Kristen Chase, Author at Cool Mom Tech

Message your kids the way they message their friends: Google Docs

If it looks like your kids are hard at work on their laptop or Chromebook, they might actually be messaging with their friends. Turns out, tweens and teens are using Google Docs to chat with each other, and it’s honestly pretty brilliant. All you have to do is...

Survey says: Gen Z kids are not using online passwords safely

by Kristen Chase | Tips and Tricks

When it comes to digital parenting, there’s a seemingly endless number of conversations we need to have with our tweens and teens. And according to a recent survey, moving “how to make a strong password” to the top of the list is pretty important....

5 podcasts I’ve listened to this month

by Kristen Chase | Entertainment

Every month, I’ve been sharing the podcasts I’ve listened to, and this month, well, let’s just say I branched out a bit from the True Crime I’ve been obsessing over lately. And I’m so glad I did. If you’re new to podcasts,...

Holy Pikachu! CASETIFY is launching Pokémon cases.

by Kristen Chase | Cell Phone Accessories

The countdown to the upcoming Pokémon Detective Pikachu movie has started, so no surprise that we’re about to see an uptick in Pokémon merch. Case in point, or should we say CASETIFY? Ha, well, they’ve got a new Pokémon collection launching next week and...

Thinking about a Disney+ subscription? Look at this launch show line-up!

by Kristen Chase | Entertainment

If you haven’t heard, Disney is launching a paid streaming service in November that everyone is talking about and well, based on the Disney+ launch show line-up we’re seeing, we’re not surprised about the hype. We just got a peek at everything that...

In defense of teens with headphones

by Kristen Chase | Audio

This morning my teen daughter lost her earbuds. “Did you shove them in your front backpack pocket?” I asked her. “No!” she snapped, then barked “Just pick me up before study hall!” as she stormed off into the open doors of the bus....

Free Kindle books for World Book Day! Don’t mind if we do.

by Kristen Chase | E-Readers

If you’re looking to add some new books to your summer reading list, you’ll want to head over to Amazon right now and download the 9 free Kindle books they’re offering today in honor of World Book Day. But hurry, you’ve got about 30 hours (and...

New study says increased screen time linked to ADHD in preschoolers

by Kristen Chase | Internet Safety

If you tend to stick to hard and fast time-limited screen time rules with your preschooler, it might actually be a good thing. According to a recent study at the University of Alberta, kids by the age of 5 who spent two hours or more looking at a screen each day were...

Obé gives you studio fitness classes, right on your phone

by Kristen Chase | Lifestyle Apps

I recently fell off the Orange Theory Fitness wagon, and have been looking for something to get me moving again. So, after watching our friend Lauren Jimeson’s Obé workouts daily on her Instagram stories (Hi Lauren!), I figured it was worth a try. And well,...

A cool new Do Not Disturb feature on iPhone that’s perfect for parents

by Kristen Chase | Tips and Tricks

We’re big fans of the Do Not Disturb feature on iPhone, which, if you’re not familiar, allows you to temporarily block notifications (including texts and calls) with lots of customization too. As you can probably guess, it’s perfect for meetings,...

NEW: The podcast that helps you be a savvier digital parent in under 15 minutes a week

Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz

Kristen Chase + Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks

We started Cool Mom Tech in 2010 to help make our increasingly digital lives easier, more organized, more meaningful, and more fun, however old your kids may be.

We love that it's grown to become the go-to source for millions of parents who want commonsense info about tech delivered with a smile.

We even have the privilege of sharing our tips + tricks with The TODAY Show, CNN, HLN, GMA, Nightline, newspapers and magazines around the country, and our favorite -- regular parents who stop us at PTA meetings and ask us how old kids need to be to get a smartphone, and whether they really need to panic about Snapchat.

(Answer: It's complicated.)

We're so glad you're here! And we hope we can help you too.