Mother’s Day is just around the corner (on Sunday, May 14, in case you were wondering) and it’s your one opportunity in the year to show your mom how much you appreciate everything she’s done for you. Why spend money on just flowers and chocolates which only last for a few days, when you can get her a gift that will last years instead. Be it for your techie mom who loves to be at the cutting edge, or to make their everyday lives that much easier, there is something for everyone.

Here’s our roundup of some of the best tech gifts for Mother’s Day!

A smartphone

Is your mom still rocking an iPhone 4S, Galaxy S2, or other extremely outdated device? It might be time to hook your mom up with something a bit more modern. Depending on her individual needs, you could find an upgrade to her current phone for as little as $50 or as much as $1000. For those that are looking for something like on your budget, we highly recommend the following choices:

• Moto G5 Plus: The Moto G5 Plus continues what the popular series is best known for – excellent smartphones at affordable price points. Key upgrades across the board, including a new metal build, more built-in storage, improved camera, and impressive battery life make for a solid option, made even more compelling with its inexpensive price tag. The 32 GB of storage and 2 GB of RAM version will set you back just $229, while the 64 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM iteration is priced at $299.
• Moto G4 Play: If you love what Lenovo and Motorola has to offer but find the G series to be a touch out of your budget, an even more affordable alternative is available in the Moto G4 Play. The specs aren’t going to blow anyone out of the water, but it certainly gets the job done, with an excellent software experience and great battery life providing a boost. With 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage on-board, the Moto G4 Play is currently priced at around $149.
• BLU R1 HD: The BLU R1 HD impresses with its solid build quality, good performance, clean software experience, and most importantly, its ultra-affordable price point. With 4G LTE support as well, this device is a great option to stay connected to friends, family, and the internet without having to spend a whole lot. The 8 GB of storage and 1 GB of RAM version is priced at just $99, while doubling both the storage and RAM will set you back $149.

• OnePlus 3T: OnePlus may have stopped marketing their smartphones as “flagship killers,” but if there is one that truly deserved the title, it’s the OnePlus 3T. You get all the performance, features, and specifications of a 2016 flagship, but with a price tag at least $200 more affordable than its competition. The OnePlus 3T is an option that you certainly cannot go wrong with. The phone is currently priced at $442.99.
• ZTE Axon 7: Like the OnePlus 3T, the ZTE Axon 7 is another fantastic option if you’re looking for flagship specs and features but with a budget-friendly price tag. This device also offers an excellent audio experience, so if your mom loves listening to music from her phone, the Axon 7 is the way to go. The device is currently priced at $371.99.
• Honor 8: While the OnePlus 3T is a jack of all trades and the Axon 7 is ideal for audio lovers, the Honor 8 finds its audience with the smartphone photography enthusiasts out there. A fantastic dual camera setup on the back allows for some great looking shots on the go, so if your mom takes a lot of pictures with her phone, the Honor 8 makes the perfect gift. The Honor 8 is currently priced starting at just $325.

Okay, so your mom wants the best — either because she’s cutting edge, or just doesn’t want to have to worry about buying another phone for at least 3-4 years. In that case, we’d recommend any of these high-end flagships:

• Samsung Galaxy S8: Samsung is back with a bang sends a mixed message, but that is the best way to describe their latest flagship offering, the Galaxy S8. A stunning infinite display and a gorgeous design up front are bound to turn heads, and the ever-increasing popularity of this device is testament to the fact that despite the company’s previous fiasco, consumers certainly missed Samsung. It’s expensive, but worth every penny, with the Galaxy S8 priced at $849.
• LG G6: The G6 is a return to form for LG as well, and is a great comeback from the ambitious but eventual misstep that was its predecessor. You also get a beautiful display here but with a more standard design and build, but you get to take advantage of a great dual camera setup that sets this device apart. The LG G6 is also a touch cheaper than the competition, with a current price tag of $653.98.
• Google Pixel: Both the Galaxy S8 and LG G6 may be relatively compact when considering their display sizes, but they are still definitely big smartphones. If you are looking for something that is a touch more easy to handle with one hand but with all the power of a flagship, the Google Pixel is the way to go. Of course, for those who don’t mind a larger screen, the Pixel XL is always an option as well, with Google’s excellent software experience the biggest selling point for both. The Google Pixel is priced at $595.

