Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 {Review}

Sometimes I like to make myself feel old by thinking back to all of the outdated products and technology from my childhood. The VCR that had a remote that needed to be plugged in, the telephone with the rotary dial... heck, I remember being so proud to have saved up money to buy a cassette tape with my favorite music.

These days, I try to appreciate the advancements that have made my life so much easier and more convenient. And, one thing that I know I have never once missed? Wires.

There are so many cords running to and from just about every device that they make me crazy. They're always tangled, being yanked on, catching on things, and, in general, just in the way. Can't every single thing be wireless?

Although that time hasn't quite yet been reached, at least I have now found the absolute perfect way to enjoy unparalleled music in top-of-the-line comfort, incredible clarity, and the utmost in cord-free convenience thanks to the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700.

Known for being passionate about inventing new technologies that truly benefit people, Bose's Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 were designed to deliver everything you expect — and things you never imagined possible.

Along with removing the hassle of wires (ugh!), these amazing headphones have a sophisticated, comfortable design, extended battery life, easy voice control, access to your choice of voice assistant, incredible noise cancellation, and much more. In short, they're able to turn every moment into an extraordinary experience by making your music come alive and your life more convenient and connected. There's nothing more that I could ask for!

Considering that everything I read about the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 made them sound like a spectacular pair of wireless headphones, I was excited to see them in person to give them a try.

Even before I had them out, the Bose Headphones 700 were making a great impression simply from the stylish and impressive box and inner case. I love companies that create packaging that not only keeps their products safe and secure, but also make users excited just from the way they look!

As soon as I removed these headphones, however, it was clear that Bose went much further than a snazzy box. The Bose Headphones 700 are all clean lines and classic design with the wireless, modernized, lightweight, stainless-steel headband and angled earcups to provide a comfortable fit for all-day listening.

My next step included downloading the Bose Music App and, in a matter of seconds, I had my headphones activated, connected, and was taking a virtual tour of their many amazing features.

Bose really couldn't have made these headphones any easier to use!

I adore that they came already charged and truly, I had my music playing within a minute or two. All that is left to do is simply adjust to your size and start wearing! The large L and R make it a no-brainer which direction is front and back...

...and the controls for volume, answering calls, talking to your voice assistant, skipping tracks, and more are, quite literally, right at your fingertips. Just intuitively swipe left, right, up or down on the right earcup and your music responds immediately.

Not to mention that the three dedicated buttons provide direct access to some of the headphones' most important features. Whether you are selecting just the right noise cancellation level for your environment (there are 11 so that you can maximize it to eliminate distractions, minimize it so you can hear everything around you or just choose from nine other levels in between) or jumping into Conversation Mode to pause the music and let surrounding noise in (perfect to order coffee, chat with a coworker or listen for your boarding call at the airport), the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 allow you to do it all with ease.

As well as features that one would expect with high quality headphones, Bose took things a step further by including their unique Bose AR. This new audio augmented reality technology and platform uses a combination of motion sensors built right in to superimpose sound on top of the real world.

So, while most AR efforts are focused on overlaying simulated visual information (virtual roller coaster, anyone?) Bose's AR products detect your head orientation and body movement while you wear them. Then, Bose AR-enhanced apps use this information along with location data from your mobile device to offer you audio content tailored to where you are and what you're doing. There is a whole slew of Bose AR apps available for iOS users to experience this coolness!

Overall, I love the power, sound, and comfort that the Bose Headphones 700 provide and I couldn't be happier not having to deal with the hassle of wires getting caught, twisted, knotted, pulled, and more. Add to that having the ability to wear these just about anytime, anywhere due to their lightweight feel and it's easy to see why these can go from work to play to sport with ease!

I have especially been enjoying the ease of controlling the noise cancellation technology, as a tap or two allows me to move from complete isolation to full awareness of my surroundings all without having to remove these comfortable headphones from my ears.

