Flowers? Done that. Jewelry? Leave that to Dad. Gift cards? C'mon, you've got imagination — use it!
Mother's Day is just around the corner and we all know the pressure of finding the perfect gift to honor mom. Struggling to figure out what to give the woman who has — and does — everything? EBay's tech guru Cat Schwartz encourages you to think outside the box.
biOrb AquariumPrice: $70 - $200 That drab little glass fish bowl not doing it for you anymore? Step into the future with the biOrb Aquarium. This high-tech tank includes a built-in filtration system and intelligent lighting that changes throughout the day.
High-tech vacuum cleaners Price: $150 - $250 You know mom likes her nice clean floors and, if she's going to slave away at keeping a pristine home, the least you can do is help by hooking her up with the Hoover Linx. This 21st century vacuum is a familiar name with an innovation we can all get behind — no cords. It runs on a rechargeable battery and it's super light. Or you could consider The Mint, an automatic floor cleaner for hard and soft surface floors. This robotic gadget uses Swiffer pads to get the job done right!
Apple iPad
Price: Starts at $499 How could we leave out the most anticipated gadget of 2010, the Apple iPad? There's millions — literally, millions — of apps that can be loaded for the mom in your life on this magical device. Is she an avid movie fan? Download Netflix's app that allows for movie streaming and Instant playbacks straight out of her queue. There's also plenty of games and space for photos and books to keep her entertained for months.
Sansa Clip+ MP3 Players Price: $50 Maybe mom's not as tech-savvy as you'd love her to be. Save the tutorials and pseudo-tech support calls with the Sansa Clip Pre-Loaded MP3 Player. This MP3 Player comes with music cards that already have music genres on them so mom doesn't have to download anything — or ask you to help.
Newest cool phone
Price: $99 - $500 How about a snazzy new cell phone? If mom's going to call you incessantly, at least let her look incredibly trendy while doing so. Your best options include the Blackberry, Palm Pre, Nexus one and iPhone. Any one of these cell phones are more than acceptable in my book and have everything she needs including full Web browsing, awesome apps and a built-in GPS. If you have any issues finding them at a good price, eBay is notorious for having them when no one else does.
Flip Video SlideHDPrice: $280 Want to make sure your Mom doesn't miss any of your kids milestones? She won't with the Flip Video SlideHD. The Slide has a screen that slides up and displays a wide screen for playback. You can even customize the look of them — mine is covered in a cheetah print!
Sirius Tabletop Internet Radio
Price: $129 Moms who love their satellite radio in their cars will go nuts for this gift. With the Sirius Tabletop Internet Radio, she'll have the ability to indulge in her favorite tunes and talk the second she steps in her house, too. All it needs is Wi-Fi to play satellite radio from more than 100 stations.
Sony Dash Price: $199 If mom's the type of lady who reaches for her phone the second she wakes up to check the time, her e-mail, the weather and whatever else she's obsessing about that day, then why not give her a Sony Dash? This device includes an alarm clock and shows off Internet widgets like local weather, music, videos, Facebook updates and more.
Who doesn't love a nice little gift basket?
But instead of sausage, crackers, or chocolate-covered fruit, what about a basket of gadget goodies each for less than $20?
Cinda B pouchPrice: $17 You'll be tempted to use this cute little bag for your lip gloss and coins, but don't you think your mom's covered on that? Persuade her to cover up her digital camera in this Cinda B pouch. It's nice and cushiony and comes in an array of colors and designs — and it's cheap!
Gela gadget skins Price: $15 (Use the promo code "todayshow" to get 20 percent off your order) That cute picture of you Mom and your sibs during that fantastic vacation? Or her favorite pic of you as a baby, make it last forever with these GelaSkins. For just $15, you just upload your favorite image and they will send you a skin for your cell, computer or even iPad!
TV B Gone Price: $19.99 Sanity saver alert! Mom can really send the TV-addicted kids all across America a message with TV B Gone. This little guy lives on mom's key chain, and with one click, it has the ability to turn off hundreds of different types TVs all over the world — and in her house.
Flip Clips Price: $5 (Use offer code "todaymoms" for $5 off your order on Wednesday, April 28) Make mom smile with picture books that move! These little treats can be filled easily with images of your kids making funny faces or babies first steps by uploading a short video then the site turns the action into a flip book. At $5 a pop you can make a bunch for very little.