Technologies

13 Mother’s Day Gifts for When You Can’t Be There in Person

Don’t let distance deter you from celebrating your mom on Mother’s Day. Here are some of the best gifts to give your mom when you can’t be in person.

Mother’s Day is the one day of the year dedicated to the woman who dedicates all her time to you, so make sure to celebrate her this year, even from oceans away. If you don’t live close enough to be there in person for Mother’s Day, there are still so many thoughtful gifts at your disposal to make your mom feel special. It might not be the same as physically being there, but it goes a long way towards letting your mom (or Grandma) know how much she means to you.

Sure, there are the old standbys like flowers and cards, but how about a sweet gift for the sentimental mom, or something practical that will make your mom’s life easier? To help you find just the right gift for your long-distance mom, we’ve created a list of the best Mother’s Day gifts for when you can’t be there in person. These thoughtful and unique gifts will demonstrate your love can truly go the distance.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Disney Plus

For the mom who’s a kid at heart

If your mother loves Disney but hasn’t tried Disney Plus yet, give her the gift that keeps on giving: all the Disney she can watch. Your mom can watch popular shows like The Mandalorian and finally see what all the fuss is about with Encanto. We rated Disney Plus as the best streaming service for kids at heart, so if your mom loves nostalgia and wants to stay on top of the latest releases, she’ll love Disney Plus.

$80 at Disney Plus

Mixbook

For the sentimental mom

When you can’t be with your mother in person, a personalized photo book of all of your moments with her can fill in the gap. Mixbook, one of CNET’s best photo books, allows you to create the ultimate gift by uploading photographs from your phone, computer or social media sites like Instagram and Facebook, and from there build your book, calendar and more with just a few steps.

See at Mixbook

The Sill

The Sill «Easy Care» Bundle

For the plant-loving mom

The Sill is a plant marketplace with a wide variety of fantastic plant choices for plant parents of all kinds. The Easy Care bundle is the best present for a mom who enjoys plants, but prefers a low-maintenance option. In this bundle, she’ll get the pet-friendly peperomia obtusifolia and a drought- and low-light-tolerant ZZ plant.What’s more, as one of CNET’s best places to buy plants online, your mother will adore this present’s quality.

$60 at The Sill

Amazon

Kindle Paperwhite

For reading on the go

The Kindle Paperwhite is our best all-around ebook reader for a reason. It features warm light settings, a longer battery life and is completely waterproof. For a better viewing experience, this edition of the Kindle Paperwhite sports a 6.8-inch display, perfect for a virtual book club.

$140 at Amazon

$140 at Target

$140 at Best Buy

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Cuddle Clones

A cuddly reminder of her favorite pet

If you have a mother who adores her pets, consider getting her a plush animal to provide a constant reminder of her affection. You begin the Cuddle Clones process with the pet’s name, then you follow up with the type of pet and finally the breed. After that, you go through a sequence of simple questions and picture uploads, and voila your mom will have a fuzzy version of her pet in eight weeks.

See at Cuddle Clones

Amazon

ArtPix 3D Crystal Photo

A 3D photo to treasure

This ArtPix 3D Photo Crystal is another cool way to preserve a special picture, but in 3D. This is accomplished through the use of laser engraving that brings any photograph to life. You can fully customize this gift by font, size, background and more. And this present can be enhanced even further by including a base and LED lights, but the crystal itself is plenty to convey your affection.

$80 at Amazon

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Homesick

Homesick ‘Thank You Mom’ Candle

Fancy candles are a mom staple

There are a variety of ways to express gratitude to your mother, but a candle (together with a handwritten letter) is a wonderful touch. This candle is 13.75 ounces and will burn for around 60 to 80 hours. Created with a natural soy wax blend that includes notes of bergamot, lavender, sage, jasmine and other fragrant aromas this candle will brighten her day.

$38 at Macy’s

Etsy

Handwriting Bracelet

A personalized bracelet will make her day

Does your mom love jewelry and keep all your old handwritten papers from childhood? Why not combine her two loves with this customizable, handmade bracelet made from gold, rose gold or silver. Once you decide how you want it engraved, you can write the message and choose an image matching the way you want it to look.

$42 at Etsy

Uncommon Goods

Long Distance Friendship Lamp

A sweet way to let Mom know you’re thinking of her

If you want to let your mom know you’re thinking of her in real time, this is the gift for her. No matter where you are, this lamp will work like a charm by lighting up and transmitting a colorful glow to her when you touch it.