Plus, Bose didn't only include a single microphone into these headphones, there is an adaptive four-microphone system that automatically adjusts to the environment to isolate your voice from competing noises. No more yelling or wondering if the person on the other end can understand what you are saying!

Really, my only complaint is that everyone else in my household keeps trying to borrow these from me far too often!

After having had the chance to thoroughly try out the Bose Headphones 700, I'm clearly impressed with the comfort, fit and feel, as well as the convenience that they provide for all aspects of a busy life and the overall amazing clarity, sound and removal of distractions that they provide. No matter if I am relaxing at home, outdoors mowing the lawn, boarding a plane or just living day to day, these are likely coming along as well!

Whether you are shopping for an athlete, a commuter, a traveler, a music-lover or more, the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 would make an absolutely amazing gift. Your recipient is sure to love the sleek look, custom fit, perfect balance of function and design, and all-around great sound no matter if they're going for a run, rocking out, flying across the country or jumping onto a conference call.

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are available now for $399.99. For more information and to find out more about all of Bose's innovative and award-winning products, visit Bose.com and connect with them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

I was provided Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 and compensation in order to facilitate my review. This post is solely my honest opinion about this product.

Keep Your Internet Safe with the CUJO Smart Firewall from Best Buy {Review}

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.

A few decades ago, the phrase home security would likely have conjured up images of cameras and motion detectors and signs indicating that an alarm would silently ring if a window was forced open.

These days, there's no question that we're all still careful to lock the doors to our houses. However, home security means so much more now that there are virtual entrances to our lives that also need to be protected. After all, the plethora of connected devices in our homes — TVs, game consoles, phones, computers, tablets, printers, cameras, baby monitors, thermostats, vacuums, and much more — are really only as secure as the networks that they access, right?

Therefore, until our tech gadgets begin to be created with built-in security, it is up to us to provide it — to not only block malicious sites, viruses, and hacks, but to give peace of mind that you and your family are safe online.

That's where CUJO comes in!

A firewall for the connected home that is designed to bring business-level security to a home network, CUJO is the one device needed to secure any and all technology that connects through your internet. Just plug it in, set it up, and this simple yet sophisticated gadget monitors the activity on all of your connected devices for anything unusual. When that occurs, it immediately blocks the threats before they have a chance to compromise your online safety or private information.

Pretty great, right?

As I don't consider myself a technology expert, I was looking forward to seeing just how user-friendly CUJO would be and if I would be able to get it up and running all on my own.

Right out of the box and it was clear that CUJO is just about as close to "plug and play" as possible. All that I needed to do was take the device, the power cord, and the Ethernet cable, plug it all in (to a power source as well as to my router), and I was good to go.

Registering my CUJO and going through the setup process couldn't have been much easier, as I simply downloaded the app (available from the App Store as well as Google Play) and followed the instructions one by one.

In less than 10 minutes, our home was protected and CUJO was already at work identifying our devices.

From that day forward, CUJO has been amazing for keeping all of our technology safe and secure. I love the way that it was designed to automatically block any threats it detects (users then have the option to leave the block or to unblock), as this proactive method ensures that I won't have to deal with problems after they occur. I've spent too many hours stressing over computer viruses to ever want to go down that path again!

Instead CUJO keeps our entire network and every single device we own protected and it lets me know in two different ways. The unit itself has "eyes" (that my kids adore) that indicate if the device is in standby mode (full eyes), protection mode (smiling eyes) or that it has detected unwanted activity (sad eyes).

At the same time, I can receive immediate notifications on my phone and/or simply open the app to stay informed. I was amazed when CUJO detected and blocked a threat within the first 24 hours of installation — and it had at least half a dozen more within the first week of use! Where has this been all my life?!

Beyond just being a watchdog for all of our connected devices (which I love), CUJO takes things one step further for parents by including an abundance of parental control features. We all know that kids of every age seem to want to spend every waking minute online, but we also know that there is a great deal of the internet that isn't appropriate for children.

