Epson Turns Summer Memories Into Priceless Keepsakes.

Epson Expression Printers Turns Summer Memories into Priceless Keepsakes

Summer Vacation Photos Become Personalized Souvenirs with

Expression Small-in-One Printers and Creative Print App

LONG BEACH, Calif. – July 12, 2016 – Each year, Americans make over 650 million long-distance trips between Memorial Day and Labor Day1. Whether a trip to the mountains, an outdoor music festival or relaxing sea-side escape, summer vacations are captured by photos then shared with family and friends on social media. But too often they get lost in crowded newsfeeds. Instead of letting those incredible summer memories fade into the cloud, print them to create meaningful keepsakes that will be treasured for years to come. Epson® Expression® Home and Premium Small-in-One® printers make it easy to create do-it-yourself (DIY) photo souvenirs to commemorate those special summer memories. Plus, with the enhanced Epson Creative Print App, users can print directly from Facebook as well as create and print collages with favorite Instagram photos.

“Summer vacations are an enjoyable time for family and friends without the distraction of home,” said Monika Dees, senior product marketing manager, Consumer Ink Jets, Epson America, Inc. “These trips often turn into long lasting memories, and the photos we take to capture special moments need to last as well. Whether printing photos for a frame, scrapbook or gift, Expression Home and Premium printers, such as the XP-430 and XP-830, are ideal creativity tools to help create beautifully printed, tangible family memories for years to come.”

Looking for a unique way to showcase the best family photos? Spark creativity with these personalized photo décor ideas:

·        DIY Photo Coasters: Print vacation photos and create coasters that will last for years. With 4” x 4” ceramic tiles, 4” x 4” printed photos and easy-to-find craft supplies, it’s easy to turn travel photos into souvenirs for home décor or memorable family gifts.

·        Summer Memory Wreath: Whether displayed at home or created as a gift, a memory wreath is a great way to showcase your favorite vacation photos. Start with an 18” grapevine wreath, dark floral wire, Epson Premium Glossy photo paper and 24 2” x 3” picture frames. Print out your best photographs and place in frames after removing easels. Use wire to attach each frame to wreath.

About the Epson Creative Print App

Epson’s Creative Print app offers a seamless solution to create, preserve and share Instagram and Facebook pictures in the form of long-lasting, high-quality photos. The Creative Print app is currently available for free download from Google Play and on the App Store. For a list of compatible Epson printers, visit http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/epson-connect/mobile-printing/creative-print-app.do. 

About the Epson Expression Home and Premium Small-in-Ones

The compact, easy-to-use Expression Home XP-430 ($99.00 MSRP) leverages instant-dry DURABrite four-color CMYK inks for smudge, fade and water resistant prints, and makes everyday printing a breeze. The Expression Premium series including the Expression Premium XP-630 ($149.00 MSRP) and XP-830 ($199.00 MSRP), leverages a Claria® Premium five-ink system to deliver superior quality, borderless prints up to 8”x10” and documents with sharp text.

Expression Small-in-Ones offer auto two-sided printing to save paper as well as easy-to-use creative tools for printing photos and projects. Designed as complete wireless solutions, the printers feature built-in Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ n1 and Wi-Fi Direct™ for network-free printing, as well as a variety of solutions to print from iPhone, iPad, Android, smartphones and tablets2 at home or on the go. Plus, enjoy PC-free printing3 with built-in memory card slots. Epson Expression Premium printers also feature USB ports for added convenience.  Plus, print on specialty paper3, a variety of sizes of photo paper and CDs/DVDs with dedicated input trays. The XP-830 also includes an auto-extend and retract output tray so prints don’t end up on the floor when printing remotely.

About Epson

Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to connecting people, things and information with its original efficient, compact and precision technologies. With a lineup that ranges from inkjet printers and digital printing systems to 3LCD projectors, smart glasses, sensing systems and industrial robots, the company is focused on driving innovations and exceeding customer expectations in inkjet, visual communications, wearables and robotics.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises more than 67,000 employees in 90 companies around the world, and is proud of its contributions to the communities in which it operates and its ongoing efforts to reduce environmental impacts.

Epson America, Inc., based in Long Beach, Calif., is Epson’s regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. 

