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The best last-minute tech gifts, gadgets for your mom this Christmas

Tech-savvy moms might appreciate a useful, fun, or relaxing gadget over Christmas. Check out some of our top picks.
By Charlie Osborne, Contributing Writer
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1 of 16 Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Kindle Paperwhite

Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite could be a gift gratefully received this Christmas. The affordable e-reader is slim and light, easily thrown into a bag and can be used to both read and access books from the Amazon Kindle store.

The latest variant of the product line comes with a 300dpi display and a battery life of weeks on a single charge.

Price: $119.99

Via: Amazon

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2 of 16 Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Aura frames

For a modern twist on a tradition photo frame this Christmas, your mom might appreciate an Aura frame, a 9.7-inch HD display which can be used to load and share photos from the cloud. An interesting feature is the use of gesture control, in which swiping can result in image switches.

Price: $299

Via: Amazon

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3 of 16 Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

HoMedics Shiatsu massage pillow

If your mom is constantly on the go and could do with some relaxation over Christmas and beyond, the HoMedics Shiatsu massage pillow could make a great gift over the holiday season.

Price: $49.99

Via: Best Buy

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4 of 16 Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Flic

Flic buttons are small, stickable devices which have three modes -- click, double-click, and hold, to perform a variety of tasks. These buttons can be programmed to do everything from controlling home lights, sending a text message, connecting to a smart speaker and launching a music playlist, or pinging phones.

The buttons are based on if this, then that (IFTTT), leading to countless possibilities and countless ways which your mom could make use of on a daily basis.

Price: $34.99

Via: Flic

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5 of 16 Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Ring Doorbell

Work, being in and out of our houses, and rushing about can mean that we miss important parcels and deliveries all too easily these days.

A gift which can take this annoyance out of daily life for your mom is the Ring Doorbell, a smart alternative to traditional systems which can be used to monitor visitors to your home and permit users to see and remotely speak to them, doubling as a security system.

Price: $99.99

Via: Ring

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6 of 16 Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Illy Y5 coffee machine

The Illy Y5 coffee machine could be a great gift for your mom this year to help kickstart her day. The coffee maker is Bluetooth-enabled and can be controlled from a mobile device with customizable temperature and brew settings.

The machine is also Amazon Dash compatible, which means that replacement coffee can be automatically ordered when you are running low.

Price: $199.99

Via: Amazon

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7 of 16 Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Anker Astro portable charger

A useful and affordable gift or stocking filler this year could be the Anker Astro portable charger. This slimline, 5200mAh battery charger is small enough to be thrown into a bag and can be used to charge mobile devices on the go -- an accessory which may come in handy for your mom.

Price: $19.99

Via: Amazon

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8 of 16 Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Smart Home aroma diffuser

A pretty and affordable gift for your mom over the holiday season could be the Smart Home aroma diffuser, a 400ml-capacity product which is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home for hands-free control and is also equipped with automatic timers.

Price: $43.99

Via: Wonderful Scents

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9 of 16 Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Roku streaming stick

Your mom might enjoy the Roku streaming stick this Christmas, a media streaming dongle which can be plugged into television sets -- via HDMI -- in order to access content stored on Google, Amazon, Hulu, Netflix, and thousands of other apps.

Price: $43

Via: Amazon

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10 of 16 Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Arf automatic pet feeder

If your mom is an animal lover, an Arf automatic pet feeder could be an interesting gift for Christmas -- as well as a means to make sure her pets are fed during the day. The automatic feeder can be customized for up to four meals per day with tailored portion sizes.

Price: $89.99

Via: Chewy

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11 of 16 Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Fitbit Versa

If your mom is a fitness fan or has exercise goals in mind for next year, you might want to gift her with a Fitbit Versa, a wearable fitness and sleep tracker which also acts like a typical watch.

The Versa contains some interesting features, including breathing exercises tailored to the wearer, reminders, progress reports, GPS, and on-screen workouts.

Price: $149.95

Via: Fitbit

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12 of 16 Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Smart vase

A simple, minimalist, but a multi-functional product for the home and perhaps your mom's bedside table is a vase from Uncommon Goods.

The vase, available for purchase in different colors, also acts as a smartphone charger and stand.

Price: $32

Via: Uncommon Goods

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13 of 16 Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Nest thermostat

It might seem like an odd choice of gift for Christmas, but owning a smart thermostat is beneficial not only to monitor energy use and potentially cut costs but can also be a convenient way to control your heating remotely.

The Nest thermostat is one such option and permits remote scheduling and control, has an optional learning system which tweaks the heating based on user patterns and wishes, and comes in a stylish package.

Price: $249

Via: Nest

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14 of 16 Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Neetto Gooseneck tablet stand

A budget-friendly gift for your mom this year is the Neetto Gooseneck tablet stand, a flexible holder which can be fixed to everything from desks to worktops.

Price: $29.99

Via: Amazon

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15 of 16 Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Asoon smartwatch

You don't need to spend a fortune on a smartwatch, and if you are looking for a budget-friendly option for your mom this year, the Asoon smartwatch could be worth a look.

The Asoon model is compatible with Android phones and offers basic functionality at a reasonable price. The stainless steel Bluetooth-compatible watch is equipped with phone call functionality, a pedometer, barometer, syncing with audio players, and more.

Price: $19.99

Via: Amazon

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16 of 16 Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Apple Watch Series 4

A more expensive option for the iOS ecosystem is the Apple Watch Series 4. Apple's latest smartwatch offering contains a 64-bit dual processor, 16GB RAM, an OLED Retina display and is encased in silver aluminum.

The smartwatch contains a heart rate monitor, accelerometer, gyroscope, and is Bluetooth compatible. Apple's product can be used as a standard watch, can make and receive calls, act as an activity tracker and access a variety of apps for music, weather, news, and more.

Price: $399+

Via: Apple

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