Zoom alternatives for schools: 7 video conferencing options until Zoom fixes…some stuff
With the news last week that Zoom had some big security concerns to patch up, educators of all kinds started seeking out Zoom alternatives for schools and other kinds of remote learning. Especially after the NYC DOE took the big step of forbidding NYC public schools...
7 meditation apps to help you calm quarantine anxiety. Deep breaths, everyone.
These days anxiety feels like a constant a companion as my house, and some of my usual coping mechanisms aren’t accessible. I miss you, YMCA treadmill! So right now I’m making do with these helpful meditation apps. And I’m happy to say that when I...
5 of the best audiobook apps to listen to while you scrub the counters. Again.
Anyone else need the escape of audiobooks while we hunker down and wait out the Coronavirus quarantines, school closures, and social distancing? These audiobook apps have proved to be the perfect literary lifeline for me while I’m stuck at home with my young...
Dear Reader is the addictive wordplay game for fans of Jane Austen and Edgar Allen Poe. Yes, really.
When you think “voracious reader of the classics” you don’t generally think at the same time “..and big game, toor!” And yet, that’s how I feel every time I open up Dear Reader. Free with Apple Arcade, this fun, quippy, clever, and...
Instagram trick: How to find all those cool Instagram Story filters everyone else seems to have.
We used to say “photos or it didn’t happen,” but it feels like 2020 is all about “filters or it isn’t Instagram.” You may have noticed folks you follow using wacky filters — or oddly flattering filters that bathe them in a...
How to take better holiday photos: 6 fantastic online photo tutorials to make your holidays merrier and brighter. (But not too bright – just the right white balance.)
Every parent wants to know how to take better pictures, especially around Christmas. A few years ago I received the completely awesome gift of a DSLR camera, but I admit I haven’t entirely learned how to use it properly. I’ve taken thousands of pictures...
The new parental controls on the latest iOS 13.3 update are what you might have been waiting for.
If you’ve got a kid on an iPhone or an iPad, this week’s iOS 13.3 update (as well as iPad OS 13.3)has some serious parental controls that we think you’ll be happy to know about. Introducing Communication Limits Starting his week, there’s a new...
15 fun Amazon Echo skills for the holidays, from fun and festive to really helpful
Just in time for the holidays, we’ve found 15 fun Amazon Echo skills that can help you stay organized, add a little more fun to your family time, and even put some magic into the holidays for your kids. If you and Alexa are in a rut, just remember: she can do a...
5 of our favorite, fun educational apps to get elementary students excited about learning this year.
Last week, my daughter Sage and I had a great time talking with the crew from News12 (NYC, Long Island, Westchester) about our favorite fun, educational apps for grade schoolers that help your kids make the most out of screen time. I’m glad I had the opportunity...
Postagram makes sending camp letters a snap. Or, a click.
If you’ve got kids in summer camp, you may know that each day they don’t get a letter from home is another reason they grow up to resent you. Kidding. But they do like to get lots of letters — and I admit, I am not the best daily letter writer. At...
Is the FaceApp safe? Read these tips from experts first.
Our social media feeds are blowing up photos from the FaceApp, thanks to the new FaceApp Challenge, but is it safe? If you’e missed the buzz, this hilarious (ish) app lets you upload a photo to the app, then edits it using AI filters so you can see how...NEW: The podcast that helps you be a savvier digital parent in under 15 minutes a week
Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz
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.
The Spawned Podcast. (It’s won awards and everything!)
“Are you guys okay with Facebook Messenger for your kids to stay in touch with friends?”
Parents have questions, we have answers
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