Beautiful hand-embroidered iPhone cases, just in time for fall
If you're looking to upgrade your iPhone's look for fall (yes, that's a thing I hear), may I suggest these beautiful Maria Maria hand-embroidered iPhone cases I spotted at Nordstrom? Related: These gorgeous iPhone cases are rock solid. Each case is made by a Mexican...
3 Apple accessories I can’t live without.
As an Apple family, we've seen various iterations of devices in our home over the years. And that means, different chargers, different ports, you get the idea. But that doesn't necessarily mean you need to buy a bunch of other cables and gadgets to accommodate the...
The Flo period app: Because yes, you really need one.
After experiencing all sorts of fun post-40 period symptoms, our friend Sarah James, from the Selfie Podcast, recommended the Flo app. Ironically, I'm a slow adopter to new apps; while I'm happy to try them and recommend them here, it takes a lot for me to continue...
Xbox launches their Adaptive Controller. Hooray for more inclusive gaming!
We were so pleased to hear that the Xbox Adaptive Controller that has been making the news over the last few months has finally launched. That means kids and adults with disabilities who aren't able to use current Xbox controller now have one that will hopefully work...
This fun supermarket app gives kids tons of delicious, imaginative play | Sponsored Message
This is a sponsored message from Kinsane Entertainment Inc. If you've ever told your kids not to play with their food, well, now there's one way they totally can: Fruits vs Veggies Supermarket App for iOS and Android. This fun, safe, and simple interactive app...
The Gixo fitness app gives you live workouts, right on your phone.
A few days ago, our good friend Whitney Moss of 510 families mentioned she was trying out the Gixo app, so of course I had to take a peek, which led to me signing up myself. Turns out, it's a pretty cool app for someone like me who doesn't have the time, or the...
Why the notOK app is crucial for teens (and adults) struggling with depression
Have you ever typed up a message to a friend, asking them to send some good vibes your way because you're really struggling at the moment, only to delete it before sending? (Hand raised!) I don't know if it's the fear of vulnerability that holds me back, or the...
Kids and digital footprints: 6 things kids should know to keep them safer online
Keeping our kids safe and healthy is our number one job as parents. And with so many of them using smartphones and other electronic devices, their online safety has become a huge part of that. At Cool Mom Tech, we have always provided parents with helpful advice and...
Sales and discounts: 9 of our best tips for saving money when you shop online
If you plan on hitting up the Labor Day sales this weekend -- or sales any day, honestly -- our best advice: Do it online! While there are always some great deals in store, if you'd rather chill with the family, or do basically anything besides circling a mall for...
How installing USB charging outlets in your home makes charging so much faster | Sponsored Message
This is a sponsored message from Leviton With so many gadgets filling up our households these days, families are always looking for quicker, more efficient ways to charge their devices. That's why so many parents are swapping out standard electrical outlets for USB...
5 free online parental controls you can put to use right now to keep kids safer.
As parents, we try to keep an eye on what our kids are doing online to help keep them safe, but we can't be over their shoulders all the time. Nor should we be! That's why we're always grateful for online parental controls of all kinds, and why we're so happy to share...
A clever Google Maps trick you’ll be very glad to know about if you travel
As I was prepping for our family vacation to Iceland, I found myself searching for information about cellular signals -- not so I can check my email while I'm gone, but so I can use Google Maps. While I found several posts that assured me my service provider's signal...
Tips & Tricks to Make Life (Way!) Easier
iPhone trick: How to lock and password-protect notes in your Notes app.
Raise your hand if you know how to lock your notes on the Notes app on your iPhone. And now...here's me not raising my hands.Honestly, I never even realized you could do it at all! So leave it to my 11-year-old daughter to show me a cool iPhone tip I hadn't ever...
5 free parental controls for cable TV that you may not know about
One of parents' biggest concerns about kids today, is the access they have to inappropriate content. Parents are often asking us for parental control devices, services and apps to help them moderate what kids' can see and keep them safe. And there are plenty! But what...
Blue light filtering glasses: The one back-to-school item you probably haven’t thought to buy. Yet.
If you're like us, you're deep into back-to-school shopping, but there's probably one purchase you might not have thought of yet: children's blue-light filtering glasses. Blue light from our computers, iPads, and every other device we have -- especially at night --...
Back to the future: Turn your videos into 80s treasures with the VHS Camcorder app
Since my brother introduced me to the VHS Camcorder app (by Rarevision) I haven't been able to stop shooting videos. It makes everything look like it was taken with one of those gigunda 80s camcorders, complete with the date and time stamp, and static. Of course....
iPhone trick: How to lock and password-protect notes in your Notes app.
Raise your hand if you know how to lock your notes on the Notes app on your iPhone. And now...here's me not raising my hands.Honestly, I never even realized you could do it at all! So leave it to my 11-year-old daughter to show me a cool iPhone tip I hadn't ever...
Back to School Tech: Stylish laptop backpacks your teens will actually want to carry.
With my daughter starting high school this year (hold me!), carrying a laptop is one of her requirements, which means she needs a laptop backpack. But, um, have you looked at laptop backpacks? They're not necessarily the most stylish, and I get it. They're meant to...
Back to School Tech: The best apps to help you get organized, parents!
Every year, we put together a list of the best organizational apps for parents. Well this year, we've rounded up all our posts into one handy guide so you can access all of them at once. Bookmark this page, or start downloading these handy apps right now, before the...
Back to School Tech: The best apps and YouTube channels to help kids with science
Every year, we put together a helpful round-up of the best science apps for kids of all ages. Whether they're science lovers, or you're hoping to give them a little STEM boost, we're sharing all of our science app reviews in one handy guide. Bookmark this so it's...
One visit to this website can change the entire school year for a U.S. kid in need
When we first discovered Daymaker, we fell instantly in love with the organization's use of tech to easily allow good samaritans -- as in, you and your kids -- to anonymously fulfill the holiday gift wish lists of kids in need. Now they're doing the same thing for...
Geek game strong for back to school with these glow-in-the-dark DNA TOMS
Calling all science nerds, chemistry teachers, and biology lovers. We have found your new shoes -- these glow-in-the-dark DNA TOMS -- and they are awesome. Related: Let's all drool over the new spring and summer TOMS, shall we? Not only do they scream "geek" with the...
5 free parental controls for cable TV that you may not know about
One of parents' biggest concerns about kids today, is the access they have to inappropriate content. Parents are often asking us for parental control devices, services and apps to help them moderate what kids' can see and keep them safe. And there are plenty! But what...
3 high-tech gadgets to help keep you cool without the A/C
We've been experiencing record temps this summer, even for us down in already-toasty Nashville. So anything to make us more comfortable is welcome these days! Sound familiar to you too? So when we spotted these 3 smart, high-tech solutions to help keep us cool when...
What parents need to know about the new Amazon Teen shopping program
Perhaps you've heard about the Amazon Teen shopping program, in which parents can set up an Amazon login for your teens to shop on their own. It includes lots of safeguards to make sure kids don't spend more than you want them to, but is it a good idea? Or a financial...
Back to School Tech: The best apps to help kids with reading
Every year on Cool Mom Tech, we review and recommend the best reading apps for kids of all ages. This year, we're putting all of our guides in one handy place, so you can bookmark them and reference them more easily. Whether you've got pre-readers or voracious...
Back to School Tech: The best apps and YouTube channels to help kids with math
Every year, we put together a pretty comprehensive guide to the best math apps for kids, whether you've got preschoolers or preteens. This year, we're compiling them all in one helpful spot, so you can bookmark this page and reference all of them if and when you need...