Anina designed a stylish solution to a un-stylish problem. Can her wallet charge your phone and look good at the same time? And more importantly, is that cool? “I have often found myself having very long days. And just as I'm going to call an Uber or Lyft, my phone is out of battery and I'm left standing on the street in a beautiful gown.” Get one of Anina’s wireless charging wallets at anina2049.com , see her other projects at anina.net , and catch replays of the Digital Fashion Online Summit s...
Mar 31, 2021•5 min•Season 1Ep. 92
Ian created a tool to help local businesses promote daily specials. Can the Dilly help consumers discover what’s cool in their community? And more importantly, is that cool? “[It’s] special information that's posted only by local merchants. They can share something much like they would share on Instagram, but what they share is something special that's happening that day.” Get your daily Dilly here . Have a cool idea you think should be on the show? Leave us a voicemail at (848) 863-9917. howcoo...
Mar 31, 2021•5 min•Season 1Ep. 91
Terry thinks the only thing keeping us from victory is having the right mindset. Can embracing the uncomfortable help you lead an extraordinary life? And more importantly, is that cool? “I believe everyone is destined to live an uncommon and extraordinary life. We are not all born with the same gifts and talents, but we all have the ability to become the best person we're capable of becoming.” Get more winning advice from Terry at Motivational Check and check out his book “Sustainable Excellence...
Mar 31, 2021•5 min•Season 1Ep. 89
Lee has an idea that helps dog owners collect hard to pick up dog poop. Can cardboard squares help keep sidewalks clean? And more importantly, is that cool? “I came up with the idea of cardboard little squares to help pick up those droopy poops. I use cereal box tops, but how cool would it be if you could just buy them in the store?” Check out Lee’s podcast House of Lee NYC here . She’s also a co-founder of the Asian American Podcasting Association and The NYC Podcasters Network . Have a cool id...
Mar 31, 2021•5 min•Season 1Ep. 90
This Week in Cool is a weekly look into what’s cool, what’s not, and nothing in between. The full 30 minute show happens live in Roomkey every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST. This 5 minute recap of the March 25 show debates the coolness of: Krispy Kreme giving free donuts to vaccinated people Meat Loaf’s new dating show Paying Employees in Pennies and more RSVP here to join and participate in the next This Week In Cool. Learn more at howcoolisthis.show/watch Music: "Le Hustle", Unknown Artist courtesy ...
Mar 26, 2021•5 min•Season 2Ep. 3
This Week in Cool is a weekly look into what’s cool, what’s not, and nothing in between. The full 30 minute show happens live in Roomkey every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST. This 5 minute recap of the March 18 show debates Elon Musk naming himself the Technoking of Tesla, a mom deepfaking her daughter’s cheerleading rivals, an arctic walrus popping up in Ireland, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong announcing a run for President of the United States, and more. RSVP here to join and participate in the nex...
Mar 19, 2021•5 min•Season 2Ep. 2
This Week In Cool is a weekly look into what’s cool, what’s not, and nothing in between. The full 30 minute show happens live in Roomkey every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST. This 5 minute recap of the March 11 show covers British Royalty, NFTs, Burger King, Eagle Scouts, stimulus payments, and more. RSVP here to join and participate in the next This Week In Cool. Learn more at howcoolisthis.show/watch . Music: "Le Hustle", Unknown Artist courtesy of Free Music Archive...
Mar 12, 2021•5 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Introducing This Week in Cool, a weekly look into what’s cool, what’s not, and nothing in between, brought to you by the hosts of How Cool Is This?, Brian Reitz & Nick Holder. Learn more about Roomkey in episode 88 of the show. RSVP for This Week In Cool here . Download the app here . Music: "Le Hustle", Unknown Artist courtesy of Free Music Archive...
Mar 07, 2021•58 sec
Don developed a new way to virtually recreate the serendipitous connections we have IRL. Can a virtual platform ever replace getting together in person? And more importantly, is that cool? "This allows you to go up to somebody, move around the room, sit next to them and recreate those moments of serendipity that happen in real life." Check out and download Roomkey here . Learn more about how to join us in the app here. Have a cool idea you think should be on the show? Leave us a voicemail at (84...
Mar 01, 2021•5 min•Season 1Ep. 88
Jill created an app that helps you reverse the negative effects of every other app. Can technology with limited functionality help you be more mindful? And more importantly, is that cool? "It really represents spending time away from feeds and thinking deeper about our days so that we can share what actually matters with the people who actually matter to us." Learn more about Sundayy here . Have a cool idea you think should be on the show? Leave us a voicemail at (848) 863-9917. howcoolisthis.sh...
