Winning the School Year with Lenovo Yoga C930

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I have been compensated by Lenovo in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.  For this review I wanted to get the perspective from three different users of the Lenovo Yoga line who are also in three different age categories.  First since I am the purveyor of this blog is my review.

I have been using the Lenovo Yoga C930 for over a month now and I am so glad I am.  It is beautifully designed and lightweight.  I have carried it on vacation and back in my carry on with no difficulties, but I expect that with the Yoga line.  I recently traveled to Iceland and Norway.  I was able to watch my shows on the Yoga comfortably in the room thanks to their tent mode which allows you to fold the yoga over and have an unobstructed, stable screen.  The Yoga also has a full HD display so you are not missing a minute of action.

IMG_5205 But what really made viewing a pleasure was the 360 degree sound bar hinge.  Seriously the hinge is a Dolby sound bar.

IMG_5206 Typing is a breeze on the backlight keyboard that has pleasant feeling keys.  But if you get tired hands the Yoga C930 comes with a stylus.  I found that it accurately transcribes what you write or draw onto the screen.  The stylus stores in a charging station that is integrated into the laptop.  The stylus is not full size but for me, it worked fine.

I also loved not only for myself but for my sons was the privacy shutter.  You can easily slide a button at the top of the screen to render the camera blocked.  It even helps that the camera turns red to let you know it’s enabled.  When my sons are using the computer I can walk by and make sure I see that red dot.

As you can tell I was really impressed with the Lenovo C930.  I will miss that watch hinge but, I really do love the Dolby sound bar hinge. IMG_5208

I lent my C930 to one of the only people I could trust who is in college to get a solid opinion from them.  My niece took it to school for a few weeks to use in class as well as casually to see how she liked it.  She is not a Lenovo customer, but now she is.  She loved the Stylus.  For physics it was so much easier to transcribe the equations rather than typing them in.  She was also able to draw when needed and it was accurate.  The only negative opinion she had was the stylus was a bit too short for her long term use.  But to have the stylus stored, paired and ready to go every time she needed it, it was a win for her.  The ability of the Yoga to completely fold over was also a win, she was able to easily share her notes and questions with others without taking up valuable desk space.  She found the keyboard responsive and easy to type on, even doing a paper at three am.

Finally I wanted the opinion of my son who is a regular Lenovo user both at school and home to take it for a test run.   I have to hide it now so that I can use it.  He had so much fun drawing and writing with the stylus.  I have some pretty impressive art to prove it.  He found it awesome that the battery life lasted so long.  He was able to turn it on and work before school, come home and work after school then work after dinner all without charging it.  He was happy with the 12 GB of memory and the ability to lightly game with his friends without a lag.  He liked the headphone jack and was satisfied with the Dolby sound bar.  He did wish it had better graphics and response time for gaming, but in spite of that he is still trying to take it away from me.

Overall the Lenovo C930 is a great portable, all around computer that can suit a family over all age groups. For specs or to order your own visit https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/yoga/yoga-900-series/Yoga-C930-13IKB/p/88YGC900982

DynaTrap Bug-Free Backyard from Tryazon

I have been compensated by Tryazon and its advertiser. All opinions are my own. @dynatrap #DynaTrap, #killsmosquitoes, #buzzaboutit and #tryazon  I am so thankful I was chosen to test the DynaTrap Bug-Free Backyard from Tryazon.  IMG_3834We are overwhelmed here in the North East with mosquitos this summer.  I am not a believer in using chemicals to keep the bugs away so DynaTrap is perfect.

DynaTrap protects against mosquitoes and other flying insects without the use of pesticides, this is key!  You simply remove it from the package, plug it in and go. IMG_3843

Even using it in the short amount of time we all noticed a decrease in the amount of bug and bug bites.  We were all amazed.  This even continued into the next day.

