Technology can make a perfect Mother's Day gift, whether it's filling a need or pampering mom. Here are some great ways to show how much you care:

Belkin

Belkin Chef Stand + Stylus
If mom likes to spend time cooking, she'll love the Belkin Chef Stand + Stylus. It will let her consult recipes and operate her tablet without getting it dirty. The stand and stylus will work with any tablet and can be washed with mild soap and water.
Price: $29.23 on Amazon.com

Shoes of Prey

Design Her Own Shoes Gift Card
Not only will mom have lots of fun designing her own shoes on the Shoes of Prey site, she'll receive a beautiful custom-made pair of shoes in about 5 to 6 weeks. She'll start with one of 16 basic shoe designs and then choose toe, back, decoration, heel and height options. Or she can customize one of the 177 pre-made designs, a feature I love. For materials, the selection includes cotton, leather, patent, pony, suede, glitter, snake, fish, silk and sequins. Shoes come in European sizes 31 to 49 and you can select narrow and wide widths.
Price: Starts at $165 plus shipping on ShoesofPrey.com

zero1.tv

Zero1 VooMote Zapper
Any mom with an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad will enjoy gaining control of the family TV. When she plugs the VooMote Zapper into her iOS device, it turns into a universal remote. After selecting the TV, cable/satellite/FiOS box and any other components in her home theater system, she'll be ready to take charge.
Price: $69 on Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

B&N Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight
Mom can read anywhere with this e-reader. Its e-ink display works well in bright sunlight, and a built-in light makes it possible to read late at night with the lights off so she won't disturb hubby. With the light on, the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight lasts a whole month before needing a charge, or two months with the light off.
Price: $139 on BarnesandNoble.com

Striiv

Striiv Activity Monitor
If mom is looking to become more active, Striiv makes it fun and rewarding. This key-chain pedometer not only tracks your movements, it delivers bonuses and game rewards to help motivate. For example, for every step mom takes, her movements could power activities on an enchanted virtual island or cause Striiv to make a donation on her behalf toward providing clean drinking water.
Price: $99.95 on Amazon.com

Sony Electronics

Sony DPR-WA700 7-inch Wi-Fi Picture Frame
This is the perfect solution for mom's desk, night table or anywhere she'll enjoy seeing photos and videos of the kids. She'll get wireless updates of your latest photos from Sony's PlayMemories site, Facebook and email.  In addition, the photo frame can play Internet-based radio and pull in the weather from AccuWeather.com. The 7-inch touchscreen (800 x 480) frame has 1GB of internal storage, which holds up to 1,000 photos.
Price: $159.99 on Store.Sony.com

Nikon

Nikon Coolpix AW100
A rugged 16MP CMOS camera that’s waterproof down to 33 feet, freeze-proof down to 14 degrees F, shock-proof from s 5 foot drop, and is dust-proof — in a word, it's family-proof. Mom will get a 5x zoom lens (28-140mm equivalent) with optical image stabilization, Full HD 1080p video, a 3-inch display, a digital compass and built-in GPS with maps, so she can pinpoint the spots chronicled in photos. Comes in orange, blue and black. For more camera options, check out our Digital Camera Buying Guide.
Price: $291.01 on Amazon.com

Edward Macharia/The IRC

Assiyah Dagane Osman holds her son, Minhaj Gedi Farah, about two months after he was admitted to the IRC stabilization center in Hagadera camp, Dadaab, Kenya.

Rescue Gift
If you want to avoid the consumerism, give an online donation in mom's name to the International Rescue Committee to benefit mothers in need. Choose from options like Emergency Care for a Child, A Safe Delivery and Maternal Health Care, among others. Mom will receive a personalized print or digital card to let her know how her Rescue Gift is making a difference.
Price: Gifts start at $18 on Gift.Rescue.org

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• Great Gift Services for Expectant and New Mothers
• The Best Photo Gifts
• Barnes & Noble Nook eReader Can Be Read in the Dark

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milk & honey

I love shoes and shop for them at least once a week online. Fortunately for my bank account, I'm usually not satisfied with what I find. I'll like the material, but not the heel height. I'll like the style but it won't be available in the right color or size.

For shoe-aholics like me, if you're a woman with extra small or large feet or if you need the perfect shoe for a special occasion, designing your pump, sandal, wedge, bootie or flat online may be the way to go. Shoe design sites let you design a shoe from scratch, selecting colors, materials and components to make a one-of-a-kind shoe. Some will also let you tweak an existing design from a design gallery.

