Is it weird that I genuinely enjoy writing about Google’s Santa Tracker each year? Yes? Well, I’m still going to do it, because I think many children enjoy playing the various mini-games added to it! I absolutely love Christmas above all other holidays, and my son has a ton of fun with it too. Over […]
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The Google Play Store is about to open the floodgates with new content for kids and families
In an effort to expand upon its Teacher Approved content via the Kid’s Tab of the Google Play Store, Google is now allowing all apps that meet the Play Families Policy to be shown on that Kid’s tab of the storefront. As a reminder, one of the most important qualifications a developer must meet with […]
Continue ReadingFitbit is creating a wearable for kids that has built-in safety features
According to a report by Business Insider, Fitbit has been in the news a lot lately for its release of the Fitbit Versa 4 and Sense 2, but also for its integration with Google’s Pixel Watch. According to a report by Business Insider, it’s now gearing up to release a wearable smart device for your […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Assistant adds parental controls, an educational dictionary, new kid-friendly voices
I’ve always loved Google’s family-centric updates. Any time I see that the company is focusing on the kiddos and how they interact with technology and subsequently, how parents can manage those interactions to protect them as they grow and learn to absorb the world around them, I’m stoked. Today on The Keyword, Google announced a […]
Continue ReadingGoogle TV Kids Profiles get ‘real YouTube’, content recommendations, and more
My son really doesn’t use his Google TV Kids Profile all that much and that’s for a few specific reasons. First, and most importantly, it doesn’t have “real YouTube”. I know that it’s a funny term, but today’s kiddos usually refer to the full YouTube experience in this way since they’ve been restricted to YouTube […]
Continue ReadingThe Google Family Link app just got completely redesigned and it looks much more user friendly
I’m a huge advocate of covering anything and everything Google does to support and enable families to use technology for improvements to their quality of life. When Family Link came out five years ago to assist parents with managing how their children interface with technology, I believed it was a step in the right direction. […]
Continue ReadingRead Along by Google is now available as a web application for your Chromebook
Google used to sell a Frozen II-themed Google Home Mini that came bundled with a few bedtime stories that you could activate via a kid and family-friendly service called ‘Read along’. Truly, this was available for all Home speakers, but having the brand partnership with Disney helped the company sell more units, naturally. Still, it […]
Continue ReadingMicrosoft’s Xbox Game Pass is getting a Family Plan option
I love my PlayStation, and I love Google Stadia. Hell, I even love me some Nvidia GeForce NOW every once in a while, although the Steam or Epic launcher peaking through a game’s boot process has been a major turn-off for me. Of all of the services, Stadia and Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass would have […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Play Books web app finally worth using thanks to 10th anniversary Play Store redesign
I love Google Play Books. In fact, outside of Google Keep, the company’s books app is probably my favorite service it provides. Anything related to note taking or reading are core to my daily life, and I think Google does a great job at both. Well, mostly. For years now, the Play Books website for […]
Continue ReadingGoogle Photos now lets users in Canada and Europe order photo and canvas prints
Have you ever ordered individual photos or canvas prints from the Google Photos Print store? The company seems to promote it quite a bit during every season, and while I’ve still yet to do more than a photo book to capture my son’s earliest years, I do see the value in it being available. In […]
Continue ReadingHow to share your location with loved ones for safety reasons using Google Fi
Ever since Google implemented its Family features in its Fi phone service, more families have taken to the built-in group plans. Not only can you get a great deal on your monthly bill with more people attached to it (assuming they cough up the cash at the end of the month), but there are also […]
Continue ReadingChromecast with Google TV still sometimes shows ads on YouTube Kids even with Premium
For months now, my son has been receiving advertisements on YouTube Kids while watching his favorite channels on our Chromecast with Google TV in the living room. Whether we’re casting or not, on his profile or mine via the Kids app, the result is the same. Intermittently, an ad or two will show and then […]
Continue ReadingOutright Games to bolster Stadia’s Family library offerings with six new titles this summer and fall
Google Stadia already has an impressive list of titles that are appropriate for families and kids as a part of its Pro subscription for just $9.99 USD per month. Even outside of this, they can be purchased a la carte and enjoyed. Games like PAW Patrol: Adventure City Calls, Lumote, Kaze and the Wild Masks, […]
Continue ReadingHow to use Google Assistant’s Family Bell feature to keep your family on track throughout the day
Google Assistant has a neat little feature that I feel often goes overlooked – at least in my circles. Everytime I tell a friend or a family member that they can automate bells that announce upcoming activities on their Home devices, they look at me with a blank face. This mostly has to do with […]
Continue ReadingHow to set up Stadia family sharing and choose which games your kids can play
Google Stadia is revolutionalizing cloud gaming by providing incredibly innovative infrastructure and while services like GeForce NOW are competing neck to neck, Stadia’s experience is much more user-friendly, in my opinion. By having a clean and straightforward, polished process for getting gamers into the action instead of using emulated launchers, a VirtualBox environment feel, and […]
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