My Thoughts:

Epson was kind enough to send me one of their fantastic printers, the Epson Expression Home XP-430 Small-in-One® Printer for this review. This quality product is easy to use, user friendly, fast, and affordable. I loved how easy it was to set up and use. The screen itself can be navigated using the back and fourth buttons. All I had to do was put in my WiFi password and it immediately was ready for use for anything that needed to printed via the internet. What I also loved was that the printer came with two cords. One for hooking the printer up to the wall and one to hook directly up to your laptop. You can also print photos directly from you Smartphone or tablet.  

Epson also included all the ink needed as well! I was very impressed with that since ink is usually what people worry about when it comes to printers. Epson has always made their ink affordable however! That's one thing I love about their products, along with the lasting power and fantastic performance. 

A few other great pluses in this product include a SD card reader right in the front of the printer. You can scan and make copies as well. The size of the printer overall is not too large, so it won't take up too much space. It is also pretty light weight! For those that love Facebook, there is an option to scan photos to there or to cloud. Quality features such as red eye removal and photo restoration are available as well. Very unique additions for a product so affordable! The only additional thing I do wish was included was a paper manual. Other than that, this was an incredible addition to my home! We're a family that loves photography. 

Overall, I was extremely impressed by the quality of performance and photos received! I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a new printer! Thank you Epson for the ability to try this out!  

Connect with Epson:

Facebook  Twitter Google+ Youtube LinkedIn Epson Community Page  Main Website  

Vivitar DVR 786 Action Camera Review & Giveaway

On October 15th, the Vivitar  made its debut.  The Vivitar DVR786, a versatile, rugged and affordable action camera. This camera is the perfect gift for teens on the go, adventurers looking for exciting POV video footage, and families who want to capture every moment of that holiday vacation.

Featuring a waterproof enclosure, the Vivitar DVR786 is submersible up to 30-feet to make capturing videos underwater a snap. The action camera also includes a charging cable and both an ATV/bike mount and helmet bracket right in the box

Our Thoughts

The Vivitar 786 came in the waterproof casing and with all the assembly parts in the box as well. The waterproof container is easy to open and take the camera in and out. I plugged it in and turned it on as soon as I got it and the viewfinder already gave a great image. While it's incredibly small (it's supposed to be) the pictures are taken as normal sized. It is not any different than a regular camera, except it does take amazing photos. 

This is meant as an action camera, so obviously there isn't a bunch of blurry pictures while taking in motion, which is excellent when taking pictures of your children that are always on the move! I didn't realize that this didn't come with a micro-SD card, but those are really cheap so you can just pick up a basic one at the store for a few bucks. It's easy to get pictures off the camera.

I don't live near the ocean so I'm not exactly scuba diving and taking pictures, but I did want to test this underwater and so I put it in the bathtub and it works great!! I've never taken underwater pictures before so it was pretty fun.

I mentioned before how small it is, and it is small, it's perfect to fit in the side pocket of my diaper bag so I'm always to take it on the go with my kids and since it's water-proof I was able to take it to a water park and get some great photos without worrying I'd ruin the camera.

My husband rides ATVs and he tested out the mount for that and he said it worked great, was nice and sturdy and by seeing the pictures myself, does great! This really is a versatile camera for parents who's kids move all over the place, any adventurer taking pictures on the go or underwater pictures. 

On top of all the great pictures you get to take, this is a DVR (digital video recorder) so you can take amazing videos of your favorite action or family fun!

Great price for such a versatile piece of technology



The Giveaway!



One lucky winner is going to receive a Vivitar DVR786. To enter, just fill in the Giveaway Tools form below. This giveaway will end on 11/19/15. 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

Buy yours on amazon and don't forget to check them out on Facebook and Twitter!
Reviewed by Jackie

Holiday Gift Guide - Photo Blanket from Collage.com

As a mom of four, one of the things that makes me the happiest is getting a good picture of my children. I have spent thousands of dollars getting professional pictures done over the years, but often times I find my own home pictures are actually better and more natural. But printing those pictures is a hassle and I can't print jumbo copies that I can hang on my walls. That's where Collage.com comes in.  They take your home photos and turn them into high quality prints that are nicer than anything you'll get at a picture studio. Have your favorite family photo printed on canvas, aluminum, or even a blanket. The possibilities are limitless.

