Year in Review - Most Popular 2011 High Technology Blog Posts on MommyBlogExpert

Technology

Editor's Note: Stay tuned for more breaking tech news coverage as Mommy Blog Expert will be covering International CES 2012

In 2011 two very popular destinations for readers were the stand-alone pages Giveaways & Contests where you can link to and enter all MBE current giveaways and the 2011-12 Women & Mom Blog Conference Master Calendar, a Mommy Blog Expert exclusive.  An analysis of blog traffic from last year also indicates readers were often drawn to the daily posts, too -- many covering the varied ways technology is impacting and enhancing family living. Following are links to just a handful of the year's most popular posts covering tech on this blog. To find additional technology stories on MBE, scroll down the side bar to the right and use the Google search window. 
My Mac Desktop Upon Hearing the News of a Legend Lost
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Top Tech Story of the Year  

Steve Jobs Goes to iHeaven Leaving Us All Behind
 

Trends
Technology Now Surpasses Flowers, Perfume on Mom and Women Gift Wish Lists 

Product Innovations

A New Tech Gadget Category Keeps U Fit While Saving Rainforests

Nancy Drew Classic Books Now a Hit as Interactive Solve the Mystery DVDs

Old Fashioned DIY Gift Crafting Goes Hi Tech

Cool Apps 

Do Good Facebook Games Trending for Kids & Adults
Spring Cleaning Goes Hi Tech – Apps for iPhone & Android to Help With Chores
A Free App to Help Parents Make Decisions When Kids Are Sick 

Internet Safety, Saving Money & Productivity

Shopping Online Safety Never More Important

Bing First to Aggregate 200,000 Deals in One Place

Best, Least Expensive Sources for Buying Student Text Books via the Internet
Extreme Couponing – 6 Ways to Saving Big on Family Grocery Bill

 

Kids, Parenting & Education

Ideas for Plugging the Toddler Summer Brain Drain

Supreme Court Overturns Law Against Selling Violent Video Games to Kids
New Ways for Mommy & Daddy to Use Social Media to Find Employment
Strategies that Work for Parents to Fight Cyber Bullying of Kids
Mommy is Going Away on a Business Trip – Connecting With Kids Back Home
Dove at First Sight Cruise Party San Diego Harbor
The high point of BlogHer '11 for me and an intimate group of other women bloggers
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Just for Women & Moms Who Blog and the Brands Targeting Us
Social Moms Network Gets a Complete Makeover

How 2 Get into Invitation-Only Events & Parties @BlogHer & Other Conferences

Most Coveted Party & Event Tickets @BlogHer 11

An Accident Changes My Perspective: Attending BlogHer w/ Special Needs

Does Google Page Rank Matter to Mom Bloggers & Brands?

Motivating Procrastinating Women Bloggers to Publish Quality Content Often

Mom Blogger Conference Brand Sponsorship 101

5 Mom Blogger Secrets to Posting Quality Content Daily

Happy New Year Readers!
Fireworks and the Moon over San Diego Bay
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com


Looking forward to bringing you lots more informative family enhancing posts in 2012.


What do you think the biggest tech news stories of the year were? Feel free to comment as well as leave a link to your fave 2011 hi technology stories.

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FTC Disclosure: This blog did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this particular post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one. 

Dino Dan Mighty Machines Movie Giveaway

Movies

Giveaway details below

Weekends in January, Kidtoons Family Matinees presents the children's movie Dino Dan Dino Trackers featuring Mighty Machines at select local theaters nationwide. The kid-friendly feature from NCircle Entertainment -- which includes four exciting episodes -- is the story of boy paleontologist-in-training Dan Henderson. Using scientific method to study dinosaurs, this curious and adventurous young man gathers clues to solve mysteries. Also includes Mighty Machines: Ride the Mountain Rails! This is the tale of Work Trail who has the job of keeping the train tracks maintained for the powerful engines and rugged mountain rails.

To celebrate the month's quality family entertainment theater program Kidtoon Films is providing Dino Dan Prize Packages for MommyBlogExpert to give away to FIVE lucky readers. 

First, enter to win one of these fun gift packs for kids right here on MBE. For a chance to grab one, all you need to do is leave a comment and your contact info below this post; full contest details below. 

