The 40 best Mother’s Day gift ideas for 2026
Whether it's managing a busy home or looking out for everyone around them, moms spend a lot of time every day caring for others. Mother's Day, May 10th, is an opportunity to return the favor, so we've rounded up practical gadgets and little luxuries that can lighten her load.
This year's picks are designed to support moms in a variety of ways, regardless of their interests. Some of our recs, like Roborock's mop-equipped Q10 Plus, can help save precious time, while smart screens like the Skylight Calendar 2 can help take the stress out of managing a busy family schedule. Other gifts are all about relaxation and self-care, whether through wel …
Valve just imported 50 tons of game consoles in two days
We still don't know when Valve will launch the Steam Machine, but we may not have to wait too long. Valve just imported roughly 50 tons of "Game Consoles" into the United States in the two-day period between May 1st and April 30th, according to import records viewed by The Verge.
That's on top of the "ton" of shipments that Valve watcher Brad Lynch mentioned late last week - and there's reason to believe these containers have the new Steam Machine or Steam Frame inside, not just an extra batch of the Steam Deck handheld. (The Steam Deck was also designated a "Game Console" for import purposes.)
While Valve's logistics partners had a dearth …
OpenAI’s president does ‘all the things,’ except answer a question
The strongest witness for Elon Musk's case against OpenAI so far has been Greg Brockman's journal. Brockman himself is running as a close second.
Brockman was called to the stand in a rather unusual way - he was cross-examined first, followed by a direct examination - and he had some serious high school debate club energy. There was a lot of "I wouldn't characterize it that way," "I wouldn't say it that way," and "That sounds like something I wrote. Can I see it in context?" When Musk's attorney, Steven Molo, read some of the evidence aloud, Brockman would pedantically correct him if he skipped a word, even if that word was "a" or "the." Wh …
Elon Musk will settle the feds’ Twitter lawsuit with pocket change
Last year, the SEC sued Elon Musk over the way his acquisition of Twitter (now X, and a part of SpaceX) started, and today it announced a settlement that looks like a massive bargain, while Musk's own lawsuit against Sam Altman continues to play out. A week before the Trump administration took over, the department had alleged that by not disclosing he'd purchased more than $500 million in Twitter stock on time in the spring of 2022, Musk underpaid by at least $150 million, and harmed investors who sold their stock during that time.
Now, as reported by Reuters, the SEC has added the Elon Musk Revocable Trust to its lawsuit, which will settle …
Skylight’s 15-inch smart calendar is down to its lowest price to date
When you’re juggling more than just your own calendar, staying organized can be overwhelming. Fortunately, the Skylight Calendar 2 can help simplify things by syncing multiple calendars in a single spot, and now through May 7th, it’s on sale at Best Buy and directly from Skylight for $259.99 ($40 off) in the run-up to Mother’s Day.
Skylight’s 15-inch smart calendar improves upon the original with a brighter screen, faster performance, and a slimmer design with swappable magnetic frames. Otherwise, though, it offers the same core experience, making it easy for the whole family to see events at a glance, whether you mount it on a wall or place it on a kitchen counter using the included adjustable stand. It automatically syncs with Google, Apple, Yahoo, Outlook, and Cozi calendars, pulling them into a single shared space that updates automatically. Each household member gets their own color, too, so it’s easy to keep track of who’s doing what.
In addition to event planning, the Calendar 2 makes it easier to arrange and assign other day-to-day tasks. You can create and manage shared chore charts, grocery lists, and to-do lists directly on the touchscreen device or through the mobile app for Android and iOS, which makes it easy for everyone in your household to stay on track and contribute. Skylight also provides detailed weather forecasts for your events, so you know what to expect before heading out.
If you subscribe to Skylight’s Calendar Plus plan, the Calendar 2 takes even more of the work off your plate. You can forward emails, upload PDFs, or snap photos of flyers and automatically turn them into calendar events. You also get meal planning tools that let you plan breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for the week, as well as the ability to assign chores and reward kids for completing them. Plus, just for fun, there’s a screensaver mode that turns the display into an ad hoc digital photo frame when it’s not actively being used as a calendar.
