Is the Toshiba Windows 10 Laptop a Good Buy? Read This and Decide for Yourself    Following is a review of the Toshiba Windows 10 Laptop, and services connected with it. This is a story from personal experience and I think it will give you a good idea of what you are in for when you get one, for better or worse. I hope this will aid in any computer shopping experience you may have.    My husband got the laptop for me about seven months ago, specifically so I could handle work traffic for our startup marketing company. Previously we had shared a Mac Book Pro laptop, but now I was going to be online all day, thus needing my own. We could not afford another Mac, so had to go with the budget buy.    Let me begin by saying that I am not much of a 'computer person' so embarked on the Windows experience with much trepidation. My husband wisely bought me a year of virus protection and warranty service, as well as some other service doo-dads which I have yet to take advantage of ( though the story is certainly not over and they may come in handy yet).    I had heard horror stories about using Windows as compared to Mac, that Windows were likely to have more problems and meltdowns, and that Toshiba was a cheap and junky brand. Here's what happened and you be the judge.    On getting the new laptop, I followed along with the set-up instructions on my own - yes, little old me! And I actually managed to wade my way through. All went well until the part where it was recommended to back up the system right away. The Windows 10 laptop is a satellite version- something I knew nothing about prior to that day. And for you fellow luddites, satellite means there is no CD or DVD player, though there are two USB ports.   After becoming very baffled, I noticed that there was a number listed to call for technical help. Now, that's what I'm talkin' about! I called it and quickly reached a nice young man who explained that he could walk me through the procedure. As it is a satellite version, he could log right into my laptop and run the cycle through. I breathed a sigh of relief and felt the nervous knot in my neck begin to relax.    He began to move ahead with the steps. Then he told me that he had checked the settings and discovered that although the computer was sold to me as a Windows 10, in fact when it was manufactured it was a Windows 8.0. Apparently it had been upgraded somewhere along the way and then repackaged and resold as a Windows 10. And furthermore, because of this, he was not able to back it up. He told me to go into Best Buy where I had purchased it, and report the problem.    I had a bad feeling about this. I told my husband who kindly said that he would try to do the backup...when he had time. That is pretty much equivalent to a "no" as just about any wife can tell you.    In desperation to complete the setup before my next workday started, I had to invoke my secret weapon- calling in a favor from my son. He sat down and had it figured out and backed up in 30 minutes onto a flash drive. Now the little drive sits in a box on my desk like an idol at a temple - and I pray I never have to use it.    In spite of this inauspicious start, I managed to not only get going on use of the computer, but by poking around was able to figure out just about all the functions and apps on my own. And for those I couldn't, the nice young people at Tech Support were easily reachable (no long waiting lines) and helped me quickly and efficiently. And I have to say that this speaks well of the Toshiba design, as for me to navigate on my own on any computer is quite a milestone, and one I am proud of.    All went well as I continued and I noticed there were two things that made my Toshiba a terrific work tool. First- it is as fast as lightening, far faster than any other computer I have ever used. Second, I could store ten or more tabs/pages on the top bar and keep them open with programs running, and pop back and forth on them all day at great speed. This made a significant improvement in my work pace and being able to multi-task on the computer. I could get my work done without ever having to sit there waiting for a page to come up.    