Elago P2 iPad stand, read why its the only one worthy to hold my “precious” Ipad

Oh Steve Jobs, what have you done to the world? You can just about sell me anything!!!! It has been 6 months since we recently acquired a new “apple” for our fast growing “orchard of gadgets” . We gave in and bought ourselves a 32 gb Wifi Ipad a week after it launched. I bought almost all the original apple accessories including the iPad dock. Yup the iPad dock served its purpose: it’s a charging dock and a stand but the more I used it the more I add to the things it can not do i.e. charge my iPad w/ it’s protective cover on, tilt, and hold it while its on landscape mode. Hence the search for a BETTER and more VERSATILE stand. Then I discovered the Elago P2 stand for the iPad. The first time I saw it I had to do a double take because the form factor looks like it came out of Cupertino!!!! The aluminum finish is identical to the iMac aluminum stands, so elegant and a very fitting pedestal for my precious iPad.

The Elago P2 iPad stand not only good looks, but very functional too.It provides a very sturdy easel-like support which provides just the right tilt for the iPad for the best viewing angle possible. One thing that made me love this stand better than the original apple iPad dock is that this stand makes it possible for the iPad to be docked with a silicon case or sleeve on!!!

I just had to wonder why Apple did not think about this very important detail. My only wish was I hope it had hinges that users can still tilt, turn and rotate the iPad while it’s on the Elago P2 stand.. hmmm maybe I just made a suggestion for the next version. This stand retails between $29.99-49.99 depending on where you look. As for me, unless a better iPad stand comes along, the Elago P2 stand is theonly stand worthy to hold my precious iPad..

De-clutter with the Dexim Dual Dock Charger

I love Apple!!! I have almost every ipod generation made and hubby and I are are both iphone owners. Just as this Apple fanaticism took over, we also noticed that we are being “taken over”- by numerous docks & chargers!! Im sure we are not alone. Have you ever looked around you and saw numerous chargers,USB cables and power adapters?? Well I have and I’m telling you, being my usual obsessive-compulsive self I don’t really know how I lived like this!! Our cabinets & drawers are vomiting of cables and wires!! What’s so ironic about this fact is that there are days that we can NOT find a single one of them !!! Oh I know I am not alone here! I think this happens to most of us At first I was so good and took the time to make sticker labels that say “iPod”,”camera USB cable” blah blah blah!! But as we all know motherhood happened and I prioritized making labels that say “booties”,”outgrown onesies”,”salvation army”, etc!! And speaking of babies, I have a very active and “inquisitive” one year-old right now who finds herself so amused by wires, cables, opening drawers left and right… arghhh!!!! I needed to take control and found this nifty little gadget- Dexim’s Dual Dock Charger for Ipod and the Iphone. It is compatible with ALL Ipod models (except for the Ipod shuffle), first generation Iphone & the Iphone 3G. This dual dock is made of plastic so light it can actually be portable.It is so sleek and thin that it will not hog a lot of space on your desk or nightstand. What’s so cool about the design is that it can also give off some “ambient” light while you charge your “Apples”. This light works for me, no more fumbling in the dark for my iPhone when I leave it charging. It also includes six Apple dock inserts so that all your “Apples” (except for the shuffle) can fit snugly into the docks. I also appreciate the fact that we no longer have to use several of our sockets since with the Dexim Dual Dock Charger, I only have to plug this baby into one. Ok so now I solved my cable and wire clutter.. and the obsessive-compulsive in me can now sit back and relax and stare at that beautiful, “almost” empty cabinet…..

Personal Trainer In A Box- A blogger mom’s take on the EA Sports Active for the Nintendo Wii