For even more great advice on phone selection, be sure to check out our best phones and best cheap phones guides!

Smart speakers

Even if your mom is absolutely not into tech, you’d be surprised how she might react to a smart speaker. Thanks to the fact it responds to pretty easy to remember, logical commands, Google Home and Amazon Echo are absolutely great even for those who might not normally buy tech gear for themselves.

Being able to listen to music without having to physically touch it is absolutely a great reason alone to get a smart speaker, but then add features like cooking help, looking up questions, integrating smart lighting, and all the hundreds of other extras possible with a smart assistant and you have a product that will impress without question.

• Google Home: Powered by Google Assistant, Google Home is a connected speaker that helps make your day that much easier. From being able to keep track of your schedule, the weather, listen to music, and everything else Google Assistant is capable of, you are also able to control other connected devices like smart lights, thermostats, Chromecast, and more. Google Home is currently priced at $126.
• Amazon Echo: Amazon Echo is the one that started it all, and remains a great option when it comes to smart connected speakers. Powered by Alexa, you can listen to all your music, and it is able to answer your questions, keep track of the weather, read the news and audio books, and a whole lot more. Finally, you are also able to control other smart devices like lights, thermostats, garage doors, sprinklers, and others. The Amazon Echo is priced at $179.99.
• Amazon Echo Dot: If you love everything about the Echo but find it a bit expensive, or have a great set of speakers readily available at home, the Echo Dot is the perfect fit. The device is capable of everything its larger sibling can do, with the only catch being that the built-in speaker isn’t particularly strong or loud, so an external set, that can be connected to via Bluetooth or a 3.5 mm jack, will be required. The Echo Dot is available for just $49.99.

Want to know more about smart speakers? Check out our Google Home review, as well as our comparison of the Amazon Echo vs Echo Dot vs Tap.

Audio

If your mom loves listening to music, a portable Bluetooth speaker is a fantastic gift option. With choices ranging from the ultra-affordable to the uber-expensive, there is something that will definitely fit in your budget. Here are some of our top picks:

• CB3 Audio Ultra Slim: This is one Bluetooth speaker that falls in the ultra-affordable category, but you certainly wouldn’t get that from its design or the sound quality it has to offer. As the name suggests, this speaker is slim, compact, and extremely portable, and while it may not be as powerful or feature packed as the more expensive options out there, it remains quite impressive, especially when you consider its price tag of $29.99.
• B&O Beoplay A1: Bang & Olufsen is a popular name in the world of audio products, so it’s not surprising that their Bluetooth speaker is one of the better options around. Not only do you get to enjoy great sound, but the Beoplay A1 looks fantastic as well, and will certainly not look out of place in a living room or bedroom. The B&O Beoplay A1 is currently priced at $249.

Of course, no one wants to blast music from a Bluetooth speaker all day, and in this case, a good pair of headphones will do the trick instead. Here our top choices:

• CB3 Audio Hush: A good pair of headphones with noise-cancelling can be difficult to find on a budget, but CB3 Audio is once again at the fore in this regard. There are a lot of features packed into a modern design, with impressive sound quality available, not only for the price, but in general. Which is why, it’s great that this excellent pair of headphones is priced at just $89.
• V-Moda Forza: Not everyone is comfortable with a large pair of headphones over their ears all the time. We recommend the V-Moda Forza, a fantastic pair of earbuds that can be used in any situation, including while sweating it out at the gym, with this set being sweat proof, and they also look great. The audio quality is really good, especially when you consider its price point of just $100.

For even more options, be sure to check out the roundup of the Best Bluetooth speakers, Best noise cancelling headphones, Best earbuds, and a whole lot more over at our sister site, Sound Guys.

