If you’re struggling to come up with just the right gift for your mom, you’re not alone. Mothers can be particularly difficult to shop for, especially if your mom is like many we know who insist that they don’t want or need gifts. Short of giving them some time back in their day to do what they want to do instead of things they need to do, the gift ideas we collected below can help you show the mother figure in your life that you care and want to spoil them a bit even when they claim it’s not necessary — because they deserve it.

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

If you've been eyeing the Google Pixel 9a, now's a good time to pounce. That's because you can get a $100 gift card for free when you buy the flagship-quality midrange phone. In Engadget's review, Sam Rutherford deemed it "the best value of any Android phone.”

The $100 gift card bonus is live at Amazon, Best Buy and the Google Store. Each has pros and cons, but it makes the most sense to order from the retailer where you shop the most.

The Pixel 9a is Google's entry point into the Pixel ecosystem. Its sub-flagship pricing masks a handset that, in many ways, rivals phones that cost twice as much. It has a 6.3-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. We found it to be sharp, colorful and "one of the best displays in this price range.”

It uses the same Tensor G4 processor found in the more expensive Pixel 9 brethren. The only performance compromise you'll find is its 8GB of RAM vs. the 12GB in the standard Pixel 9. That will only reveal itself if you're heavy into multitasking or gaming. Given the $300 price discrepancy between it and the Pixel 9, it's hard to nitpick much about that.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Google's Pixel lineup is known for its camera prowess, and the 9a is no exception. It pairs a 48MP main camera with a 13MP ultra-wide lens. Although there's no telephoto, it compensates with AI-based Super Res Zoom that can achieve up to 8x digital zoom. The phone also has Google's Night Sight feature for sharp, balanced low-light photography.

We found that the camera outperforms the $1,299 Galaxy S25 Ultra in color accuracy, detail and low-light performance. It's also competitive with the S25U in ultra-wide shots. The latter edges it out there (if only slightly) because of better color saturation. Still, we're talking about a $800 pricing discrepancy, so the fact that it's in the conversation is no small achievement.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

The Pixel 9a's only drawbacks are its lower 8GB of RAM, slower charging speeds than flagships, its lack of optical zoom and its plastic backing (rather than glass). But for $499 — essentially $399 if you use that gift card forpurchases you'd make anyway — this is a nice deal for a nearly flagship Android handset that made our list of the best smartphones.

The recently-released Apple iPad Air M3 is already on sale via Amazon. You can pick up the 11-inch model starting at $499 and the 13-inch version starting at $699. If Amazon isn’t your bag, these deals are also available at Best Buy.

This model topped our list of the best iPads, and we said it the perfect choice for most consumers. The M3 chip is extremely powerful, which increases performance and multitasking when compared to the base iPad. It offers support for the Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard, which is nice, and the overall design is lovely.

The battery can last up to 12 hours, which is a decent metric for a modern tablet. The two 12MP cameras won’t be winning any awards, but they get the job done. These are also fairly lightweight, which makes sense given the name. The 11-inch version weighs around a pound and the 13-inch model shoots up to 1.36 pounds. That’s light enough for long-term use without any real issues.

While the screen is gorgeous, it’s not an OLED. It also maxes out with a 60Hz refresh rate, which is on the lower end. It’s worth noting that the $499 base price for the 11-inch model gets you 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. Other variations are on sale, but the cost can add up. For instance, the 13-inch version with a 1TB drive will set you back $1,200.

Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Apple has been warning possible victims of spyware attacks, according to several alleged recipients of the messages. At the time of writing there appears to be at least two people who have confirmed they’ve been notified by Apple, and that the warning itself says that users in 100 countries have received similar alerts. The company does not offer any specifics as to how many people may have been targeted, or where the attacks are coming from

As reported by TechCrunch, one recipient of the warning message is the Italian journalist Ciro Pellegrino, who works for an online news outlet called Fanpage in his native country. The other (as far as we know right now) is Dutch right-wing commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek, who posted screenshots and a video of the alleged warning message on X.