One of my friends called me a week ago telling me she just bought the whole P90X kit & that she can not make it to the party we were both invited to because she’s nursing an EXTREMELY sore hamstring!! I then realized that about eight of my friends have the P90X and that almost all of them asked me & hubby if we have one . We told them “not yet” and that we are still “shopping” around looking for good gym memberships. We were still on this “hunt” when I literally stumbled upon EA Sports Active for the Nintendo Wii via a pre-order page of Amazon.com. I’m sorry,as soon as I saw Bob Greene’s wide grin in the demo video I was sold! For those of you, who have been living under a rock.. Bob Greene is Oprah’s (yes, OPRAH!!!) “live your best life” fitness coach. I anxiously waited for my copy of EA Sports Active and as soon as it came out of the box, hubby & I slapped on the leg straps and burned away our dinner!! Out of the box, the EA Sports Active comes with the game disc, a leg strap and a resistance band. You can buy an accessory pack (which I did), if you want to work out alongside your husband, sibling or neighbor. The resistance band reminded me of the ones you use for Pilates but made of a thin elastic plastic material. This almost looked flimsy and fragile that sometimes I’m afraid to pull on it too hard that it might just break.I have been pulling on them full force and fortunately, I proved, firsthand,that they are ACTUALLY strong. The leg strap is well-made and fit snugly around my thigh.It made adequate allowance that in my opinion will fit almost all thigh sizes. You just have to put them on the right way, if not, then they will slip down. The EA Sports Active for the Wii is marketed not as a “game” but as a “virtual trainer” in a box. I totally agree. It is NOT a game, it is a fitness program delivered via your Nintendo Wii consoles!! This just adds to the “fun” factor that somehow allows us to forget that we are actually working out and busting buns!! It features a wide array of exercises which target the upper & lower body.There is also a wide selection of cardio routines that it will take you awhile to make a choice. It is so intuitive that almost everything is personalized. I especially liked that you can make your own “avatars”. It is also so interesting to note that there is a journal wherein you can track your workout progress and rewards you with daily medals as incentive for living healthy lifestyles!!!  What’s also nice and unique about EA Sports Active is that you can personally have  your lifestyle in check with a daily checklist wherein you are asked if you are keeping up with the daily  workouts, if you had your required daily serving of vegetables,how many glasses of water you had, etc. See, so much like having your own fitness instructor !!! It also allows you to customize the components of each workout session. I started with a 20-minute routine consists of boxing,running & jump lunges. I was a sweaty mess after this circuit!! I also liked the fact that it tracks and quantifies burned calories per session which kind of gives you a sense of accomplishment. This “personal trainer in a box” is also very generous with praises and encouragement that will really ignite your competitive spirit especially if you are working out alongside another person. Another unique feature, is the 30-day Challenge wherein circuits are preset to change each day throughout the one month program so there is no room for your muscles to “get bored”. If you want to increase the level of some of the exercises, you can enable the Wii Fit balance board. This fact made me want the EA Sports Active all the more because now I can use the Wii Balance board other than for doing yoga poses. One thing that I miss is that EA Sports Active can not track your weight, only calories burned. Other than that,I found myself pleasantly surprised that I “feel great”even though I am a sweaty mess, that I feel a sense of accomplishment everytime my arms hurt and that DESPITE all these, I still tell myself, “I’m coming back for more!!!”

A “blogger” mom’s take on the Gorillapod SLR

Don’t you just hate it when you unwillingly  become  the designated photographer of the family?? The holidays are over and now we have tons and tons of holiday pictures to print. I just got a bunch of them back and and I just noticed in all seventy-five pictures we took, I was only in fiftteen!!!! What?!?!?  I always had to explain my whereabouts to people who look at them, always had to make the point that yeah I was there, I took the picture!!! So after this I insisted on getting a TRIPOD. This became number 1 in our post-holiday shopping list.  So now I have my hands on the very innovative Gorillapod SLR  .The first time I heard its name I find myself asking a friend what it was. It turns out, it is perfect for what it really is. It is a tripod but not a conventional one, mind you. The Gorillapod line is actually a line of super flexible tripods. They are not your run 0f the mill tripods, in the sense, that you can bend those ring and foot grips to any position, height and angle you want!!! Gosh, they can even cling to anything just by having those flexible joints  wrap  around a chair, banister, or a tree branch (if you plan to take that money shot of Brangelina!!!). This particular model that I got is the Gorillapod SLR model, and as it suggests, it is made to withstand the weight of most SLR-type cameras and video camcorders. They are equipped with universal 1/4 -20 screw attachment so any model or brand of SLR-type cameras and camcorders will be compatible with this cute little gizmo. I excitedly tried it with my Sony Cybershot H2 and setting it up  was a no-brainer even for a stay-at-home mom like me. It carried my camera’s bulk and weight really good, it didn’t even tremble or jiggle!!! As mentioned in the box, it can carry a maximum weight of 800 grams or 1.75 lbs. Take it as a warning and make sure your extra lens set and other camera add-ons make the weight requirement because for sure they will fall. You have been warned!!! If this will be your problem, go check their website. They are so intuitive that you should actually plug-in your camera model and brand before pulling the trigger to buy one. The website will advice you which Gorillapod model is best for your needs. What also gets me excited over this, is that, its flexibility features make it easy for me to store and carry. You can just bunch it up and bend it anyway you want, so it can actually fit inside your bag, your already cramped closet or maybe even your dashboard!!! Yup, your dashboard!!! Now, mine is actually sitting there, so in ANY EVENT that there will be a spontaneous family picture-taking I will no longer be absent in the picture. For once, I will be in every single one of them…. thank you ,my Gorillapod

