Best Buy — Page 3

How to Pick Cool Gifts for Teens

The single hardest group of people for me to shop for our teenagers… Luckily, I don’t have too many to buy for – but I totally struggle with figuring out what gifts will be “cool” – you know? But, when you think of stores that are cool, Best Buy is at the top of the list. It’s filled with all of the things that those young peeps think are awesome – video games, new phones, computers and laptops, tablets, and other digi awesomeness. And as a Best Buy Ambassador, I get to see SO many cool products that I never would even know were at Best Buy, but I’ve learned that they are seriously a one-stop-shop for everyone’s favorite gifts. So – If you have a teen in your life that you’re having trouble shopping for – here are some great gift ideas, all available at the coolest store around…

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 17, 2012 Filed Under: Shopping | 10 Comments

Do You Really Need to Spend Big Bucks on a Camera?

“We take pictures to record our personal vision of the world.” – Nikon slogan… I’m such a photo junkie. I’ve always been known as the photographer in the family – I create new family “Year in Review” photo books for Christmas each year, I love photo gifts, and I’m always the one snapping a million pics at every outing, occasion, holiday, and event. But – as obnoxious as I might be at times, you know that everyone appreciates that someone captures all of those special memories, right? Well, to get the photos that I need, the photos that I want, the photos that everyone will cherish as the years pass on – I need more than one camera. Yes, there is a HUGE difference in all of those models that you see for sale at your local Best Buy, or online. Let me tell ya why, and give you a little guidance on choosing the right camera.

Why price matters when shopping for a camera

Ok ladies – I’m a frugal momma. I do my best to make sure that the limited budget that we have stretches as far as possible. I use survey sites, clip coupons, and other ways of earning income from home – even outside of my online work. So, when I throw down my hard-earned dollars on a major purchase {and for me, major is anything over $75-$100 bucks} – I want to make sure that I’m getting the best quality for my dollars. Well, expensive doesn’t always mean better – but quality doesn’t always come cheap. Here are a few things to keep in mind, for why some cameras perform better than others:

With a basic point-and-shoot camera, there’s just one lens built into the camera. And it’s usually a smaller lens, which doesn’t always allow a lot of light through to hit the image sensor. This is why the biggest complaint about most point-and-shoots is that they don’t perform as well as in low-light conditions. And since most point-and-shoots don’t have the option of adding more lenses, you’re limited by what that one point-and-shoot lens can do.

So, if you’re a pretty beginner photographer, this is NOT an issue for you. If you’re just a snapshot kind of gal, no biggie at all. The main reason that these lenses matter is when you get into more professional levels of photography – whether as a hobby to take serious family photos, or for your business – whether it’s blogging, an Etsy shop, cooking and baking, whatever. If you are a pro, then a more expensive camera is going to have those additional lenses, and have some additional functionality. But here’s the thing – even the most serious photographer still needs some smaller cameras – the kind to tote around in a back pocket or a purse, to catch those fun moments at times when lugging around a giant DSLR type camera is going to be hassle. If you’re looking for something like that – I have an amazingly cool new recommendation for you!

The Nikon CoolPix S01 is Smaller than a Salt Shaker

Ok, the coolest thing – the thing that sets this camera apart from every other camera on the market – is it’s super tiny size. The
Nikon – Coolpix S01 101-Megapixel Digital Camera is smaller than my salt shaker! But, super surprisingly, it’s tiny frame is still packed with serious power. Here are a few of my fave features:

HD movie mode means that you can captures your family videos, from a super small gadget able to fit into your shirt pocket.
Vibration Reduction mode helps prevent blurry photos and promotes sharp, clear pictures and videos, even when you’ve got a bunch of craziness going on around you.
In-camera image editing options that iclude color options, filter effects, fisheye, miniature effect and toy camera. Super fun to play with.