Update, May 4th: Updated to reflect that Best Buy is now matching Skylight’s promotional pricing.
SwitchBot’s rechargeable button pusher is on sale for over 20 percent off
If you want to give mom something that helps lighten the load, the SwitchBot Bot Rechargeable makes for a great, inexpensive gift. And now through May 10th, you can buy it for around $26.99 ($7 off) from Amazon and SwitchBot (with code FORHER20) as a part of its ongoing Mother’s Day sale, which drops the gadget to its best price to date. The original, battery-powered SwitchBot Bot is also on sale at Amazon for $22.99 ($7 off) in black or white, if you’re looking to spend less.
SwitchBot Bot Rechargeable
Where to Buy:
SwitchBot’s tiny helper is easy to set up, and once attached to a button or rocker switch, it uses a small arm to press buttons on your behalf — no rewiring necessary. You can control it from your phone or set it on a schedule, which makes it a little easier to stay on top of everything during a busy day. You can, for example, use it to turn on your coffee maker or PC while getting ready, or pause the washing machine mid-cycle without getting up and interrupting what you’re doing. The USB-C gadget also doesn’t require disposable batteries like the first-gen model, and can last up to six months on a single charge with light use.
Additionally, if you buy the SwitchBot Hub Mini at Amazon for $28.99 ($11 off), you can also control everything with your voice using Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri. It’s also compatible with Matter, as well, though you’ll need the $59.99 SwitchBot Hub Mini Matter or SwitchBot Hub 2 for that.
The creator of Roomba is back with a furry robot companion
Colin Angle, the maker of the Roomba and the man who helped put 50 million household robots into people's homes, is back with a new robot. But this one is designed as a companion, not a cleaner.
The first robot from Angle's new company, Familiar Machines & Magic, is a dog-sized robotic pet that resembles a cross between a bear, a barn owl, and a golden retriever. It has an expressive face, with movable eyebrows, ears, and eyes, and the company calls it a "Familiar," a name meant to evoke folklore around the idea of a supernatural companion. Based on a demo video I saw ahead of its appearance at the WSJ Future of Everything conference this w …
The Pixel 11 could be the next victim of the RAM shortage
Google's next round of Pixel phones could be a downgrade compared to the Pixel 10 lineup due to the ongoing RAM shortage. Leaked specs for the Pixel 11 lineup shared by MysticLeaks include a possible starting configuration with only 8GB of RAM, rather than the current 12GB, as Android Headlines reports.
According to MysticLeaks, Google may also add a second configuration for the Pixel 11 Pro, Pro XL, and Pro Fold with 12GB of RAM, down from the current 16GB in each model. There will be 16GB configurations available for each, but adding a lower-spec model could mean the 16GB version is getting a price hike. However, the silver lining is tha …
The best Star Wars Day deals
May the Fourth be with us all on this Star Wars Day. While things have been relatively quiet with the multimedia gold mine that is Star Wars, with just some murmurs about upcoming movies (The Mandalorian and Grogu excluded), a lone live-action show on the horizon, and a long way to the release of the Fate of the Old Republic game, it’s nevertheless a day to celebrate the franchise. And by that, I mean it’s time to save money on some Star Wars goodies.
