HP Slate 7 Tablet ~ Giveaway

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While I’m working on my review of the HP Split x2, I thought it would be fun to give something back to my amazing community of readers! I convinced the folks at HP to give me one of their new Slate 7 Tablets, so that I can turn around and give it to one of you. I have previously worked on the HP Envy x2 laptop/tablet hybrid and with the Split x2 review going well, I have no doubt that this product will be amazing as well. Here is some info about the Slate 7:

The HP Slate 7 tablet (available on HPShopping.ca for CDN$169.99) is a sleek, 7-inch diagonal touchscreen tablet that weighs just 13 ounces, making it an ideal affordable device for people on-the-go. Stay on top of your busy schedule with onboard apps and capture photo and video to share with the video webcam on the front and 3 MP camera on the back. Running on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), the Slate 7 provides access to the Google Play Store which offers a multitude of exciting apps right at your fingertips. The Slate 7 is also the industry’s first tablet to feature Beats AudioT for the best-sounding richest audio available on a tablet. Printing is a breeze with the built-in HP ePrint app that allows you to email important documents and memorable photos to any ePrint-enabled HP printer and have them waiting for you at home or the office.

HOW TO ENTER:

I’m giving you two chances to win this time around. To enter, leave a comment telling me what you would use the HP Slate 7 Tablet for the most.

For a 2nd entry into the draw, use the form below to sign up for my mailing list and then leave a separate comment with the email address you used to sign up. Easy!

Draw closes Friday, November 8th at 9pm EST and is open to residents of Canada, excluding Quebec. Winner will be chosen by Random.Org and will have 48 hours to respond to email notification or a new winner will be chosen.

Congrats to our winner, Andrew P.!

Disney Infinity ~ Review

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As someone who has played video games for his entire life, I have been salivating over the release of Disney Infinity since it was first announced. We finally got our hands on a copy and, not to ruin the suspense, my son loved it!

I’m not going to lie, we were so excited to open it up and start playing, that I took zero pictures of the experience. Watching my kids’ faces light up as they watched the intro video would have been enough for me to recommend the game to people and we hadn’t even played it yet. They just stared in amazement as all their favourite characters appeared on the screen and it reminded me of the magic that Disney brings into our lives.

My son is only five, so it took him a little longer to figure out the buttons and object of the game but by the second time he played, he was a seasoned pro. The thing I like most about this game compared to most others is that it allows kids to explore lands and teaches them to figure out situations by themselves, without the fear of their character dying before they have a chance to solve a problem.

Obviously the other benefit, and slight detraction as a parent, is that you can purchase all of their favourite characters, which all do different things. The detraction, obviously, is the cost of new characters for the parents. Birthdays and Christmas are an easy way to counteract the hit on your wallet and this game is totally worth the investment, in my opinion.

Oh, and yes, I let my kids play video games, especially when they can play something like this game that opens up their imagination and let’s them create whatever they want. We set specific times and lengths that they can play and it works well for us.

There you have it, Disney Infinity is an excellent alternative to all the good vs evil games out there and will open up your child’s creativity in an amazing way. Now if you’ll excuse me, there are new characters coming out in a week and I need to check the couch for spare change…

Disclosure: A copy of the game was provided to me to facilitate this review.

Phineas & Ferb: Mission Marvel DVD ~ Review

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Just when I thought Phineas and Ferb couldn’t get any cooler, they go and team up with the Marvel super heroes and hit it out of the park! I have to admit that there has been more than one occasion where I catch myself watching Phineas and Ferb without any kids around and this DVD will be no exception to that rule. Plus, Super Heroes!

Here’s a quick synopsis of the film:

After Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s latest “-inator” scheme accidentally removes the powers of some very well-known Marvel Super Heroes (Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor, and Hulk), the heroes enter the world of Danville and team up with Phineas and Ferb to relocate their powers, defeat the Marvel Super Villains (Red Skull, MODOK, Whiplash and Venom) – who have also shown up to steal Doofenshmirtz’s power-draining technology – and save Danville from ultimate destruction!

