The flap on the Nexa is solid, you see, and houses a MagSafe charger for charging recent iPhones (it will also charge many Android phones, but they won’t be magnetically locked in place and can be fiddly), and a regular Qi wireless charger for recharging earbuds.
It’s powered via a USB plug at the top of the flap, the positioning of which suits lefties slightly better because it forces the flap to be on the right, which can get in the way of an external mouse when the Nexa is being used as a desk mat. $140
Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug
If the mother in your life is one of those people who sit on their coffee or tea – not literally, but in the sense of drinking it slowwwwwwwly – then Ember’s heated mug could be just the thing.
Sitting on its charging coaster (included in the price but not pictured), it will keep drinks hot indefinitely, at a temperature of between 50 and 62.5 degrees, selectable in the Ember app and set via Bluetooth.
Even that higher temperature isn’t hot hot, but it’s likely to be a good deal hotter than slow drinkers have to put up with by the end of the cup.
On the go, without its charging coaster, the battery in the base of the mug lasts up to 90 minutes, or less for the higher temperature settings. $199
Twelve South ButterFly
This is probably the niftiest gift on this list, though again, it’s better for iPhone users than Android users.
Perfect for travel, it’s a small, metallic puck that plugs into a USB power supply and has two halves stuck magnetically to each other that open out to reveal two chargers.
One is a MagSafe charger for iPhones (or Android phones with a MagSafe cover on them); the other is an Apple Watch charger that itself hinges out of its base for bedside-table use.
The ButterFly has a couple of operating modes. It can use it to charge a phone and a watch at the same time, in which case the phone will just be lying face up on its back.
Or, with the puck opened all the way around so the backs of the two halves are stuck magnetically together, it can be used to put an iPhone into bedside charge mode, standing it on its side and calling up the bedside clock on its screen.
It’s super cool, and the price includes a travel charging kit with multiple international plugs. $220
Skylight 15-inch digital photo frame
Just as you must have mixed feeling about your mother if you’re reading this mid-list entry, we have mixed feelings about the entry itself.
The Skylight digital photo frame is a big, 15-inch picture frame that stores and displays photos and videos.
On the one hand, it’s a nice-looking frame with a rock-solid base that’s extremely easy to use. It’s also wall-mountable, though its black cable will take some hiding. When you set it up, you choose it a unique email address, and anyone can add new photos simply by emailing them to this address.
(For privacy reasons, there’s an option to only allow photos from approved senders. The alternative setting, allowing photos from anyone who knows the email address, could get ugly.)
On the other hand, the frame displays photos in a 1920 x 1080 resolution, which is an aspect ratio better suited to computer monitors than photo frames. We had to add fat borders to our photos to get them to display without cropping.
Also, the viewing angles aren’t terrific. $320 (Mother’s Day special)
HP Envy Move
Now we’re talking.
HP’s Envy Move is a quirky beast, but it somehow found its way into our hearts, just as mother must have found her way into yours if you’re this far into the list.
The Envy Move is an all-in-one, Intel-based, 23.8-inch Windows PC – with a big difference: it’s got a battery in it, like a laptop, so it can be moved from room to room without switching it off, or even used for short stints (up to four hours) in places with no power.
Better yet, the Envy Move can also be put into a monitor-only mode. This shuts down Windows and turns the PC into a big, second screen for anything with an HDMI output, increasing both its utility and its longevity.
Long after the Intel chip is too slow to be useful (and cynics might say that of its Core i5 chip already), the Envy Move will still be good as a monitor. $1999
Merida eBig Tour 400 EQ
Ironically, the gift that indicates maximum love is the very gift that will mean you see mother the minimum amount of time.
Merida’s eBig Tour 400 EQ is a mid-priced but extremely capable unisex e-bike with a ton of torque that will help her ride up hills effortlessly, in turn helping her rediscover her love of cycling and getting her out of the house.
For the money/love quantum, this bike is very well kitted out, with a very smooth Shimano Steps motor, front suspension, lights, a rack and a stand. It rides like something a lot more expensive.
OK, so the teal blue and yellow paint job is a trifle off-putting, but it’s nothing you can’t hide with wrapping paper. $4674