My Computer Life was blissful until one day, about two weeks ago, the battery abruptly stopped taking charge. It worked fine if plugged in, but the battery was just plain gone.    I called trusty Tech Support, who logged into my computer, scoped it out, and confirmed that indeed my battery had failed and must be replaced. He then informed me that as the computer was still under warranty, Toshiba was going to replace it for free. I was to send it in and they would repair it at the depot. This would take 7-10 days.    While I was happy this would be free, nonetheless being without a work computer (and forced to cope using my personal IPad) meant certain disaster. But there was no other choice.    I promptly received an email with instructions to sign up for the repair. I could mail my laptop in myself, or pay $30.00 for a special added box and that price would cover the shipping as well. This solved for me the dilemma of how to safely pack my computer, so I happily paid for it.    The box arrived promptly a few days later. It had a nifty airbag that would certainly keep the computer safe, and a mailing slip to address the box. It was all very easy and I packed it and then sent it off. I received a tracking number and an email saying they would let me know when it was on the way back.    Overall I'd have to say their service is excellent and efficient- though I have a feeling that if I'd gotten a Mac, I would not have had to use the service in the first place. My husband's MacBook Pro has been going for years and never, ever breaks down or needs service. And it was the same on the Mac laptop he had before- it ran for over eight years perfectly, until it became too antiquated for today's data useage needs, programs and apps.    But here I sit after several days of being Toshiba-less, and I am missing my little rocket-ride laptop badly. Work is going incomparably slow as I mush along using my IPad and at times borrowing my husband's Mac. I find myself tidying up my desk while I wait for commands to run through. I have always found that phenomenon to be really annoying as my mind works very fast and I need a computer that can keep up with me. My Toshiba Windows 10- in spite of the glitches- really filled that bill.    One other minor adventure to this. On the instructions for sending in my laptop for service, it was recommended to back up all files and remove sensitive data, as it could not be guaranteed that all files would be saved when repairs were done. Check- One of the doo-dads my husband got me was a backup drive! So before I mailed it off, I called my new best friends the Toshiba Customer Service guys, and they walked me through the installation and backup.    Today I needed a work document, so had a call to use my trusty backup drive. When I plugged it in to our Mac, however, it did not work. So, there I sat with no access to my work files. When I called Customer Service, the young lady kindly and serenely explained (without any insinuation that I was as dumb as an ox for not knowing this already, which I appreciated) that Mac cannot read Windows files, and vice versa. So my backup drive could only be read by another Windows computer, which I do not have.    I can now see myself gliding down a slippery path of getting more and more Windows equipment to match with my Toshiba ware as time goes by. But do I want it?    If I won the lotto, high on my list would be getting a Mac. But in the meantime, in spite of the glitches, my little rocket-ride Toshiba will do. I just hope it comes home soon.     Shelli's Shopping is a blog for shoppers of all kinds and in particular those looking for a good buy, from starving artists to working poor to those who are on a budget for whatever reason or just want good value for their hard-earned money. Shelli Pruett is a blogger, cartoonist, proofreader, product reviewer, and communications director at a marketing company. She lives in Southern California with her family and four dogs, who provide an ample stream of dog product purchasing experiences. #Windows10, #ShellisShopping, #MacBookPro,#ToshibaWindows10,#computershopping,#toshibaCustomerService,#bestcomputerstobuy

