Keys Missing? Don't Remember where You Parked the Car? These Tech Items can Help....
Mother's Day is coming up fast. And for those Moms who are technology lovers, here are two tech items that you can buy Mom to help take the stress out of finding her missing keys or remembering where she parked the car at the crowded mall.
ZUS
ZUS is a vehicle finder and smart car charger all in 1 small unit. It can not only charge two devices two times faster than a normal car charger, but it also pairs with an Android or iPhone smartphone app to help you find where you parked your car.
We have all gone to the mall or to a concert and in our excitement, totally forgotten where we parked the car. I have forgotten where I parked my car recently at a stadium. So when I was sent a complimentary ZUS unit to test out, I put it right to work when I took my son to a recent event.
I plugged the ZUS into my car port to charge my half dead smartphone and when I parked my car and turned off the ignition, I received a message on my smartphone from the ZUS app that it had registered my car's location.
When I needed to find my car,I just open the app and follow the arrows. It is that simple. Because the ZUS app utilizes your phone's GPS to help you find your car, ZUS is best suited for cars parked where GPS signal is strong such as open lots.
Another feature of ZUS is a timer function that is great for when your car is parked is a timed space so that you know when the time is up to save yourself from getting a parking ticket. ZUS SALE ALERT!!!
ZUS retails for $59.99 but is currently on sale for $29.99
TrackR
Track R is a coin sized disk that you attach to items that you want to keep track of, like you keys or your wallet.
If you lose track of the item, you can use the app to make the TrackR disk attached to the item ring, allowing you to find the item or be notified before leaving the item behind.
TrackR's Crowd GPS Network even update you of your item’s latest location on a map!
Watch the video above to learn more!
TrackR is available in 4 fashionable colors: White, Blue, Black, and Pink.
MOTHER'S DAY SALE!!!
TrackR retials for $29.99 per device. The company is currently running a Mother's Day sale where you can get 4 TrackR devices for $59.99 with FREE US shipping
Disclosure: A complimentary media review sample of the Jill-E Sasha Bag was provided by the manufacturer to facilitate this review. All opinions are those of the reviewer...
The Jill-E 13" Sasha messenger style Bag is designed with the stylish woman in mind, says guest reviewer Bev...
As a busy woman on-the-go, I was very happy when I was asked by FREEISMYLIFE to review the Jill-E 13" Sasha Laptop Bag.
First let me say I was thrilled when I saw this bag is so BEAUTIFUL and I quickly began loading it up with my technology - starting with my huge Samsung Galaxy Note 4 phone which to my surprise fits in the front zip pocket (located on the flap of the bag) with no problem. I then attempted to slide my "not so tiny" smartphone into the interior pocket and again " surprise, surprise" it fit with no problem.
Love those Feet!!!
The Jill-E Sasha bag has nice deep pockets that will keep your items safe and secure. Another stylish touch are the feet on the bottom of the bag - I love that extra touch. The feet are made of the same brushed gold metal as the zipper pulls which makes for a very sturdy bottom on this bag that you don’t mind sitting on the floor.
The bag is comfortable on the shoulder and I like the cloth cross body strap. Most messenger bags have leather straps that tend to stick to the neck when the weather reaches 80+ degrees as it is here in Metro Detroit. I also love that this bag is lightweight even with my iPad inside.
Stylish whether you wear a suit or jeans...
The flap on the Jill-E 13" Sasha Laptop bag is nice and helps to safe guard my items. A couple of times I forgot to zip the main compartment zipper but my items remained intact because the flap was closed.
The bag is designed in a way where it looks great whether I am in professional business attire or jeans. On the back of the bag there is also a pocket that can be used to store items or you can open the top and bottom pocket zippers to slide the case over the handles of your rolling luggage. I didn’t travel during the time I reviewed this bag but I can see where this feature can really come in handy.
Although the PROS are many with this bag, I did find a few CONS as well.
