Jam City Merchandise Review- Panda Pop and Cookie Jam.

Jam City is a Los Angeles-based mobile game maker with global reach. The company was co-founded in 2010 by former MySpace co-founders Chris DeWolfe, Aber Whitcomb, and former 20th Century Fox executive Josh Yguado. Its portfolio of titles--which includes Cookie Jam, Panda Pop, Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff and Marvel Avengers Academy--has been downloaded more than 800 million times and is regularly played by nearly 50 million people monthly. Jam City has studios in Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego and Buenos Aires. In 2016, Jam City acquired TinyCo, a San Francisco studio at the forefront of bringing the world’s most popular entertainment franchises to mobile games.

● Panda Pop:

Game Description: An evil baboon has kidnapped and trapped precious panda pups in the jungle. Strategically burst matching bubbles to beat the evil baboon and return the cubs to their worried mother! Panda Pop puts your strategy gaming skills to the test like never before!

○ Features

§  Unlock and discover dozens of beautiful worlds & over 500 challenging levels.

§  Compete with friends and see how your scores stack up.

§  Fun & easy to learn. Challenging & rewarding to win.

§  Characters, animations, and sound effects you will LOVE.

§  Strategy game for iPhone or Android!

○ Available on App Store, Google Play, Amazon Apps and Facebook

● Cookie Jam:

Game Description: Crunch your cookies before they crumble! Sprinkled with a deliciously sweet twist, this match-3 game is equal parts fun and challenging. Hop in your traveling bakery to set sail on this new puzzle adventure and explore mouth-watering patisseries from around the world. Cookie Jam was the recipient of Facebook’s 2014 Game of the Year award!

○ Features

§  Never-ending fun with dozens of unique levels

§  Deliciously sweet supply of power-ups and combos

§  Float your way through fantastical bakery islands

§  Fun and easy to learn, but a challenging game to master

○ Available on App Store, Google Play, Amazon Apps and Facebook

COOKIE FACTS AND FIGURES:

The average American will eat 35,000 cookies in their lifetime.
More people have played Cookie Jam than there are cars in India.
Cookie Jam has been played more times than the average person will blink in their lifetime.
Queen Elizabeth I is credited with the creation of the first gingerbread man.
More people play Cookie Jam every day than live in Costa Rica.
The world’s largest chocolate chip cookie weighed about as much as eight elephants.

My Thoughts:

Jam City released fun merchandise additions to their hit apps, Cookie Jam and Panda Pop. Kids and parents alike will love to add these items to their collection to honor their favorite games! I was sent both an adorable Panda from the Panda Pop franchise, as well as a delicious cookie jam.

I adore the soft and cuddly Panda Pop plushie. The red shirt is too adorable. The size and make of the product looks just like the original character. This is a well made plush toy that kids will love to play with for hours.

The creamy all natural Cookie Jam is another fantastic treat for children and families to adore. I found it was rich, flavorful, and perfect for spreading on cookies, crackers, toast, anything that needs that extra kick. The first ingredient I tasted was the cinnamon. With a dash of nutmeg this is the ideal indulgence. I enjoyed it room temperature or cold from the fridge (it didn't lose it's texture cold either!).

Nutritional Information is here:

Connect with Jam City:

Website  Facebook  Twitter  Youtube  Instagram  LinkedIn 

How to get rid of Inappropriate Ads During Family TV Time

How filtering TV ads can protect your children from underage drinking

Watching a football game on TV with your children can be a great family activity. However, live sporting events are rife with ads for alcohol and sex, like this racy Bud Light ad from Superbowl 41—not the most appropriate content for young eyes. And with studies showing that greater exposure to alcohol advertisements leads to increased underage drinking, it seems like the right time to have this conversation. Luckily, one company in Utah offers a solution.

Filtrie, a Salt Lake City-based software company, has developed a way for parents to filter out ads on television that they deem inappropriate for their children. This new technology gives individuals unprecedented control to cater the ads viewed in their homes to personal interests, beliefs, and lifestyles.

Filtrie’s revolutionary approach surveys how each individual’s household views ads. Instead of relying on out-of-date, door-to-door questioning to gather commercial data, Filtrie uses real-time algorithms to understand the target audience at any given time. In other words, the software knows if it’s just mom and dad watching their favorite late-night sitcom or if a child is present in the room—the ads will change accordingly.

