Runalyzer Heart Rate Monitor Sport Pack Review

2013 is here and everyone is setting their New Years resolutions to improve their health.Most of us need a little push to make it happen, and unfortunately we can't all afford to get ourselves a personal trainer to keep us motivated and on track.

A French company called Runware designed a small attachment to connect to your i-devices which most of us have! Alla Kazam! Here is your personal trainer, said the genie!

Runalyzer is the first heart rate meter to connect to the iPhone, iPod touch and the iPad and it is also approved by Apple. The attachment itself is very small and connects to the 30pin port of your iPhone, iPod touch and the iPad. It even has a voice coach to keep you motivated while busy with your workout.

Inside the sport pack you get the heart rate meter, the chest strap, heart rate sensor and also a armband. Set up is very easy and you can use the runware software that you get from the App Store or you can choose from a selection of compatible apps. This makes it very versatile indeed. What I really like about this product is that if you are in the gym on the running or cross trainer machine the sensor gets picked up and displays on the machine's interface without the need of you hanging on to the bars to get your heart rate.The actual chest strap could have been more comfortable, but then again I'm not used to having a strap all the way around my chest!

Pros:

• Setup is very easy.
• Armband very comfortable.
• Other apps can be used for this.

Cons:

• Chest strap could have been a little bit more on the comfortable side, not that bad though.

Gadget Dad rating: 8.5/10

Till next time! Gadget Dad

 

Posted with Blogsy

OTONE Aporto USB Powered 2.0 Speakers Review

OTONE is a UK founded company that are rapidly becoming a leading name in audio world with products designed to please gamers and hi-fi fanatics. 

OTONE have just released a new portable speaker that was distinctively designed for travelling and is also cleverly disguised as a micro system. The unit can be easily connected via USB and 3.5mm connection cables that are supplied. Aporto will be available online from www.otoneaudio.co.uk for £34.99.

Gadget Dad Verdict:

A lot of speaker systems claim that they are versatile and meet the needs of their users but don't always meet those needs. These speakers look stylish and I have had a couple of friends ask where I got them from.

Setup was easy and it is only a simple matter of plugging the sleek cylinder type shape speakers into the USB port of your laptop or computer for power and the 3.5mm jack for the sound to find their way through the good quality speakers. You can alternatively power the unit with batteries if you would like to use these on your iPhone or iTouch while in the park or on the move, wherever you need music to lighten up a cloudy day.

The clever design team of OTONE made sure this speaker unit will surely not go unnoticed. With a light pull the two speakers separate from the unit and presto you now have a micro system! I really like this clever design feature and i am sure other users of this product will love this feature too. It surely sets it apart from the rest.

The speakers do what they are supposed to do for the size and play good quality sound when you need to go portable!

Pros:

• Very clean and unique tube shape speaker unit.
• Truly portable where some other manufacturer units fail, you can also use batteries.
• Cleverly hidden "Micro System" setup.
• Clever little pull out stand.

Cons:

• Could improve a bit on the quality of the plastic grey bit that is exposed when the speakers are pulled apart.

Gadget Dad Rating: 7/10

Till next time
Gadget Dad

Naturalmat Coco Mat Review

The Naturalmat Coco Mat Baby Mattress is recommended for newborns and babies up to
18 months. It provides children with gentle support and excellent breathability. It consists of
an organic coir (coconut fibre) core which gives the mattress spring whilst the organic lambswool tufting adds extra comfort.

The Coco Mat Mattress comes with a machine washable cotton cover and more importantly it is completely chemical free.
The Naturalmat Coco Mat Mattress can be ordered online and be delivered to your door within five days.
Naturalmat customers have provided the company with an overwhelming amount of positive
reviews. You can purchase Naturalmat products from www.naturalmat.co.uk.

Our opinion:

We got one of these mattresses for my daughter, she had a soft mattress which I wasn't very happy with in the first place and needed a new one right about now.

This arrived pretty quickly, when I opened the box and had a look at how luxe it was, I had an epiphany! I had to get her room sorted before we put on her cot bed... make her room look as lovely as the new mattress.

Silly I know as no one would actually see the mattress but it mattered to me! Maybe it's mummy syndrome, not sure, but we did end up painting her room, getting rid of loads of stuff and now her room looks pretty. Her mattress was put in and she went to bed that evening as normal.

I must say, as her old mattress was softer, I was expecting her to wake up but nothing, she slept until the next morning as normal... lovely. The cover on the mattress is a very nice cream and extremely soft cotton, the outer cover can be removed for washing which is nice and practical.

Even when I sit on the cot bed the mattress feels comfy to me, when I bought her first mattress I spent about £80 and if I had realised that I could have gotten a natural one that is super comfortable and totally chemical free for a bit more I would of happily bought one (Specially considering its hand made right in England, Devon to be precise)!

The mattress comes with a 5 year manufacturer's guarantee, and after a quick peek... they do adult mattresses now as well, although I would have to save up for a good while as my bed is king size!

The fact that the mattresses are Chemical Free is one of the most important factors to me and my family as well as comfort, there are already so much pollutants around us and we spend an awful lot of time sleeping and inhaling whatever is in our mattress, so this fact is reassuring.

