How to find your hidden Facebook messages. Because yep, you’ve got some.
You know the junk mail or spam box in your email, where sometimes non-spam emails end up? Well, it turns out Facebook has a similar filter for your Facebook Messenger PMs, and just like with email, a lot of legit messages are getting sucked into this filter and we're...
Yuggler for parents: Our cool free app of the week
It's Sunday morning and your kids' friends just had to cancel their afternoon playdate. Or, you are on vacation with your toddler, and rain has just ruined your plans to visit that cool new park you read about online. What to do? Well, nowadays, there are lots of...
Can you teach coding to preschoolers? Here are three toys that will try
Coding is certainly one of the new buzzwords in education, along with STEM, STEAM, and now, believe it or not, STREAM. And while a lot of learn-to-code apps toys, and games, like Robot School, Dash Robot, and Code Master, are targeted primarily to grade-school kids,...
Easy Internet safety tips for parents from an expert that you can start using right now
Parents are always asking us how to monitor the safety of their kids online. Combine that with social media, and it can be really overwhelming for parents to know how to educate their kids while still keeping track of their activity. And as someone with a tween in the...
The Highlights Hidden Picture app for kids. We found it, and it’s awesome.
One of my favorite memories of childhood was my Highlights magazine showing up in the mailbox. I'd always turn straight to page 14 to do the Hidden Pictures before my sister could. (Sorry, sis.) My kids still love getting the magazine too, but now they can all get a...
A new go-kart for kids you control with your phone. Whoa!
If your kids have a need for speed, and you have a need for keeping them safe, you have check out Actev Motors' new Arrow Smart-Kart, one of the coolest ride-on toys I had the joy of seeing at NYC's Toy Fair earlier this year. This high-end electric go-kart is...
Alien Assignment app for preschoolers: Our cool free app of the week
Though your kids may not be able to find their shoes when you are running out the door, they are sure to love finding the solutions to the problems posed in Alien Assignment, a fun, free app for kids as young as three. Created by the Fred Rogers Center, it...
Can I edit my tweets? You ask, Twitter finally says YES. Bring out the confetti!
We cannot tell you how many of our readers and Twitter followers ask if you can edit tweets. And if you spend any time on the network at all, you've probably seen those requests pop up too. So at long last --hooray! -- Twitter is rolling out Tweet Edit this week. Just...
18 seriously awesome unicorn iPhone cases for your tween, teen, or…you.
As I was searching for a cool new unicorn iPhone case for my tween this week, wouldn't you know it --all over the news, a story about an actual siberian unicorn fossil that was discovered. Not that it looks anything like the magical creatures I want on an iPhone case....
Catch those new releases on FandangoNOW (and not two years later on TV)
It's pretty rare that I watch a new release or an Oscar-nominated movie in any kind of timely manner, but today's launch of a new service called FandangoNOW may make the impossible possible. We primarily know Fandango for movie listings and advanced ticket sales, but...
3 new high-tech video monitoring systems to keep your house safe, or just keep an eye on the kids
We are seeing more and more DIY home security options and video monitoring systems enter the market each year, which is great news for families. While of course the video and photo capture on these devices are a huge help to police if you do actually have a break-in,...
Here’s how to follow Cool Mom Tech! Because we are where you are.
Whichever social media site you prefer, we're probably there too. Isn't that how things go these days? Here are all the ways to follow us, if you want links to cool articles you don't want to miss, breaking news, tips for last minute sales and discounts we come...
Tech Tips & Tricks to Make Life (Way) Easier
Boomerang: Maybe the best Gmail management tool ever.
When my friend Anna, who is my go-to source for everything related to time management mentioned Boomerang for Gmail, I figured it was worth a shot. And wow...consider my life changed. If you're a Gmail user who finds yourself sometimes drowning in email and trying to...
Home decluttering tips: 6 smart ideas using tech that keep you from doing it all again later.