              
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             Zesty Paws Pure Natural Salmon Oil Benefits Dogs' Health and Immune System

        I have found this ZestyPaws Salmon Oil to be an excellent product for our four dogs, ranging from a tiny Chihuahua to a giant pit bull.

         I've been using it daily and the dogs all eagerly eat their food with this added. I make them a mixture of high-quality kibble, a spoonful of tasty soft dog food, a spoonful of probiotics, and the appropriate amount of ZestyPaws oil.

         Our Chihuahua Renny is very fussy about food and often will refuse even treats. But she loves this stuff! It does by nature smell like salmon oil, but does not smell "fishy" at all. Fish oil often smells rancid but this has a fresh, pleasant smell.  It mixes well and adds some good texture to the food. I also really like the push-dispenser on the top, as it makes it very easy to squeeze out a dose right onto the dog food, then mix. Speed is of the essence when you have four hungry dogs waiting!

         And as should be for any pet product, it is fully made in the U.S.A. It is all-natural and from wild-caught Alaskan salmon. The side label on the bottle gives suggested dosages for each serving which are very easy to measure with the push-top. I'll include photos of two of our dogs gobbling up their food...wish I could make a video so you can see how excited they get.

        I also want to share here an anecdote about the benefits of Omega 3 and 6s healthy oils. I was at a doctors office some years back and was invited to join a clinical trial. It tested the effects of high quality Omega 3 and 6 oil (from fish) on mood, attitude, and memory. I joined up, and after about three weeks, noticed a distinct improvement in my daily outlook and definitely my memory. An example is that I could make a shopping trip without needing a list- I could remember what I needed, which hasn't been the case for years. For a young person, who cares about this small victory? But for an older person, this is fairly major. This trial made a believer out of me for Omage 3s and fish oil. I know too that Omega 3 and 6s are also recommended for dogs for the health benefits.

       Of course, it is impossible to gauge the effect of one supplement on a dog's behavior and health. But knowing my dogs are getting something that helped me a lot feels good. I will note here that I got this product at a discount in order to test and review it. However this was at my request as I was impressed by the listing and felt this would be a good health aid for the dogs. I was very pleased.

Below is the link to the Amazon listing. #Zenwise

http://www.amazon.com/Pure-Salmon-Oil-Dogs-Cats/dp/B01BVRL4UA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1457719653&sr=8-3&keywords=PURE+SALMON+OIL+FOR+DOGS+%26+CATS+-+16OZ

#ShellisShopping, #DogHealth,#FishOilforDogs,#DogSupplements

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       A Review of the BohemianMulti-Colored-Sequin-Gold-Necklace made by SPUNKYSOUL.com

   Anyone who is female is on the lookout for interesting and pretty jewelry to wear for everyday and for special. I recently changed jobs from one where I used to wear a uniform every day to work. After years, this had become insufferably boring. Now with my new job I can really break out and wear whatever I want. So where is some cool stuff?

   I came across this Bohemian necklace on Amazon and was surprised at how nice it is. First, the gift box is really pretty (see photo) and this would make a really nice gift for anyone. Second, it is unlike any beaded-type necklace I have ever seen.

    The colors are muted, not garish, and all go together to make a pretty palette of shades that would match with any outfit. I found myself looking at all the sequins closely for some time to figure out how they managed to make such a unique look.

      In addition to the colored sequins/beads, interspersed are a series of rhinestone/diamond rings with tiny stones, that elevate this from casual wear only to something you could wear out to a restaurant. The stones catch the light and accent the colors nicely. (see photos). There is an extender at the clasp so one could double up on layers. Then to offset those are tiny gold sequins that also shine nicely.

     The clasp is sturdy and large enough to open and close easily by oneself. The sequins are about 1/4th inch in diameter, not too small, not too large. I'm looking forward to wearing this on many occasions and as a favorite item of jewelry.

     As a note I received this product at a discount in exchange for a review. But that said, it was me that requested the product as I thought the photo and description from the listing was so attractive. I was not disappointed. I'm going to be on the lookout for more creations from SPUNKYSOUL.com

   Here's the Amazon link below and some photos.

http://www.amazon.com/Bohemian-Multi-Colored-Sequin-Gold-Necklace/dp/B01D0NZCE2/ie=UTF8?m=A8GLE6WORXFTC&keywords=long+necklace

  Shelli's Shopping is a blog for shoppers of all kinds and in particular those looking for a good buy, from starving artists to working poor to those who are on a budget for whatever reason or just want good value for their hard-earned money. Shelli Pruett is a blogger, cartoonist, proofreader, product reviewer, and communications director at a marketing company. She lives in Southern California with her family and four dogs, who provide an ample stream of dog product purchasing experiences.


#jewelry, #ShellisShopping, #BohemianNecklace,#Necklace

                 A Shopping Tip I Just Have to Share- Progresso Soup

      One of my goals for this shopping blog is to share tips on great deals and bargains for the average budget-conscious person (which can be a euphemism for starving artists and the working poor). Here's one I just have to share.

      The 99-Cents Only stores (located in Southern California, Nevada, Texas and Arizona) are the home of a lot of great bargains. I could make a huge list but will cover things one by one. This blog post is about Progresso Soup.

