6/4/15: Best Buy Education Helping Schools Transform Classrooms

Children are learning in so many ways now and technology is such a big part of that.  Kids are learning on computers and tablets when they are very young.  The majority of homes have a computer.  When schools don't have the latest technology kids are left behind.  I know the importance of technology in our schools and have made it a priority as the President of our Elementary School's PTO to fund technology.  I love that Best Buy Education is focusing on giving students the tech tools they need to be successful in school.  

 My kids use tablets and laptops all the time for learning.  In fact they learn math facts on technology and spelling too.
Did you have any idea that Best Buy can be your education technology partner?

With the right devices, students can:  

Read, research and take notes

Learn at their own pace

Prepare and edit assignments more efficiently

Communicate and collaborate on projects with ease

Master technology skills that prepare them for future educational endeavors and careers 

Best Buy offers a wide variety of tablets, laptops and chrome devices for classroom use, and partners with schools around the country to provide technology needed to succeed.  Our school uses Promethean Smart Boards and I have seen first hand being in the classroom how cool they are and helpful to students.

They also offer on-site Geek Squad® training and support for students and faculty.  Plus they provide you with a dedicated Account Manager to consult and offer unbiased advice.  They can help faculty or PTO boards determine what solution is appropriate for your needs.

If you are attending ISTE Conference and Expo on June 28 – July 1, Best Buy Education will be in booth #2262.  Make sure you come by and check out the daily demonstrations being held throughout the conference. 

What a great program!  Learn more at Best Buy Education Program

Twitter:  @BestBuyEdu
@BestBuy #BestBuyEducationEntry

Disclosure:  I have been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.   

5/18/15: Best Buy Education Sweepstakes for Technology

Kids are starting on technology at such a young age now that technology is so important to our schools.  In Pre-School kids are already using computers.  Now that they are in elementary school so many homework assignments are done on the computer or on a tablet.  As the President of our Elementary School's PTO I have made it my mission to fund technology for our school with an ongoing grant of $6000 per year.  What I learned recently is how Best Buy Education makes it easier to give students the tech tools they need to be successful in school.  Everyone’s familiar with Best Buy stores, but did you know Best Buy has a direct channel division dedicated to providing end-to-end learning solutions for K-12 Education?  

Fellow PTO Boards, School Teachers and Administration can benefit from the Best Buy Education program plus they are running an awesome sweepstakes.  The sweepstakes is open to all educators and administrators.  It runs from now through July 4, 2015 with a grand prize of $25,000 in Best Buy credit, as well as additional prizes of Gift Cards and Microsoft Surface Pro 3 tablets with keyboards!  This is an amazing opportunity to win the technology tools and services your students need to succeed. Visit www.BestBuySweeps.com to enter for a chance to win and view complete details. 

Whether you are rolling out new devices in the classroom, launching a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) initiative, or upgrading the technology throughout your school, we can provide the products, support and protection you need 
 Best Buy education can help schools by offering dedicated Account Managers who consult and offer knowledgeable, unbiased advice on service solutions.  They can help transform the classroom with the right advice, technology, service and support.  They can assist with upgrading technology throughout the school, or launching a BYOD initiative.  This is perfect for us as we are starting to look at technology for the next school year.  In the past our PTO has funded Promethean Smart Boards for classrooms and most recently tablets for a program called MobyMax that the school has implemented.

They will  help you build the right solution for your school including:
Knowledgeable Advice A dedicated Education Account Manager will consult with you, provide unbiased advice and guide you to the right solutions for your school. You’ll have one point of contact and get the personal attention you need every step of the way.
The Latest Devices Partner with Best Buy to outfit your classrooms and offices with the latest education technology from top manufacturers you trust. - Chromebooks, laptops, tablets, touch screen displays, printers, charging carts, advanced A/V.
Expert Service Our team of professionals will assess your technology needs and provide all the services you require, including installation, asset tagging, device management and more.
Professional Support From pre-sales engineering to post-sales support and training, they will help you manage your technology and protect your investment. - Geek Squad® Support, Geek Squad Protection, training and professional development.  They will help you choose the right platform for your classroom:  Chromebooks and Chrome management, Android devices, Windows-based solutions, BYOD Device made easy.

What a great program!  Learn more at Best Buy Education Program

Twitter:  @BestBuyEdu

Disclosure:  I have been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.   

1/2/15: Best Buy Education Supporting Schools

We all know how important technology is to kids in school.  My children always come home with assignments that need to be done on the computer.  As the President of our Elementary School's PTO I have made it my mission to fund technology for our school with an ongoing grant of $5000 per year.  What I learned recently is how Best Buy Education can be Your Education Technology Partner.  Everyone’s familiar with Best Buy stores, but did you know Best Buy has a direct channel division dedicated to providing end-to-end learning solutions for K-12 Education?  Fellow PTO Boards, School Teachers and Administration could benefit from the Best Buy Education program.