Here are some links to check it out for yourself:

Indoor Ultralight Insect Trap

1/4 Acre – Insect Trap

1/2 Acre – Insect Trap

DynaZap

Flylight Insect Trap

 

 

Deflecto Crafting Party

IMG_2432      I have been compensated by Tryazon and its advertiser.  All opinions are my own. #SchoolsOutCraftsIn #Deflecto and #Tryazon #ad

I was so excited to be chosen again for another Tryazon party.  As you can tell from the title it was courtesy of Deflecto.  This one was right up my alley, as my boys love to craft and Deflecto makes all kinds of holders, carriers and storage for crafting supplies.  As soon as I opened the box the boys and I were thrilled.  IMG_2639     The box was filled with such great holders like the expandable marker accordion and the rotating organizer which did actually spin.

My sons favorite had to be the Stack and Go Caddy with wheel base.  I have two crafting areas, one is downstairs and the other upstairs.  We are constantly lugging supplies from one place to the other.  Now they can do it on their own.  The Stack and Go Caddy can be held with a sturdy handle or pushed along, this is perfect for my little guy who can’t hold much.  We also loved its transparency.  We could easily see what we needed and easily get our supplies.  The varied box size and shape allows for all different mediums to be stored in one handy case. IMG_2641

If you or your family crafts or you are just looking for storage options for your supplies, please give Deflecto a look.  They are available at Michael’s or Target.

SunBrite Veranda Series Outdoor 4K UHD TVs with HDR

IuhrlW4c_jpeg     I have been compensated by Best Buy and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ad #OutdoorTV #OutdoorLiving #AllWeatherTV #DigitalSignage

Finally summer is here.  Here in the Northeast summers are short but we make the most of them by virtually living outside.  I know that my kids love to do everything outside including watching tv and movies.  All of these years we have been disappointed in the clarity of the tv outside.  It never seemed bright enough.  I also purchased a projector, but that was not clear enough.  That is why I am so excited to see the SunBrite Veranda Series Outdoor 4K UHD TVs with HDR.  HPLc-cPE_jpeg     Whether you are watching in the day or night the Veranda Series Outdoor TV’s come with direct-lit 4K UHD screen with HDR, making it up to 50% brighter than indoor TVs.  You will never hear that dreaded I can’t see what’s happening again.

XLbJW6hI_jpeg      For outdoor safety the Veranda Series Outdoor TVs are made from powder-coated rust-proof aluminum.  This  exterior protects internal components from rain, snow, dust, insects, humidity,  extreme temperatures and salt air with thick gaskets that seal out moisture and the elements .  Which if you live in the Northeast any of these can happen on any given day.  It also has a large weatherproof media bay  which makes cable connections easy, along plenty of storage room for many popular media players.  We can stream or watch cable.

FsVNjwJM_jpeg best buy     What really makes them perfect is The SunBrite TV Veranda is a family of weatherproof televisions designed for full-shade outdoor spaces, like covered patios and screened-in porches where you spend your time out of the hot summer sun.  Best buy    It comes in 43”, 55”, 65” and 75” sizes so you can find your perfect fit.   Finally movie nights and movie days will have the best seats outside! Next game day the party will be at my house. Check it out for yourself, you won’t be disappointed. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sunbritetv-veranda-series-55-class-led-outdoor-full-shade-2160p-4k-uhd-tv-with-hdr/6297105.p?skuId=6297105&ref=186&loc=sunbrite_facebook

Bubbleezz Tryazon Party

IMG_2031      Hi again everyone.  I was picked to host a Bubbleezz party in conjunction with Tryazon and I couldn’t have been more thrilled.  My sons were excited to host their friends and party.

Bubbleezz are squishy little animals filled with Orbeez (those are liquid filled squishy balls).  These are to quote my sons “so satisfying to squish”.  The new Bubbleezz contain cute little hidden charms that tell you about your friend.  Without revealing too much it is entertaining to guess what they are.

