4 helpful meal planning apps for families that really work.
One of my biggest new year's resolutions is to stay organized, and getting my meals planned is key. Because the hardest part of cooking for me -- other than the kids pulling on my shirt or asking me to help them put together their 1,487-piece LEGO set right now -- is...
Your Google Home can now read your kids bedtime stories. Not that you would ever have it do that.
Our Google Home can do all sorts of helpful things, and now it can read to us. That's because Google launched audiobooks, which you can use on iOS, Android, the web, and yes, your Google Home. Related: This app lets you borrow library books on your tablet. For free....
3 outstanding new high-tech baby monitors worth checking out | Best of CES 2018
Since CES 2018, we've been featuring our favorite tech picks for parents and I'd be remiss if I didn't share the incredible new high-tech baby monitors that I got a chance to check out. While there are certainly a lot more that we'll be trying out ourselves over the...
Behold! A self-cleaning water bottle. We’ll take 10.
One of the big stand-outs for us at CES 2018 had to be the Quartz self-cleaning water bottle. Yes, you read that correctly. No scrubbing required. Related: How this smart water bottle helped me drink more water Using a UVC light, the BPA and pthalate-free Quartz...
Jooki: Why we adore this 21st century jukebox for kids | CES 2018
Wow was I excited to discover Jooki at CES 2018. I mean, I saw a whole lot of new tech for kids, but not a whole lot beyond STEM and coding toys that really made me go wow. So I'll be sharing a few top favorites for kids over the coming days, but I have to start here....
A first look at Nintendo Labo: The new, rad cardboard accessories for the Nintendo Switch.
We've been pretty happy with our Nintendo Switch investment going back to 2017 and now, it's about to get even cooler with the launch of Nintendo Labo. It's a series of fun cardboard accessories that can take game play to a whole new level. Launched in April 2018,...
Covet alert: The swanky new charging purses from Mighty Purse
Among all the hardware, wires, and molded plastic at CES 2018 this year, I admit I made a beeline for the Mighty Purse booth, which featured the most gorgeous floor to (almost) ceiling display of charging purses that would be stunning, even if they didn't charge your...
6 of the best new coding toys for kids | Best of CES 2018
I've been back several days from CES 2018, the Consumer Electronic Show, and I'm so happy to discover so many innovative new coding toys for kids this year that are giving new meaning to "best coding toys for kids." Wow, how far we've come! In years past, some coding...
What work of art do you most look like? The silly app everyone is playing with
My timeline started blowing up with bizarre side-by-side photos of selfies and museum portraits. I tracked it down as a feature of the new Google Arts & Culture app (iOS and Android) which is free, fun, and possibly has some educational value in it too. Scroll...
This new Audible series gives you insight on what your teens are thinking. Without the eyerolls.
If you're a parent of a teen, like me, or you have a soon-to-be teen, I highly recommend you check it out the new What Were You Thinking? Audible series aimed at helping parents (or anyone working with teens) get a better understanding of how this age group thinks....
Recharge with these 5 fantastic self-care apps in 2018
It's not always easy for us parents to find time to focus on our mental and spiritual health, but it's critical to being good parents for our kids. So, set aside the guilt about "me time" and download these free self-care apps now. They're going to get you in the...
The best ever, super simple trick for taking better selfies
Last week on family vacation, atop the San Jacinto Mountain with the scenic Coachella Valley behind me, of course tons of selfies were taken. As is the law these days. When it was my turn to pull out my phone, I realized I couldn't get a flattering angle, and the...
Tech Tips & Tricks to Make Life (Way) Easier
When should I use Portrait Mode on my iPhone camera? A quick, simple tip.
Over the holiday break, I took my family on a trip to Sedona, Arizona and the Grand Canyon, and thanks to my fantastic iPhone 8+ camera with Portrait Mode, I've got some fantastic photos. But, as I quickly discovered after some trial and error, Portrait Mode doesn't...
