Review + #Giveaway: Polaroid Cube + Accessories

Recently I got this amazing opportunity to test out and provide feedback on the newly released awesomeness from Polaroid: A Polaroid Cube Cam! It's the stuff of dreams for anyone who loves making creative, fun videos - and not just for YouTube, but for personal use, too. It's super fun and easy to use, allows you to do the most creative things and is just... so. amazingly. cool! 

Today, I am here to share my opinions about this coolest invention ever, and give one lucky follower a chance to win not only the Cube Cam itself, but 5 custom designed accessories that will make using the Cube 10000x more fun! 

Check out my review, the fantastic video and enter to win! Because I am working towards a goal (getting into Amazon TOP 500), I will ask you to like my Amazon reviews to enter. 

Amazing! This tiny (35mm), cute-looking camera is capable of taking some truly beautiful, high-quality movies and stills.

Featuring a 124° wide-angle lens and 6MP CMOS Sensor for Crisp Images, Polaroid Cube takes amazing quality HD videos (in .mov format only) and high resolution pictures (they turn out crisp, vivid and clear). There are two video rate settings you can select: 720p or 1080p. It comes with a build-in rechargeable battery, capable of recording up to 90 minutes of videos on a single charge. It supports micro SD cards up to 32 GB

It's so small and lightweight, you can strap it to your wrist (using strap mount), mount it on your bike (using bike mount), or clip it to your backpack (using the bumper pendant case). There's quite an impressive collection of really cool custom accessories you can get for your Polaroid Cube, including bumper cases, waterproof cases, tripods, mounts and more. And they're not only useful, but also very hip looking and fashionable.

For something this small, the camera feels surprisingly sturdy and well made. It claims to be shock and water proof, but personally I wouldn't risk it. If you plan on biking or swimming with it, I'd suggest getting a bumper and waterproof case. Just to be on the safe side. Thanks to its size and weight, it's extremely portable. You can take it anywhere you go, strap it to your dog's collar, mount it on your tripod for recording YouTube videos, or stick it to almost anything you want (there's a magnet at the bottom of the cam!). You can be as creative as you wish, the Polaroid Cube will accommodate all your needs. The possibilities are endless!

Best part is, using it is easy-breezy. There's nothing complex about it at all. You double-tap the button to start recording a video, single tap it to take a picture. There is an LED light and buzzer sound indicating what the camera is doing at the moment (red light indicates recording a video, orange indicates charging, green indicates the camera is ON and ready to roll). You can access the videos and pictures by connecting the Polaroid Cube to your computer. It's all very simple and intuitive, even technologically challenged people can do it.

This, in my opinion, is an essential accessory to your Polaroid Cube camera, especially if you plan on using it to film YouTube videos, video logs or just need to keep the camera perfectly still and safe while shooting a movie.

The mount is designed for Polaroid POLC3 Cube and it allows you to attach your cam to just about any tripod of choice. It's made with highest quality materials (plastic and rubber) and it won't rust over even if it gets wet. It's a well made, sturdy accessory, designed for quick and easy mounting.

You detach the cube by pulling lightly on the tap (I wouldn't pull the releasing tap too hard for the fear of it snapping off). It fits the cube cam perfectly snug and seems to secure it in place well. The camera stays secured even when shaken and lightly bumped. It's compatible with the waterproof case, so you can use it for underwater shooting.

Designed for Polaroid POLC3 Cube, this bicycle mount fits on any 1" thick handlebar. It's well made and really easy to install, providing a sturdy grip on the camera and securing the Cube in place firmly.

Attaching the camera to your bike is quick and easy, you just basically clip it on. It fits snug on the bar and is secured enough for normal, around-the-neighborhood biking, but I wouldn't trust it to keep the camera safe during mountain biking, or off-the-road biking. And not only because there's a possibility of it falling off, but also because the video would be simply too shaky. Detaching is easy in theory- you just press two buttons on the side and slide the camera out -but in practice it can take some wiggling to get the Cube out. Still, it doesn't require any assembling and screwing, so it's a relatively fast and painless process every time.

I like the fact that you can easily set the recording angle. You can rotate the camera left and right and twist it 360 degrees, and it's easy to adjust the angle while biking.

I wish it was a bit more secure for more bumpy biking (for instance, the exciting down-the-hill kind), but overall this is a nice accessory that I will be using while biking around the park, or local scenic routes.

This Polaroid POLC3ST Strap Mount is designed for Polaroid Cube camera and it comes with 2 nylon straps (different lengths). You can strap the mounted camera to virtually anything, provided it's not something too thick for the strap to embrace.

