Drive With the Wizard of Oz on Waze

Drive With the Wizard of Oz on Waze

Waze now lets you make your daily drives more whimsical by enabling a Wizard of Oz-themed experience, complete with voices, characters, and map styles from the classic. Here’s what it does, how to turn it on, what works well (and not so well), and whether it’s more novelty than productivity boost.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor 

September 28, 2025

Ever wanted Dorothy, the Tin Man, or the Cowardly Lion guiding your route instead of a generic GPS voice? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Drive with the Wizard of Oz on Waze.

Waze’s new Wizard of Oz overlay brings just that: when activated, characters chime in with navigation prompts ("turn left," "heavy traffic ahead") and sprinkle in memorable lines from the original film. 

You can also choose your “mood” (how your avatar appears), e.g. “Ruby Slippers” and drive a stylized “Emerald” classic car on the map. 

This isn’t just a gimmick dropped out of nowhere. 

Remix, Reuse, Reimagine: How Microsoft’s Copilot Creator Gallery Unlocks AI Image Creativity

Remix, Reuse, Reimagine: How Microsoft’s Copilot Creator Gallery Unlocks AI Image Creativity

Microsoft’s Copilot Creator Gallery is quietly reshaping how business users, educators, and creators engage with AI-generated content. Here’s how to tap into its remixable feed to spark ideas, streamline workflows, and elevate your visual storytelling.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

September 27, 2025

What if your next big idea started with someone else’s?

Here's a Cool Tip: Copilot Creator Gallery.

It's a new, quietly launched feature that turns AI-generated images into a collaborative playground. 

Think Pinterest meets Midjourney, but with a productivity twist. 

You don’t just browse. 

You remix. 

You learn from the prompt. 

You make it your own.

For business users and educators who’ve dabbled in AI image generation but felt stuck in a vacuum, this gallery offers something fresh: a curated, remixable feed of user-generated content designed to inspire, not overwhelm.

Cool Deals - September 27, 2025

 Cool Deals - September 27, 2025

Help support One Cool Tip. Use this Amazon link when you shop online.

Look at these Cool Products:

•  #Logitech MX Master 3S Mouse: Precision and comfort for creative workflows. Ideal for navigating Copilot’s interface. Amazon's Choice. Check it out on Amazon!

•  #Samsung Galaxy Tab S9: A powerful tablet for mobile Copilot use, perfect for remixing on the go. Save 21% Check it out on Amazon!

•  #Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise-Canceling Headphones: Block distractions while you create. Great for focused Copilot sessions. Check it out on Amazon!

Read the Cool Tip: Remix, Reuse, Reimagine: How Microsoft’s Copilot Creator Gallery Unlocks AI Image Creativity

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🤯 Cool Tip: Why Is Google’s Best AI Image Editor Called Nano Banana? - OCT Newsletter 9-26-2025

🤯 Cool Tip: Why Is Google’s Best AI Image Editor Called Nano Banana? - OCT Newsletter 9-26-2025

This week's Friday Funday One Cool Tip newsletter covers essential insights on protecting your donations from charity scams and introduces Google Mixboard, an innovative AI tool for visual creation. 

Learn how to safeguard your contributions and enhance your creative process with cutting-edge technology. 

•  Scam Alert: Learn how to protect your donations from scammers who target First Responders and Veterans by verifying tax-deductibility and never paying via gift cards or wire transfers.
•  Major Data Breach: Viral call-recording app Neon has been disabled after a severe security flaw exposed all user call data and transcripts, raising serious privacy and legal concerns.
•  AI Productivity Prompt: Get a copy/paste AI prompt designed for Friday self-reflection, helping you organize your week into major accomplishments, challenges, and priorities for the following week.
•  Prompt of the Day: Use this fun, creative ChatGPT prompt to generate an image of what you would look like as a collectible action figure in a clear blister pack.
•  Visual Idea Generator: This week's Cool Tip introduces Google Mixboard, an AI concepting tool from Google Labs that turns simple text (like "funny Googly eye monsters") into fully editable visual mood boards.
•  Playable Art: Discover Google Labs' GenChess project, which uses AI to generate unique, visually stunning chess sets based on creative themes that you can then play with against the computer.
•  Photo Remix: Try Google Whisk, an experimental AI tool that uses your own uploaded photos as prompts, allowing you to remix your subject, scene, and style to create new, unique works of art.
•  Creative Adventure: Unleash your inner artist with DrawAStickman.com, an interactive website where your simple doodles are used to solve puzzles and conquer a whimsical, personalized adventure.