Start the year off with organization: 20 tech to-dos to knock off your list!
If you're like us, then you've got a ton of fingerprints on your computer and way too many photos on your smartphone. But to start 2018 with a clean slate (or at least, a clean screen), we're sharing 20 tech to-dos to help you get more organized before the year gets...
Our most popular Spawned podcast episodes of 2017
We've covered a ton of topics on our Spawned with Kristen and Liz podcast in 2017. From kids and social media to vagacials (yes, it's a thing), we've had a blast chatting with each other, and our esteemed guests, about parenting and parenting culture. And we hope...
Even More Coolness. Enjoy!
5 free journal apps to harness your thoughts in 2018.
Harness your thoughts (and maybe a New Years’ resolution) with one of our favorite free journal apps.
Twitter tricks: The smart accessibility features you never knew about.
Thanks to Twitter user Red Long, who describes himself as blind in his bio, I found a terrific tip to use a feature in your Twitter accessibility features to help your visually impaired readers. However in digging deeper, turns out there are a whole bunch of really...
Cool gadgets, apps, and tips to help you get better sleep. Yay tech!
It might seem counterintuitive to use technology to get sleep, especially since so many sleep experts remind us all that tech before bed is a major offender. Over the years, we've featured some fantastic sleep gadgets and sleep apps to help you get more sleep, none of...
When should I use Portrait Mode on my iPhone camera? A quick, simple tip.
Over the holiday break, I took my family on a trip to Sedona, Arizona and the Grand Canyon, and thanks to my fantastic iPhone 8+ camera with Portrait Mode, I've got some fantastic photos. But, as I quickly discovered after some trial and error, Portrait Mode doesn't...
Start the year off with organization: 20 tech to-dos to knock off your list!
If you're like us, then you've got a ton of fingerprints on your computer and way too many photos on your smartphone. But to start 2018 with a clean slate (or at least, a clean screen), we're sharing 20 tech to-dos to help you get more organized before the year gets...
Countdown to a reasonable bedtime on NYE thanks to Netflix
We can barely stay up until midnight anymore, let alone our little kids, and the combination of both of us with no sleep is just scary. If you're looking to get your kids to bed at a reasonable hour on New Year's Eve, Netflix has parents covered (again) with their...
Our top 10 most popular Cool Mom Tech posts of 2017
From scary apps your kids might be using to the solar eclipse of 2017 (remember that?), we rounded up our top 10 most popular posts here on Cool Mom Tech from 2017. 10. Is Unroll.me safe to use? After the controversy over their use of data (which is common amongst...
Here’s what you need to know about the iPhone battery issue. And how to fix it.
If you've always had a sinking feeling that your iPhone battery started to you know what the fan when new iPhone models were released, you probably felt vindicated last week. That's when multiple sources, like our friends at CNET, reported that indeed, there was a...
American Girl goes STEM with Luciana Vega, the 2018 girl of the year
Big news today, especially for American Girl doll lovers. They announced their 2018 girl of the year, who just so happens to love STEM. How cool is that? Related: Finally, the first American Girl boy Doll Meet Luciana Vega, the 2018 girl of the year, who is an...
Our most popular Spawned podcast episodes of 2017
We've covered a ton of topics on our Spawned with Kristen and Liz podcast in 2017. From kids and social media to vagacials (yes, it's a thing), we've had a blast chatting with each other, and our esteemed guests, about parenting and parenting culture. And we hope...
15 ways Alexa can make your life easier and cooler this holiday season
At my house, we use our Amazon Echo every single day. I ask Alexa to place orders, find the proper cooking temperature of pork, or play my favorite playlist, just to name a few. So with the holidays here, I thought it would be fun to share 15 ways Alexa can make your...
11 STEM subscription boxes for kids that make perfect last minute gift ideas | 2017 Holiday Tech Gift Guide
We know it’s never too early to inspire a science and math passion in our kids!