It also might not matter to everyone but I was quite impressed how the mattress was packaged, it came wrapped in 100% biodegradable cornstarch "plastic" (instead of real plastic that stays around for years and years) and then in a cardboard box. Excellent, impressively eco friendly.

So a week later...

Rating: 10/10

Monica x

Radiopaq Duo's DJ Style Headphones Review

Radiopaq extended their popular range of unique designer audio headsets by adding the Duos a classic over-head DJ style headphones available in five colours: High Gloss Copper, Candy Green, Candy Purple, Metallic Silver,  and Soft Touch Black.

The Duo headphones are adjustable and easy to store thanks to Fold Flat Tilt and Swivel headphone cups, with soft 15mm cushions. Gold plated 3.5mm connector also added for optimal sound transfer.
Powerful 40mm sound driver were added to the Duos to ensure first class specification.

Radiopaq Duos are available for RRP of £19.99 in stores now at Carphone Warehouse, ASDA, Argos, WHSmith and www.radiopaqproducts.com.

Gadget Dad Verdict:

There are a lot of DJ style headphones out there and these new Radiopaq Duos really freshens things up for a change. The colours are really fresh and will be a great hit for both young and old during this summer. The headphones come in a great looking solid box and is packed very well without wasting packing materials.

The problem with the usual DJ style headphones are that they are very bulky and not so easy to transport but Radiopaq made it easy with the special Fold Flat Tilt and Swivel design. They fold so flat that there is no problem to fit them in a briefcase or student bag.

They are also comfortable to wear around the neck when not in use. The soft 15mm cushions are very soft on the ears but I think the cushions could have been a bit bigger as they did feel a bit uncomfortable around the ears if worn for a while, as if they were pushing your ears at the bottom and the top. I understand that they wanted to keep the headphones as small as possible and also still keep them comfortable but maybe if they made them oval shape they could have been a bit better. A microphone would have been a welcomed addition to these as a lot of people these days use their smartphones to listen to their music while on the go.

The build quality and the way they fold flat are excellent and the fact that they are available in 5 funky and stylish colours are a thumbs up!

The sound quality of the Duos are remarkably crisp and the base just hits the right mellow defined note and outside noises from the busy world are kept outside, feels like you are in your own little world without feeling like your damaging your ears to keep other noises out so you enjoying your favourite music.

Pros:

• Easy Fold Flat, Tilt and Swivel design for storing away in a bag or briefcase.
• Adjustable soft padded headband for secure fit.
• Ultra soft 15mm deep ear cushions reduce pressure on ears.
• Unbeatable crisp and superior audio for the price.
• Gold plated 3.5mm connector for optimal sound transfer on: Apple iPad, iPhone and other MP3 Players.
• Available in 5 cool colours: High Gloss Copper, Candy Green, Candy Purple, Metallic Silver and Soft Touch Black.

Cons: 

• The only thing I found could be improved with the Radiopaq headphones was that the cushions going around the ears could have been a tiny bit bigger or maybe oval shaped to make them a bit more comfortable around the ears and they could have added a microphone so you can use it with smartphones like the iPhone.

Gadget Dad Rating: 8/10

Till next time
Gadget Dad

Boots Active Stretch Nappies Review

We were sent a pack of these nappies to try out, with my daughter a 2 year old girl.
In my opinion these performed just as well as the leading brand we normally use, there were no leaks, they seemed comfortable and absorbed everything well.

They had fun bear designs on them which my daughter was delighted with and were easy to fasten & kept fastened while in use. The stretchy parts on the sides of the nappy had just the right amount of stretch.

I am not sure how these perform on boys as my little girl has had very few problems with nappies while my son had all sorts when he was a baby.

Based on my experience with a whole pack of 24, I definitely give the thumbs up, they performed as well as the brand we normally use.

They are on special offer at the moment in Boots, at £8.00 for 2 packs of these, so pretty good value.

My Funny Bunny Rating: 10/10

Mini Lalaloopsy!! Sooooo cute...

Seriously... how cute is this?! When I was offered this to review, I thought I have to have it!!!
Never mind the kids, such a terrible mother aren't I? Well I couldn't let anyone see me playing with it by myself so of course I had to give it to the kids and play with them, otherwise my husband would think I'm bonkers, naturally!

Since then I looked at www.lalaloopsy.com and the website is just as cute as the dolls AND I found a whole new range including a tree house which I sooooo want, for the kids of course.

Yes, ahem, diverting from the real purpose here, a review of course.

First, I mean after me showing my obsession already, I should tell you a bit more about them.
These cute 3” Mini Lalaloopsy™ dolls have moveable arms, legs and head. They each come with their own cute pet and accessories. The Dolls are priced around £5.99 and suitable for ages 4 plus.
Also available in the range are the fun Mini Lalaloopsy™ playsets, which include the Crumbs’ Tea Party™ set we got and others, priced at around £9.99.

There are many other accessories in the set like a ferris wheel, a tree house and so on, you can create your own little magical world, where houses are askew, animals are unusual sizes and colours, and everything is made from fabrics, buttons and thread, ahem, that came out wrong, I meant create it for your kids of course.

I really wanted my kids to love this, I love sewing and I love baking, so Crumbs really appealed to me and lets say brought out my inner child.

Luckily my kids loved it, I was relieved otherwise my excuse to collect and play with these would have soooo disappeared!

