A young entrepreneur impresses the "sharks" with bottle cap business

Have you ever heard of SNAP CAPS? You're answer might be yes, or you  might say no, but the point is that it's founders are making money- and lots of it.

 Maddie Bradshaw, now age 16, came up with the idea for her interchangeable bottle cap necklaces at age 10. After becoming very popular, the business, SNAP CAPS, has become available in stores nationwide, and have made over five million dollars in sales!

Maddie, her younger sister Margot (SNAP CAPS current VP), and their mom were on "Shark Tank" in 2012. My mom saw the episode the other day and told me about it. I thought that their story was very cool considering the fact that I am a young entrepreneur, too.

Here's a video of them on "Shark Tank":

I do not own this video, I did not create or upload this video.
Here's a link to the SNAP CAPS website: http://www.m3girldesigns.com/

The iPhone: Is it really all that?

These days, smartphones and tablets are becoming more common than the regular cell phone and a desktop or laptop computer. The internet is replacing the traditional newspaper and consumers want things faster. Some can't live without their smartphone, while others don't see what all the hype is about.

One of the most popular smartphones on the market right now is Apple's iPhone. I own the iPhone 4 and am here to offer my opinion. So, is the iPhone really all that?

Yes.

However, I'm sure those of you reading this article right now are expecting more than a one-word explanation of why this phone is so great. There are several things that I love about my iPhone, which I have had for a couple months now and am well-acquainted with.

- Number 1: The iPhone is VERY user-friendly. I was able to use it without any trouble from the moment I picked it up, even though it was my first smartphone.
- Number 2: Front and back cameras. The iPhone 4, 4S, and 5 all have a front and back cameras. This makes it easy to take pictures of yourself. Also, it allows you to FaceTime, which is video chat that is similar to Skype, but is only compatible with other iPhones.
- Number 3: Camera-quality is great. The camera quality of the iPhone 4 is great. It produces sharp photos with rich colors.
- Number 4: Built-in photo editing. The iPhone allows users to do basic photo edits, such as auto-correct, red eye removal, and cropping right on your phone.
-  Number 5: iTunes and music on one device. Before I had a smartphone, I had a cell phone and an iPod Nano, and I had to hook my iPod up to my computer each time I wanted to download a new song. Now, I don't have to carry both a phone and an iPod because iPhone users are able to transfer their music from their iPod to their phone. Also, if I want to download a new song on the go, I can because iTunes is a built in app as well.
- Number 6: Apps! Have you ever heard someone say, "There's an app for everything?" Well, it's true. Whether you want to get all your information organized in one place (Evernote) or run from monkeys to pacify yourself while on a long flight (Temple Run), there's an app for it. Of course, most (if not all) social media sites (like Facebook and Twitter) have apps that make sharing photos, tweeting, and keeping in touch on the go a breeze.
- Number 7: Fast internet access. The internet speed of this phone is very fast, especially on Wifi ( although service may differ depending on your phone carrier).
- Number 8: iCloud. Cloud storage is another thing that's big right now, and Apple's iCloud allows me to sync my contacts, notes, and more to my online account. In case I ever lose my phone, iCloud also gives me the ability to access the "Find My iPhone" app from my computer.

There are many more great features to this phone, but I don't want to keep you reading forever. I would also like to mention the iPhone 4S, which my mom has. It has a few more features than the iPhone 4, such as a panoramic camera that allows the user to take several pictures and piece them together into one image. The iPhone 4S also has Siri, a helpful electronic assistant.

 I know that the iPhone 5 is out now, but if I am going to give an honest review, I would need to have used it before, which I haven't. If you would like to compare the iPhone 4, 4S, and 5, I recommend this chart on Apple's website, which my parents used to compare iPhone models.

Cool Digital Counting Money Jar

Happy New Year everyone!

Every New Year, people make New Year's Resolutions, some of which we keep, but let's be honest, most of us have trouble keeping up with them. Popular resolutions are to lose weight, eat healthier  be more organized, and of course, to save money. One of the Christmas presents I received this year was Digital Counting Money Jar. Each time you put a coin in, the jar recognizes it's value and adds it to the total amount of money in the jar, which is displayed on the lid. I think that this is a better way to collect money than the normal piggy bank because being able to see the amount of money you have increase helps encourage the person to keep saving. I think that this is a great way for kids (and adults) to save their coins.