tips and tricks

After seeing a helpful Facebook post going around reminding people to set the Emergency contact information on their iPhone, I realize that I hadn't actually done it for myself. And, my older kids who have their own phones, haven't done …

If you've seen posts floating around telling you that you've got free Ticketmaster tickets to claim, it's totally legit. Due to a huge class action lawsuit that just settled, if you bought tickets between October 21, 1999 and February 27…

As our kids get older, they're often more excited to be behind the camera than in front of it. Or, maybe it's a close tie. But we don't blame them -- with so many older kids with their own smartphones, it's easier than ever for budding s…

So your friends keep bugging you to listen to Serial (Season 1, trust us), or you've heard us keep telling you to download our Spawned with Kristen and Liz podcast but you have absolutely no idea how to get podcasts on your smart phone. …

If you've been using Facebook's photo sync feature to back-up your photos, then you'll want to be sure to back them up. Why? Because if you don't do it by July 7, they will be deleted for good. Keep in mind that this only applies to Face…

We love discovering awesome iPhone features that help make our lives easier, which we can all use, busy parent or not. This is exactly the case with these two tricks that make sharing your texts and voice mails super simple. How to share…

There's nothing worse than putting a post up on your Facebook feed only to have only a few of your friends like or comment on it. Okay, there are lots of things worse than that, but you know, it's annoying, especially when you've got a q…

So, I want my daughter to read more this summer, and with all our upcoming travel, I'm considering a tablet or e-book reader but I'm not sure which is best. -Dawn We're definitely with you that gadgets can be a whole lot easier to travel…

I'm not sure if it's because texting has made me a little phone-call averse or if it always seems like people call at the moment I've got a kid throwing a tantrum, but I have a hard time answering the phone when the calls are coming in. …

This situation probably sounds all too familiar to you: You're at your kid's basketball game or a family birthday party and your mom or your brother sitting next to you asks you to send them some iPhone photos and videos you're taking, w…

I hate to admit it, but I used to be that parent. You know the one who proclaimed her kids would never watch TV or play on a computer, and instead spend endless hours playing outside in any weather. (Torrential rainstorm? Builds characte…

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 suc…

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…

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 acc…

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 …

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…

If your family is anything like mine, a vacation means loading up all the tech gadgets to keep the troops entertained for the long trip ahead. With spring break right around the corner, and summer vacation on the horizon, here are 6 simp…

Today I cracked open my Facebook feed and was officially welcomed to the emojification of Facebook, with their new reaction system that gives you more options than mere "likes." For everyone who ever begged for a dislike button, the curr…

A couple of weeks ago, our friend Heather from the Rookie Moms discovered that her babysitter had been taking photos of her kids on SnapChat and she asked her Facebook friends what they would do about this. Now before you freak about sex…

For those of us who use multiple Instagram accounts -- say you have a personal and a business account, or maybe you have access to your teen's account -- it's been a gift from heaven this week that at last, as with Facebook and Twitter, …

While we laud the continual stream of gadgets that provide us with smart appliances for smarter homes, it gives pause for thought on how all of these connected devices are interacting with each other, what they're accessing, and most imp…

Of course I've heard about Minecraft . How could I not? The crazy best-selling, square-loving video game is practically everywhere and has been for years now. I also knew the super skinny basics on Minecraft: It's all about virtual, 3-D …

Just a few days ago while perusing new Cool Mom Picks Instagram followers (hey, thanks new followers!), I clicked over to the Sesame Place Instagram feed and noticed something pretty surprising in their bio: Photos using #sesameplace bec…

I'd been considering cutting the cable cord for about a year before I actually took the plunge. My kids and I rarely ever watch cable, and pretty much never use the landline (I don't think I ever actually learned that phone number!), so …