When I was still a bachelor, sleeping in my room is really great because I can stay to bed till sunrise. Lights are off and I can surely sleep more than eight hours. That’s my life before.

Now that I’m a father slacking on bed is not good. I can really now understand that parents sure does make a big sacrifice, especially with their time of sleeps.

About the Toothbrush

Oral-B’s most technologically advanced toothbrush, ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000 with SmartGuide provides Oral-B’s most advanced cleaning technology for ultimate plaque removal and also features a wireless SmartGuide.

• Separate, wireless SmartGuide helps maximize brushing performance
• Deep Clean mode removes up to 99.7% of plaque from hard-to-reach areas*
• Pressure sensor stops pulsations when brushing too hard
• Gentle on teeth and gums
• Improves gum health better than Sonicare FlexCare
• Offers outstanding whitening and polishing in 3 weeks**
• 5 modes: Daily Clean, Sensitive, Whitening, Massage, Deep Clean
• Oral-B is the #1 dentist-recommended toothbrush brand worldwide

My Take on the Toothbrush

On top of what I shared in the above review I also want to share with you that there is also a way right now to save some money when you purchase this toothbrush. Oral B is offering a mail-in rebate currently that provides a $10 mail-in rebate on select power toothbrushes April 29 through June 16, 2012. Please visit OralB.com for more information.

If you are looking for additional information about this toothbrush or about Oral B itself, visit the following links:

• Oral-B website -http://www.oralb.com
• Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/oralb
• Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/oralb

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Dad Central Consulting on behalf of Oral-B and received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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Epson America, Inc., a leading provider of superior performing printing solutions, expands its robust line-up of business-class printing solutions with the introduction of three new WorkForce^® wide format products. The WorkForce WF-7520  delivers the world’s fastest single- and double-sided print speeds in their class[1], high productivity features and brilliant quality prints. Engineered to accommodate both everyday and specialty printing, the all-in-one models offer creative professionals a unique and versatile solution with the inclusion of both professional quality 13” x 19” printing and 11” x 17” scanning capabilities.

“Epson is excited to expand our business-class product offerings with new wide-format solutions that allow small businesses to deliver top-quality materials but also ensure a speedy and efficient workflow,” said Rodrigo Catalan, senior product manager, Business Ink Jets,Epson America, Inc. “As with all Epson WorkForce printers, the new wide format line delivers unprecedented quality and speed, with the added versatility to accommodate larger documents.”

Versatile Printing and Scanning Features Keep Small Businesses Productive

The WorkForce wide format printer line is ideal for small businesses such as architecture firms, engineers and other creative business professionals that require large-format printing, superior dependability, performance and speed. All three models deliver high quality and productivity features including fast single- and double-sided print speeds – 15 ISO ppm black and 8.0 ISO ppm color single-sided; 7.8 ISO ppm black and 5.2 ISO ppm color two-sided. The all-in-ones are the only devices in their class to offer both 13” x 19” printing and an 11” x 17” scan bed[2], allowing businesses to maximize efficiency and streamline workflow and utilizing one device for all printing and scanning needs, from specialty large-format jobs to every day printing and scanning, such as email and documents.

The all-in-ones also offer Epson Connect for hassle-free printing on the go. With EpsonConnect, mobile device users can print web pages, photos, documents, and e-mail attachments directly from tablets, smart phones and other mobile devices[3].

Replacing the popular WorkForce 1100 model, the WorkForce WF-7010 printer offers built-in Ethernet networking to easily connect and share with workgroups, as well as versatile paper handling, allowing business users to print everything from index cards to 13” x 19” layouts.