 They can help transform the classroom with the right advice, technology, service and support.  They make it easier than ever to give students the tech tools they need to succeed.  This is perfect for me as I explore technology needs for our upcoming year.  In the past our PTO has funded Promethean Smart Boards for classrooms and most recently tablets for a new program called MobyMax that the school is using.  I have been lucky in the fact that the school department has then followed on my providing the rest of the Smart Boards for classrooms and then Chrome Books for grades 3-5.  Best Buy assigns a dedicated Account Manager who consults with you, offers knowledgeable, unbiased advice and guides you to the product and service solutions that best meet your needs and budget.  Whether you are rolling out new devices in the classroom, launching a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) initiative, or upgrading the technology throughout your school, they can provide the products, support and protection you need.

 If you plan on attending FETC in Orlando, January 20-23, be sure to stop by the Best Buy Education Booth #131.  They will be featuring daily demos and guest speakers from Google, MakerBot, EdTeach, Amplified IT and Ergotron, and would be happy to speak with you about your school’s technology needs and answer any questions you may have.

They will  help you build the right solution for your school including:
Knowledgeable Advice A dedicated Education Account Manager will consult with you, provide unbiased advice and guide you to the right solutions for your school. You’ll have one point of contact and get the personal attention you need every step of the way.
The Latest Devices Partner with Best Buy to outfit your classrooms and offices with the latest education technology from top manufacturers you trust. - Chromebooks, laptops, tablets, touch screen displays, printers, charging carts, advanced A/V.
Expert Service Our team of professionals will assess your technology needs and provide all the services you require, including installation, asset tagging, device management and more.
Professional Support From pre-sales engineering to post-sales support and training, they will help you manage your technology and protect your investment. - Geek Squad® Support, Geek Squad Protection, training and professional development.  They will help you choose the right platform for your classroom:  Chromebooks and Chrome management, Android devices, Windows-based solutions, BYOD Device made easy.

What a great program!  Learn more at https://www.bestbuybusiness.com/education

Twitter:  @BestBuyEdu

Disclosure:  I have been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.   

12/7/14: Canon Gifts from Best Buy for the Holidays

Being a blogger, or for that matter a parent, my camera is my best friend.  I always have it with me and I take a lot of pictures!  Vacation pictures, kids activities, first day of school, special events and holidays are so important and you want high quality images.  I count on having a high quality camera that I can trust to get the shot.  Best Buy has you covered this year with the Canon EOS Rebel T5i which is one of the best-selling DSLRs.

Kids move fast and you want to make sure you can capture these moments.  The Canon EOS Rebel T5i makes advanced photography easy and fun which is perfect for me.  I don't have time to learn advanced techniques to take great pictures.  This camera makes it easy.

It gives you exceptional image quality, along with a host of features including:
Capture Hollywood caliber full HD video
Continuous autofocus while taking HD video
Features an 18.0-megapixel CMOS sensor and a DIGIC 5 image processor to ensure vivid, crystal-clear images.
The 3" vari-angle touch screen simplifies navigation.

 Plus from December 7th to December 20th you can save $150 on the Canon EOS Rebel T5i at Best Buy!  Visit Best Buy to learn more.

Twitter Party Time!

Best Buy is hosting a Canon Twitter Party on Thursday December 18th at 7pm CST.  Feel free to join this party for a chance to receive Best Buy gift cards and other great prizes.  Tweet #HintingSeason with your top gifts that you want this Holiday from Best Buy.

This camera will capture all your memories perfectly!  You have to check it out at your local Best Buy!

Disclosure:  I have been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.   

11/16/14: Best Buy Has Great Family Gifts Including the LG OLED

Sometimes a great holiday gift is the one that the whole family can enjoy.  We love to have family movie night.  We pop popcorn and cuddle up on the couch to watch.  Best Buy has you covered this year with LG's new technology, the LG OLED TV!  

With the LG OLED TV the picture quality is amazing and delivers a sense of depth.  What better way to watch all your family's favorite shows or family moments you have recorded.  Who doesn't want to see their baby's first steps, dance recitals, soccer games, birthday parties and more with more realism?  Plus it has a super thin design which makes it look sleak in your living room, bedroom or wherever.  It is only 0.21" thick at its thinnest point, literally as thin as a pencil!  Plus now TVs are just as smart as computers.  With the intuitive webOS™Smart TV interface that lets you find content faster across platforms. 

Picture quality is spectacular, with Infinite Contrast that ranges from the most blazing whites to the deepest blacks.  And, LG's exclusive 4 Color Pixel technology delivers bright, vibrant colors.  Learn more here: LGOLEDatBestbuy.com.  With deeper and richer colors, stunning contrast and ingeniously curved screens, it is unlike any technology you've ever seen, and it delivers a picture that exceeds your wildest imagination.

This LG 55EC9300 SKU# 7846019 – OLED TV has the following:

Infinite contrast ratio and stunning color - delivers more natural, lifelike viewing.

