green tech

Last year we discovered the Nanoleaf LED light bulb which, besides looking super cool, actually is. It's a safer alternative to CF bulbs, projecting light 360-degrees like a traditional incandescent while saving money and energy. The one…

Being a cyclist myself, I love seeing all the new advances to help keep bikes and their riders safe, and Skylock is at the top of my list for a bunch of cool reasons. The Skylock bike lock is a solar powered, Bluetooth enabled, wifi conn…

I am so excited to stumble across SUPERSOCK in my daily (or hourly) Etsy browsing, because wow, what a great idea for making cool flash drives: They're all upcycled from your favorite toys from your own childhood. Eco-consciousness + ing…

Not every guy wants a slick, board room-ready, fancy European looking iPad case. I know quite a few who would appreciate something a little more rugged. More defiant. More ironically low-tech. For him, consider the Upcycled Mail Sack iPa…

Someone once said: The organized life is the best life . Actually, maybe it was one of those dubious, curly-font quotes posted on Pinterest that make you feel totally guilty about your life. But still, there's still some truth in there, …

Kickstarter at MoMA brings together two of our favorite things -- awesome Kickstarter-fueled innovations and the MoMA Design Store. They've gathered a collection of successful Kickstarter products in honor of NYCxDESIGN, and it's a cool …

I love the juxtaposition of high and low tech that comes with wood tech accessories and wooden gadget covers . But this wooden bluetooth keyboard takes the cake. Made to order from a single piece of maple or walnut, the Oree Board from O…

Has the audiophile in your life been very, very good this year? One more to add to our coolest audio gifts list: a beautiful, compact portable sound system and alarm clock that's beautiful inside and out, thanks to sustainable wood and h…

Growing up in the midwest, our neighbors had two solar panels on their roof. I always thought that was so cool. Now panels are popping up in my neighborhood, and it's still just as cool to me. I would love to see even more solar energy s…

We have a lot of discussion here internally about the ethics and importance of using so-called hidden nanny cams or other security cameras around the house. But one thing we can all agree on: These security cameras are hilarious. If you …

Everyone know knows the benefits of compact fluorescent light bulbs--longer burn time, less energy costs, more effeciency. But now with increasing concern about UV radiation and mercury emissions--especially when they break--and so I'm b…

While I think everything we write about here on Cool Mom Tech is...well, cool, every so often we find something that so perfectly fills my wants and needs that I'd swear it was made just for me. The Photojojo bamboo solar charger is one …

Ready to upgrade to the new iPhone 5S , and wondering what to do with your current iPhone? You might be surprised to learn what it's worth, even if you've been hanging onto your early iPhone 4 like me. Here's the scoop on five smart ways…

Creative, quirky, playful, rule free and devoid of in-app pop ups (hooray!)--all reasons why Toca Boca is one of our most favorite app developers for kids. So lets rejoice for the new Toca Cars app! Taking a cue from more complex games l…

Ever wonder what happened to all those forgotten joysticks, Atari paddles, and Nintendo controllers left over from the 80s and 90s? Cry not for the games of yore. They've been upcycled to charge your Apple devices. Though sadly, the Kona…

My 10-year old son is definitely ready for his own laptop, but I have no idea what to get him! Can you help with a child-friendly option? -Amy Funny you should ask, Amy. I just decided to get a laptop for my 9-year old, which was a lot e…

I am fascinated by the concept of something called an ecoATM. My first thought is that it runs on solar power and doesn't print receipts. But then I learned it's not about getting money. At least not without putting more inside it than a…

Last year we discovered the fabulous handmade iPad and laptop sleeves from Mujjo , a neat little Dutch company, and I have to say, I've had them on the brain every since. Something about the combo of natural wool felt and leather is just…

The gift for the dad who has everything? Well thanks to technology, there are increasingly more everythings out there in the world each day, which makes the search easier. A little easier? Okay, not that much easier. But if you've got an…

There are some tech gadgets you need, some tech gadgets you want but don't need, and then some tech gadgets you never realized you needed until you saw them and went ooohhh... I'm looking at these beautifully designed wooden USB caps in …

Every year when Earth Day comes around, I have this sudden urge to recycle everything in my house and start wearing hemp clothing. OK, maybe not that extreme, but there are many things I could be doing to be a little more energy efficien…

It seems like there is a big Apple announcement every other month, which is fine by me, because it's pretty clear what an Apple devotee I am. Its most recent design revelation, the new iMac, just released, is yet another product I need t…

If there's one tech trend we're excited about, it's the increasing number of solar chargers (and not just because cord nests that grow around our outlets make us crazy). Now there's one more I discovered and it's not just smart, it's pre…

While we've got spring cleaning and organizing on the brain, that extends to my audio system options too. If you've got unwieldy woofers or cord nests polluting your otherwise clean (okay, sometimes clean) space, here's a beautiful, simp…