Giveaway

Dino Dan - Mighty Machines

DVD & Movie Poster 

ENDS 2/2/12 

Kidtoons Dino Dan Giveaway includes

• One Dino Dan: Dino Trackers DVD
• One Dino Dan theatrical poster

HOW TO ENTER

Just leave a comment(s) below this post, Contest ends January 2, 2012 at 12 midnite PST and is open to legal residents of the U.S. only. Winners will be selected at random from all entries and will be notified via email.

Required (Mandatory) Entry

Simply leave a comment below this blogpost saying why you want to win this prize. Don't forget to include your email address, Facebook and/or Twitter contact info in the comment section so the winner can be contacted.

Optional Extra Entries Earn extra entries to win for doing one or more of the easy options listed below. Just be sure to return to MommyBlogExpert (MBE) to leave an additional comment after each individual extra action you do to confirm so we can record all your additional chances to win.

1. Follow @mommyblogexpert on Twitter

2. Like @mommyblogexpert on Facebook

3. Follow @kidtoons on Twitter

4. Like @kidtoons on Facebook

***Bonus Entries***

You can earn even MORE chances to win each time you TWEET the message below, up to 3 times each day. Don't forget to return to leave a comment on this post with the direct link right after every Tweet you do so you'll receive an entry for each of your RTs.

Tweet:

Dino Dan Mighty Machines @KidtoonFilms Family Movie GIVEAWAY, Ends 2/2/12 http://tinyurl.com/6q3cc6n #kids #movies RT 2 #WIN

Mommy Blog Expert is excited to be one of the few blogs to hosting Kidtoons family friendly monthly movie giveaways in connection with screenings for children in theaters nationwide. 

Past Kidtoons movie giveaways on MBE include: Spookley Square Pumpkin  Care Bears: Share Bear Shines, Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas, Barbie A Fairy Secret, Little Engine That Could,  Strawberry Shortcake: Sky's the Limit, Olivia and the Great Outdoors,  Thomas and Friends: Hero of the Rails, Babar and the Adventures of Badou: Swing Into Summer, Candy Land The Great Lollipop Adventure, Sid the Science Kid, Spookley Square Pumpkin, Thomas and Friends Day of Diesels, and Olivia Wintertime Cheer.

Each Kidtoons giveaway is unique, based on the monthly movie offering. But, they're always family friendly and wholesome for children, so don't miss out on entering the current giveaway as well as subscribing to MommyBlogExpert, so you'll be the first to know when next month's giveaway is announced.

LOTS More 

Family-Friendly Giveaways!

ENTER Them All HERE

FTC Disclosure: Kidtoon Films is providing the prizes and shipping for this giveaway.  MommyBlogExpert did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post.  See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Dino Dan Kid Movie Opens in Select Theaters Nationwide Weekends in January

Stay Tuned...

NEW Dino Dan Children's Movie

Kidtoons GIVEAWAY

Details To Be Posted Saturday

Ben 10 Ultimate Alien Wild Truth Movie Review

Movies

Cartoon Network DVD Review, Giveaway

MBE partnered with Cartoon Network, post contains affiliate links 

Back in August this blog reviewed and gave away Ben 10 Ultimate Alien - The Return of Heatblast. Now MBE is pleased to be reviewing and giving away Ben 10 Ultimate Alien - The Wild Truth Volume 4 the latest Cartoon Network Ben 10 Ultimate Alien DVD release from Warner Home Video.

In this installment, hero boy Ben is on another non-stop action animated mission and will be hanging out with some bad and good aliens -- both familiar characters and some  new. Ben's foes now include another enemy: a roaring giant alien known as Ultimate Wildmutt that looks like a cross between a saber tooth tiger and some kind of fierce dinosaur. To counter the red beast's advances, Ben 10 pulls out all the stops to race to the rescue with Fasttrack, his newest alien comrade. 

Ben 10 Ultimate Alien - The Wild Truth

Double DVD Set Giveaway

Ends 1/31/12

How to Enter

Just leave a comment(s) below this post!  Contest ends January 31, 2012 at 12 midnite PST and is open to legal residents of the U.S. only. Winner will be selected at random from all entries and will be notified via email.

