Yes, you read it right.  On behalf of Zumbox I am giving away a laptop to one lucky reader of Life with Lisa.  First I have to tell you what this is because when I finally listened to what they were saying I was speechless and sold.  It is brilliant.  It is convenient.  It is easy.  It is good for the environment.  It is Zumbox – snail mail from the USPS converted to digital postal mail accessible anywhere you can log on online.

What is Zumbox?

• Zumbox is a digital postal system that allows consumers to gather their mail in one secure location online forever, for free
• Digital postal mail provides exact copies of paper bills, statements and other important mail delivered digitally based on street addresses
• Zumbox has created a digital mailbox for every street address in the US, connecting large mailers (from banks and power companies to grocery stores) to consumer households for secure, on-time delivery of postal mail online
• Zumbox represents a more cost-effective, convenient and environmentally responsible way to deliver mail
• Zumbox gives consumers more flexibility in where and how they receive, manage and store their postal mail

I recently signed up for Zumbox and once I verified my mailing address I received notification that I won a $10 gift card from Starbucks.  The gift card is one of MANY prizes Zumbox is giving away to anyone who signs up for a new account. In addition to the thousands of prizes available (3 grand prizes of one million dollars, 10 brand new Nissan Leaf cars and tons of iPads, laptops, Amazon and Starbucks gift cards), Zumbox will provide a special URL for you to use on Facebook, via email, on Twitter, or however you wish that will earn you an additional opportunity to win.  If you refer a friend via social media, and that friend wins, you win the exact same prize.

What Can I Win?

One lucky reader of Life with Lisa will win a brand new Toshiba Satellite Laptop with Intel Processor.

How Can I Win?

Visit Zumbox.com and tell me what prize you hope to win when you sign up for your FREE account.  Leave a comment in the reply section below for EACH ENTRY.

Can I Earn Additional Entries?

Yes, you can do any of the following:

• Sign up and VERIFY your account with Zumbox.com (send me your verification email once you sign up for 20 entries)
• Follow my blog or if you are already following – tell me who you are. (1 entry)
• Blog about this, or post to your FaceBook linking back to me or email 5 friends about this giveaway copying me on the email. (5 entries)
• Follow me on twitter @lisasamples and tweet this contest link leaving me a link. (1 entry per tweet/2 tweets per day) Please leave time between tweets. (You can use the RT button above.)
• Subscribe to my email feed. (2 entries)
• Favorite me on technorati, digg, or stumble leaving link. (2 entries per fav – see easy social bookmarking icons below this post)
• Leave a comment on another NON-GIVEAWAY post on my personal blog Life with Lisa. (1 entry per comment)
• Add my button to your site and give me the link where you installed it – see sidebar for code. (2 entries)
• Enter this giveaway on a giveaway LINKY or site and post link in comments. (2 entries per)
• Become a Life with Lisa Facebook fan and Zumbox Facebook fan and tell me who you are! Feel free to say hello on my wall if you like. (2 entries per)

For the past couple months I’ve been testing out the HTC Thunderbolt by Verizon Wireless. It’s their first 4G LTE Android phone on the new 4G network.  Although I’ve owned smartphones in the past (Palm and Blackberry) I had never owned a Droid based phone and at first I was lost until I talked to the nicest man from Verizon named Pete who was able to teach me some tricks and tips.  I learned there are some apps that are a must such as Advanced Task Killer and that the social media applications made for Twitter and Facebook are much better than third party versions.

I also learned some stuff about how 3G and 4G stuff works.  I always assumed (you know what they say) that if your phone was 4G it would always be 4G no matter where you were but unfortunately that is not the case.   In order to get 4G reception you have to be near a 4G tower and Verizon has a pretty large coverage area.  If you are between a 3G and 4G tower your phone can act a little silly some times.  When the Thunderbolt is in a 4G area you can really tell a difference as it is much faster.

Things I Loved

I love the body style of the Thunderbolt and button placement although sometimes I actually turn the volume up/down by accident when holding it.  I loved the accuracy of the touchscreen.  I very rarely had to backspace and make corrections.   The screen is pretty big and made browsing the web a pleasant experience.  I also loved the thunderbolt sound whenever you boot it up – but that’s really not what you want to read about – just had to share it.

Things I Didn’t Love

Yes, unfortunately there are a couple small things that I didn’t care for with the Thunderbolt such as the battery life.  I don’t think they make an extended life battery for this phone yet, but if you purchase one you will at least want to invest in a spare battery.  Also, every once in a while there would be an occasional bug but once I updated the software this was much less often.

Overall Opinion

Buy it!

About the Thunderbolt by HTC

With this much power, speed and Android™ awesomeness, it’s not your dream phone. It’s the one after that.

Infinite entertainment. Download movies, e-books, games, music and more in seconds. Pop out the kickstand, turn up the surround sound and enjoy hours of entertainment on the hi-res 4.3″ screen.