When you order your shoe, it will take two to eight weeks for delivery, so make sure to check the delivery schedule. And If the shoe's not quite right, all of the sites will make alterations and some will accept returns. You can also consult with a stylist if you need some help.

The shoes are pricey, coming in on average between $200 to $300, but they are custom-made for you.

milk & honey

milk & honey

On milk & honey you can design your own pump, flat, sandal, wedge or bootie. Once you choose your basic style, you can customize it with toe shape, straps, piping, embellishments, platforms, heel style, straps and backs. Materials include leather, patent leather, pony, snake, printed snake, glitter, metallic, croc, suede, stain, velvet and printed fabrics — quite a selection when you consider there a several choices for each material type. Milk & honey also has pre-designed shoes, some of which you can make simple modifications to, like color or heel height.

Shoes take 6 to 8 weeks for delivery and you can return or exchange them within 30 days if they're unworn; exceptions are special order shoes — fabrics or features not offered on the shoe builder app, wide or narrow shoes and shoes below European size 35 or above size 41.

The Shoe Design Studio

The Shoe Design Studio

The Shoe Design Studio has four basic styles: pump, sandal, t-strap and mule. From there you choose the front, back, middle, heel height and platform. Once you have the design done, you select your materials for all of the shoe parts. Choose from glazed, metallic, patent, nubuck, lace, pony, fabric and snake in a variety of colors. The selection isn't huge, but there are some fun options. You can also choose the "Play of Colours" option, which provides more design guidance, and you can chat with a stylist, if you need help.

The Shoe Design studio doesn't accept returns, but they do offer a complimentary alteration and remake service, if you're unsatisfied. They'll also pay for alteration costs at a local shoemaker. Shoes take 4 to 6 weeks to make.

Shoes of Prey

Shoes of Prey

Start with one of 16 basic shoe designs on Shoes of Prey. Then choose toe, back, decoration, heel and height options. You can also customize one of the 177 pre-made designs, a feature I love. For materials, you can choose from cotton, faded leather, patent, pony, leather, shiny leather, suede, glitter, snake, fish, silk and sequins. There's no live help, but once you've selected your first material, the app will make matching, contrasting and neutral material recommendations. Shoes come in European sizes 31 to 49, and you can select narrow and wide widths.

Shoes take about five weeks to make and you can return or exchange them within a year if they're unworn — the one exception being if you order different sizes for each foot. They also offer a complimentary alteration and remake service, if you're unsatisfied. Or they'll pay for alteration costs at a local shoemaker.

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Get Suzanne's free daily Techlicious Newsletter or chat with her on Facebook.

3D Systems FOC

With just a click of a button, one can print high-heeled platforms with Cube, an at-home 3D printer.

By Chiara Atik

Imagine this: You’re looking for the perfect shoes to go with your outfit, but nothing in your closet works. So you go to your  computer, design the perfect pair online, and click “print.” Soon you’re leaving the house wearing shoes you created and manufactured at home.

It sounds like something from a science-fiction movie, but it may not be far off. A company called 3D Systems, which has been working with complex printing technology for the past 25 years, is getting ready to release Cube: an at-home 3-D printer that will enable people to design and print products from prosthetic legs to hearing aids to, yes, shoes.

The printer, which 3D systems says will be available later this year, will cost $1,299 and come with Wi-Fi, 25 free files, and the plastic, Lego-like material required to create a few initial projects. You'll be able to design your own products or browse Cubify.com, where users can upload and sell designs.

3D Systems FOC

An accessories addict's dream? The Cube printer will be able to produce shoes, along with bags and jewelry.

3D Systems FOC

The stretchy plastic material used in the Cube printer lends itself to fun, intricate designs.

“You have this complete freedom of creation and unlimited geometry; you add to that the durability and lightweight capability of 3-D printing, and all of a sudden you do have the ability to create fashion,” Cathy Lewis, vice president for global marketing at 3D Systems, told TODAY.com.

Young designers are already making use of the technology, creating shoes, bags, and jewelry of varying intricacy. Even the most outlandish shoe design is usually wearable.

3D Systems FOC

It'll cost ya: The Cube printer will cost $1,299 dollars, and is not yet available to the public.

“Complexity is free with 3D printing,” said Lewis. “The 3D printer can create almost anything.”