Required (Mandatory) Entry

Simply leave a comment below this blogpost saying why you want to win this prize.  Don't forget to include your email address, Facebook and/or Twitter contact info in the comment section so the winner can be contacted.

Optional Extra Entries

Earn extra entries to win for doing one or more of the easy options listed below. Just be sure to return to MommyBlogExpert (MBE) to leave an additional comment after each individual extra action you do to confirm so we can record all your additional chances to win.

1. Follow @mommyblogexpert on Twitter

2. Like @mommyblogexpert on Facebook

3. Follow @CartoonNetwork on Twitter

4. Like @Cartoon Network on Facebook

Super ***Bonus Entries***

You can earn even MORE chances to win each time you TWEET the message below, up to 3 times each day.  Don't forget to return to leave a comment on this post with the direct link right after every Tweet you do so you'll receive an entry for each of your RTs.

Tweet:

Ben 10 Ultimate Alien The Wild Truth Vol 4 @cartoonnetwork #DVD Review GIVEAWAY http://tinyurl.com/6ozpvc4 #kids RT 2 #WIN

 

LOTS More Family-Friendly Giveaways!

 Hosted by Mommy Blog Expert

ENTER Them All Here

As an Amazon Affiliate, Mommy Blog Expert will receive a small bit of compensation, at no extra cost to buyers, when you click on Amazon links in this post and make a purchase

 
FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert received this DVD from Cartoon Network (CN) to facilitate the review. Additionally CN is providing the prize and shipping to winner for this giveaway. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

What to Do With All Those Unused Gift Cards - How to Donate These Unwanted Holiday Gifts to Charity

Community 

Who didn't give and/or receive at least one gift card this holiday season in this day  and age where giftcards have never been more popular, politically correct and widely used? Whether via the  internet with online codes as well as those physical pieces of plastic that work like debit cards when you take them to a traditional store -- chances are that you are a member of that card-carrying club. And you are not alone because the National Federation of Retailers estimates that 8 in 10 consumers bought at least one gift card in 2011. 
'C' stands for Consumer Cards to Charity
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Consumer and money-saving expert Andrea Woroch 's wisdom is no stranger to this blog. She points out the season of giving isn't over yet, especially here in the U.S. where Americans are still looking to make tax deductible contributions to legitimate non-profits before the federal fiscal year officially ends just before midnight on January 1, 2012. With unwanted gift cards being so prevalent right now and people still in generous frame of mind, it makes sense to introduce a concept many consumers may have not considered before. That is, the possibility of contributing those cards to a worthy charity rather than allowing them to waste away in a drawer for years.

Woroch suggests some questions to ask prior to donating gift cards 

How Much Are You Actually Donating? 

What percentage of the card will be directed towards the charity's mission and how much towards administrative and overhead? Carefully research the non-profit you are thinking of giving to and feel free to contact them directly if you have questions. 

What is the Minimum Balance You Can Donate? 

Some charities are grateful to accept any balance, while others won't accept a card that's worth less than $10 or $20 because of handling of the gift outweighs its benefits. 

How Will the Charity Use Your Donation? 

Gift cards sometimes end up being given directly to the charities clientele, while other non-profits resell the card for a percentage of the face value so they can take advantage of the cash. 

Should You Simply Resell the Card Yourself? 

Remember donating gift cards for charity is still relatively new, so there are still many non-profits that don't accept gift card contributions for a variety of reasons. If the group you want to give your gift card to doesn't take that type of contribution, you can always convert your gift card into cash yourself on websites like GiftCardGranny and then donate all or part of the money received directly to the organization of your choice. 

Would the Charity Prefer You Donate Purchased Items? 

Another good idea is to check with the non-profit to see if they would rather you purchase groceries, clothing, etc. and donate these items, instead of the cards or cash. If your gift card comes from a merchant selling products the charity doesn't need,some stores will let you exchange these for another store. 

Can You Donate the Gift Card to a Silent Auction or Raffle?

One way to make sure cash goes directly to the intended non-profit is to contribute your card as a biddable item for a fundraising auction. 

Please leave a comment. Have you contributed a gift card to charity before? Why or why not. If yes, I should you'll share your particular experience as well as additional thoughts on this topic. 

Happy Holidays!

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FTC Disclosure: This blog did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog,including this one.