and J.K. Rowling.

Before I tell you about the books, let’s look at the app. You begin with a user friendly menu that shows you how to easily use the application. I love the simplicity of the front page. It’s very easy to access books that you have already purchased, and easy for kids to view new books they are interested in reading.

The bookstore (dubbed the who? Store) has an impressive collection of biographies, and seems to always be promoting a sale or discount on purchasing multiple books. The price per book starts at around $5 each but sets can be purchased at a large discount. I purchased the Artist/Entertainers set and received six books for just $10. At first glance the individual book prices seemed steep, but upon reading realized they are very long books with many kid friendly illustrations. After finishing two books I felt they were well worth the price.

After perusing the who? Store and making my purchase, I was able to quickly download the books into My Bookshelf. Here all my purchases are stored.

The first book I read with my son was the Steven Spielberg comic. My son passionately loves sci-fi movies and was very excited to read about the man who directed so many of his favorite films. What surprised my son most about the comic biography was he didn’t expect to learn about one of his favorite directors when he was a child. My son thought it was really cool to learn about Steven Spielberg as a boy. I also felt the comic illustrations throughout this book were very age appropriate.

Overall, my son loved this book. Due to the length (158 pages!) we read this comic together in two sittings. By the end of the book my son was eager to read it again.

The other book I read was the biography of J.K. Rowling. I read this with my thirteen year old daughter, or rather she insisted on reading aloud to me. She is a HUGE Harry Potter fan. I was worried at 13 she would not be interested in comics but I was pleasantly surprised when she eagerly picked up our iPad and began reading.

After reading together she shared with me she loved how the books were focused on learning from the persons personal experiences.

Another cool feature with these books is that you can earn badges and awards for finishing books, which can then be shared with friends on Facebook and Twitter.

Overall, my kids and I really enjoyed reading the who? Comic biographies. We have a few more books to read together, and I am really looking forward to spending more time with my kids, and learning while they read to me!

*Update: You can view a demo of who? Comics on Youtube by going here.

Thank you again to who? Comics for sponsoring my post. Please click here to learn more about the application and to download it through iTunes. You can also visit who? Comics for updates. I was selected for this opportunity by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions expressed here are my own. #CleverWhoComics #spon

I really thought the Kindle Fire rage would die down after Christmas, but that tablet is still flying off the shelves! I wanted to show you another case option for the Kindle Fire, and this company is one of my favorites. Case-Mate makes protective and stylish cases for phones and tablets. They also have a huge line of accessories like speakers and headphones.

This is the Venture Case for the Kindle Fire. My teenage daughter owns the Kindle Fire in our home, and she loves this case!

The Venture case secures with a button closure, and protects the Kindle Fire from all sides.The outside is a sleek textured leather-inspired finish. The inside is super soft, and I love that it allows the Kindle to easily slide in and out of the case.

Once your Kindle Fire is inside, the case boasts a velcro side closure, keeping your case from sliding out. At CES I saw many tablet cases that were not a snug fit on the devices they were made for. I am happy to report the Venture case fits the Kindle Fire like a glove!

My favorite feature with the Venture case is the built-in stand. I didn’t think that would be a necessity with such a small tablet, but have found my family uses the stand more often than not. In fact, I caught my teenager using a calculator application with her home work, and she commented how nice it was to have her “calculator” standing up while she did her homework!

We have been using the Venture case several weeks now, and as a mom of four I can tell you it has already  taken some beatings. It has done a fabulous job protecting our Kindle Fire. The quality of the case has not diminished at all as well.

The Case-Mate Venture case retails for $50. To learn more about or to purchase this case, you can visit Case-Mate here. Thanks Case-Mate for sending us the Ventre Case to review. I won’t be surprised if my teens friends will all be sporting the same case sometime soon!

If you have ever traveled with kids, you know how difficult it can be to find a restroom on the go, let alone a sanitary one. KIDzOUT is a really cool free app that is dedicated to help parents find not only restrooms and diaper changing stations, but also family friendly food stops, emergency medical care, places to play, and more!

The app is very user friendly with four categories on the main page. Diaper Check, Food, Play, and Medical. You can also add or edit favorite locations, and I was pleased to see you can recommend or leave comments about a place you have visited yourself. Friendly service at a restaurant or disgusting diaper pail at a gas station? Let others know right through the application.

You can use this GPS-based application to find just about any needs for your family while traveling, and while at home too. I did a search for Diaper locations near my home, and was impressed not only with the results, but how specific they were as well. I also loved how the app is very detailed in relaying how family friendly each location is, whether it’s just a changing table, or high chairs and boosters seats too.

Another great feature is listings can be viewed in map form as well. This is especially beneficial if you are driving and on the go.

There is one downside to the Diaper Deck search feature on this application. The app uses Google for searching, and not all of the search results are going to yield you a family friendly place to stop and change a diaper. The app unfortunately does not register whether a business is in a public location, or in a home. For example, my neighbor happens to be a very nice man who runs a bio and trauma scene clean up company. He travels for his work to various locations, so he uses his home address for his business. I am pretty sure he doesn’t want random people showing up at his door to change diapers.

Luckily, this does not show up in a regular Diaper Check search, but only in the “Add Location: feature. My suggestion: Stick with using the Diaper Deck feature, and just be careful you don’t confuse it with what pops up when adding your own locations.

The Play Locations feature of this app is very beneficial for families as well. I have traveled many times with my kids wondering where the nearest park or museum may be. Again, the search is based off of Google results, so double check and make sure it’s a location intended for families. The majority of the searches I did had positive results, but there were still a few that were probably not meant for families to visit on a whim.

My absolute favorite part of this app is the medical feature. When you click on the Medical button it shows you not only the nearest hospital, but urgent care facilities as well. I like how animal urgent care is included in the search, as families often travel with pets.

Another thing to note on this application; you may be limited in your search results. I noticed the app encourages users to share the app with others, and expresses restrictions if you don’t.

Overall, I think this app is a great idea for families while traveling, and those in need of quick results around the house. Despite a few quirky results, the app is very family friendly and easy to use.

To learn more about KIDzOUT or download it through iTunes go here. KIDzOUT is a free application for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

While at CES I was privileged to attend the Keynote address by Qualcomm and their CEO Paul Jacobs.  The entire keynote was quite entertaining, and I loved every minute of it.  Now being “Technology for Moms” there was definitely one part of the keynote that stood out to me.  There is a small portion of the keynote at the top of this post.

So, they are introducing Vuforia, by Qualcomm.  This is a platform to be used for augmented reality.  Many of you have probably never heard that term before, but essentially it’s where virtual technology and real world items collide.  You can look through your phone and see everyone around you with their Twitter handle hovering over their head.  Or you can see a sign in French and look through your phone and see it translated into English.  All of this is looking at things in real life through something like your tablet or your phone, which then ADDS to the real life picture.  Here’s a better quality video of Vuforia in action!

To learn more about Vuforia by Qualcomm check out their site about it http://www.qualcomm.com/solutions/augmented-reality.  I’m super excited about the future of technology, and can’t wait to see how this will affect our children’s learning!

Disclosure: I was invited to CES as an ambassador for Qualcomm.  I received travel and hotel expenses, a tablet and a phone, both with Snapdragon processors.  I was not compensated for my time at CES or for any posts written after the trip.  I am also posting on my own, and was not told that it was required to write any posts on my experience or the products.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.