      If you don't like Progresso Soup, you might be a Campbell's soup addict like my husband was before he converted. That's great soup, but Progresso is thicker, better spiced, and has more in the can. The problem is that it is pretty expensive compared to other soups and in-store brands like Kroeger.

     But the 99-Cents Only stores almost always have cans of Progresso soup available for one dollar. As with any discount store, one must make sure to check the expiration dates, but the cans I have found  always have plenty of time left on them.

     In a low-end grocery store like Food For Less, one can can be about $2.50  or more! So this is a significant savings per can.

    In the winter, my family and I love nothing more than a big, hot bowl of soup. I take a basic soup and add diced spinach, healthy canned organic beans, other chopped leftover vegetables, and  meat. In a very short time, you  have an healthy and filling meal.

    My favorites are the Hearty Tomato and Tomato Basil Soup, as well as the Lentil, Split Pea, and Cream of Mushroom soup. All superb and a good broth or base for "extended" soups or other dishes.

    I go and stock up on 10-15 cans at once and they are a mainstay for cold and rainy days. I almost hate to share this tip- I hope my local store won't now get sold out!

  Shelli's Shopping is a blog for shoppers of all kinds and in particular those looking for a good buy, from starving artists to working poor to those who are on a budget for whatever reason or just want good value for their hard-earned money. Shelli Pruett is a blogger, cartoonist, proofreader, product reviewer, and communications director at a marketing company. She lives in Southern California with her family and four dogs, who provide an ample stream of dog product purchasing experiences.

#ShelliShopping, #ProgressoSoup, #99CentsOnly, #cannedsoup, #budgetshopping

              ...And about those Banner Ads for Online Clothing Stores
                               ....A Review of SheIn

      I don't know about you folks, but I am about to put on a pair of horse blinders to keep me from clicking on those ads for lovely ladies clothing on the right side of just about every page I open. OK, yeah, I know they show up because I click on them, thus encouraging the ad monitors to ply me with even more. Guilty as charged. At this point, those ads are on every page I click on, following me around, and practically coming to the bathroom with me.

     For this shopping blog then, I'd be remiss if I did not add in my two cents about shopping via these online venues.

    I have always been a little leery of buying clothes from online stores, unless the item is so loose and baggy no one could go not wrong on sizing. And having free returns gives one a sense of security as well. The clothes look great on an anorexic-looking models, but what about people with a couple of muffins or inner-tubes?

    The first site that popped up for me for online shopping was She-In, formerly called SheInside. They proceeded to flash some enticing pics of tunic-type loose blouses, and the loose-fitting cardigan sweaters I had been trying to find for eons. ( I can actually recall the key words I typed into Goggle that probably prompted this.) Up popped some photos of a coffee-colored, loose, soft knee-length sweater. And it was only $20. Could this be for real?

    After a lot of mental maundering, I decided that a $20 loss would be worth the experiment for a test of these online shopping sites. I put in my order.

    The shipping was not fast like Amazon, but the package arrived fairly  soon. The sweater did not have a lot of fancy stitches and was plainly designed and of synthetic fabric, but one does not need anything fancy for a loose cardigan. It was a lovely coffee color, true to the photo, and as soft as any natural weave would have been. It immediately became my favorite sweater with lots of compliments from friends ensuing. For $20, it was a great buy.

    I then ordered a deep rose red sweater, also about $20, and was similarly pleased. Nice color, nice fit. As I browsed through the site, I found another plus and a creative idea- customers could do reviews of the items they bought and also post pictures of them wearing the item they bought.

     So now one could see what the article of clothing actually looks like on a live, real,  non-stick-thin model!  Very helpful. And those that post reviews on that site get Rewards Points towards the next purchases.

