Got a budding shutterbug? Grab this photo 101 book by National Geographic Kids
I am pretty sure that it's written somewhere in the fine print of the Parenthood Contract that we're supposed to take tons of photos of our kids. So it's always a nice bonus when the subjects of our countless pics develop their own interest in the camera -- beyond...
Training for a marathon? Why yes. On Netflix.
I will never have the 26. 2 sticker on my car, because let's be honest here, the only marathon I'll ever be training for is right on my television. That is why I need this hilarious shirt in my life. I always find myself cracking up at pretty much everything at Look...
Love apps? Why not marry them to your home decor.
I dug these end tables right away when I saw them on Design Milk -- vaguely mid-century lines, clean design, nice contrast between the natural wooden legs and the black or white top. Basically, my furniture style to a tee. Then I took a closer look and realized whoa,...
Peri GoCharge: A mobile charger that’s strong enough for a man, but made for a woman.
When I think of a mobile charger that's made for a woman I think, why? What does it do differently? (Don't answer that question, Kristen.) And then I checked out the gold GoCharge from Peri and I totally get it. Related: Our 5 essential portable chargers The...
The new See First Facebook Feature: How to take control back over your Facebook feed again. Yay!
For awhile now, Facebook has been using ranking to order the stories in your news feed, which means you might be missing a lot of updates and posts from your friends and favorite pages. We can't tell you how many times we've heard from readers that they haven't been...
Sharks by Candy Band: Kids’ music download of the week
Though Shark Week is winding down, our kids' obsession with those toothy creatures of the deep is still going strong. So in honor of our fine-finned friends, we've got a song with bite (ha) from Detroit kindie punk rockers, Candy Band. And yes, it really is punk rock....
A fabulous bracelet that just so happens to charge your phone
There's no shortage of stylish tech these days. Tory Burch FitBit bracelets, cool keychain chargers, and gorgeous USB necklaces, just to name a few. And now, a lightning cable bracelet courtesy of Rebecca Minkoff. Isn't is fabulous? Hidden inside this hot bracelet is...
Moshi makes the perfect laptop bag for small tech and big style
With terms like workcation trending lately, it's becoming increasingly obvious that modern parents mix work and play and family pretty seamlessly. Or, try to. In fact, Liz and Kristen were just talking on a recent episode of their Spawned podcast about how their...
Let kids be their own cake boss with the Motion Math: Cupcake! app
Since my kids have been out of school for over a month, I'm on the lookout for ways to keep their minds engaged. My latest find is the Motion Math: Cupcake! app, and it's been a huge hit around here. We've lauded Motion Math apps before, and while this one's...
Can Kokoon EEG wireless headphones help you get better sleep?
Ever since becoming parents, it's the thing that so many of us crave, covet and perhaps miss the most about our pre-kid lives: sleep, glorious sleep. And on Cool Mom Tech, we're all about sharing helpful tips and tech for getting better sleep. Because, let's face it,...
Sponsored Message: Get ready for Prime Day on July 15! Plus, you could win $10,000 which…not so bad.
This is a sponsored message from Amazon In honor of Amazon's 20th birthday, they're celebrating with Prime Day on July 15, during which Amazon Prime members can score even more deals than on Black Friday. And with their #PrimeLiving Photo Contest, you could be scoring...
Piquing our geek: Can SmartFeed make our kids’ media more mindful, not mindless?
Trying to manage my three kids' time spent and content viewed on all of the various devices we have in this house is one of the most thankless, naggy job out there. They don't fully understand why I say "no" to the newest app, or why YouTube is blocked, or why I start...
Tech Tips & Tricks to Make Life (Way) Easier
5 creative ways to capture first day back-to-school photos.
Don't know about you, but we tend to be sticklers for capturing those first day back to school photos of our kids in their thoughtfully planned new outfits and shiny new backpacks. Of course they're often hastily captured as we race out the door, late for school (just...