$125 at Uncommon Goods

Amazon

Eufy RoboVac 25C

Make Mom’s life a whole lot easier

The Eufy RoboVac 25C is rated CNET’s best affordable robot vacuum. It has a powerful suction that is effective on both hardwood and carpeted floors. Pet hair and other little dust piles are easily picked up by it. And while it isn’t the most advanced robot vacuum, it is more than enough to allow your mother to relax while something else cleans up the mess.

$96 at Walmart

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Amazon

Oxo Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker

For the coffee-loving mama

2020

Making coffee should be as simple as possible, but to accomplish it properly, you’ll need the perfect coffee maker. The Editors’ Choice winner, the Oxo Brew eight-cup coffee maker, is our favorite drip brewer. This machine will make your mother a cup that will rival any coffee shop. The Oxo Brew has a single-cup filter basket, precision settings for better water temperature, a double-wall vacuum and it’s small enough to fit on your mother’s kitchen counter.

Read our Oxo 8 Cup Coffee Maker review.

$199 at Amazon

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the million roses

The Million Roses

Long lasting florals to show your long lasting love

Show your mom how much you love her with a box of long-lasting roses. These real roses can last for up to three years! Although they can be pricey, these beautiful flowers are well worth the money. They come in a variety of colors and bouquet sizes.

$103 at The Million Roses

On Holiday

On Holiday Pickleball Set

For the active mom

Give your mom the gift of America’s favorite pastime — that’s right, a custom pickleball set. On Holiday’s custom pickleball set is great for any active mom or mom looking for a new hobby. For $144, you can pick two paddles, a set of balls and a bag. All of the paddles have unique designs, so you can pick the one that best suits your mom’s personality.

$144 at On Holiday Pickleball

More for Mother’s Day

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, Aug. 21

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Aug. 21.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

There are a lot of Qs in today’s Mini Crossword. 1-Across threw me for a while, but eventually it dawned on me. Need answers? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Common queries, informally
Answer: FAQS

5A clue: Only four-letter country with a «Q» in its name
Answer: IRAQ

6A clue: TV’s «The White ___»
Answer: LOTUS

8A clue: Something you might «Mark as read»
Answer: EMAIL

9A clue: Late
Answer: TARDY

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: ___ mignon
Answer: FILET

2D clue: Burnt toast has a strong one
Answer: AROMA

3D clue: Only five-letter country with a «Q» in its name
Answer: QATAR

4D clue: Likely inspiration for the mythical kraken
Answer: SQUID

7D clue: Sneaky
Answer: SLY

Technologies

Everything from Made by Google 2025: Pixel 10, Pixel Watch 4, Pixel 10 Pro Fold Announced

Here’s what you missed at Google’s big event that included new phones, watches, earbuds, Gemini AI features and numerous celebrity cameos.

Even though the Pixel 10 leaks and rumors felt as if they arrived in a steady firehose before today’s Made by Google event — compelling the company to release a teaser video pre-announcing the new phone’s existence a month ago — Google still delivered details it somehow managed to keep private until it was ready to share.

And that delivery was refreshingly fun for a tech event. The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon led the proceedings in a very late-night talk show format, bringing on several special guests from media, sports and yes, Google’s own experts to show off the products and features they’ve been working on for today’s announcements.

Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL are real

Surprise, Google announced new phones! OK, this was the least surprising part of the event, but it still feels good to finally know what exists and when it’s coming. Preorders for the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL begin today and will be in stores and shipping starting August 28.

I’m Stoked That Google Made the Pixel 10 a $799 Value-Packed Feature Monster
I Tested Google’s Pixel 10 Pro XL in Paris, and I’m Impressed
Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL First Look: Familiar Design, New AI Tricks
Google Launches the Full Pixel 10 Line, Including the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL

Pixel 10 Pro Fold opens the next chapter of foldables

Folding phones so far have shared an Achilles Hinge: small particulates like sand can get inside the case and really mess things up. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is one of the first to have an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning you can take it to the beach.

Pixel 10 Pro Fold Is Tougher, Smarter and Totally Dust Resistant
Forget the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Foldables Should Look Like the Microsoft Surface Duo
Google’ Pixel 10 Pro Fold Is Here

Pixel Watch 4 talks to Gemini and is your new health coach

The Pixel Watch 4 includes new fitness options like real-time guidance while exercising. And if you forgot to start a workout, the watch (with AI help) can detect the activity in the background and remind you of it later, giving you credit for the effort you made. It’s also the only smartwatch that can detect a loss of pulse and call emergency services automatically.

Well Played, Google: The Pixel Watch 4 May Give Apple Watch Loyalists a Wandering Eye
Pixel Watch 4 First Look: Google Just Raised the Bar
The Pixel Watch 4 Is Here. Can It Finally Beat Apple?

