Blender Express App Review

BECOME PART OF BLENDER EXPRESS !
Do you want to share your favorite smoothie recipe with the world? Is it tasty, healthy, funky and fun ? Share it with us at blenderexpress@happydaygames.com, we promise to have a look, try them out and include selected recipes in future updates !

FEATURES
- Campaign/Classic and Arcade game modes
- 2 control modes - accelerometer and manual
- 5 gorgeous themes/locations
- 100 exciting levels
- Splendidly painted graphics
- Buy new and better blenders, using the blender points
- Create your own theme – In arcade mode you can take a picture and use it     as a theme/location
- Original soundtrack specific for each locations
- Game Center and leaderboards
- Addictive & Exciting gameplay
- Twitter & Facebook integration

CONNECT WITH US
Twitter
Facebook

Find Blender Express on iTunes

 My Thoughts:

Another addicting game.  I have to admit, I'm not very good but it is still fun.  It is a little too difficult for my 3 year old, so he quickly get frustrated playing it himself but he enjoys watching others play. I think probably because its fast paced and very colorful.  If you're looking for something that you won't beat to easily, check this game out.  Or you can always let me know what a loser I am if you whiz right through it! 

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this game for review purposes.

Hot Man App for Breast Cancer Awareness #Pinktober

THEY’RE HERE! HOT MEN INVADE THE APP STORE AS THE “YOUR MAN REMINDER” FREE APP LAUNCHES FOR NATIONAL BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Check out Rethink Breast Cancer’s Latest Video Sensation Showcasing Cute Guys, Beautiful Breasts and an Important Message Featured HERE

Ontario, Canada- October 11, 2011 - Rethink Breast Cancer today announced the launch of Your Man Reminder, an innovative early breast cancer detection App for iPhone.  The free App created by john st., features a choice of cute guys who pop up regularly with an encouraging reminder to get in touch with and know your breasts.
This early breast cancer detection campaign is the latest promotion from Rethink Breast Cancer, a Canadian charity which uses humor and sensitivity to elevate breast health messages to women in their 20s, 30s and 40s who otherwise might not think they are at risk. Two years ago the group launched the viral sensation Save the Boobs for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and also hosts the annual Boobyball black tie fundraiser, coming up this year October 14th in Toronto.

“Our experience is that many young women are not aware of their risk for breast cancer,” said MJ DeCoteau, Executive Director, Rethink Breast Cancer. “The use of ‘hot guys’ as a reminder for women to be breast aware is actually a great way for them to learn about breast health in a non-scary way. The idea behind our education initiatives is to break through the information clutter and remind women to know their bodies and be proactive in protecting them.”
Download the free Your Man Reminder App today and join the fight in early breast cancer detection for celebration of October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month and then show your breasts some T.L.C. (Touch. Look. Check.)  From the App choose from one of six guys to provide the monthly reminder and then share with a friend to see what guy they utilize. With the touch of the screen, customize the App by changing the special calendar settings and appointment reminders. Utilize the ‘Signs and Symptoms’ tab within the App to answer any questions or concerns.
The Your Man Reminder App is available now to download free for iPhone mobile devices and will be available for free download on Android mobile devices later this month.
In 2006, Rethink launched a TLC campaign in Canada to encourage women to be breast aware.  The campaign asks women to Touch their breasts to feel for anything unusual, Look for changes and be aware of shape and texture, and Check anything unusual with a physician. For more information about Your Man Reminder and the TLC campaign, please visit www.rethinkbreastcancer.com

Breast Cancer, there's an App for that! #Pinktober

Breast Cancer, there's an App for that!  Not to make light of a very serious topic, really I'm not.  But I do LOVE that today's technology can help fight this battle against.

