10 great CyberMonday tech deals on holiday gifts for families
While CyberMonday deals kind of started a week ago, making this entire week CyberWeek, it's not to say that you can't get some fantastic deals on tech products today -- some of which have been on for a few days, some of which are brand new for today. Here are 10 deals...
This kids’ app may help inspire a whole new generation that believes in giving back.
Just last week, someone in our Out Tech Your Kids community mentioned how a major app just "pretends to care" about the well-being of kids, after realizing a child safety feature wasn't particularly functional. And I thought, well, that sounds like most major apps to...
10 of the hottest audiobook memoirs that make the best holiday gifts this year
I've written here before about how I learned to love audiobooks and the trick for me was finding memoirs and nonfiction. So I've put together the hottest memories of the year that are perfect for gifting. Think: new parents who don't have time to sit and read a book,...
The best ways to clean and disinfect your phone during cold and flu season: From gentle cleaning to killing bacteria and microbes
It's always a good time to talk about how to best clean your phone and gadgets. But especially this time of year. With cold and flu season now meeting Covid-is-back season (again, sigh) it's important to know how to safely clean your phone, or disinfect it entirely....
The widespread teenage boy sextortion scam: What to do if your child is a victim
This week's Washington Post article about the teenage boy sextortion scam by Chris Moody is all I've been thinking about. In part because I know a kid who was targeted in this way, and it was a terrible situation. But to learn that this is a problem that's so...
Rebel Girls x Hispanic Heritage Month: Your kids will love these short audio stories about amazing Hispanic women
As if I haven't raved about the Rebel Girls books and the Rebel Girls app enough, I am now touting of the Rebel Girls Podcast. Since 2018, they have been producing three wonderful biographical audio stories a week, each just 14-20 minutes or so--perfect for restless...
Apple’s switch from Lightning to USB-C with the new iPhone 15 Pro: An easy explainer
With yesterday's Apple announcement of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max (and I am sooo excited!) I've heard a lot of gripes about the switch from a lightning charge cable to a USB-C charge cable. Here's the deal in a nutshell-- and it's actually a good thing. ...
11 of the best reading apps for kids in high school and middle school. Including test prep! | Back to School Tech
Sometimes we think of reading apps as being for little kids, but reading apps for kids in high school and middle school can be extremely helpful. Whether your kids are voracious readers or a bit more reluctant to get lost in a book when there are new video game levels...
How one college professor is handling AI in the classroom: The perfect set of words for parents to borrow.
Just one year ago, AI was not the kind of thing most families talked about over dinner, but today parents are wondering how to talk to their kids about the use of artificial intelligence tools for schoolwork. Whether you're concerned about AI like I am, excited by the...
5 important tech conversations to have with your kids as they head back to school
With back-to-school here, or just around the corner for some of us, I like to take the time to have reinforce some basic tech rules with my kids and have some important tech conversations before things get super hectic. Whether your kids have their own phones or not,...
Free download: 30 creative activities for kids that blend off-screen summer fun with just enough tech.
I know, I know, the last thing parents want our kids to do this summer is spend all day watching YouTube videos or playing more Minecraft. We're always hoping our kids can find a little more balance with screen time over the summer, and that whatever screen time they...
5 of the best photo booth apps for a picture-perfect party
It's been a while since we put together our list of the best Photo Booth apps, and wow, have they come a long way! We all know that photo booths are as essential to a good party as the food and drinks, whether you're celebrating a birthday, graduation, Halloween, or...
Trending right now. As in, this second.
Tech Tips & Tricks to Make Life (Way) Easier
The best ways to clean and disinfect your phone during cold and flu season: From gentle cleaning to killing bacteria and microbes
It's always a good time to talk about how to best clean your phone and gadgets. But especially this time of year. With cold and flu season now meeting Covid-is-back season (again, sigh) it's important to know how to safely clean your phone, or disinfect it entirely....