I was thrown for a loop that this bag only fits up to a 13” device (Editor's note: Jill-E does make a 15" version of this bag in addition to the 13" version). I know a lot of people carry small devices for business, but I use a 15” laptop so I was not able to really utilize the padded laptop section of the bag between the hours of 7am – 5pm. But I do own an iPad which I use in the evening and on weekends so I did get the opportunity to carry this bag in the evening. But truthfully at the price point of $169.99 I would want this to be the bag I use for business and pleasure (all day).
A little more color please...
As I sat back and thought about the fact that this bag was designed for a woman I couldn’t help but wish the bag was more colorful, maybe a red or colorful paisley lining made of a satiny finish (just a thought). But overall, the Jill-E Sasha Laptop Bag is designed with the stylish woman in mind and and will impress no matter what your lifestyle.
The Jill-E 13" Sasha Laptop Bag retails for $169.99 and is available at www.jill-e.com
=================================
=================================
About our reviewer: Bev is a stylish Metro Detroit mom on-the-go who loves fashion, technology, and hunting for a great bargain. She has been carrying the Jill-E Sasha around since her review, and although her oldest daughter tried to take it from her, Bev says she is not letting go of this bag anytime soon...
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ChangingPrepaid #CollectiveBias
T-mboile Samsung Galaxy Avant does not feel like a No-Contract Smartphone!
Smartphones are the Smart Way to Save...
I don't remember life before my smartphone - really! It's funny that a piece of technology that is less than a decade old has totally changed how I live my life.
I use my smartphone for everything - for reading books, reading newspapers, watching movies, listening to music and podcasts, keeping in touch with my friends and family - and especially for deal and bargain shopping.
I have said for years that smartphones are the new Swiss Army Knives in people's lives since you can turn them into anything that you need with the right apps.
So let me share with you my easy ways to save money on shopping, travel, entertainment, and even on my smartphone and the monthly smartphone monthly bill ---
1. Friends do not let Friends Pay Full Price!!!
I don't remember the last time that I paid full price for anything - it is just against my religion. And using my smartphone has made bargain shopping as easy as downloading a few apps that I use daily to ensure purchases are as cheap as possible.
SHOPATHOME -
Any online shopping that I do starts with using the ShopAtHome app so I can get cash back on all my purchases. Just type in the name of the online retailer, and ShopAtHome returns any promotional discount codes that are available and also tells you the amount of cash back you can get by going through a their link make your purchase. I usually get as low as 1% and as high as 20% cash back on my purchases.
After I lost my Fitbit Fitness tracker over the holidays, I used the ShopAtHome app to get 5% cash back on a new Jawbone Up24 Fitness Tracker that I purchased at Walmart.com for 60% off. ShotAtHome gets me cash back on top of my regular savings.
SLICKDEALS -
Imagine having great deals that are vetted by real shoppers across the country sent to your smartphone all day long. Well that is what happens when you download the SlickDeals app to your smartphone.
I have found awesome deals over the years using Slickdeals including my first iPad (40% off), my UP24 Activity Tracker (60% off), my Samsung Galaxy Smart Camera (60% off), and a new comforter for my son's bedroom for only $5. The Slickdeals app is a must for true bargain shoppers.
WALMART SAVINGS CATCHER -
Any Walmart shopper should have the Walmart app on their smartphone since one of the features is the Walmart Savings Catcher where you scan your receipt and Walmart gives you back cash in a Walmart eGift Card if a competitor advertises any of the items at a lower price. A friend of mine buys all her fruits and vegetables at Walmart and gets tons back in savings with the Walmart Savings Catcher - write that tip down!
2. Travel on the Cheap!
ONTHEFLY -
My family loves to travel and I want to travel as inexpensively as possible. So when I have to book plane tickets, I always start my search with the OnTheFly app which lets me use my smartphone to find the cheapest flights to my vacation destination. I just enter the details and the app does all the work finding the airlines with the flights that match my specifies. This app has saved me hundreds of dollars each time that I use it.
UBER -
While traveling, Uber is a cost efficient way to get around your vacation destination where you can order a ride and pay - all from your smartphone.
