VTech InnoTab 3 Review & #Giveaway

So I am a bit of a gadget enthusiast, to put it mildly. And as a result, my boys are turning into little gadget lovers themselves. I don't mind them playing handheld video games or with my iPhone as long as it is done with moderation. Plus, sometimes mom needs a little help getting some peace and quiet! Last year we got the chance to review the VTech InnoTab 2 tablet and they instantly loved it. Now Vtech has the InnoTab 3 and we were anxious to get our hands on it to give it a test run.

Product Details

• The InnoTab 3 combines educational games, creative activities and reading skills in a child-friendly, multi-function, touch screen tablet to make learning fun.
• Compact and lightweight design with 4.3” color touch screen, new directional pad and tilt sensor
• 2.0 megapixel, 180° rotating camera with more than 55 photo features and special effects
• Your child can even embark on fun, educational adventures with their favorite characters such as Doc McStuffins, Sofia the First and Jake & the Never Land Pirates. 
• Interactive eReader
• 4 game styles: touch screen, motion, D-pad and sound-activated.
• Kids can import their own music to create MP3 playlists.
• The Art Studio allows kids to color, draw, paint and decorate with stickers, stemps and more.
• In the My Magic Beanstalk interactive game, kids take care of their beanstalk by watering it to make it grow. They'll also harvest and collect beans, learn parts of plants and collect trophies along the way.
• The InnoTab 3 makes learning fun for children, while giving them a cool electronic device made just for them!

The InnoTab 3 comes with the tablet, 2 stylus pens, 1 stylus cord, 1 game cartridge, 1 USB cable, 1 Learning Lodge Installation CD-ROM and 4 AA batteries. Do you know what it is like when a new kids toy or technological device arrives in my house and 4 kids want to play with it at the same time? Well I'll tell you: utter and complete chaos! Which is just a testament to  how much the enjoy playing with it.

One of the great things about VTech products is the Learning Lodge Software. It allows you to connect your devices to track and monitor your child's progress and also gives you a plethera of download to purchase. The Learning Lodge features more than 350 educational games, e-books, music and videos developed specifically for each child’s unique stage of development and includes a broad library of subjects like reading, math, social studies, science, creativity, problem solving and so much more! Once you install Learning Lodge onto your computer and register your new device, you are given one free download. Your free download allows you to choose from a specific list of apps or eBooks. Apparently, I still had some free downloads left over from the last few VTech items I registered, so we were able to download a couple of educational apps onto our new InnoTab 3.

What Mom Liked

• The stylus cord is a life saver. I cannot tell you how many times we misplaced both InnoTab 2 stylus. One end of the cord attaches to the stylus while the other attached to the tablet. Now that little pen will never fall between my couch cushions again!
• The smaller design, compared to the InnoTab 2, makes it easier for tiny hands to hold. This means my 3 year old can get a good grip on it as he rips it out of the hands of one of his older brothers.
• There is really a great selection of apps to choose from. I was able to look for titles in specific categories (u.e. math, problem solving, etc.) to make sure I had a little bit of everything covered. In addition, there are also character themed games and eBooks that kids will love. 
• I love that all of the games and apps are educational so you don't have to feel bad about them having a little screen time with their InnoTab.
• Great color on the screen.
• The 4 AA batteries that were included in the package were a nice touch and let you get stared right away.

What My Kids Liked

• The MP3 player. We love listening and singing along to the radio in the car and my boys love being able to have their favorite tunes accessible to them anytime. I must admit that I am staring to get a little tired of Justin Timberlake though. (OK, not really.)
• The camera. They love taking silly pictures of themselves and each other, and occasionally sneaking one of me, and then editing them
• The games, of course! Their favorite game happens to be the Switch & Go Dino one that I was able to download for free. They are definitely playing this the most.

