Cool gift idea under $5: Printable photo frames that look like vintage objects.
Digging through our archives for some creative Mother's Day gift ideas, I came across this one that was so excited, I wanted to share it again -- printable papercraft camera frames. As in, picture frames that you print, cut and fold, and when you're through, they...
Please consider these 5 things before deleting your twitter account.
With the big breaking news this week about the controversial purchase and privatization of Twitter by Elon Musk, a lot of users are talking about whether they'll consider deleting their Twitter account, for a variety of reasons. Some users are uncomfortable with so...
Standing up to book bans, The Brooklyn Public Library is letting all teens access their online catalogue, free
I'm among millions of parents all over the country concerned about widespread efforts to ban "controversial" books in our public libraries. Especially when the lists include some of our favorite books, and plenty of them are not "controversial" by any stretch of the...
Cell phone etiquette for kids: 10 things they need to know
After a little texting debacle between my 11-year old and her friends, I realized that maybe I wasn't the only parent dealing with cell phone etiquette issues. And, after asking our Out Tech Your Kids group about the annoying cell phone habits their kids have, my...
If you walk, run, or cycle, these open ear headphones let you hear your music without tuning out the world.
I love listening to music, audiobooks or podcasts (like Spawned of course!) when I'm outside. But there are so many times it's not really safe for us to completely tune out our surroundings, like when I'm running alone at 6 AM, or should I be pushing a stroller down a...
7 of the best multiplayer VR games for kids: Our favorites for all ages
If your kid likes multiplayer VR games, clear some space in your living room, parents! Because I have 7 multiplayer games to keep them moving and collaborating -- or from our perspective, randomly grasping around the room while talking to themselves. VR games have...
PepToc: The encouragement hotline taking the world by storm right now
With all of the heavy news right now, sometimes we really need someone in our corner telling us "You can do it! Keep trying! Don't give up!". This is the actual pep talk I got this morning from a chorus of joyful Kindergartners when I dialed the encouragement hotline...
How to back up your computer data: 3 steps to make sure those photos, files and documents are safe!
I've been hearing more and more people asking how to back up computer data, as they express concerns about cyberattacks lately. Which has reminded me to make sure that my own data is properly backed up too. Even if cyberattack fears are unwarranted (oof, let's hope...
A parents guide to Apple’s affordable new iPhone SE 2022: Why it could be perfect for kids
We've officially hit the point of full Apple product saturation in our household -- and as so many parents in our Out Tech Your Kids community tell us, they have too. So what do you do when you're all basically on Apple devices, your kid needs a new phone, and you...
The best portable car jump starter battery kit for road trip safety: We found one under $100!
My parents were in the market for a portable car jump starter, (also known as a portable car battery charger), because as city folk, they keep an older model car in the city but don't drive it much. That means they need to have some kind of reliable car jump starter...
Tech tip: How to open your Shazam in Apple Music instead of Spotify.
Recently, as you may have heard (ahem) a bunch of influential musical artists have been leaving Spotify, podcasters are rethinking the platform, and plenty of listeners are canceling their Spotify Premium subscriptions. (Which is evidently not all that easy to do, but...
The best family organization apps for sharing calendars, keeping up with chores, planning meals and more
Family organization apps are such a lifesaver, at least once you accept that life admin is part and parcel of modern family life. Still, we all wish there could be a bit more life and a bit less admin sometimes. So I was thrilled to take some time to research some of...
Tech Tips & Tricks to Make Life (Way) Easier
A complete guide to the best apps for college students leaving home, to help them navigate life (sniff) on their own.
We thought it would be a smart idea to put together the best apps for college students, and especially college freshmen. After all, when parents send our kids off to college -- whether close to home or across the country -- you really want them equipped with all the...
How to limit weight loss ads (or other types of advertising topics) on Instagram
I'm not sure about you, but I'm getting bombarded with ads on Instagram, whether it's in the feed or in the middle of my stories. Argh! Most of the stuff I don't really mind (well, maybe my wallet does), but there are things, like weight loss ads, that I do have an...
