One of our favorite shows on the Disney Channel is Disney Jr’s Sofia the First! See all of our Surprise videos http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OEEM3rUVjLGa0pUaXQvW3Wd
Please Subscribe Here http://www.youtube.com/user/TheEngineeringFamily?sub_confirmation=1

Disney Junior (Disney Jr) created an immediate hit with the launch of the Sofia the First television show. The soft spoken Sofia the First suddenly became princess when her mother married the King Roland. Sofia then started school at the Royal Training Academy so that she could learn how to act like a princess. The Sofia the First Singing Doll is a typical Disney Doll – but it does play one song (and only one song).

Our 3 year year old daughter likes her Sofia doll, since it is (currently) her very favorite Disney show. As we all know, once Disney recognizes they have a brand that is worth marketing – the toys and products will follow!

Notes-

– Make sure that you take the doll out of “Try Me” mode

– As I mentioned, Sofia only plays one song “anything” – we really wished it would play some other songs

– Does not take standard batteries – but requires pen light type batteries (included)

– Sofia is wearing the Amulet of Avalor

– Sofia’s arm and legs move and bend

Final Verdict – The Sofia the First singing doll is a pretty typical Disney doll. It is well built and true to the character.

4 Stars

This video features Disney Junior Sofia the First. Sofia the First is about a young girl who becomes a princess when her mother marries the king.

TheEngineeringFamily has loads of family friendly content

In this Playlist The Assistant goes on adventure with Scooby Doo, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, Disney Frozen, and Doc McStuffins

Everyone loves to see TheEngineeringFamily and The Assisitant open up Surprise Eggs – check out this play list and catch up on any that you may have missed http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OEEM3rUVjLGa0pUaXQvW3Wd

If you like Nickelodeon’s Paw Patrol you will want to check out this Playlist http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OGPJu4ljZxLNfdoR6ODDu2n

Everyone likes to play with Play Doh – see all of TheEngineeringFamily collection of Play Doh videos http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OH9jNiMLh7rjiCDCVIImHa_

Of course we have lots of videos featuring Disney Frozen and Queen Elsa http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OFf4j5478bn41R8iywz8OMB

Check out the Adventures of The Assistant and Wiggles! It is our animated series featuring the Assistant, her Dog Wiggles, and science experiements! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OHbJtfVcfgDIoyZw75FHF-E #Familyfun #Familyfunforeveryone #Theengineeringfamily

There are times when you need to play your music loud. That isn’t a big deal if you need to boom your music/movies in media room, but if you need to take that type of performance on the road you options are more limited. There are a variety of bluetooth speaker and ipod docks and while many of them are easy to use and highly portable they are rarely loud. In fact, the Pyle Pro 15″ Powered Speaker passes the loudest bluetooth speaker that I have used (The Supertooth Disco Twin) at less than 30% of its total volume.

Make no mistake, the Pyle Pro 15″ Powered Speaker is not intended to compete against small bluetooth speakers. Not even close. This speaker is designed to fill large spaces with with sound. It can fill anything from backyards, dance halls, to church auditoriums with total sound. In the video portion of the review you can see how loud it is at only 40% of its total volume (I was afraid to turn it up much louder for fear of upsetting my neighbors!).

The best part of the speaker is the cost – the Pyle Pro 15″ costs less (significantly less) than most 15″ subwoofers that are the market. The Pyle Pro offers 1400 watts of power, a 1.75″ titanium horn tweeter, multiple types of inputs, a hard plastic shell at a very reasonable price.

Notes-

– In terms of sound performance – as mentioned it is very loud…. in all settings. This speaker is loud enough to be used for DJ’ing weddings at dance hall (or a fraternity party).

– I like it for use as the primary speaker for outdoor movies. I combine this speaker with a projector to show backyard movies – with the right set-up this can make for an awesome neighborhood movie night.

– The sound quality is more than acceptable, but it is hardly subtle. An audiophile may complain that the bass is a bit punchy and that the horn tweeter can come across as bright… and the combination means that the midrange is a bit undervalued…. but who really cares? A Two-way, 1400 watt speaker that features a 15″ woofer is not designed to have the cleanest most subtle soundstage.

– Frequency response of 40Hz to 22kHz – although I would not be surprised if the frequency response was a little lower than the 40Hz.

– Has a microphone input which allows it to be used as a public address speaker or for Karaoke.