What We Didn't Like

• While the smaller design is nice, I was disappointed to see that the screen also got smaller too. I would have rather they kept the overall size of the tablet larger to keep the screen the same.
• The battery life is short, especially when being used by multiple children. The InnoTab 3 takes 4 AA batteries and I find myself having to replace them pretty much every other day. If you are going to invest in this product, I also suggest you get the Rechargeable Power Pack which will save you a ton on batteries in the long run.

Overall, we are once again pleased with the latest VTech InnoTab learning tablet. I only wish I had more of them so I didn't have to listen to the constant bickering of who's turn it is to play.

Connect with VTech
www.vtechkids.com
@VTechToys
facebook.com/vtechtoys

Buy
The InnoTab 3 may be purchased at VTechKids.com or at various national retailers like Target, Walmart and Amazon. ARV is $69.99 and it is suitable for children ages 3 to 9.

Giveaway
One (1) lucky winner will receive a VTech InnoTab 3. Open to US residents only, giveaway will end on September 26, 2013. Please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

I received a complimentary product in exchange for my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The InnoTab 3, information, and additional gift pack have been provided by VTech.

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VTech Retro Phone Giveaway

This Valentine's Day, keep in touch with your loved ones in style! The red VTech LS6195 Retro Phone adds a splash of color to your home and will keep you passionately connected to those you love. 

The VTech Retro Phone uses 6.0 digital technology, which provides the best sound quality, security and range in cordless phones. If you are anything like me, range is super important when you want to bring your phone outside while watching the kids play. I love the contemporary retro design which shows off a rotary inspired keypad. The Digital Answering System is accessible from both the handset and base with 14 minutes of record time.

Additional key features:
• Dial-in base speakerphone
• Handset speakerphone
• Backlit keypad and display
• 50-Name and number phonebook directory
• Eco Mode power technology
• Expandable to 5 handsets (uses CS6509)

And the feature that is probably the biggest for me is the Silent Mode ringer control which allows you to silence the ringer. This is a feature that is not on our current phone system and I miss it desperately, especially when my three year old is napping.

Buy
The VTech LS6195 Retro Phone is available to purchase at www.vtechphones.com and at Target, with an MSRP of $59.95. Available colors: black, white, red, blue and orange.

Giveaway
One (1) winner will receive a red VTech LS6195 Retro Phone. This giveaway is open to US residents only and will close on February 21, 2013 at 12:00 AM EST. Please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

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VTech Switch & Go Dinos Review

If there is one things I have learned as a mom of four boys is that my guys love dinosaurs and vehicles. Basically, anything that goes vroom or roar. They have had their share of toys but nothing that combines two of their favorites. Until now.

VTech Switch & Go Dinos are one of the coolest toys this mom has seen in some time.

"Switch & Go Dinos features an entire line of seven durable, unique and collectable dinosaur toys. Each toy transforms from a dinosaur to a vehicle and back again in a few simple steps, providing two dynamic toys for the price of one. Each Switch & Go Dino comes equipped with a customizable LCD screen and voices vehicle sound effects and educational dinosaur facts. "

From the moment these toys arrived in my house, the boys couldn't wait to rip open the boxes. I endured an entire day of "Can we pleeeeease open them now?!" - mostly from the seven year old. The first thing that I liked was that there was very minimal assembly required. A few pieces to snap on and that was it - they were ready to go!

Span the Spinosaurus™

We started off with Span the Spinosaurus™, which starts as a plane and transforms into a dinosaur and then back again. Span also comes with a crate and a small baby dinosaur then can be attached to a hook on the bottom of the plane. These toys are unique not only in the fact that they transform, but they have electronic features. When you are in plane mode, you can choose from four different animated pilot faces to appear on the LCD screen and as you pretend to fly around the room, the sensors pick up the movement and you hear plane sound effects. Then once in dinosaur mode, you can select one of four faces and Span will share some of his dinosaur facts and jokes with you.