 For my review, I was sent a gift code for a photo blanket so that I could experience the full Collage.com service. They make it incredibly easy to create your masterpiece. All I had to do was upload my favorite photo. I barely had to make any adjustments at all. It was super easy and only took a few minutes. Once the picture was loaded, I was able to choose between a full color print, black and white, and  sepia. I went with color print, but you can preview how each option will look to help you decide. You can also crop the photo down to size or adjust it so it fits. In addition to the blankets, you can also create your own canvas, bamboo prints, calenders, ornaments, and so much more.

Once I was done with the ordering process, I proceeded to a secure check out where I was happy to see shipping was a reasonable price. I received the finished product about a week later.  I was very happy with the whole shopping experience and I am very excited about getting this beautiful blanket. It's soft and cuddly, and the colors are very vivid. We'll be sending this one off to my mother so she can snuggle with her grandchildren even when they aren't close by.

Of course, this is only one of the fun gift idea you can find at Collage.com. To see all they have to offer, be sure to visit their website or follow them on social media.


Connect with Collage.com

Face Book            Twitter            Pinterest            Instagram

Get a Great Shot Anywhere with the XSories Deluxe Bendy Tripod

Whether you're a professional photographer or just a parent trying to get a good family picture, the Xsories Deluxe Tripod is a must-have accessory.  This flexible tripod allows you to get the perfect shot just about anywhere. You can set this tripod on any flat surface, and the foam legs will grip it without slipping. The universal screw should work with any digital camera or video camera. It offers great balance and the flexible legs can be adjusted.

If that isn't cool enough, the bendable legs also provide another awesome benefit. You can twist, turn, and wrap them around almost anything. Want to get a great shot of your whole family at the beach? Wrap it around your beach chair. Trying to get a nice nature picture, but having trouble keeping your hands steady? You could wrap it around a tree branch or a bench. The legs twist and bend in all kinds of directions and hold the camera steady. You'll never miss a great shot again!

In addition to all these awesome features, the tripod is also extremely light weight and portable. It will fit inside your camera bag without any problem. You could even stick in it your pocket if you wanted to. It's sturdy and well made, comes in a wide range of fun colors, and I know it's going to get a lot of use around here! Of course, this is only one of the cool accessories available from XSories. To see their full line of products, be sure to check out their website or follow them on their social media.

Connect with XSories

Holiday Gift Guide: Beginner's Guide to SLR Photography DVD #Giveaway

If you’re feeling overwhelmed about taking your camera off auto and learning how to change all the different settings your camera has to offer, you’ll love this step-by-step guide to learning how to use your camera to its full potential, with interactive assignments to get you out there to get some hands on practice after every topic.

What You Will Learn in the Video:

• The three settings for getting light into Your camera: Shutter Speed, Aperture, and ISO and how to adjust them to get the shot you want.
• Camera Modes: When you might use the different modes on your camera (ie. Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority).
• White Balance: Learn the types of white balance, when to use them, and how to create a custom white balance.
• Raw vs. Jpg: What each one is and the positives and negatives of each.
• Lenses: Learn about the different types of lenses and how to decide which kind of lens you’ll need
• Flash: Learn how to use a mounted external flash to control and diffuse light.
• Taking Photos Outdoors & Indoors: Tips and tricks to get the best photos both outside and inside.
• Common Photography Equipment: Learn about memory cards, batteries, lens filters and more.

Our Thoughts

If you are someone that is new to owning an SLR camera this is perfect! This DVD is perfect to show you how to use your camera in the most basic ways but it also gives you a lot to play with. Even the most seasoned photographer can learn a few little secrets with this DVD.

The DVD is about 45 minutes long and is stated in a way that even Grandma, who just got her first SLR and retired her 35mm, can go through and understand. Along the way through the DVD there are spots made for time-outs so you can pause it and go practice what was just taught. The host of the DVD also has you consult your owner's manual for your specific camera. This makes it more personal for you and your camera. It also makes it so you know your camera a lot better after you're done.