My daughter instantly started squealing when she saw it, and didn't stop bugging me until I opened it. They both loved playing with it, the only negative thing I found about it was that the chair legs come off, I think its good that you can separate the chairs and the table apart so you can store it away in a box while you are not playing with it but the chair legs are so teeny weeny they easily get lost.

Apart from that minor detail we are totally in love with these and we really want to collect these!

My Funny Bunny Rating: 9/10

If you want to get your hands on your own Mini Lalaloopsy (love the name by the way!) you can now find them in most toy stores or on Amazon.

Monica x

Brain Boosters (Omega 3) Review

Brain Boosters are little capsules of orange fruit bursts, packed full of Omega 3 providing concentrated levels of essential fatty acids DHA and EPA for improved concentration and brain function.

The DHA in Omega 3 fish oil is an important component of the brain. DHA plays an essential role in brain development, and also assists in maintaining healthy brain function and levels of concentration.

We got sent a pack of Brain Boosters by Healthspan and as I must say I was very interested to try them on the kids because we had previously bought some in the supermarket to give to the kids but they were really expensive and they didn't taste very pleasantly, so once the packet finished we kind of forgot about them.

The Brain Boosters were delivered in the box the actual vitamins come in, which I found really cool as its a eco friendly way of packaging and it fits through the letter box,  kids loved these and we call them "sweetie medicine" so they know they are only allowed one a day but they taste great too.

As the kids like them so much I researched further and I found out some of the many ways DHA helps children's health:

• Supports strong cognitive function by supporting optimal neuron function
• Promotes ability to concentrate and focus
• Affects the motor control part of the brain, playing a major role in muscle function and coordination
• Supports normal social development
• Promotes appropriate behaviour
• Provides increased visual acuity

The packaging also came with a voucher to get discount off Healthspan's Children's Multivitamin Bear which I'm going to have a look at trying, I'm definitely going to order the Brain Boosters again, one months supply for a child at £9.95 is quite good considering that it includes postage.

I will be looking out to see if it does in fact improve his concentration and what not but because I still have "Baby Brain" I might order some adult ones too and see if it works for me too.

Do you already take or give your children Omega 3? Did you see a noticeable difference since taking it?

Monica x

Captivating Toothbrushes for Kids - Firefly Review

We got sent a pair of Firefly toothbrushes for the kids, a cool Spiderman one for Funny Bunny who is 5 and a Hello Kitty one for BooBoo who is 2 in a few days.

They were both over the moon when these arrived, they didn't just have a picture of the character like other toothbrushes, they were actually character shaped!!
When they realised that they lit up when you pressed the button, they were seriously jumping up and down ( Funny Bunny started it and Boo Boo being the copy cat that she is shortly followed!).



So here we are in the middle of the afternoon in the toilet brushing their teeth, because they are so excited about these tooth brushes that light up!!

The fun continues though, a few weeks down the line and my kids still have a great time brushing their teeth and actually brush their teeth for the recommended time, while the toothbrush lights up... I actually have to keep the toilet door closed otherwise Boo Boo goes and gets the toothbrush to brush her teeth a ton of times a day!

I was worried about if the light would break if the toothbrush got rinsed under water, but it has been used for ages and still working great!

Keep an eye out because we are going to be giving some of these fantastic toothbrushes away!

Product information:

Firefly has used distinctive light up technology to create a fantastic mechanism for getting children to brush their teeth for the recommended time.  All a child needs to do is press the bottom of the brush and as it lights up, start brushing.  The flashing light lasts for one minute, giving the child the right amount of time to brush either their upper or lower teeth.  Then, they simply move the brush and press the light again, to complete their brushing routine.
Firefly toothbrushes come in a range of assorted colours as well as characters such as Spiderman & Hello Kitty – the PERFECT way to get children enthusiastic about dental hygiene!

RRP £1.49 - £2.49, available from Argos and Lloyds pharmacies

Firefly toothbrushes encourage good habits for life!

My Funny Bunny Rating:  10/10

Monica x

Create.net - Meet our sponsor to Cybermummy 2011

Create.net are our sponsors for this years Cybermummy, I am glad they approached us because theirs is a product I believe in as I have been using their services for over a year and a half!

Create have been around since 1999, that is a lot of years and experience! Their aim is give you the tools to create the website you want. Whoever you are and however terrible you are at using computers, Create makes it easy for you and your business to create a great looking website.

 www.myfunnybunny.com

Packages start at just £2.99 a month or £29.99 a year and that includes hosting (Starter Package), and they go all the way to Pro Seller. Not only do you get great support from Create but there is also the most amazing supportive community forum where members support each other.

Create is not just for novices in web design, it is also for those that have a little more knowledge or even the professional web designers, for these levels of expertise there is the Web Designers Kit (WDK), examples shown below.

www.uksilverjewellery.com

You can do any sort of website not just e-commerce, here is an example www.security-jobs.biz , its your website, customize it as you need it!