Therefore, being able to have control over access to the internet provides me the perfect solution, as I'm not going to keep my kids off of it entirely. CUJO allows me to not only have an internet filter, but I can set time limits and pause the internet for specific devices, monitor social media sites, receive alerts and reports, and more.

How great is it that CUJO allows me to safeguard my children and what they access online all while it protects our household overall!

I have to admit that prior to the arrival of CUJO, I hadn't put a great deal of thought into our household's internet security. But now that it is here, I couldn't be happier knowing that my entire home, all of our devices, and even my kids are safer!

CUJO is available in three different options ($99 for the device with an $8.99 monthly service fee; $158 for the device with a $59 annual service fee; $249 for the device and a free lifetime subscription/service) and can truly provide the peace of mind you need or didn't know you need in your home.

Find out much more about all that CUJO can do and how much money you can save on it when you purchase from Best Buy today.

Wireless Freedom with the JBL Everest 700 Headphones {Review}

Sometimes I like to make myself feel old by thinking back to all of the outdated products and technology from my childhood. The VCR that had a remote that needed to be plugged in, the telephone with the rotary dial... heck, I remember being so proud to have saved up money to buy a cassette tape with my favorite music.

These days, even though we've come a long way, I'm certain that many of the items we use now will someday also be obsolete dinosaurs. Will my own kids look back and scoff at having had a plain old toaster? A television that is simply flat? A car that doesn't hover?

For me, one thing that I already know I won't miss as more advancements are made is wires. There are so many cords running to and from just about every device that they make me crazy. They're always tangled, being yanked on, catching on things, and, in general, just in the way. Can't everything be wireless?

Although that time hasn't yet been reached, at least I have now found the absolute perfect way to enjoy music in unmatched comfort, incredible clarity, and the utmost in cord-free convenience thanks to the JBL Everest 700 around-ear wireless headphones.

Known for turning every moment into an extraordinary experience by making your music come alive, JBL's Everest 700 headphones are the perfect holiday gift for music lovers and iPhone 7 owners everywhere. Why deal with the hassle of wires (or wonder why Apple removed the headphone port) when you don't have to?

Instead the Everest 700 connect instantly to Bluetooth, deliver spectacular sound, are ergonomically designed to fit the unique contour of your ears, include a built-in microphone, and even feature Share Me 2.0 technology (enabling multiple pairs of Bluetooth headphones to connect to each other to share music, videos, and games). There's nothing more that I could ask for!

Considering that everything I read about the Everest 700 made them sound like a spectacular pair of wireless headphones, I knew that I needed to see them in person to give them a try.

Even before I had them out, the Everest 700 were making a great impression simply from the stylish and impressive box. I love companies that create packaging that not only keeps their products safe and secure, but also make users excited just from the way they look!

As soon as I removed these headphones, however, it was clear that JBL went much further than a snazzy box. The clean lines and classic design of the Everest 700 are highlighted perfectly by the crisp black all-over coloring (these are also available in a sleek gray) and the sculpted ear cushions are the softest that I have ever felt.

All that was left to do was charge these up (they have a 25 hour rechargeable battery, so one charge is all you need for quite a while!) and they would be ready to deliver my tunes.

JBL really couldn't have made these headphones any easier to use!

Once charged, it took less than 10 seconds for me to have them paired with my phone's Bluetooth — there are even simple voice instructions that come through to help out just in case.

Then simply adjust to your size and start wearing! The large L and R make it a no-brainer which direction is front and back...

...and the controls for power, volume, answering calls, skipping tracks, and more are right at your fingertips.

Although we don't own another pair of Bluetooth-enabled headphones to test out the ShareMe 2.0 option, I also love that the Everest 700 have the ability to connect wirelessly this way. I have no doubt that at some point in the future we will be using these to share audio with another set of headphones (of any brand) so that multiple people can listen in to music, movies, and more!

Overall, I love the power, sound, and comfort that the JBL Everest 700 headphones provide and I couldn't be happier not having to deal with the hassle of wires getting caught, twisted, knotted, pulled, and more. Add to that having the ability to wear these just about anytime, anywhere due to their lightweight feel and it's easy to see why these can go from work to play to sport with ease!