There is a ton more cool stuff going on with this tiny camera too – To learn more, visit the Nikon – Coolpix page on BestBuy.com, or visit Grinning Cheek to Cheek for another really smart review of this camera. {She’s clearly more tech-savvy than I am, and offers some seriously great input on this.} Or, if you really just want to see the goods – see what type of photos this camera takes – check them out below…

Awesome special effects are possible with the Coolpix

I love, love, love this photo. This is a shot of my amazingly cool rockstar little brother during one of his recent shows. {Shameless promotion: See them here on Reverb Nation: Desert Valley Stranglehold.} The way the camera was able to perform in low light – even though it’s a smaller camera, and doesn’t have the big lenses to maximize the light available – was super cool.

Another sweet shot with the Nikon Coolpix

Do you love the way this camera takes really vibrant pictures? And – this is such a cool example of how great this teeny tiny camera can capture action shots without getting super blurry. {And yes, this is the rockstar brother again. He’s just epic levels of coolness all of the time, so he had to be my model for this review…

So – what’s the final word?

Like I said earlier – the biggest challenge with a point-and-shoot is the single lens, and it’s trouble taking great photos in low light, or capturing good action shots. That’s a big reason why people invest in more pricey cameras, like a DSLR {which can cost you $500+ and is a pretty major investment.} But – when you’re looking for a camera that’s small enough to be super portable, and ready to grab cool shots at a moment’s notice – this camera is a fantastic option! It’s small enough to fit into a front pocket, while still having the features you need. One word to some it up? Awesomesauce.

{Disclaimer: As a member of the Best Buy WOLF Blogging Ambassador team, I get access to cool products like this to try out, and share my super honest opinion with you guys. I love being able to offer you a real mom view, to help you determine whether this is right for you or not. All opinions are 100% my own.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 16, 2012 Filed Under: Tech Tips | 1 Comment

What the Best Buy Geek Squad and Ghostbusters Have in Common

If there’s somethin’ strange in your neighborhood – Who ya gonna call? If it’s somethin’ weird and it won’t look good – Who ya gonna call?… Nope, I’m not talkin’ Ghostbusters here ladies. I’m talking Geek Squad!! Just like the Ghostbusters are a quick phone call away when you need help – your friendly Geek Squad team will come to your rescue any time your gadgets start acting suspiciously. Get help the instant you need it – in store, online or on the phone.

How Geek Squad Tech Support from Best Buy Works

You would think that I was pretty tech-savvy, right? I’m a social media junkie, I completed my entire college degree online, and now I make a living online – which means for the past 4+ years I’ve pretty much LIVED online. But still, when it comes to trouble shooting when my computer crashes, I am totally clueless. And since working online is my job, I can’t afford for things to go down. Usually, when I would run into a problem, I would just fall back on my usual plan – Panic, smack the keyboard a few times, turn it off, turn it back on, then cry when the problem was still there. Not super effective. But just like when you see something weird in the neighborhood and the Ghostbusters show up and quickly clean things up – Geek Squad is just as fast at saving you from equally scary viruses and crashes. After purchasing your Geek Squad Tech Support Plan {Get Geek Squad plans and rates here.} – you simply log-in on the main screen, and wait a minute while you get connnected.

How the Geek Squad Magic Happens

Now, Geek Squad reps don’t use ghost-blasting plasma guns, but they are just as effective at making your life stress-free again. After logging in, you’ll be connected with an agent. They’re super friendly, and lucky for me – totally not intimidating. It seems like most of the time you deal with any type of tech support stuff, you get either people who totally talk in that secret-geek-computer code that I don’t understand, or they talk to me like I’m a child, and overly dumb it down for me. Either way makes me feel totally stupid, you know? But with Geek Squad, these peeps are totally awesome – they explain things in a way that’s easy to understand – enough info that you get what they’re doing, without overwhelming you. If you can read the pic – you’ll see that after introducing himself, my rep tells me he’ll need me to do just a few simple steps. I had to digitally sign a form giving them permission to get to work, make sure my laptop was plugged into the wall so it stayed powered up, and put my password into a little box, so he could restart when needed. After that – I was free to grab a glass {or three} of wine while he remotely worked on my computer. Easy peasy – and totally NOT stressful like I’d worried it might be!