Chiara Atik is a writer who lives in New York and can't wait to print herself a new wardrobe. 

More: Shoe news: New J. Crew espadrilles for $35
Nail news: Designer strips, Kate Spade polish and more
Scratch this! Extreme nails are here to stay

Slideshow: Funky footwear

Lilit Azoulay / kobilevidesign.blogspot.com

Kobi Levi takes inspiration from furniture, fruit and even dogs. Take a look at his wild and creative wearable art.

Launch slideshow

Wp Simon / Getty Images stock

Technology makes it possible to keep tabs on our kids in a way our parents couldn’t. We can put GPS trackers on them and in the vehicles they drive, get text messages automatically when they return home from school, get an audible alert when a toddler strays, and soon, even updates on whether or not they’ve brushed their teeth.

Each act of tracking has its health and/or safety benefits and it’s easy to see why parents would want to use these helpful products. Their use, though, raises questions. Are we using technology in instances when we should be parenting? And, are we raising a generation whose expectation of privacy that’s very different from ours?

Each family needs to assess their kids and their situation, and then weigh the benefits of tracking technology against the invasion of privacy.

For instance, I wouldn’t argue against using a proximity sensor that would alert me to when my toddler wanders more than 150 feet away. I’ve had a few heart-stopping moments when I realized I was watching the wrong blue jacket. But I also worry that using an alarm regularly might make me less vigilant, so I’d probably only use it in crowded places like Disneyland.

The bottom line is that technology is a tool that when used wisely can help. Check out the following devices and tell us which ones make sense and which have taken things a step too far.

Brickhouse Security

Toddler Tag
Clip the Toddler Tag Child Locator to your child’s clothing or bag, and a 56dB alarm will sound if he wanders more than 30 feet from the parental locator unit. Or press a button at any time to trigger the alarm, if you lose sight of him.
Price: $39.95 on BrickhouseSecurity.com

GreenGoose

GreenGoose Toothbrush Tracker
No more breath tests — sensors inside the Toothbrush Tracker register when your child has brushed her teeth. The device, which attaches to any toothbrush, sends a signal back to a receiver, called the GreenGoose Egg, which connects to your home’s Wi-Fi router. The Egg then sends a notification to the app you download to your iPhone (Android version coming later this year).

Also later this year, you’ll be able to purchase a kit to track how well you’re taking care of your pet. Inside you’ll find the Egg, a leash sensor to track when and how long you walk the dog, a collar sensor to measure when you play with him, a food sensor to note when you feed him and a treat sensor.
Price: $49 for the starter kit, $9 for additional sensors on GreenGoose.com

Schlage

Schlage LiNK Wireless Keypad Deadbolt Starter Kit
With the Schlage LiNK Internet-enabled door lock, you can receive a text message alert each time your latch-key kid uses her unlock code, letting you know she arrived safely home. Or, if you prefer she use a physical key, you can use any computer, iPhone or Android phone to remotely unlock the door. If you cancel your subscription, the codes will continue to work and you can program new ones manually using the door lock.
Price: $213.17 on Amazon.com plus $8.99 per month subscription

Cellphone Tracking Services
When you give your child a cellphone, you can track their location — or at least the location of the phone. For $5 a month, Sprint will let you locate up to four phones with its Family Locator service. AT&T’s Family Map service locates two people for $9.99 a month, or five people for $14.99. With the Verizon Family Locator ($9.99 a month), you can set up location-based alerts so you know when your child gets home, in addition to locating anyone on your Family Share plan. And, T-Mobile just added its FamilyWhere service, which enables you to track up to 10 mobile devices.

inthinc Technology Solutions Inc

Tiwi
You can’t always be in the car with your new teen driver, so Tiwi does the monitoring — and nagging — for you. It monitors speed, whether your child is wearing a seatbelt, how aggressively he’s driving and whether he’s traveled outside his designated SmartZone.

Any concerns and the device will tell your teen and send you a text message, voicemail or email. The device and plans are pricey, with a month-to-month contract costing $24.99 a month, plus $599 for the hardware; or a one-year contract costing $54.99 month plus $299 for the hardware. For an extra fee, you can add voice service ($2.99 a month plus $15 cents per minute) or roadside assistance and emergency support ($9.99 per month), which includes voice service.