TRANSIT -
Want to save money on transportation while on vacation by taking the bus with the locals? Then be sure to download the Transit app so you can have the bus and train schedules right on my smartphone and watch your bus or train approaching in real-time. This app can save you money and time.
3. Entertainment can be Fun and Frugal at the same time!
REDBOX -
When my family wants to see a movie, I usually will take out my smartphone and use the Redbox app to order us a $1.50 DVD rental for the night. And the really great thing about the Redbox app is that a couple of times per month, I will get a message within the smartphone app with a code for a FREE 1 night movie rental. So not only is the Redbox app on my smartphone a convenient way to order a movie, but it also gets me even more discounts on my entertainment.
GOOGE REWARDS -
The Google Rewards app lets me take 1 to 10 question short (1 minute) surveys on my smartphone that earns me FREE Google Play store credits. In one year of use, I earned over $65 in credits that I can spend on music, movies, eBooks, and eMagazines in the Google Play Store. I just love this app and thanks to all the credits I have earned, I cannot remember the last time I paid for a song or a eBook in the Google Play Store.
MILK -
If you are fortunate enough to use a Samsung Galaxy smartphone then you already know about the Milk app that lets you pick a music genre and dial up (play and pause) all the music you want - for FREE.
T-mobile Simply Prepaid is available at your local Walmart!
About 2 years ago, when it came time to buy my son a smartphone, I knew there was no way I would get him a device with a 2 year contract. My son has lost so many things over the years that I just buy things for him in multiples since I know they are not going to stick around for long. My neighbor found the first flip phone that I bought him in their front yard - 3 times!!! He has lost 7 lunch bags, 2 coats, and countless pairs of earphones.
So why in the world would I buy this kid a contract smartphone ???
So I did lots of research on no-contract smartphones and prepaid monthly plans and found out about the very affordable T-Mobile Simple Choice 4g LTE Prepaid Plans and T-mobile no-contract smartphones with great features for under $150 dollars out the door.
Given the great reviews that I read about T-Mobile prepaid service, two years ago I bought my son his first no-contract T-mobile smartphone and a T-mobile Simple Choice prepaid monthly service plan (which is sold through Walmart) and it has worked out wonderfully.
T-mobile Simple Choice prepaid plans start at $30 a month and go up to $80 a month depending on your data limits. The service has been excellent and my son has had a plan for the past two years with 5GB of data and unlimited texting, and 100 talk minutes for under $35 a month which is right in my budget.
And when it's time to refill his plan, all I do is buy a T-mobile refill card once a month while I am shopping - affordable and easy. And if God forbid that my son loses the smartphone - or I have to stop the monthly service, I am not out any additional money since the monthly service is prepaid and can be stopped at anytime by just not adding any more refill cards.
And since I have had so much success with having my son use T-mobile prepaid over the last 2 years years, I have decided to try it out for myself to lower my monthly expenses in 2015.
NEW T-Mobile Simply Prepaid Plans are even Cheaper!!!
I have been thinking about moving my son up to a higher cost monthly plan to get unlimited talk. So it was great news when I found out that T-mobile has just introduced the new T-Mobile Simply Prepaid Plans.
T-mobile Simply Prepaid Plans are $10 cheaper per month than their Simple Choice Prepaid plans so we can save even more money on our monthly smartphone bill - HOLLA!!!
The T-mobile Simply Prepaid Plans start at $40 dollars a month for 4G LTE data with unlimited talk and text.
For just under $150, Walmart now sells the T-mobile Samsung Galaxy Avant smartphone with great features that I love like 16GB of memory and an SD expansion slot for storing tons of music, photos, and videos and running tons of apps , and a removable battery so that the battery can be swapped out to keep the device fully charged at all times so that the money savings never stop.
And the Bargainista in me loves that the Samsung Galaxy Avant has the same beautiful, super soft leather-like back just like the high-end Samsung Galaxy S5 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
So that is how I roll with using my smartphone for smart money saving.... How do you save money on or with your smartphone in 2015? What are your favorite money saving smartphone apps?