Children are easily influenced by what they see on TV, and it’s not only alcohol ads that parents should be concerned about. A child’s exposure to junk food ads can mold unhealthy eating habits, and seeing an ad for lingerie might bring about questions meant for later years. Filtrie will empower parents to make these judgment calls with the click of a button. Best of all, Filtrie is a free, opt-in service that will be coming available in the next few months. For more information, visit http://www.filtrie.com/.

Have game night with Tic Stac Toe

Alix Abbamonte Public Relations Proud to Announce New Social Initiative: Spread more XOXO this Valentine’s Day with the WHO DO YOU XO? web meme.

Alix Abbamonte Public Relations is proud to announce a new social initiative: Spread more XOXO this Valentine’s Day with the WHO DO YOU XO? web meme.

WHO DO YOU XO?  is the brainchild of Robert Appelblatt and Tim Crean, who came up with the idea after updating and completely revolutionizing the old tic-tac-toe game by creating TIC STAC TOE.  This overhaul of the classic game takes that concept and expands the board to four in a row while simultaneously adding a third dimension. The result is a game that is familiar and simple, but quickly escalates into an intense match of wits.

To use the WHO DO YOU XO?  web meme you simply upload a picture of anything that you love, add some more love with X’s and O’s, include a descriptive hashtag and upload to any and all social media!  It’s a fun, free and an overall feel-good way to express more XOXO this Valentine’s Day or any day. 

WHO DO YOU XO? is a social media campaign that spreads love as well as awareness of the new revolutionary game.  With it we hope that people everywhere, from those who can’t afford to buy pricey gifts, or those who don’t quite know how else to say it, will use the social platform to let that special someone know just how special they are.

Connect with Tic Stac Toe?

Website - Facebook - Twitter - Instagram

My Thoughts

I think this is one of the first games in a long time my kids didn't fight over. I really liked that it was only 2 player, which cut down on some of the competition. It was straight forward and easy to get started and play, since most people know about XO's already. Only in this one, you're connecting 4 and not 3. As well, the pieces stack on top of one another.

We have played this many times since getting it. Usually in the evening after dinner. I really like that it's a short game and we can play several rounds. As well, when starting the game, I have a pretty good idea how long it will last, unlike something like Monopoly. My kids are 9 and 11, and they did great playing with me watching and not. It was fun plotting out ways to win when you can start stacking pieces. I found as a player you really needed to pay attention or someone would win in no time.

Everything fit back in the box without an issue and was easy to put away as well as set-up. It was well made. The X's and O's were a thick plastic and were not easy to break. My only complaint is the board is put together in 4 parts and they come apart easy when removing X's and O's, so I felt like I was putting the game board back together a good bit. Other than that, we have really enjoyed this game.

Share Your Videos with Vidku - #Giveaway (5 Winners!)

I love taking short videos of my children and sharing them with friends. Sometimes I'll share them on face book, but since I have so many "friends" who are business associates, I really wanted to find a way to share personal videos with a smaller, more intimate group.  Vidku is a fun social networking app that gives you more control over who sees your videos.   With Vidku,   you can choose to entertain friends, stay connected with family, or spark a conversation with coworkers, each separately in your Vidku groups. 

Starting your Vidku account is easy. The first step is to download it via iTunes.or Google Play  Once it's installed, you can invite friends to join your group. Then you can upload videos that are 17 seconds or less. Create fun themes or start a new discussion. Whatever you do is up to you, because with Vidku, you're the one whose in control.  You can pause, live-flip the camera, and move seamlessly between portrait and landscape modes to create a unique video experience.





Vidku is free to download and a great way way to stay in touch with friends. Check it out now on iTunes or Google Play!  You can also learn more about this fun app on the Vidku website.   Vidku, is a new, more convenient way to share private videos with your friends and family as a group this holiday season, so be sure to check them out today!

Connect with Vidku

Face Book     Twitter 


The Giveaway

Five lucky winners are going to win a $10 Visa Gift Card.  To enter, simply fill out the Giveaway Tools form below. Note that downloading the Vidku app is a required entry and will be verified before any prizes are awarded. This giveaway will end on 01/12/2016. Open to the US only. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to reply. Thanks again to the sponsor for offering this fantastic prize.

