Google’s AI Tool That Turns Text Into Visual Ideas

Google’s AI Tool That Turns Text Into Visual Ideas

Google Mixboard is a new experiment from Google Labs that lets you spin out visual ideas by mixing text prompts and images. For product designers, teachers, creators, or anyone juggling visual inspiration, it might shortcut part of your creative grunt work.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

September 26, 2025

Have you ever stared at a blank screen, a text prompt cursor blinking mockingly at you, knowing exactly what you want to achieve visually but having no efficient way to start? 

How about you want to create funny monsters?

Here's a FridayFunday Cool Tip:  Try the new Google Mixboard.

What Is Mixboard, and Why It Matters

Imagine sketching a mood board, but instead of dragging in images manually, you just type a phrase like “funny Googly eye monsters” and the app fills the board with visual suggestions. 

You can:

• Start from a blank board, a prompt, or one of several pre-populated templates.
• Upload your own images or have the tool generate visuals via AI.
• Use natural-language commands to tweak things (“make background darker,” “add more eyes”) thanks to a specialized image model under the hood, called Nano Banana.
• Hit “regenerate” or “more like this” to iterate quickly.
• Generate contextual text from images on the board (e.g. captions or descriptions).

It’s currently in public beta in the U.S. only and is explicitly experimental. 

Google sees it as a testing ground rather than a fully fleshed product. 

Dash to Collect Baguettes in Google Arts & Culture's Baguette Sprint

Dash to Collect Baguettes in Google Arts & Culture's Baguette Sprint

A new interactive experiment from Google Arts & Culture turns learning into a lively race, making the history of the humble baguette an engaging pursuit for all.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

September 19, 2025

Have you ever found yourself immersed in a world where art and technology blend seamlessly, creating an engaging experience that's both entertaining and culturally enriching? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Play Google's Art and Culture Baguette Sprint.

Google Arts & Culture's Baguette Sprint is one such experience that combines the thrill of a game with the richness of art and culture.

Cut the Jargon: Why This Game Might Be the Security Game You Need to Play

Cut the Jargon: Why This Game Might Be the Security Game You Need to Play

The nonstop flood of cybersecurity acronyms is more than a nuisance.  It creates confusion that can weaken defenses. BeyondTrust’s new game, Acronym Overload, aims to fix that problem in a surprisingly effective way.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

September 12, 2025

Think about the last time you sat in a security meeting. 

Someone probably said, “We need to shore up IAM, JIT, ZTNA, and ABAC” and you nodded along even though at least one of those terms was fuzzy. 

Most of us have been there. Acronyms dominate security conversations, but too many shortcuts can bury meaning. 

When clarity slips, risks grow.

Here's a Cool Tip:  Play the Acronym Overload game.

BeyondTrust has built a short browser game called Acronym Overload to bring the problem into focus. 

It feels playful, but the purpose is serious: to keep your team speaking the same language when it matters most.

Draw A Fish & Let It Swim: The Simple Site That Brings Your Art To Life.

Draw A Fish & Let It Swim: The Simple Site That Brings Your Art To Life.

DrawAFish.com turns your doodle into a digital fish that swims in a shared tank. It is quick, fun, and surprisingly engaging.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor 

September 5, 2025

Have you ever sketched something and wished it would come to life? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Visit DrawAFish.com.

With DrawAFish.com, you draw a fish, the site decides if it looks enough like one, and then it swims in a communal digital tank. 

It is simple, playful, and strangely addictive.

Fly Anywhere for Free with This Online Flight Simulator

Fly Anywhere for Free with This Online Flight Simulator

GeoFS brings global flight simulation into your browser with real-world maps, dozens of aircraft, and multiplayer flying, all for free. Whether you’re a casual user or a pilot in training, this is one of the easiest ways to take off virtually.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

August 29, 2025

Have you ever wanted to pilot a jet over New York City or glide over the Alps without leaving your desk? 

Most flight simulators demand expensive hardware, large downloads, and steep learning curves. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Fly Online with GeoFS.

GeoFS runs entirely in your web browser, giving you the freedom to fly anywhere in the world using real satellite imagery.

CrazyGames Lets You Play Free Browser Games

CrazyGames Lets You Play Free Browser Games

Discover how CrazyGames Originals is shaking up the fast, free world of browser gaming with no downloads, no hassle, just instant joy and creative surprises.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor 

August 22, 2025

Do you ever find yourself stuck with ten minutes to spare and a craving for something playful, something rewarding but light? 

Browser gaming used to be quick dashes through Flash relics. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Play CrazyGames.

CrazyGames Originals is giving us curated, polished mini‑experiences that feel like they were made just for these tiny gaps in the day.

Throwback: How to Build Digital Sand Art

Throwback: How to Build Digital Sand Art

Create mesmerizing digital sand art with This is Sand Art, a playful web and mobile app that lets you layer virtual sand in vibrant colors, just like the classic bottle craft from childhood. Available on desktop browsers and iOS/Android devices for a relaxing, creative escape.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

August 15, 2025 (Originally published January 20, 2023)

Remember making those multi-colored sand in the bottle crafts when you were young?

