Mother's Day Gifts for Tech Moms

Not that she’d ever say anything other than, “I love it! You're the best kid a mom ever had!” But maybe your mother is digitally oriented, and craves something gadgety to go along with the flowers, chocolate, and dinner. We think these devices and services are some of the best bets for pleasing tech moms.

Mobile Mom: Apple iPhone SE

Is it time to upgrade mom's aging phone? The new iPhone SE ($400) has the user-friendly, high-quality features of the iPhone 6 family, but its 4-inch screen is a little more manageable for those who aren’t quite ready for a larger device. If mom’s happy with her current smartphone and loves taking family photos, consider improving her snapshot output with one of these cool mobile camera lenses ($20 to $120), most of which are designed to work with both iPhone and Android models.

Muscle Mom: Misfit Shine

One of the best-looking fitness trackers available, the Shine ($70) doesn’t offer as many features as some models from other brands, but it’s less expensive than most and has a much longer battery life, too. It's also quite comfortable to wear, and for tech moms who love the water, it’s one of the few trackers that can be used in the pool.

The Shine runs on a coin battery for a claimed 180 days and is compatible with Apple and Android phones. And there are plenty of stylish accessories from Misfit and third-party companies (see: Modish Mom). If you buy directly from Misfit’s website, you can take advantage of a 30-percent-off sale through May 8: Use the code MISFITMOM at checkout.

Menu Mom: Drop Kitchen Scale

If your mom gets excited about cookery gadgets, she’ll really enjoy this one. The Drop kitchen scale ($100) connects to any iOS mobile device via Bluetooth and, with its app, helps her find recipes and prepare them. If she’s low on, say, fresh garlic, the app scales the rest of the recipe so she can still make the dish; it can also suggest alternative ingredients.

If your mother has gourmet tastes, but isn’t a big fan of cooking, subscribe her to a fun food Web service. One example: Graze, which sends weekly boxes containing healthful, high-quality snacks. You can set up mom’s profile to suit her cravings. (Before you buy in, though, make sure to review the customer service and cancellation policies.)

Modish Mom: Ringly Smart Ring

These rings ($195 - $260) are truly attractive pieces of jewelry—made of real gemstones, such as black onyx, pink chalcedony, and emerald—that have hidden tech features inside: They pair with your smartphone (iPhone 5 and up or Android 4.3 and up) and provide customized notifications that use a combination of four vibration patterns and five color LEDs (light is emitted from the side of the ring). You can be notified of phone calls, emails, and texts, but the ring also works with more than 100 apps, including including Uber, Slack, Instagram, and Snapchat. Each Ringly comes with a inductive-charging ring box—just place your Ringly inside and it charges in about 4 hours. Charges last 24 to 48 hours.

Musical Mom: UE Megaboom Wireless Speaker

Does mom love listening to music? This tall, artfully designed Bluetooth wireless stereo speaker ($250) comes in four colors, and Logitech claims it's waterproof. Easy-to-use, it delivers good sound quality, making it a fine choice for those who are looking for a portable wireless stereo speaker for music, movie, or TV soundtrack reproduction. When paired with a second UE Megaboom, it creates a unit with improved stereo imaging. And if your mom doesn't want to pair it with a phone, she can just plug it in with a standard audio input. If this speaker costs a bit more than you can spend, though, get her started on a Spotify subscription ($9.99 a month). This music streaming service has a free option, but paying monthly for the service removes the ads.

Maker Mom: XYZprinting da Vinci Jr. 1.0

Is mom a crafter and a techie? A 3D printer might just send her over the moon. Unfortunately, the prices for some of these printers are almost as high as the moon, but this one costs far less than most of its competitors. It may not boast all the bells and whistles of its costlier competitors, and it can't print large objects, but the da Vinci Jr. 1.0 ($350) can be great way for tech moms to get started with 3D projects. For a less expensive dive into the maker world, check out this Wearable Tech Kit ($59). It contains everything mom needs to make her favorite blouse glow with colorful, blinking LEDs—which won’t be embarrassing at all!