Monster High Walkie Talkie Review

Monster High Walkie Talkies have invaded my home. Available since May they come in sets of two ($20) and are available at Toys R Us. I was anxious to see how these toys went over in our house as well as how durable they would be. Additionally, I wanted to know how clear the sound was and how it traveled.

The Monster High Walkie Talkies performed well on all counts. I liked how lightweight each one is and how easily it fit into my child's hands. She and her little sister used them immediately and then they shared them with friends. Everyone liked using them inside the house and outside of it. They moved from the basement to the loft on the fourth floor and could still hear each other too. I loved how I didn't have to add batteries as they are included and the antennae can bend and survived the two year-old in our home. Geared for ages 7 and up, my five year-old could easily figure out the push/talk buttons, but the Morse code was too challenging. I don't know Morse code so I couldn't help her in that department.

Overall, these are fun, inexpensive toys that have a different look about them that I like. While geared for girls they aren't princess or blinged out, which is a change I adore.

MPR Rating: Four Stars.

Disclaimer: MPR was not paid for this post. Products received are for review purposes only. Opinions are MPR's only.

*Image from pixiehollowenchanties.com

My Summer with Toshiba

This summer I'll be testing out two new products from Toshiba.  The Satellite U500 laptop (mine is pink) and the Camileo H30 camcorder. 

The laptop works well for home use and for everyone in it.  It's pretty versatile, fast, lightweight and compact. It also goes with a variety of budgets, can be customized, has a stylized Fusion™ Finish and a built-in webcam with Skype.  Look for it and me at Blogher '10 this year in NYC! 

Also compact and sleek in design is the H30 Camcorder. We've already used it on our daughter's last soccer game and post-game party and we were amazed at the clarity.  It fits in the palm of your hand, easily converts videos to YouTube and records in HD quality if you want it to.  It's fun, easy to use and we plan on taking it with us on more than a few trips this summer season.

So stay tuned as I update you and show you how these products work and rate this summer.

Swinxs and a Giveaway too!

Swinxs, the computerized toy that allows for creativity and a lot of social interaction.  When I try to describe this toy, other parents look at me as if I'm talking about just another video or computer game.  The beauty of Swinxs ($150) is that while it is a computer there is no screen.  It's screen free. It talks, it listens and best of all- it keeps kids interested.

Right out of the box, my daughter was all about putting on one of the bands and dragging it outside to play with the other kids on the block.  What I love about Swinxs is that there are a variety of games to play- musical chairs, tag and more- and it is all physical.  The kids aren't glued to a screen or standing in one place.  They are actively using their imaginations, brains and friends to play all these games.  It's portable too.  Swinxs can go all over the place because it is small and lightweight.  It's great for parties, taking on trips and bringing to friends or grandparents homes. 

My preschool age daughter found it easy to use as she listened to the Swinxs voice, colors and sounds gives commands and interact with her.   And with my kids it is good that the console is also water-resistant.  It lasts up to four hours, is durable and has a single play mode.  As an only child I would have loved that, however up to ten kids can play as well.  The wristbands fit comfortably, come in an array of colors, start the game and help kids keep track of their progress and profiles. 

Overall, this toy is an ingenious idea.  It provides many hours of fun that is interactive, entertaining and educational.  I highly recommend it.

MPR Rating:  Four Stars.

GIVEAWAY-Want your own Swinxs?  Enter to win one today!  A $150 value!  All you have to do is head over here and tell me your favorite post from this week, then comment here. Want an additional chance to win? Then sign up to follow me on Twitter (veamason) and comment here.  One winner will be chosen at random on Monday, December 28. 

Disclaimer: MPR was not paid for this posting. Products were received and kept for testing purposes. The opinions in this review are solely my own.

Leapfrog's Zippity Learning System

Leapfrog has teamed up with Disney to create the Zippity Learning System, which is geared for age’s three to five. Using Leapfrog's learning expertise and Disney's winning storytelling the Zippity ($79.99) can help kids learn core preschool skills in music, math and language.

