Fun Apps Archives | Page 5 of 8

Is there really a Magic 8 Ball app? Signs point to yes.

We absolutely love it when our childhood favorites make a modern comeback, like princess phones, Little Golden Records, and of course, Simon. So naturally we’re shaking with excitement (ha) over the new Magic 8 Ball official app that just launched today from...

An interactive storybook app for iPad with all the animals, none of the crowds

by Kate Etue | Fun Apps

My kids ask me if they can download new apps to my iPad every day, and I almost always say no. I hate to give up my precious memory space for the junky, ad-filled apps that appeal to them, but that I’d really rather they not play in the first place. So when I...

We actually found some tasteful, well-designed St. Patrick’s Day ecards. Luck?

by Liz Gumbinner | Fun Apps

Should there be someone out there who needs a St. Patrick’s Day wish from you, I’d say a call is generally better than a text. But a cute ecard is somewhere in the middle, striking the perfect balance between thoughtful and I’m kind of busy because...

Pay Once and Play: The best games with no in-app purchases. Thank you iTunes!

by Julie | Fun Apps

I admit it, I’m an app junkie, and so are my kids. But the in-app purchase prompts on some of our favorite games drive us all crazy.Because even when you’ve disabled in-app purchases on the devices your kids use (you have, right?), the annoying prompts...

1+2=3 app: A fun, free brain teaser app that’s not as easy as it sounds.

by Kristen Chase | Fun Apps

When I spotted the free 1+2=3 app in the App Store and it asked me if I was smarter than a first grader, my interest was definitely piqued. And well, after playing pretty much non-stop for the past couple of days, I see why it gets such great reviews. First of all,...

Hook’d social music app: Try it once and you’ll totally get the reason for its name.

by Nicole Blades | Fun Apps

Everyone likes singing karaoke. Well, everyone except maybe my husband, who prefers to do a Leonard Cohen-style speak-singing thing when it’s his turn up at the mic. Still, even he would get a kick out of Hook’d, a fun social music app that blends selfie...

How to make your own custom emojis. Because it’s an emoji world, and we’re just living in it.

by Nicole Blades | Fun Apps

When emojis first started popping up in random social media spots, I thought, “Eh, they won’t last.” But then I starting using the funny little graphics myself in iMessages and on Instagram comments, and suddenly emojis sort of became my jam. So I...

Scare up some fun before Halloween with Toca Boca’s new Toca Boo

by Christina Refford | Fun Apps

If Halloween’s scary side has your kids jumping at every bump in the night, you’ll want to check out Toca Boo, a brand-new app for iOS by Cool Mom Tech favorite Toca Boca that lets your child be the scary one—and not just when they miss their nap....

Huge news: New App Store bundles get you lots of your favorite iOS apps for less

by Julie | Fun Apps

Along with all the other coolness that Apple has launched recently, they’ve also introduced app bundles with iOS 8 — multiple apps from the same developer, bundled together for a lower price than if you bought them individually. A few of them stand out...

Funny things you can ask Siri: Time-waster of the day

by Liz Gumbinner | Fun Apps

I was just turned onto this Cult of Mac article about Questions You Can Ask Siri to get Hilarious Answers and it still holds up today. From Can you make me a Sandwich? to Open the pod bay doors, check out the list and have a lot of fun. My favorite on the list...

The new Skater app game will have you totally stoked

by Julie | Fun Apps

Confession: I’m a skate betty from way back, and I’ve never outgrown my fascination with skateboarding. (Okay, and with skaters too.) So I was totally stoked to check out the new Skater app, which launched this week on iOS. This brand new game from Frosch...

The apps and tools that turn your iPad into a remarkable sketch book

by Julie | Fun Apps

I love all the ways technology helps us do amazing stuff we never dreamed of before, like turning on the air conditioning while we’re driving home from work, or buying shoes while we’re sitting on the sofa at home. But I think it’s even cooler when...

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.