Brok the Brachiosaurus™

Next up was Brok the Brachiosaurus™, which is the largest of the Switch & Go Dinos. Brok starts off as a big car with a smaller race car that launches a flying dinosaur when sent down his ramp. As with all of the Switch & Go Dinos, the LCD screen let's you choose from pilot faces in vehicle mode and dinosaur faces in dino mode. In seven fairly easy steps, Brok transforms into a Brachiosaurus dinosaur. What makes him really special is that in addition to his LCD screen and voice, Brok also features a moving mechanical neck as well as a light on top of his head.

We have had our Switch & Go Dinosaurs for well over a week now and the boys are enthralled with them. It has created sum fun imaginative playtime between brothers as they have the dinosaurs interact with each other. Personally, I love how easy it is for them to transform the toys all by themselves. We have had a few other transforming toys in our house, all of which require myself or my husband to do it for the kids. After making a toy go from robot to car and back again 15 times a day, it makes we want to throw the toy against the wall. That is far from the case with the Switch & Go Dinos. I showed the boys the first time how to switch them and they were able to do it all on their own after that. Which also makes them quite proud of themselves.

With the holiday season on its way (ack!), VTech Switch & Go Dinos are a fun, interactive toy that would make a great gift.


Show & Tell with Switch & Go Video Contest

• From August 22 through October 1, visit www.facebook.com/vtechtoys to enter and upload a 30 second video of your child's home-made Dino creation. They can show their new Dino by drawing, building or customizing their existing Switch & Go Dino.
• View and share your favorite video entries with your friends and family.
• From October 8 through October 19 check out the top 10 to cast your vote for the coolest, most creative and fiercest video! Everyone who votes may be entered into a sweepstakes for the chance to win one of 25 sets of Sliver, T-Don, Horns and Tonn.
• One grand prize winner will get a kid's lifetime supply of VTech toys, plus a chance to see your video air in a VTech commercial on Nickelodeon, which you can watch at your very own viewing party with friends and family. VTech will also transform your living room into the ultimate Dino den!

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for VTech. I received VTech Switch & Go Dinos product samples to facilitate my review.

VTech InnoTab 2 Tablet for Kids Review

With the start of September also came the start of soccer for my boys. Saturday mornings have gone from laid back to absolutely crazy. To give a quick rundown, we leave the house around 8:15am to drop the 2.5 year old off at Grammy's house; head on over to the school soccer fields for 9:00am; spend over two hours on the field; drive back to pick up toddler; and then finally head home for noon. With all of the driving back and forth and the downtime out on the field, I need to keep the kids busy. The VTech InnoTab 2 tablet for kids has been a great help for us.

"This sleek and durable toy comes equipped with tilt sensor, photo viewer, video player, MP3 music player, e-reader, art studio, microphone and more all for the price of $79.99. You also receive built-in value with your InnoTab 2 purchase including one tilt sensor game, one augmented reality game, one e-book, art studio app, notes app, friends list, calendar and calculator to get started."

When we received our InnoTab 2 I immediately became jealous of my children because they have their own tablet now while mommy does not. And I have to say, this kids' tablet is pretty cool.

Setup of the InnoTab 2 was fairly easy, which is a huge plus for any busy parent. It comes with a USB cable and an installation CD which takes less than five minutes to setup. Once the Learning Lodge Navigator software is installed, you hook up the tablet, register and then you can start downloading apps and ebooks. You also will get two free downloads just for registering your product.

The InnoTab 2 has an easy to use touch screen and comes with two stylus pens, just in case the kids lose one. When your child is ready to get started, they set up their own profile with an avatar. You can store up to four profiles on here which is awesome, and works perfectly for my four boys. I really love this feature as it removes any fighting of whose name gets to be on the device, which is something we experienced with the VTech MobiGo 2. I hope that VTech adds this feature to that in the future.

I have to say the boys immediately fell in love with this tablet. One of their favorite features has been the video recorder and they have spent quite a bit of time recording conversation between each other and playing them back. the swivel camera is also great and makes it easy to take a photo or video of pretty much anything. The seven year old also loved the MP3 Player since I put his current favorite son (Fun.'s We Are Young) on there for him to listen to. Of course there are also games, an art studio app and the e-reader app which they are enjoying as well.