If you have an Android device and love FREE, you should get this app like right now...
For the past year, My son and I have been using an app on our Android smartphones that earns us FREE Google credits for eBooks, games, magazines, and music. Yes, you heard that right!
The app is called Google Opinion Rewards and by just answering quick 1-10 question surveys, my son and I have been rewarded with Google Play credits ranging from 10 cents to $1 per survey - HOLLA to the FREE!
Since this is my one year anniversary using the app, I thought I would use the "Reward History" feature on the app to find out how much credit I have earned to date. And in one year, I have received over $65 in credits. Now I know that $65 is not going to set the world on fire in terms of freebies, but that is great money for the little effort that it was taken to answer these short surveys.
So if you have an Android phone or tablet, make sure to download the Google Opinions Rewards app from the Google Play store so you can get FREE Google Play credits too.
Now I going to go and buy a few new songs in the Google Play store - for FREE :)
Special thanks to Verizon Wireless for loaning me the Droid Turbo for review. It's an awesome phone that I hated to give back...
From the great battery life to the beautiful screen, the Droid Turbo powered by Verizon Wireless is a lot of smartphone to love...
Are you in the market for a new smartphone? Well this is the time of the year where a lot of new smartphones have been released that are all advertised to make your life easier with smart features that will make your smartphone your top used gadget, even more than your PC.
And the Droid Turbo powered by Verizon Wireless is the newest smartphone released by Motorola that has features that will definitely make your life easier and make your smartphone the smartest device that you own. I have been reviewing the Droid Turbo for the past 2 weeks and have found so many things that I love about the phone that it is hard to list just a few for this blog post.
So here are the top 7 things that I loved about using the Droid Turbo smartphone -
1. Lots of Storage for Apps, Games, Music and Movies on the Device
I remember when 16GB was a massive amount of storage on a smartphone, but not anymore. My 16GB smartphone is totally filled with photos, videos, and hundreds of apps - and that is after I cleaned up the storage and moved most of my videos and photos to Dropbox!
So I love that the Droid Turbo comes standard with 32GB of storage for the same price that 16GB Droid models were going for last year. As we use our smartphones more, we definitely need more storage and the Droid Turbo can meet that need with its 32GB and 64GB models.
2. Shake-to-Awake Camera - Never Miss an Important Shot again...
We have all been there. A perfect camera shot is coming up and you know you are going to miss it if you have to open your smartphone and then navigate to the camera. But you don't have to worry about missing a shot with the Droid Turbo. Just shake the smartphone twice and the camera wakes up - even if your phone is locked. How cool is that?
And the Droid Turbo has a 21-megapixel rear-facing camera that can record and play back video in 4K so your home videos will look more professional than ever before.
24 hours later and the Droid Turbo still has 32% of the battery remaining...
3. Great Battery Life!
I think most of us charge our smartphones every night since the battery is probably near dead or completely dead by the time we go to sleep. My smartphone has a 2100mAh battery and it just does not last since I am using my smartphone constantly. So I always keep a portable charger in my purse and a charging brick at work to make sure that my smartphone battery makes it through the day.
Well with the Droid Turbo, all that battery drama is a thing of the past.
The Droid Turbo packs a 3900mAh battery that will easily get you through the entire day with some power to spare for the next day. I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to use this smartphone and know that I did not have to worry costantly about charging the battery.
Photos cannot show how beautiful this display is to view...
4. A Big Beautiful Screen makes everything look wonderful!
I wish I could take a photo to show how beautiful the Droid Turbo screen is, but I cannot capture in photos how awesome this display looks. I put the Droid Turbo next to my smartphone and I could easily see how the colors were deeper and more saturated. And when you pair the Droid Turbo's Quad HD display with the 5.2" size, you get a great user experience that makes everything that is displayed on the screen easy to see and great to view.
Every smartphone should have a Turbo Charger like the Droid Turbo!
