Five Great Tech Gifts for Mother's Day 2011

Most moms love technology. To be fair, pretty much everyone loves a cool tech toy, which is what makes cameras, iPods and other gadgets great gifts for Mom.

Here are a few tech gifts to give this Mother's Day that your mom will appreciate more than another drawing of a heart made out of elbow macaroni.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX9 -- Moms love to take pictures, but they like a simple, fast, good-looking camera that won't be too much of a burden. This entry in Sony's Cyber-shot line is a steal at under $300, and although pics can be a bit soft, it's the best value for a quality handheld camera in its price range.

The iPad -- Some mothers love technology, but aren't really impressed by your dual-core Pentium computer. They'll like the tactile input of a good tablet, and the iPad simply provides the best, most intuitive user experience on the market right now and costs $500 and up depending on the memory and 3G capability. It's up to you whether you want to spring the extra money for the faster, thinner iPad 2, but remember: the woman who gave birth to you probably wishes you'd been a bit thinner and faster.

Barnes and Noble NOOK Color -- If you don't have the money for an iPad or if your mother's more into reading than tech gizmos, the Nook color is a great choice. It costs $250, provides a full-color touchscreen, and it's a brilliant way to read books, magazines, newspapers, and much more. For a personal touch, pre-load it with a few of your mother's favorite books or buy a magazine subscription with the built in Barnes and Noble store.

Sony DPF-VR100 Digital Picture Frame -- A digital picture frame is a great gift because you can preload it with family pictures, messages to your mom, and more. This Sony offers you 10 inches of stunning color and really looks great in any setting. It's less than $200 and works well with camera cards, so your mom will figure out how to use it pretty quickly. Be sure to load it with something, though, or she'll be wondering why you'd bought it in the first place.

Powermat Wireless Charging Stations -- Wireless charging has become all the rage in the last year, as it's convenient and very, very cool. Powermat makes efficient wireless charging mats that will probably work with your mom's iPod, phone, and other gadgets. They start at around $50 and go up in both size and cost.

Any other ideas for a great tech gift for mom? Post below.