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• What to Do Before Handing Down Your Gadgets

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Rock the Vote

Every election year, tech-savvy young people are targeted with creative ways to encourage voting, and this year, the effort gets more fashionable. And less chatty.

Junk Food Clothing

With these "scan to vote" T-shirts, you can skip the convo, get close to someone rocking the shirt, and snap the QR code with your smartphone (although there may be some potential for awkwardness here!). The code brings you to a mobile page where you can watch educational videos about the election, engage with social media and register to vote. A combined effort of PromoJam, Rock the Vote, Junk Food and Threads for Thought, these shirts debuted at the Warby Parker Citizen’s Circus during the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. 

“Sometimes young people don’t participate because it’s confusing [to register], so we were trying to get over their barriers,” Chrissy Faessen, vice president of marketing and communications for Rock the Vote, told TODAY.com. “This was a fashion-forward way and a tech-forward way to show how easy it is.”

Junk Food Clothing is familiar with combining tech with fashion, having used these QR codes before in other promotions. The first use was a "scan to give" shirt, which allowed users to donate to Meals on Wheels. The company approached Rock the Vote with the technology.

Rock the Vote

“Because we are positioned as the pop-culture T-shirt brand…it made sense to do something around the elections,” said Andrei Najjar, Junk Food’s vice president of marketing. 

Each of the organizations that took part in this initiative had a shared desire to encourage everyone to vote, representatives told TODAY.com.

The shirts were popular at SXSW and will continue to be an integral part of the Rock the Vote campaign, appearing at major musical festivals throughout the year. The shirts will be on sale in Whole Foods stores across the country beginning in April.  

Just be careful – if you wear one, expect a lot of people to be getting close (who knows, it could lead to a potential love connection!). 

More:

• Romney aide's blog tries to show softer side of Mitt
• Occupy SXSW? A high-speed connection to Austin's class divide
• President Obama now using Facebook Timeline

Lisa Granshaw is a writer and producer for TODAY.com. She would love to sport this tee to encourage people to vote, she's just not sure how she would feel about people invading her personal bubble!

Good Karma

The average amount families spend per year on each child's clothing ranges from $630 to $1,250, depending on household income and the child’s age, according to the 2010 USDA Expenditure on Children by Families report. But you could cut that expense by as much as half if you rent or trade in your kids’ clothes.  

Take clothing rental site Good Karma, for example. For $47.98 per month (or $575.75 per year), you get seven complete outfits from brands like Carters, Gap and Gymboree, plus seven sleepers and seven onesies. For $64.98 a month, you get higher-end brands like Tea Collection, Mini Boden and Ralph Lauren. There are larger and smaller packages available and sizes range from newborn to 24 months. The monthly price includes shipping.

Wooky Baby

If you’d rather piece together your child's wardrobe, check out Wooky Baby. Most items are available for $8 a month — not a deal for basics, but great for full outfits, costumes and formal attire. You can also choose to purchase at a reduced price. For instance, the three-piece outfit shown here retails for $29; you can buy it for $16, or rent it for $6 a month. Sizes range from newborn to 3T.

If you want to outfit your child in high-end brands like Dior, Baby CZ and Lotusgrace for a special occasion, head over to Fanciu. There you can rent a $230 Lotusgrace purple silk party dress for $35 for four days. Like women's dress rental sites, the clothing arrives just prior to event date and must be postmarked for return the first business day after. Clothing is available in sizes 2-12.

ThredUP

You can sell your kids’ like-new clothes for cash at ThredUP. They'll send you a free empty bag with a prepaid shipping label, and you stuff that bag with your kids’ old clothes and leave it for your mail carrier. There are a few catches. Clothes must have been purchased within the last two years, and you only get cash for those items ThredUP thinks it can sell. You get more for premium brands and sizes that are in demand. Plus, you can’t get your items back once you’ve sent them.

You can also purchase items at 50 percent or more off the original purchase price through ThredUP, and, while browsing, I saw a lot labeled "NWT," or new with tags. Sizes range from newborn to 18.

OutGrowingIn

And if your kids actually wore their clothes more than a few times, you can swap them at OutGrowingIn. You list your boxes of clothing and every time another member picks one of your boxes, you get to pick a box of clothing from the site. You just pay $3 plus shipping.

For $24.95 per year, you can see the brand information of what's in the boxes, search by brand and set up alerts for a specific size or brand. Since you only get a box once someone else has picked yours, members have an incentive to post pictures of the box contents and provide details regarding the clothing.