     I'd give the SheIn site a thumbs-up and here is the link to it:

http://us.shein.com/?url_from=usadshein003&gclid=CjwKEAjw86e4BRCnzuWGlpjLoUcSJACaHG55LCdKQQQWVB0ohnaPyFcZHo2GPOMbi1Vq13oT3p4AdRoCnTnw_wcB

    After these purchases, other online shopping venues started to show up on my screen. So I will make a comparison here. The next site I ventured to purchase from was "Dress Lily" (DressLily.com). Emboldened by my successful visit to SheIn, I bought a simple loose tunic blouse, said to be "chiffon" material.  Just what I had been looking for. Cost was about $10, what did I have to lose?

    Here's what. The first red flag was that when I made the credit card purchase, it showed up on my credit card statement not as DressLily, but someone's personal name like Fahoud or some such. I have to say that was disturbing and after that I watched my credit card activity closely. However, nothing went awry and no further charges were made.

   Then weeks went by and no package arrived. I did recall that in some of the notes on the site, there was a mention of the package being shipped directly from China as opposed to in the U.S. That would require some time.

    So I waited about five weeks, then wrote to Customer Service which was readily accessible on the site. They promptly sent a nice answer saying that things were slow due to the holiday season and the transport from China, and not to worry, that it had been shipped.

   A week or so later, the package arrived. I was very disappointed in what I received. First, I had ordered a Medium, and this tiny blouse was the size of Extra-Small. (I have since seen on other Reviews/blogs that when ordering from Chinese companies directly, you have to up the size at least by two, as the sizes align with tiny Chinese women apparently).

   Returning it was no option as paying for postage all the way back to China would cost way more than the item. Also, the "chiffon" fabric was like a translucent nylon/plastic netting, with no nap or cloth feel to it at all. It was just plain ugly and did not look at all like the lovely photo in the ad. It looked like someone hurriedly stitched together two pieces of very cheap fabric.

   I did not even feel that it was worthy of donating to Goodwill, as I could not imagine anyone wanting to wear it.

   I chalked that one up to "lesson learned". One other thing that was disturbing as well was that a few weeks later, I received an un-ordered package from China, with Chinese writing. It was not noted as being from Dress Lily. It contained a ghastly looking fake jacket with fake fur trim, again in that nylon/plasticy fabric that did not even resemble cloth. Plainly my customer data had been given out and I watched my credit card with great care for some time after.

    However no charges showed for the jacket, and nothing happened after that. But all in all, I regretted having bought through Dress Lily.

    Now I have sworn off online sites that ship direct from China. It's hard though, as a third site has started popping up ads- "Fashion Mia". Whoever designs their clothes is really  good, and the models look amazing. If someone actually made clothes that really look like this, this company would have it made. Beautiful tunics, dresses with elegant patterns. Frankly it is torture to keep my eyes off them and I admit to clicking on items again and again, thus prolonging the torture.

    I did a Google search on Fashion Mia and a number of very bad reviews popped up, covering inability to get refunds, not being able to return items because they had to go back to China, not being able to reach anyone at all, credit card info misuse, clothes not looking like the ad photo....etc etc.

   I can't review Fashion Mia honestly without  ordering from them myself, but I am afraid to, so will leave it at that. I'll just have to admire their photos from afar (or from my computer, more precisely), and hope that these items might show up  in the local Target store. Wish me luck!

  Shelli's Shopping is a blog for shoppers of all kinds and in particular those looking for a good buy, from starving artists to working poor to those who are on a budget for whatever reason or just want good value for their hard-earned money. Shelli Pruett is a blogger, cartoonist, proofreader, product reviewer, and communications director at a marketing company. She lives in Southern California with her family and four dogs, who provide an ample stream of dog product purchasing experiences.

#ShellisShopping, #shoppingonline, #SheIn,

     


                   
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   YIKO E6 In-Ear Headphones by Yi-Tech Are a Good Choice
            for Sports and Exercise...and Heavy Housework!

     I love my IPod headphones, and use them with my computer and I Pad too. I'd never have anything bad to say about an Apple product. However, that said, I have ruined a few sets of headphones (totally my own fault). It was from trying to use them during rough exercise such as jogging and carrying my sweet but mutinous dog when he does not want to go home from his daily walk. Or doing heavy kitchen work and cleaning bathrooms. Too often all the jostling makes the earbuds fall out, cord gets tangled....you know how it goes.