Mar 01, 2021•5 min•Season 1Ep. 87
Vidal believes that ignoring one of the most important parts of business will help you succeed. Is focusing too much on your numbers holding your business back? And more importantly, is that cool? "Most, if not all accountants focus on, 'You need to know your numbers.' We don't." Learn more about how Vidal goes beyond your numbers here . Have a cool idea you think should be on the show? Leave us a voicemail at (848) 863-9917. howcoolisthis.show...
Mar 01, 2021•5 min•Season 1Ep. 86
Rebecca created a place where two groups that have historically disagreed can figure out new ways to get along. Can this be a model for using the internet to solve other problems? And more importantly, is that cool? "Our goal is to expand into other venues and on the ground and be able to actually move the needle and help people in the region." Check out the Unity Is Strength forum on Quora , Discord and Pateron . Have a cool idea you think should be on the show? Leave us a voicemail at (848) 86...
Mar 01, 2021•5 min•Season 1Ep. 85
Daniel believes that creating liberty is one of the most important responsibilities we have as citizens. But does liberty for one mean liberty for all? And more importantly, is that cool? "We must create Liberty. Not just for ourselves, but for our countrymen and women to our left and to our right. These actions create our nation and help us uphold our values of life justice and the pursuit of happiness." You can reach Daniel at [email protected] . Have a cool idea you think should be on ...
Jan 29, 2021•5 min•Season 1Ep. 84
Pamela thinks the Equal Rights Amendment should have been ratified a long time ago. But will the government ever be able to push this important legislation through? And more importantly, is that cool? "How cool would it be if the civil political and judicial apparatus of the United States got together and decided that women really are in need of equal protection under the law?" Pamela is an award winning writer and women's advocate. You can read a sample of her work at https://pamelavarkony.com/...
Jan 29, 2021•5 min•Season 1Ep. 83
Mark created a browser extension that encrypts the conversations you have online. Is that the best way to protect yourself from intrusive advertisers and tech companies? And more importantly, it that cool? "You can have a conversation with your friends without Facebook and the monopolies trying to target you for ads or extracting information to sell to advertisers." Learn more about party.lol and add the extension to your browser here . Have a cool idea you think should be on the show? Leave us ...
Jan 29, 2021•5 min•Season 1Ep. 82
Mark believes in the importance of building your personal brand. He thinks that one of the best ways to do that is by launching your own video podcast. Can creating more content improve your brand? And more importantly, is that cool? "It's the fastest way, in my opinion, to build your network because you can provide value to people." Watch Mark's video podcast on YouTube and learn more about his approach and offerings at https://www.marksavantmedia.com Have a cool idea you think should be on the...
Jan 29, 2021•5 min•Season 1Ep. 81
This year had no shortage of ideas. Now, it's time to decide which ones were the coolest. Introducing... The Coolios: the live award show where we recognize the coolest and most uncool ideas from the past year of How Cool Is This? , including: The Coolest Idea That Already Exists The Best Idea That Wasn’t That Cool Shrödinger’s Cool: Simultaneously Cool And Uncool The Least Cool Idea The Coolest Idea That Doesn’t Exist Yet Listen to all of the nominees in this Spotify playlist: https://bit.ly/sp...
Jan 22, 2021•30 min
This year had no shortage of ideas. Now it's time to decide which ones were the coolest. Introducing The Coolios: the live award show where we recognize the coolest and most uncool ideas from this past year of How Cool Is This?. Watch live on twitch.tv/howcoolisthis_show on Thursday, January 7th at 8:00 PM Eastern. RSVP here . howcoolisthis.show/coolios...
Jan 04, 2021•1 min
Kay believes the US education system can be improved by introducing Latin at the elementary level. Can a dead language help young students get a better grasp of the languages they do speak? And more importantly, is that cool? “A person who has built a solid foundation on the basics of Latin in elementary school will never think that a new word is too complicated to handle.” Kay has a Master’s in Latin from the University of Illinois and has developed a free resource for getting started with the ...
Dec 22, 2020•5 min•Season 1Ep. 80
Ian thinks t-shirt pockets don't have enough pizzaz. Can his custom pockets turn otherwise banal tees into elegant fashion statements? And more importantly, is that cool? “Why not get a pocket shirt that has cool fabric on it, like hotdogs or lemons or trees or chicken tenders or whatever you want?” Get your own custom pocket tee from Pauley’s Pockets at https://pauleyspockets.com/ . Have a cool idea you think should be on the show? Leave us a voicemail at (848) 863-9917. howcoolisthis.show...