When we asked some of the members to comment on the service we were overwhelmed by the response! Here are just a few:

"I love the simplicity of Create.net, it's an amazing platform for mums in business.  It has very affordable monthly plans and the layout and design is suitable for all techie needs. When I first started Charlie Moo's nearly 3 years ago I could barely turn on a computer but now I am able to write html codes and the beauty of Create.net is that it allows you to grow with it.  I also love the personal aspect of the customer services.  You can tweet or Facebook any queries and you'll get a response straight away.  They are always happy to help. I recommend Create.net to everyone ;) " Joanne Dewberry, owner of www.charliemoos.co.uk

www.diddybears.com

"I've had ecommerce sites before but Create are by far the best. The level of support alone stands them out ahead of everyone else, and the features and constant improvements make it incredible value for money. I'm so glad I found them." www.babydreamcatcher.com

"Like many others I had no idea whatsoever about web design, but Create seems very user-friendly with plenty of templates and helpful articles. Would definitley recommend! Have had a few sales already too, so am well chuffed!" Sally, owner of www.halerholder.co.uk

"Since using Create, we have managed to gain national word association with our site, and as we are growing so are the features that can be used via Create. The community is great and the customer service is second to none." www.ethical-emi.com

"Making a website using Create is extremely easy to do, a total novice can have a website within a few hours." Elaine, owner of www.starsandroses.co.uk

So you see... it isn't just me saying so! If you need a website go to  www.create.net now and get your 30 DAY FREE TRIAL!

Monica x

Graco Fusio Review

The Graco Fusio arrived with us back in March, you can read all about its arrival with detailed pictures here. My kids got very excited when they woke up in the morning and saw it standing there ready for the school run, you would have thought it was Christmas!

It is a nice looking pushchair and very strong and sturdy, it has various reclining positions, you can have the seat facing you or facing forward, and a massive basket too.

An amazing feature is (specially considering that the seat can face either way) it folds up in a similar way to an umbrella folding pushchair, it ends up being quite big when folded but it STANDS ON ITS OWN!

This is a fantastic feature because I am able to keep it on my corridor when not in use and it doesn't bother anyone. One of my previous pushchairs was so big that it had to be kept in the car in the weekend but during the week when I do the school run (which I walk) it had to be kept in the corridor, problem was even when put down you couldn't really go past which was a nightmare.

Another great feature was the fact that the handles can also be swivelled any way you want for comfort, me and my husband had a bit of fun with this as when you swivelled them outwards it felt super comfy but it also felt like you were riding a Harley Davidson! 

It is also very easy to turn the seat around, and recline, some pushchairs can be a bit of a nightmare when it comes to reclining, with little bits to pull but this one is easy and I never woke up my daughter when reclining it.

The only things I found a bit hard with the Graco Fusio were the front wheels move 360 degrees and they often get stuck when the wheels are completely forward, its hard to explain what I mean without showing you but I have to lift up the front of the pram quite a few times in one journey for the wheels to swivel back to its original position so I can continue going again.

The other thing was the weight when you push, I am not sure if its due the weight of the actual pushchair ( 6.5kg ) or something to do with the wheels, my husband complained about this but I actually used it to my advantage, I actually lost weight and got fitter, so turned into a plus!

For rrp £299.99 (but we found it for £230 here) this pushchair is suitable from birth as it lays down flat, comes with a comfy newborn liner and an apron. It also comes with its own rain cover and harness protectors.

You can also use the Graco Fusio as travel system by adding Graco's Logico S Deluxe Car Seat and can get accessories to match it or you can add your own too like these fabulous ones here.

Verdict:
The Graco Fusio is a very sturdy and versatile pushchair suitable from birth upwards. There are tons of fabulous features. A bit tough to push but can be used as a fitness aid. The only thing that really let it down were that the wheels can be a bit of a problem as they swivel 360 degrees and can get stuck the other way around.


MFB Rating: 8.5 /10

For full product information and a video on how the Graco Fusio works visit Graco.co.uk

A great accessory for the Graco Fusio is one of these pushchair curtains for sun protection as I found it very difficult to attach our parasol due to the shape of the frame, and when I eventually got it attached it would fall off after a short while!

Freecom Mobile Drive Mg U&F for Mac

Freecom has been striving to create innovative and professional digital storage devices since 1989. All of their products are designed, engineered and certified in Germany according to the highest quality standards to guarantee customer satisfaction. They have just recently launched the worlds thinnest mobile hard drive.

These thin magnesium beauties will be exclusively for Macs and will be available trough Apple Premium Resellers.

Available in three different capacities and connection options:
-320GB (10mm in height with a slim line 7mm hard drive inside, USB 3.0). RRP £69.99
-750GB (with USB 3.0). RRP £99.99
-750GB (with USB 3.0 and FireWire. 12mm in height). RRP £119.99

All the drives will feature the latest USB 3.0 interface standard, which offers rapid data transfer speeds of approximately 5000Mbit/s and the FireWire unit will transfer at maximum of 800Mbit/s. Ideal for both home and professional users who want to transfer large files quickly and carry their data on the move. The last on the list will have the addition of FireWire 800 technology. All drives are Mac formatted and 100% Time Machine compatible to make setup even easier for the user. Simply plug it into USB port and back up your data.

There is also no need to carry around a  bulky power adaptor as these units are powered by a USB port.
On the power consumption side the unit switches off while not in use for a while. The unit is kept cool in the Magnesium enclosure and don't have any noisy fan to spoil the look.