Entry-Form

PicJoy App Review & #Giveaway #MomBuzz #Picjoy @Picjoy

This post was created in partnership with Mom Buzz Media.

Picjoy is an intelligent photo library that automatically organizes all of your precious photos and helps you locate them instantly. Can you imagine having all of your photos organized? That’s what’s so exciting about PicJoy.

◆ RECORD ◆ Record the details and stories behind each of your photos. ◆ ORGANIZE ◆ Watch Picjoy instantly organize your photos for you - no matter where they are stored! ◆ FIND ◆ Search by category or keyword to retrieve any photo you've ever taken right from your mobile phone.

 

My Thoughts

This app is just amazing. I take at least a few hundred photos every month, and it’s so hard to keep them all organized. This app allows you to organize your pictures right on your phone according to date in just a few easy steps.  No more searching for a certain picture or worrying about the best shot getting lost in the shuffle. This app is a real lifesaver.

PICJOY is available now on iTunes FREE for a limited time! DOWNLOAD on iTUNES NOW!

Picjoy photo app will also be available for the Android market on Google Play soon so be looking for it!

$5 if you show me from PicJoy on Vimeo.

And NOW for the GIVEAWAY!!!

Picjoy is thrilled to finally be able to share their app with the world! In celebration we will be giving away a few gift cards sponsored by Picjoy and hosted by the Mom Buzz Media Bloggers!

4 Winners each get a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Giveaway ends 6/30 at 11:59pm CST. Winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond. If no response is received, then a new winner will be chosen. All winning entries will be verified. Sponsor is responsible for prize fulfillment. US Residents only please. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

PicGIF App - Review

The most intuitive and easy-to-use animated GIF maker on Mac.

PicGIF enables you to quickly create incredible animated GIFs from photos or short videos. It’s easy to customize GIF Size, Sequence, Frame Delay, and add text. In just one minute, you’ll get a satisfying GIF. When everything is done, you can send the GIF to your friends via E-Mail, iMessage or simply save it in Finder on your computer.

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BENEFITS:
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•Turn continuous snapshots to animated GIFs.
•Re-edit existing GIFs. Adjust its size, speed and add text, etc.
•Create GIF photo slideshows from your life photos.
•Transfer short videos to smooth and animating GIFs.

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HIGHLIGHTED FEATURES
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Support vast number of file formats
•Support hundreds of image formats like JPEG, TIFF, BMP, PNG, TGA, RAW, PIC, etc. and any image size.
•Support almost all common video formats, MOV, MPEG, MP4, M4V, 3GP, AVI and more.
•Support to combine multiple formats, images, GIFs, and videos into a new single GIF.

Customizing features
•Set GIF Size, Fill Mode, Frame Delay and playing Sequence.
•Easily change the frame order by dragging.
•With agile text editor, you can insert text and personalize its Font, Style, Size, Color, Outline and Shadow at ease.
•Real-time preview of the GIF under editing.

Save and share
•Export the GIF to Finder.
•Send via E-Mail.
•Send via iMessage.

Our Thoughts
If you're looking for an App to make a quick GIF for a website or a blog, this is your App. It's simple, easy to use and easy to save.

The App itself has an extremely fun interactive home screen. From that home screen, you add your pictures and can even add text! I actually had quite a bit of fun going through our wedding pictures I'm including the GIF that I made from this App.

If you like this kind of stuff, please go check out the App in the Apple App Store!

App Review: Chuggington - Chug Patrol: Ready to Rescue ~ Chuggington Interactive Pop-up Book

**Product was received in exchange for an honest review**

StoryToys Releases Free "Try Before You Buy" Edition of the chugging ton 3D storybook app, Chug Patrol: Ready to Rescue

StoryToys, a leading publisher of interactive books and games for children, today announced the release of a free “try-before-you-buy” edition of Chug Patrol: Ready to Rescue. Chug Patrol is a 3D storybook app for children, developed by StoryToys and produced in collaboration with Ludorum, creators of the hugely popular television show, Chuggington.

