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The best gadget gifts for women

Jennifer Jolly
Special for USA Today

When it comes to picking the perfect gadget gift for women, it’s time to think beyond pink. Here are some of the top gadget gift picks for all kinds of gals, in every price range. In fact, I’ve recently purchased every single thing on this list. (Mostly to give as gifts to my mom, daughter, BFF, but there are a few I plan to give to myself here too.)

Mindful Mom: We all know someone who’s a little too intense, right? (Who, me?) Spire ($99.95) is a tiny fitness tracker that does a lot more than track her steps. It knows when she’s tense and needs to take a breather, and guides her through mindful meditation to bring back her focus. The Spire app is like the ultimate feel-good hub, where she can track her activity and health, and get timely tips on living a calmer, more peaceful existence.

Spire ($99.95) is a tiny fitness tracker that does a lot more than track her steps.

Fashionista: Smart wearables don’t have to be ugly hunks of plastic. Ringly (starting at $195.00) is a gorgeous little piece of smart jewelry that she’ll love to wear for its looks and powerful features. Like a smartwatch, it vibrates and lights up to let her know that a message or call is buzzing her phone, and it tracks steps and distance, all while looking like a delightful little gem. It can be worn as a bracelet or a ring, and it’s water resistant so she can flash her bling rain or shine.

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Multitasking Maven: Tile’s latest new trackers (starting at $25) are the saving grace for anyone who’s ever lost anything — like their wallet, keys, purse, laptop, smartphone, glasses — you name it. Tile Mate and Tile Slim are brand new, itty-bitty and more powerful than ever. The Mate goes right onto a keychain, purse, zipper, or backpack. When she presses the center button, it  syncs right to an app on her smartphone. Tile Slim works the same way — in fact this is the one I have in my wallet and stuck on the back of my laptop. They’re like magic little red flags that yell “I’m here!” whenever something goes missing. They make those I-accidentally-slept-in-and-can’t-find-anything mornings a breeze. She’ll thank you.

Tile’s latest new trackers (starting at $25) are the saving grace for anyone who’s ever lost anything.

Sleeping Beauty: Speaking of accidentally sleeping in… If she’s not a morning person — and who can blame her? — the Sense sleep device ($149.00) is going to change her outlook. This funky little sphere chills out on her bedside table, monitoring her sleep and logging her patterns so that its Smart Alarm can wake her up each morning when she’s at her lightest phase of sleep, rather than jolting her out of a deep sleep and ruining her mood along with the rest of her day.

The Sense sleep device.

Just Because She’s Awesome: You don’t need any excuse to wrap up these adorable unicorn slippers ($39.99) for any lady in your life. They’re ultra comfortable, totally silly, and just what the doctor ordered after a stressful day when her feet are absolutely killing her. Their puffy little cheeks even light up, and that’s enough to make anyone’s heart melt. Spoiler alert. This is what I bought for my teenage daughter this year. Sure, her little tootsies are always freezing, but really, they make me giggle every time I see them.

Adorable unicorn slippers ($39.99) for any lady in your life.

Spa Day On Demand: On-demand massages might sound like a dream of heaven on Earth, but they’re real. Soothe (prices vary) will send a professional, licensed massage therapist right to her door, seven days a week, from 8 to midnight, and even on Christmas day. Swedish, deep tissue, and even couples massages are on the table, no pun intended, and no tipping is allowed, so she can bask in the bliss of being pleasantly pampered without a care in the world. This one will score you some serious points! The Zeel app and service is similar and I love it too!

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Shutterbug: Polaroid’s Snap Touch camera ($179.99) makes taking photos fun again. Big, beautiful photos with zero fuss is what this little gadget is all about. It shoots 13 megapixel stills or 1080p video, and has a big 3.5-inch touchscreen so she can browse all of her recent photos. But that’s not the only thing that makes this Polaroid worth owning: it even prints pictures! ZINK zero ink photo printing technology is built right into the device, so she can snap, print, and share without a computer.

She Has A Way With Words: The My Cinema Lightbox (starting at $29.99) is a simple light-up marquee that looks great on a wall or shelf, and comes in a bunch of sizes and shapes. She can customize it to her heart’s content, whether she needs an inspiring quote to brighten up a room or a silly joke to delight guests. It’s one of those “she didn’t know she wanted it” gifts that will make you seem like a mind reader.

The My Cinema Lightbox (starting at $29.99) is a simple light-up marquee that looks great on a wall or shelf.

For The Grand Mom: Picture frames are outdated, and even those digital ones that flooded stores years ago are pretty much junk today. Aura ($399) is a smart photo frame that pulls her best photos right from her smartphone and updates the gorgeous display with all of her most precious life moments. Friends and family members can even share photos with her frame, so she always have a current collection of memories right at her fingertips. Aura even responds to gesture commands, so she can swipe her hand in the air to shuffle through her photos.

Safety First: Not knowing where someone is, and not being able to get a hold of them is an utterly helpless feeling. Whether the lady on your list is a dear friend, significant other, or family member, Revolar’s wearable ($79.99) will give you peace of mind. It’s a small button that she can wear when she’s out on the running trail, on a bar crawl, or traveling abroad, and it provides one-press check-ins so that her friends and family know everything’s okay. It works with cellular service and Wi-Fi, and there’s no monthly fee.

Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy Award-winning consumer tech contributor and host of USA TODAY's digital video show TECH NOW. E-mail her at techcomments@usatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenniferJolly.

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