Kristen Chase, Author at Cool Mom Tech

The 20-20-20 rule, and why you (and your eyes) need to know about it

Every now and then I’ll spot a fantastic article shared by one of my Facebook friends, only to discover it was written a few years ago. Womp, womp. But in a few cases, like this Vice article about what screens are doing to our eyes (and our kids’ eyes),...

Bandolier goes pro. AirPods Pro, that is.

by Kristen Chase | Audio

If you were lucky enough to snag a pair of AirPods Pro this holiday season (or you played Santa for yourself), then you’ve got the perfect excuse to get one of the new Bandolier AirPods Pro pouches. Even though we were initially a little skeptical about the...

Digital parenting tip: How to teach your kids (and yourself) to spot fake photos

by Kristen Chase | Tips and Tricks

We live in an age of photoshop and photo altering, and quite frankly, our teens and tweens are pretty savvy when it comes to pointing out (and complaining about) a model’s face that’s been de-wrinkled. But photos of women — made to look skinnier and...

Use this browser extension to show you what Amazon books are available at your local library

by Kristen Chase | Helpful Services

If your goal is to read more in 2020, here’s a smart browser extension that could help you save a little money this year, because it shows you what Amazon books are available at your local library. Related: 3 free audiobook apps you should know about I know lots...

4 ways to try a tech detox with your family that actually work

by Kristen Chase | Tips and Tricks

With resolutions and goals for 2020 in mind, we know that a lot parents are thinking about technology and screen time. Wrangling screen time is a huge concern for many of you (and us), as well as the members of our Out Tech Your Kids Facebook Group. Let’s just...

12 tech gifts you should probably just buy for yourself already | Holiday Tech Guide 2019

by Kristen Chase | Holiday Tech Gifts

We’ve got lots of cool tech gifts for big kids and teens, not to mention some awesome STEM holiday gifts for kids as part of our Holiday Tech Guide, but what about us? We love tech too! Except sometimes, the tech gadgets we want aren’t super gifty. But...

10 of the coolest tech gifts for teens that are all teen-approved | Holiday Tech Gift Guide 2019

by Kristen Chase | Holiday Tech Gifts

We know first hand that finding cool gifts for teens is no easy task. But in our experience, tech is always a safe choice, especially in 2019 when teens are so in tune with what’s hot on the tech scene. We’re so pleased to present this holiday tech gift...

Digital parenting question: Should I let my child on Snapchat because all of her friends are?

by Kristen Chase | Tips and Tricks

This past week, my 11-year old daughter and I had a long conversation about Snapchat. She’s been begging me for awhile now, but lately, it’s amped up because pretty much all her friends use it exclusively to communicate. I’ve been very resistant to...

Disney+ streaming service: Here’s how our first 24 hours went.

by Kristen Chase | Entertainment

My husband already had the new Disney+ streaming service locked and loaded on our Roku TV yesterday morning. And even though there were a few glitches with it on mobile, we had no problems perusing the many offerings and watching a couple of shows. Let’s just...

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.