iPad Mini #Giveaway

Who is ready for an awesome summer giveaway?! My iPad is one of my favorite gadgets. It helps feed my Internet and social media addiction while making blogging on the go that much easier. Yes it is one of those things I'm not sure how I lived without. Now you have a chance to win an iPad Mini for yourself Check out the details below and good luck!

Welcome to Bay Area Mommy‘s 2nd anniversary iPad Mini Giveaway! Cohosted by Milk and Cuddles, Shortcut Saver, and Java John Z’s!

Giveaway
One lucky reader will win an iPad Mini (winner’s choice of color)! Giveaway runs from July 10, 2013 at 12:01am EST through August 4, 2013 at 11:59pm EST. Open worldwide. Void where prohibited. Must be at least 18 years old to be eligible. No purchase necessary. Please see full terms in the widget below. To enter, use the GiveawayTools widget below. Good luck!

Entry-Form

Disclaimer: This blog is not responsible for prize fulfillment. For questions regarding this giveaway or if you notice errors in the links, please contact Bay Area Mommy at isis@bayareamommy.net.

Potty Training: Learning with the Animals iOS App

I was provided with compensation for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Potty Training. An undertaking that parents both equally dread and look forward to. Dread because it can be downright awful. But look forward to because it is great to get one more kid out of diapers. Or in my case, the last kid. Our youngest son turned three this past December, and now that Spring is here and the weather is slowly warming up, we will be diving into potty training. Sure I have been down this road three times already, but each child is different and presents their own set of problems, so I will take all of the help that I can get.

The Potty Training: Learning with the Animals iOS app for kids is a great way to introduce toddlers into the idea of using the potty. My toddler happens t be a lot like his mama and loves tech gadgets and while I do not let him play with the iPad too often, he does use my iPhone daily. So I was able to put this app into his games folder and see what he could do.

This game is very simple and easy to use even if your little one hasn't used an app before. The child is presented with several farm animals that need to use the toilet. Their job is to help everyone get to the toilet and once everyone is done, they can start it all over again.

I love the bright colors in this app and how quickly my three year old was able to pick it up. Since he loves animals, he enjoyed being able to help each one of them get onto their potty. For future updates to this app, I would love to see them incorporate some more potty training concepts like washing hands.

This was definitely a great intro into the potty concept for him and we will continue to use it as we progress through the potty training steps. I'm hoping that in a few months I will have changed my last diaper!

The Potty Training: Learning with the Animals is available to purchase for $1.99 in the iTunes store. It is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 5.1 or later.

Pilo 3: An Interactive Children's Story Book for iOS Review

When I first got my iPhone over two years ago, I vowed to never let my children touch it. I'm not sure how long I stuck to that, but with four kids it was inevitable that I would cave. Especially once I got  my iPad, since I can still play on that while they play with my phone. Now I have a folder on my iPhone with kids games for them and it has proven to be a life saver with my three year old. Especially when out shopping and running errands. So I like to have fun and educational games on there for him.

Pilo 3: An Interactive Children's Story Book - 3D Animation - Cooking Game has been great for him. This iOS app is a combination of storybook and games where children follow the story of Pilo, a cute pillow doll. As the 3D animation story progresses, the player is presented with interactive mini-games such as matching shapes, slicing fruit, decorating a cake and more. Once the task is complete, you can than continue on with the story.

These mini-games proved to be perfect for my three year old. They were easy enough for him to quickly understand what to do while being challenging enough to keep him engaged. I think his favorite part was building a train and then catching stars with it while speeding down the tracks. And as much as he enjoys playing the games, he likes watching the story just as much. Your child can even have some fun picking out an outfit for Pilo. We tend to favor the Batman shirt ourselves.

Overall, we were both pleased with this app. It provided my son with some fun and educational game play while providing mom with a little bit of quiet time.

Pilo 3 is available for $2.99 in the iTunes store for the following iOS devices:
• iPhone 3GS, 4, 4S and 5
• iPod touch 3rd, 4th and 5th  generation
• iPad

Protect Your iPad with The Snugg iPad 4 Case

For Christmas, my husband completely surprised me with an iPad 4. It's ironic that the man who complains about all of my technology and gadgets would buy me yet another one. He's probably regretting it now. The first thing I knew I needed to do was get a good case for it. I don't let my kids use my iPad, I'm selfish like that, but I did want it to be protected just in case their little hands get on it. But it also needs protection from me and typical use. As soon as I saw The Snugg iPad 4 Case I knew it would be perfect for me.

The Snugg iPad 4 Case Features
• PU leather with soft lining
• Stylus holder
• Strong Velcro tab to hold your iPad 4 in position
• Two-position stand
• Automatic Sleep/Wake
• Cut-out sections for the charging dock, headphone socket, buttons and cameras
• Lifetime Guarantee and the unique Snugg Promise of quality

The Snugg iPad 4 Case is available in 10 colors and I chose to go with the Electric Blue because I loved how bright the color is. Although I do wish they made it in purple. Getting my iPad situated in the case was very easy and took only a few seconds. The velcro holds it nice and tight in there and after several weeks of use, my iPad hasn't shifted even a little.

It may seem silly, but one of my favorite features is the stylus holder. I tend to misplace things and my 3 year old tends to run off with things, so this feature let me keep my stylus right on my case so I don't lose it. The two-position stand is great for when I'm catching up on my TV shows or even when I need to look at a recipe while cooking. The Snugg iPad 4 case automatically puts your iPad 4 into Sleep mode when the cover is closed and when you open the cover again, your iPad will Wake by itself.

Overall, I am extremely pleased with this case and I am glad that I chose it for my iPad.  For a very affordable price you get a functional and stylish case to protect your iPad.

Buy
The Snugg iPad 4 Case is available to purchase at www.thesnugg.com or Amazon.com and starts around $34.99.

With a case like this, I highly recommend you pick up a screen protector for your iPad screen to prevent it from getting scratched while you use it. These protectors are high transparency so you really barely even notice that they are on. The 2-pack is available for $14.99.

Please note that the opinions and views expressed in this review are my own and based on my personal experience with the product and/or company. You may encounter a different experience with this than I did. I received free product to review.