Whether you celebrate Star Wars Day by hosting a movie marathon, or you just have a mild appreciation for the franchise, the power of the force will compel you to buy everythi — whoa, sorry about that. We’ve rounded up deals on video games, Lego kits, movies, and more. If you’re buying for a superfan, Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy are all offering deals on all sorts of Star Wars merchandise, from toys and Band-Aids to water bottles.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is steeply discounted at multiple retailers for all platforms right now. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X physical editions are down to $19.99 (previously around $30) at Best Buy, GameStop, and Walmart, while the game costs just $10.75 on Steam. Sadly, the digital console versions are still full price at $69.99.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is the captivating sequel to 2019’s Fallen Order, one that continues the story of Cal Kestis and his little droid, BD-1. It’s an action-adventure game blending elements of games like Tomb Raider, Metroid, and God of War with Dark Souls — except you’re a Jedi with a lightsaber. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
Fans of third-person Star Wars games have had plenty to feast on the past couple of years, with Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws being another one worth checking out, especially now that it’s cheaper than usual. You can grab the physical version on PS5 and Xbox Series X for $20.99 (previously $29.99) at Best Buy, or for $19.93 at Walmart. The more recent Nintendo Switch 2 version is also going for $35.97 (about $42 off) at Amazon, though it has recently sold for about $5 less.
Star Wars Outlaws
Star Wars Outlaws is an original open-world adventure set in the vast universe of the iconic film series. It stars Kay Vess, a protagonist looking to steal from criminal overlords to gain her freedom. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
Owala Star Wars FreeSip water bottle (24-ounce)
Sometimes, you want your Star Wars fandom to be low-key, noticeable just to super fans. Thankfully, Owala’s limited edition FreeSip bottles come in a slew of hues modeled after the signature looks of Boba Fett, Darth Vader, and the iconic Imperial stormtrooper.
Where to Buy:
Star Wars: A New Hope (4K Blu-ray)
The best price we’ve seen in more than a year is happening at Amazon. The discounted set includes the original film on 4K Blu-ray, as well as a 1080p Blu-ray and digital copy.
Where to Buy:
Moving on to toys, Lego is offering deals on select Star Wars sets through May 6th for those who have a free Lego Insiders account. You can get similar prices at Amazon, though you’ll be missing out on some free gifts you’ll get with select purchases (not to mention extra loyalty points). Orders of $40 or more for Lego Star Wars sets will include a miniature Razor Crest, which is a $5 value. If you buy more than $160 worth of Lego gear, you’ll get the 278-piece Darksaber set (a $30 value).
- Getting into the limited-time deals, the 1,138-piece C-3PO with articulating arms and a movable head is currently on sale for $111.99 ($28 off) at Amazon and Lego’s online storefront (for Insiders). It includes a C-3PO minifigure, too, and was designed for ages 18 and up.
- The 700-piece, brick-built Star Wars logo for ages 18 and up is great for displaying on a shelf, and it’s down to $47.99 for Lego Insiders. Alternatively, you can grab it for $2 more at Amazon.
- Lego and Amazon are both offering the same price on The Mandalorian Helmet, a 584-piece set aimed at ages 18 and up. It’s $55.99 for Lego Insiders, or you can get it for the same price at Amazon. If you’re really into Mando, check out the new Lego-exclusive N-1 Starfighter set, which just launched. Through May 6th, the $249.99 set includes a free lenticular display inspired by the upcoming movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu.
There are several other Lego Star Wars sets available for less than usual, even though they don’t include freebies like the ones above. The classic 525-piece AT-AT walker is down to $51.99 ($13 off) at Amazon and Target, which is a new low price. If you or a loved one is into Ahsoka, you can also get a set that includes the Ghost and Phantom II ships, plus a set of five Ahsoka minifigures, for $111.99 (was $159.99) at Amazon.
Lego Dark Falcon set
The Dark Falcon set is a 1,579-piece kit that lets them re-create the dark version of the Millennium Falcon, complete with a removable cockpit, bunk beds, and even a throne. The set also includes minifigures like Darth Jar Jar, Beach Luke, and Bounty Hunter C-3PO.
Where to Buy:
If you have $70 to spend on an Amazon smart speaker, we recommend the new-ish Echo Dot Max because it offers great sound quality. But our recommendation changes if you’re a Star Wars fan. Amazon still sells its fifth-gen Echo Dot speaker with a Grogu stand for $71.98. While a deal compared to buying the speaker and stand separately (it’d be about $80), the sale price isn’t new for Star Wars Day.