The Zippity comes complete with eight games (each with two levels) featuring many Disney characters like Goofy, Winnie the Pooh, Little Einstein’s and Handy Manny. The rounded pad and giant joystick ("bopper") are easy to use and only took my three-year-old a few tries to figure out and learn. In fact, it really helped her in deciphering her left and right, which she originally had a hard time remembering. Thanks to the Zippity, she is remembering it. I found the whole system easy to install. The mat and bopper, which interact with the wireless console, took mere minutes for her to use. I was impressed.

My daughter loves using the Zippity. She dances, twists, turns and stops her feet with the games and music. Each time she plays she is acquiring memory skills, culture, learning her letters, numbers, shapes and a thing or two about art and music. It is perfect for a rainy day when we need to burn off some energy and she loves all the characters and games that come with the system. I only wish that there were more games available. Besides the eight pre-loaded games there are only two other games available for purchase. I hope that more will be available soon.

Leapfrog also makes it possible for parents to track the skills their children are practicing by visiting the Leapfrog Learning Path, an online resource that is free. The easy use and the fun and educational properties have earned the Zippity a spot in the MPR holiday guide too.

The Zippity Learning System is available online at the Leapfrog website, at Amazon and in a variety of toy stores nationwide. Additional games ($24.99) such as Disney Princess: Magical Movement and Learning or Disney Pixar Cars: Driven to Learn are available too.

MPR Rating: Four Stars.

Disclaimer: MPR was not paid for this posting. Products were received and kept for testing purposes. The opinions in this review are solely my own.

Rubik's World

Formatted for Nintendo DS ($29.99) and Wii ($39.99) comes the innovative and challenging Rubik's World game. Two separate puzzle games that are fun for the whole family. Geared for ages six and up this game consists of eight puzzle games that are all very different from the DS version.

Similar to the classic Rubik's cube this game combines the abstract world with the fun and unique puzzles. It allows multiple players to make their own background music (five sounds from piano to bass) which can be saved and sent to other worldwide Rubik's players.

Key features include:

Play 8 unique games which mix puzzles, quizzes, music and sound activities – as well as the classic cube solving game!

Multiplayer games allowing you to share the fun with family and friends. Compare your stats and progress, share environments, music compositions and more!

Each game requires forward thinking and involves complex mechanics but a simple interface – all based on the idea that every reaction can have multiple reactions
Expand your Rubik’s universe. The better you play, the more cubies come to life, unlocking new challenges and activities.

Since I have a Wii I found it fun to post my creations and share with others online. It is pretty amazing what you can do with this game. It gets more and more difficult (read: challenging) to play as you enter the different levels. I liked how you can engage and interact with other "cubies" (cubes in the game) as you advance in the game. It adds up to one game that is always changing and never boring.

Rubik's World can be purchased online at Amazon or at stores like Target and Walmart.

MPR Rating: Three Stars.

Toshiba mini NB-205

Toshiba has just released the "perfect for moms on-the-go" mini notebook. The mini NB205 is portable with key usability, durability and style. It has features that have yet to be seen in other mini notebooks at a competitive and affordable price point - $349-399.

Available features include:

. 10.1-inch diagonal widescreen TruBrite™ backlit LED display (WSVGA)

. Windows® XP Home operating system

· Intel Atom N280 processor[ii] (1.66GHz)

· 1GB DDR2 800MHz RAM[iii], upgradeable to 2GB

· Spacious storage with a 160GB HDD[iv]

· 802.11b/g wireless[v] and 10/100 Ethernet

· Bluetooth V2.1 + EDR (only available in mini NB205-N310)

· TOSHIBA Hard Drive Impact Sensor

· Lightweight and very portable at only 2.9 lbs.

· Long-life 6-cell battery delivering up to 9 hours of productivity

· One USB port with Sleep-and-Charge and two USB 2.0 ports

· Built-in Webcam, speaker and microphone

· Toshiba PC Health Monitor

· RGB port for connecting to external displays

· Memory Card Reader Slot

· Security Lock Slot

· One-year international limited warranty and award-winning Toshiba service and support

This little notebook comes in a variety of colors and has a lot of power. It is a great addition to a tech savvy household! Visit the Toshiba website for more details.

