Mother's Day Gift Guide: 25 Great Tech Gift Ideas For Mom
Sunday Is Mother's Day!
Don't worry! Your friends at CRN have got you covered. We've compiled a list of 25 great gizmos and gadgets for mom that not only will she love, but that can be ordered online. Gifts ranging from TVs to tablets, smartphones to smartphone cases, laptops, key finders and more.
Look through and pick from the many gift ideas for your mom, your wife or maybe even something you'd like for yourself.
Kensington Proximo Starter Kit
Nothing is worse than when trying to leave the house, but you can't find your keys ... or wallet, or phone. Does this sound like your mother? This handy device, built for the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5, will put an end to those days for good.
Attach a dongle to keys or any important item. Use up to five dongles at a time that will be synced to an iPhone through Bluetooth and controlled with the Proximo app.
Amazon is currently selling the Kensington Proximo Starter Kit at 58 percent off for $24.99.
iPad Mini
Why not give mom the smallest and lightest version from Apple computers?
The iPad mini, running on iOS 7 with a powerful A5 chip and up to 10 hours of battery life, features a sharp 7.9-inch display. Allow mom to easily search the web, scroll through pictures or watch videos on the easy-to-use tablet. With 1080p HD cameras, mom can snap pictures and videos or make video calls with FaceTime. The iPad mini is available at the Apple store for $299.
Kindle Paperwhite
Does mom enjoy reading? Then she might like this Kindle device.
This easy-to-use, leisure device features a glare-free screen, making it great for outside. The battery lasts for up to 8 weeks, so don't worry about being interrupted with a loss of power while reading a favorite book, magazine or newspaper. The very light Paperwhite has enough storage space for more than 1,000 books and is available from Amazon at $119.
CarAudio Connect FM With Bluetooth
This is a neat little toy.
Make hands-free calls while driving and play music off of a favorite playlist on a phone through car speakers. The small, easy-to-use Belkin product will sync a phone and car whether blasting a favorite song or answering a call. ClearScan technology assures for the strongest FM signal possible to transmit songs and calls. The USB port on the power adapter allows a phone to be charged while it is still synced to the car. With just one button, it's idiot-proof and costs $99.99 on the Belkin website.
Whitings Pulse Wireless Activity Tracker + Sleep And Heart Rate Monitor
This domino-sized gizmo seems like it can track everything. Sync it to a smartphone or tablet, clip it onto clothing or wear it as a wristband, and track every move. The Whitings Pulse tracks steps, burned calories and distance traveled. It will graph data and daily trends.
Going on a run? It displays distance and time. Use this device to measure heart rate, and even wear it to bed to monitor sleep quality. Count calories by logging meals into the app. Amazon is selling the Whitings Pulse for $99.95.
Samsung Galaxy S5
The gift of the latest of the Galaxy line would really impress mom this weekend.
Running on the latest version of Android, the Galaxy S5 features a 5.1-inch 1080p HD display. That will come in handy when enjoying the pictures taken on the 16-megapixel camera. The smartphone also features a revolutionary built-in heart rate monitor.
You can watch mom unwrap this great gift this weekend for $199 at Best Buy and other available outlets.
iTunes Gift Card
It's not just music anymore. You can rent or buy movies or TV series on iTunes, but also feel free to download favorite songs or albums onto a computer, tablet or smartphone. Not sure which one of the millions of options to get for mom? Let her decide for herself. Get an iTunes gift card for mom from the Apple Store for any amount.
Bellabeat
Here's something for the mothers-to-be.
Bellabeat allows you to listen to, track and record an unborn baby's heartbeat. Track baby's movement and use the kick counter chart. Share the recording with friends and family, and write about the experience in the app diary. The easy-to-use app organizes prenatal care and tracks all relevant dates of pregnancy. Even interact with other moms-to-be through the app's community feature.
Bellabeat is available on the Bellabeat website for $129.
Nike+ FuelBand SE
Give mom a little extra motivation.
This innovative wristband will track all activity, not just running or walking, but even for dancing or kick-boxing class, it will track all movement. The wristband is connected to iPhone via Bluetooth to display and chart all accomplishments and compare to past performances. This product is compatible with iPhone 4s and higher and the 5th generation iPod touch. It can be a gift for mom for $149.95 from the Apple store.
Shine By Misfit Wearables
Is mom the active type? Then she'll like this.
Misfit Wearables has a waterproof activity tracker called Shine that can be worn in multiple different ways to track movement. This lightweight product is hardly noticeable as it's about the size of a quarter. Wear it as a bracelet, a necklace, clip it to a shirt, shorts, or even a bathing suit. Simply place the Shine on a smartphone while running the app and it will sync to a phone displaying all activity. Easily track distance, calories, steps and more. Available at the Misfit Wearables website for $119.95.
MacBook Air
Want to really impress mom?
The latest upgrade to Apple's MacBook Air line was released just over a week ago. The laptop is faster and more affordable than ever. It comes in 11-inch and 13-inch models, both with LED displays. The entry-level model comes with 4 GB of memory, 1.4GHZ dual-core Intel Core if processor and up to 512 GB of flash storage. The MacBook Air is known for its small size with the entry-level model being 0.11 inches to 0.68 inches thin and weighing 2.38 pounds. It is available for $899 at the Apple store.
HP Photosmart 6520 e All-In-One Printer
Does mom take a lot of pictures? This printer might be for her. Print great photos from wireless devices with this all-in-one printer. Make photo-lab quality prints, print everyday documents, make quick copies and scan documents directly to email, all with its easy-to-use touch-screen controls. Because the printer uses a wireless connection, print from anywhere that has an Internet connection to the printer.
Now being sold at 30 percent off for $119.99 at the HP online store.