Overall it is a cute toy that they can squish and play with.  Unfortunately we had one break.  Some water did leak out, but considering how rough my sons are with toys I am surprised that only one leaked.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also give you the address for Tryzon so you can apply for parties of your own. Find them at https://www.tryazon.com/ . The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a free products. However my opinion is always my own. #ad #MyBubbleezz #Tryazon #ad

Tryzon/Thrive Party

Well,  happy spring everyone.  It is so good to get back to posting and sharing my thoughts with you.  Recently I came across a new site to test products and give reviews.  It is called Tryzon.  I had been applying for parties for a few weeks when I was finally picked to host a Thrive party.  IMG_1643

What’s Thrive you ask.   I had never heard of it either and I am an obsessed foodie.  Thrive is an algae oil that is good for your heart and easy to cook with.  It can withstand temperatures up to 445 degrees.  I was excited to give it a try.  The generous party pack included sample sizes for guests as well as a full size for me to get my cooking on.  Sample recipe cards were at the bottom, but you know I love to be adventurous with my food so here we go.  91A2032C-2060-4920-A855-2B755356088B

I had a few people over and we started playing with several recipes including a stir fry, steak and roasting veggies.  Well they all came out completely yummy and I was left with no leftovers.  Thrive provided a very light almost buttery taste to what we added it to as compared to my usual olive oil.  My veggies came out more brown and caramelized and my stir fry veggies shined.  I really prefer it’s light taste and so did my guests.

 

Needless to say I am out of samples but you really should look into Thrive for your next meal.  Check them out at http://www.thrivealgae.com/  for the specifics as well as where to find them near you.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also give you the address for Tryzon so you can apply for parties of your own.  Find them at https://www.tryazon.com/ . The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a free products. However my opinion is always my own. #ad #TryThrive #Tryazon #ad

Why you need a Lenovo Smart Display

If you are like me you are probably wondering what a Lenovo Smart Display is and exactly why do I need one.  Back in November I was thinking the same thing.  I already had an Amazon Echo so why would I need another streaming device.  But, I took advantage of a really good Black Friday sale from BJ’s because I just had to try it out.  After several weeks of waiting I finally got it and now I can’t live without it.  img_0389

The Lenovo Smart Display is really an all in one for me.  Having limited technical knowledge did not prevent me from setting it up and using it within ten minutes.  You simply plug it in and follow the prompts and you are ready to go.  I am able to watch my news and get a recap of my appointments and weather all the with command Good Morning Google.  I have also connected my Spotify Account so I can listen to all of my music with a simple voice request.  I have also accessed recipes and watched step by step videos and made some tasty dishes.   The display is only 8″ but it is crisp and the sound is true.  The only complaint I have is when I turn to volume up too loud the sound becomes tinny, but not terrible.  My sons have fun with it as well by recording shopping lists or asking her to access the web to find out information.  We also love that it can be set up to run a slide show of all your Google photos.  It’s funny now that we all start our day with Good Morning Google.

This simple device has eliminated my need for a tablet, radio and tv.  In the coming weeks we are purchasing a Nest, Nest Hello and a Smart lock all which can be controlled from my Lenovo Smart Display.  The future is really amazing and so easy to use.  I was not reimbursed in any way for this review.  I just really like it and wanted to share it with you.  If you have any more questions or want to check it out for yourself check out https://express.google.com/u/0/product/Lenovo-8-Smart-Display-with-Google-Assistant-White-Gray/3042806347515053673_3193089368313026499_125181302

See it! Stream It!

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. However my opinion is always my own. #ad

If you didn’t already know I am a mom of four boys.  We love our shows but we don’t like the price of cable.  We therefore stream a lot of our programs daily that we like to watch.  With a tight budget I needed to accomplish this inexpensively but I was not willing to sacrifice reception or clarity.  That is how I learned about the Google Chromecast.

Chromecast is designed to make the most of the apps and entertainment already on your phone. Shows, movies, live TV, YouTube, photos and more. It’s all just a tap away from all of your family’s devices.