Things got spooky – but still no need for the Ghostbusters

Now, this is where the magic happens. It might LOOK like a ghost has taken over your computer – you’ll see the curser moving around the screen, opening and closing programs, running scans, and more stuff that I was clueless about. But you still don’t need to call those Ghostbusters – it’s just the Geek Squad support rep working on your system from their office in some magical land of tech-savviness. I would peek in once in a while, and after about an hour and a half, I saw that he was done, and had left me a friendly message letting me know that there was an email in my inbox waiting for me, letting me know what he’d found during my laptop clean up and repair. Awesome. That email detailed any little changes or repairs made, let me know he’d added a really great antivirus program for me, and included this form to give feedback on how I felt about my experience. I love that they really stand behind their work like that!

Get Geek Squad Tech Support Today

This is a perfect last minute gift for ANYONE that you know this year. You can purchase it online – Geek Squad – Tech Support Membership (1 Year), and it’s super simple to set up. A couple cool other reasons why this rocks –

You can register and use the service to fix up to three devices: Including tablets, iPad, PCs or Mac, even if you bought them somewhere else. So in my house I can call to fix any problems on either of the desktops, or my laptop – which is awesome.
Virus removal – If your device catches a bug, we’ll eradicate it.
System tune-ups Keep your computer running smooth and resolve any computer slowness issues.
On-demand access to thousands of how-to videos online – Including step-by-step Windows 8 guides, tutorials on using Photoshop and creating Flash videos, and much more. {This is one of my favorite features!}

This makes it perfect for so many people – Can you imagine how much Grandma and Grandpa would love having someone that can help them remotely, so you don’t have to try – over and over – to walk them through things over the phone. {Geek Squad can even help them reset passwords, and help with things like hooking up their printer.} You could get this for a kid away at college, to make sure they can always study when needed. Any family would love it – and you definitely need it for your own house too!

To learn more about what other real moms think about the awesome services and products at Best Buy – Check out my Best Buy WOLF Ambassador board on Pinterest!

{Disclaimer: As a Best Buy Blogging Ambassador, I received a complimentary Geek Squad Membership to try out in my house for a year. But, as always, I share only my honest opinions and experience with you guys, to help you figure out which products and services are right for you. But I LOVE this, and totally know you will too!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 16, 2012 Filed Under: Tech Tips | No Comments

How Windows 8 Simplifies Life for Busy Moms

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” – Arthur C. Clarke… Ok ladies, get ready for me to totally rock your socks off. Ready? Ok – Recently, my awesome family over at Best Buy sent each of us Blogging Ambassadors a new laptop to test out for awhile, and each one was loaded with the new Windows 8. I’m usually a little hesitant to try anything new – I’m so crazy-busy that I just don’t have time to get used to a new system, I like using what I know. But at the same time, I’m always searching for new technology that can help simplify my life, and organize the chaos in my life. Windows 8 has kind of changed my life, no lie. Check it out….

Windows 8 Works On All of Your Favorite Devices

Windows 8 is available on a ton of different devices – {watch a super sweet video here that shows off new Windows 8 gadgets like tablets, smartphones, and computers} – which is super cool. I switched from the iPhone to a Windows phone right about the same time that I got the HP – ENVY Touch-Screen Ultrabook Laptop from Best Buy, and was seriously impressed with the awesomeness of using the operating system across both devices. I love, love, LOVED my iPhone, and didn’t think I’d be happy switching to something new… But within the first DAY I was in love. For real. Like, I will never switch back.

Why it’s perfect for ME. And you. And you over there in the corner. And…

Ok, now that you’ve seen the basics – the devices that Windows 8 is available on, and a bit about the amazingly crazy-cool features, let me tell you why it will help you in your own busy life. First off, you customize your Start screen to be exactly what you want to see when you log in. You can change the location and size of all of the tiles, and the “Live Tiles” flip through updates, so you can see a TON of info at a glance. So every time you log in, you get a screen totally and perfectly customized to show you a quick snapshot of EVERYTHING important that you need to know that day – from calendars, to-do lists, appointments, urgent emails, or Facebook events and birthdays. Totally helps plan my day. It’s amazing how that big overview of things really helps get your started each morning – and it’s so cool how EVERY Windows 8 device is going to be totally different – you make it what YOU want it to be, and make it work for YOU.