If you’d prefer your Grogu-skinned Echo Dot not to have eyes, Amazon sells a stand that’s all ears with an Echo Dot for $67.98.
While there are no deals on the 4K Blu-ray set of Andor’s first season (it’s still around $50, with its second season still streaming exclusively on Disney Plus), you can save on a cute little holiday ornament of protagonist Cassian Andor brandishing a blaster. It’s going for $15.99 ($16 off) at Amazon and Hallmark.
Star Wars: Andor Cassian Andor Ornament
Where to Buy:
A couple of years ago, we surfaced some Nanoleaf multi-panel kits that, when assembled, put a cute Grogu (I mean, “Baby Gu,” since this isn’t a licensed product) on your wall. The prices have come down on both the big and small bundles, letting you pick the one that best suits your budget and room size. The company’s 17-panel “Small Baby Gu” kit is on sale for $199.98 (originally $249.99), while the 53-panel set, which allows for a more detailed recreation of our little green friend, is available for $499.98 directly from Nanoleaf (originally $674.92).
The company is offering several other unlicensed Star Wars-inspired kits on sale today, too. And, just in case you weren’t aware, you can change the colors or layout of the Nanoleaf panels at will. When you aren’t feeling the Star Wars look, just rearrange them as you see fit.
Nanoleaf Small Baby Gu Bundle
Nanoleaf’s light panels come in distinct shapes that make it easy to connect them in a variety of fun patterns. The panels support up to 16 billion colors and a number of lighting scenes, which can react to music, touch, and your monitor. This set is designed to depict Grogu’s head.
Where to Buy:
Live updates from Elon Musk and Sam Altman’s court battle over the future of OpenAI
Sam Altman and Elon Musk are facing off in a high-stakes trial that could alter the future of OpenAI and its most well-known product, ChatGPT. In 2024, Musk filed a lawsuit accusing OpenAI of abandoning its founding mission of developing AI to benefit humanity and shifting focus to boosting profits instead.
The trial began with jury selection on April 27th. Elon Musk took the stand on April 28th as the first witness called, portraying his interest in founding OpenAI as an effort to help save humanity, then returned to the stand on April 29th and again for a third day of testimony on April 30th, before his financial manager and Neuralink CEO, Jared Birchall, took the stand.
Week two of the trial has begun, with professor Stuart Russell and OpenAI cofounder Greg Brockman scheduled to take the stand on Monday, May 4th, and, for the first time, a live audio stream on YouTube.
Musk was a cofounder of OpenAI and claims that Altman and Brockman tricked him into giving the company money, only to turn their backs on their original goal. However, OpenAI says that “This lawsuit has always been a baseless and jealous bid to derail a competitor” in a bid to boost Musk’s own SpaceX / xAI / X companies that have launched Grok as a competitor to ChatGPT.
In his lawsuit, Musk is asking for the removal of Altman and Brockman, and for OpenAI to stop operating as a public benefit corporation. Musk has also demanded that OpenAI’s nonprofit receive up to $150 billion in damages he’s asking for if he wins the case.
Here’s all the latest on the trial between Musk and Altman:
- OpenAI’s president does ‘all the things,’ except answer a question
- Jury is sent out for the day.
- We are hearing about the early days of OpenAI.
- Early worries about Musk came from Ilya Sutskever.
- Brockman is describing his bromance with Altman.
- “I do all the things.”
- Brockman says we are 80 percent of the way to AGI.
- Open AI’s direct examination of Brockman is pretty sedate so far… aside from Tesla.
- OpenAI’s lawyers are now getting their shot at Brockman.
- For real, I think nerds should not testify in court.
- We are now looking at Brockman’s other financial dealings.
- We finished with the Microsoft investment pretty quickly.
- Altman didn’t return after we took our break.
- We are presently having a fight about purple boxes.
- We have been doing the same question for perhaps the last five minutes.
- “Financially what will take me to $1B?”
- “His story will correctly be that we weren’t honest with him in the end about still wanting to do the for profit just without him.”