Gadget Dad Verdict:

It is always difficult to find a perfect matching external hard drive for the beautifully crafted Mac products that is made of aluminium. For a while now I have been looking around for a worthy companion to complement my iMac. I got my hands on the Freecom Mobile Drive Mg for the Mac and must say, this looks absolutely stunning next to the iMac.

The packaging was almost the sort of Apple like packaging you would get and say to yourself, wow all is included and no space was wasted. It arrived in a sleek see trough perspex container and inside the package was the USB power cable, USB 3.0 cable and the FireWire cable.
Setup was just a matter of plugging the unit in as Freecom already formatted it for the Mac.

Once up and running there was no sound to annoy you from the fan like some other external hard drives as the unit is being kept cool by the magnesium enclosure. When the unit is in its powered up state and in use there is a tiny blue light at the back that matches the light  on your Mac when a application is open. It is tiny little details like this that shows that Freecom really put a lot of thought into this product. Truly well engineered and if you have a look at the picture I took of it underneath my iMac it shouts out "made for each other!"

Backing up was very fast with FireWire and made backing up with Time Machine a breeze. This is a product that I would recommend to any Mac user and I am sure it will look just as good with the Macbook Air and Macbook.

Pros:

• Sleek and stylish magnesium enclosure
• Comes with all the cables needed
• Super quiet and power saving
• No need for bulky power supply

Cons:

• Only con with this was not finding any cons!!

Rating: 10/10


Till next time
Gadget Dad

A Special Peppa Pig World Preview

Back in November we told you that Peppa Pig World was coming to the UK and opening on the 9th of April and now we have come to tell you that we have been to the preview of it on Saturday!!!

It's only because we are A list don't you know? ;) Ahem, *flicks hair* really, we were invited along with celebrities and the like so we could tell you all about it!

We are in Essex so it took about 3 hours to get there and pee pee breaks because of the kids. I got up at 5:30am to start making our lunch and get things ready, I was really excited as we haven't gone on a proper outing for a while, last time we went somewhere was Legoland before BooBoo was born.

When we eventually got everything ready including leaving food and water for our beasts of the canine kind, I finally managed to get out the door.
ROAD TRIP Woo hooo!!! Before you think it,yes, I did act like a mother the kids would be ashamed of  by putting my hand in "rock" sign and shouting that. If only they were older to actually complain how I was making a fool out of myself, really, even my husband looked at me funny and laughed! A girl's gotta have fun you know?!

Eventually we got there after a very long journey. When walked through a section in Paultons Park we saw some beautiful flamingos, pelicans and my favourite, a family of albino wallabies! Then just by the entrance to Peppa Pig World (part of Paultons Park) there is a wonderful painted wall which the kids loved and it got them even more excited!!

We went through a tent which was there specially for the preview day where we got our VIP passes with our names on which the kids were particularly proud of and we are going to keep them as keepsakes after all this was the preview of Peppa Pig World, the first in the world and this one is exclusive to Paultons Park in the UK!

This place really was heaven, I mean everything everywhere was Peppa Pig, I squealed with excitement and I am a grown woman never mind the kids! As we walked around the 'grass' and the dolls would speak to you, we heard Peppa laugh various times while walking around which was really fun, it added to the whole atmosphere. It wasn't just a park with a few rides... it was a real experience.

We went into Peppa Pig's House where we saw a life sized Peppa Pig and her family talking about pancakes. If you are a Peppa Pig fan you would have seen the episode where Daddy Pig flips the pancakes and they get stuck to the ceiling? That was it except you can see it in real life size, mega cool, the kids adored it!

We also went on George's Dinosaur Adventure, Daddy Pigs Car Ride, Grandpa Pig's Boat Ride and Peppa's Big Balloon Ride, the kids had tons of fun and we were super pleased because there was plenty of rides and stuff for BooBoo our 22 month old to do, so we were all winners!

We also had pictures taken at George's Dinosaur Adventure ride which we got one to keep from Pedro Pony's Ride Photos!

The kids loved George's Spaceship Play Zone but we all absolutely had a blast over at Mr Potato's Playground!! This was absolutely stunning, colourful and different things for all ages, we actually spent a lot of our time here and we had our lunch here too, there are picnic tables so you can have a chat and eat while the kids are playing around. The only down side to this I found was that there wasn't a gate on the actual playground... we were always with an eye on the kids but my little one wandered off to the exit of the playground a few times (we always got her just before she managed to leave though ;) ). Being a big fan of colours (as you can tell by My Funny Bunny!) I really loved the rainbow walkway, I would really love to have something like that done in my garden one day!

 Muddy Puddles is also in Mr Potato's Playground and it's a fab place where the kids can go with their swim suits and splash around! But fear not because if you forget the kids swimwear at home you can always buy some in Peppa's Toy Shop!

Peppa's Toy Shop is a mine field beware your pockets!! Not only will the kids go crazy but you will too... pitty I didn't have that much to spend this time because I would have bought half of the shop, I specially loved their limited edition prints of Peppa and her family, but seriously if you think it, they had it Peppa Pig!!

We had tea and cake at Daddy Pig's Big Tummy Cafe with the lovely Joanne, Sam and their families. It was a lovely sunny day so we really enjoyed sitting at the tables outside just next to the Peppa's Duck Pond which ironically has a sign saying 'Don't feed the ducks' but the ducks are plastic!! We found that hilarious and I am sure it's meant to be.  There are also tables inside where you can watch the kids play in George's Spaceship Play Zone while you have a rest and a chat over some yummy food.