5. Turbo Charger to the Rescue!
I think everyone has at least once forgot to charge their smartphone before the have to go to an event. So what do you do if your smartphone is on 5% and you have to leave the house in 15 minutes? Well if you have a Droid Turbo, you just charge the phone using the Turbo Charger and you will add about 6 hours of additional power to your smartphone - Can we make this standard issue on all smartphones?
Active Display puts all your notifications on the lock screen for easy access!
6. Active Display and Touchless Control are like having your own butler!
I was first introduced to active display and touch less control features when I reviewed the Motorola Moto X and the Motorola Droid Ultra smartphones - and I totally love these features.
Active Display allow you to to preview alerts on the lock screen with just a touch of the screen so that you know in seconds if a message is important or just something that you can take care of later. I am sure that all of us waste a ton of time checking our phones every time it beeps - after all the message or email or text could be important. With the Droid Turbo, you can stop being a slave to alerts since the lock screen shows you a preview the most recent messages. Now you can do a quick eye scan and go back to what you are doing knowing you are not missing anything important. This should be a feature on all smartphones!
Touch-less control allow you to just speak to the smartphone and it uses Google Now to answer your questions and talk back to you. Lets say you are driving down the road and need information, but you cannot safely use your smartphone, Just say "OK Google Now" (or set your own phrase) and the Droid Turbo will wake up and ask you for a command.
And speaking of driving, the Droid Turbo includes some software called "Moto Assist" that works with the touch-less control feature to sense when you are driving and will ask you if you want to take incoming calls (via speaker phone) and also read incoming text messages to you.
The Droid Turbo is built with a special processor that is dedicated to the touch-less control features that work with Google Now. The touch-less control feature is always awake and waiting for your command, but will not drain your battery due to the dedicated processor. The touch-less control feature learns your voice through a series of commands so the feature will only work for you and no one else - HOW COOL!
7. Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Service is awesome!
Verizon Wireless has some of the best phone service in the country. There are certain buildings where I work in Dearborn, MI where cell phone service is a problem due the how the building is constructed. But I never had a issue getting a cell signal with the Droid Turbo. Using the feature packed Droid Turbo on the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network was truly the icing on the cake.
Overall, I give the Droid Turbo two thumbs up!
I would sum up my review of the Droid Turbo smartphone powered by Verizon Wireless as follows -
Pros
- Beautiful, huge screen that makes everything easy to see and a pleasure to view.
- Awesome battery life.
- Touch-less controls, active display, shake-to-awake camera and the turbo charger are excellent, useful features that should come as standard on all smartphones!
- Tons of storage with the 32gb standard model.
Cons
- The volume rocker on the side of the smartphone does not protrude out far enough which makes using it difficult. I always had to look to adjust the sound volume instead of being able to do it by touch.
- Even though the camera is 21 megapixels, I really could not tell the difference between photos taken with the Droid Turbo and those taken with my 10 megapixel smartphone camera.
The Droid Turbo powered by Verizon Wireless retails for $199.99 with a two year contract or $599.99 full price
If you are looking for an Android smartphone packed full of useful features with a beautiful screen and long lasting battery life, then check out the Droid Turbo powered by Verizon Wireless. It is truly a great smartphone.
WIN Your own Droid Turbo!
WIN YOUR OWN DROID TURBO POWERED BY VERIZON WIRELESS WITH THE #FREE48CONTEST
Want to WIN a Droid Turbo? Go to the FREEISMYLIFE Instagram Account to find out the details on how Verizon Wireless is giving away a Droid Turbo as part of their #FREE48CONTESTwhich runs through December 30, 2014.
Kingston, best known for their super fast SD cards, has introduced the 2nd generation MobileLite media streamer and battery backup device
Wirelessly share content with Android, Apple, and Kindle Smartphones and Tablets for $50!
I have had a love affair with my iPad for many years now. Even though I think Android has the best smartphones, I think the Apple iPad is the best tablet and I find myself using it everyday for consuming lots of content like YouTube videos, movies, and eBooks.
