The Dinner Party is an outstanding resource if you’re dealing with loss and grief
This week, a wonderfully human, poignant video from husband-wife team Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody went viral. Perhaps you've seen it? They used the platform to respond to a Princess Bride fan named Amanda Webb (@Alaska_Webb), a young woman who had recently lost...
10 of the best math apps for middle school that make learning fun.
As a former homeschooling parent, I am a huge fan of math apps for middle school -- and for tweens and teens whatever their grade level. I used to say that I was okay teaching math until around 3rd or 4th grade, and then I needed some help explaining certain topics to...
5 ergonomic laptop accessories you should consider for your work and study set-ups
As someone who now regularly attends physical therapy, let me be the first to advise you about the importance of ergonomic laptop accessories: So important! Given how much time we all spend on our computers these days, it really pays in the long-term to have a...
Claim your cord with these brilliant personalized cord tags
The upside of my family existing in the Apple device ecosystem together is that we can all share cords and cables. The downside? We can all share cords and cables. So I was thrilled to come across these personalized cord tags from Delightful Luna on Etsy. They let you...
10 of the best summer tech posts on Cool Mom Tech right now
As we mentioned on Cool Mom Picks, our team is off on a little break this week. Don't we all need one these days? (The answer is yes. Yes we do.) But hey, before we took off, we wanted to put together some of our very favorite summer tech posts -- which also happen to...
We finally found the very best waterproof iPad case for parents and kids
I've been on a search for the best waterproof iPad case, and after a long hunt I've found it! Or at least I hopeI have. So, of course, I had to share it here. Most parents want protective, waterproof iPad cases to protect against spills or accidents at home or to give...
This app actually scans your kids’ LEGOs, then lets them know what they can build with them. Whoa.
My son is all about LEGO these days, which is why I was intrigued when I heard about Brikit, a new iPhone app that takes stock of the LEGOs you have and makes suggestions -- complete with instructions -- on what to build. Turns out, it's a gamechanger! I love this app...
5 home-office gadgets that take your workspace to the next level. (Some, literally.)
I've been a work-from-home mom long before the pandemic was a thing, but it usually translated to "work from cafe" or "work from library" mom. But, I have to say, I'm kind of happy that this past year has created the new habit of actually working from my home and I'm...
6 of my favorite TikTok parenting experts. Yes, TikTok. It’s not just choreographed dances.
Like a lot of elder millennials, I resisted TikTok for a while. After all, why would I want to watch videos of toddlers spilling drinks when I can just look across my kitchen table? Sorry, Yeet Baby. But the more I delved into it, the more I realized TikTok is...
How to stream the 2020 Tokyo Olympics if you’ve cut the cable cord. (Psst: it’s easy, and cheap.)
This year, we want to stream the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but of course, we happened to have cut our cable cord years ago. Instead, we rely on several streaming services — mainly Netflix, the free HBOMax subscription that came with our phone plan, and our beloved Apple...
Can you identify all 22 of the new Olympic-ready Apple Watch bands?
Just in time for this summer's long-awaited 2020 Tokyo Olympics -- yes, they're still calling it that -- leave it to Apple to create the accessory to match. They're out today with 22 new, limited-edition International Sport Loop Collection watch bands, each one...
4 clever tech solutions that turn handwriting into digital text
We recently had a mom reach out on our Out Tech Your Kids group on Facebook, asking for the best tech to help turn handwriting into text. Like so many kids today, her daughter is using her finger to write on a school issued iPad, and the messy handwriting is causing...
Tips & Tricks to Make Life (Way!) Easier
Tech tip: How to open your Shazam in Apple Music instead of Spotify.
Recently, as you may have heard (ahem) a bunch of influential musical artists have been leaving Spotify, podcasters are rethinking the platform, and plenty of listeners are canceling their Spotify Premium subscriptions. (Which is evidently not all that easy to do, but...
Recycle, donate, sell, return: What to do with your old tech gadgets.