Relive the fun of your youth with this Friday Funday Cool Tip: https://thisissand.com/

ThisIsSand allows you to drop multi-colored sand piles to create amazing works of art.

ThisIsSand can be played in a laptop/desktop web browser (thisissand.com) OR with the Thisissand app on iOS (iPhone) or Android devices.

fig. 1 - This is Sand Art

Turn Ideas into Illustrated Stories with Google Gemini

Turn Ideas into Illustrated Stories with Google Gemini

Let Google Gemini help you create charming, illustrated storybooks with just a few prompts.  It's perfect for kids, educators, and creativity lovers.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor 

August 8, 2025

Picture this: your child is going off to kindergarten soon and she is feeling anxious. 

What if you could whip up a custom book where a friendly kitten goes to kindergarten on her first day, complete with pictures and a voice that reads it aloud?

Here's a Cool Tip:  Create Storybooks with Google Gemini.

What You'll Gain

• Turn a single sentence into a full illustrated storybook
• Access free AI-generated art and narration
• Engage your children or classroom with custom tales

Ready to Become an AI-Powered Storyteller?

How to Listen to Emergency Radio

How to Listen to Emergency Radio

From sirens to skies hear what’s really happening in your world, live.  Discover how to use emergency radio app Broadcastify to monitor real-time emergency communications safely and legally.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

August 1, 2025

Ever wonder what that helicopter is doing overhead?

Or what delayed your train this morning? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Listen Online to Emergency Radio with Broadcastify.

With one click, you can listen to live emergency and specialty radio streams, police, fire, aircraft, rail, marine, all free and right from your browser.

It’s like having a backstage pass to the world’s infrastructure and it’s surprisingly addictive.

Discover Aotearoa with i‑Spy New Zealand

Discover Aotearoa with i-Spy New Zealand

Uncover a fresh twist on edtech: i-Spy New Zealand turns scenic scenes into clickable fun, making geography and culture accessible, especially for educators, learners, and productivity-focused adults.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

July 25, 2025

Ever thought learning about New Zealand could be relaxing and interactive rather than dry? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Play i-Spy New Zealand.

It’s not your average geography lesson.

It’s an illustrated game that invites you to poke around dense, beautifully crafted landscapes and discover quirky facts hidden in plain sight. 

Feel a bit like hidden-object gaming meets travel brochure.

What is i-Spy New Zealand?

Turn Trivia Into Impact: How FreeRice Boosts Your Brain and Fights Hunger

Turn Trivia Into Impact: How FreeRice Boosts Your Brain and Fights Hunger

Play FreeRice daily to sharpen your mind and donate to the World Food Programme—no wallet required.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor 

July 18, 2025

Have you ever thought a quick vocab quiz could help feed the world?

Imagine tapping a few keys between meetings and unknowingly delivering grains of rice to someone in need. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Play FreeRice.

That’s the core appeal behind FreeRice, a slick mix of trivia, micro-learning, and social good that hooks your brain and tugs at your heart.

Typing Meets Arcade Shooting

Typing Meets Arcade Shooting

Level up your typing speed through gameplay, an addictive combo of arcade action and productivity training.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor 

July 11, 2025

What if mastering your keyboard came packaged as an adrenaline-fueled arcade game? 

Imagine zapping alien ships by typing their names. 

Here's a Cool Tip: ZType. 

It sneaks in repetitive typing drills under the guise of a shooter, no boredom, just blast after blast of productivity.

What You'll Gain

• Sharpened typing speed and accuracy.

• Engaging, focus-boosting practice.

• Fun break routine that doubles as skill training.

Celebrate July 4th Online with Virtual Fireworks

Celebrate July 4th Online with Virtual Fireworks

Light up your Fourth of July with Google’s interactive online fireworks experiment, an engaging, competitive, and creative way to celebrate America’s birthday without leaving your couch.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

July 4, 2025

What if you could launch a spectacular Fourth of July fireworks show from your living room with no permits, no noise complaints, no risk? 

And have fun at the same time?

Here's a Cool Tip:  Celebrate with Google Arts & Culture.

Google Arts & Culture lets you launch fireworks online to patriotic music all as a game.

It’s not just digital eye candy, it’s an unexpectedly game twist on one of America’s favorite summer traditions.

Play Timeless Classics in Your Browser

Play Timeless Classics in Your Browser

Fire up your nostalgia!  Playclassic.games makes it ridiculously simple to revisit legendary PC and DOS games straight from your browser, with no hassle or installs.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

June 27, 2025

Remember the first time you booted up Doom on a wheezing 486? 

Or lost a weekend to SimCity 2000? 

For many, those moments defined what computers could be — not just productivity machines, but windows into new worlds. 

Trouble is, finding a way to play those games today often means a frustrating scramble through sketchy abandonware sites or complicated emulators. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Play Classic Games.

