Here’s how to follow Cool Mom Tech! Because we are where you are.
Whichever social media site you prefer, we're probably there, passing on great content from our site, the web and beyond. (Wait, is there anything beyond the web? Well, if there is, we'll let you know.) Follow us for links to cool articles, breaking news, tips for...
Instagram apps that allows you to add text over photos? Reader Q & A.
Hey Cool Mom Tech! Do y'all know of an Instagram app for iPad that allows you to add text or make a collage? -Delilah, via Twitter Hey Delilah! The short answer to your question is: Indeed we do. And we totally get it, too. Sometimes you just want to fiddle...
Piquing our geek: Could Volvo LifePaint save bikers’ lives?
For years, Volvo is of course known for their automobile safety technology, but their latest endeavor is meant to help keep people safe from cars and it's pretty cool. Volvo LifePaint is a water-based reflective safety spray that can be applied on pretty much any...
SelfControl app: For those of us who need a major work distraction intervention
As someone who works on the computer all day, I've got my various methods for keeping distractions at bay, aka "How not to check Facebook every four minutes to see who liked the photo of my daughter's artwork." But if you're like me, then you know that sometimes just...
V.ALRT: The affordable personal emergency alert device that makes getting help easy. Even if you hope it never gets used.
When I first heard about the V.ALRT personal emergency alert device I immediately went to I've fallen and can't get up. I figured it was just some newfangled version of those Life Alert medical bracelets and it turns out, it kind of is -- and if you have elderly...
Does this tote make my laptop look fab?
We have all been raving about the gorgeous Knomo laptop bags for a while now. And judging from the London-based company's new high quality, thoughtfully-crafted collection of laptop totes, we're going to keep doing just that. Each one of these bags practically has Buy...
Schoolhouse Rock’s Where the Money Goes: The perfect video to share with your kids on tax day
When I have to explain a concept to my kids, there are so many awesome educational videos out there on all kinds of subjects, but I admit, I often still turn to the Schoolhouse Rock videos I grew up with as a kid. Today we're watching Where the Money Goes, in which...
5 things to knock off your tech to-do list, and how to find the time. Thanks to Gretchen Rubin.
Do you have some basic tech chore to do -- say, deleting old digital photos -- but you just never seem to find the time to get to it? It's like permanently etched in your to-do list, and every time you scroll through your loaded smartphone camera roll, the old photos...
LIFX bulb review: Why this whole smart bulb trend is especially awesome for parents
I was definitely fascinated by the smart home trend at CES back in January, and particularly the smart light bulbs. Though they do seem more like a fun special effect rather than a necessity for your home. But after playing around the the energy-efficient LED LIFX...
Take Your Kid to Work Day by Recess Monkey: Kids’ music download of the week
It's been more than 20 years since parents started Take Our Daughters to Work Day on the fourth Thursday of April. Later, we added our sons, then expanded the name. So on April 23rd, if your kids will be commuting with you to the office, job site, hospital, day care,...
Location Services on smartphones: Why does every app seem to want access to it, and when should you turn it off?
I'm always a bit leery of apps the moment they ask to have access to my location. Sure, it makes sense with Google Maps, weather apps and certain social apps that help me locate a specific store or get a restaurant review. Those kinds of apps are more useful and just...
Disposable cameras are back! Only…not.
I have to admit that disposable cameras make me pretty nostalgic for the old days of pressing the shutter, then having no idea how those snaps turned out until I picked up the envelope of prints. (Ed: Or better, finding an undeveloped disposable camera in a drawer...
Tech Tips & Tricks to Make Life (Way) Easier
The very best apps and websites for holiday gift list organization
Yes, it's that time to start thinking about ways to organize your gift lists. The holidays will be here before we know it. Luckily, these days. there are really a lot of tech resources out there for managing the holiday shopping process, both to keep track of gifts...
5 of our favorite techie pins on Pinterest this week
Obsessed with Pinterest as we are? Follow us, then take a peek at the five coolest Pinterest pins from this week that you won't want to miss.1. A must-have safety resource for any parent with kids on Facebook. 2. Smart tips on how to organize your online...