The Breast Cancer Diagnosis Guide mobile app walks you through your breast cancer pathology report and other tests and information that you and your doctor will use to help decide which treatments are right for you.
Add your diagnosis information for easy reference, and receive relevant articles from Research News. The app includes illustrations and definitions.
The Breast Cancer Diagnosis Guide mobile app was named an Official Honoree by the 2011 Webby Awards.

Find the app at iTunes!

Included in the Breast Cancer Diagnosis Guide

The Report Guide to help you understand your pathology report and other test results. Together with your doctor, we encourage you to fill in the questions you find in the Report Guide. You can then take your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad with you when you visit other doctors so they have the most accurate information.
The Word List, which contains definitions of common pathology report terms.
The Articles for Me area. After you've answered enough questions in the Report Guide, Breastcancer.org will send relevant news and research articles to your phone. Articles for Me are provided by Breastcancer.org's Research News program. News articles are provided by MedPage Today, along with commentary from Breastcancer.org experts.
The privacy of your information is extremely important to us and we will never give, sell, or otherwise disclose your personal or health information to anyone.

I haven't personally had a chance to check out this app but I immediately began thinking about the many possibilities that an app could have for a breast cancer survivor.  One thing I remember from very early on in my mom's battle was her little note book.  As a family member there were often times I didn't felt like she'd asked all the right questions, or gotten ALL the information.  But what information she had, she wrote down in a tiny little notebook.  She wrote the dates of each and every test she had done as well as treatments.  She wrote questions she had for her Dr and answers from her Dr she wanted to share with us.  I can only imagine how organized and much easier it could have been if it was all on a smart phone.  I think that it is wonderful to see technology make life easier for survivors to handle all the information they are overwhelmed with or let them connect with other who are going through something similar.  This app could also really help family or friends of someone with a new breast cancer diagnosis.  Sometimes it's hard to ask such matter of fact questions of someone who had been handed such an overwhelming diagnosis. 

Weird But True App from National Geographic

Weird But True App Description

Did you know that girls have more taste buds than boys do? Or that slugs have 3,000 teeth and 4 noses? And who knew that gorillas burp when they’re happy? Get more than 300 Weird But True kid-friendly facts with the new interactive app from National Geographic Kids!

Find it on iTunes here!

 

My Thoughts:

This is a fun app for curious kids like I have. They have some interesting facts.  Some gross things, which my boys loved.  And general silliness.  The only thing I didn't love and maybe there is a way to change this but neither my kids or I have figured it out but you always start back at the first fact and have to flip through to get to the new ones.  Other than that it is a great thing to have when we are somewhere waiting with time to kill.  Be warned though, if your kids are like mine, they may get some serious giggles at some of these so keep that in mind if you are somewhere where they need to stay quiet.



Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this app for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own honest personal feedback.

JibJab Jr. eBooks for the iPad (App Review}

JibJab Enters Kids Market with JibJab Jr.

Launches Personalized Starring You® Children’s Books on the iPad

From the team that brought audiences political satires like This Land, and holiday fun like OfficeMax’s ElfYourself, comes a new brand dedicated to enhancing the special time parents spend with their children telling stories: JibJab Jr.

JibJab Jr. Books, the company’s first product release, turns children into the stars of the show in personalized children’s books on the iPad.

With a few taps and swipes, parents can easily create a JibJab Jr. book with their child’s face, name, gender and skin color, then drop them into the center of the action of a beautifully illustrated and animated tale.

JibJab Jr. Books launches with two titles, “The Biggest Pizza Ever”, about a kid who wreaks havoc on a town with a gargantuan pizza pie, and “The Alphabet Wrangler”, about a kid who has to chase the letters of the alphabet around the house after they mischievously escape from a book.  New titles will be released every month, starting this September with "Ocean Commotion", an underwater adventure featuring singing and dancing sea life.

Each book features great stories, beautiful art, and simple, tasteful character animations. They are not hyper-clickable toys.  They are designed from the ground up to enhance the important wind-down time parents spend with their children telling stories before bed.