Playclassic.games slices through that mess and brings hundreds of classic PC games right to your browser, ready to play in seconds. 

That’s more than a time machine — it’s a portal to joy.

Lost Tech Sounds You Can Hear Again

Lost Tech Sounds You Can Hear Again

Forget dusty relics.  This interactive site lets you relive iconic device sounds and rekindles productivity by reconnecting with the familiar.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor 

June 20, 2025

Ever paused mid‑scroll, hearing that “you’ve got mail” ding from AOL, and felt your heart flutter? 

That jolt isn’t nostalgia.  

It’s a subtle reminder of how tech shapes our cognition. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Visit the Museum of Endangered Sounds.

The Museum of Endangered Sounds (savethesounds.info) collects those interface blips and device whirrs that once felt mundane but now tug at memory.

Turn Down the Noise: How to Make Meetings More Manageable and Fun

Turn Down the Noise: How to Make Meetings More Manageable and Fun

Need a fun, no-fuss way to keep your team on track during meetings? BouncyBalls.org turns real-time sound into a playful visual you can use to foster better focus, reduce interruptions, and even run more effective brainstorms—no downloads required.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

June 13, 2025

Have you ever been in a hybrid meeting where someone’s dog barks, another participant types like they’re playing drums, and a third’s mic is somehow stuck on? 

Multiply that by a group of eight, and you've got a chorus of distractions.

Here's a Cool Tip: Bouncy Balls.

Now imagine all of that ambient noise visualized—bouncing, floating, even blinking. 

That’s the simple genius behind BouncyBalls.org, a free browser-based tool originally designed for classrooms but unexpectedly powerful for team leaders, remote workers, and workshop facilitators.

This isn’t just about fun—it’s about visualizing your sound environment to regain control of it.

Gamesnacks: Your Secret Weapon for Boosting Productivity (Seriously!)

Gamesnacks: Your Secret Weapon for Boosting Productivity (Seriously!)

Who said work and play can’t mix? Discover how Google's Gamesnacks can surprisingly enhance focus, reduce stress, and even spark creativity, all within your existing workflow.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

June, 5, 2025

Have you ever found yourself staring at a blank screen, battling a mental block, or just feeling the creeping tendrils of mid-afternoon slump? 

What if a few minutes spent on a seemingly simple game could actually make you more effective?

Here's a Cool Tip:  Play Gamesnacks.

Gamesnacks.com is Google’s platform for lightweight, HTML5 games. 

While the initial thought might be, "Games?  For productivity?", stay with me. 

This isn't about lengthy gaming sessions that derail your day. It's about leveraging micro-breaks and quick mental shifts to reset your brain, much like a quick stretch helps loosen tight muscles. 

These aren't graphics-intensive, time-sucking epics; they're quick, engaging, and designed to be accessible across a wide range of devices, directly within popular Google products.

Watch Rattlesnakes Like Never Before!

Watch Rattlesnakes Like Never Before!

Curious about what hundreds of rattlesnakes do when no one’s watching? RattleCam.org brings you face-to-fang with nature’s most misunderstood reptiles—live from a hidden MegaDen. Perfect for educators, wildlife fans, and curious minds alike.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

May 30, 2025

What happens when you plant a camera in the middle of a rattlesnake mega-den and hit “Go Live”? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Watch Rattlesnakes Live!

That’s RattleCam.org - a jaw-dropping livestream that peels back the curtain on one of nature’s most secretive gatherings. 

Whether you’re a science teacher, a wildlife enthusiast, or just snake-curious, this live feed offers a front-row seat to the raw, unscripted life of rattlesnakes in the wild.

Internet Roadtrip: The Crowd-Powered Virtual Journey Taking Over Google Street View

Internet Roadtrip: The Crowd-Powered Virtual Journey Taking Over Google Street View

A new web-based social experiment, Internet Roadtrip, lets thousands of users collectively steer a virtual car across America using Google Street View. It’s part nostalgia trip, part digital democracy - and it’s surprisingly addictive.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

May 23, 2025

Have You Ever Been in a Car with 900 Backseat Drivers?

Imagine cruising through the scenic routes of America, not behind the wheel, but as part of a massive online community deciding every turn, honk, and radio station. 

Welcome to Internet Roadtrip - a digital experiment where the journey is as unpredictable as the collective whims of its participants.

What Is Internet Roadtrip?

Blob Opera: Google's AI-Powered Musical Playground

Blob Opera: Google's AI-Powered Musical Playground

Discover how Google's Blob Opera transforms opera into an interactive, AI-driven experience, making music creation accessible and entertaining for everyone.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

May 9, 2025

Can AI Make You an Opera Star?

What if you could compose and perform a four-part opera without any musical training? 

Here's a Cool Tip: Blob Opera!

Google's Blob Opera, an AI experiment by artist David Li in collaboration with Google Arts & Culture, makes this possible. 

This interactive tool allows users to create harmonious operatic music by manipulating colorful, animated blobs—no prior musical knowledge required.

What Is Blob Opera?