The portability of the VTech InnoTab 2 makes this product a real winner for us. When on the soccer field on Saturday mornings, the seven year old plays with it while he waits the hour for his younger brothers' game to end and his to begin. And once the twins are resting from their game with an hour to kill, they love playing with it as well. Of course they tend to fight over whose turn it is. The InnoTab 2 has been a life saver for mommy during those two very long hours at soccer and I definitely recommend it as something to add to yuor gift lists this holiday season!


I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for VTech. I received product samples to facilitate my review.

Educational Gaming to Go with VTech MobiGo 2

We are big fans of video games in our house, especially ones that we find our educational for the kids. Of course with four boys who have school, religious classes, sports and so on to be driven to, mobility is also extremely important. The VTech MobiGo 2 Touch Learning System gives our kids a variety of fun gaming options that they can take anywhere with them.

About the MobiGo 2 Touch Learning System

• The MobiGo 2 is a multi-functional, educational handheld system that allows kids ages 3-8 to enjoy on-the-go play and hone their creativity.
• Helps Kids learn basic skills such as math, vocabulary, spelling, reading, logic, drawing and more.
• The QWERTY keyboard also helps kids become familiar with a keyboard layout.
• MobiGo 2 comes equipped with a NEW motion sensor and microphone in addition to the touchscreen..
• The NEW motion sensor provides total game control, allowing kids to create action movements within games and programs while playing 
• The NEW microphone provides different methods of game play. Blow into the microphone to move objects, blow of dust, or initiate other special effects. Or speak into it to give a command or trigger an action  
• MobiGo 2 also functions as an e-reader, photo album, photo viewer, art studio and coloring book, and is a great value as it comes pre-loaded with three game.
• The expanded on-board memory allows kids to store more fun. More than 80 other apps are available for download at  www.VTechKids.com/Download.

Initial setup of our new MobiGo 2 took a little bit of time. First you have to install the Learning Lodge software which only take a few minutes. Then you have to connect your device to your computer. The USB connection on it is very sensitive so you have to make sure you lay the device flat and don't move it in order for the connection to work.

When you register your new MobiGo 2, you get 3 free downloads which is pretty neat. I let my oldest son, who is seven, pick 3 free game apps for this. Once you download them through Learning Lodge, it takes mere seconds to transfer them to the device. When I had everything all set up, my boys couldn't wait to get their hands on it!

The MobiGo 2 comes with a coloring book feature that they enjoyed. The kids can choose a scene to color in, play around with lots of colors and then save their masterpiece to finish later.

The on-board game they seem to enjoy the most is Hamster Highway. I say that because that is the one I hear playing the most. This game uses the motion sensor feature so you just tilt it side to side to make the hamster race along.

Even though the MobiGo 2 Touch Learning System is recommended for ages 3 through 8, our 2.5 year old was NOT going to be left out. So whenever he saw that his older brother's weren't paying attention, he would quickly snatch up the MobiGo and head into the corner to play a little Hamster Highway himself.  He doesn't fully understand how to play, but he knows how to navigate to the game and he cracks up watching the hamster in his sphere.

We have all been so pleased with our MobiGo 2 that it has been a challenge getting the boys to stop arguing over who's turn is next. It has been great for them to bring in the car for long trips and with soccer starting up soon, I know this will be a lifesaver while they have to wait an hour on the sidelines. (My Saturdays will start with two hours on the soccer field and I am really not looking forward to it). As a parent, I like that this system offers fun, educational games that can help my boys with letters, numbers, etc. and I love the apps aspect of it. they start at about $2.99 which is very affordable.

Buy
The MobiGo 2 is avialble to purchase at national retailers like Amazon, Target and Walmart for approximately $59.99

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for VTech. I received product samples to facilitate my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.