In fact, the only issue that I initially had problem with was the one second delay in the sound when watching movies or videos. No one likes it when the actors' lips don't match up with their words, right? Well, a simple visit to the JBL website to download an update to the firmware and install that to my Everest 700 and these now match the audio perfectly. I'm 100% thrilled!

Clearly, I've been extremely impressed with the comfort, fit, and feel of the JBL Everest 700, the convenience that they provide for all aspects of a busy life, and the overall amazing clarity and sound that they provide. I will never travel, work out or pump up the bass without them!

This holiday season, whether you are shopping for an athlete, a workaholic, a commuter, a music-lover, an iPhone 7 owner or more, the JBL Everest 700 around-ear wireless headphones would make an absolutely amazing gift. Your recipient is sure to love the sleek look, custom fit, and great sound no matter if they're going for a run, rocking out or jumping onto a conference call!

JBL Everest 700 headphones are available now for $199.95 directly from JBL or on Amazon. For more information and to find out more about all of JBL's innovative and award-winning products, visit JBL.com and connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Other than the JBL Everest 700 headphones that I was provided in order to facilitate my review, I was not compensated or enticed to do this post in any way. This review is solely my honest opinion about this product.

The Tiny Smart Robot for All Ages: Ozobot Starter Pack {Review}

Although it is a little bit of a blow to the ego, I have no doubt that both of my children will grow up to be far more technologically-skilled than I am. After all, right now I can still manage to muddle my way through using just about any device or application, but the way that they can both pick up gadgets or apps and instinctively know what to do is a regular way of life for them.

On top of that, when I grew up I had toys and games that were just that, toys and games. Kids these days? They have amazing, incredible, innovative things that are far more than just toys in that they are fun but also fully educational.

In fact, they are technologically-advanced, fully interactive miniature robots that can change the way that children learn and play — they are Ozobot!

An open-ended, user-friendly, extremely unique robotic system, Ozobot promotes social interaction, computational thinking, and confidence-building all in one teeny tiny package. While STEM-infused toys and gadgets are more and more commonly available these days, I was instantly drawn to the fact that Ozobot can be controlled simply by drawing colored lines. What better way to get even the youngest of children excited about programming!

This holiday season, it was the perfect time to check out the joy of coding with the Ozobot Starter Pack.

Including all the necessary tools to ignite the imaginations of children while inspiring and enticing them to play with Ozobot, we couldn't wait to open the Starter Pack (available in red or blue) box and take this tiny robot out to play.

Inside, we found four code-creating markers, two clear play surface sheets, two sheets of reusable Ozobot code stickers, a DIY blank customizable Ozobot skin and DIY skin sticker sheets, and a charging USB cable.

Have you ever looked at a robot and thought it was adorable? I haven't — until now!

I always appreciate products that don't require extended setup, installation, construction, charging or more before they are ready for use and Ozobot is exactly that!

I simply glanced over the Quick Start Guide and marveled at the sheer number of stickers, accessories and activities that were included in this set...

...and followed the 2-second instructions to calibrate our Ozobot to a large black dot (seen in the upper right of the above photo).

Then it was time to press the power button and set Ozobot loose to see it immediately start following any of the lines printed on the activity sheets. This cute little guy even changes the color of his lights to match whatever color line he is rolling along on!

While I was content to simply watch Ozobot zip back and forth along a variety of simple routes (what can I say? It's so cute to watch!), both Big Sister E and Little Sister B were more than eager to put their logic, programming, and reasoning skills to work to extend the experience even further.

We began by using the included markers to draw a variety of lines and designs, quickly realizing that Ozobot is easily customized just by changing the color, direction, and shape of the lines. The girls took one look at the Code Reference Sheet (showing which color combinations would cause Ozobot to do things such as speed up, slow down, spin around, etc.) and started drawing patterns and designs for him to follow!