Is email overwhelming you? SaneBox to the rescue.
This is a sponsored message from SaneBox Whether that little red email badge is showing you 20 unread messages or 20,000, it can be overwhelming to feel like you'll never get to the bottom of it. Enter SaneBox. Trusted by TechCrunch, The New York Times, Forbes and...
Even More Coolness. Enjoy!
Skip the office visits, parents: Speech therapy is now available online.
We know that online mental health therapy access has exploded over the past two years, and increasingly so have other kinds of therapy. As a parent with a child in therapy (and a toddler who naps during the day), I know that just getting to the office every week can...
Helpful apps for your Super Bowl party…or any given Sunday.
If you're getting ready for the Super Bow (whoa) this Sunday, and plan on having company to make it more fun, we've got 7 apps for your Super Bowl party that you'll want to download stat, from party planning help to food and drink delivery, to real-time social sports...
This new bedtime podcast for kids is a parents’ life saver
I'm grateful for any tech that makes bedtime easier, so I was excited to discover Netflix Jr.'s brand new Bedtime Stories podcast -- and I figured a whole lot of parents might be too. The podcast features some of my kids' favorite characters from Netflix Kids -- like...
10 cool Valentine’s gifts for geeks: From STEM to Star Wars
Who else is shopping for Valentine's gifts for geeks this year? My own spouse takes his, ahem, calling as a gamer very seriously, so no red roses for him. Instead I try to get creative and find gifts that incorporates his love of all things gaming, sci-fi, tech, and...
I fell in love with this perfect self-heating mug. Here’s what it does — and doesn’t do.
Seeing as how the work-from-home life is here to stay for the foreseeable future -- for better or for worse -- I've been digging into our past posts for ways to improve my own home office space. (Turns out, our writers are extremely helpful!) One of the items I've...
This app lets you check out library books on your phone. Free. From home. Yes!
Lately, a lot of readers have been asking us about apps that let you check out free library books. Or, free e-books to be technical. So here's the info on a favorite of ours, the hoopla digital app. While I love the feeling of being surrounded by stacks and stacks of...
How I came to choose the best light therapy lamp to help me beat the shorter days.
So let's talk about my absolute obsession with HappyLights, more technically known as light therapy lamps. I've always kind of dreaded the shorter daylight hours of the winter, knowing that Seasonal Affective Disorder tends to hit me hard. I get tired, cranky (sorry,...
Recycle, donate, sell, return: What to do with your old tech gadgets.
I'm excited to kick off the year by finding some easy, effective ways to recycle or donate those old tech gadgets that we all have lying around. Not just for you, but for me too! I know not to chuck my trusty old iPhone into the trash after upgrading to a newer model...
Telemedicine gets even more accurate with the the TytoCare Medical Exam Kit. Whoa.
Even in pre-Covid days, I always hated sitting in a doctor's waiting room just thinking about the "bonus" rotovirus we were probably contracting on top of the ear infection we were there to treat. That's a big reason I am so excited about the TytoCare Medical Exam...
How to make strong passwords and protect them: A simple guide
With the new year here, it's a good time for a refresher on how to make strong passwords and help keep them safe. With phishing still on the rise, ever-present social media hacks, and general security breaches and unsavory shenanigans, it's just a good idea, and one...
The top 10 most popular posts on Cool Mom Tech in 2021
Every year, we think it's fascinating to look back and see the top posts we wrote that captured our readers' interests and imagination. Some of the favorites were just fun (hey, trendy halloween costume!) while most this year were really helpful. And hey, we're...
The Snowy Day: the Opera. How to stream it free with the kids over break
For those of you who also grew up with Ezra Jack Keats's magical The Snowy Day, you can imagine my thrill at discovering The Snowy Day has become a wonderful opera now available to stream on the the Houston Grand Opera website Even better, we can all watch it right...