After all that we went out of the Peppa Pig World area into Paultons Park, the day was almost over... but before we left we had to have a go in Wave Runner, which was a massive thrill!!! We had loads of fun and my normally scaredy cat son went on this an amazing 4 times! We couldn't believe it. I mean look at our faces! Definitely one for the thrill seekers.

At the Wave Runner while in the queue we spoke to a visitor and she said that their was plenty of rides for little ones so as we left the park (with a big car journey ahead of us), we saw at the entrance a big list of rides that BooBoo could actually go on at Paultons Park so now we are really excited about going to there again to explore the rest of the park!!

We had a fabulous and much needed family day out and it's all thanks to Paultons Park/ Peppa Pig World, it was worth the long car journeys, there and back!

Although I am not sure if they do birthday parties... I am looking forward to finding out as this is definitely a great venue to do it in!

Monica x

PS.To see more photo's of Peppa Pig World have a look here on the Peppa Pig World News.

The arrival of the Graco Fusio Pushchair

We were chosen as one of five to test out the Graco Fusio, the newest pushchair from Graco (apparently pronounced Grey-Co! all these years I have been saying it wrong!! Lol).

When we first looked at the prospect of doing this I went looking for information on this pushchair, after all why would I want to test something that isn't appropriate for our life style? Even if it's free!

So I read the information and looked at the pushchair and it all looked good, although I had a pramette before with my son (almost 5 years ago now) from a leading brand that cost a fortune and wasn't totally impressed with the system once it was put on pushchair mode, so I was hoping for this to be better and looking forward to trying it out.

When it arrived I was desperate to get into the box to check the colour, my last two pushchairs have been red, so I have red accessories to go with it and would be disappointed if these didn't go with the new one! I opened the top of the box and to my amazement it was RED! Yaaay, I was so pleased and relieved!

I waited until my hubby got home so we could  unpack it and take pictures so we could show you, but this was very hard as I am mighty inpatient as you may know by now!

So here it is, I thought it was a small box considering what was supposed to be inside and once we did take out all the stuff we wondered how they managed to fit it all in!

In the box came a cover for use when in pram mode (on the right hand side  in the pic above), a comfy padded liner for when using with a small baby (one on top), the pushchair, full rain cover and best of all a full foot muff! 

The foot muff caught me by complete surprise as I wasn't expecting this to be included! At this point I thought this is good value for money but of course I was yet to test out the pushchair.

Once we clicked the wheels in, yes literally clicked in (no faffing about with instructions), the Fusio was ready to go! One thing that bugged me when I first had a look at this pushchair was "how on earth does a pushchair that is umbrella style fold, stand by itself?" but it was dead easy, just literally stand it up! No levers or bicycle style stand up bits as I had imagined. It just simply stands on its own!

So now we had put it up and our first thoughts were:
Very sturdy frame, ginormous (gigantic & enormous ;) ) basket, wheels with smooth swivelling action, strong hood, handles can be moved 360 degrees in any angle you want for comfort, you can lock the wheels straight at hand height and the break is super easy to use, no need to push on different sides for locking and unlocking, just one stepping "button" to push for either function, super easy & convenient.

Now the handles sparked a bit of parody with my husband and I, we adjusted them so they were outwards (very comfy way to push in

The Graco Fusio can also be used with the child facing me which particularly interests me.

So just from opening the box and checking out the Fusio, it gets 10/10 from us but we have yet to tell you about using it!

Will it be all so easy and pleasant as it looks?
You'll just have to wait and see on our next Graco Fusio post!

Monica x

Edifier Sound To Go Portable USB Audio Speaker - A Gadget Dad Review

Edifier introduces their ultimate portable USB speaker to take anywhere with you. This cleverly designed sound bar was crafted out of brushed aluminium and houses full range 30mm x 70mm magnetically shielded speaker drivers with an elaborately designed bass reflection port.

The sound bar connects to your desktop or laptop via AUX input and it gets power from a additional usb cable that comes supplied.

You are supplied with a elagent soft carry pouch to protect the sound bar during transit.

Edifier Sound To Go is available for the RRP of £39.99 directly from Edifier and Amazon.

Gadget Dad Verdict:

I'll take my sound to go please! Edifier just released this fabulous USB sound bar to take along where ever you go with your laptop and of course you can also use this with your desktop as well.

I opened up the box and was met with a black velvet pouch that housed the brushed aluminium sound bar. This was very sleek package presentation from Edifier and it felt more like this was a more expensive product than it actually is. The sound from this sound bar was very impressive considering the cost. For the RRP of £39.99 this is truly very good bang for the buck.

Set up was very easy and it is a simple matter of plugging the cable into the USB port and whoooop there it is! You can also connect other mp3 devices to the sound bar via the supplied 3.5mm-3.5mm audio cable.

I even had the sound bar connected to my iPhone without a desktop or laptop using the Freeloader Classic Solar Charger for mobile phones and ipads. This was very handy for those that wanted to take their sound bar with them to the park during summer for a picnic for example and still be able to enjoy their music while on the go without the need to take their laptop along.

