Instead of going the boring and traditional route like buying her flowers and chocolates, why don’t you make her feel extremely special by buying her a high tech gift she can really use? Below are the top 5 tech gifts and gadgets to buy mom this Mother’s Day.
5. Wrap a Nap—this luxurious pillow isn’t exactly a “gadget” per say but its innovative yet highly simply design will blow any sleep-deprived mother away. This is because it acts as three items in one: a plush pillow that allows her to sleep comfortably even in the most awkward places and position— like upright in an office chair during her lunch break; earmuffs to silence unwanted noises like a spouse’s snoring; and a blindfold to block out sun’s rays to ensure she sleeps in a little longer when the kids are away. Price:$14.99
4. iWatchz Q series Watchband for iPod nano— this small “clip” attaches to any iPod nano, easily converting it to a stylish watch. Perfect for mothers who are constantly on the go, she’ll be able to make all of her appointments and know when she’s running late for the next PTA meeting while having access to her music library at all times. She can either use the built-in preferences on her iPod to choose particular backgrounds for her watch face or choose a standard white or black watch face for elegant occasions. Watch bands come in a variety of colors including black, white, red, blue and pink. Price: $24.95
3. Zumba Fitness for Nintendo Wii—Perfect for mothers who are trying to get into shape but don’t have the time to go the gym to take professional classes, Zumba Fitness from Majesco Entertainment is a sure fire way for a mother to tone up and exercise in the comforts of her very own home. The game includes 9 different dance styles: Reggaeton, Merengue, Salsa, Cumbia, Hip-Hop, Mambo, Rumba, Flamenco and Calypso. Price: $34.96 at Wal-Mart retail stores.
2. G2x by LG Android—If mom doesn’t have a smart phone yet then it’s about time that she’s upgrades. The G2x is the currently the hottest and most demand phone in the biz, but it’s only offered to T-Mobile costumers. This ultra sleek 4-G touch screen has a dual processor which enables it to perform at high speeds. It runs on the Android 2.2 (froyo) operating system though it is rumored to get the Gingerbread update soon. Price: $99.99 with 2 year T-mobile contract
1. iPad 2—The new and improved ultra light weight iPad2 is the ultimate gift to give this mother’s day. With it, she can do everything from writing to-do lists, catching up on some reading, video chatting with her relatives that live on the other side of the country, to even watching how-to-cooking shows on YouTube when preparing meals in the kitchen. She can even pull up educational games whenever the kids are bored. Price: Starts at $499.00
Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She
loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com.
It’s the spookiest time of year. It’s an excuse to dress up, throw a party, get (and give) candy, and it’s about the only time of year you can get away with being extra creepy. Here to help is 13 awesome additions to your Halloween arsenal.
I bought a couple of these last year from ThinkGeek and I love them. It’s tiny so it can be easily hidden and the battery included lasts about a month. At random intervals, it lets out one of the following creepy noises. My favorite is the child laughing. I once forgot I had hidden it to creep out the in-laws and it caught me off guard and sent shivers down my spine.
* Something unsettling creaking
* Unidentifiable scratching sounds
* Gasping last breath
* Sinister child laughing
* Eerie whispering of ‘hey, can you hear me?’
* Random Mode
Also from ThinkGeek, this skull is more than just decoration. Aside from creeping out people in your office, it features four USB 2.0 ports and the skull is empty so you can store candy in it. BRAAAINS!
While it’s not spooky on its own, this weatherproof outdoor projector is designed to help you make your house fit in a little more with the holiday season. It comes with 16 interchangeable slides that include witches, bats, and ghosts for Halloween.
This one could creep people out a bit when they show up for candy. It attaches to your door via a suction cup and has a motion sensor that makes the severed arm “knock” on your door when someone gets close.
You know the story. There’s a girl taking a shower when the psycho attacks her with a knife, inducing blood-curdling screams. Now your party guests or roommates can witness all the fun. When they get close, they’ll see what looks like a psycho killer and blood and hear the screams and Psycho theme music.
This one might creep you out more than it will others. Push the button and it will begin to look for ghosts. Walk around with it and if you see it blink, the site advises “It’s in the Danger!!! Get out of the place you stand!” If you’re daring, you can let this thing turn the spiritual energy into speech. You might need a translator to hear the messages, but do you really want to know what the ghost haunting your house has to say?
This thing emits howling, screaming and moaning sounds when someone goes for the roll. I don’t know if I’d be more scared or worried that people would think my lunch was haunting me, but either way, it’s a great little prank idea.
I’m sure you know someone who’s afraid of spiders. This is a sure way to get their adrenaline pumping. Put the spider on the back of the couch and when your victim least suspects it, move it via remote control. For extra fun, do it while there’s a monster spider schi-fi movie on.
OK… It may not be spooky, but it sure is creepy and a little funny. Next time someone asks if you have a thumb drive they can borrow, hand this over and see what they say.
It has a hefty price tag, but it’s a power strip that you can get wet! If you’re plugging in lights and stereos outside for the perfect spooky atmosphere, you no longer need to worry about water getting in the power strip, especially if you have a sprinkler system under HOA control like mine.
