tablet Archives - Rave & Review

The tablet that just might replace your laptop from AT&T

Remember a few weeks ago when I showed you a preview of the Microsoft Surface 3 tablet I’ve been dying to get my hands on? Well, thanks to AT&T, I’ve been using it for the past few weeks and it's been great to ditch my heavy weight laptop for a bit and go light, especially with all the traveling we've been doing.

I hate that whenever I travel it’s this big dilemma about whether I will take my 7” Android tablet that is hard to work on or I will cave and take the super heavy and way-too-large laptop that I use for editing photos and videos. Sadly, the laptop usually wins and it’s yet another thing I need to haul around with all the kids. If it's truly a vacation and I don't plan on working at all, the Android tablet is okay, but it’s definitely not a work substitute and it could mean a whole lot of stress if even a small issue comes up.

For everyone who is Windows-based like me, the Surface is the perfect answer to this dilemma. I need to have all my files and work documents while still being lightweight and portable, and the Surface is all that and more. They call it "the tablet that can replace your laptop", and for many that would definitely be the case if they don't need a ton of storage, an entertainment hub, or a large monitor screen for editing photos/videos or designing.

10+ tips for car trips with kids

Do you have some long car trips coming up for the summer? Like most people, I will be spending quite a bit of time in my car over the next few weeks as we visit relatives, see the sights, and vacation with friends in the area, and I’m already planning ahead for the road trips with three young kiddos.

To me, road trips are a great way to bond and see the sights both near and far in ways you just can't on an airplane, and I love taking a good road trip {or three} each summer. But, because of limited space and cramped conditions, they can also be a delicate balance of having what you need with fun things to do, without packing your vehicle from top to bottom. The picture below shows a precarious suitcase tower that includes what 5 people need for a snowshoe, ski, sun, and swim trip and even with the bigger car, and all of this stuff really pushed the limits of what is manageable for a road trip.

Here are a few tips for awesome car trips with kids:

The ultimate in versatility with the SOLO Velocity 17.3″ backpack to duffel

We’re on the go a lot around here. Whether it’s sightseeing around town, on vacation, or simply just during our day to day routines, we find ourselves packing a bag for our days out on the regular. Often filled with snacks, necessities, extra clothing, and all the gear needed for baby, but sometimes filled with technology for work, our needs change all the time and we need a bag that can adapt with us. We found the SOLO Velocity 17.3″ Backpack and I knew we had found the perfect hybrid bag that can go from work to travel and back again. It has a padded back and backpack straps that make it comfortable to carry all day while out and about. Since the compact backpack converts to a duffel and has a fully padded 15.6” compartment that can hold a laptop, tablet, or any small peripherals, it makes it the perfect bag for just about anything you can throw at it.

Convert any surface to a standing desk with the Lift24 laptop stand from ErgotronHome

At certain times of the year {and especially during the holidays}, I feel like I’m chained to my computer. Whether it is a large amount of wedding pictures, family photo sittings, or it’s an especially busy blog month, my computer use can get out of control. And, since I’m active and on-the-go by nature, the idea of sitting at a desk or in a chair just about kills me. There are many days during the holidays that you will find me hunched over the kitchen island on my computer, so sick of sitting that I would rather stand and stoop down to see my computer.

It’s this reason that I’ve been searching for a standing desk for the past few years to give me options when I must be at the computer but just can’t sit any longer. The problem was that I wasn’t ready to fully commit to the standing desk, and I really needed a sit-to-stand desk that gave me options depending on my needs and my computer usage. Even better would be if the desk fit within my home’s décor so I didn’t end up with a huge eyesore that was only used a few times a year.

And, then I found Ergotron and my search was finally over.

Finally, you have doctors on your schedule with Amwell. You will never again have to Google symptoms and mom-diagnose or sit in an ER all night. No need to rearrange your schedule to make the only appointment available or waiting weeks without getting seen. And, no piling kids into the car and sitting in traffic, no masks to cover coughs or hand sanitizer to keep healthy kids healthy, and no keeping kids entertained while in the waiting room or in the office before the doctor has time to see you.

Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition with FreeTime offers entertainment at home or on the road

As someone who is on the go a lot with kiddos, one of the main things I get asked about from friends, family, and readers is about essential gear for family travel. And while my “essentials” list has changed based on the ages of my children, there are a few things that never change. One of those things is the prevalence of tech gadgets. It’s true that tech gadgets can change your life dramatically and make life easier, especially when traveling, but there are also some huge downfalls.

One major concern is being weighed down with technology instead of making life easier. When we’re talking DSLRs, laptops, smartphones, tablets, action cams, and more as well as all the accessories and gear that go along with all those tech accessories, you can easily fill up a suitcase – and that’s before you pack any toiletries, clothing, or footwear.

So, I always say that when traveling, less truly is more. If you can go without a full laptop simply by packing a small add-on keyboard to your tablet, you are going to be a whole lot happier when packing, lugging your tech bag through airports and onto airplanes, and going through airport security – especially when you’re also corralling kids. By pairing your tablet with lightweight accessories and gadgets as well as apps to make your tablet function like a laptop, you can truly ditch the extra weight and end up with a versatile go-to device for everything from reading by the pool to editing work documents.

For this reason I love the Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition that is an ideal tablet for kids but also packed with features to make it perfect for adults, too. A few weeks ago my son got to play with one of these awesome tablets at the TravelingMom-Techlicious Holiday Tech and Travel Show in Seattle #TNTSeattle and he was so sad to say goodbye to it when the time came. Amazon saved the day {and month, and year} by sending us home with one of our own to play with and both kids were quickly smitten.

Travel must-have for kids: The LeapPad3 learning tablet

My kids are pretty awesome travelers for the most part. They can handle short flights like pros and are the best road trip buddies on long car rides. But, as it turns out, they are pretty awful redeye international travelers. Go figure.

When I look back now, I can’t help but ask myself what I was thinking taking two small kids on packed overnight flights that included 4 airports, long layovers, no meals, and a trip through customs. Oh, and did I mention I am very pregnant and have a hard time getting comfortable in even the plushest digs?

Seriously. What on earth was I thinking?! Having taken dozens of flights with them before, some of them international and some of them redeye in which they handled themselves perfectly, I was clearly going into things far too cocky considering the itinerary and their ages.

Thank goodness our friends over at LeapFrog realized that even good travelers could use something to pass 14+ hours of travel and they sent us their newest tablets, the LeapPad3 to use on our way to #BeachesMoms Social Media on the Sand conference. I spent the night before our big trip loading up on learning software, TV shows, and music to put on the tablets in addition to our collection of software cartridges from our original LeapPad, and I’m so glad I did. This awesome show? This was my view during one of our shorter flights. Would you believe that she is rocking out to the old classic "Do you Know the Muffin Man"? Someone download this girl the Frozen sing-a-long, stat.

Power your devices anywhere with the Rayovac Mobile Battery Power Pack

My electronics are constantly dying just when I need them the most. Whether it’s my phone while I’m at blogging events or traveling, my tablet as I’m finishing a post for a deadline, or my camera at a big life event, I find myself often wishing I had a way to charge things on the go. Take a look at any airport lounge or all day event and you will see people crowded around any outlet they can find – some going as far as camping out in bathrooms or hallways just to get a little more battery life.

That used to be me.

But, now I know I’m covered no matter what with the new Rayovac Mobile Battery Power Pack that I can keep right in my purse and don’t require any outlets of electricity.

Keep your tablet safe during holiday baking season with AT&T

Remember when we used to use cookbooks to cook? I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but those days are fading fast. These days, I get my recipes from Pinterest, from other bloggers, and from recipe sites – very rarely do I crack open a cookbook.

These days I leave my tablet or laptop on the dining room table and simply memorize the recipe in small pieces while I gather ingredients and cook so it’s safely out of my work zone.

In case you’re wondering, this isn’t the best idea for a forgetful cook who also has very distracting “helpers”. There have been many times I’ve transposed numbers or doubted myself enough to check the same ingredient over and over again because I got sidetracked.

But, not anymore. Now I’ve got this little guy to help me in the kitchen.

VTech InnoTab 3S available for presale now

Remember our review of the InnoTab 2S? My kids are crazy into their MePad {Daddy has an iPad, so my two year old decided the VTech InnoTab 2S was a “MePad”} and it was a lifesaver on our recent two day train trip home from Chicago as well as our Idaho vacation. So, of course … Read more