Although I couldn’t get my kids to give an official statement on the DVD, other than that is was good, the glazed stares on two kids who can barely sit through dinner was a ringing endorsement for this one. Plus, any parent who is into super heroes will love it too! Besides, this is MY review, not theirs!

The Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel DVD is on store shelves now and also comes with an In-Packed Collectible Comic Book & exclusive Marvel poster (each DVD will be packaged at random with one of three distinct Marvel posters). I mean, come on, do you really need for me to tell you that this movie is awesome? It’s Phineans & Ferb & Perry & Doofenshmirtz & Super Heroes!!! Do the math and get the DVD!

Mission Marvel Poster 1

Fitbit Flex Review & Giveaway {Canada Only}

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I recently took part in the #RFitChallenge from Rogers and it required me to try out the Fitbit Flex for a period of a couple weeks to see if it would help with my new found love for not being overweight and tired.

Right off the bat I liked the design of the Fitbit Flex because it was a small black wristband that, after wearing it for a couple hours, you forgot you even had on. My goal was to make it to 10,000 steps a day and because the tracker syncs automatically with my smartphone and computer, I would get updates through the day that helped motivate to get moving a little bit more. I especially liked the badges for attaining certain goals because I am a big fan of shiny things and awards.

My favourite feature about the Fitbit Flex was definitely the sleep tracker. With just a couple taps on the tracker, you set the Flex into sleep mode and it tracks how restless you are in your sleep. In my case, I found that I was only having a good sleep about 1 every 5 nights, which obviously isn’t good. I have since been taking steps to try to create a more peaceful bed time by cutting out TV and snacks right before bed. It even has a silent alarm to help wake you up.

I also appreciated that the Flex was water resistant, so I could wear it in the shower. It sounds trivial but if I had to take that thing off every morning, I guarantee I would leave it on the counter half the time. I also loved all of the options on my personal Fitbit web page. From food intake to weight and heart rate monitoring, they have thought of almost everything here. Combined with my weight watchers program, I am going to be unstoppable!

There were a couple things that could use some work with the Flex. I found the clasp tough to latch on and the battery died a little quicker than I would have liked (every 3-4 days). I also noticed that while on the elliptical machine, it was having a hard time tracking steps but overall I loved the Fitbit Flex and definitely recommend it for beginner and advanced fitness buffs.

FITBIT FLEX GIVEAWAY!

What? You want one of these? Okay, you got it! To enter to win a Fitbit Flex of your very own, all you have to do is leave a comment here telling me one thing you would like to change about yourself in order to live a healthier lifestyle.

Contest is open to residents of Canada, excluding Quebec, and will close at noon on October 13th. Good Luck!

Congratulations to the winner of the Fitbit Flex, Andrea B!

Disclosure: I received the Fitbit Flex from Rogers to facilitate this review. I wouldn’t be giving one away to you guys if I thought it was no good, so it has my official stamp of approval!

Win a Dora The Explorer Prize Pack!

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In honour of the Dora Live show coming to Ottawa’s Centrepointe Theater this November, I am giving away a fun Dora the Explorer prize pack that includes a Dora doll and activity book, both pictures below. Before we get to that, here is some information about the show:

Dora is embarking on her most important mission yet in Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer Live! Search for the City of Lost Toys. Dora has lost her teddy bear, and the search is on to find him. With help from the audience, Boots, Map, Backpack, Diego and more, Dora uses her directional, counting, musical and language skills to successfully pass through the Number Pyramid and the Mixed-up Jungle to reach the City of Lost Toys. But watch out! You never know what that sneaky fox Swiper might be up to along the way! Visit, www.DoraLiveCanada.com for more information.

How To Enter:

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post, telling me who is your favourite Dora the Explorer character.