Dec 22, 2020•5 min•Season 1Ep. 79
Eran created a Zoom-friendly game that's based on something that almost everybody thinks is cool: music. "[Song Saga] is a tabletop party game for adults that helps them reconnect with the music and memories that make them who they are. And it's the only card game that's played along with your favorite music streaming app." How Cool Is This? listeners can enter for a chance to win a free copy of Song Saga at song-saga.com/podcast-contest . Have a cool idea you think should be on the show? Leave ...
Nov 25, 2020•5 min•Season 1Ep. 77
Golda and Khailill developed an app that helps communities come together over home cooking. Can a recipe of technology and food help people get to know their neighbors? And more importantly, is that cool? "If your neighbor's cooking this lovely meal and they would love to share it with you, they don't know that you would like some, and you don't know that they're cooking it. You can't be going in and bothering your neighbor all the time, asking them what they're making for dinner." Learn more ab...
Nov 25, 2020•5 min•Season 1Ep. 78
This episode was originally posted in April 2020 and is being reposted as part of Election Edition episodes. With the most 2016 United States presidential election being won by a candidate who didn't have the highest number of total votes, Melissa believes it may be time to reevaluate how presidents are selected. Is that cool? “I think the electoral college is an outdated form of election rules” We’re running daily episodes featuring your ideas about voting, democracy and politics until the pres...
Nov 07, 2020•5 min•Season 1Ep. 40
Andrea has created an emergency kit for getting along during this divisive political period and highlighted one specific technique that’s designed to prevent defensiveness and hot takes. Can this technique help Americans overcome seemingly insurmountable ideological divides? And more importantly, would that be cool? “To give the thinking brain a chance, we need an automatic stall technique, and my favorite one is Fogging. Learn more about Andrea’s work as a psychologist at https://www.andreamolb...
Nov 06, 2020•5 min•Season 1Ep. 76
Stephanie thinks “woke” culture has gone too far and has started a blog to push back against political correctness in the workplace. Is woke orthodoxy a suppressive force? And more importantly, is fighting against it cool? “America was founded on the principle of free speech, which means that I can say something that's unpopular or that someone disagrees with. If we lose that, we will regret it.” Learn more about Corporate Wokeplace at www.corporatewokeplace.com We’re running daily episodes feat...
Nov 05, 2020•5 min•Season 1Ep. 75
Golda has an old-school way to double check the accuracy of votes – ask people in person. In a country with over 100 million voters, is that even possible? And more importantly, is that cool? “We have this rational way to verify and check if the machines are committing any kind of fraud or if there's any other kind of fraud being committed. And I just want to say, I think we should be ready to do that.” Golda is the Co-Founder of Civ.Works , an ad-free social network designed around civic engage...
Nov 04, 2020•5 min•Season 1Ep. 74
Dan’s organization Democracy Counts has created an app for any US citizen to easily participate in a crowdsourced, independent audit of today’s election. Will this idea prevent the election from being stolen? And more importantly, is that cool? “It allows anybody to go to their polling place… take a picture of the polling tape and push a button” to submit their precinct’s official results to independent auditors after the election closes. To participate in this crowdsourced audit, download Actua...
Nov 03, 2020•5 min•Season 1Ep. 73
Lulu wants to create a coalition to maintain the integrity of elections. If a bunch of smart people work together, can our elections work better to serve us? And more importantly, is that cool? “If all of us work together, then we can really make this a hot button topic the way that other issues have really risen to the top of our national consciousness.” Follow Lulu’s coalition on Twitter , and learn more at smartelections.us. They’re also hosting a free virtual workshop tonight (Monday 11/2 at...
Nov 02, 2020•5 min•Season 1Ep. 72
Richard thinks that we should not get rid of the electoral college, but make the popular vote just as important. Is that more feasible than completely changing electoral politics? And more importantly, is that cool? “How cool is this compromise? Don't destroy, be constructive. Allow for a vote in big cities, as well as rural states to count on election day: 50% electoral college, 50% popular vote.” Check out Richard’s podcast and other work at howdowefixit.me . We’re running daily episodes featu...
Nov 01, 2020•5 min•Season 1Ep. 71
This episode was originally posted in June 2020 and is being reposted as part of Election Edition episodes. Emily wants everyone to know how they can do their part to ensure a fair election. Can everyone work together to make sure this election represents the will of the people. And more importantly, is that cool? “The whole country needs to be working together this year to make sure that everyone can vote and that votes are counted accurately.” Learn how you can help ensure a fair election and ...
Oct 31, 2020•5 min•Season 1Ep. 43