At the same time, the ability to "dress" Ozobot in all sorts of ways with the various protective skins made everything even more enticing (and cute, may I add)!

Attractiveness aside, I love how simply playing with Ozobot led to the girls and I talking about how it can identify color and therefore the color sequences act as commands for it to follow. This little gadget truly makes it so that programming is not just for geeks, it's for everyone!

In the time since our Ozobot Starter Pack arrived, its appeal hasn't lessened one bit. The ability to do more simple or more complex activities with this one-inch robot has provided a huge range of opportunities for logic, critical thinking, problem solving, seeing how the idea for a sequence of commands can turn into a visual outcome, and much more.

Whether you are coming up with your own innovative paths for this enchanting robot to follow or are using the mission-based activities to figure out exactly what commands he needs to get from point A to point B...

...Ozobot can foster a love of technology for kids of all ages!

I can't even tell you all the fun that we have had with this amazing little piece of technology, so just take a peek at it in action in the great video that the company made to show it off!


To find out more about what Ozobot can do (there is a free app to extend the enrichment even further!), see why retailers and parents are in love with this award-winning robot, or simply to decided if Cool Blue or Lava Red would be a better choice for the child in your life to unwrap this holiday season, visit Ozobot.com and connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Ozobot Starter Pack is recommended for ages 6+ and retails for $49.99. It can be purchased from retailers such as Barnes and Noble and Toys "R" Us, on Amazon, and more.

Other than the Starter Pack I was sent from Ozobot in order to facilitate my review, I was not compensated or enticed to do this post in any way. This review is solely my honest opinion about this product.

The Nest Learning Thermostat for a Smart, Connected Home {Review}

If my family ever moves from this house, I will argue strongly for two things.

1. We hire movers. We have so much stuff that just the idea of packing, carrying, transporting, etc makes me short of breath and completely overwhelmed.

2. I will spend less than 10 minutes uninstalling and removing our thermostat (and replacing it with our old one). Because now that I have had the opportunity to live with a Nest Learning Thermostat, there is no way to go back to one that doesn't sense my activity, learn my preferences, and can be adjusted in seconds right from my phone!

On a mission to create a home that's thoughtful — one that takes care of itself and the people inside it — Nest focuses on simple, beautiful and delightful hardware, software and services. Whether you install one of their thermostats, cameras or smoke + CO alarms, you can rest assured that your house will be connected with the only the highest quality.

Case in point, the third generation Nest Learning Thermostat. This incredible little device is more beautiful than ever, with a thinner, sleeker design and a bigger, crisper display. Even better? It is actually proven to help save energy! In independent studies, the Nest Thermostat saved an average of 10-12% on heating bills and 15% on cooling bills. Who doesn't want that?

I, for one, couldn't wait to update my home with such a smart device.

Inside the small box, I found the Nest display, base, optional trim kit, mounting screws and labels, screwdriver, installation guide, welcome guide, and a Nest Pro installation card. It was time to get to work!

Nest states that it typically takes less than half an hour to install their Learning Thermostat, but I have to admit that I was fairly anxious about it taking longer (or not even being able to complete it on my own). After all, I am used to assembling toys or furniture, but working with electricity isn't a typical hobby of mine!

However, I was extremely happy to find that it didn't take 30 minutes to install my Nest, it only took around five! That was the only time needed to unscrew the old thermostat, label the wires, screw on the base of the Nest, reconnect everything, and plug on the display. It lit up immediately and began updating and getting used to our home!

From that day on, I have been smitten with the Nest.

Everything for setting up the device itself is done right from the large, bright, high-resolution touchscreen and I had no problem connecting it to my Netgear Nighthawk DST AC1900 Router and DST Adapter.

This new router was exclusively developed between Netgear, an industry leader in the networking world, and Best Buy, to help provide consumers with an easy, all-in-one solution to support their home's connected devices. With more and more wifi-dependent products in homes, there is an increase in the amount of stress put on personal networks, especially routers.