– The built in iPod/iPhone dock is a nice feature, but it is a bit awkward to use. I greatly prefer to use (although it is not included) the Aux-to-RCA splitter and directly plug the speaker into the headphone jack of my iPad.

– Allows you to insert a SD memory card to play music directly from a memory card

– Features a small remote control that is mainly used for use with the SD memory card.

– Has a USB input so you can play music from any source that has an USB output.

– Has gain controls for both bass and treble

– Using an auxiliary output-to-RCA splitter and a small bluetooth device (like the Jabra Clipper) you can turn the Pyle Pro Powered Speaker into a HUGH and LOUD bluetooth speaker.

– Has a hard plastic shell which has been pre-tapped so that it can be bolted (both vertically and horizontally) to a soundstage/mounting bracket.

– Has a switch that allows the speaker to accept either a 110V or 220V source.

– Has built in handles to help carry the speaker, but they don’t help with the weight (weighs about 50lbs)

– The manual is not exactly helpful – it is about 4 pages and really doesn’t offer much information on how to use the speaker.

Final verdict – There is nothing subtle Pyle Pro 15 inch it is both large and loud – but the great thing is that it provides a high level of functionality (as a backyard speaker, studio monitor, and sound stage speaker) at a very reasonable price. For me, it makes nearly the perfect speaker for backyard movie night – so if you are in market for an inexpensive all-in-one speaker I would highly recommend that you investigate the Pyle Pro 1400 Watt 15 inch Powered Speaker.

5 Stars

Please Note – I received this product for reviewing purposes.

Check out the Adventures of The Assistant and Wiggles! It is our animated series featuring the Assistant, her Dog Wiggles, and science experiements! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OHbJtfVcfgDIoyZw75FHF-E #Familyfun #Familyfunforeveryone #Theengineeringfamily

The Braven BRV-1 is a combination of rugged good looks and a functional speaker…. kinda like this reviewer (except for the functional speaker part!). The Braven BRV-1 is great for an activity that expose you and your listeners to water or being dropped. The speaker is water resistant per IPX5 which means it can be exposed to rain or water jets (or a shower) without fear of it getting damaged.

The speaker has solid sound performance, but there are other bluetooth speakers that louder. However (and as seen in the video) the speakers that are louder seem to be tuned on the higher end of the frequencies – which definitely makes them louder but also a more tinny type of sound. So there is a trade off the Braven may sacrifice a bit of sound volume but it makes it up by having a more rounded overall frequency response.

Notes-

– Dual 3W speakers (6 watts total) with a bottom port for bass resonance. I mentioned that the sound performance relative to the other speakers featured in the video – but on its own it does a have a good clean sound. The bass is not overly deep (because of the size of the speakers drivers), but it is enough to round out the rrequency response. The additional bass works it way into the mid-ranges so the Braven BRV-1 certainly does not sound “tinny”

– Can be used as an external 1400mAh battery pack.

– Water Resistant per IPX5 which means that it is water resistant but not completely water proof (it can not be submerged)

– Can be used as speakerphone – I rarely use bluetooth speakers as a speakerphone, but if you have the need it will work.

– The bluetooth pairs easily and has a solid range (about 30 feet)

– Has a really cool look – probably the best looking bluetooth speaker on the market (in my opinion)

– Very portable – weighs about a pound and is shaped like a (about) half of a brick, so it will easily pack away in a backpack.

– Rechargeable battery will power the speaker for about 12 hours at lower volumes – at peak volumes it will be less.

FInal Verdict – I like the Braven BRV-1 for traveling and use outdoors. I would have preferred if had a little more power (perhaps 6W per channel – 12W total), but as a whole it makes an attractive option for anyone hiking, camping, or just traveling. If you are in the market I would definitely recommend that you check it out.

4 to 4 1/2 Stars

Please Note – I received this product for reviewing purposes

Check out the Adventures of The Assistant and Wiggles! It is our animated series featuring the Assistant, her Dog Wiggles, and science experiements! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OHbJtfVcfgDIoyZw75FHF-E #Familyfun #Familyfunforeveryone #Theengineeringfamily

My first impressions on the Sony bluetooth speaker was somewhat negative. I thought that it was too large and I was not impressed with the fact that it isn’t rechargeable. Once I turned it on I was not blown away by the maximum sound volume…. but the more I used the speaker my opinion started to change. I noticed that while it is not the loudest portable bluetooth speaker that I have listened to it is one of the better sounding speakers on the market. And while the speaker is a larger than some of the other speakers – it is very easy to operate.