All-in-One Gadget for Dad by SanDisk

SanDisk's largest mobile phone memory card has a 16GB MicroSDHC and M2 might just be the perfect gift for the Dad in your life this Father's Day. This tiny (fingernail-sized) memory card has amazing storage capabilities from 2GB to 16GB meaning your Dad can store thousands of pictures, videos and even his music collection. This means lots of high resolution pictures. Photos and videos can be transferred to a PC with ease. It can also be used in many cell phones that contains a microSD slot. You can even simply drag and drop music from your computer to the card.

The SanDisk Memory card makes it possible for the kids to create something really special for Dad this Father's Day and enable him to take memories with him where ever he goes. Not only that but it is part of SanDisk's 'Wake Up Your Phone' initiative. 'Wake Up Your Phone' is SanDisk's way of helping its consumers learn about using their memory cards. Prices range from $10-100 depending on the capacity.

MPR Rating: Four Stars.

Nintendo Wii's- Build a Bear Workshop Game

Rated E for everyone, Build a Bear Workshop: A Friend Fur All Seasons (ages 3+) is the latest in Wii games from Nintendo. The game, which everyone in the whole family can play, has two game modes- island adventures and playground mode, 20 mini-games like ice skating and snowman building, six secret treasure spots and a whole lot of shopping. Children create their own characters (a puppy, cat, rabbit, turtle and the classic teddy bear) to go on their journeys with them by naming them, dressing them up and giving them a heart and a voice.



My daughter, who is almost three, had no idea about the Build a Bear Workshop. She's never been to a party there or created a furry friend. This game was completely new to her but she does love to play games on the Wii occasionally. When we first loaded 'A Friend Fur All Seasons' into the Wii she got really excited. She created a furry puppy friend named Roxy complete in a pink outfit and all her inner girlishness broke loose. She wanted Roxy to have sunglasses and a back pack too. She couldn't wait to accrue medals to purchase these items from the Build a Bear Workshop. This sort of blew my mind as I was not anticipating the shopping gene to be so strong or so prominent within the game. However, this quickly dissipated and she enjoyed finding the hidden puzzle pieces within the four island adventures and figuring out new ways to work the Wii remote. After a few tries she was a pro and now wants to play this game all the time.


The premise behind the game is to accompany your created friend along with Bearemy and Pawlette to the Palace for a party by sailing on the boat, the Friendship. To get to the palace you have to visit four islands and find hidden games to play. It's not a complicated game by any means and in fact feels quite natural to play and figure out. The graphics are what you would expect out of a Wii Nintendo game. The colorful characters and brightly colored and seasonal islands really appeal to children. I liked how no matter where my child guided the Wii remote there was always something for her to do and play. Her imagination and natural inclinations led her along and the game progresses from there. It makes it easy to play and way more fun.


If your child is a fan of the Build a Bear Workshop ($39.99) or you know a child that is then A Friend Fur All Seasons is an especially great game for them. Even if they are not 'in the know' about Build a Bear they will still love to play this interactive and imaginative video game.

I'm giving away TWO copies of this game to TWO lucky readers! Just head on over here first (and if you want to comment there too- YEAH!) and then comment back here about your favorite post from this past week. Don't forget to leave your email in the comment section so I can get in touch with the winners (chosen at random) on December 26.

Congratulations to ChefDruk and 3BoyzMom for winning the Wii game!

VTech V-Motion Gaming System for Kids

I admit that I'm new to the whole kid gadget thing. My daughter is almost three and can still be easily amused and/or swayed by bright shiny objects. A blinking ring from the dollar store can make her day.

When I met VTech at Blogher this summer I was skeptical and a bit in awe of all their gadgety toys for the tots age on up. Would my kid even dig a machine like this? She likes our Wii though, so why not? I tested out the new V-Motion Active Learning System (Ages 3-7 years) with her and found out a few things.