This contest is open to residents of Canada, excluding Quebec and closes at noon on October 9th. Winner has 48 Hrs to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Dora Prize Pack

Win 4-100 Level Tickets To See WWE Smackdown in Ottawa on Sept 10th!

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The WWE is coming to town and I’ve got your hookup right here! I’m giving away 4-100 Level tickets to see WWE Smackdown Live at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, September 10th at 7pm.

WWE fans will witness a massive double main event as WWE Champion Randy Orton will put the title on the line against Daniel Bryan, while RVD will team-up with the ’World’s Largest Athlete”, The Big Show, and the ’World’s Strongest Man”, Mark Henry, in a six-man tag team match against The Shield.

Also in action:

World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio
Dolph Ziggler
The Wyatt Family
’Mr. Money in the Bank” Damien Sandow
and more!

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post, answering the following question: WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE WWE STAR (PAST OR PRESENT)?

Good Luck!! Contest closes Sunday, Sept 1st at noon.

Congrats to the winner, David Dickenson!!

Disney Planes Screening Giveaway

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I don’t rock too many giveaways anymore but seeing as how I am as excited as my kids are for Disney’s new movie Planes, I am dusting off the old giveaway machine. I am going to be giving away a Family 4 Pack of tickets to the screening of Planes, for August 7th at 7pm, at the Silvercity Theater in Gloucester. Now you can see the movie before anyone else does! Cool, right?

HOW TO ENTER

The main character’s name in the film is Dusty, and all you have to do to enter is leave a comment below, letting me know what your call sign would be if you were a Plane in this movie. I would choose “Guster”, after one of my favourite bands! Good Luck! Contest closes Friday, August 2nd at Noon.

FILM INFORMATION

From above the world of “Cars” comes Disney’s “Planes,” an action-packed 3D animated comedy adventure featuring Dusty, a small-town plane with dreams of competing as a high-flying air racer. But Dusty’s not exactly built for racing—and he happens to be afraid of heights. So he turns to naval aviator Skipper, who helps Dusty qualify to take on Ripslinger, the defending champ of the race circuit. Dusty’s courage is put to the ultimate test as he aims to reach heights he never dreamed possible, giving a spellbound world the inspiration to soar. “Planes” takes off in theatres in 3D on Aug. 9, 2013, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theatres.

Our African Lion Safari Adventure!

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We recently went on our first family vacation of the year and part of that trip included a visit to African Lion Safari in Cambridge. While I’m sure I had been there as a child, I was excited to share the adventure with my own family and the experience did not disappoint.

We started the day off with the Safari Tour Bus ride through the game reserves. I had thought about driving my own car through the reserve but the 6 and a half hour driver there, combined with the thought of monkeys climbing all over my car made the decision an easy one. I got a little worried about 5 minutes into our visit when my son turned to me and said, “I don’t like animals”, but he changed his mind once the zebras came into view. Overall, I really enjoyed the tour bus ride and especially enjoyed this unimpressed looking giraffe.

Lion Safari Giraffe

Our next stops were a cruise aboard the “African Queen”, which was very cool, and my favourite part of the day, the Elephant Swim. It was amazing to watch the elephants marching down to the water, trunks holding the tails in front of them. Their playfulness in the water was very cool to see and they got so close that I was glad we scored front row seats.

Lion Safari Elephant Swim

After the swim, we hit the cafeteria for some lunch and then we were off to the splash pad! This was easily the kids’ favourite part of the day and who could blame them? The splash pad was fully equipped for children of all ages, with water slides, play structures and water towers. The only thing I would have suggested would be changing rooms for the guys as opposed to the one big open room, but it certainly did not detract from our time there.

Lion Safari Splash Pad

We finished off the day with a ride on the “Nature Boy” scenic railway, which capped off a great day for the whole family. After a quick pit stop in the gift shop and trying to explain to my kids the difference between $70 and $7, we were out the gates and on our way back to the hotel. We thoroughly enjoyed our time at African Lion Safari and will definitely be back again.