The one thing that is a bit odd… is that it kinda looks like a purse. This is not a bad thing, but from a distance it really does look a little like a black purse!

Notes-

– Features two front facing drivers that are ported. This allows the speaker to have a very even sound performance and while the bass is not deep it is very clean.

– The sound performance, and while other speaker are louder they use a bright high end to allow for more sound volume. That is not the case with the Sony Bluetooth – it may not not overly deep bass but it also does not overcompensate on the high-end with an overly bright bass. To my ear the Sony has the cleanest overall sound.

– The Sony uses both bluetooth and NFC for pairing with your devices – however, the NFC can only be used with Android devices.

– Is not a rechargeable (uses 4AA batteries or it can be plugged into an outlet) – some people will applaud the fact that it does not rechargeable (because they feel that rechargeable speakers are disposable)….others like having the freedom that rechargeable batteries may give you.

– While it does look a little bit like a purse it does have a unique (and cool) look.

– While the Sony is portable it is too large to fit in a standard backpack… so it perfect for moving around your home or yard it is too large for air travel.

– Works as a speakerphone

Final Verdict – I like the Sony Bluetooth Speaker it has solid sound performance at a very attractive price. If you are looking for the loudest sounding bluetooth speaker this may not be your choice, but if you are searching for something that good sound performance at a decent price then give this one a look.

4 1/2 Stars

Please Note- I received this product for reviewing purposes

Check out the Adventures of The Assistant and Wiggles! It is our animated series featuring the Assistant, her Dog Wiggles, and science experiements! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OHbJtfVcfgDIoyZw75FHF-E #Familyfun #Familyfunforeveryone #Theengineeringfamily

At times it is real handy to use a wired connection. In the case of connecting HDTVs, Sling Media Slingbox PRO-HD SB300-100, and other media devices a wireless connection can be both slow and a little unpredictable. In some cases, especially Blu Ray Players and some HDTV’s require an actual hard connection to the internet.

My first attempt to hard connection was the Sling Media SlingLink Turbo Powerline Kit ( SL200-100 ) and it worked, but the speeds were mediocre at best. AT best I ranged in the 2-4mbs range. I then upgraded to the Netgear Powerline AV 500 I am able to attain speeds over 20mbs! Please note that it is still much less than the 500mbs that is advertised, but that is due to the limitations given by my ISP provider – I am still able to watch full 1080P HD movies while using 20mbs (and even less) so it is not much of a worry.

Extra info-

– SUPER EASY installation – The installation can be done in two minutes and by anyone…. If you can’t figure out how to install the Powerline you probably will not know how to use the device you are connecting to either.

– This generation of the NetGear Powerline 500 is less than 50% the size of the previous generation. This may not sound important, but it does help improve the overall look.

– Great speeds – much faster than my Sling Media Turbo Link and slightly faster than my RCA Powerlink

– Remember the Powerline 500 needs to be plugged directly into your wall outlet and not into a power strip or extension cord

– Homes with older wiring may have issues

– It actually with the [[ASIN:B00486TLQ6 RCA HDP50 Powerlink Internet Media Kit]]meaning that you can have one of each plugged into your wall outlet and it will pass the signal between the two!

– It will work with older generations of the Netgear Powerline 500, and (surprisingly) it works with the RCA brand of adapter.

Final Verdict –

I am very happy with the Netgear Powerline 500 – it works well with Netflix and allows us to stream in full HD. In my opinion it is significantly better than the Sling Media SlingLink Turbo Powerline Kit and slightly better than the RCA HDP50 Powerlink Internet Media Kit so it is an easy 5 star recommendation

4 1/2 Stars

Please Note – I received this product for reviewing purposes

Check out the Adventures of The Assistant and Wiggles! It is our animated series featuring the Assistant, her Dog Wiggles, and science experiements! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OHbJtfVcfgDIoyZw75FHF-E #Familyfun #Familyfunforeveryone #Theengineeringfamily

The Motorola Blink1 is part baby monitor and part nanny monitor. The camera allows you to view your child/room anywhere your smartphone/tablet has internet access. This means you can check in regardless of your location… at work… at a restaurant… or wherever you want to see how things are going back home.