Additional Features of the WorkForce WF-7520 

• Great for Preview Layout: Print single- and two-sided design layouts, spreadsheets and drawings up to 13” x19”
• Large Scan Bed: 11” x 17” scan bed ideal for scanning large documents, such as spreadsheets and design layouts
• Robust Paper Handling:
• WorkForce WF-7520: two 250-sheet paper trays for storing different paper sizes and types; and 30-sheet two-sided automatic document feeder (ADF)
• Workforce WF-7510: 250-sheet paper tray and 30-sheet ADF
• Saves Energy: Uses up to 70 percent less power than laser printers[4]
• Built-in Networking: Users can easily connect and share with others in their workgroup via wireless or wired networking[5]
• Easy-to-read Display: 2.5 inch LCD screen to quickly access all printer functions
• Professional Quality Color:
• Includes DURABrite^® Ink for water, fade and smudge resistant output
• Maximum print resolution 5760 x 1440 dpi and 2400 dpi scanning resolution

My Take on This Printer

This was an amazing printer that can do pretty much anything that you ask it to do. I’ve tried many different printers in my day but this one has many benefits that the others did not. Below you will see a few videos with my perspectives on this but here I want to say first and foremost that the paper capacity alone is something that is a huge benefit that most printers will not afford you.

On top of all this you have a printer that is easy-to-use and provides high quality beautiful images in the printing itself. So no matter whether you are printing off brochures, documents, photos or anything else you can rest assured that you will receive high-quality in return.

Finally, I am always looking for products that will save me money, and this printer claims to printing expenses. I have only used this for a few weeks, but I have found that the printer tends to quite a bit of its ink and only time will tell whether it lasts longer than some other printers that I have had in the past. If it does live up to expectation, I don’t know if I’ll ever replace unless I have to.

If you are looking for a great machine that can do a little bit of everything look no further than this Epson All-in-One Machine, you will not be disappointed!

About the Product

Recently, Texas Instruments (TI) (NYSE: TXN) DLP® Products and Brookstone announced the availability of the iPhone 4/4S miniature projector accessory case which includes TI’s DLP® Pico™ projector technology. As the first projector of its kind, the accessory acts as a thin sleeve that will allow iPhone 4 and 4S users to project video content from their phone or any app that allows for video output such as Netflix®, YouTube® and more on to any surface at a size of up to 50 inches. With this iPhone accessory case, DLP and Brookstone are showcasing the potential future of Pico as add-on or embedded within products, giving mobile phone users the power to show video content on-the-go, anywhere.
“With this accessory case, Texas Instruments DLP Pico technology continues to show incredible flexibility in enabling compelling applications of all shapes,” said Frank J. Moizio, manager of DLP Pico Projection. “This is just the first step in giving consumers the ability to

showcase video content to family and friends and create a movie theater in the palm of their hand.”
Building on DLP’s foundation of creating the best images in the world, DLP’s Pico chipsets have the same technology genetics as leading digital cinema projectors. Pico-enabled devices are already being used to watch saved and online streaming videos, play games, project business presentations and files, and do much more, all with the convenience of being truly mobile. The entire DLP Pico family of chipsets offers solutions for creating an ever-growing array of product applications, including embedded cell phones, cameras, and camcorders, mobile projectors for consumer entertainment, notebook companions for mobile warriors, toys, AV docks for iPhone, iPad, iPod devices and other compatible smartphones, and more.
“The partnership between Brookstone and Texas Instruments resulted in a remarkable accessory case that turns one’s iPhone 4 and 4S player into a mobile home-theater unit,” said Ron Boire, President and CEO of Brookstone. “Brookstone’s mission is to find smarter, better ways for people to do the things they love, and the Pocket Projector for iPhone 4 embodies that spirit by marrying great technology with entertainment,” added Boire.
Product and pricing information about the Pocket Projector for iPhone 4/4S accessory case is included below:

• Price: $229.99 U.S.
• The projector includes super-bright, 15-lumen LED illumination
• 640×360 native display resolution projects video content from the phone up to 50″ images
• Built-in 2100mAh battery charges via USB connection
• Integrated 0.5W speaker delivers audio from video content

My Take on the Product

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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About the Product

Marlee is a school guidance counselor and a designer, who wants to save the world and make it more beautiful at the same time (peaceista). Amy is a special education teacher, who is a self-described word nerd (wordista or nerdista?) who loves the idea of creating new words with a clever sounding suffix. Between us, we have 5 children to put through college, I mean, who we are raising. Marlee and Amy have been friends since they met in the “transfer student” line at Clemson University in 1986.