This is a DVD that I will probably consult from time to time even as a professional photographer. If you'd like to check out this DVD and purchase it, you can do so from the Photographer Overnight website. Photographer Overnight also offers a number of other learning DVDs on photography (you can see the photo at the bottom of the review). You can also follow Photographer Overnight on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Giveaway

One lucky winner is going to receive a Beginner's Guide to SLR Photography DVD! To enter just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Open to the US only. Giveaway will end 12/26/14. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to reply. Thanks again to Photographer Overnight for offering this fantastic prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
  

PicLight App for Mac

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

* * * Want amazing lighting effects for photos? PicLight makes it easy! * * *

PicLight is a handy and powerful photo enhancement app for creating artistic lighting effects on photos.

PicLight provides four categories of lighting of Montage, Light, Glow and Texture altogether 170+ effect resources for creating gorgeous lighting on your photos. Together with other 25+ image filters and 18+ editing tools, PicLight is the perfect app for both hobbyists and photographers to bring out the best of their photos.

-----------------------------------------------
HIGHLIGHTED FEATURES
-----------------------------------------------
* 170+ Lighting Effects
170+ lighting effects including 40 Montage, 55 Light and 45 Glow for adding artistic lighting on your photos. 30 Texture effects will make your photos more unique with personalized touches. You can customize the lighting effect by four blending modes of Screen, Overlay, Color Dodge and Lighter; flipping the effect horizontally and vertically and setting its Alpha.
PicLight also makes it easy to superimpose four categories of effects on a photo.

* Cropping and 10+ Fine-Tuning Tools
Customize your perfect photo by rotating it, horizontally and vertically flipping it.
We offer powerful cropping tool with 7 preset ratios and you can customize your desired image sizes.
Fine-tune the photo’s Saturation, Hue, Exposure, Contrast, Brightness, Highlights and Shadows with ease.

* 25+ Image Filters
25+ image filters are available for straightforward photo enhancement such as Black & White, Sepia, Vintage, etc.

* Convenient Export & Share Options
PicLight allows you to save photo as image, send to iPhoto directly, set as wallpaper, send via E-Mail, share to Flickr and Facebook, etc.

Our Thoughts 

This is a really fun App! I love the way that I can put photos into it and save them out as different files so I don't have to "ruin" the original. There are so many tools that you can use to play with the photo and make it something that is cool and trendy. 

I did some messing with the photos that we just had taken a couple weeks ago of us and the kids. They really turned out neat, especially with the black backdrop that was used. I was really impressed with how this picture turned out (see the picture to the right). 

There are so many more tools and effects that you can use that are included in the App. This is just one example of what you can do. 

It's worth the $4.99 in the Mac App Store in my opinion! I can't wait to do more with this App as we get more pictures of the kids. You can see some of the options in the screen shots above.

Review: Eye-Fi Mobi Card

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

Share and Store More of Life’s Important Moments with Eye-Fi’s 32GB Mobi Card

Perfect for proud parents, travel aficionados, sports and food lovers, Eye-Fi is the easiest way to add WiFi to a camera. Photo enthusiasts everywhere get reliable, fast transfer of photos and videos directly to the mobile devices they love – no wires, no fuss, and no delay in showing off the highest quality photos whenever and wherever.

Photos evoke such strong memories: your child walking for the first time, that road trip after college, the day you said “I do.” Those amazing memories simply demand higher quality than a smartphone camera can offer. With Mobi 32GB, there’s no need to compromise – greater storage capacity means every photo and video you want to capture is also available to share and enjoy from your mobile device.

How often do you discover images on your memory card leftover from last month? Last year? Mobi creates its own WiFi so images are uploaded to your smartphone or tablet as you take them. Photos and videos are ready when you are – for photo books, cards, prints or for anything you can imagine. For social sharers, editing and sharing memories with familiar apps like Facebook and Instagram, and text and email, are super simple because photos & videos are uploaded directly into the camera roll on the device.

Showcase Your Perfect Shot with 

FREE 8 x10 Inch Framed Canvas Print

And just in time for the holidays, Eye-Fi is offering a free 8x10 inch framed canvas print with a qualified purchase of a Mobi 32GB directly from the Eye-Fi website. This limited-time promotion allows Mobi users to take & share beautiful photos anytime, and continue to enjoy a favorite memory with a gorgeous print at home.

