Audio books under $5 that support independent bookstores: Get in on this sale from Libro.fm!
Our longtime readers will understand why we're so excited about Libro.fm's sale of audio books for under $5 each, in honor of Independent Bookstore Day on April 30. After all, in our (gulp) 15+ years online, we've shared hundreds of the best books and audio books,...
Do you qualify for a payout from the $725 million Facebook class action settlement?
Wow, I sound like a TV law firm ad saying, "you may qualify for a payout from the multi-million dollar Facebook settlement!" But honestly, that's the fact. I've popped my name into a couple of class action settlements recently -- generally around data breaches -- and...
11 tech gifts for the mobile mom, all as practical as they are cool | Mother’s Day 2023
Mother's Day tech gifts are completely underrated. As much as we will always love receiving flowers and chocolate for Mother's Day (seriously, bring it on!) we'd never say no to an awesome Mother's Day tech gift. Especially one that recognizes that we are basically...
7 of the best meditation apps to help you calm anxiety. Deep breaths, everyone.
These days, anxiety feels like a constant a companion at my house and I've made good use of these meditation apps ever since Covid began. I'm happy to say that when I actually get a chance to use them, they really make a difference. After all, we're learning more and...
How to download 3 free audio books this week in honor of Black History Month.
Black History Month lasts through the end of February, but you'll need to act by Friday if you want to grab free downloads of three important audio books by Black authors. Offered as a gift from Cool Mom Tech-recommended audiobook company Libro.fm and Tantor Audio,...
CuriosityStream gives you thousands of compelling documentaries all in one streaming channel
Documentaries are hot right now. Whether you're watching President Obama narrate Our Great National Parks with your kids, baking in the schadenfreude of Bad Vegan, or learning about culture and history through movies like What Happened Miss Simone?, it's clear that...
Kids asking for a phone? Here are 5 reasons you should consider the new Teracube Thrive phone for kids.
I know firsthand how hard it is to decide when is the best age for kids to have their own cell phone. On one hand, we want them to be able to reach us if soccer practice gets out early or they want to leave a sleepover at 1am, but exposing them to the potential...
5 simple things you can do right now to organize your smartphone
Like many busy parents, my smartphone has become my lifeline, whether it's the calendar that helps keep me (and my four teens) on track to the emails, social media, and various apps that keep me connected, both personally and professionally. That's why it's so...
Inbox Zero trick: How to clean out your inbox on Gmail and start the year fresh. (Updated)
As someone with anywhere upwards of 10,000 emails in my inbox -- many of them unread, to the dismay of my minimalist friends -- I am always looking for tips and tricks to help me manage my email. One of those is to start each new year with an absolutely clean inbox....
We’re spreading love to our Jewish friends and family with these Hanukkah ecards
Though I send out inclusive Happy Holidays cards to a lot of people, I think this is an especially good year to also send a specific Happy Hanukkah greeting to our Jewish friends and family. Jewish Americans tend feel a bit overlooked in this season of Christmas...
12 cool tech gifts under $25 | Tech Holiday Gifts
Still looking for cool tech gifts this holiday? The closer we get to Christmas and Hanukkah, the easier it is to let budgets go out the window in an effort to just get gifts to wrap. But, just because time is ticking, you can still grab some cool tech gifts under $25....
The Mathpid Math App is like an AI-powered math tutor for kids
This is a sponsored message from the Mathpid App If your child is struggling with math, needs more help than what they're getting in the classroom, or could just use a little enthusiasm boost, check out the free Mathpid app -- the popular, highly successful math app...
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Tech Tips & Tricks to Make Life (Way) Easier
How one college professor is handling AI in the classroom: The perfect set of words for parents to borrow.
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 by the...
5 important tech conversations to have with your kids as they head back to school
With back-to-school here, or just around the corner for some of us, I like to take the time to have reinforce some basic tech rules with my kids and have some important tech conversations before things get super hectic. Whether your kids have their own phones or not,...
Do you qualify for a payout from the $725 million Facebook class action settlement?
Wow, I sound like a TV law firm ad saying, "you may qualify for a payout from the multi-million dollar Facebook settlement!" But honestly, that's the fact. I've popped my name into a couple of class action settlements recently -- generally around data breaches -- and...
Even More Coolness. Enjoy!
Mylio Photos is the safe, private way to organize, curate, and protect your most important photos.
This is a sponsored message from Mylio Photos One thing we can safely say about parents: We take a ton of photos. The other thing we can safely say: We hardly have time to organize them, let alone curate them, delete the extras, and share them. That's where Mylio...
21 cool tech stocking stuffers: Creative ideas that aren’t “AAA batteries” | Tech Holiday Gifts
We always have the best time looking for cool tech stocking stuffers that go beyond the usual. And by usual, I mean batteries. Whether you're just kicking off your holiday shopping by going through our gift guides or almost wrapping things up after a marathon Cyber...
Find your own town on this amazing interactive Native Land map
I originally stumbled on this incredible Native Land Map when it was shared in honor of Indigenous People's Day and -- wow. What a worthwhile educational site to explore today, especially if you sit down and do it with your kids. Particularly if you're celebrating...
How to get early access to Dell’s Black Friday deals on hot holiday tech for the family
This is a sponsored message from Dell It's now so easy to spoil yourself -- or anyone in your life -- with the gift of technology this holiday season. That’s because Black Friday has come super early at Dell. Meaning right now. Today! From November 15 to November 27,...
How to get a nice discount on a Lyft ride to the polls this Election Day
Well what a nice alert to appear in my inbox: This Tuesday, November 8 is Election Day, and to assist voters, Lyft is offering 50% off rides when you preload the code VOTE22 and book a ride through the Lyft app. Alternately, just open the Lyft app, select the...
How to download your Twitter data archive…and what you’ll find in there.
Thinking about leaving Twitter? (Are we calling it Twexit yet?) With the big changeover in management this week, some Twitter users are leaving, some users are staying, and your choice is up to you. Either way, it's good idea to download your Twitter data archive. In...
Should your kids be using BeReal, the hot new social media app? What parents should know.
You may have seen this hilarious sketch on SNL that has a bunch of adults using the app BeReal during a rather tense situation. (if you haven't seen it yet, go watch now! I'll wait.) This sketch does a great job explaining what BeReal is, but we've seen your comments...
How to avoid tech neck: Tips for a healthier, more ergonomic laptop experience for your teens and tweens
If your kids are using a laptop or Chromebook for their schoolwork (or gaming), there are a few simple things you can do to help them avoid tech neck. Yes, it's totally a thing (says the person who's on her computer most hours of the day). Here are our tips, tricks,...
Student discounts on these meditation apps can help college students find zen for a lot less.
For those of us with college students (already!), we know how stressful it can be for our kids to get adjusted to a totally new schedule and, often, a new living situation. We even included meditation apps among our recommendations of apps for college freshmen to...
Help for kids with anxiety: 4 excellent mindfulness podcasts to help soothe the scaries of the world
If you need help for kids with anxiety, I am so grateful for these terrific mindfulness podcasts for kids. We all know that unfortunately, anxiety is on the rise for lots of children, including my own. Maybe you're trying to help a child with chronic anxiety, or maybe...
18 of the best tech gifts for teens — according to actual teens
We know shopping for the best tech gifts for teens can be pretty challenging, but in our experience, tech is pretty much always a hit -- provided it's age appropriate. And we've got that down! For more than 10 years now, we've been in on the hottest new tech trends so...
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...