A “blogger” mom’s take on the Richard Solo 1800

I’m back from a very short holiday hiatus, and being the holidays I had my share of road trips to family and friends living at least two hours from us. And for me, a good road trip means a great deal of “my” music playing from my ipod because my God, my idea of sheer torture is to be stuck in the car with very very bad music playing over the radio!!! Yuck!!! And since we are packing ourselves in the car in a hurry, I chunked my iphone in my bag. As we were almost in the interstate, I felt the need to call  my brother for some emergency details of our upcoming holiday party at their house and as I was going through the  party games we would play, I was suddenly cut off!!!! I just thought it was my brother hanging up on me because our conversation had turned into an argument over Pictionary or classic charades. I checked my iphone and it turns out, I was OUT OF BATTERY!!!! I did not realize I was not able to charge my iphone before leaving. So I was so upset and bored during the ride without my iphone so I remembered I can just listen to music. I gingerly, plugged in my ipod and OMG, it only has one fourth its battery level!!!!  I guess this would not have happened if I got myself the Richard Solo 1800 smart backup battery.   This product is built to act as emergency battery charger that can be attached to the USB end of your beloved iphones (2G and 3G), ipod video, ipod classic, ipod touch, ipod nano. In short almost all of your ipod models. As I was opening the box, I uncovered a power adapter, a retractable USB charging cable, a 2-port car charger and the battery back-up itself. I took it for a spin this whole week and I was not disappointed. It fully charged my iphone in two and half hours!!! That was fast!! This maybe due to the “juice’” it packs with it. The battery pack is actually made of 1800 mAh polymerized lithuim-ion. For form factor, I felt its a little too big since it is almost the size of the iphone itself.  It also kinda wobbled when attached to the iphone by itself  so I highly recommend using the brackets that they included in the box. This a a small price to pay for what it has to offer. The battery backup unit is not only a powerful and dependable charger but it is also a laser pointer and a flashlight as well, as indicated by two separate buttons on the bottom of the battery charger unit. The beauty of the design also lies in the fact that you can also charge the iphone and the battery backup unit at the same time by attaching the USB charging cable plus the wall power adapter at the end of the Richard Solo 1800. With this you do not actually need a computer all the time just to charge your iphone. And as mentioned, the package comes with a 2-port  car charger for those long and boring road trips!!!  It’s just everything but the kitchen sink!!! The price of the Richard Solo 1800 ranges from $49-69 depending on where you look. For this price you are not only paying for a battery backup but also you get all the other features mentioned. With everything said, I think the Richard Solo 1800 is truly a must-have for iphone and ipod owners, something one should not go anywhere without, especially  for those long road trips. Take it from me as I now learned from my mistake, never again will I leave home without it. 

A “blogger” mom’s take on the Flip MinoHD

I got my hands on the new and “much-hyped-about” Flip MinoHD from Pure Digital. I am like the hundreds and hundreds of moms out there who get so intimidated with “sophisticated” gadgets. The bells and whistles are getting more and more complicated these days, so we are left to designate the gadgets and other “techy’ stuff to our dear old hubbies (and now even to our  teen-aged sons and daughters!!!). I was almost resigned to say  ”mommy couldn’t just keep up!!!!” But lo and behold, here comes a company, who took a BIG RISK and instead of going more SOPHISTICATED, (which meant becoming all the more  COMPLICATED), they went the “other” way  and instead went back to the BASICS. They introduced the FLIP camcorder. Only one word describes this: SIMPLE. Did you guys know that they have been around for more than a couple of years??? They just went “under the radar” until the FLIP ULTRA model came with their vibrant colors that appealed to the Youtube generation. It took  this generation by storm and sold more than a million copies from Amazon.com.  This phenomenon took a life of its own, as seen on the thousands of videos uploaded in Youtube about its functionality,ease of use and the FUN they get out of this incredibly small gizmo.