The freemium edition gives readers the opportunity to sample the app before deciding whether to purchase. The first few chapters and 3D interactive pop-up scenes, are completely free to read and play. One simple payment will unlock the rest of the book which includes many more exciting scenes with challenges to complete. The option to purchase the full book is carefully locked behind Parent Center, which only adults can access. Parent Center is a function in all StoryToys apps which gives parents full control over the app and ensures that nothing can be purchased without their permission.

“Just like customers’ experience in a physical bookshop, we want to give our readers the opportunity to sample the book and get a taste of the StoryToys and Chuggington experience without first having to buy,” said Barry O’Neill, chief executive officer of StoryToys. “With Parent Center, parents can rest assured that they will have complete control over any purchasing decision.”

Chug Patrol: Ready to Rescue is based on the current series of Chuggington and features the adventures of the young trainees Wilson, Brewster and Koko as they take on new challenges. Readers can help the trainees complete various tasks in the amazing 3D pop-up scenes, earning Chug Patrol badges along the way.

The freemium Chug Patrol: Ready to Rescue includes the following features:
Amazing 3D book experience - it’s just like a real pop-up book.
Interactive pop-up scenes with exciting games and puzzles.
Read to Me, Read it Myself, and Autoplay modes.
Beautifully presented pages of text.
Features a fantastic musical score and lots of amazing sound effects.
Chug Patrol: Ready to Rescue freemium is now available free on the App Store, Google Play and Amazon Appstore globally. The cost of unlocking the full book is $4.99 / €4.49 / £2.99.

Our Thoughts

This is a fantastic App for kids who LOVE Chuggington. My almost four-year-old spends hours and hours playing with this App. He loves hearing the story told by the trains and loves that he can interact with the story too. It gives him not only some time to sit with a book but it also gives him a sense of accomplishment as he gathers his badges throughout the story!

The graphics are amazing and I love how almost 3D the trains look in the book. This is just hours of fun for the kids. Even my six-year-old and ten-year-old want to play this all day, every day! There are just so many things that you notice about the graphics, story line and other things even if you've read the book through numerous times.

I really recommend at least getting the free version for the child in your life who loves Chuggington as much as my kids do!

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***Please note that I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. The opinions expressed in the review are my own and were not influenced in any way.***

Review: PlayTown: My Story Maker - App

PlayTown My Story Maker is a wonderful new app for kids, ages 3-9.

The PlayTown: My Story Maker app allows kids to create, personalize and narrate stories while bringing their imagination to life! Children have rich imaginations, and it’s the responsibility of a parent to help nurture, encourage and reinforce their children’s’ creative expression.  An active imagination can help develop certain life skills such as communication and problem solving. Here’s how PlayTown works:

• Begin your story by selecting an Adventure Play Set; play sets can range from traveling to playing sports to even exploring outer space!
• My Story Maker invites you to create and build adventures, select your own stages, props, accessories and cast of lovable characters—such as princesses, monsters and jungle friends—and even use personal photos and drawings!
• When completed, see your creation with the play back feature and share with family and friends within the app.
• PlayTown is FREE to download for Android (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kr.co.tk.skt.playdoll) and iOS(http://itunes.apple.com/app/id473909588) and includes 3 Adventure Play Sets. Additional play sets can be purchased for $1.99 each.

·         For more information please visit www.PlayTownforKids.com and be sure to like the app onFacebook (https://www.facebook.com/playtownforkids)

Our Thoughts

My kids LOVE this App! They are all about pirates and stories lately. This App is awesome because the kids can dress up different characters with different props, choose their backgrounds, and create their own adventures! It really allows the kids to be as creative as they want to be and it provides hours of entertainment.

I love that this has some snazzy music, opens the horizons for the kids and pushes their boundaries. We've actually installed this on all three of our iPads so that all three of the boys don't fight over who gets to play the App. They have loved making their own stories and sharing with each other which is really cool too! There are other situations and additions to the App that you can download for $1.99 each that seem like they're just as fun as the pirates. We haven't downloaded them yet just because the kids have been having so much fun with the pirate stories.

If you have kids that like to be creative and love to make/listen to stories on the iPad, I'd highly recommend downloading this App.

*Pictures are screenshots of the actual App in action from my personal iPad*

***This is a sponsored post. The opinions expressed in the review are my own and were not influenced in any way.***