Windows 8 is so perfect for moms

In the video – did you notice how you can have two apps side-by-side? Which means you can watch YouTube videos while also checking your email, party it up in a Twitter party while checking Facebook, and so much more. Awesomesauce for busy ladies like us, right? A few other cool things – I love the ability to sync my phone and my laptop together. Incredibly helpful for helping me stay organized and productive. I love the way I can use the screen of my laptop the same way that I can use my smartphone – by quickly scrolling, flipping, and tapping with one finger. You can also add a TON of apps to your Windows 8 laptop – and on your App screen, you can organize them by category. You could make categories like Family, Blogging, Work, Kids, Homemaking, etc. This makes it super easy to be in the right “mode” and grab what you need quickly. And – I love the way it’s so family friendly too!

Windows 8 for Kids

The boys loooooved Windows 8! One, the touchscreen feels to much more intuitive for them, having pretty much grown up with that kind of thing. And even Abby {at only 2 1/2} can figure out how to use the touchscreen, and get to what she wants! But by far their favorite thing was the way that this works with the XBox, and the fact that so many awesome games are available to download into your apps. Playing games on the computer with the touchscreen is like, seriously cool. Even for old people like me… Lol.

HP TouchSmart Ultrabook Rocks

So – if you’re thinking about upgrading to Windows 8, I cannot recommend enough that you also make the switch to a new tablet, phone, laptop or desk top that has a touchscreen. Windows 8 is awesome on it’s own, but it really needs that touchscreen to shine. Trust me – just go into your local Best Buy, and try one out. Once you do – You’ll be hooked, and wonder how you’ll live without it! This bad boy above is the HP – ENVY Touch-Screen Ultrabook 14″ Laptop that I’ve been using to try out Windows 8 for the past few weeks. {Handsome, isn’t he? I hate to have to give him back soon…} When I bought my current laptop {my FIRST laptop, only a few months ago, can you believe it?} I had thought that bigger meant better. But the slightly slimmer, smaller, and lighter frame of this one from HP is SO much better. And the colors are the screen are crazy-vibrant, it’s fast as can be, and just pretty much complaint-free on my end. And did you know that when you buy a new laptop at Best Buy, the amazingly smart folks at Geek Squad will walk you through how to use your new laptop? You don’t even have to have the {totally worth it, I swear!} Geek Squad service, they offer this to everyone.

You’re not going to get THAT kind of experience, expertise, or customer service on Amazon, at Walmart, or anywhere else.

Yep, I’m serious ladies. This momma is a total Windows 8 convert – which is a HUGE surprise to me! I can’t recommend it, or the super sweet laptop I’ve been using – with its awesome touch screen, enough. So – visit your local Best Buy, check ’em out, try ’em out – and fall in love.

As a Best Buy Blogging Board Member and Brand Ambassador, I get to try out super cool new products from Best Buy. But that doesn’t mean I lose my ability to “tell it like it is.” Lol. Everything I share with you ladies is my honest opinion – and I hope you love this stuff as much as I do!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 15, 2012 Filed Under: Tech Tips | No Comments

How a Busy Mom Can Use Tech to Get a Little “Me Time”

“Most children threaten at times to run away from home. This is the only thing that keeps some parents going.” – Phyllis Diller… Of course I love my little girl. And of course I love my darling little nephews who spend their before-and-after school time at my house too. But – those little lovelies also are sometimes tiny terrors, lol. And as a work at home mom who doesn’t always get a lot of time to myself {remember the good ol’ days, before kids, where you could pee alone – whenever you wanted to?} – so I have to do my best to carve a little bit of “me time” out of each day, to keep me from going crazy. Because you know if momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody gonna be happy, right?