First, my kid does have an attention span longer than a gnats and two, it only really applies to video game, computer-like toys such as the V-Motion Active Learning System ($69.99). This device is fairly easy to set up. It only took about fifteen minutes and the whole time she was clamoring for it. The chunky box and bright colors really work their magic and entice the little ones. I loved how the remote was large and easy to use. The buttons are not hard to press and the joy stick moves around nicely. The games teach skills in math, spelling, reading and science. It is designed to keep your kid active while playing too. It not only stimulates their brain but their body as well. My daughter stayed engaged as she played the Dora the Explorer balancing game for way longer than I thought possible. While it took her a bit to figure out how the whole thing worked, I was amazed at how fast she navigated the games and device as a whole. Then again she knows how to work the DVD player and can pause the television now. The V-Motion Active Learning System is simply wireless, action-required, motion-activated play done right.

The only drawback I saw to it was that while my kid did not notice or mind the graphics on the screen my husband was dismayed at the quality. He likened it to old Atari trying to look like a Wii game. Maybe, but the bright colors on the screen and familiar characters were all that mattered to my child. Also, the fact that a USB cord is not included with the game was a bit of a drawback. However, the system is compatible with the V.Smile Smartridges library ($19.99 each) so there are a many games to choose from. Overall, it's a great system and my child loves playing it. I just have to monitor how long she plays with it.

This would make an excellent gift for a family with kids this holiday season or to surprise a child on their birthday. With that in mind, VTech has offered to giveaway a system to ONE lucky reader from this website. All you have to do is leave a comment with your email address (I need to get in touch with you!) and I'll draw a winner at random by Saturday, October 4!

SanDisk Mother's Day Photo Winners!!

Below in no particular order are the winning photos from the SanDisk MPR Mother's Day contest. Winning entries receive an Cruzor Gator 8GB flash drive from SanDisk!

This is my favorite photo of my mother & me. This is because she (and my father) were more than pleased to house 16 twenty-something year olds in our tiny four room cabin for my 21st birthday.... and she even took a jagger shot for our own amusement.

Sarah L. & her Mother & Sister

My mom is hilarious. She can be goofy, is always fun and does a great job of keeping us smiling. Thankfully she didn't lick my nose after the picture was taken.

I love this picture not because its a fabulous picture of mom and I, but because it is a picture of mom and I and it reminds me of everything she has done for me in my life.

This photo was taken about a week before my mom, Rikki, passed away. She looks so healthy and hopeful and happy. And that's the way I like to remember her. She was always a positive person, and if you asked her, I know she'd say she lived her (too-short) life to the fullest.
























I love seeing my mom's smile as she holds Maddie's hand. She's very close to my girls, and they adore her, which makes me unbelievably happy.
How great does my mom look at age 66?

























Here's my mom and me in Japan town in San Francisco.










My mother NEVER takes picture - I can't remember the last time all three of us took one together. I even have lipstick on - hoot rah!









There you go readers! Winners, I'll be contacting you so you can receive your Cruzor Gators soon! Happy Mother's Day! Thank you to all those who participated

** THIS JUST IN** A clarification - turns out the models we're giving away aren't 8Gb - the black/reds are 4 GB and the pinks are 2 GB. Still pretty big -apologies from SanDisk for the mixup.

For Mom, for you, for everyone!

I'm teaming up with SanDisk this Mother's Day to offer you one great prize- The Cruzer Gator. This is one sweet flash drive too. The Cruzer Gator is stylish with its mock alligator design and cuts a unique profile in a purse, briefcase or wherever you want to store it. It looks good just sitting on your desk too. It is definitely not your standard corporate flash drive. It's 8GB! So you can upload and store not just documents but a whole slew of photos to share with friends and family for a long time. Call the family flash drive if you will.

So what's the catch?

It's simple really. Just send in your favorite photo of you and your mother (or mother figure) from any time, it doesn't have to be from a Mother's Day past. It can be sweet, touching, wacky or fun. Let us know why you love it too in just a few words. Don't have a photo of you and your mother you want to use? Then send a photo of you and your kids together that you particularly love. The same criteria applies.

There are many chances to win this great Mother's Day prize and I'll be posting up the winning photos on Friday, May 9.


Send all photos to veamason AT gmail DOT com.


And now to get you started... one of my favorite photos is this one. It was taken when TD was about 2 weeks old and my mother was holding her first grandchild for the very first time. They sort of look alike don't they?