Spring cleaning fever has hit hard at my house and this week I've purged closets, vacuumed under furniture, and checked the expiration date on every canned good and spice in my pantry. Goodbye, can of beans that expired in 2012. Now I'm tackling all the clutter that's...
How to use the iOS 8 audio message feature: It’s like it was made for parents.
Hold the phone! No, seriously. Hold the iPhone, because there's something new(ish) and neat and cool happening with its Message app that you'll definitely want to hear about if you haven't yet. While this fun feature has been around since September, when iOS 8...
Even More Coolness. Enjoy!
4 of the best USB car chargers you need in your ride, like yesterday
Look, you and I both know that those cheap-y car chargers we get at the pharmacy, mall kiosk or as free giveaways at conferences have a limited usefulness before they fizzle out on us -- usually at the most inopportune time. So I went looking for the very best USB car...
Brain Pop Featured Movie: Our cool free app of the week
In this week's Spawned podcast, our editor Liz's Cool Pick of the Week is Brain Pop, a website I have turned to for years with my homeschooled kids to find smart, kid-friendly videos about topics as diverse as William Shakespeare, the Civil War, and DNA. And while...
Social media icon Easter eggs. Because, why not?
If you're going to Instagram your Easter eggs today, why not try Instagramming a Pinterest-ready Easter egg with a Twitter icon, then save it on Flickr? Or something. Well, you can do that if you're crafty enough to emulate these amazing social media Easter eggs...
What’s new and exciting from Apple for parents: The iPhone SE, the 9.7 inch iPad Pro, and iOS 9.3
There was lots of news at this week's big Apple Event, from cool new developments in Apple's dedication towards sustainability to awesome new product announcements (and price changes on existing ones). We took the time to go through it all, to share the most exciting...
21 funny baby milestone photos every parent must have, that tell the whole truth about parenting
Let's be honest, the best photos of kids are never the perfect ones. They're not necessarily the photos that required hours of prep time picking out a perfect outfit, or a six-lollipop bribe for a smile. Looking back at our own favorite photos of our family, we vote...
The 2016 Doodle 4 Google student contest winners and our favorite runners-up
We always love seeing the annual winners of the Doodle 4 Google contest, and this year's huge congrats go out to Akilah Johnson, a super talented Washington DC tenth grader who answered the challenge question, "What makes me...me" with a beautifully visual...
The Kindle devices requiring critical software updates, ASAP
Recently, Amazon posted an urgent notice about a critical update for Kindle e-readers. If you have a device from 2012 or earlier, then you need to update your software by March 22 -- that's tomorrow -- if you want to continue having access to your library, the Kindle...
Waze Planned Drives: Big news for anyone who spends any time in the car at all, ever.
If you haven't yet heard about the brand new feature from the Waze app called Waze Planned Drives, then you might be as excited as I am. Especially if, like me, if you're the kind of person who had kids, then went from being always early, to the one who's always...
Here’s how to follow Cool Mom Tech! Because we are where you are.
Whichever social media network you prefer, we're probably there too. Isn't that how things go these days? Here are all the ways to follow us, for links to cool articles you don't want to miss, breaking news, tips for last minute sales and discounts we come across,...
BrightNest app: Our cool free app of the week
The first word that pops into my head after I hear "spring" is "cleaning," probably because three kids plus one dog equals a lot of cleaning at any time of the year. And with today being the first day of spring (yay!), my free app of the week pick is, BrightNest, a...
The 15 minute trick: A smart, easy way to spring clean and organize your home office
With warmer climes finally here and April right around the corner, it's time for my annual spring cleaning to begin. At the top of my list is my home office area. If you've got piles of papers and cords everywhere like me, then I've got a helpful list of ways to...
Check out these 15 brilliant smartphone camera hacks that will totally simplify your life
When I shared 8 ways I use my smartphone camera to make my life easier awhile back, I had no idea how much it would resonate with other parents! But I get it -- anything to preserve a few extra brain cells, right? So, we've expanded this list of ways to use your...