JibJab Jr. Books is free to download from the Apple App Store and comes bundled with one free book. Additional books are $7.99 each, or only $3.99 if a parent signs up for the book a month plan, which can be canceled at any time.  Once a book is purchased, it can be personalized an unlimited number of times for no additional cost. 

JibJab Jr.’s mission is to combine great artistry and technology to help parents tell amazingly fun stories to their kids.  JibJab Jr. Books, perfect for ages 2 to 6, is the first step in making that mission a reality.

You can download JibJab Jr. Books for free from theiTunes App Store here!

About JibJab Jr.

JibJab Jr. provides parents with great art and technology that helps them tell amazingly fun tales to their kids.  The company’s first product, JibJab Jr. Books, makes it easy to create personalized bedtime stories featuring the child’s name, face, gender and skin color.  It is available for free to download, exclusively on the iPad, and is perfect for kids ages 2 to 6.  For more information, and to download the app, visit: http://sendables.jibjab.com/kids.  

My Thoughts:

JibJab Jr.'s books for the iPad are different from many of the other eBooks we've checked out before.  There is no music, sounds or narration.  It is truly an eBook that you read to your child.  However the illustrations are great and EVERY page features the photo personalization.  I have loved JibJab for creating fun personalized holiday greetings for years so it's no surprise to me that I love these books.  I have purchased several personalized paperback books for my kids and they are usually upwards of $15-20 but then they are personalized for just ONE child.  With JibJab Jr you can create a different character for each of your kids (and yourself, I MAY have done this) and you can star a different child every time you read the book.  Creating the characters is super quick and easy so you'll be reading in no time. There are currently three titles The Biggest Pizza Ever (the title that comes with the app), The Alphabet Wrangler, and Ocean Commotion.  Everyone in our house seems to have a different favorite but I think Ocean Commotion has my favorite illustrations, The Biggest Pizza Ever is the funniest and The Alphabet Wrangler is the most educational. Again these are great eBOOKS they aren't apps or games.  They are intended to be interactive like some things are, they are meant to be read, like a REAL book.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary version of the app and books for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are my own honest, personal feedback and I have not been compensated for a positive review.

Wreck The App {App Review}

Just did a face-plant against the wall of writer’s block? Terrified by a blank screen? Looking for a new creative outlet? Lacking artistic inspiration? Just plain old bored? You’ve found the right app.

With Wreck This App, you'll tap into your creative side in an entirely new way: by exploring your best mess-making and destructive abilities. Guided by more than 50 prompts and using a spectrum of drawing tools, you can tap “holes” through the screen, “Drip” different inks, and then smear them all together, deface your least favorite picture of yourself, scribble furiously, color outside of the lines! And when you’ve wrecked your app, you can post evidence of your creative destruction on Facebook or Flickr!

Based on the world-wide and phenomenally successful book Wreck This Journal by author and illustrator Keri Smith, Wreck This App brings destructive creativity right to your fingertips. Let the wrecking begin!

  

hioho

 This really is a great app for kids and adults.  Because sometimes a blank slate is just intimidating.  But these simple directions can give you just enough inspiration.  My kids are notorious for getting out art supplies and asking "what do you want me to draw?" But when I open this app for them and they are told to "Color this entire page" there is nothing but furious coloring and giggling.  But not QUITE as much gigglig as there was when my biggest kid (husband) got ahold of this app and found the page that had my photo on it and he set out creating....this:

Hahaha.  What like I'm a clown? Like I'm here for your amusement? Yeah, ok, sometimes I totally am.  And this totally made me laugh too! I heard mentions of horns and mustaches so I'm sure I will eventually find many more surprises in this app!

 Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this app for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own, honest personal feedback. I was not compensated for a positive review.

BRAVE ROONEY Digital Children's Book, Ages 4 - 8

Because Rooney makes it easier for kids to feel good about "fitting in" with new classmates, we're having a one week back-to-school introductory special.