The widespread teenage boy sextortion scam: What to do if your child is a victim
This week's Washington Post article about the teenage boy sextortion scam by Chris Moody is all I've been thinking about. In part because I know a kid who was targeted in this way, and it was a terrible situation. But to learn that this is a problem that's so...
Apple’s switch from Lightning to USB-C with the new iPhone 15 Pro: An easy explainer
With yesterday's Apple announcement of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max (and I am sooo excited!) I've heard a lot of gripes about the switch from a lightning charge cable to a USB-C charge cable. Here's the deal in a nutshell-- and it's actually a good thing. ...
Even More Coolness. Enjoy!
This emotional support hotline for gamers is delivering mental health support one text at a time.
We know many so many families who love online gaming for its temporary escape into cool unique realms and the connection with others who love to play as much as we do. But sometimes real-world problems can follow us into our online games; bullying, harassment, or...
Cool, practical tech gifts for your grads heading to college
If you're looking for a cool but practical tech gift for your favorite grad, we've got you covered. Better yet -- all online! (Hey, we're busy!) Whether you're shopping for your own first-time freshman, or a lucky niece, nephew or grandchild, we've scoured the web and...
Audio books under $5 that support independent bookstores: Get in on this sale from Libro.fm!
Our longtime readers will understand why we're so excited about Libro.fm's sale of audio books for under $5 each, in honor of Independent Bookstore Day on April 30. After all, in our (gulp) 15+ years online, we've shared hundreds of the best books and audio books,...
Do you qualify for a payout from the $725 million Facebook class action settlement?
Wow, I sound like a TV law firm ad saying, "you may qualify for a payout from the multi-million dollar Facebook settlement!" But honestly, that's the fact. I've popped my name into a couple of class action settlements recently -- generally around data breaches -- and...
11 tech gifts for the mobile mom, all as practical as they are cool | Mother’s Day 2023
Mother's Day tech gifts are completely underrated. As much as we will always love receiving flowers and chocolate for Mother's Day (seriously, bring it on!) we'd never say no to an awesome Mother's Day tech gift. Especially one that recognizes that we are basically...
7 of the best meditation apps to help you calm anxiety. Deep breaths, everyone.
These days, anxiety feels like a constant a companion at my house and I've made good use of these meditation apps ever since Covid began. I'm happy to say that when I actually get a chance to use them, they really make a difference. After all, we're learning more and...
How to download 3 free audio books this week in honor of Black History Month.
Black History Month lasts through the end of February, but you'll need to act by Friday if you want to grab free downloads of three important audio books by Black authors. Offered as a gift from Cool Mom Tech-recommended audiobook company Libro.fm and Tantor Audio,...
CuriosityStream gives you thousands of compelling documentaries all in one streaming channel
Documentaries are hot right now. Whether you're watching President Obama narrate Our Great National Parks with your kids, baking in the schadenfreude of Bad Vegan, or learning about culture and history through movies like What Happened Miss Simone?, it's clear that...
Kids asking for a phone? Here are 5 reasons you should consider the new Teracube Thrive phone for kids.
I know firsthand how hard it is to decide when is the best age for kids to have their own cell phone. On one hand, we want them to be able to reach us if soccer practice gets out early or they want to leave a sleepover at 1am, but exposing them to the potential...
5 simple things you can do right now to organize your smartphone
Like many busy parents, my smartphone has become my lifeline, whether it's the calendar that helps keep me (and my four teens) on track to the emails, social media, and various apps that keep me connected, both personally and professionally. That's why it's so...
Inbox Zero trick: How to clean out your inbox on Gmail and start the year fresh. (Updated)
As someone with anywhere upwards of 10,000 emails in my inbox -- many of them unread, to the dismay of my minimalist friends -- I am always looking for tips and tricks to help me manage my email. One of those is to start each new year with an absolutely clean inbox....
We’re spreading love to our Jewish friends and family with these Hanukkah ecards
Though I send out inclusive Happy Holidays cards to a lot of people, I think this is an especially good year to also send a specific Happy Hanukkah greeting to our Jewish friends and family. Jewish Americans tend feel a bit overlooked in this season of Christmas...