It’s come around quickly, Mothers Day is this coming Sunday, so it’s time to get your tech-loving mum something nice. We’ve aimed high and low in terms of price so there’s something for everyone here – we hope.
Google Play Vouchers – $20, $30 or $50
If you’re stuck for gift ideas, from $20 you can give mum the gift of escape with either a game, movie, book, magazine or some rocking new music available to purchase from a number of retailers. Google Play Gift Cards come in $20, $30 and $50 denominations as well as a load-and-go option to add up to $500.
Virtual Reality! from $19.95
If your mum is the adventurous type, or perhaps you’d like to make her sick, why not surprise her with a Virtual Reality setup?
You can start with Google Cardboard which you can order with overnight delivery from just $19.95 + delivery from the Ausdroid store and then point her at our guide for the 5 best Cardboard experiences available.
If she owns a compatible Samsung Galaxy phone, then you may want to check out the Samsung Gear VR headset. You can find these from around $100 upwards depending on the retailer and with a full store of VR applications and experiences then this could be a winner. Bonus points if you buy her a Galaxy S8 and get one of the new free Gear VR headsets with hand controller included.
If your mum is uber-geeky, she may have a Pixel or Moto Z handset, in which case a Daydream View is the perfect complementary gift for mum. For $119 it’s a bit expensive, but there’s a lot of fun to be had with this headset and with Google I/O coming up there may be more coming soon.
Chromecast Audio or Chromecast Ultra
Streaming audio or video is always great and Google’s Chromecast is at the top of the crop when it comes to streaming either. Why not get mum a Chromecast Audio or Chromecast Ultra?
We’re in a new year and the tech has evolved – it’s all about 4K! Google’s 4K compatible Chromecast Ultra is ready to rock with streaming 4K content, even if Google won’t stream it to you. At $99, it’s a bit more expensive than a $59 Chromecast 2 but once 4K streaming really kicks in, it’s going to be worth it.
Google’s Chromecast Audio dongle is the best thing since sliced bread as far as we’re concerned. The dongle connects to just about any speaker with a 3.5mm, Optical or RCA input, turning even the oldest of speakers capable of using those inputs an internet enabled sound machine. Podcasts, Music, anything, we just love our Chromecast Audio
Jaybird X3 Bluetooth Earphones – $199
For the sporty mum out there, I loved the Jaybird X3 Bluetooth Earphones which are priced at $199 locally, but if you’re willing to shop around you can find some good deals. These comfy earbuds give you 8-hours of music/podcasting pleasure and they fit snugly into your ears for going for a run or just working out in the gym.
BeoPlay BeoSound P2 – $249
If you’re looking for something that might tickle mums fancy, then a new Bluetooth speaker could be just the thing. The new BeoPlay BeoSound P2 portable bluetooth speaker is a lovely bit of kit with a big sound. It’s decently priced at $249, so mum will really know you care, and we’re pretty happy with the sound quality on this compact speaker.
Bose Quiet Comfort (QC) 35 Headphones – $499
For the more refined audio experience, the go to for our team is the Bose Quiet Comfort (QC) 35 headphones. These things are phenomenally good, and are as comfortable as hell to wear for a long period of time. At $499 RRP they’re not cheap, but you can certainly find them a little cheaper if you shop around.
Fitbit Alta HR
If mum is looking to get fit, stay fit or even just get a better nights sleep then the Fitbit Alta HR is definitely something to check out for your mum. The band is stylish and fairly slim meaning it will fit smaller wrists with ease and comes with all the functionality of a smartband including step counting and even a heart rate monitor. It can even send you notifications for SMS and phone calls, which seems a bit limited, but it’s the fitness functions that count and it has that in spades.
The Fitbit Alta HR has also got some great smarts when it comes to sleep tracking. The band and the app on your phone can give you some good insights into how to get a better night sleep, as Neerav found out when he took a deeper dive into these details.
At $249 it’s not the cheapest band on the market, but it is one of the better quality ones.
A new phone – How much do you love her? 😉
This year there’s a couple of great choices for mum, whether she’s just wanting something in the mid-range or if she’s wanting to go the whole hog.
Moto G5+
We’re big fans of Motorola’s newly launched Moto G5+ which has a huge list of features (including NFC) for a decent price tag of $499. The phone brings dual-camera quality to the mid-range, and we’re always great fans of Motorola’s approach to software with a stock Android experience.
Samsung Galaxy S8
If you’re an Android fan, then this year the phone to beat this year is, as usual, a Samsung handset with the Galaxy S8 very much at the top of the heap. Chris found the S8 to be fast, responsive and has a great camera. The software experience on the Galaxy S8 is again improved and if you’re after great design this is the phone to go for, but at $1100 it’s certainly not cheap.
There we go, something for just about everyone there, you should be able to find mum something to enjoy – and if you do forget, flowers are always welcome.
Moto G5+ is $449 and doesn’t have dual cameras. Also, for a cheaper option, you can get the Samsung Galaxy S5 for less than $300 now.