iPhone apps Archives | Cool Mom Tech

The new parental controls on the latest iOS 13.3 update are what you might have been waiting for.

by Liz Gumbinner | Family Safety Apps, Internet Safety

If you’ve got a kid on an iPhone or an iPad, this week’s iOS 13.3 update (as well as iPad OS 13.3)has some serious parental controls that we think you’ll be happy to know about. Introducing Communication Limits Starting his week, there’s a new...

Forget your readers? Try the magnifier on your iPhone instead.

by Kristen Chase | Lifestyle Apps

For those of us ladies who are now of reading glasses age, I have a pleasant surprise if you happen to be an iPhone owner. You might not know that the iPhone actually has a magnifier feature that can help you in case of a reading glasses emergency. And it’s even...

How to set limits for specific apps using the Screen Time app on iPhone

by Kristen Chase | Tips and Tricks

You’ve probably already figured out how to use the Screen Time app on iPhone to help manage your child’s screen time. Screen Time makes it easy to block and set limits on categories of apps, specific apps during Downtime, or just screen time overall, but...

What are the best services and tools to monitor my kids screen time? 5 top picks | Guide to Digital Parenting

by Cool Mom Staff | Family Safety Apps, Guide to Digital Parenting, Internet Safety, Tips and Tricks

As part of our Ultimate Guide to Digital Parenting, answering parents’ top questions about family technology, we’re sharing the best services and tools to help you monitor your kids on their gadgets. While most routers, phones, tablets and computers have...

How to use the Siri Shortcuts app to make your life a whole lot easier

by Caroline Siegrist | Lifestyle Apps

I’m always discovering new tricks on my iPhone, but figuring out the Siri Shortcuts app has been a total game changer. This feature lets you set up voice commands to automate the tasks you perform over and over again, like navigating to your kid’s school...

5 apps I started using that changed my life this year

by Liz Gumbinner | Best Apps

Yes, we’re all still getting a lot of mileage out of “there’s an app for that” because…well, it’s true. Especially on iOS, though Android is doing a little better keeping up these days. Over the past year, there are a few apps that...

Our top 10 most popular Cool Mom Tech posts of 2018. Happy New Year!

by Cool Mom Staff | Tips and Tricks

From questionable Snapchat stories to gadgets that make our lives easier, we rounded up our top 10 most popular Cool Mom Tech posts of 2018. Happy New Year! Related: Our 10 most popular posts of 2017 10. How to figure out which categories Facebook has assigned to...

5 things I learned about Musical.ly now TikTok, from parents who’ve been there (and said no to that)

by Kristen Chase | Fun Apps

My daughter came home from a sleepover this past weekend asking if she could download Musical.ly (now known as TikTok). I’ve been hesitant about this app after hearing friends’ kids with various issues, not to mention the stories we’ve shared here on...

5 of the coolest photo booth apps for a picture-perfect party

by Caroline Siegrist | Photo Apps

We all know that photo booths are as essential to a good party as cupcakes and punch, so just in time for all those Halloween parties, we’ve updated our favorite photo booth apps for parties. They’re all intuitive, inexpensive, and mostly kid-friendly....

iPhone trick: How to mute text threads (but still get notifications for your other texts)

by Caroline Siegrist | Tips and Tricks

Lately I discovered how to mute text threads on my iPhone, and let me tell you, it’s been a productivity game changer. Because as much as I love a raucous group chat once in a while, I don’t accomplish much when I have notifications popping up on my phone...

Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz

Kristen Chase + Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks

We started Cool Mom Tech in 2010 to help make our increasingly digital lives easier, more organized, more meaningful, and more fun, however old your kids may be.

We love that it's grown to become the go-to source for millions of parents who want commonsense info about tech delivered with a smile.

We even have the privilege of sharing our tips + tricks with The TODAY Show, CNN, HLN, GMA, Nightline, newspapers and magazines around the country, and our favorite -- regular parents who stop us at PTA meetings and ask us how old kids need to be to get a smartphone, and whether they really need to panic about Snapchat.

(Answer: It's complicated.)

We're so glad you're here! And we hope we can help you too.