Their kids are tennisista, zombieista, spikeista, artista, and pizza-ista (which is just fun to say—try it).

How It All Started

Dig if you will this picture, over a glass or 2 of the house merlot, the two founders lamented the current state of the economy and our husbands’ job prospects. Someone said something like “Forget fashionista, I’m a recessionista.” Next thing you know, they were all throwing out other ista ideas. They got to thinking that it would be fun to create Ista T-shirts.

Part of their mission is to be generous with others. They know that many organizations have been suffering from a lack of donations. They know that passionate people like their customers will have their own pet charities. They want their customers to suggest charities and they will donate a portion of their profits.

My Take on the Shirts

What I love about the shirts is that each one is unique to the person is wearing it. So no matter if you are a bookista (my wife) or artista (my daughter), you can have assured that is perfectly aligned with your personality. My wife and daughter loved it there shirts as you can see in the pictures and I can say that it was fun giving them the gift as well. The website for the company is well laid out and there is so much there for someone to choose from. On top of this if you can’t find something the company states that you can even make your own ista as well. I highly encourage everyone to check out this company and the shirts that they provide and find your own unique ista!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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With the new “PEN mini” series, Olympus is bringing the concepts of ultracompactness, simplicity and stylishness to SLR photography. Aimed directly at first-time interchangeable lens digital camera users.

The first in this new line of new generation system cameras, the OLYMPUS PEN mini E-PM1 is an interchangeable lens type digital camera that conforms to the Micro Four Thirds System, which is targeted at the fashion-sensitive younger generation.

The E-PM1 represents the culmination of Olympus’s quest to maximize the size/weight reduction advantages of the Micro Four Thirds System standard. The ultra compact and light interchangeable-lens type camera, the camera body alone weighs just 217 grams, while the total in actual usage (with the standard zoom lens, flash, memory card and rechargeable battery) is still the world’s lightest at 401 grams. Available in a choice of six different colors, this model will appeal to a wide range of users with many different needs and requirements.

This camera also boasts sequential shooting performance of 5 fps and image quality built on the same advanced technology that powers the E-P3, the just announced new flagship of the PEN series, continuing with Olympus’s policy of “providing the maximum image quality performance to all PEN models”. Better-than-ever image quality is made possible by the new 12.3-megapixel High Speed Live MOS Sensor with 1080i HD movie compatibility and the new TruePic VI image processing engine. High-sensitivity shooting at ISO12800 is also possible.

This camera also features the Art Filters well acclaimed with other Olympus cameras so that anyone can easily enjoy photographic expressions that used to require complicated image processing. The E-PM1 incorporates six of the most popular Art Filters, allowing users to express their unique creative vision with both still images and movies.

Another example of Olympus’s commitment to relentlessly enhancing and advancing its line of new generation system cameras, this new camera is certain to expand today’s fast growing market for lens interchangeable type digital cameras.

Other Features

• New control system for easier operation
• Ultrafast autofocus using new FAST AF system inherited from the E-P3
• 35-area multiple AF with group area selection
• High-performance 5.5 fps* sequential shooting
• High image quality inherited from the E-P3
  - New 12.3-megapixel High-Speed Live MOS Sensor with full HD movie compatibility
  - New TruePic VI image processing engine
• Advanced movie recording
  - Incorporates full HD movie shooting (AVCHD)
  - Built-in stereo microphones
• Built-in sensor-shift type image stabilization plus electronic movie image stabilization using the multimotion-compatible movie IS system
• High capability removable flash
• Tone control for individual variations of the tones of bright and dark sections
• One-push digital teleconverter function
• Menu Guide to clarify menu items
• New scene mode: 3D Photo Shooting
• Proven, reliable dust reduction system

Have you ever looked for an amazingly fun getaway for your family that gives you the best of all worlds. This past weekend my family and I had the opportunity to travel to Traverse City to go to Great Wolf Lodge. We had never been there before, but we had heard of many people that had gone and they had a great time. For us, it took us a little over three hours to get there, but the three hours were definitely worth it. When we got there, of course, the kids wanted to hit the waterpark. While the waterpark is a large part of the resort, I came to find that there was much more to the resort than just water and slides.