Since its success, everybody clamored for more and by popular request, the Flip MinoHD is now here. To date they said, the Flip MinoHD is the smallest camcorder  that can actually rival the BIG brands out there. Its aesthetics look very similar to its predecessor, the Flip Mino. Heck, you can not even tell them apart if  they sat in front you. The MinoHD like the Mino comes in two colors, glossy black and glossy white. They look and feel very sleek in the hands but yet again, wipe those fingers good because this glossy finish is a magnet for fingerprints!! The physical dimensions are almost the same as the Mino. It is also great that it comes built-in with a rechargeable lithium ion battery which can last you up to two hours of HD “film-making”.  But here lies the difference, the MinoHD comes with a 4GB built-in memory, records 60 minutes of 720p resolution (HD quality yay!!!!!) videos with 16:9 cinematic widescreen videos!!!! It was a very small disappointment that it does not support memory expansion but I guess we can just save videos in the trusty old laptop to make room for more. It still utilizes their signature “flip-out” (hence the name) USB arm to transfer video files into the computer. Well this is just GENIUS!!! Who could have known somebody can make it this SIMPLE??? I have taken the MinoHD for a spin and the video quality is awesome!!! Its crisp and clear, you would NOT even think that it was taken by this simple gadget. I have a Mino and I took videos side by side with the MinoHD and I can say, its a world of difference. Its like you just got a new set of  eyeglasses after using an old one with the wrong refraction!!!  The Flip MinoHD costs $229.00 and I can say this is an affordable alternative if you want a portable camcorder that can actually deliver decent HD quality videos.If I thought the Mino was AWESOME, well I guess the MinoHD is just PHENOMENAL!!!  Now, like my Mino, I take it EVERYWHERE with me- to the mall, while walking in the park, in the kitchen, etc (its out limits in my bathroom haha!!!).

Now,  to ALL moms out there, there is HOPE!!!! Yes, we NO longer have to be STUMPED with gadget intimidation. Now we can be “FLIP” happy all we want Click on the links… there’s still lot more to say… Stay tuned and I’ll keep you posted

The Flip MinoHD gets “unboxed”

I opened the front door yesterday morning and hello, package!!!! I was really excited to open the box like a kid on Christmas morning and amidst the styrofoam elbows and bubble wrap, I saw it…. the Flip MinoHD!!! Yay!!!! I have seen hundreds and hundreds of  ”unboxing” videos of several products. At first, I thought, do people really “watch” unboxing videos???? Well, it turns out it got me hooked!!! Are there any of you out there like me??? I watch unboxing videos of products before I decide to buy a product. Its kinda like a private demo for you, only ,you don’t have to go out and fight traffic to go to Best Buy or Cicuit City. It is also how I learn how things work and what really comes with it in the package. I once confirmed that I was missing a certain part of a product I bought because I made  the comparison by viewing this short but very helpful “unboxing” by a 15 year-old!!! As I have mentioned in my previous blogs, I am a BIG fan of  the Flip Mino and getting the much hyped Flip MinoHD, I suddenly decided to be one of the many “Youtubers” out there… TODAY I posted my first ever  ”unboxing video”. Enjoy!!! 

i’m blogging!!!!

hi everyone!!! Hi world!!! Just started blogging… i have been meaning to for a loooong time but I guess never really had the time. Just watched Martha Stewart today and she had this episode about bloggers and i said to myself maybe i start one. I hope someone can just pick my blog up and find the time to read what i have to say So here it goes!!!!

Why buy a Kindle?