It is so easy to install on my phone and now we are watching our programs quickly and with great clarity.  As per Best Buy’s website “Stream from your phone to TV. Plug Chromecast into the HDMI port on your TV and to power and stream your favorite entertainment right from your phone with just a tap. Watch shows, listen to playlists, and more. And while streaming, you can still use your phone as you normally do.”  It really does.

Some of the specs from Best Buy include “High-speed wireless connectivity
Built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi connects to the Internet through your wireless home network (wireless router required and sold separately).”  It can also be controlled with you voice using your Google Home device (that too is sold separately).

We love watching all of our shows, movies and photos streaming on our tv.  Take a look for yourself at http://bby.me/8mht4.

Graduation + Yoga 920 = Perfect Gift

Although Lenovo gave me this product for free, as always my review is my own and I think the Yoga 920 is great.  #sponsored

It has been a busy couple of months here with the end of the school year and of course Graduation.  My niece is graduating this year to attend a pre-med program to someday become a doctor.  When Lenovo sent the me the Yoga 920, I thought it was the perfect time to mix up my reviews and take a multi generational approach.  What follows is a real life review from users not professionals who used the Yoga 920 for everyday life.  To necessitate this review I had to (yikes) lent out my beloved beauty to my husband, my son and my graduating niece so you could see a review from three different generations.  Needless to say the consensus was this is an awesomely light machine that can do everything that I want it to do.  With that said here are impressions from them, starting with the Graduate who is 18, who took longer than normal to give it up!

Her first impression was that it was light, super light.  The Yoga 920 was so easy to take back and forth to school.  It had the perfect size, actually lighter and smaller than her notebooks.  IMG_3339The Yoga held the charge all day in school and also through homework at home.  She also enjoyed the keys.  They were soft to the touch and not loud.  It made typing her late night papers easy on both the family and her fingers.  The versatility of the Yoga was not lost on her either.  Her mother noted that she often had it flipped up, like a triangle to watch movies in bed.  IMG_3341The speaker quality was excellent.  She love that it could also be a huge tablet and the screen was responsive and quick.  There were enough ports for her to use and the headphone jack allowed her to listen to movies without disturbing anyone.  She loved it so much it made it to her Graduation Gifts list, no surprise there.  She stated that this was a perfect gift for the Graduate!

Next I allowed my 12 year old son to use it for school.  I too also caught him watching movies and gaming on it as well.  The sound and screen were “awesome”.  He was able to see details on his characters clothing that he never noticed before.  He was not so much a fan of the keyboard as he found it difficult sometimes to type on it.  Upon further inspection, compared to the older Yoga that he is currently using it did appear that the keys were not as high rising as the older model.  He also loved the versatility of the Yoga, as it went from a laptop to a free standing screen to a tablet so easily.  He appreciated the strength of the hinge, he was not afraid to flip and change the modes.  The ports were sufficient although he would have preferred another USB port so he could plug in more external hard drives instead of switching between them. IMG_3340 He did take it to school and loved how light it was and that it really didn’t take up much space in his bag.

Now on to my generation and rather than you reading another review by me, this time I let the hubs review it.  He uses computers everyday for work and at home to perform tasks.  He was excited that I gave it to him instead of the usual “This is my computer”.  He enjoyed setting it up for himself and loved the fingerprint reader.  He too found some difficulty with the keys.  I am not sure it was his skills or the keys but he often hit them so hard it would hit the bottom of the pad.  IMG_3342He too loved the lightweight and ease of carry.  I caught him on the couch with it on his lap watching hockey highlights.  Which bring me to another one of his loves…the screen.  IMG_3343It is crisp and clear and true color.   Sorry about the quality of the photo, my phone is not giving the computer justice.   He actually prefers watching movies and tv on it.  The sound is excellent and full without that weird noise that you get from so many other laptops.  Once again the only issue he has was with the only USB port.  He too found himself switching between external hard drives and phones to get his work and play done.  Another bonus of the Yoga is it’s battery life.  The Yoga 920 seriously lasted days without the need for a charge, and when we did charge, it was fast.