4 Color Pixel technology enhances color range and accuracy.

Super thin design (consider how to show visually)

Find content faster with webOS 

Plus Best Buy’s everyday price of $3499.99 saves you $500.

Twitter Party Time!

Best Buy is hosting an LG OLED Twitter Party on Thursday December 4th at 7PM CST.  Feel free to join this party for a chance to receive Best Buy gift cards and other great prizes. Tweet #HintingSeason with your top gifts that you want this Holiday from Best Buy.  I know I will be there. 

It is absolutely amazing!  You have to check it out at your local Best Buy!

Disclosure:  I have been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.   

8/28/14: Tomodachi Life 3DS Game at Best Buy

My kids love creating virtual worlds in games.  When we received Tomodachi Life from Best Buy for their Nintendo 3DS I knew they would love it.  The kids loved playing with their characters and watching how they reacted to different situations.

I could hear constant giggling as they customized their Miis and had fun interacting.  They also enjoyed taking pictures of them.  The characters are so adorable and have so many options to add to them.  It is fun to see them sing, fall in love and even chase food around.  Every few minutes I would hear Evan calling Lauren or Lauren calling Evan to see what was going on.

The kids even wrote silly songs and watched their Miis perform.

They can wear all different outfits and be as funny as you want.

They can even eat and see their reactions if they like the food or dislike it.  Donuts are a big hit.

Miis can even fall in love and get married.  They can have kids and you can watch them grow.  

They can even escape to Space.  This was one of my son's favorites.

This game is available on the 3DS and 2DS systems.  My kids played on our 3DS but the 2DS also plays the great 3DS and DS games.  You can even take videos and pictures on the 2DS.  The 2DS and 3DS are great gaming systems.  We have had ours for a year and a half and the kids love playing on them.  

Best Buy also has the following offers coming up:

8/29/2014 – 9/1/2014 - Online only Nintendo 2DS system - Save $30 (regularly $129.99 with savings only $99.99!

8/31/2014– Online only ––Save $5 on select 3DS games.

My kids have only reached the tip of the ice berg and I know they will be playing this for a while.

Disclosure:  I was compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card for this review and the Tomodachi Life Game.  No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

4/25/14: Awesome Gifts for Mom from Best Buy

Mother's Day will be here before you know it and I want to help you out with the Moms in your life.  These can also be hints to give your kids and husband for something you might like.  Wink, wink I hope my husband is reading.  Let's face it, today's mom is extremely busy and wearing many hats.  For me I work as a Project Manager, I am the PTO President, a blogger, and constantly running the kids to activities.  We are so On-The-Go we don't know how to slow down.  What would be better than giving Mom some awesome technology gifts from Best Buy?  Certainly not some bath lotion.  Take my advice check out Best Buy's Gift Center.  Whether you are shopping for a Fitness Fanatic Mom, Foodie Mom, On-The-Go-Mom or Adventurer Mom Best Buy has you covered.  Plus there are so many great gifts under $100 so you don't have to break the bank to get an awesome gift for Mom.

I wanted to share a few of my favorite gifts on the On-The-Go Mom gift list.  As a blogger and always needing to share my experiences on Social Media my iPhone is always with me.  One item that is a life saver especially at Toy Conventions when I am taking lots of photos and video is the morphie Juice Pack air Charging Case for Apple iPhone 5/5s.  It recharges your phone for an extra hour and a half and provides the added battery power you need when you are on the go.

I also love taking lots of pictures of the kids and I also scrapbook.  One of my favorite gifts is the HP Envy Wireless e-All-In-One Printer.  It makes it so convenient to print on the go.  This is especially helpful when Flat Stanley takes a trip and you need to print pictures for school.  If you don't know about Flat Stanley he is from a story and the kids make one in school and are asked to send Flat Stanley on vacations and when travelling and take pictures with him.  Recently my son's Flat Stanley went to Hyderabad India thanks to a business trip my husband had.  This printer is also a 3 in 1 so you can also use it to makes copies and scan.  I use our printer all the time to make a copy of the kids report cards before sending them back to school signed.  I use it for the PTO also as I might need to make a quick copy or scan something in that we need for a flyer.

Some other great gifts for the On-The-Go Mom are the Samsung Galaxy 5, Lenovo Yoga 2, 13 Plantronics Voyager Edge, SONOS Play: 3, Wireless Speaker Bose® - QuietComfort® 20i Acoustic Noise Cancelling® Earbud Headphones, HP 14" Chromebook Studio C Mint to Be Ladies Laptop Tote, Otterbox Symmetry Case for iPhone 5s/5, Microsoft Touch Cover for Surface, Samsung GS4 Case-Mate Glam Case, e-Reader Kindle Paperwhite and the Samsung Gear 2 Metallic.

Best Buy even has a low-price guarantee with all kinds of gifts for Moms.  They also offer Free shipping on all orders $35+.  There are so many great gifts for all of the Moms on your list.

Disclosure:  I was compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card for this review.  No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.