Im back!!! I was watching Oprah probably two weeks ago, and saw her “ooh and ahh” about this not-so-new invention called Kindle. As a loyal “disciple” of Oprah, I dropped everything that I was doing ( which at that time .. folding laundry!!) and sat myself down to watch my Oprah convince me into buying one of her “favorite things”. As a loyal “follower”, I bought the Sony Vaio FJ-270 series laptop after she included it in her “Oprah’s Favorite Things”. I had so many happy memories with that laptop. I have now traded it for a Macbook. She also just recently played with the Flip camera on her show and I was smitten!!! I looked for a cheap but brand new one on Ebay!! Oprah just has just “Midas touch”. She just can easily hypnotize people into buying what she “loves”. I meant this in a good way though, because they sure are really GREAT products!!!  So going back to the Kindle. As soon as she screamed out its name with her all-familiar holler, I was ready to go-online and look for it. It’s just this new gizmo on the e-book reader block. E-book reading has been here for probably 4-5 years now as I remembered reading a couple of Harry Potter books on my good old Sony Clie, remember those???? Now they are bringing it back, reviving probably is the better term. The Kindle, with its nice white color reminded me of the Ipod. As its creator said, this might just become to book and periodicals, as what the Ipod is for music. Wow, what a bold thing to say. I really, badly wanted one, but for the price ( a whopping $359, plus the amount for books you have to pay for) and the looming economic crunch, I hesitated and slept on the thought of adding it in my Christmas wishlist for a few more days. I did the research, gawked at the several Kindles for auction on Ebay and even watched “unboxing videos” on Youtube. Yup that’s how I can get obsessed with something I want. It turns out that probably I may not have to actually buy one… I have my Iphone!!! I did not know that my iphone can actually be a good e-book reader!!!! This was made possible by a free app from the Apple store called Stanza. It transforms your iphone into an e-book reader. There are several websites that actually offer free e-books that you can actually just transfer to your iphone. So I guess, paying for the Iphone turned out to be an investment in itself. Or maybe its just better to say that the the iphone kinda paid for itself as it really serves its owner a whole lot of purpose!!! I still would consider to have a Kindle… just knowing that my Oprah is done “leafing through pages”, but is now actually pushing a button to turn a page…. Oprah, if you’re out there reading this humble blog… I want one!!!!!!

What’s playing?

Have you ever experienced watching Grey’s Anatomy and suddenly hearing that song playing in the background while Meredith waxes romantic? Or how about riding in your car and hearing this new song that you’re sure sounds like Rihanna.. What’s that song that just played??? Well, I just downloaded this app from Itunes called Shazam and like magic, it answers your question. All you have to do is just click on this app, make sure you have your wifi, your 3G or EDGE turned on, click on the TAG option while holding your precious iPhone up for it to “listen” to the music and after a few seconds, voilà, it gives you the song title, singer and album cover!!! How cool is that?? Genius!!! Now I will no longer have to sound like crazy person when I hum or try and sing the lines at the poor salesperson at Barnes and Noble so he can help me identify the singer and/or song yay!!!! Truly, I never really thought I’ll need my iPhone for anything other than calling and playing my music… In the future, maybe it can do our laundry!!! Well just wishful thinking in my part…

Converted to Videos

I was not a big fan of taking videos before. Mainly because “old school” camcorders were so tedious to set up that it came to a point that the moment you were supposed to capture has already gone and passed. I remembered being so intimidated by all those bells and whistles when all I want to do is just capture my baby’s first giggles!!! These all changed when my hubby came home and got me my very first Flip Mino. This gizmo is so small, more like the size of a cellphone!! It’s incredibly light-weight you wouldn’t even feel that it’s in your purse. With its size and weight, I have been bringing it everywhere with me- to the mall, grocery and even when I’m out walking. It’s such a “no brainer” for us “tech- challenged” soccer moms. For the first time there is something out there for us. It’s so simple a child can actually use it. Amazing!! No more lugging around those big daddies!!! As for picture quality, it is amazingly clear accompanied by great audio.Surprisingly, it is comparable to the video quality of most camcorders in the market. Sure it’s not recorded in high definition but for the price what would you expect!! Not everything should be captured in high definition anyways. I guess it is a small and fair price to pay. With its portability we sure won’t miss those spontaneous and priceless moments anymore. My daughter is now five months old and I have been transformed into a the kind of mom who would take every opportunity to capture her growing years. Each and every grimace,gesture and body contortion becomes a “milestone”. Now as I blog she is “trying” to roll over. Not to worry, my good pal flip mino is on its tripod, capturing every moment.