The consensus was Thumbs up to really an all in one computer for life.  From work, to play the Yoga 920 fulfilled all their needs and then some.  I can also see that I will never get it back.  To find out more about the specifics, customization and price of the Yoga 920 you can check out this link:  https://www3.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/yoga/yoga-900-series/Yoga-920-Vibes/p/88YG9000860?smt=smb&cid=us:sem|se|msn|79302418089776|Yoga+920|POC_IIP_NX_Ideapad+Yoga+900_Bing_SMB_Exact|291446538&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=[campain-name]&s_kwcid=AL!4030!10!79302326030957!79302418089776&utm_term=[keyword]&ef_id=WqKJpQAAAJAevza8:20180607144237:s thumbnail

Come back and let me know what you think.

Challenging the Star Wars Challenges by Lenovo

IMG_2176My sons and I were overjoyed (that’s an understatement) when we received the Star Wars Challenges Set by Lenovo last month.  It is a day that I still remember.  It was filled with “is it done charging yet”, “my turn” and “when can I fight Darth Maul”.  Trust me these are not usual conversations that take place in my house.  I am also going to let you know that in every accompanying photo I had to remind my sons to get their hands out of the photo…I don’t think they were too excited…..

img_2173.png First off it is so easy to use right out of the box.  Everything is packaged well and easy to figure out.  A booklet is included or you can access the directions on the web site

IMG_2172The coolest thing in the box, at least according to my sons is the light saber.  It is shiny, lightweight and lacks the telescoping light saber that often my sons break on other toys.

The tracking beacon was next to come out of the box, or as my sons call it the “orb”. It’s lightweight and lights up a cool blue. This allows you to immerse your environment in the virtual experience, also note this is the only piece that requires batteries. We are still using the Lenovo included batteries a month and everyday use later.

The goggles are surprisingly light weight and easy to adjust from my 43 year old head down to my five year old son’s head.  They fit snug but without being uncomfortable.  The only one who had issues with it was my oldest who wears glasses.  It was not comfortable when wearing glasses.

Right out of the box I always charge everything up because nothing is worse then being in the middle of a game and you get the low battery notification.  It charged quickly, I am thinking it was about an hour or so and we were off.  The only thing I had to provide beside the willing players was a cell phone to be inserted into the VR goggles.  Fair enough…for a complete listing of compatible devices see https://www3.lenovo.com/us/en/jedichallenges.

On that first day we played until our phone died which was a good four hours.  I love how the game itself is set up to walk you through the challenges and explains to you what to do.  On that first day we defeated Darth Maul…success to my sons.  I don’t want to tell you too much about the challenges because they need to be experienced.  The graphic are crisp and engaging.  When wearing the goggles if you really want to see where you are in your home, you can.  Also others can see what your doing if they look into the goggles.  The sound is immersive, you really can hear the lightsaber or the blaster rifles.  You can really forget your home.  As far as the movement, it is extensive.  I am a fitness fanatic and I even get a good workout using the lightsaber or chasing the bad guys.

The game is so popular that Lenovo has set up a forum to ask and answer questions.  I have used it several times and so have my sons to solve issues or give feedback.  You can check it out here https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Star-Wars-Jedi-Challenges/bd-p/av03_en.

My sons are giving this “unlimited stars”,  I myself as a Star Wars Fan love it too.  It is fun to escape in your own home and fight the Republic or Resistance while getting a great workout.

For all the technical questions or specifications see https://www3.lenovo.com/us/en/jedichallenges or the forum https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Star-Wars-Jedi-Challenges/bd-p/av03_en.

This reviewer has been compensated in the form of  receiving the product/service at a reduced price or for free. However my opinion is always my own. #ad