PercyVites – Invites That Delight And Excite!

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My kids think the internet is hilarious. From Gangnam Style to obscure Super Mario videos, it has just about everything they could ask for. The one thing they love more than anything else, however, is to see themselves in videos. That’s why I was stoked to take PercyVites for a test drive.

PercyVites is a cool new website that allows you to send out video invitations, thank you’s and also lets you create photo compilations of memorable occasions. The best part about it, is that you get to be a part of the action, by uploading your photos to be included in the videos with your child’s favourite character. Parents can also manage all the part details by tracking RSVP’s, communicating with the attendees and map your party for the guests. Check out this short video that explains what PercyVites are all about!

I made a video compilation of my daughter’s Rapunzel birthday party and love how it turned out! More importantly, she has now watched it about 3,000 times and keeps asking for more. In case you are looking for return on investment, the smile on her face is enough for me to know it is worth my while.

Percy Vites Julia Party

Here are a few more details about PercyVites:

* Your child’s photo can be embedded directly into a video with their favourite character. And new characters are being added all the time and will appeal to a broad range of ages and stages.
* Prices range from $0.69-$2.99 each depending on the individual character and product.
* Invitations can be used for any type of event.
* Thank yous can be used for any type of messaging, and they provide a fun and teachable moment about thanking people too.
* Photo compilations can be used for birthdays or as a fun way to share your family photos with friends and relatives, near or far!

That’s all for today! I give PercyVites two thumbs up and hope you’ll consider them for your next birthday party or children’s event! You can catch up with PercyVites on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ as well!

Disclosure: I was compensated in exchange for my honest opinion about PercyVites. Everything I wrote is 100% accurate and truthful.

Putting Sailun Tires To The Ultimate Test

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PTPA Sailun Tires Event

I recently had the opportunity to participate as a PTPA Ambassador for Sailun Tires. Part of that program was the chance to test out the tires at an event on a closed track at the Powerade Centre in Brampton. Not being a tire expert, I was skeptical about whether or not I would be able to tell the difference between the Sailun’s and the competing tires, but I surprised even myself.

The day started with a presentation from the Sailun team, where they explained that their goal is to provide a product for families that combines Safety and Performance for an amazing Value to them. As someone who is very interested in keeping his family safe, especially on the road, I was impressed to hear the lengths Sailun Tires were going to, to ensure that safety.

Next we were off to the closed course, with our race car drivers, Travis and Matt. There were two cars with Sailun Tires and two with competitor tires and we weren’t told which was which before we took our test drives. After each round, we would fill out a survey about how we felt the tires handled. In my opinion, there was a massive difference in the two different tire sets, and as I found out at the end, I chose the Sailun tires as the better of the two after each of my 4 runs. After finding this out, I was impressed at how well the Sailun’s handled the course, while making very little noise on the hard turns around the pylons.

In the end, after my experience on the closed course and judging by my test results, I would definitely trust Sailun Tires with my family’s safety. And if my endorsement isn’t enough, we managed to flag down an ice cream truck as the event was coming to a close and you can imagine my surprise to see that the truck was sporting, what else, but Sailun Tires. There you have it, Canadian Dad and Ice Cream Trucks both trust Sailun Tires.

Just a couple more items to get to. I’ll get to the amazing giveaway, but first, I decided to shoot a video of race car driver, Matt Pritiko, as he took a couple of us on a very fast test drive of the closed course. I am the one giggling like Beavis and Butthead for the entire ride. Not. Scared.

On to the good stuff! One lucky reader is going to win a Grand Prize of a set of Sailun Tires. There are also 3 runner up prizes of a $100 gift card to Petro Canada. You can enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Please read rules and regs prior to entering.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received compensation for my participation in the Trust Sailun Ambassador program.