Infinite possibilities. With an 8MP camera, LED flash, in-camera effects and a 720p HD camcorder, you can capture every moment in picture-perfect resolution.  And with 4G uploads, you can unleash it instantly, for all your friends to see.

Phone screen, meet flatscreen. Built-in DLNA connectivity takes all the music, movies and photos on your phone and beams them up wirelessly to your flatscreen.

Beyond wireless. Launch a mobile hotspot and just like that, your phone turns into a wireless router, providing a Wi-Fi™ connection and the power of 4G for up to five devices.

The wait is over. With a 1GHz Snapdragon Processor and the power of Verizon’s new 4G network, you can say goodbye to the loading bar.  And with the new instant-boot feature, you can say hello, faster than ever before.

You can purchase the Thunderbolt from Verizon for $249 with a 2-year contract.

Note:

I just found this in my inbox and since I was on vacation I didn’t get to write about it but wanted to share it with you since it ends tomorrow.

VERIZON WIRELESS DELIVERS OFFICIAL MOBILE APP FOR WALT DISNEY PICTURES AND JERRY BRUCKHEIMER FILMS’ PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES

Interactive Pirate Discovery App for Android Devices Takes Fans Inside the Movie and to the Red Carpet Premiere on May 7

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – The Pirate Discovery App, the official mobile app for Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, directed by Rob Marshall, is now available exclusively to Verizon Wireless customers.  Available on select Verizon Wireless smartphones and tablets, the Pirate Discovery App immerses fans in a world of Pirates content before, during and after the movie is available in theaters on May 20th.

The Pirate Discovery App has exclusive content from Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, including character stills, character bios and movie artwork.  When the movie is available in theaters, the Pirate Discovery App will let customers browse local show times, find nearby theater locations and purchase tickets directly through the app.  Moviegoers can also share their Pirate experiences by creating Facebook^® and Twitter^™ posts from within the app.

On May 7, Verizon Wireless customers who download the app to their smartphone or tablet will see a live stream from the world premiere, a pre-film event taking place at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif.  Beginning at approximately 8:45 p.m. PST, app users will get a sneak peak of this once in a lifetime experience delivered right to their device.  Also, from May 17 to June 14, Verizon Wireless customers will have exclusive access to Disney’s mobile game for Android^™ phones, “Pirates of the Caribbean: Master of the Seas,” allowing them to create virtual pirates, customize ships, embark on quests and engage in simulated battles.

The Pirate Discovery App will also introduce a built-in rewards program that enables fans to unlock exclusive film-related content and merchandise by exploring and sharing information and content from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.  This rewards program will allow customers to access new video discovery and search technology from VideoSurf by simply pointing their mobile devices at a TV or computer screen to identify Verizon television and designated Web videos from the film to earn rewards that can be redeemed through the app.

The Pirate Discovery App is free to download for Verizon Wireless customers with select 3G and 4G Android mobile devices by texting “AHOY” to 52011 or by accessing it directly from Android Market^™.  A full list of devices that support the Pirate Discovery App, as well as additional access to an immersive, digital experience of the film, are available at Verizon Wireless’ official Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides website, www.climbaboard.com.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 104 million total wireless connections, including more than 88 million retail customers.  Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD).  For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com.

About Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Rob Marshall, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides captures the fun, excitement and humor that ignited the hit franchise—this time in Disney Digital 3D^™.  Johnny Depp returns to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow in this action-packed adventure that finds him crossing paths (and swords) with the enigmatic Angelica (Penélope Cruz).  When she forces him aboard the “Queen Anne’s Revenge,” the ship of the legendary pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected journey to the fabled Fountain of Youth.  Along the way Jack must use all his wiles to deal with the barbarous Blackbeard and his crew of zombies, Angelica, the ravishing pirate with whom he shares a dubious past, and the beautiful, enchanting mermaids whose masterful cunning can lure even the most seasoned sailor to his doom.  The international cast includes franchise vets Geoffrey Rush as the indestructible Captain Hector Barbossa and Kevin R. McNally as Captain Jack’s longtime comrade Joshamee Gibbs, plus Sam Claflin as a stalwart missionary and Astrid Bergès-Frisbey as a mysterious mermaid.

Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides opens in theaters May 20, 2011, in Disney Digital 3D, with screen story and screenplay by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio, based on characters created by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio and Stuart Beattie and Jay Wolpert, and suggested by the novel by Tim Powers.

Thank you to Yahoo! Mail for sponsoring this post about staying connected. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

Staying Connected

Sometimes living so far away from the rest of your family can be difficult.  Other than my husband and my children I’m alone in this state I call home right now.  My mom is in NY, my sister is in FL, my dad and brother are in CA and I hate it.  As my children grow up there are so many new things to share with my family, but things I can’t (or don’t want to) blog about or post on Facebook.  I rely on Yahoo! Mail to share the special, more private things with my family.