    So I decided to get a set of sports headphones for the first time in many years. The previous sets I had had over the years did not have good sound quality, so for me it was taking a leap of faith to try another.

    This set did meet my expectations and more. First, the earbuds are very comfy and do NOT fall out out of my ears whatsoever, even with my dog Gizmo squirming in my arms and getting his harness tangled in the cord. I notice that the cord itself is about twice as long as an IPod cord, which helps, and as well it is wire with a sturdy stiff plastic casing so it does not knot up. (see photo)

    The earbuds, which look a little like miniature outer-space ships, conveniently show which one is for the left ear and which for the right- might be hard to tell otherwise, so this was a good call on the designers part. And to mention again, these fit into the ear so perfectly.

   When I opened the box, there were a few good extra-value surprises. There is a nice small carrying case for the set, so one can  travel with it. I'll paste in some photos here and pray they come through. And....will wonders never cease...there was even a little pouch with several extra rubber covers for the earbuds. Great perk- how many headsets have you had to throw out because the rubber padding on the buds wore off? With the sturdy cord and extra ear buds, this set is going to last a long time.

    Lastly and most importantly, how about the sound quality? I was pleased. The overall sound was slightly more treble than my Ipod set, and that was about the only difference. Sound was very clear, all sound bands, voices, instruments easy to hear. There was no fuzz or background noise.

    Final note, I applied for a discount on this set in exchange for an honest review, and here it is. I'd say $16.99 (current sale price) on Amazon is a great deal though. My last set of sports headphones cost way more than that, and had horrible sound. So if you want budget-conscious but high quality headphones for sports, get these instead.

   Here's the link on Amazon to get them:

http://www.amazon.com/Headphones-Isolating-Compatible-Smartphones-Translucent/dp/B01A8DWGCI

 #Yi_E6 , #ShellisShopping

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   Hi, folks. Just wanted to put in a note about a neat thing I applied for to review, and was very pleased.

  This is the Antique Metal Feather Cuff Bracelet, by SPUNKYsoul. (Love the company name!)

  I have always worn antique silver bangles, since college, as my grandmother got beautiful bracelets of real silver in Mexico during her travelling days. I wear them every day, rain or shine. A vital accessory for a new or aging hippie!

  The feather design of this one stuck me as simple and elegant.  I also liked the spiritual message that comes with the bracelet, explaining the meaning and symbolism of feathers.

   I was lucky enough to get a sample for free asking for a review (at my request) and was pleased that the bracelet was as nice as the photos.

   It is not real silver, but looks exactly so. I'll paste in a photo of my arm with the bracelet and my antique silver bangles- you'll see they look alike.

   The two bands bend easily, so one can adjust the bracelet to any size. This helps me, as I have very tiny wrists so often bracelets are too big. I can make it snug enough so the feather design doesn't slip over to the underside of my arm where it can't be seen.

  I think in a retail store or art fair, etc, this one would run about $35, so it is a great price as advertised.

  Also of note is the lovely gift bag and message card that comes in the package. I'll paste in some photos here so you can read it. This would make a nice gift for a birthday or meaningful event. I certainly would be delighted to receive it from a friend!

    The link to buy this on Amazon is: http://www.amazon.com/Antiqued-Metal-Feather-Cuff-Bracelet/dp/B01CWBAI42/ie=UTF8?m=A8GLE6WORXFTC&keywords=stretch-bracelets
 
  Shelli's Shopping is a blog for shoppers of all kinds and in particular those looking for a good buy, from starving artists to working poor to those who are on a budget for whatever reason or just want good value for their hard-earned money. Shelli Pruett is a blogger, cartoonist, proofreader, product reviewer, and communications director at a marketing company. She lives in Southern California with her family and four dogs, who provide an ample stream of dog product purchasing experiences.

   #featherbracelet   #ShellisShopping