How do you type accent marks and special characters? Reader Q+A
I've always wondered if there's an easier way to type accent marks if you don't have them all memorized, or stuff like currency symbols. Do you have any ideas? Thanks! -Juliet Oh, the accent marks. The special characters. The symbol for the Euro. Pi. As writers...
How do you know whether to click that short URL?
Now that so many people are using URL shorteners like bit.ly, ow.ly, tiny url, and even custom urls, it's easier to get tricked into clicking over to a phishing site or intalling malware that suddenly DMs your whole Twitter list to tell them "look at this funny...
Even More Coolness. Enjoy!
4 tech summer camps for kids that parents will think are way cool, too.
Getting our kids on board with STEM early in the game seems like a great way to go. And just because it's summer doesn't mean that gentle parent-ly nudge in the right direction has to take a break. An easy way to get kids hyped about things like computer programming...
The ABCiné app develops literacy of the pop culture variety.
Yes, it's an ABC app. But unlike other ABC apps we've covered here, I don't know that the new ABCiné app (as in cinéma) from Spanish design studio Atipo for Meikme is going to help kids with the alphabet as much as it will help adults -- and a few precious kids...
Makesto is a sweet, free storytelling app to let kids’ imaginations run wild
They say every picture tells a story, which makes my six-year-old a master story teller. We get a book's worth of drawings from her each day and the explanations of her creations are always mind blowingly crazy awesome. So imagine our excitement when we discovered...
Trees by Lianne Bassin: Kids’ music download of the week
With their great climbing branches, ability to provide cool shade on a hot day, and the leaf piles they supply in the fall, it's no wonder that our kids love to play around trees every chance they get. So I'm especially liking one thoughtful song about trees by NYC...
The Prong PWR iPhone charging case works without a single wire or cord. Rejoice!
With all the fun we plan to have this summer, the one thing I don't need is for my iPhone to run out of juice right when I'm about to snap that perfect picture or need directions to the closest ice cream stand. But, since I don't always remember to pack my portable...
A new fireworks app for kids that is all fun, no fear
If a single BOOM from a nearby fireworks display sends your kids running to bury their heads in your lap, you may need kinder, gentler fireworks this Fourth of July. Like the ones found on this cute new fireworks app, Fireworks Lab, which lets our youngest kids set...
Alto’s Adventure: A beautiful app to cool you down on a hot day
I may be the last person to discover Alto's Adventure which blew away the gaming world when it launched a few months back. Even my eight-year-old is like, Mom! You finally got it? But I admit that when I hear "snowboarding app," I don't feel the need to race to the...
Ily vs Triby smackdown! Which is the best no-landline family phone for you?
One of our top family tech picks from CES this year was Triby, the wireless hands-free speaker phone that helps keep the whole family in touch, even without a landline. The preview got us giddy for the technology to come for those of us getting rid of landlines at...
Olloclip Active Lens: Get your iPhone ready for summer adventures and group selfies.
To say that we like iPhoneography is like saying Frozen was a marginal success. Yeah. No understatement: We are huge fans of iPhone picture-takin' over here. Which is why I'm always excited to see what cool, new accessories are popping up to tack on to my iPhone to...
Free song download from the Not-Its: Love is Love, our kids’ music pick of the week
Our young children may not entirely understand why mom's Facebook avatar is covered in rainbows or what all those happy tears on Friday were for, but quite simply, kids can understand the basic premise that all of us here share, that love is love. And to celebrate...
Finally, Gmail Undo Send has been gifted to all. Pack it in, typos!
Think about the last email you sent off in haste. Maybe it had a ridiculous typo. Or, worse, you spilled out all your anger or hurt feelings across the QWERTY instead of taking a breath -- or a night's sleep -- before hitting send. Ugh. The worst. Basically, we've all...
Tiggly Words spells out fun while kids learn this summer
With school out for the summer, I know that many of us will be letting our kids have a bit more screen time during these long, less-scheduled days. And if you'd like that time to be educational, at least some of the time, definitely check out the brand new Tiggly...