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Get Suzanne's free daily Techlicious Newsletter or chat with her on Facebook.

It’s Valentine’s Day and you haven’t bought your gift yet! Fortunately, I’ve got last minute ideas to rescue the day. You can put together a personal gift that looks like you put some thought into it.

Here are my recommendations:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet or Amazon Kindle Fire

If your loved one loves to read, why not surprise them with a tablet? You can pre-load it with titles from your significant other's favorite authors and special songs. Both the B&N Nook Tablet ($249) and the Kindle Fire ($199) offer a lot of features at a very reasonable price. And, there's bound to be a Barnes & Noble or a Best Buy near you where you can pick one up.

A personal music station
If you know your Valentine’s taste in music, it’s easy to set up a custom radio station on Pandora based on their favorite musicians. The free music streaming service then pulls a wide variety of songs into the custom station, often from artists they never have encountered before. Add a one-year subscription to Pandora One ($36 per year) which kills the ads, provides unlimited listening and provides a higher quality audio stream.

Give a gift to charity in his or her name
Starting as low as $12, Oxfam America has dozens of gift options to support their efforts providing lasting solutions to poverty, hunger and injustice. Each gift serves a specific purpose, from seed packs for farmers ($12) to children's books ($25) to livestock, such as sheep ($50) for wool and milk. You’ll receive a free e-card with the image of your gift that can be personalized and sent directly to your Valentine.

American Greetings

Personal coupons

In every relationship there are going to be compromises and favors, whether that’s picking the movie on date night or giving a massage. So give your partner a free pass with a personalized set of coupons. To get you started, American Greetings has three sets of coupons available in its Create & Print service — romantic, naughty and regular. Use the suggested wording or customize with your own. To print on your home printer, you must join americangreetings.com for $3.99 per month or $19.99 for the year.

Name something for your Valentine

From naming an adopted penguin in South America to a bench in New York's Central Park, naming something after your beloved provides years of enjoyment. And many options support a worthy cause — giving you extra romance bonus points! Check out some of my favorite naming ideas.

More stories on Techlicious:

• Valentine's Day Gift Guide
• Sexy Apps for Valentine's Day
• Is it OK to Send a Valentine eCard? Sometimes

Chat with Suzanne on Facebook  or on Google+ and get her free daily Techlicious Newsletter.

Two years ago, a Match.com/Chadwick Martin Bailey study found that one in five new relationships and one in six new marriages are between people who met through an online dating site. But while it may be a great way to find your soul mate, you’ll be confronted with thousands of choices. And, like many other online offerings, the "product" received may not always be what was advertised. So improve your chance of success by keeping an eye out for the following red flags as you sort through potential date’s profiles:

Photos: Photos can tell you a lot about a potential date. No photo, or a grainy, out-of-focus or outdated photo, are a sign that the person probably has something to hide, or else is not really serious about the dating process. But Vondie Lozano, licensed marriage and family therapist, has some other not-so-obvious flags to add to the list.

• If they have a ton of photos, it could mean they’re a little self-absorbed.
• Do they have a photo of themselves with another person cut out of it? That’s a huge red flag on so many levels.
• Is there someone or something else in all of their photos? It’s good to have outside interests. But if their dog, friends, boat or even their kids are in ALL their photos, it may tell you a little about where you’ll stand in the scheme of things.

Self-description: If the user name or headline is weird, overtly sexual or otherwise inappropriate — Bangyourdaddy, 69Reasons — you can stop there, says Trish McDermott, a founding team member of Match.com. Also avoid people that disclose too much, whether it’s a recent staph infection, bankruptcy or bad breakup. And McDermott recommends steering clear of people who don’t have kids but use undue space in their profile soliciting information about the age and sex of your children.

Christan Marashio, founder of AndThatsWhyYoureSingle.com, adds that “it's normal for people to have some trouble crafting a profile and to use self-deprecating humor to lighten the mood. Too much humor is usually a sign that the person is insecure and uncomfortable with being vulnerable, which could lead to problems with emotional intimacy down the road. The humor is used to distract.”

Marital status: “separated”: This one isn’t necessarily a deal breaker. But Dan Neuharth, licensed marriage and family therapist, says “you need to find out just how separated he is. He may be legitimately finished with his marriage emotionally, but the paperwork isn't final. But many separated people are nowhere near done. They may be on a trial separation, seeking variety, or way too fresh from a bad relationship to date seriously.” And if the person is still talking about their ex, that’s a red flag.