out of the box

I have just been sent an invite to join BOXEE!!! For those of you have not heard of it, it is an open source media center that you can download into your Mac (they are still developing it for the PC, sorry PC people you just have to wait a little while longer hehe). It is also a social networking tool wherein you can invite your friends and see what media they are watching, be it the last episode of CSI or their craving for old movies like Men in Black!!! It does not just allow you to see your friends’ media activity but you can also watch it too. Isn’t that awesome!!!! Aside from those, there’s HULU which is kind of a Pandora’s box of goodies. HULU they say will be the “cable company” killer. It features tv shows in all its entirety which kinda makes you feel that with this, you won’t need your DVR or Tivo anymore, just as long as you have highspeed internet and you’re all set. I guess this would be good and maybe a smart choice if you want to cut down on your household utility budget. Do away with cable or dish (that big eye sore on top of your roof!!!) and just maintain or maybe upgrade your dsl speed and you’re in internet tv wonderland!!!!! As of now, it’s still in its “alpha” stage and I really think its AWESOME!!! It now justfies my “need” to buy an Apple TV since, with an Apple TV hack out there in the wild, you can actually stream your boxee content via your Apple TV!!!! Again, we are freed from the “box”. The power of “choice” is yet again,given back to the people!!!

Artsy iphone pics??? Yeah with Camerabag

A friend just uploaded a new profile pic in her Facebook and at first I could not tell that it was her because ninety-five percent of her face was covered by her new “toy”, a Nikon d60!!!! I’m like, when did she ever start doing or even liking photography???? She just told me it’s her first SLR and for the money she paid, she is determined to “learn” to take “great” pictures. So now she is obsessed with the flowers on her desk and seeing her “struggle” with those lens, makes me snicker a giggle. I have to say, I was a little jealous. I wanted one but I already have a Sony h2 which is AWESOME, especially for a beginner like me. My “photography” phase fizzled and now it has taken a backseat or more appropriately, a nice corner in my closet. I was already resigned to the fact that photography was a passing fancy until I heard about the iphone app called Camerabag. Eureka!!This application is available in the iTunes app store. It makes the ordinary iPhone pics, not-so-ordinary anymore and believe me, they even look artsy!! Camerabag has a lot of effects like ansel,helga,lolo and instant. My favorite is the ansel effect, it makes your pictures look like photos of that famous “Ansel” person very well known in the world of photography . I guess, as the saying goes, a picture  is more than a thousand words, so check out one of my favorite iphone pic edited with Camerabag.I showed this picture to my friend with the Nikon d60 and she asked me if I “finally “got myself a Nikon. I  said “nope” and told her I just used my iPhone

Can i talk to an actual person please!!!

For the first time, hubby and I ordered a sporting event via pay-per-view last weekend. We were so excited to watch this fight we don’t even want wait for the poor quality uploads in YouTube. The event was not cheap mind you, but after weighing in the pros and cons and justifying it by telling ourselves that it’s been several months since our last movie date, we finally went ahead and called our cable company. The transaction was swift but finding the channel was not. It’s almost time before the event starts and still the channel won’t register. We called tech support and what did we get??? The irritating sound of an automated answering machine that prompts you to a whole chain of options!!! As if this was not enough, we had to go through probably an hour’s worth of elevator music!!! I find myself yelling in my head, “can I just talk to a REAL person PLEASE??”. After several minutes and replays of Barry Manilow’s Mandy, we finally got to a REAL person. Good thing I called ahead of time because it took us an hour and half just to settle the confusion. This would have been prevented if I knew about this iPhone app called Dial Zero. It gives you a list of companies and the numbers to call to bypass the “robots” and really directs you to an actual human being!!!! I have tried some numbers and it worked like magic. Ahh I wish I had this long time ago. Life could have been easier.

done with decorating !!!!

Just finished decorating our home. Im soo happy and excited because this is our “first” Christmas as a family. I gave birth six months ago and can’t believe our precious little princess is already here to spend the holidays with us. Well, yet again my good pal Flip MIno is there to capture everything. Here’s a short video of my holiday decorations Hope you guys like it!!! You better!!!! Haha  or should I say “ho ho ho” .