Preparing for Hurricane Sandy aka Frankenstorm? These links can help!
With Hurricane Sandy, aka Frankenstorm, about to make landfall on the east coast, many of us are stocking up on bottled water and charging our gadgets. If you're not in the evacuation zone but are still battening down your hatches, here are some of the best hurricane...
Even More Coolness. Enjoy!
Now kids can build their own robot overlords with The Robot Factory app
Every time Tinybop releases a new app, I'm not sure who's more excited -- my kids or me. Their newest release, The Robot Factory, is just as awesome as all the others that we've adored, like The Human Body, Plants, and Homes. The creative potential in The Robot...
A custom iPhone case that’s perfect for Mother’s Day. Tissues are extra.
Whether you are looking for a thoughtful, unique, and sentimental Mother's Day gift--or just really want one for yourself-- check out My Little Buffalo's custom illustrated family portraits which--hint--would make me a very happy recipient. And that's not just because...
Zipbuds: Affordable earbuds that cancel out noise and tangles
After a particularly long stretch of snow days this winter, I realized I needed a pair of noise-canceling headphones. Because, kids. If you are with me, here's one that takes care of two big parental issues: Tangle-free, noise-cancelling Juice 2.0 earbuds from...
KidsLink app: A smart alternative to social media oversharenting
I didn't even know there was a term for it, but of course there is. Oversharenting. It's that thing that so many of us parents do on social media -- especially on Facebook -- where we share, or overshare, info about our kids that ranges from cute "firsts" to humble...
A new one stop shop for STEM toys and games that you’re probably already visiting.
What do you get for the kid who has everything? Cool STEM toys that might help them learn something new, we say. Because even kids who have everything, don't yet know everything. And now it's easier than ever to shop for awesome educational gifts, thanks to Amazon's...
Mapstr app: A brilliant way to track favorite places wherever you go.
Have you ever wished you could literally bookmark a favorite restaurant in a new town you're visiting? Like, just magically click a button in your brain that lets you put an asterisk next to the name of the place so you'll always remember it? Or maybe it's the...
5 smart selfie stick alternatives. Because OH NOES, NOT A BAN ON SELFIE STICKS.
The selfie stick struggle is real, friends. From major museums, like the MoMA and The Met in NYC to the Palace of Versailles in Paris, to sports stadiums, to musical festivals Coachella and Lollapalooza, the ban on selfie sticks shows no signs of slowing down. While...
The Geek Baby Book: A memory journal to fill out beside the warm glow of the TARDIS nightlight.
There are any number of baby books and memory journals out there for new parents, but none I couldn't put down, before it was even filled in. Until I saw The Geek Baby Book by Tim Mucci. Right from the first chapter, in which the author offers a list of possible boys'...
The gorgeous new modular leather iPad and tablet case that could finally get you organized
When the small tech accessory company This is Ground first launched the Cordito and the Cord Taco -- clever little cord taming leather accessories named for Tex-anything-but-Mex fast food favorites, well we knew we liked these guys right away. Since then, their...
Cat Doorman’s Calling all the Kids to the Yard: Kids’ music download of the week
Whether your "yard" is a patch of grass attached to your house or a nearby city park, I think you're going to love this incredibly cool song from Portland's Cat Doorman that's the perfect anthem for spring. Calling all the Kids to the Yard! starts with a catchy guitar...
15 Instagram tips every user should know. We think you’ll heart-emoji them.
Truth be told, I abandoned my BlackBerry for the iPhone specifically because of Instagram. And, believe me, I was quite the keyboard-over-touchscreen loyalist. But the lure of the obvious fun of sharing square photos -- with filters! -- was just too strong, and back...
A fun Easter app for kids to keep them busy while you hide the eggs
It's only the beginning of our Easter spring break mash-up weekend, and my kids are already getting antsy. Don't they know that I, er, the Easter Bunny have things to do? So if you're like me and have exhausted the Easter crafts, and Easter egg coloring pages, I found...