Pixel Buds 2a are more affordable earbuds

Joining the Pixel Buds 2 Pro in the market are Pixel Buds 2a, an affordable ($130) pair of wireless earbuds that feature active noise cancellation, a smaller and lighter for all, and a twist-to-adjust stabilizer feature for setting a comfortable fit.

Google’s New Pixel Buds 2A Look a Lot Like the Pro 2, but Cost Way Less
Meet the Pixel Buds 2A: Google’s Budget Answer for ANC Buds

Pixel Buds Pro 2 owners will see new features

Coming in a software update next month, Pixel Buds Pro 2 owners will be able to answer calls or send them to voicemail with a nod or shake of the head. You’ll be able to talk to Gemini live in noisy locations, and benefit from adaptive audio that applies noise cancellation while letting important sounds come through. At the other end, a new feature will protect your hearing from very loud sounds.

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 Review: A Worthy Upgrade With One Caveat

Magic Cue is a Gemini assistant that pulls data from your correspondence

In the rollout of all the various AI technologies in the industry, the current stretch goal is «agentic» interactions with software: Having an AI that knows all sorts of details about you and can act to get the important stuff in front of you when needed. (And do it in a privacy-first way, one would hope.)

Magic Cue is Google’s implementation. It’s a new Gemini-based feature that can look through your earlier messages, emails and photos to pull details about things like restaurant reservations and flight times. Magic Cue runs on the Pixel device itself, so sensitive data stays private and not shared to the cloud.

A lot of Gemini AI intelligence is still coming soon

At the start of the event, Fallon sat down in typical talk-show format with Rick Osterloh, senior vice president of platforms and devices, to chat about Gemini and the marvels of AI. Aside from Magic Cue, which will be shipping on the Pixel 10 phones, a lot of the features and products we’ve been hearing about are still on the horizon.

«For instance, Gemini could do something like plan a team celebration dinner for 12 people tonight,» he said. «It might go find a restaurant that’ll accommodate that group…. Look for a karoake place nearby and maybe even order custom T-shirts for the celebration.»

And when will that be possible? Fallon asked. «A lot sooner than people think,» Osterloh replied. «This kind of thing is coming this year.»

The Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL can zoom to 100x with AI help

Pro Res Zoom on the Pixel 10 Pro phones pushes zooming far beyond what would seem to be possible with typical small cameras. Usually when you zoom beyond the optical limits of the cameras, details get fuzzy as the software upscales the image. With Pro Res Zoom, when you go beyond 30x zoom, it uses generative AI to build a sharper version. CNET’s Andrew Lanxon got both impressive and head-scratching results while making photos in Paris using the Pixel 10 Pro XL.

I Took Hundreds of Photos With the Pixel 10 Pro XL in Paris. These Are My Favs

Camera Coach uses AI to encourage better photos

Smartphone cameras have employed AI for several years, such as identifying subjects in order to blur the background for Portrait modes or quickly snapping several shots at multiple exposures and blending them together to create well-balanced lighting throughout. Now Google is using AI to help you take better photos.

Camera Coach is a new feature in the Pixel Camera app that looks at the scene in front of the lens and generates multiple suggestions for how to improve the photo before it’s captured. To show this off, podcaster Alex Cooper brought Fallon out to be her model and sat him down on a couch. When she activated the feature, Camera Coach suggested that she move the camera closer to the subject, position his head in the upper portion of the frame, lower the camera to eye level and turn on Portrait mode.

«To all the girls that are watching, I personally know how hard it is to train your boyfriend or your husband to get that perfect shot,» said Cooper. «And now Camera Coach can just train all the boys for us.»

Pixel 10 supports Qi2 magnetic charging

The Qi2 spec includes not just faster charging but also an array of magnets on the back for connecting to accessories. Sound familiar? The presenters mentioned Apple’s MagSafe system, then paused with the realization that they probably shouldn’t have name-checked it during the Google event. On the Pixel 10 phones, it’s called Pixelsnap and should work with accessories made for Apple’s ecosystem too.

Pixel 10 will be available in Mexico

In an impressive segment demonstrating Gemini live translation during a phone call, musician Karen Polinesia, who speaks Spanish, announced that for the first time, the Pixel 10 will be available for sale in Mexico.

This article is being updated; stay tuned for more.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Aug. 21, #332

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Aug. 21, No. 332.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

To solve today’s Connections: Sports Edition, focus on the endings of some of the words. That should help you see how they connect. Read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta after making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: What you want to do.

Green group hint: Football abbreviations.

Blue group hint: Home to hoops.

Purple group hint: Hidden hockey team names.