Nook GlowLight
The Barnes and Noble eReader is a great gift for those who enjoy their nose in a book. Bring the library home to mom as the Nook has access to more than 3 million titles, including books, magazines and newspapers. The durable Nook weighs just 6.2 ounces, so it's easy to hold with one hand, and it accommodates more than 2,000 books at a time. The high-resolution, 6-inch screen makes reading easy with crisper text and fonts. Barnes and Noble is selling the eReader for $99 between now and Mother's Day as part of its holiday promotion.
GoPro Hero3
The real active mom in your life might enjoy this.
The smaller and lighter GoPro Camera model with built-in Wi-Fi and ultrawide-angle lens is great for recording when running, skiing, kayaking and more. The latest camera from the GoPro line features professional video and photo quality in a waterproof casing that is easy to wear. Share adventures in the GoPro App. The audio capabilities of the camera are also impressive with its wind-noise reduction technology. The GoPro Hero3 is available on the GoPro website for $199.99.
InstaWatch
Create a personalized watch for mom using Instagram pictures or custom designs. May28th.me, which designs accessories such as timepieces, has an easy-to-use customizing tool on its website, where personalized watch designs can be created, including the face and strap. Pick a photo your mother would like of just you, a family picture or maybe a picture from a vacation together. It is all customizable and the finishing product is up to you.
Prices vary on watches.
Logitech UE Boombox
Give your mom the gift of music.
This crafty wireless Bluetooth speaker streams favorite playlists from mobile devices on a high-quality speaker. Control the speaker from a smartphone or tablet from up to 50 feet away, and connect up to eight devices to it. The rechargeable battery lasts up to six hours and the lightweight casing makes it easy to carry.
Amazon is selling the Logitech UE Boombox at 42 percent off for $143.90.
Skinit Customizable Smartphone Skins And Cases
Get a customizable design for mom's smartphone.
Use a personal picture or design or pick from the many unique designs and pictures offered on the Skinit website. Customizing a smartphone is easy to do on the site and doesn't take long. Skins and cases are compatible for nearly all smartphones and can be done for other devices, such as tablets, laptops, MP3 players, game consoles and controllers, headphones and more. Prices for skins and cases vary and are available on the Skinit website.
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
This affordable device comes standard with an 8-inch screen and high-quality picture -- great for enjoying videos and photos. Running on the Android operating system, this tablet is known for its unique hinge that enables switching to tilt mode or stand mode to easily enjoy media content without holding the device. With two HD cameras for pictures, video and face-chat, it has a plethora of interactive media capabilities. It also comes standard with 16 GB of storage space and a quad-core 1.2GHz processor. This product is available at 26 percent off for $199 on the Lenovo website.
Mosaic
A personalized mosaic photo book would make a great gift this Mother's Day.
Simply download the free Mosaic app and select the photos to appear in the 7-inch-by-7-inch photo book. The quality, hardcover photo book with appealing front cover design will arrive at your door in just four days after the order has been submitted. The app is available on both iOS and Android. Mosaic photo books cost just $20 through the Mosaic app.
Canon PowerShot ELPH 130 IS
Get mom one of the top cameras Canon has to offer at an affordable price.
The 16-megapixel camera features 8x optical zoom and 4x digital for high-quality distant shots. The Canon PowerShot ELPH 130 IS also features built-in Wi-Fi to easily share photos and HD videos. The image resolution of this small, lightweight camera reaches up to 4,608-x-3,702 pixels. The Canon PowerShot ELPH 130 IS is available on the Best Buy website for 60 percent off at $89.99 and offers free next-day shipping.
Beats By Dr. Dre Pill 2.0 Portable Stereo Speaker
This is a great gift for the mom who is a music lover.
The small, lightweight, easy-to-carry Beats by Dr. Dre Pill 2.0 features high-quality sound that would be expected from the Beats by Dr. Dre line, but it also has a wireless connection from up to 30 feet, and up to seven hours of battery life. Stream high-quality audio on its four speakers, and the built-in microphone allows calls from your wirelessly synced smartphone.
This product is available at the Best Buy website at 10 percent off for $179.99.
Sony 3D Blu-Ray Player With Wi-Fi
Mom will be entertained for countless hours with this high-tech gift.
Through the Sony Entertainment Network, stream any of your favorite movies and hit music after connecting through your home Wi-Fi network. This Blu-ray disk and DVD player can reach up to 3,840-x-2,160 resolution -- almost 4 times the pixels of 1080p. This Sony product will play 2-D and 3-D disks on compatible 4K vTs and projectors, and is available at the Amazon website at 28 percent off for $178.
Samsung 39-Inch LED TV
Who doesn't want a brand-new TV?
This 1080p HDTV with 60Hz refresh rate has great picture quality to take advantage of its 39-inch screen. The 21.6-pound Samsung television is available at a great value and includes a stand to prop up on a flat surface, or can be mounted on a wall in the living room.
This TV is available at the Amazon website at 36 percent off for $349.99 with free shipping.
Apple TV
Maybe mom is into movies and TV shows? Is there a series she'd like to get into or catch up on? Maybe she has a list of movies she'd like to see. Apple TV will give access to all of that, along with live sports, music, photos, videos and more.
Enjoy Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO GO, Watch ESPN, and dozens of other content providers. Even wirelessly connect an iPhone, iPad or Mac and go through the content on devices. Apple TV is being sold for $99 at the Apple Store.
Ban.Do Power Trip
A small but convenient gift for mom, this 4-foot long cable is tethered for extra perfection and is much more resistant to ripping like other chargers. It is compatible for both the iPhone 4/4s and 5/5s and includes a wall plug and car charger. The affordable Ban.Do Power Trip charger is great not only for its fun colors, but its convenient length and durability.
It's available on the Ban.Do website for $25.