Pros:

• Sleek and stylish brushed aluminium design
• Comes with carry pouch to protect unit
• Very easy set up

Cons:

• Would have complemented the design even better if the connection points could have been at the back of the unit some how as this spoils the design of the unit having the cables coming out of the side
• Also would have been nice to have two more rubber bits under the unit in the centre so that it could fit under a iMac without being directly on the aluminium 

Rating: 9.5/10

Till next time
Gadget Dad

Radiopaq Flex Sports Earphones - A Gadget Dad Review

Radiopaq Flex Sports Earphones were designed to be unnoticed while you walk, run or train. The ear clips were specially designed to feel virtually weightless and comfortable at the same time.

The rear facing flow away cables reduces tangle and doesn't get in your way while training. It comes with two interchangeable cable lengths, for training and pocket use. They are fully compatible with the iPhone and the iTouch and come with a gold plated 3.5mm audio jack. 


Radiopaq even added a genuine Apple remote chip and Mic to make skipping tracks and taking calls a breeze without interrupting your exercise routine. Also included in the packaging is three sizes of soft silicone earphone cushions to make sure you get the perfect fit to enjoy superb noise isolation.


Radiopaq Flex Sports Earphones are available now at radiopaqproducts.com and other good retailers for £24.99. They are available in three different colours: Graphite White, Graphite Black and Graphite Orange.


Gadget Dad Verdict:


The problem I have with most earphones is how they always get in the way or the way they always get pulled out of your ears when you are running or doing a workout with weights. Radiopaq seems to have come up with a very comfortable solution to get over this annoying obstacle so that you can get on with your workout. 


Switching tracks and taking calls are very easy as Radiopaq used a genuine Apple remote chip and Mic so that you can use your iPhone and iTouch the way you are used to with the earphones originally supplied with the unit.


The rear facing flow-away ear clips are super comfortable and you barely notice that they are there due to their weightless design. I especially liked the two interchangeable cable lengths idea so that you can use it with and arm band without having the need to have a log wire hanging from your arm. If you want to keep your unit (eg. iPhone) in your pocket you simply add the extra cable length to it which comes with the earphones.


The design quality is good considering to the price tag of £24.99 and the sound quality match some rivals that are a lot dearer to the wallet! 


Pros:

• Ultra comfortable ear clips and rear flow-away cable design
• Comes in three different colours
• 2 interchangeable cable lengths
• Built in genuine Apple remote chip and Mic 

Cons:

• Some aspects of the design could have been a little bit less bulky and more stylish to compliment the stylish and streamline design of the ear clips and earphone jack, for example the Radiopaq branded plastic bit where the two wires separate into two and the female connection point for the extra lenght cable.

Rating: 8.5/10

Till next time

Gadget Dad

Phone and wi-fi Shields - A Gadget Dad Review

Protection for the family

Using a mobile phone and using the computer at the office and at home adds up to hours of exposure each day to electro magnetic radiation (EMR) and scientific reports and tests show that over half an hour a day is seen as high usage. Many of us use a computer all day at work and then spend our leisure time surfing the internet at home. Radiation from mobiles, computers, laptops and other wire-less technology cannot be seen, heard or smelled yet is all around us. Scientifically proven, the Phoneshield product makes it really easy for you to take some precautionary action for yourself and your family against the dangers of EMR and give a loved one a conscientious gift this festive season. The quartz crystal technology aids to diffuse and eliminate some of the dangerous effects of EMR and give peace of mind. The PhoneShield works by emitting its own low frequency signal, which intercepts and cancels the phone's pulsed frequency pattern alleviating its harmful effect on the brain and the body's biological system.

Developed and manufactured in the UK, the Phoneshield (rrp £12.50) and the Wi-fi (rrp £14.99) Shields are available online from www.phoneshield.co.uk where you can also find lots of useful information and research on radiation and more.

Gadget Dad Verdict:

My wife was suffering from a lot of headaches and hair loss and we got these two products to review, they claim that this product will work against harmfull EMR.

Installation was very quick and easy, all you need to do is peel off the sticker from the back of the shield and stick it on the back of your phone or computer. One of the things that did not appeal to me was the size of the shield for the mobile phone, it would be nice if there could be a way to reduce the size for the next line of mobile shields. We have been testing these two products for about two months now and my wife's head aches and hair loss have stopped!

Its amazing that she is feeling better although this wasn't a scientific experiment or anything but we believe that it is related to the shields.

Pros:

• Really easy to install just peel and stick
• Comes in blue and pink
• It seems to have worked with my wife's head aches and hair loss

Cons:

• Could have been a bit smaller

Rating: 9/10

Till next time

Gadget Dad

Freecom Data Bar XXS 2GB -A Gadget Dad Review

Super Small Slick Stick!

Freecom's DataBar XXS is an ultra-compact USB stick that is perfect for computer users who want to keep important music, photos, documents and even videos within arm's reach wherever they go. Measuring up at just 3cm x 1.2cm, the stick is both waterproof and durable, and can easily be slipped into a wallet or onto a keyring to make carrying information around more convenient than ever before.

Gadget Dad Verdict:

I received his little usb stick and was wondering... where is the other bits to go with it, surely this cant be it?!? They claim that this super small and indeed it is. There is no problem in slipping this into your pocket and wallet and forgetting about it. Putting it into the USB port takes a bit getting use to as it doesn't have the usual surrounding metal bit that usually guides it into the usb port.