Therefore, the Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 was designed to not only support 10+ connected devices, but it comes with DST (Dead Spot Terminator) to eliminate wifi dead zones as well as Geek Squad Set Up and Support via phone and web, for one full year!

But back to the Nest Learning Thermostat.

Once I had the device set up, I quickly created an account on their website (providing me access and control from my laptop), followed by downloading their free app – available on iTunes or GooglePlay. I was then set to also manage my home's temperature from my phone or tablet no matter if I am near or far!

And the whole thing couldn't be much easier or more user-friendly!

If you prefer, you can begin by setting a traditional schedule that tells the Nest to accommodate your varying temperature preferences. Tell it when you wake up, leave the house, return home, go to sleep, and more.

But this is a smart, learning thermostat and that isn't necessary! There is actually no need to set your preferences as, within a week, the Nest starts programming itself. It learns your habits and adjusts automatically, regulating your home's temperature based on your schedule – which can save you energy and money. No hassle at all or work on your end!

Plus, when you're not at home (the Away mode), the Nest will automatically switch to an energy-efficient temperature (you set your initial high and low and it will abide by those). Even better, if you leave your house at a different time than usual, for instance if you go away for the weekend, and forget to change the temperature, the Nest will recognize that there is no one home and (Auto-Away) automatically turn itself down to avoid heating or cooling an empty home. I just love that!

No worrying about coming home to a cold house either, as you simply pull out your phone and tell the Nest when to start heating back up for your arrival!

While I had expected to be impressed by the Nest, I hadn't realized just how much I would appreciate having it in my home and knowing that it is working for us to save energy and money.

Along with being so incredibly simple to use, it provides me with our house's energy usage, tracking how much we have used and providing tips to help conserve. All I have to do is turn the heat down a degree (or the air conditioning up) and it notifies me that I've made an energy-saving temperature adjustment with its Nest Leaf display. That little leaf is a great motivator in pushing us in the right direction!

Along with our energy history, the Nest also monitors our heating/cooling equipment and alerts me if something is not working correctly or if our home gets dangerously hot or cold. Add to that the built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery, power consumption of less than 1 kWh/month, and ability to provide the weather conditions occurring right outside and the Nest really does it all!

The Nest Learning Thermostat has helped save approximately four billion kWh of energy to date. Isn't it time it went to work for you, too?

Find out more about all of the great features and benefits the Nest can provide for you by visiting BestBuy.com, where this high tech device retails for $249.99 (some local utility companies offer rebates simply for switching to the Nest, so you may be able to save on that price)!

Don't forget to also pick up a Netgear Nighthawk DST AC1900 Router and DST Adapter to help your home stay fully connected and that Best Buy's Geek Squad service allows customers to call or get help online 24/7 whenever they want instead of needing to schedule an appointment.

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.

LeapFrog LeapPad Platinum Tablet and LeapFrog Imagicard Provide Learning and Fun! {Review}

While children are being introduced to technology at younger and younger ages these days, that doesn't necessarily mean that all tech devices are now being made with the durability required to withstand children's play.

Many a parent has realized that simply handing over their own device comes with the risk of it being damaged or our kids being exposed to inappropriate content on the internet, deleting our photos, changing settings or more.

Instead, that's where LeapFrog comes in with their wide range of gadgets that are safe, educational, entertaining, easy to use, and just for kids. And, after the success of earlier versions of their LeapPad, LeapFrog has added a wide array of interactive and educational updates and features to make it even better with the release of the LeapPad Platinum Tablet.

Designed to help your child take learning to entirely new places, the LeapPad Platinum combines eBooks, videos, music, educational games, creative activities, learning apps, and tools into a sleek, durable, and entertaining device.

With a shatter-safe 7" multi-touch color touch screen and wrap-around bumper for the ultimate in durability, cameras and video recorders on the front and back, 8GB of memory, access to 1,000+ games, compatibility with the new LeapFrog Imagicard learning experience, and much, much more, kids ages three to nine can touch, drag, tilt, photograph, and record their way to learning fun.