Before I get into the rest of the resort, I have to talk about the waterpark itself. The waterpark was huge and had a little bit of everything, from pool, three waterslides, whirlpools and huge waterpark tree park. One of the best things about the waterpark was the fact that they kept it at a constant 84 degrees inside the waterpark and the water is also quite comfortable as well (unlike many waterparks that I have been to in the past). For my eldest daughter, she mentioned that her favorite parts of the waterpark were the waterslides as well as the huge can of water that dumped on bystanders every 5 minutes or so (and did it ever drench you). The three waterslides were quite different, and I have to say that my favorite was the yellow on that allowed up to three people go down and provided a bit faster ride and you even got to go in the dark. My youngest daughter loved the two waterslides that came off of the tree fort and for only being four, she showed some great bravery going on that over and over again!

On day two of our stay at the resort I spoke to the manager and he let me know about a program that they had called the paw pass. This great addition to your stay opens up the rest of the resort to you and your family. It provides you with the opportunity to try out a interactive scavenger hunt called MagiQuest as well as get a cool tattoo, a stuffed friend, a snack in the waterpark, tokens for the Arcade  and a memorable take home gift from the Cub Club.

MagiQuest was something that looked awesome and in starting the quest itself, my eldest daughter worked to become a Master Magi. This took a few hours and quite a bit of walking between floors, but she was able to achieve this rank and then battle both a Dragon and Goblin King.

There was quite a bit more that she could have done if we had more time, but alas, we were not able to complete everything. The game though is fun because you get a magic wand and go around collecting special runes that you need to defeat your enemies, as well as gold to support your quests. The game makes you think deeply about riddles, and remember where things are along the way. The game was a ton of fun and the resort had some hidden fun things around the resort as well which worked with the wand that made it even more worthwhile.

The tattoo that I mentioned is not your run of the mill tattoo but a multicolored, sparkling tattoo that was amazing! They had so many tattoos to choose from and my youngest chose one of the characters from the resort and as you can see it is quite intricate.

The resort itself had a great gift shop, and inside this gift shop you can find some amazing items to help you remember your trip. One of the things that my youngest was able to do thanks to the Paw Pass was build a stuffed friend that she will have forever. If you have ever been to Build-A-Bear workshop this is a similar idea and they have outfits that you can purchase as well.

The Cub Club is a fun location that allows kids to be able to be creative or just chill out playing some games, watching a movie, or making a fun take-home item (for a small fee). They had a ton of things that you could make and take home that allowed kids to show their creative juices and my eldest made a knap sack and my youngest made a monkey pillow (as she loves monkeys).

The arcade was a blast and you can find games that range everywhere from one to four tokens (each token is worth .25/token). Our girls each had 10 tokens so they did not last too long, but that did not stop them from having a blast in the arcade itself!

Finally was the snack that they had in the waterpark. The snack, called Potato Stix, really was a potato on a stick. What was amazing about this was that they literally take a full potato slice it up in a machine with a spiral cut, fry it and place seasoning on it (based on your own taste) and it comes out looking like potato chips on a stick. The snack itself is not completely crunchy like a potato chip, but it was still a lot of tasty fun.

These are only a few things that we tried and enjoyed. There was also a ton of daily activities such as an animatronic show as well as story time every night which was fun and the kids got to meet some of the resort characters after the story. They had an on-site restaurant which the kids liked as well.

All-in-all this was a great trip which will provide long-lasting memories. I think we are hooked and I believe that you will be too! I highly encourage you to consider taking your own family to a Great Wolf Lodge near you!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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Whenever I go somewhere I take a camera. Whether I am with my family or I am alone. Why do I do this? Well… for me I am a bit of a photographer, amateur at best, but still a photographer none-the-less. I feel that it is important to be able to capture memories to be able to share with others and I do this through the images that I capture and then I go from there and tell stories about the images that I have.