Ethan and his Gramma send emails at least once a week.  This has helped them establish a bond they might not have had if it weren’t for being connected via email since they don’t see each other very often (twice in 10 years).  With busy schedules and high cost of travel this is the most cost effective and efficient way to stay in touch.  Their weekly emails allows Ethan to let his Gramma know how he is doing in school and they recently started sharing photo slide shows (now in beta) with each other.  Recently Ethan got to see great pictures of NY snow storms and he was able to share the Atlanta snow storm as well.

With Father’s Day right around the corner email is even more important for our family.  Each year my dad get’s e-cards from all the kids.  My mom said it totally makes his day to get so many emails in one day that he actually is interested in.  Sending gift codes to his favorite sites is a great way to let him know we didn’t forget, because truth be told we all are horrible about mailing things.  Aren’t you?

Staying connected couldn’t be easier with Yahoo! Mail.  What is your primary use for email?

Guess what the #1 app used on the Verizon Samsung GALAXY Tablet has been this week?  If you guessed Angry Birds you are wrong.  That was the second most popular app used by my kids.  I’ll admit it.  I got addicted to Stupid Zombies.  I swore I wouldn’t get involved with all those silly games I see everyone talking about, but I caved in.  I have to say, the GALAXY has been a life saver over the past few weeks.  It is portable and small enough to keep in my purse – I just L.O.V.E.D. it!

I was worried about the plan though.  The main reason I never took the next step in purchasing a tablet was because of the month charge.  I had no idea what type of user I would be and how much it would cost me.  There are several choices you have when choosing a plan.  I found that the 3 GB plan works great for me.  I wasn’t aware until this past week that you can use the WiFi and connect to wireless networks thus using less of your data allowance.  I took advantage of this several times over the past week.  I also found this handy chart you can use to get an idea of what type of plan you might need.

The various tools found on Verizon’s site enabled me to make the best purchasing decision…that’s something really important to me.

I will continue to enjoy my Samsung GALAXY for a long time.  Over the past 3 weeks I never once had a problem with any of the features.  The touch screen is extremely accurate and easy to use.  I wish I could give you some cons about the GALAXY, but I did not experience any.  Be sure to read my first impressions on the GALAXY from last week’s Techie Tuesday.

Disclosure:  I was given a Samsung GALAXY Tab by Verizon in order to facilitate my review.  My opinions are my own.

I got a new toy.

I love it.

The Samsung Galaxy Tablet by Verizon Wireless has been a blast to play with over the past week and a half.  I’ve been behind the times.  I don’t own a Droid.  I don’t own an iPhone.  I don’t own an iPad and there is almost NOTHING smart about my current phone.  I’ve seen tons of posts on blogs, tweets on twitter, and entries on Facebook about cool apps and other tools but until Verizon gave me the Samsung Galaxy Tab I haven’t been able to experience any of this first hand – except for the few times my husband let me play on his Droid X.  For the record – I’m due a phone upgrade next month so stay tuned!

The size (7″ display) was refreshing on  my eyes and everything was the perfect size to eliminate eye strain.  Granted we can use our smartphones for a lot of the same functions, but the screens on our phones aren’t conducive of anything other than a quick email, tweet, or check-in on Facebook.  The display area on phones make it harder to browse and definitely more challenging to type.  I did notice the Samsung’s touch screen was very accurate with my stubby fingers and errors were minimal.

7” BRILLIANT DISPLAY

The TFT display with WSVGA 1024 x 600 resolution & full touch–screen has a bright and clear display for the ultimate viewing experience.

I also loved the long battery life.  I was able to play on the Galaxy Tab all day without having to worry about charging it.  I’ve been using it now for about a week and haven’t installed a lot of apps yet, so time will tell once I give it a real workout.  I have used some of it’s features though such as the VZ Navigator®.  With the large display this GPS alternative was much easier to track than my small screened TomTom.  Here is a list of some of the Verizon services available with the Samsung GALAXY Tab.

Verizon Services

• 3G Mobile Hotspot
• Backup Assistant capable
• VZ Navigator® capable
• V CAST Apps
• V CAST Music
• V CAST Media Manager
• Media Hub
• My Verizon capable
• Thousands of apps & hundreds of widgets available on Android Market™

Next Tuesday I’ll share more information on the GALAXY.  If you are thinking about buying one I would love for you to list your questions in the comments and I’ll test it out this week and include my findings in next weeks Techie Tuesday post.  If you are looking into purchasing one they are normally $499 and with a 2-year contract are available for $199.  This is an extremely great price compared to other tablets on the market!

Disclosure:  I was given a Samsung GALAXY Tab by Verizon in order to facilitate my review.  My opinions are my own.