The EvilTron is cool, but if you want to have full control of the spooky sounds at your fingertips, this could be your solution. With 16 scary sound effects, this would be fun to have when you sneak up on someone.
You didn’t think I’d end the list without an iPhone app, did you? The iMut8r app for the iPhone by Legacy Effects lets you transform family and friends (or yourself) into zombies, ghouls, and monsters all on your iPhone.
Every year it seems like there’s more fun gadgets, apps, and ideas. While you may not be able to get some of these shipped in time, many can be found in novelty stores and halloween shops. Let us know which you use and how they did for you.
Technology is a funny thing – on the one hand, it promises so much and is something we cannot live without today; and on the other, it makes you want to tear your hair out in frustration even as you’re staring in awe at the latest model of your favorite gadget that’s just out. Why? Because you just spent a bomb on the earlier model which was then the “latest” and “most happening” gizmo to own and use, and you’re torn between listening to your common sense that tells you your bank account cannot bear the additional burden and your desire that’s screaming and drowning out the common sense and commanding you to buy it. And because I’ve seen my share of tech geeks and aficionados and because I’m sort of one myself, I know that desire mostly wins out in the end.
It’s a hard battle that you have to fight with temptation whenever new gadgets are introduced and new technology is out on the market, but if you set a few ground rules for yourself, you don’t have to break the bank and end up broke in your desire to own the latest gizmos.
• Don’t buy just because it’s new – instead, check out the features of the new device to see if there are any that your old one doesn’t have and if these new features are aspects that you would use on a regular basis. When you buy technology just for the sake of doing so and without taking into consideration its utility value, it’s only going to gather dust in your drawer or closet. So if you respect technology, buy it only if you’re going to use it.
• I’m not going to suggest you buy a phone or a notebook or any other technological gadget only if you really need it; that doesn’t work for people who’re crazy about gadgets. What I would suggest however is that you space out your purchases; so if you’ve just invested in a new smartphone, don’t buy another for at least six months, even if it’s being touted to be the “best in the business”. But you’re free to buy a laptop computer or netbook or any other gadget that’s just out and which features the most innovative technology. This way, you don’t end up craving too much.
• Never borrow to finance your passion – buying up gadgets as soon as they’re out is forgivable; what’s not is when you use borrowed money, like a loan or a credit card to finance the purchase. If you don’t have the required funds in your account to pay off your credit cards in full every month, then you’re not doing yourself any favors. All you’re going to do is end up in a very deep hole of debt. So go ahead, treat yourself to any fancy gadget you like; just ensure that you have the money to pay for it.
Personally speaking, there are some gadgets that I would give my right arm to own, not just for their utility value, but because they’re so sleek and sexy that you just want to possess them. But then, if you give in to every whim and fancy, the gizmos you buy are going to sour in value when your credit card bill comes in. So think your decision through, check your bank balance, and make your choice accordingly.
They’re here, they’re there, they’re everywhere. We’re inundated with gadgets no matter where we go or which way we turn. While some are indispensible, there are others that we want to own for reasons other than utility value – status, good looks, or for just pure entertainment purposes. Gadgets that are innovative and quirky tend to catch our attention, even though they may not be good value for money or something that we would go searching for when we shop. But, it’s stuff like this that perks up the monotony of life and makes for interesting conversation. So while some people may find the following gadgets useless, I’ve reason to believe they do justify their cost:
• Flying Alarm Clock: If you have trouble getting out of bed every morning, even on those days when it’s imperative that you absolutely must be up at 5 am, then this is just the thing for you. It uses sheer irritation to get you out of bed – you actually do so only to break the damn thing because of the loud screeching noise it makes; to turn off the racket, you must find the propeller-like wheel that shoots off the clock when the alarm goes off and buzzes across the room to settle in some unknown corner. The saving grace – by the time you’re done finding the small thingy, you’re probably too angry to go back to bed. The clock saves the day!
• Message Toaster: Now you can literally make someone “eat their words”. This toaster burns what you write on a message pad on the top into the slice of bread that pops out for your breakfast. While some might use it to propose more than a toast, those who are more practical (albeit in a whimsical way) use it to leave notes or messages for their significant other. But my personal favorite usage for this is to remind someone of what they said, something that has since then been proved untrue – yes, you’re making them eat their words!
• USB Fragrance Burner: If you work in a closed environment where all the windows are shut (or are non-existent) and the air conditioning system is on 24/7, you’ve probably been through situations where you have to stop breathing if you want to avoid throwing up. Working in close proximity to other people in closed environments can have that effect what with natural gases and other smells permeating the atmosphere from time to time. The USB fragrance burner is just what you need for mini emergencies like these – available in aromas of rose, jasmine, peppermint and lavender, you can just plug this gizmo into your USB port, add a few drops of the perfume that accompanies it, and you’re good to go. Makes for a work environment with clean air and unwrinkled noses!
This guest article was written by Adrienne Carlson, who regularly writes on the topic of accredited online degrees. Adrienne welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: adrienne.carlson1@gmail.com.