What he/she’s looking for: Requiring too much or too little are both red flags. You’ll never live up to the laundry list. If the person really doesn’t care, they’re probably looking for a “date,” not a relationship, or he or she may be looking to scam you.

Neuharth also notes that while it’s common for men to want to date women younger than themselves, if there's too much of an age gap, it's a sign he’s probably not looking for an equal partner in the relationship.

More stories on Techlicious:

• Valentine's Day Gift Guide
• An Easier Way to Mail Valentine's Cards
• 5 Gadgets that Help You Look Younger

Chat with Suzanne on Facebook  or on Google+ and get her free daily Techlicious Newsletter.

By Sarah Cavill, Techlicious.com

What’s more exciting than getting real mail? OK, a lot of things, but it is pretty great to get an actual card or letter. Something you can’t accidentally delete. With Valentine’s Day coming up, there’s no time like the present to merge your love of technology, your love of genuine mail and your love of a loved one.

Several apps on the Android and iOS platforms offer programs where you can design and mail a legit valentine’s card or postcard from your phone. You simply set up an account, and pay the postage with your credit card. For a low price, you’ll get beautiful paper, cool designs and even your own photos. We break down the various apps for you:

Red Stamp

Red Stamp
This is a beautiful and simple application. Red Stamp has the most options for cards, with more than 30 for Valentine’s Day alone. Other categories include love, thank you, support, invites, baby announcements, holidays and more, with custom photo or without. The graphics are modern and fun, and the interface is a no-brainer. It took me less than 10 minutes to pick a postcard and mail it. You can select the mailing addresses from your contact list, making mass mailings easy. Expect to see Red Stamp all over your mailbox next Christmas.

Price: Free in iTunes. $1.99 per card, including postage.

Touchnote Postcards
These cards aren’t specific to any one holiday, but since it is a postcard of one of your photographs, you can make it whatever you want with Touchnote Postcards. Upload your favorite pic from a romantic Paris trip and send it as a Valentine. With more than 400,000 downloads, and rave reviews for the product and quality of service, this is a charming way to share photos and reach out to loved ones. At 1 to 4 days for production and delivery in the UK and US, they have the fastest turnaround time, as well keep a history of your cards, and offer mass mailings.

Price: Free in Android Market, and iTunes for iPhone and iPad.  $1.49 per card, including postage.

Apple

Cards

Apple's own Cards offers pretty and elegant letterpress designs for thank-you notes, holidays, baby announcements, birthdays and valentines. It’s an actual card with an envelope addressed in refined script. It’s relatively intuitive to use, and most of the cards are photo cards, with customized texts, but the selection is limited. Despite offering international mailing options, Cards couldn’t find a Canadian address I’ve mailed to dozens of times. Also, you have to resend your card over and over again instead of mass mailing, which isn’t ideal for announcements or holiday cards.

Price: Free in iTunes. $2.99 per card, including postage.

Sincerely Ink
Sincerely Ink has loads of modern, fun designs. They have a large valentine’s selection, including photo cards, traditional valentine’s cuteness, and graphic concepts. Their cards run the full gamut of holidays and sharing opportunities, including engagement cards. Ordering is very straightforward — I did so on my iPad in less than 10 minutes, including a photo. Sincerely Ink has also teamed with Cartolina Postale to offer romantic, vintage designs that would be lovely for Valentine’s Day or to send from a trip abroad. All cards can be mass-mailed and are printed on heavyweight, glossy card stock.

Price: Sincerely Ink is free in Android Market and iTunes. Cartolina Postale is free in iTunes. $1.99 per card, including postage.

More stories on Techlicious:

• Is it OK to Send a Valentine eCard? Sometimes
• Valentine's Day Tech for Your Sweetie
• Winter Tech That Keeps You Warm & Safe

Chat with Techlicious on Facebook and get the free daily Techlicious Newsletter.

You don't need to be a geek to appreciate these Valentine's Day tech gifts. Whether it's a USB-powered blanket to keep your loved one warm, headphones for sharing music as a couple, or a blingy new watch, each one says "I love you" in its own special way.