“It’s not easy being a mother. If it were easy, fathers would do it.” – The Golden Girls

Many of you may know that I’m a wee bit tech challenged. {And by “wee” I mean that most new gadgets require me to ask for help – turning it from a ME project to a WE project…} So, when I had the chance to try out the super sweet Klipsch headphones from Best Buy, I honestly wondered what on earth I would even say. I mean – all headphones are the same, right? And what on earth would someone like me need them for? I don’t play games, don’t have an iPod, don’t do any cool stuff that even needs headphones. Which also meant that I’d never owned any either. Well, I am a changed woman. For reals. I opened up the Klipsch box to find a super small set of little earbuds – which I thought would annoy me in my ear. Then Mike made a suggestion that has rocked my world ever since – He said, “Why don’t you try watching all those shows you miss, at night while you’re trying to get Abby to sleep, while wearing the headphones so you don’t wake her up?”

The Mister had a great idea. One that benefits ME. I’m still kind of in shock…..

I never have time to watch TV, and don’t have much interest in it anyway. But, I have four shows now that I do really love – Once Upon A Time, Fringe, Homeland, and the new Revolution. So since I’m too busy to catch my shows when they air, I use Hulu to keep caught up on my faves. The speakers on my laptop aren’t that amazing, but they get the job done. But ohmyHECK ladies – Once I used the Klipsch headphones to watch tv online, I was blown away. I could hear so much detail that had been missing…. Water running in the background, the whispered dialogue was as clear as could be, it was amazing. I was seriously impressed, which I did not expect.

“Raising a kid is part joy and part guerilla warfare.” – Ed Asner

So, once I realized what an amazing difference these headphones made in the sound quality coming from my laptop, I decided to try them out on my other favorite online entertainment site – Pandora.com. I must have music playing, all day, all the time. So since most of my time is spent working online, the majority of the songs I hear are played here. And the Klipsch didn’t disappoint – they made my favorite songs sound good again! And – they are amazing at blocking out all of the background noise in a room too, which is another surprise for such a small set of headphones. But what this means, is that I’m able to throw on my headphones when I need to work for a couple of hours. Mike can hang out in the living room with Abby – she can chase the dog with a Nerf sword around the couch 17 times, screaming while he barks and howls – and I {blessedly!!} don’t hear a thing. I can also use the headphones to just zone out for a bit – listening to more Pandora on my iPhone while I do the laundry, or other chores. Or I can head out to the patio to read a book and listen to music, without hearing the commotion going on inside. I’m hooked.

Find the Klipsch on BestBuy.com, or look for them in-store. And for more Smart Mom Tech, check out my Best Buy WOLF Pinterest board.

Let’s Chat: What tech helps you unwind as a busy mom? What do you shop at Best Buy for? Leave some comment love….

Posted by Meagan Paullin on October 15, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 14 Comments

The Non-Stalker Way to Track Your Every Movement

So…. I’m not exactly the type of girl you’d ever call “active.” I never played a sport, I’ve never been on a team, I’ve never gone to a gym. Ever. But – I was lucky enough to be one of those girls who never really struggled with her weight. I was never super skinny, but I was healthy and slim through high school. Even as I moved into my twenties and went up a pant size, it wasn’t ever a big deal. Then I got pregnant. Wow. Who even knew it was possible to pack an extra 75 pounds on my frame??? Suddenly, my weight had become a bit of an issue. And by a bit, I mean I bit my lip every time someone asked, “Ohmygosh, you look ready to pop any minute now!!” when I was only 7 months along. Oh, the joys of motherhood….

I haven’t made it to the gym in 32 years. At least I’m consistent….

OK – forgive the pic quality on this one. It was a super small pic on some ecards, and didn’t want to play nice when I made it a little bigger to put it in this post. But – it’s the perfect picture to explain my life, and relationship to fitness. I remember when I was invited to bring my nephew to the Nike World HQ for the Young Athletes Innovation Summit earlier this year… They sent us an email a couple weeks before we’d fly out for this event, with suggestions on what we should wear. It mentioned not to wear competing brands – and to dress in sneakers, hoodies or tees, and comfy bottoms. I thought, “Oh. No. Do NOT tell me that I’m going to have to do activities. I don’t DO activities.” I was concerned… So I handled it by wearing jeans and wedges. No one can make me run in a strappy wedge sandal, right? Right. Luckily, there was lots of walking, but no sporty-type “fun” stuff that would lead to an embarrassing show of my lack of coordination. Whew. Now that you know all this about me, you’ll understand why I am pretty crazy-excited about a new little gadget {oh, how I love gadgets!} that is going to help guide me to a more active lifestyle, totally painlessly. It’s called the Fitbit – watch this quick video to get a feel for it…

How cool is this Fitbit, right?

