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Mother's Day Gift Ideas
Mother's Day is coming this Sunday, May 11. Sure, you can be like every other guy out there and get your mom or your wife, the mother of your children some
flowers or a nice
meal (j/k) for Mother's Day, but is that what she really wants? Be bold, get her something she'd never expect. She won't know how great a gift it is until a few months from now, when she realizes that it's become a part of her every day life and she can't imagine living without it. Here are some of the best bet technology gifts for Mother's Day.
Toshiba 19AV500U 19-inch 720p LCD HDTV (
Buy now, $335)
What's a mom going to do with a beautiful, 19" 720p HDTV with built in ATSC and QAM tuners you ask? Love it, of course! Nothing says "I cherish everything you do around the house" like Rachel Ray in the Kitchen (on TV, not actually doing the cooking, that costs quite a bit more). Or how about Oprah while soaking in a nice warm bath? And of course, you don't want to get just any old television, what kind of message would that send? Nope, you need to get the best - something with widescreen aspect ratio, DynaLight Dynamic Backlight Control, 1440 x 900 resolution and a beautiful piano black finish. She'll get addicted to it pretty quickly. Oh, and maybe it will free up your other HDTV a little more often ... say if there happens to be a sporting event on or something ... Note that this gift requires installation.
Logitech Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote Control (
Buy now, $149)
No gift list would truly be complete without a Harmony universal remote. If you haven't pulled the trigger yet, you owe it to her. It's not fair that she can't even turn on the TV to watch Regis and Kelly without having to call you at work to find out why there's no sound ... Not that that's ever happened to anyone, we're just saying that it could ... Not only is the 880 a great remote, it's a great price as well. She'll love how easy it makes your home theater, and love that you didn't spend a fortune on it. Instead you chose to save some money so you could buy those flowers she was hoping for. Note that this gift will require some programming. And it may require that you let her use the remote every so often.
Garmin StreetPilot c530 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (
Buy now, $149)
Let's face it, your wife gets tired of telling you to pull over and ask for directions. That's where the StreetPilot c530 from Garmin comes in. Not only will she never have to worry about getting lost again, she'll also never have to worry about you getting lost again. This gift kills two birds with one stone - sounds like a no-brainer. It includes an easy-to-read, automotive-grade, sunlight-readable, anti-glare display so it's perfect in the car. Other optional software available on plug-in SD cards lets you instantly add new features to your c530 without connecting to your computer. These optional packages include the Garmin Travel Guide that gives you helpful and thorough reviews and recommendations for restaurants, hotels, shopping, nightlife, sporting events and tourist attractions.
Logitech Wireless DJ Music System (
Buy now, $89)
Everybody love's music, but convenient music is even better. That's what made the iPod so successful and that's why the Wireless DJ system will be a hit this Mother's Day. You'll be a hero when she finds out that she has instant access to any CD you own in whatever room she wants. You may need to get cracking and rip all those CDs to the computer if you haven't already, but she'll fall in love with you all over again while she's rediscovering the old CDs she hasn't listened to in years because it's just too much of a pain to get them out and switch CDs and all that. If you've already ripped everything for an iPod, the StreamPoint Software works with all the popular media players such as iTunes, Windows Media Player, and Musicmatch for easy access to all your music. It's a great, inexpensive wireless solution with plug-and-play simplicity, digital audio clarity, and best of all, no home network required.
HP A10 Printing Mailbox for Presto Service (
Buy now, $149)
Okay, so maybe this isn't home theater related, but you still have to plug it in, so it's a techno-gadget that will work as a great gift. Let's face it, some mom's just aren't technically inclined, so instead of fighting an uphill battle, you just embrace it with the HP A10 printing mailbox. It works as part of the
Presto service, printing photos and mail sent via Presto Mail. Presto allows anyone to send that special mom in your life email and pictures without her even needing a computer or an Internet connection. They just send the email and it prints right out on her new HP A10. Presto! Presto only delivers messages from people on your Presto Friends list, so there are no ads, no spam, no junk mail.
Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ80U 50-inch 1080p Plasma HDTV (
Buy now, $1815)
Why not pull out all the stops and show her how much you really love her with a 50" 1080p plasma HDTV from Panasonic? It will ensure that you get more quality time with her. Of course you may have to give in to some Grey's Anatomy or Ugly Betty, but isn't it worth it? Of course we're referring to the more time you get to spend with her, not how great the NBA Finals, Monday Night Football or CSI will look on the new TV. That thought never even crossed our minds. It has a 1,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio for the brightest whites and darkest blacks, because you know she's into that kind of thing. Not only that, but it has 4096 shades of gradation for spectacular color reproduction, something we're sure she's been all over you about. There's a
42" model for about $500 less, if the 50" might be pushing it a bit.
No matter what you do, remember that if you screw up Mother's Day, you'll be hearing about it for a long, long time. Think long and hard, but be bold. No risk, no reward, right?