Ever wonder how most superheroes learned math and spelling? Probably because they went to Captain Majestic Memorial School, an elementary school for superheroes. This year, an ordinary kid - Rooney - shows up at school and can't do anything super. Somehow Rooney shows everybody what it takes to be really brave.

Written by Gerry Renert, three-time EMMY nominated kid's TV writer and winner of "Parent's Choice," "iParenting" and "Mom's Choice" awards, BRAVE ROONEY has over fifty interactive features and animations.

It's a great way to build children’s self esteem while helping them with the ever-present challenge of "fitting in."

Bacciz apps, developer of great apps for kids, have been featured in Apple's Whats Hot, Staff Favorites, TUAW articles by David Winograd, and in Gizmodo as "Best Apps for Kids" among others.

We are working on improving education one app at a time!

My Thoughts:

I like this interactive eBook for kids.  My 3 year old spent a lot of time enjoying each page as there are tons of hidden noises and actions (like superheros zooming off the page).  And the message acceptance of people who are different is great.  It is geared for kids 4-8 but  my 3 year old loved it too. I am personally a big fan of books with the 'read to me' feature so that my kids can have the story read to them while I sneak a minute to get something done.  But the older kids can also read it to themselves.  And everyone can enjoy the silly sounds and actions as you touch different characters on each page.  This app definitely got two thumbs up from my kids!

Features;

Over fifty interactive features and animations
23 Pages of gorgeous illustrations
Narrated by the author
Physics simulations in some scenes
Highlighted reading text!
2 reading modes—“Read to Me” or “I Can Read”!
Highly customizable options!
Visual page index!
Narration in Chinese language coming soon

Find Brave Rooney for your little super heroes at iTunes.com.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this app for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own honest, personal feedback and I was not compensated for a positive review.

ARTHUR READS App Review

Marc Brown Studios and ScrollMotion , the largest developer of branded apps in the iTunes App Store, has expanded its ARTHUR READS app series on iTunes this week. Narrated by Marc Brown, creator of Arthur, the ARTHUR READS app series includes 9 book apps; the first, Arthur Turns Green, launched in April and will continue to roll out new apps throughout this year with three new additions launched on the iTunes store this week including:

·         Arthur's Pet Business

·         Arthur Writes a Story 

·         Arthur's Tooth 

With many great features in tow, the app gives kids and parents the opportunity to read books together (even when apart) and participate in interactive sessions!  Kids can scroll through the pages of the book and follow along, while their parent’s pre-recorded voice reads the book aloud. Some of the other tools that enhance learning and engagement include putting together puzzles of Arthur illustrations and even coloring pictures of Arthur, DW, Buster, Francine and the rest of the group to bring characters to life.  

Each app is compatible with iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch and available for $2.99 on the iTunes App store

My thoughts:

We downloaded each of these apps, as my kids have always been fans of Arthur.  I love that the book part can either be read by the child or that the app will 'read' to them.  This makes it perfect for either my older boys who can read or my 3 year old who...well can't read!  In addition to the book portion there are many puzzles and pictures to 'color' with in this app.  My 3 year old LOVES coloring digitally (not so much on paper for some reason) so this was a big hit with him and he mastered it easily without ANY help from me.  The puzzle, he needed a little help with at first to understand what exactly he was supposed to be doing.  But one he saw how it was supposed to work, he had fun with that.  I thought there were a decent amount of options to keep them busy for a while too.  My three year old easily spent an hour playing with just one of these Arthur Reads apps.  I think that this is a great app for kids probably 3 (or even 2 if they are already used to the touch screen) to 6 and maybe a little bit older depending on the child.  My 7 year old enjoyed it, but the 8 year old was quickly back to his usual googling of off the wall topics pretty quickly.

Disclosure: I was given complimentary copies of these apps for review purposes. However, all opinions expressed are my own honest, personal feedback. I have not been compensated for a positive review.