Date Published: 02/22/2008
Mother's Day comes once a year, and after a while it becomes harder to find new presents that will surprise mom. After all, you can only give her flowers, candy, dinner and gift cards so many times before these things get old. This year, why not consider electronics? Yes, we all understand that not every mom is technology savvy, but that is why Consumer Guide has put together a guide with varying options for moms who are and are not technologically advanced.
MP3 Players
Put a little music into her life. With an MP3 player, your mom can listen to her music while doing her thing. For a woman with small kids, an MP3 player can offer her a perfect time-out from the questions and squeals. As for a mother with the noisy teen, she can drone out the screaming rock coming from the kid's room while listening to something that's a little more her own taste. The SanDisk Sansa e270 comes with a 6GB flash memory which can hold WMA and MP3 files. And if mom wants to switch things up a bit, she can listen to music from the built in FM tuner. With a 20 hour playback, from just one charge, a mom can get lost in her music for an hour -- or a day.
The Apple iPods also offer excellent music listening options. Apple produces varying sizes, colors and storage options in their line of iPods. Mom might enjoy a hands free, no-muss listening experience on an iPod shuffle. Simply load the songs desired and press play. If mom would rather have more control over her music she can choose from a number of other iPods with more music, video and TV options.
SanDisk Sansa e270
Cell Phones
Stay connected with your mother and she'll be happy. The T-Mobile Wing Smart Phone fits the working mother that's always on the go. Not only can she make and receive calls, but she can also access the internet via EDGE or Wi-Fi. Perhaps work sends her a lot of documents, or the kids need her to check homework, with Windows Mobile 6 built in, the Smartphone allows her to view Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents. For organizational purposes, mom can use the memo recorder and organizer.
However, not all moms are accustomed to carrying a phone around with them. With technology expanding at a speedy rate, its nice to know there are still options for those who don't follow it. A great cell phone for a mom who wants one "just in case of an emergency" would be the Samsung A117-GoPhone. This is a simple pay-as-you-go flip phone. There is no contract involved, just a $60 fee for the phone and activation charges. The GoPhone can hold up to 300 numbers and allows texting and mobile internet access.
Satellite Radio
Driving to and from work, various school functions and sports practices, mom could use a little in-vehicle music other than the regular radio. For a neat twist, consider getting her satellite radio. Although you have to pay for both a radio and often the service, it's worth it to get her through the day with her favorite music.
The XM Mini-Tuner is an easy approach to satellite radio. The tuner itself is a small card about the size of two quarters. Simply plug it into a playback stereo that has a connect-and-play interface. Another satellite radio that works well in a car is the Pioneer Inno GEX-INNO1. Not only is this a satellite radio, but it has an MP3 player built in. This radio doesn't have to be docked in order to receive XM signals. As an added bonus, mom can store 50 hours of satellite radio programs which she can play back.
Mom also has the option of listening to satellite radio at home while cooking, reading, cleaning, writing, etc. The Tivoli Audio Model Satellite is a table-top Sirius Satellite Radio. You can choose from more than 120 channels, which can be organized by categories and presets for easy searching, or channels can be chosen individually. The model itself is tastefully designed with a cherry wood cabinet so it will blend in nicely with most settings. The indoor/outdoor antenna and wireless remote make it possible for mom to listen to her radio wherever she pleases.
Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W55Digital Cameras
Even though your mom probably grew up using a 35mm camera, she will certainly get excited about receiving a digital camera. Not only will she be able to take more pictures, but she will save herself the hassle of going back and forth from the store to get them developed. With a digital camera, mom can take clear and sharp pictures that she can view instantly. There'll be less guilt deleting images as well since there is no film to waste.
The Olympus Stylus 710 is an excellent camera for taking pictures outdoors at family parties and on vacations. As a point-and-shoot camera, the Stylus 710 would probably satisfy any mom who is merely looking to take simple pictures for memory's sake. However, for the mom who wants make adjustments when taking photos, we suggest the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W55. Although this camera is also a point-and-shoot camera, it comes with a 3x optical zoom lens and several scene modes. In addition, the Cyber-Shot is only 1-inch thick, very affordable and comes in four different colors.
