Donde Fashion app is like a visual shopping search engine, and it’s awesome.
Shopping online has been Captain Convenience for so many of us for years now, although when you're shopping for clothes, it can sometimes lean into "this is such a hassle" territory if you've got six open tabs to compare prices at six different shops. Turns...
STEM kits for girls that may not need to be called “STEM kits for girls”
We have always been big proponents of the idea that all toys are for all kids, sharing finds like dolls made for boys and tech toys that appeal to all kids, which is something our own kids have naturally shown us through their play. And we cheered when Target decided...
Wonder Workshop Dot and Dash Robots: 1 tech toy. 4 kids. 3 project ideas. And no fighting, mostly.
With four kids in the house ranging in age from five up to 11, it's no small feat to find a tech toy that they can all play with, especially when it's something educational. Darn those age limits. But as I recently learned, that's not the case at all with the Dot and...
Data nerds of the world, unite!
Those who know me know that deep down, I am a data nerd. And those who listen to the Spawned podcast know that it's not so deep down, since I'm always researching studies and quoting statistics and shooting down lame studies about why parents suck/fail/are ruining...
Todoist app may be our new favorite to-do list app.
Where would any of us be without our to-do lists? Probably reclined somewhere on a beach having sweet nothings whispered into our ears by our hot-to-death boyfriend Idris Elba. (Okay. That's just me. Big Driis and I have history.) The point is, sometimes our to-do...
7 cool finds for families from the 2015 World Maker Faire.
It's hard to believe this was my first ever year attending the Maker Faire in NYC, but yep. It's true. And now consider me an annual attendee. Thanks to our sponsor Sprout by HP who hooked me up with tickets (thank you thank you thank you, HP!) I got to spend a...
Geeky baby onesies that spell future genius
This week at the Maker Faire, which is kind of one of the best thing ever, it was so fun discovering not just the amazing tech activities and gadgets and inventions, but what some of the more craft-based makers were doing. One discovery: The fabulously geeky baby...
Josh and the Jamtones: Kids’ music download of the week
There's a chill in the air this morning that lets me know that, without a doubt, fall is here. And since I know firsthand how hard it is to get kids out of bed on these colder, darker mornings, I'm recommending you follow my lead and download a song that will help get...
The Earth by Tinybop: the wonderful new app for future geologists. Or just curious kids.
We've found that our kids learn best if we give them the opportunity to be curious about things first, and that's what the exploration apps from Tinybop do so well. Whether you kids are interested in the human body, architecture, or building machines, they have lots...
Play your way through early American history with Frontier Heroes app for kids
When it comes to teaching my kids history, I'll use anything I can get my hands on, from Crash Course and Brain Pop videos, to cool apps like History Here that help us learn the history of places we visit. And now I've found a lighthearted yet smart app called...
The Sound Cover speaker boosts your iPad volume by 400%. We’ll let you decide if that’s a good thing.
We've gotten to the point where my kids watch most of their shows and movies on our iPad. The sound is fine when just one of them is using it at a time, but when they're trying to share it -- which is a feat in and of itself -- the sound can be tricky. So I've been...
The Kid Should See This: A smartly curated collection of cool videos for kids (and their parents, too)
We're always looking for cool educational videos for kids, whether they're the funniest videos on YouTube, or educational videos and YouTube channels that our own kids love. In fact, we've joked that we could just do that, full time, every day. But hey! Someone else...
Tech Tips & Tricks to Make Life (Way) Easier
How to borrow free Kindle books–the ones you actually want to read.
If you're an Amazon Prime member, then you might be wondering how to borrow a book from the Kindle library--one of the excellent benefits you get with your membership. Now granted they're probably not all books you actually want to read (if you're like me and have to...
Unroll.me: How to clean up your inbox with a minimum of hair-pulling-out.
I’m usually not one for New Year’s resolutions, but, in the spirit of getting more done in 2014, I decided to tackle my email--like so many of you who ask us how to clean up your inbox when it's overrun with more emails than anyone can keep up with. PaperKarma took...