Subscribe for more tips and stay ahead in the tech world! 

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Rodger Mansfield, a seasoned tech expert, is the mastermind behind www.OneCoolTip.com where he serves as both writer and editor. With a keen eye for simplifying complex tech, Rodger delivers practical advice that empowers readers to navigate the digital world with confidence. Dive into www.OneCoolTip.com for a treasure trove of savvy tips and tricks that keep you one step ahead in tech.

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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. 

Cool Deals - September 26, 2025

Cool Deals - September 26, 2025 Help support One Cool Tip. Use this Amazon link when you shop online. Look at these Cool Products:

👾 #Wacom Intuos Graphics Tablet: Great for sketching ideas offline before uploading to Mixboard. Save 20% Overall Pick. 👉 Check it out on Amazon! 📸 #Canon Ivy 2 Mini Photo Printer: Print your Mixboard creations for classroom or client use. Overall Pick. 👉 Check it out on Amazon! 🖥️ #Logitech MX Master 3S Mouse: Precision and comfort for creative workflows. Amazon's Choice. 👉 Check it out on Amazon! Read the Cool Tip: Google’s AI Tool That Turns Text Into Visual Ideas One Cool Tip http://www.onecooltip.com Cool Tech Tips for a Cooler Life! #electronics #gifts #CoolDeals #OneCoolTip @OneCoolTip Copyright © 2008-2025 | www.OneCoolTip.com | All Rights Reserved

Wake Up Smarter: How to Change Snooze Length in iOS 26 for Better Alarm Control

Wake Up Smarter: How to Change Snooze Length in iOS 26 for Better Alarm Control

Tired of the default 9-minute snooze? In iOS 26, Apple finally lets you customize snooze times for each alarm. Here’s how to use it, why it matters, and what to watch out for.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

September 25, 2025

You set your alarm for 6:30 a.m., press snooze, and the phone wakes you again at 6:39. 

The cycle repeats, and somehow the timing never feels quite right. 

For decades, the iPhone locked users into a 9-minute snooze window. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Pick your Alarm Snooze Length in iOS 26.

Cool Deals - New Apple Products - September 25, 2025

Cool Deals - New Apple Products

September 25, 2025

Help support One Cool Tip. Use this Amazon link when you shop online.

Look at these Cool Products:

• Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant New Arrival! Check it out on Amazon!

• Apple AirPods Pro 3 Wireless Earbuds, Active Noise Cancellation, Live Translation, Heart Rate Sensing, Hearing Aid Feature, Bluetooth Headphones, Spatial Audio, High-Fidelity Sound, USB-C Charging NEW! Check it out on Amazon!

• Apple Watch Ultra 3 [GPS + Cellular 49mm] Running & Multisport Smartwatch w/Rugged Titanium Case w/Natural Titanium Milanese Loop - S. Satellite Communications, Advanced Health & Fitness Tracking NEW! Check it out on Amazon!

Check out more cool Apple Products!

Read the Cool Tip: Wake Up Smarter: How to Change Snooze Length in iOS 26 for Better Alarm Control

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The Last Time You Carried Your Whole Life on a Stick

The Last Time You Carried Your Whole Life on a Stick.

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Cool Deals - September 24, 2025

Cool Deals - September 24, 2025

Help support One Cool Tip. Use this Amazon link when you shop online. Look at these Cool Products:

Cosori 9-in-1 TurboBlaze Air Fryer. Limited Time Deal. Save 17% Check it out on Amazon! Emeril Lagasse Extra Large French Door Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo. Amazon's Choice. Check it out on Amazon! Chefman Obliterator 48 oz Countertop Blender. Save 33% Check it out on Amazon! One Cool Tip http://www.onecooltip.com Cool Tech Tips for a Cooler Life! #electronics #kitchen #gifts #CoolDeals #OneCoolTip @OneCoolTip