Considering how much my kids love technology and would be thrilled at the opportunity to experience the innovative learning approach and kid-tested gameplay of this device, I knew that they would be beside themselves to try out the LeapPad Platinum and a selection of LeapFrog Imagicard products in person.

Check out my Word Whammer review here!

Right away I found that this updated LeapPad is compact (it measures 9.06" x 5.88" x 1") and that LeapFrog truly integrated plenty of features to ensure that this device is kid-tough along with being sleek and modern. I know that my own iPad has not been as thoroughly drop-tested, impact-tested, and compression-tested in LeapFrog's Quality Lab like this one has!

At the same time, I was instantly smitten with the fact that the LeapPad Platinum has an included stylus that is attached to the device and that the AC adapter allows the lithium ion rechargeable battery to be easily recharged.

No more losing the stylus and, as opposed to purchasing more and more batteries or dealing with rechargeable ones that continue to be pulled out to plug in separately, the fact that the kids can plug the LeapPad Platinum right in without any help makes me swoon. Every little added convenience makes life easier and both of these features eliminate the possibility of future whining or hassle!

Along with the AC adapter and stylus, I appreciate that the LeapPad Platinum includes a kid-safe web browser on its Wi-Fi connection. With LeapSearch, children have access only to age-appropriate content and videos (and more) — all approved by learning experts and featuring parental settings for fine-tuning to your preferences.

No worrying if they'll start watching videos that you don't want them to see on YouTube, they will only be able to visit sites completely safe and appropriate for kids!

Along with access to the internet, the LeapPad Platinum includes a whole slew of engaging ways for kids to play. It has access to 1,000+ age-appropriate educational games, apps, eBooks, videos and more (all designed or approved by learning experts) as well as LeapFrog's innovative peer-to-play capabilities.

This fun addition is a fast and easy way for kids to connect and play safely with nearby friends who also have a LeapPad device!

Also, although the LeapPad Platinum is entertaining all on its own, I appreciate that LeapFrog has made it so simple to keep expanding the options.

First, parents are able to go right online and download apps to find games, books and more that are just right for their child's age and developmental level. With such a wide variety of ways to learn and so many options for fun, this is one toy that does it all — whether you select games that focus on math, creativity, reading, writing, social studies or more!

Second, LeapFrog offers a variety of changeable software cartridges (sold separately for approximately $24.99), providing interactive books, learning games, and creative activities. Kids can play and learn with some of their favorite characters, including Doc McStuffins, Transformers, Octonauts, the gang from Cars or Monsters University and many more!

Third, the LeapPad Platinum allows users to unlock even more gameplay with the introduction of LeapFrog Imagicard digital game and interactive cards!

A first of its kind digital and physical learning experience, LeapFrog Imagicard brings characters and more to life simply by using the LeapPad Platinum to take a picture of one of the cards. The result is nearly magical, as the interactive games appear to leap off of the card and screen!

Whether playing LeapFrog Imagicard PAW Patrol, Letter Factory Adventures or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, my kids have had a lot of fun with the resulting photo fun, trivia questions, virtual stickers, fact finding missions, carnival games, and more!

Retailing for $129.99 from LeapFrog or on Amazon, the LeapPad Platinum Tablet is a great way to bring home the ultimate tablet experience, just for kids! Due to its durability and quality, you'll never have to worry about what might happen to your expensive tech gadgets when this can be used at home or on-the-go with ease.

At the same time, the highly responsive touchscreen and user-friendly controls are just right for a child... all the while that the parental controls leave you knowing that you're in charger of just what your little one is accessing. The result is the appeal that kids want with the portability and educational qualities that parents insist on!

Find out more about this and all of LeapFrog's innovative products by visiting LeapFrog.com and connecting with them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

As a LeapFrog Mom Ambassador, I receive products, promotional items and educational material to use and share as I see fit. However, any opinions expressed by me are honest and reflect my actual experience.