Breaking news: Apple refund coming for all those accidental in-app purchases from your kids
Although my own kids haven't made any in-app purchases without my permission that I know of (knocking on wood right now), I know lots of parents whose kids certainly have. And thanks to a new FTC ruling, Apple has to pay you back for all those accidental in-app...
Even More Coolness. Enjoy!
It’s a selfie world, and we’re just living in it
Okay all ye mothers who felt guilty about not getting those baby books filled with photos representing every little milestone: You are no longer alone! Because now, you don't even have to have kids to feel the pressure of owning a photo album completed with requisite...
The Companion app keeps you safer when you’re walking home alone
As the days start to get shorter (sob) and we realize some of us will soon be heading home from work or walking around a college campus in the dark at just 5PM, it's nice to know that walking home alone just got a lot less nerve-wracking. Thanks to five University of...
Anki OVERDRIVE: It’s back, it’s better than ever, and it’s going to be the holiday tech toy of the year
Last year we fell in love with the Anki Drive app-controlled racers, calling it one of our top tech toys of 2014. Earlier this year at Toy Fair, we got a look (and a very fun if brief test drive) of the brand new Anki OVERDRIVE and as of today, it's here! And this is...
Osmo Numbers app: Man, where was this when we were learning basic math skills?
Here I was, thinking I was so excited to have my kids back in school, but I totally forgot one thing: homework. Drilling your kids on their math facts is the most fun ever, right? Ugh. Well, if you have the amazingly inventive Osmo for iPad, your kids will be able to...
First camera recommendations for kids? Reader Q+A
My daughter is turning 6 and I'd like to get her a camera. We gave her an old Canon point-and-shoot for Christmas and she is so responsible with it - she's ready for a new one of her own. I love the Fujifilm Instax Mini (especially Hello Kitty), but I'm a little...
Sunshine Collective’s Up To Something Good: Kids’ music download of the week
After a rather rough news week, I think we could all use a little bright spot of musical sunshine in our day. And to provide it, we're turning to the very first band we ever featured here on Cool Mom Tech for our kids' music download of the week series: Sunshine...
Type geeks, your fabulous new font finder is here
I tend to browse lots of places looking for cool fonts that I may never use. (When it comes to typefaces I'm more of a collector than a designer; kind of like having lots of books at home you haven't yet opened. But I digress.) I've just stumbled across a seriously...
Animal Jam Play Wild app: A safe, fun, educational way to let your kids act like total animals
Warning: It's a jungle out there. No, really. There's a crazy, colorful jungle filled with wild animals and plants for kids to explore, and it's right there on your smart device. Since we always love the kinds of educational apps that kids can't put down, we're really...
The Metropolitan Museum of Art introduces #MetKids: A fun site made for kids, by kids (and cool enough for parents, too).
Often, when I see something that claims to be made "for kids, by kids," my suspicious brow goes up and I prepare myself to be underwhelmed. Not the case with #MetsKids, a new website that is -- ahem -- made for, with, and by real life kids from all five boroughs in...
The innovative car charger that’s the solution to all your overconnected family woes.
I now have a couple of two-port USB chargers in the cigarette lighter socket, because the idea of running out of batteries in the middle of a Waze nav is terrifying. (And on a totally separate note, when are we going to stop calling them cigarette lighters and start...
Recently Magazine App turns your photos into a magazine…of your own life
Getting excited at a recent dentist visit to sit and read an actual magazine made me realize how little time I have to myself. (And perhaps that I need to find a hobby). People aside, turns out I found a magazine of sorts that I'll most definitely make time for every...
Free song download for Grandparents Day: Kids’ music download of the week
Your kids may say Nana or Grandpa or Oma or Nonno, but no matter what they call their grandparents, there's no doubt that the good ones are worth their weight in gold. So on today's Grandparents Day (don't forget to make a call or schedule a Facetime!) which is an...