This Mother's Day, Teach Your Mom to Be a Techie

SUNNYVALE, CA--(Marketwired - May 9, 2014) - Mother's Day is right around the corner, and it's time to spend some quality time with mom. But for tech-savvy smartphone aficionados, "quality time" could mean sharing favorite Instagram pics and swapping emoticons on WhatsApp. What's a loving child to do with a mom who thinks that Instagram is a measurement and Twitter is the sound a bird makes? In the spirit of family togetherness, here's our 2014 list of tech tips and apps to stay connected with your mom this Mother's Day (and turn her into a techie in the process).

1) Apple or Android?

It might sound obvious to us techies, but the distinction between Apple and Android could be confusing to your mom if she just got her first smartphone. This Mother's Day, teach your mom about the type of phone she has, and show her how to download apps for her platform. If she's still using a dumb phone, buy her a new smartphone as a Mother's Day gift. It's the right thing to do.

2) A Phone's Not Just for Talking

These days, traditional phone calls take a back seat to video and text chat. Introduce your mom to some fun ways to stay in touch and easily share cool things you find online. Skype (link: Android | iOS), WhatsApp (link: Android | iOS), Twitter (link: Android | iOS) and Instagram (link: Android | iOS) are great places to start, and they're all free.

3) Make Her Hobbies Mobile

No matter what your mom likes to do for fun, she can find an app for it. For outdoorsy moms, Every Trail (link: Android | iOS) provides free on-the-go hiking paths. For knitting enthusiasts, knitCompanion (link: iOS) has tons of creative designs. Or if your mom enjoys watching TV, introduce her to Hulu's mobile app (link: Android | iOS). Nothing brings a family together like watching Game of Thrones.

4) Help Her Browse

If your mom uses an Android phone, introduce her to a simple, fast web browser. Chrome (link: Android) and Baidu Browser (link: Android) are both fantastic, free choices. Baidu Browser is unique in that it will let your mom easily customize her home page to automatically receive news and photos that she's interested in. If your mom uses an iPhone, Safari will more than get the job done.

5) Games, Games, Games

Chances are, your mom loves playing games on her phone -- even if she doesn't know it yet! Introduce her to Words With Friends (link: Android | iOS), Bejeweled (link: iOS), or Solitaire (link: Android | iOS). To make sure your mom's phone doesn't lag while she's gaming, help her install the free app DU Speed Booster (link: Android), which can speed up games to make them run smoother. Before you know it, she'll be racking up points on the scoreboard and challenging you to PvP matches.

Here's to a very happy (and geeky) Mother's Day!