- Greg Brockman’s journal: “it’d be wrong to steal the non-profit from him.”
- Brockman is not doing himself any favors.
- Brockman’s cross examination isn’t as testy as Musk’s, but he’s also pushing back on a lot of questions.
- Is sending stuff to Sam Teller and Shivon Zilis the same as sending it to Musk?
- Brockman and Altman’s alliance?
- “Is Demis Hassabis evil?”
- Greg Brockman is talking about the earliest days of OpenAI.
- Greg Brockman and Sam Altman have just entered the courtroom.
- We’re done with Russell.
- “The age of abundance for Elon.”
- Oh now we have some meat.
- Elon Musk’s expert doesn’t follow him on X.
- I am befuddled by this expert testimony.
- We are dealing with the cross now.
- Sure is lucky that mentions of Grok’s safety issues got limited.
- Individual vs. systemic risk.
- We now have a very boring expert witness testifying to AI risks.
- Stuart Russell is here to tell us about AI.
- “I need that today. That’s good. I like that.”
- Greg Brockman won’t be asked about Musk’s threat.
- Elon Musk tried to settle before the trial — and got threatening.
- Musk v. Altman is getting a live audio stream next week.
- OpenAI Tesla receipts and other Musk v. Altman documents.
- All the evidence revealed so far in Musk v. Altman
- Here’s how Gabe Newell and Hideo Kojima ended up in the Musk v. Altman evidence.
- The craziest part of Musk v. Altman happened while the jury was out of the room
- Jury is being dismissed early so YGR can deal with an objection to Birchall’s testimony.
- Birchall is actually very funny outside of court? Good for him.
- We are now hearing about the pause in quarterly donations.
- We’re back.
- Second break of the day.
- Birchall cross.
- Elon Musk confirms xAI used OpenAI’s models to train Grok
- Birchall has just been asked about the four Teslas.
- Birchall testifies about Musk’s contributions to OpenAI.
- A woman in the gallery has lowered a sleep mask over her eyes and is attempting to sleep.
- Musk steps down. He may be recalled.
- We are on re-cross. Musk is getting testy again.
- The Microsoft investment comes back up.
- And we’re back.
- We’re in break — and I just checked out something interesting.
- Elon Musk’s robot army definitely will not kill you.
- Musk insists he wasn’t kneecapping OpenAI.
- Musk seems notably more subdued today.
- “At least change the name,” Musk says he told Altman.
- Elon Musk v. Capitalism.
- An “ongoing conversation” around open source.
- We’re still talking about whether Musk read the term sheet.
- The jurors have been seated.
- Musk has just entered the courtroom.
- “Issues of extinction are excluded.”
- Good morning!
- Elon Musk’s worst enemy in court is Elon Musk
- Freedom!
- Unfortunately we will not be talking about safety details of any specific product.
- The jury is leaving for the day. “I suspect it’s a nice day out there,” YGR says.
- MechaHitler might be a bad look for the AI safety defender.
- Musk’s broader AI safety commitment (or lack thereof) comes up.
- This is so testy.
- Did Musk even read the OpenAI term sheet?
- Musk asked Shivon Zilis to stay “close and friendly” with OpenAI to keep info flowing.
- Musk says xAI probably won’t be the first to get to AGI.
- We’re back from a break, talking about SpaceX and xAI.
- Don’t worry about Tesla’s robot army!
- “You mostly do unfair questions.”
- “It’s a free country.”
- “Will you answer my question?”
- Musk’s desire for control comes up again.
- “This is a hypothetical.”
- Did Musk initially envision OpenAI as a corporation?
- Musk is being combative on cross already.
- “I did say that I would commit up to a billion dollars, yes.”
- Is Tesla really not working on AGI?
- Musk is returning to the stand.
- At times, being a judge is much like being a kindergarten teacher.
- We’re on a break.
- “I mean, all due respect to Microsoft, do you really want Microsoft controlling digital superintelligence?”
- “What’s going on here this is a bait and switch.”