I love taking my iPad with me on vacation as a mini entertainment center. But there is one thing that really bothers me about the iPad - the fact that it does not have a USB port nor an SD card slot so I can watch videos that I have on my USB drives and SD cards. Now I know I could download the videos on my USB drives and SD cards to iTunes and then use iTunes to upload the movies to my iPad, but who wants to go through all that trouble (it would take hours of work) just to get a few movies on a tablet? I hate not having a USB port so much that I thought about getting rid of my iPad and buying a Microsoft Surface tablet instead since the Surface has a full size USB slot.
But I have finally figured out a cost effective way to watch videos and view content (files, photos) on my iPad that I have stored on USB drives and SD cards. And that solution is made by Kingston and is called the MobileLite G2 Wireless Media Streamer.
The MobileLite G2 is the second generation of a device manufactured by Kingston (best known for their super fast Kingston SD cards), that allows users to wireless share content plugged into the MobileLite device for up to 13 hours with Android, Apple, and Kindle smartphones and tablets. I have been looking for a solution like this for years so I was very happy when Kingston sent me a complementary MobileLite G2 unit for review.
Download the MobileLite app to your Apple, Android, or Kindle device
The MobileLite G2 works is as follows -
1. Download the MobileLite app to your Android, Apple, or Kindle device (one time action)
2. Turn on the MobileLite and wait for all the indicators to light up
3. Go to your device's Wifi settings and connect the device to the MobileLite
4. Use the MobileLite app to setup a new unique MobileLite network name and password (one time action)
5. Plug in your USB drive and/or SD card into the slots of the MobileLite G2
6. Once your device is connected to your MobileLite network, just open the MobileLite app and you can now see all of the files on the UBS drive and/or SD card that are plugged into the MobileLite device. Just click on the file that you want to access.
Stream HD movies to up to 5 devices at the same time...
Sharing can save you money!
The MobileLite G2 creates its own Wi-Fi signal allowing connection of up to 8 devices for photos and data, as well as stream HD movies on up to 5 devices.
Imagine being able to stream the same movie to all your kids devices while traveling in the car or on a plane. Or sharing family photos on your USB drive at the reunion with up to 8 relatives on their smartphones and tablets. Or for business meeting being able to share a business presentation with a few of your coworkers.
And you can wirelessly move the files from the USB drive and SD card to your mobile devices.
When you want to revoke access to your MobileLite G2, just change the password on the network.
Battery Backup and More....
In addition to sharing content, the MobileLite G2 can also be used to power your smartphones and tablets. The MobileLite G2 has a 4640 mAh 3.8v battery that I used during the recent power outage in Detroit to keep my smartphone alive until the power came back on. 4640 mAh is enough power to charge most smartphones 2-3 times!!!
And the MobileLite G2 can also be used in hotel rooms or homes that only have an Ethernet port to create a secure wireless Internet connection so you can connect multiple devices. I did not test this feature, but the instructions say to just plug the Ethernet cord into the side of the MobileLite to make the connection.
I would sum up my review of the Kingston MobileLite G2 Wireless Media Streamer as follows:
Pros -
- Stream HD Video to up to 5 devices
- Stream files and photos to up to 8 devices
- Both USB drives and SD cards can be used with the device
- Super lightweight
- Long battery life of 6 - 13 hours
- 46400 mAh battery can be used as a back up battery to power other devices
- Can be used with an Ethernet plug to setup a wireless network
Cons -
- Although super lightweight, the device a little on the large size at 3x5 inches
Right Device at the Right Price...
With all the great functions that the Kingston MobileLite G2 does, I expected the price to be in the hundreds. So I was very surprised when I found the Kingston MobileLite G2 retails for only $70 and that the Kingston MobilLite G2 can be purchased on Amazon for as low as $50!!
The Kingston MobileLite G2 is the right device with the right useful functions at the right price. And who could ask for any more than that?