Saying that this little gadget is like a pedometer is like saying that watching a local singer perform at your fave coffee shop is like seeing Beyonce perform in Times Square – not even in the same ballpark! Yes, the Fitbit tracks your steps, but that’s where the similarity stops. It has so many super helpful tools that go along with it, that can help everyone from the totally non-sporty types like me push themselves to a healthier level, as well as help super-athletes track their training. How do I love the Fitbit? Well, let me count the ways….

It’s simple: It’s crazy how easy it is to get started with the Fitbit. You open the box, place the Fitbit on the base, then plug it into your computer. Click through a couple of steps to set it all up – and BAM! You’re ready to rock. Seriously, it’s that easy.
It’s easy to conceal: Unlike the big, bulky, ugly pedometers you’re used to seeing – the Fitbit is sleek and easy to hide. I clip mine over my front bra clasp – and honestly don’t notice it at all. {Although my toddler saw me put it on a couple of days ago, and is now constantly digging down my shirt, looking for it. Good times…} You can also clip it to your waistband, or pocket.
It’s magic: Ok, not really. But it feels like magic. Everyday the Fitbit is tracking your steps, your stairs, your sleep, and more. But -there’s no need to have to plug it in regularly and download all that helpful into – it wirelessly uploads your data automatically to the Fitbit site, whenever you are nearby. Then you can monitor your progress, and use all of the sweet – and totally free – tools on their site. PERFECT for busy moms like me.
It’s a multi-tasker: This baby is a hard worker – It’ll show you how many steps you took during a day, so you can work on increasing those steps. Each day around lunch I check my progress – if the number is low, I know I need to add in an extra walk around the neighborhood with Abby. It’s seriously helping me push myself to be more active each day – without going to the gym, or doing crazy workouts. Love this.

It tracks, analyzes, and stores data on your every movement, day and night – but in a totally non-creepy, not stalkerish way. More like a super cool and protective older brother, who’s just always watching out for you, and encourages you to do your best. You can even download an app for your phone, so that you’ve got help any time you need it – It can do things like let you know how many calories you should be eating that day, based on your activity level. I am so excited at the progress I’m making already, with increasing my steps each day. I had lost about 20 pounds earlier this year using the Nutrisystem diet. But now that I’m on my own, my weight has held really steady. I love that this gadget is totally pushing me to lose the rest that I need to take off too, by walking more, taking more stairs, and more. I can’t recommend it enough!

The Fitbit is available at Best Buy – save big on one today!

When you think of Best Buy, you usually think of things like geeky guys checking out the newest video games, and buying new ram or bytes or something like that to make their super computers even faster. {Or at least, that used to be my image of Best Buy…} But did you know that they have SO much more than just computers and games? They’ve got a great line of kitchen gadgets and gear {I’ll be showing you some awesome stuff from that department soon!} – as well as hair tools, mens shaving gear, and super sweet workout helpers like the Fitbit. And they have some of the most helpful staff you’ll find anywhere, so they will totally help you with tips on using any new gadgets you pick up too. Much better service than you’re gonna get by shopping at Walmart, or the guessing game you have to do when shopping online at Amazon. Love that. And if you’re thinking of picking up a Fitbit yourself – don’t wait! There’s a great coupon deal right now – Save 20% off any Regular Price Health & Fitness product. Rockin’.

As part of the new Best Buy Blogging Board – I’ll be a brand ambassador for them over this next year. Which means you’ll get to hear about all kinds of super helpful gadgets, gear, services, and more – that are available from Best Buy. I’m incredibly excited to be partnering with such an amazing company – and can’t wait to share more cool stuff with you ladies. Stay tuned!

See more real women using the FitBit on my Best Buy Pinterest board!

{Disclaimer: The reviewer has received compensation for this post in the form of the reviewed product or a gift card. All opinions are 100% the reviewer’s and have not been influenced in any way.}