- A Musk-Altman spat about Microsoft.
- Musk really cannot help himself.
- “Capped profit” wasn’t an issue, even when Microsoft got involved.
- “Tesla is not pursuing AGI.”
- Musk is more on his game today.
- “After I received these reassurances that OpenAI would continue to be a nonprofit I continued to donate over $10 million.”
- “I actually was a fool who provided free funding for them to create a startup.”
- More discussion of who would own OpenAI.
- “I don’t lose my temper,” says Elon Musk.
- “2017 was a hard year, and we’ve made mistakes.”
- “I formed many for-profit tech companies, and could have done so with OAI,”
- “Crystal clear focus.”
- Sam Altman has just entered the room, right ahead of the jury.
- A member of the public just got dressed down by YGR about taking photos.
- Musk v. Altman et al. is back in session.
- In naming OpenAI, Elon Musk worried anything related to the Turing Test could mean bad PR.
- Elon Musk appeared more petty than prepared
- That’s a wrap!
- YGR scolds OpenAI for taking inconsistent positions on the origin of its name.
- Elon Musk tells the jury that all he wants to do is save humanity
- Arguments over ownership.
- Apparently OpenAI could have had an ICO.
- “I was not averse to a small for-profit,” Musk says.
- We’re reading emails between Musk and Jensen Huang.
- Musk says nonprofit was non-negotiable for OpenAI.
- We’re at the founding of OpenAI.
- Musk says he would have created something like OpenAI on his own.
- Musk recalls meeting Sam Altman.
- Sam Altman left during a break, but Elon Musk’s lawyer didn’t notice.
- “Here we are in 2026 and AI is scary smart.”
- “I have extreme concerns about AI,” says Musk.
- AI will be as smart as “any human as soon as next year.”
- Musk claims he has time for SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink, and the Boring Company because he works a lot.
- Musk is telling the jury he (co)founded Tesla.
- Neuralink’s long-term goal is… AI?
- “There need to be things that people are excited about that make life worth living … Being out there among the stars can excite everyone.”
- A little Musk biography.
- Elon Musk, looking funereal in a black suit with a black tie, says “it’s not okay to steal a charity.”
- Elon Musk takes the stand in high-profile trial against OpenAI
- We are back from a break.
- Elon Musk will be the first witness in Musk v. Altman.
- “Microsoft unlocked with OpenAI a virtuous cycle.”
- Microsoft enters the chat.
- “We are here because Mr. Musk didn’t get his way at OpenAI.”
- “[Musk] demanded control, he demanded the ability to make all the decisions without regard to the other founders.”
- OpenAI lawyers argue that Elon was right in the middle of discussions about a for-profit pivot.
- “Musk was furious that OpenAI succeeded.”
- OpenAI: Musk’s lawsuit is a “pageant of hypocrisy.”
- Sam Altman’s “related party conflicted transactions” are how he made money on OpenAI, Molo says.
- Technical difficulties.
- OpenAI is like a museum store that has looted the Picassos and pocketed the profits.
- AGI might be out of fashion in the AI world, but it will be at the center of this trial.
- “The defendants in this case stole a charity.”
- Musk and Altman go to court
- Good morning from the Musk v. Altman line outside the courtroom.
- Jury selection in Musk v. Altman: ‘People don’t like him’
- We have a jury.
- Elon Musk’s lawyer tried to get some jurors thrown out for disliking Musk.
- Apparently things are exciting outside.
- We have gone through the first 20 potential jurors.
- Voir dire has begun.
- The Elon Musk vs. OpenAI trial starts today.
- Elon Musk drops fraud claims against OpenAI and Sam Altman before trial.
- Musk vs. Altman is here, and it’s going to get messy
- Elon Musk is about to be a very busy boy!
- ‘Sideshow’ concerns and billionaire dreams: What I learned from Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI
- Elon Musk’s xAI is suing OpenAI and Apple
- Inside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI
- Elon Musk is suing OpenAI and Sam Altman again