Fun with the Toymaker: Reviving the Joy of Paper Craft in a Digital Age

Fun with the Toymaker: Reviving the Joy of Paper Craft in a Digital Age

Rediscover the tactile magic of paper engineering with high-quality, free printable toys that bridge the gap between screen time and hands-on creativity.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

January 30, 2026

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When was the last time you built something with your hands that didn't involve a touchscreen or a keyboard? 

In our hyper-connected world, the simple satisfaction of folding paper into a three-dimensional object is becoming a lost art. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Make Paper Toys with the Toymaker.

Most of us stare at pixels for eight hours a day, yet research consistently shows that tactile hobbies can significantly reduce stress and improve spatial reasoning. 

What if your printer could act as a portal to a Victorian-style workshop? 

Marilyn Scott-Waters, the creator of The Toymaker, offers a whimsical solution that turns a standard piece of office paper into a moving, breathing piece of art.

How to Select and Copy Part of a Text Message in iOS 26

How to Select and Copy Part of a Text Message in iOS 26

Trimming down a long text to just the essential lines used to require workarounds on iPhone. With iOS 26, Apple finally added a way to select and copy only the words you need.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

January 29, 2026

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If you’ve ever wanted to grab just a phone number, address line, or specific snippet from a message without copying the entire bubble, you know how frustrating it has been. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Copy a Part of a Text Message in iOS 26.

Prior versions of iOS forced you into awkward edits or managing a pasteboard cleanup after pasting everything you didn’t want. iOS 26 changes that by letting you highlight and extract the exact text you need straight from the Messages app.

How AI Actions in File Explorer Speed Up Your Windows 11 Day

How AI Actions in File Explorer Speed Up Your Windows 11 Day

AI is creeping into Windows in a practical place: the File Explorer right-click menu. If you manage lots of files, these new “AI actions” can save real time by launching smarter image edits and generating quick document summaries without the usual app-hopping.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

January 28, 2026

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Have you ever opened three different apps just to clean up a photo, grab a quick summary, and then email the result? 

That workflow is exactly what AI Actions in File Explorer tries to kill.

Here's a Cool Tip:  Use 'AI Actions' in Windows 11 File Explorer.

Microsoft is wiring AI directly into the right-click menu so you can act on files in place instead of bouncing between apps. 

It feels small at first glance, but for anyone who lives in shared folders, OneDrive, or project libraries, this is the kind of friction that quietly eats hours every month.

Explore Search Trends with Gemini

Explore Search Trends with Gemini

Turn raw search data into instant insight with AI-powered explanations, comparisons, and context that save hours of research.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

January 26, 2026

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Google Trends has long been the gold standard for understanding what the world is searching for, but finding the exact right terms to compare has always been a manual, trial-and-error process. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Use Google Trends Now with Gemini.

A new integration with Gemini now automates the heavy lifting, instantly suggesting relevant comparisons and explaining the "why" behind the data.

Why You Should Care

• Instant Context: Gemini explains why a topic is trending, not just that it is trending.
• Better Comparisons: Automatically generates up to eight relevant comparison terms (e.g., searching "dog breeds" auto-populates "Golden Retriever," "Poodle," etc.).
• Time Saver: Eliminates the guesswork of finding related keywords for market research or content planning.

Paste To Link In Word: The Tiny Shortcut That Saves Big Time

Paste To Link In Word: The Tiny Shortcut That Saves Big Time

Add hyperlinks in Word without breaking your writing flow. This small change quietly fixes one of Word’s most annoying habits.  Word now lets you paste a link directly onto selected text so it instantly becomes a hyperlink. If you live in documents all day, this one shortcut can save hundreds of clicks a week.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

January 25, 2026

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How many times today have you opened the Insert Link dialog in Word and sighed a little? 

If you work in proposals, reports, lesson plans, or documentation, hyperlinking is constant, repetitive, and just fiddly enough to slow you down.

Here's a Cool Tip:  Paste a Link Directly Onto Text in Microsoft Word.

Previously, if you pasted a URL over selected text in Word, it nuked the text and left you with a raw link. 

Then you had to undo, open the link dialog, paste again, confirm, and finally get back to your sentence. 

Now Microsoft has quietly aligned Word with how modern editors behave: select text, paste a link, keep typing. It feels obvious in the best possible way. 

How to Use Google Gemini to Crush the SAT

How to Use Google Gemini to Crush the SAT 

Stop paying hundreds for test prep. Gemini now offers full-length, Princeton Review-vetted SAT practice tests for free.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

January 24, 2026

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College prep is stressful enough without the added anxiety of a price tag. 

Did you know the average private SAT tutor charges between $70 and $200 per hour? 

For many families, that cost is a barrier to entry that feels impossible to overcome. 

But imagine having an on-demand tutor who knows the material, tracks your pacing, and explains every mistake instantly, all for free. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Use Google Gemini for SAT Prep.

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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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ChatGPT Predicts Age to Make AI Safer

ChatGPT Predicts Age to Make AI Safer

ChatGPT is beginning to infer whether a user is likely a minor or an adult, not to profile people, but to adjust safety protections in real time. This behind-the-scenes shift matters for parents, educators, and anyone who cares about how AI behaves responsibly.

Byline: By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

January 24, 2026

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What if an AI could tell when it should slow down, simplify, or refuse certain requests based on who might be on the other side of the screen? 

As generative AI becomes part of everyday life, from homework help to workplace research, age awareness is emerging as a quiet but significant safety lever.

Explore Space with Space Telescope Live

Explore Space with Space Telescope Live

See the universe as professional astronomers do, in real time, with live data from orbiting space telescopes. Ever wondered what the Hubble or James Webb Space Telescope is observing right now? Space Telescope Live turns cutting-edge astronomy into a live, explorable experience anyone can access.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

January 23, 2026

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Most people experience space through carefully curated photos released weeks or months after they are captured. 

But what if you could peek behind the curtain and see what space telescopes are doing right now? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Visit Space Telescope Live.

Space Telescope Live answers that curiosity by showing real-time observations, telescope positions, and upcoming targets, all in a clean, interactive dashboard built for curious minds.

Alarm Reminders in iOS 26.2: Turn Reminders Into Can’t-Miss Alerts

Alarm Reminders in iOS 26.2: Turn Reminders Into Can’t-Miss Alerts

In iOS 26.2, Apple added a practical upgrade to Reminders: mark a task as Urgent and your iPhone schedules an alarm when it’s due. If you rely on Reminders for time-critical work, this change makes missed tasks a lot less likely.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

January 22, 2026

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If you’ve ever had a reminder fire while your phone was silenced, you know the problem: you get a polite notification at the exact wrong moment, and it disappears into the chaos. 

For some tasks, “polite” is not good enough. Paying a bill. Joining a call. 

Taking medication. 

Leaving for the airport.

Here's a Cool Tip:  Try the new Urgent Alarm feature in the Reminders App.

iOS 26.2 lets Reminders schedule an alarm for tasks you mark as Urgent, including when your device is silenced or a Focus mode is active.