“Today’s photographer wants the ability to take great photos, but without compromising the convenience of mobile access and apps,” said Matt DiMaria, CEO of Eye-Fi. “The success of Mobi has clearly delivered on that promise and we’re thrilled to add capacity to an already well-loved product.”

Here’s how Eye-Fi Mobi 32GB works:

• Set up simply and instantly: Mobi has the simplest Eye-Fi card setup yet – no computer, no account and no cloud. Just download the free Eye-Fi app for iOS or Android, enter the Mobi card’s unique 10-digit code, and the mobile device is paired. Use the same code to pair as many mobile devices as needed.
• Share in real-time: Full-resolution photos and videos instantly transfer from camera to a device’s photo roll/gallery. From there, edit and share using the mobile apps you already love. 
• Shoots in RAW/JPEG: Capture both RAW and JPEG. RAW stays on the card but JPEG transfers over the card’s WiFi. 
• Transfer anywhere: Built-in WiFi means no WiFi network, hotspot or internet connection is needed for pairing or transfer; Mobi literally captures photos and then uploads a copy them from camera to a mobile device whenever new content is detected. 
• Works with the devices users already own (and love): As with other Eye-Fi cards, Mobi works with thousands of cameras, including hundreds of Eye-Fi connected cameras that have integrated Eye-Fi technology for improved usability. The Eye-Fi app can be downloaded for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, including the Kindle Fire.
• Back up automatically: Photos and videos transfer as they’re taken, so if anything happens to the camera, content is already safe on the mobile device. 
• Exceptional quality and speed: Mobi reinforces Eye-Fi’s commitment to provide state-of-the-art performance in SD memory. HD video, low light and fast action shots are easily captured with this Class 10, high-capacity card.

The 32GB Mobi card retails for $99.99 and is available now through www.eyefi.com, as well as other retail and camera specialty stores nationwide. The Eye-Fi Mobi card is also available in 8GB for $49.99, or 16GB for $79.99.

About Eye-Fi

Eye-Fi is dedicated to building products and services that help consumers manage, nurture and share their digital memories. Eye-Fi’s patented and patent-pending technology wirelessly enables the cameras you love and automatically uploads photos and videos from digital cameras to smartphones, tablets and computers, as well as online destinations. Available in select international markets, Eye-Fi has helped people wirelessly upload over one billion photos since being founded in 2005.

Headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., the company’s investors include NTT DOCOMO, Opus Capital, Shasta Ventures and TransLink Capital. Eye-Fi Inc. card products include proprietary technology developed and patented by Eye-Fi, Inc. See patents at www.eye.fi/patent.

For more information about Eye-Fi, please visit www.eyefi.com.

You can also visit Eye-Fi on Facebook and Twitter.

Our Thoughts:

Eye-Fi sent me an 8GB Mobi card to try out.  I gotta say, this thing is pretty cool!  I had no idea something like Eye-Fi even existed!  You just download the free app on your phone, enter the card's unique 10-digit code, and the mobile device is paired!  Pop the card into your regular camera and start taking pictures!  And BAM, there they are on your phone!

I recently upgraded to a nicer camera for my work.  There have been tons of times I wish I could just upload right to Facebook - but with the traditional camera set up, I have to pop the camera's memory card into my card reader, and then upload them.  If you're like me and shoot on a larger resolution, you know that Facebook won't upload them if they are too big, which means I need to resize and save any photos I want to share first.  Lots of extra steps.  Which also meant any photos I wanted to share while I was out and about had to wait until I got home and could pop the card into my PC and edit & save them.  Nothing instant about that!  With the Eye-Fi Mobi card, I can take photos on the go with my nice camera, and instantly share them, because they are already on my phone!    I mean, sure, yes, I can take photos with my smart phone and instantly share them, but I prefer my nicer camera. 

Now, please note that the Mobi card by itself is only for mobile devices.  Should you wish to edit photos taken on a Mobi card on a non-mobile device such as a PC, you will need to purchase an Eye-Fi X2 card instead of only a Mobi card.  With the Eye-Fi X2 you will also receive Eye-Fi's USB reader, which is necessary for your PC to read the Mobi card.  Eye-Fi has very helpful information and links on their website for downloading their software to use the card & reader on your PC!

Big thumbs up from me!  Technology is fun!!

*** 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. ***