After it is inserted it gets picked up very fast by your computer. It can also be used with USB 3.0 although the data transfer speed is limited to USB 2.0 specifications and no drivers are needed.

Pros:

• Super small
• Super easy to use
• Comes with a keyring attachement
• Still cant get over the size!!

Cons:

• Takes a bit getting use to without the metal surrounding but it tininess makes up for that anyway
• So small you might loose it (but i guess thats why it comes with the keyring)

Rating: 9/10

Till next time

Gadget Dad

Lotus Olbas Facial Tissues Review

We got a box of these to try out a little while ago, unluckily enough we all got sick straight after getting them, seriously, I could have tried them out without all the snot involved!

We all liked these apart from my 19 month old daughter who wasn't really fond of getting her nose cleaned with them, I suspect because of the smell, but it was no problem for my 5 year old son.

The more you crush the tissue the more of the Olbas oils gets released, to me this is an absolute marvel! My husband  used them a lot while he was sick to hold it next to his nose to breath in to unblock his nose which helped.

Verdict:
All in all these are a fabulous invention, nice and soft and the Olbas on t is convenient and soothing, the only thing is you can't wipe your eyes with it because of the oils.

Since trying these I have already bought the pocket sized version too and I will definately buy them again when we are sick with the flu or a blocked nose.

Rating:
10/10 from us.

A little but about the product:
Lotus Olbas tissues combines the luxurious softness of Lotus tissues and the vapour releasing power of family favourite Olbas.
 
Originally available in a handy pocket pack it now also comes in the larger facial tissue box - meaning that you can always have a stash of this comforting tissue on hand at home – or in the office - as well as on the go.

The tissues are embedded with tiny oil capsules that when crushed release soothing vapours, so whether you’re busy ‘keeping all the balls’ in the air, or simply recuperating at home, they’ll help you keep breathing easy.

Crush the Tissue, Release the Vapours
Lotus Olbas Facial Tissues are implanted using ground-breaking crush technology. The mixture of natural vapours including menthol, eucalyptus, juniper berries and cajuput are only released when the tissue is crushed.
Lotus Olbas Facial Tissues are available at Boots, Sainsbury’s and other major retailers at £2.29 (RRP).

Born Free Coolflow Soother Review

My little girl had taken to sucking her thumb to comfort herself – she was even sucking it on my scan picture! We decided to use soothers as we have seen the damage thumb sucking can do to a childs teeth and as my partner always says “You can take away a dummy, but you can’t take away a thumb”.

I was asked to review these soothers, which I was really pleased about as I was using another leading brand and my baby wasn’t able to hold them in her mouth properly making her more frustrated rather than soothing her. When I switched to Born Free at 2 weeks old, she took to it straight away and held it in her mouth a lot better.

I like the shape of the soother it looks like my baby is comfortable and it doesn’t come too close to her nose like others do. Another bonus is that there is no ‘right way up’ for the soother like there is with others, making it easy to pop in a frustrated babies mouth rather than faffing around working out which way up it goes.

When I met up with other mums who have babies of a similar age they were all envious of the soother and asked what brand it was as they had similar problems with the ones they were using not staying in the baby’s mouth and were getting annoyed with having to put it in a certain way up.

The colours of the soothers (purple and green) are very bright, which I was a little put off by at first but having used them have come to like the fact that if they do fall out into her rocker or moses basket I can find them quickly and easily unlike the transparent ones I was using previously.

They come with a little cap that fits over the teat of the soother so you can carry them around easily and hygienically.

The soothers are also BPA, PVC and Phthalates free and are sold as being orthodontic which is a must in my eyes.

Overall I would recommend the Born Free Coolflow Soothers, they tick all the boxes are good value for money and I will be purchasing another pack and ditching the other brand I previously used.

Emily x

BornFree™ CoolFlow Soother / Dummy / Pacifier Information:
An orthodontic silicone soother with a rounded cherry shaped teat. 100% free of BPA, Phthalates and PVC, this innovative BornFree™ soother features a breathable shield with extra large air holes to reduce moisture around the mouth and, raised soft edges to protect sensitive skin.  Supplied with a hygienic snap-on cap, simply pop over the teat to keep clean.

Available Stages
Stage 1: 0-6 months
Stage 2: 6 months +
Twin pack £5.50 from www.babybornfree.co.uk

Grandpa in my Pocket Volume 3: Mr Marvelloso’s Magic Tricks DVD Review

We got a copy of Grandpa in my Pocket Volume 3: Mr Marvelloso’s Magic Tricks DVD in the post to review and our (almost) 5 year old boy wouldn't stop pestering me to put it on... eventually I gave in to all the jumping around waving the dvd in my face and put it on.

My Funny Bunny watched from beginning to end (with a couple of breaks for snacks) with lots of laughter and calling me to see what grandpa was doing in amazement!

I did find myself stopping what I was doing to see what grandpa was gonna do next too!

I do like Grandpa in my Pocket as it is entertaining but also educational, it teaches lots of things like not being greedy and other things. The characters are great and very good actors too.

This DVD definitely gets a 10/10 from me and my little boy!

Monica x