The mount rotates 360 degrees, so you can adjust the recording angle however you like. It's sturdy and you can pull the straps tight enough to securely carry the camera around (for example, on your wrist) and not having to worry about the camera detaching itself and getting damaged. It fits the waterproof housing so you can even swim with it.

We tested it by strapping it onto our dog and letting him run around the apartment. It worked perfectly fine, I doubt he even realized he was carrying around a camera (the Cube cam is tiny and light weight).

It's a good product with many applications. I have no complaints so far.

Excellent product! Hands down, one of the best accessories you could get for your Polaroid POLC3 Cube camera. It comes with a suction cup mount that you can "stick" onto flat, smooth surfaces. It also works with all the other mounts for the Cube cam, so you can easily attach the camera to your wrist using the strap mount, or clip it onto a rail on your boat and film some water activities. The possibilities are endless.

The case fits the Cube cam perfectly and keeps it completely waterproof. You can even go snorkeling with it (up to 10m). I do think it's worth spending some extra money to purchase the other mounts as well, as the Cube takes really amazing videos and pictures, and the waterproof casing doesn't steam up.

You can adjust the angle by turning the platform left or right, but it's only the bottom case that rotates. The top can not be turned, so you have to make sure to adjust the angle before securing the mount in place. The suction cup, when placed on a clean and smooth surface, locks in place strong and stays secured. I did not have any issues with it loosening its grip at all.

This is a nice little case for your Polaroid POLC3 Cube cam, but its functionality is limited to carrying it around (clipped onto a backpack, belt or purse) and making sure it doesn't get damaged from bumps, because it covers the LED light indicating when the camera is on/off/recording and muffles the buzzing sound, so it's hard to tell whether the camera is turned on and recording. You will also need to take the casing off to connect the Cube to your computer or to charge it.

The rubber seems very durable and offers a nice buffer, I'm pretty sure it will keep my Polaroid Cam safe and sound. I just wish it came in a variety of designs and colors that would make it more fashionable and hip, because the simple one-color design is just... very plain.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary review sample from the manufacturer of this product.This did not affect my opinion in any way.

Watch the video:

Giveaway:

RULES:
1 winner will get the Polaroid Cube Cam + Set of 5 Accessories reviewed in this post (all brand new)
Open to: International

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Product Review: The Snugg White PC Case with real Bamboo rear (iPhone5)

Product Review: The Snugg White PC Case with real Bamboo rear, for the iPhone 5

Description from TheSnugg.com:

- Snugg logo pressed into the rear corner.

- Adds little weight to your iPhone 5.

- Tailored to fit around cameras, buttons and switches.

Our alternative to our regular iPhone 5 PC Ultra Thin Cases. This quirky case has a full back created from real bamboo, while still retaining the great attributes of the hard PC case. These include resilience against scratches, bumps and scrapes. It protects the delicate corners and edges of your iPhone.

This white variation of our case is easy to clip onto your iPhone 5, providing an ultra slim, light weight second skin with tailored cut-outs. iPhone 5 ports, cameras, buttons and speakers are all easy to access with our Guaranteed Snugg Fit.

Our logo is pressed into the rear of the bamboo and really adds a different finish and feel to the case. Bamboo was selected because of its distinctive look and the hugely sustainable nature it offers as a material.

My Thoughts:

 Compared to other bamboo cases that I have used, The Snugg case feels slimmer and lighter in my hand and because the bamboo part is one solid piece unlike other ones that have a round hole or a seam, the case is better adapted to my hand and much more comfortable. Also the thin bamboo mimics the texture of the original aluminum back very well; I sometimes forget that I have a case on my phone.

   As much as I like the feel of wood, most cases that are made entirely from bamboo make the phone look like a furniture or an old radio. But Snugg struck right balance between organic feel and its looks with black polycarbonate finishing around the bamboo plate. The black carbonate does not feel plasticy at all and matte finish looks much better than in picture. It also complements the real bamboo part seamlessly, covering all four corners and slightly raised on its sides for protection.

    The case is available in black and white, but even the black case looks great on my white iPhone, and I can only imagine how well it will match a black one. 

    Overall, The Snugg White PC Case with real Bamboo rear for iPhone 5 is a fantastic product. Having used Bamboo Cases before, I can say that this is by far my favorite case. It's light, chic and offers a really good protection for your device. I'd definitely recommend it to all my friends and blog followers. If you're looking for a reasonably priced, quality product, The Snugg is the company for you. 

   

Snugg Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7in Case Cover and Flip Stand in Black Leather- click on the image to go to the site!

 And the best part? They also offer a variety of other products, in different styles, colors and made from different materials (leather, silicone, bamboo, etc..) for devices such as Kindle or Nook readers, iPads and dozens more! Be sure to check them out and don't think twice before giving it a try! You won't regret!