Notes –

– As mentioned in the video portion of the review the camera does cause you to make a compromise between ease of set-up and overall network security. The camera uses an outside server to host and mirror the camera – in order to do this you have to give your access code and network information as part of the set-up. This may make some people feel uncomfortable, but the alternative would require you to manually set-up the port forwarding on your router (although the Motorola Blink1 does NOT give you this option). So if this level of security risk makes you uncomfortable… the Motorola Blink1 may not be for you.

– The camera resolution is very good on an iPhone, and is *ok* when viewed on an iPad. The truth is that all baby monitors have issues in low light conditions (including the Motorola Blink1), but I found that the Motorola Blink1 does have better clarity (when viewed on an iPhone) when compared to most baby monitors/cameras.

– The camera has a pan option, which unlike many other baby monitors causes the camera to actually move. The camera will rotate and pan up-and-down which give you nearly a top-to-bottom 360 view around a room. One thing I noticed is that when operated outside the network the camera has a tendency to over-rotate and can be difficult to position.

– Has the ability to play lullabies through the camera

– Gives you the option to talk through the camera to your baby – essentially it gives you the ability to have two way communication.

– Has a digital zoom – which causes you to lose a little clarity.

– Gives you the ability to take photos from the camera and have them filed directly into your photo file.

– Requires the use of the “Monitor Everywhere” app for Apple devices.

– The Wifi set-up is very easy and does not require a computer. I was able to set-up the camera and watch the camera on my iPad and iPhone within 10 minutes.

– The Wifi Range seems to be ok – although I did have some connectivity issues once I left my home network. While trying to view over the 3G network I had some issue with the camera dropping off.

– This seems odd, but I was not able to use any bluetooth device while the “Baby Everywhere” was running or operating in the background.

Final Verdict – I like the Motorola Blink1, but I am not sure if it makes a practical baby monitor for nightly use. It does work great as a remote viewing nanny camera. Some people may be concerned with the potential security compromise, but if you can get past that the Motorola Blink1 is a solid wifi video monitor

4 Stars
Please Note – I received this product for reviewing purposes

Check out the Adventures of The Assistant and Wiggles! It is our animated series featuring the Assistant, her Dog Wiggles, and science experiements! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OHbJtfVcfgDIoyZw75FHF-E #Familyfun #Familyfunforeveryone #Theengineeringfamily

Thanks to YouTube there has been an explosion in the number of “Action Cameras” that are on the market. They all have several things in common… they are rugged, at least water resistant, and are made for capturing fast paced action. The Polaroid XS100 certainly has all of those features… and several more. Any many ways the Polaroid XS100 is the perfect action camera – it is easy to use, takes high quality video, is versatile enough for a wide variety of sports.

In the video portion of the review you can see the you can see the Polaroid XS100 in action. Please note – strapping a camera on the top of a remote controlled vehicle is a pretty challenging application.

Notes

– Self adjusting rotation on the camera which helps to keep the picture permanently upright despite the orientation of the camera. This is allows the camera to flip in any direction while maintaining an upright view.

– The Polaroid XS100 comes with a variety of mount, straps, and adhesive patches that will allow you to mount your XS100 to nearly anything… helmets, canoes, handlebars, remote control cars, and etc.

– Does come with a handlebar mount that allows you to mount ton any tube that is less than about 1″ in diameter.

– Uses (but does not come with) a micro SD memory card.

– With a push of the button you can take snap shots.

– Completely rechargeable and offers nice battery life (2.5 hours)

– Water resistant to 10M (33 feet)

– Ultrawide lens offers 170 degrees of view

– One word of caution if the winged mounting system breaks (not that it will, but you do need to use some caution) then the camera will be much harder to mount to anything

Final Verdict- The Polaroid XS100 is a solid option for anyone who is looking for high definition action camera. In the video portion I show the video quality in a very demanding application (while strapped to a remote control vehicle). There really is a lot to like with this camera.

4 1/2 Stars

Please Note- I was provided this product for reviewing purposes

Check out the Adventures of The Assistant and Wiggles! It is our animated series featuring the Assistant, her Dog Wiggles, and science experiements! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OHbJtfVcfgDIoyZw75FHF-E #Familyfun #Familyfunforeveryone #Theengineeringfamily

The DB-Tech Electric Steamer is an easy and economical way to clean and sanitize your home. I have used other steamers, that are just effective, but they cost 2x more expensive than the DB-Tech unit. Using a steamer is an effective way to clean and sanitize a variety of surfaces. We use ours for the kitchen, bathroom, car, and our porch. It is amazing how much easier clean can become if you direct a jet of steam to the surface before wiping.