Urbanears

Urbanears Plattan headphones

A great pair of headphones is a welcome gift any time of year, but these Urbanears Plattan headphones are perfect for Valentine’s Day. It’s not that they’re an appropriate shade of red, but because two can listen to music together by jacking in a second pair via the headphones’ line-out plug.
Price: $60 on Urbanears.com

Convenient Gifts and Gadgets

Swarovski

USB blanket

Nothing says “Valentine’s Day” like showing a little warmth. And this USB-powered blanket will provide that warmth when you’re not around. Simply plug the cables into a computer and your loved one will stay nice and cozy all day long.
Price: $24.95 on Amazon.com

Swarovski USB heart necklace
Much more than just a USB key, this heart-shaped silicon pendant is studded with 54 fine Swarovski crystals. Preload the 4GB of storage with special photos, movies or songs and it becomes a true expression of your love. Available in red, black, blue, rose and violet with matching colored crystals.
Price: $75 on Swarovski.com

TelyHD
Relationships are all about communication. When the people you care about are far away, Skype is a great way to stay in touch. But instead of crowding around the camera on your laptop, TelyHD lets you Skype video conference using any TV with an HDMI port and your broadband connection. No subscription required.
Price: $249.99 on Tely.com

Samsung

Samsung MultiView MV800

The 3-inch touch screen on the Samsung MultiView MV800 flips up for easily taking shots of the two of you. The 16MP camera also has Pose Guide, Smart Face Recognition, Face Detection Autofocus and Beauty shot (for touch ups) to make portraits a snap.
Price: $224.99 on Amazon.com

Art Technology Ltd.

Phosphor Appear watch

A little bling, a little tech, a lot of cool. The Phosphor Appear displays the time using Swarovski crystals mounted on miniature-sized rotors that rotate to create the digits on the watch face. If you hold the watch to your ear, you can actually hear a faint clicking sound as the crystals move into place. Available in a variety of colors and styles for men and women.
Price: $199 -$249 on PhosphorWatches.com

m-Edge

M-Edge Personalized Photo iPad, Kindle or Nook case

What does your special someone love almost as much as you? Why, their iPad, of course! But why make them choose? Give them a case for their iPad, Nook or Kindle with a picture of the two of you on the cover — reminding them of who they should really be spending time with every time they open it up.
Price: $35-$50 on MEdge.com

DeLonghi

DeLonghi Lattissima Plus
If your loved one loves a morning latte, he or she will be thrilled with the DeLonghi Lattissima Plus. This Nespresso pod-based machine makes a tasty latte or cappuccino in less than a minute. No powered milk here. The Lattisima Plus has built-in milk-handling and the milk container can be stored in the refrigerator.
Price: $399.99 on Amazon.com

dna11

DNA 11 DNA Portrait

Discreetly display your status as a couple with a his-and-hers DNA portrait. Take a DNA swab with the DNA Portraits kit and DNA 11 will turn it into a high-quality canvas print. Order by Feb. 9 to get the kit in time for Valentine's Day.
Price: 48-by-18-inch panel is $649 on DNA11.com

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Pear Sports

By Suzanne Kantra, Techlicious

In the last few years, virtual coaching devices have come a long way. The first product to really deliver a personalized experience was the Adidas miCoach Pacer: You pick your workout program and it keeps you on track by monitoring your heart rate and letting you know when you stray. The Pear Square One ($249 on PearSports.com) goes one step further, providing training tips and motivation to keep you within the right training zone.

In the box, you’ll get a wireless chest-strap heart rate monitor, water-resistant earphones, a foot pod (to calculate distance and cadence) and the Square One. The Square One is designed to work with an iPod Shuffle — a limitation, for those that use music players or smartphones.

When you start using the Pear Square One, you’ll complete a workout that determines your heart rate zone. From there, you choose a plan — from walk to run programs to treadmill programs to full marathons — and you’re ready to go.

During your workouts, the integrated coaching technology provides audio guidance based on pace and heart rate. Like a real coach, you’ll also get tips on running form, what to eat after completing your workout, reminders to drink water and encouragement in the hard parts of the workout. You can also tap a button on the earphones to hear your stats — heart rate, distance, pace, calories burned, among others.

When you get back, you can view your stats and track your progress online through the Pear Portal after syncing your Square One with your computer.

For now, there are several free running plans to choose from. But Pear is looking to extend the personal touch by offering personal coaching plans for a fee.

It looks like Pear has everything in place for a great training tool. I’m looking forward to taking it out for a run.

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