Snugg Nook Case and Flip Stand -click on the image to visit the site!

Where to find: 

The Snugg.com | Snugg Products on Amazon

Disclaimer:  I have received a complimentary product sample for this review. The review was written by my husband, Jaesung (the primary iPhone5 user). All views and opinions are his and truthful.

Kobo Aura - Review & Giveaway

I have recently received the newest addition to the Kobo e-readers family - the Kobo Aura -  and, guys, let me just tell you that this is one of the best e-readers I've had the pleasure of reading on! I used to be a Kindle kind of gal, and while Kindle has some awesome features that Kobo does not *yet?* have, one thing that I didn't like was how unreliable all my Kindles turned out to be. Those of you Kindle users out there probably know what I'm talking about - frozen screens while trying to highlight a quote and eventual deaths by getting stuck on a random screensaver. 

Kobo does not have these issues, or at least they are not as common as what you'd get with a Kindle. Personally, I have never experienced a frozen screen or a sudden black-out. I highlighted and shared plenty of quotes, spent hours reading, browsing online and playing around with different settings - and nothing weird or unexpected happened. I found both Kobo Aura and Kobo Aura HD to be extremely reliable. 

Kobo Aura is small, compact and very light. It fits comfortably in your hand and you can spend hours reading on it without getting a cramp in your hand :) 

I love the design! Quite honestly, I have never seen a smaller, more chic e-reader. 

Kobo Aura sports something called ClarityScreen, has little to no glare and a great 6” high res Pearl E Ink screen for a print on paper reading experience even in direct sunlight. For night reading, the adjustable light works perfectly. I keep my brightness at about 25% and find it very easy on my eyes. Most importantly, thanks to the great resolution and fantastic E Ink screen, I can go on reading for hours and I don't get tired (as opposed to reading on iPad or Kindle Fire). 

Another thing about the screen is its responsiveness to the touch. I swear I had a few instances when my hair would touch the screen and the page would turn. Kobo Aura is extremely sensitive and responsive, which also makes other things like highlighting or taking notes easy. 

Customizable fonts and sizes, line spacings, margins and justification - all that allows you to improve your reading experience. Highlighting a single word automatically pops up its meaning in dictionary. You can highlight, make notes and *dog ear* pages. You can also share highlighted quotes on Facebook, which I think is a great idea, though due to publisher regulations there is a limit to the length of the quote you can post. If your quote is a longer one, it will be cut off at some point and only part of it will appear in your Facebook status. Still, nice and useful feature, that I hope will be improved in the future. 

As far as getting files onto your Kobo is concerned, I find myself wishing for a better solution. So far, we have only three options: 1) purchase the book in Kobo's ebook store and have it delivered to your e-reader wirelessly, 2) connect your e-reader to your computer via cable and move the book through Adobe Digital Editions (for drm files from NetGalley, Edelweiss or your local library), or 3) connect your e-reader to your computer via cable and simply drag-n-drop your epub file onto the storage disk of your Kobo. 

For bloggers who get lots of review copies in their mailboxes or simply get them via NetGalley or Edelweiss non of these options are good. I often find myself wishing for Kobo to come up with a system similar to what Kindle offers - i.e., using email to send books wirelessly onto e-readers via some sort of *cloud* service. Admittedly, this is my main and only issue with Kobo Aura so far.

Kobo Aura is quite the cool cat among e-readers. Kobo came up with some really awesome and fun features to make our reading experience even more enjoyable. Not only do we have book stats, where we can track our progress with a particular book or see how many books we've read so far, how many pages we've turned or even how long it took us on average to read one page, but we also get awards. YES, we get cool and quirky awards for many things - from reading way into wee hours, to reading during breakfast or dinner. It's a cute, experience-enhancing addition that I really enjoy :) 

Kobo Aura is full of features. It allows you to categorize your books and put them in different folders. You can create reading lists and wishlists. You can take a look at books recommended for you based on what you've already read. You can download previews and easily access Kobo store.

A new and interesting feature that Kobo Aura now offers, is something called POCKET. An app that allows you to save an article found online (whether while browsing on Kobo, on your computer or on your phone - it's all synchronized), and access it on your e-reader. It's especially useful if, like me, you read blogs, websites, news etc. 

Overall, I love my new Kobo Aura. If only there was an easier way of getting my books onto it, I would be 100% satisfied with it. Still, it's a great, affordable e-reader that I highly recommend. You will LOVE the E Ink screen and the many unique features for sure!

WHERE TO GET: Kobo Aura

Giveaway:

Are you in need of a new awesome e-reader?!

It's your lucky day! You can win one here!  

OPEN TO: US/Canada/International

ENDS: November 15th

Enter via Rafflecopter below

a Rafflecopter giveaway