Fitness trackers

Suggesting that your mom needs to work out as a Mother’s Day gift is definitely not the best thing to do, but for those that are already into fitness, a good fitness tracker is a great idea. There are a lot of fantastic options available in this category that are spread across the price spectrum,

• Fitbit Charge 2: The second edition of the Fitbit Charge features a more refined design that won’t look out of place on your wrist, comes with a bigger display this time around so better see notifications from your smartphone, and you also have the option to replace the bands to better suit your look. It isn’t as feature packed as some other options out there, but it does come with a heart rate monitor, is sweat and rain proof, and offers up to 5 days of battery life. The Fitbit Charge 2 is priced at $150.
• Withings Activite Pop: Fitness trackers in general have a very distinct, sporty look, but if that doesn’t suit your needs, the Withings Activite Pop is a fantastic option. It looks like a traditional analog watch, but is able to track your steps, calories burned, sleep, and much more. It is also waterproof and comes with a battery that can last up to 8 months. The Withings Activite Pop is available in a variety of colors, with the price ranging $79.90 to $120 depending on the option you choose. 

For even more options with regards to fitness and activity trackers, don’t forget to check out our guide on the Best Fitness Trackers that are currently available!

Smart tech

Mother’s Day isn’t only a special day to celebrate your mother, but also provides an opportunity for you to give her a gift that will help make her everyday life a whole lot easier. In this budding age of the Internet of Things and connected devices, there are a slew of great options in this regard, with this list of smart tech something that any mom or household would appreciate:

• Neato Botvac D3: The Neato Botvac D3 is a Wi-Fi connected robot vacuum that features a precise laser-based guidance system that scans, maps, and then cleans your floors, instead of randomly bouncing around, and comes with a design that lets it get into difficult corners. Everything can be controlled via the mobile app to start and schedule cleaning, and the device knows when it is running out of battery, automatically goes into the charging station, and is ready for the next cleaning cycle. The Neato Botvac D3 is currently priced at $349.
• Qwer tile tracker: We all have had moments of sudden panic when we can’t remember where we’ve kept our keys, phone, or other essentials. If that’s something that happens often, the Qwer tile tracker is definitely worth it. It is a bluetooth tracker that works with an easy to use app to let you know the location of your keys, your phone, and other items with a simple press of a button. If an item is within range, you will hear the tracker beep, but even if you have lost it somewhere else, the app notes its location on a map. A 4 pack of the Qwer tile tracker is priced at $59.90.

Miscellaneous

There are some gifts that are more practical than fancy, and while a shiny new smartphone or smartwatch is bound to turn heads, the options in the list below serve to address a more pragmatic need. These gifts may not be the most extravagant or imaginative, but anything that helps solve a problem is definitely going to be cherished for years to come.

• Car accessories: From Bluetooth car kits, dashboard replacements with Android Auto support, to car chargers and phone holders, there is a lot you can do to make your driving experience more enjoyable and importantly, hands-free. To find something that best suits you, here is our roundup of best car accessories, that cover the range of any tech that can go into your car.
• Portable battery packs: As far along as smartphone tech has come over the years, batteries have unfortunately not had the same growth, with current units having a hard time powering the Quad HD screens and octa-core processors of the world. Granted, most smartphones do last at least a full day, but if your mom has been facing issues with her phone battery running out halfway through the day, a portable battery pack is a great gift option. You can find our roundup of the best portable battery packs currently available here, and in case she has one of the new phones that feature USB-C ports, you can find a list of relevant portable chargers here.
• Phone cases: A good phone case can go a long way in keeping your smartphone safe from unfortunate and accidental bumps and drops, and an additional layer of security is never a bad idea. From slim, transparent cases that show off the design of your phone, to the ultra-rugged options that will keep your device safe from anything, every type is available in our best cases roundups for a variety of smartphones. You can search for your particular device on the site, or look for the phone here.

Source: ANDRIOD AUTHORITY