Notes-

– Rather small, once all of the attachments are removed the entire steamer is smaller than a one-gallon pitcher of water.

– Heats up to 210F (100C) in just a few minutes

– You get about a 20 second burst of steam before it begins to fade. It takes about 15-20 seconds to build up additional steam for the next blast.

– A variety of attachments – a grout brush, a standard nozzle, a squeegee scrubber, and an elbow attachment.

– The power cord is about 6 feet in length.

– The squeegee attachment is effective for cleaning shower doors and glass surfaces. We don’t necessarily use it as the final step of cleaning but it is effective to use it and then follow-up with a dry towel in order to remove any streaks.

– Holds 175Ml of water, which is more than it seems when you are filling up the steamer. One thing I do is that I always empty all of the water out of the unit prior to storing the steamer. This is to help keep the internals clean, but it also helps prevent me from over-filling the steamer upon my next use.

Final Verdict – A nice electric steam cleaner – it offers a variety of attachments at a relative bargain.

41/2 Stars

Please Note- I received this product for reviewing purposes

Check out the Adventures of The Assistant and Wiggles! It is our animated series featuring the Assistant, her Dog Wiggles, and science experiements! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OHbJtfVcfgDIoyZw75FHF-E #Familyfun #Familyfunforeveryone #Theengineeringfamily

We love My Little Pony! See all of our Surprise videos http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OEEM3rUVjLGa0pUaXQvW3Wd

Please Subscribe Here http://www.youtube.com/user/TheEngineeringFamily?sub_confirmation=1

My three year-old daughter is familiar with “My Little Pony” but she has only watched the show a couple of times. Despite not being a huge fan of the show I thought that she would enjoy the “Walking Talking Pinkie Pie” and to some extent she did. Make no mistake this is a one-trick pony (sorry I couldn’t resist the bad pun) Pinkie Pie has several phrases that she squeaks out and then she begins to walk.

My daughter found it interesting at first. She especially like Pinkie Pie’s purple headband, but she soon lost interest. My wife and I were somewhat thankful for her lack of interest since Pinkie Pie has a squeaky voice, is plenty loud, and does not have a volume control.

Notes-

– Pinkie Pie seems to move primarily in an arc – not a straight line. Not that big of a deal, but we found that she needed a several feet of room or she would be bumping into things.

– Will not work on carpet…. wood floors, ceramic tile, and other hard surfaces should be ok – but carpet will be a no-no

– Comes with 2 AA batteries

– Make sure you take Pinkie Pie out of “Try Me” mode if you want to hear all of the phrases.

– As mentioned Pinkie Pie does NOT have a volume control

– Only comes with one accessory – a headband. A lack of additional accessories is kinda nice since it means fewer things that will get lost, thrown away, buried in seat cushions.

– Not small – about 5″ in height, but short enough so that Pinkie Pie is not too top heavy and falling over.

Final Verdict – The My Little Pony “Walking Talking Pinkie Pie” is probably a great gift for any little girl who like “My Little Pony” – however the toy probably lacks the pizzaz to keep non-fans and casual fans interested.

3 1/2 Stars

Please Note – I received this product for reviewing purposes

TheEngineeringFamily has loads of family friendly content

In this Playlist The Assistant goes on adventure with Scooby Doo, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, Disney Frozen, and Doc McStuffins

Everyone loves to see TheEngineeringFamily and The Assisitant open up Surprise Eggs – check out this play list and catch up on any that you may have missed http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OEEM3rUVjLGa0pUaXQvW3Wd

If you like Nickelodeon’s Paw Patrol you will want to check out this Playlist http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OGPJu4ljZxLNfdoR6ODDu2n

Everyone likes to play with Play Doh – see all of TheEngineeringFamily collection of Play Doh videos http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OH9jNiMLh7rjiCDCVIImHa_

Of course we have lots of videos featuring Disney Frozen and Queen Elsa http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OFf4j5478bn41R8iywz8OMB

Check out the Adventures of The Assistant and Wiggles! It is our animated series featuring the Assistant, her Dog Wiggles, and science experiements! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OHbJtfVcfgDIoyZw75FHF-E #Familyfun #Familyfunforeveryone #Theengineeringfamily