Clockwise from top left: Quirky Pivot Power Strip, Samsung Galaxy Camera, Verizon Wireless 4G Hotspot, Xfinity Wifi, Universal Orlando smartphone app
These technologies will make your next trip to Universal Orlando a breeze...
If you have been reading my blog for any amount of time, then you know how much I love technology, especially my smartphone. The right tech products make life so much easier. So when I went on my recent trip to Universal Orlando for the Family Forward Blogging Retreat, I made sure to have the right tech products to make my trip that much more enjoyable.
Here are the 5 technologies that will make any trip to Universal Orlando a pleasure....
Verizon 4G LTE to save the day!
1. Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mifi Hotspot
As part of the Family Forward Conference, all the attendees were given free wifi in our hotel rooms. But it did not take long for everyone to start complaining that the connection was slow. I suspect the problem probably had to do with a conference full of bloggers all logged in at the same time and using up all the bandwidth.
So I was very glad that Verizon loaned me a Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mifi Hotspot to take on my trip to Orlando. Once I hooked it up, all the complaining about slow wifi connections stopped. My son was a happy camper for the reminder of the trip and I could surf the web with data speeds like my cable connection at home thanks to Verizon Wireless. Verizon 4G LTE is awesome!!!
I take my Quirky on every vacation!
2. Quirky Pivot Power Strip
About 3 years ago, I made one of the smartest bargain purchases of my life when I found the Quirky Pivot Power Strip on sale at Target for only $10. The Quirky is a flexible power strip that pivots to allow you to plug in any size charger without blocking any of the other outlets. Whenever I travel I take the Quirky with me so that I have enough power outlets - no more plugging electronics in the bathroom because we ran out of outlets in the hotel room.
If you don't own a Quirky Pivot Power Strip, you should rush out and buy one immediately! It is the first thing that I pack for every vacation.
I LOVE this camera!
3. Samsung Galaxy Camera
Last year, I reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Smart Camera (powered by Verizon Wireless) and told everyone that it had me at "HELLO". Well thanks to an awesome 1-day sale at Best Buy, I bought my own Samsung Galaxy Camera a month ago at a steal of a price and have been taking excellent photos ever since.
I took all the photos during my trip to Universal Orlando with my Samsung Galaxy Camera and even edited them, put them into photo collages, and uploaded them - all by using this one device since it is not only a camera with 21x zoom but also a smart device.
With its full Android OS, I can download apps (like Instagram, InstaPicFrame, Devicce Frame, YouTube, Hootsuite) from the Google Play Store to the device then edit and post my photos to my Social Media accounts - all one this one wonderful smart camera.
4. FREE Xfinity Wifi at Universal Orlando
Last month, I wrote a post entitled 3 Ways to Stay Wifi Connected While on the Go and one of three ways was by using Comcast Xfinity Wifi, which has a network of Internet connections available across the country where Comcast Xfinity customers can connect their devices for FREE to do anything from checking email to streaming a movie.
Universal Studios, Universal Islands of Adventure, and Universal CityWalk provide their visitors with FREE Xfinity Wifi. And since I and my son had setup our smartphones to use an Xfinity Wifi Hotspot back in Detroit, our smartphones automatically connected to the Xfinity Wifi at Universal the moment we walked into the parks. So while we waited in line, my son was able to stream youTube videos to pass the time for FREE without having to use his data plan - let the frugal travelers rejoice!!!
5. FREE Universal Orlando Smartphone App
Speaking of waiting in line, who wants to wait in a long line when you could be having fun doing something else while on vacation? That is why if you are going to Universal Orlando, you have to download the Universal Orlando Smartphone App.
The app gives you maps of all the properties, including hotels, restaurants and attractions. And you can use the app to find out the wait times of all the rides plus the ride height requirements for your kids. This app makes your smartphone even smarter during your Universal Orlando vacation. The app is available as a FREE download for Apple and Android mobile devices.
So on your next vacation to Universal Orlando Florida, make sure you have the right technology to make your vacation a breeze. We sure did.
