Apple’s switch from Lightning to USB-C with the new iPhone 15 Pro: An easy explainer

by Liz Gumbinner | Tips and Tricks, Gear + Hardware

With yesterday’s Apple announcement of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max (and I am sooo excited!) I’ve heard a lot of gripes about the switch from a lightning charge cable to a USB-C charge cable. Here’s the deal in a nutshell– and it’s...

How one college professor is handling AI in the classroom: The perfect set of words for parents to borrow.

by Liz Gumbinner | Tips and Tricks, Kids

Just one year ago, AI was not the kind of thing most families talked about over dinner, but today parents are wondering how to talk to their kids about the use of artificial intelligence tools for schoolwork. Whether you’re concerned about AI like I am, excited...

5 phenomenal tech deals for dads: The stuff he really wants

by Liz Gumbinner | Father's Day Gifts, Fitness + Health, Games + Gaming, Gear + Hardware

Father’s Day is coming up and while we always have loads of last-minute Father’s Day gift ideas for you over on Cool Mom Picks, I was poking around to find some deals for you late shoppers. Turns out, there are some fantastic tech gifts for dads on sale...

If you walk, run, or cycle, these open ear headphones let you hear your music without tuning out the world.

by Christina Refford | Fitness + Health

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...

I fell in love with this perfect self-heating mug. Here’s what it does — and doesn’t do.

by Liz Gumbinner | Life and Home

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...

How this screen-free meditation device has helped my son with anxiety

by Caroline Siegrist | Tech Toys, Fitness + Health

I’m always trying to get my anxious son to do mindfulness exercises with me, but it can be a tough sell. Especially when we’re competing with a barrage of toys and streaming services. But when we tried out the new Zenimal device, which plays a variety of...

An inventive new soap dispenser that might just get our kids to wash their hands. Bring on the bubbles!

by Caroline Siegrist | Kids, Uncategorized

I get to review fun kids products all the time, but it’s been a while since I saw one that made me think: I will immediately buy this for my children. The buru-buru bubble soap dispenser for kids has me pulling out my credit card already to support their new...

The 3 best digital planners for parents, according to parents with very strong opinions about planners!

by Kate Etue | Best Apps, Back to School Tech, Life and Home

I’m always on a quest for the best digital planner for the school year, because I have developed a very bad habit: Every year I get tempted by the beautiful, fun, old-fashioned paper planners I discover on Etsy or in our local stationery stores. They’re...

Is the Skylight calendar worth the splurge for big, busy families? We tried it.

by Kate Etue | Life and Home

I’m mom to a busy family of six, so when I saw the Skylight Calendar in my Instagram feed my first thought was, “This could change my life.” Here’s the thing: I have a job. I homeschool my kids and teach class at a co-op. My oldest two kids...

Check out the Lasso closed-loop home recycling bin. One word: Wow.

by Kate Etue | Life and Home

My thirteen-year-old is keenly focused on our family being more environmentally conscious, which I’m all about. Currently, the recyclables in my kitchen are balancing precariously on a tall black kitchen trash can stuck in the corner of my kitchen. At least, I...