The challenge I run into though is storing the images in a safe place so that they are easy to access, but also so that they are safe from corruption. I have purchased two external hard drives and so far one has stopped working because it is not compatible with upgraded software and the other is getting full already too.

That is why I was impressed that YesVideo offers the opportunity to burn your images onto DVD’s. I know that when I burn them myself I am always running up against the challenge of time as it does take quite a bit of my time to be able to make any DVDs that I want. With YesVideo, all I have to do is send off my images to them and they do all the heavy lifting. Also, I have security of mind to know that the images and other materials that I send in are secure as YesVideo keeps all material that they receive locked up and tagged until they are being used and then they send it back to me in just as secure of a manner.

Why do I like keeping my images on DVD? Well, for me I tend to look at them more and I can easily bring them out and share them with others too. No longer do they sit on a hard drive and only get looked at every so often.

I completely recommend the services of YesVideo to help you preserve your own family memories, as in my opinion, safe guarding them is as important as the memories themselves.

This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Ambassador for YesVideo. Visit www.facebook.com/yesvideo to join the conversation

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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Crap. Stuff. Things… Product.

My boy Finn, a year ago during his pleasingly plump phase.

We digest tons of marketing and advertising whole, like hankering hot dog eating contestants. Brands sell it all: how scary babies are to handle, how deadly life can be trekking outside with your kids and how VITAL they are to our survival, day-to-day. They become the solutions to our problems, even problems we never knew we had.

I was listening to the news the other day (which sucks by the way, I don’t recommend it as a parent), and they spoke of a new fad in product packaging: The Edible Container. The basic idea is, let’s say, you buy an ice cream. The ice cream is housed in a chocolate shell that you can eat. No plastic wrapper. You inhale the ice cream, wash off the choco-cup and then eat that too. It saves the planet and you get fatter. Win/win.

You don’t realize how addicted you are to commercial hypnotism until you become a breeder. Everything has to be the best, the fastest, the safest. And you need it. Now.

All that came crashing down the other day when Finn wouldn’t eat a pouch of pureed organic vegetables by Plum Organics. He’d been eating them FOREVER but something had changed.

Same brand. Same flavor. One key difference.

[ The new product is on the left, and the old, on the right. ]

They just changed the packaging. That was all it took and as far as eating goes, no dice. Of any kind. I found his refusal so annoying and ridiculous that I was on the edge of losing my cool. We were out and about at the time. I needed him to chow down on some veggies, lest he start turning into a human meatsicle.

But then I started thinking, ‘What if I’m being tricked in the same way? What if I do the same thing he’s doing, only justifiably since I’m an adult?’ Kids are funny that way. They teach you things by being smaller representations of yourself.

So, I thought about it, and remembered back to when I NEEDED things and HATED things. I needed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Cereal (and wasn’t ever allowed it). I hated everything that came from Real Foods (a Whole Foods precursor back in the 1980′s) in San Francisco. Marketers had me wrapped around their finger on packaging and commercials alone. I threw tantrums to get what I wanted because they had hypnotized me. I became their top salesperson.

So, now we’re all adults and pretending we’re smarter than that. Meanwhile, I’m trying to feed my kid some vegetable puree and he simply won’t eat it because the plastic is colored differently, albeit more artistically. I try to get him to just taste it, proving that his prejudice is false. He won’t do it. I try to switch the pouches behind my back, because he obviously wants to eat it, and won’t be fooled. I try all the ‘I’m a parent and know better than you’ tricks. He just sits there like a magician watching someone do card tricks. “That’s all you got?”

I’m not sure brands understand that we need stability more than innovation in most cases. I’d rather have something that works than something that looks like it came from The Fifth Element.

Does anyone else have this packaging problem? How many products do we buy based on the labels or packaging?

Take this one for example that Andy found. I know for a fact that lots of people are drinking this one.

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Instructional Diagrams
We haz them and the word “instructional” has a very wide definition.

The HowToBeADad Pinterest page
Strong enough for a man, but Ryan-Gosling-balanced for women.