I'm excited to kick off the year by finding some easy, effective ways to recycle or donate those old tech gadgets that we all have lying around. Not just for you, but for me too! I know not to chuck my trusty old iPhone into the trash after upgrading to a newer model...
How to make strong passwords and protect them: A simple guide
With the new year here, it's a good time for a refresher on how to make strong passwords and help keep them safe. With phishing still on the rise, ever-present social media hacks, and general security breaches and unsavory shenanigans, it's just a good idea, and one...
These noise-cancelling headphones are so good, I’ve waited a whole year for the Prime Day sale on them
Last Amazon Prime Day, my partner bought an outstanding pair of Sony Noise Cancelling headphones, which are by many accounts the best best noise-cancelling headphones of 2021. He has not stopped raving about them for an entire year, and for an avowed tech geek and...
A brilliant tech trick for when you can’t remember all those sort of important numbers
If you've ever searched and searched for your frequent flyer numbers (God help me) or insurance card numbers or the numbers that you need every now and then but don't really need to memorize, then I have the coolest tech trick for you. Related: A cool iPhone trick I...
Creative ways we’re using video to thank teachers after a year like no other
A few years ago, we asked teachers to name their #1 favorite end-of-year gift and the answer was not "cash and a massage" (ha). In fact, we were heartened to hear again and again a teacher's favorite gift from students is a personal message of thanks from them. After...
These smart tips and apps can help minimize distracted teen driving
We recently got a question in our Out Tech Your Kids group asking about apps that read texts out loud while you drive, which got me started thinking about some tips and apps to help minimize distracted driving for teens. As parents, we need to think bigger than just...
15 new iOS 15 features that parents will get (very!) excited about: FaceTime, ScreenShare, Focus, Health, and more
Each time there's a live streaming Apple Event to announce the new products and updates, we watch diligently to see what's new for parents and families, or which advances and improvements will actually make our lives a little easier, more organized or more fun. The...
The iPhone trick I can’t believe I hadn’t been using before now
I'm not sure about you, but even with an iPhone 12, which is not the biggest iPhone out there (hello, 12 Pro Max friends), I'm a two-handed keyboard user. I generally peck with my right pointer, and add a little left-hand thumb action now and then. And yes, I'm...
This service can make a special digital memory book from photos and videos for Father’s Day. Free!
I love giving the gift of photos, videos, and heartfelt messages for Father's Day (or any special day, really), but they're not exactly the easiest things to give long distance to say, a grandpa. Do you attach a video to an email? Send a sweet text? Print out a photo...
My favorite new iPhone trick to help me fall asleep — and stay asleep
Over the past year, I have been so grateful for the sleep stories on Calm and some of the Apple Music playlists to help me fall asleep. The one issue: I was sometimes waking up in the middle of the night, my AirPods still in my ears...my music still playing. Then, I...
Check out the Lasso closed-loop home recycling bin. One word: Wow.
My thirteen-year-old is keenly focused on our family being more environmentally conscious, which I'm all about. Currently, the recyclables in my kitchen are balancing precariously on a tall black kitchen trash can stuck in the corner of my kitchen. At least, I think...
How can I prevent a Facebook hack? Reader Q&A
This week in our Out Tech Your Kids Facebook group, we were asked how to prevent a Facebook hack, and specifically, if were any security measures to take that might help. And yes, yes there are! Here, a few really simple tips to help prevent a Facebook hack. They can...
The new Apple Watch Pride edition bands are out and they’re gorgeous!
Welcome to May, the month in which top brands lets everyone in the press in on all their new products supporting and celebrating June's Pride Month. Some of these products...well, it feels like pandering TBH, but in the case of Apple, they've been a strong supporter...
One brilliant tech tip for teens, before they start their college search.
This past week, we had a fantastic chat with college coach and essay consultant Betsy Cadel on the Spawned Parenting Podcast. She offered so many incredible tips on making the college search and application process easier and less stressful, but one tech tip really...