According to Vlaardingerbroek, Apple informed her that it had detected a targeted mercenary spyware attack against her iPhone. The message she says she received said: “This attack is likely targeting you specifically because of who you are and what you do. Although it’s never possible to achieve absolute certainty when detecting such attacks, Apple has high confidence in this warning — please take it seriously.”

The warning does not say where the alleged spyware attack originated, but Vlaardingerbroek claims that Apple used the Israeli cyber-arms company NSO Group’s Pegasus software as an example. She goes on to say that the attack, if genuine, is likely an attempt to intimidate and silence her.

Apple’s official guidelines about threat notifications match the screenshots on Vlaardingerbroek’s video, where it also explains that “mercenary spyware attacks cost millions of dollars and often have a short shelf life, making them much harder to detect and prevent. The vast majority of users will never be targeted by such attacks.” The same guidelines state that targeted users will be notified with an alert at the top of the page when signing into their Apple account, as well as by email and iMessage using the email addresses and phone numbers associated with that account.

Last year, Apple device users in as many as 92 countries were sent spyware attack warnings of a similar nature, and since 2021, individuals in over 150 countries have been contacted. But Apple hasn’t given more details on how many people are targeted in such attacks, only the number of countries where it contacted affected users.

Anyone rocking a recent-gen high-end GPU like an RTX 4090 or 5090 knows that these behemoths of rendering power are heavy enough to knock out a would-be PC thief. As GPUs get larger and heavier, sagging has become a growing concern for PC builders and GPU manufacturers, and ASUS briefly let on just how aware of this issue the company is.

ASUS quietly added a function called “Equipment Installation Check” to its GPU Tweak III monitoring software back in January. Included in this toolset was a measurement named “VGA Horizontal Status” that precisely measured the angle at which the installed GPU was tilting down. Users could set a custom warning if the GPU tilted down beyond a degree threshold set by the user.

In mid-April, Taiwanese publication UNIKO’s Hardware published a teardown of the latest ROG Astral 50-series cards, which highlights what they suspect to be a Bosch Sensortec chip. Bosch describes it as “a general purpose, low-power IMU that combines precise acceleration and angular rate (gyroscopic) measurement with intelligent on-chip motion-triggered interrupt features.” The technicians at UNIKO’s Hardware believe this chip is what powers the tilting detection tool.

Curiously, the most recent mentions of this feature on ASUS forums point out that as of the latest release of the Tweak III software, dated April 11, the Equipment Installation Check button is no longer there. Users had begun reporting what they believed to be false positives, confident that their GPUs were level despite the software saying they were sagging. Engadget reached out to ASUS to understand if this feature is being deprecated or if it wasn’t reporting accurate readings but did not receive a response.

Whether the feature is gone for good or angling for a comeback, the risk of sagging GPUs is all too real for many PC gamers today. PCIe slots were not exactly designed with today’s six-plus GPUs in mind, which has led to gamers finding creative solutions to hold up their enormous graphics cards and prevent potential damage.

Microsoft is dramatically increasing the price of the Xbox Series X and Series S, as well as new games and accessories. As of today, the Series S will start at $380, up from $300, while the Series X will begin at $550, a $100 increase from its previous price. As for the 1TB Series S, it now costs $430, up from $350. Meanwhile, if you want the Series X with disc drive, it will now set you back $600. Lastly, the 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition now costs an eye-watering $730. 

Additionally, Microsoft says beginning this holiday season "some" new first-party games will release at $80. At the same time, the company is increasing the price of nearly all of its first-party and peripherals. Most notably, a core controller will now set you back $65. 

"We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development," the company said. "Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and ensuring value for Xbox players."

Developing... 

Tools for Humanity, a startup co-founded by Sam Altman, has launched its its World eyeball-scanning identity verification system in the US. During an event in San Francisco, Altman reportedly said that World's technology provides "a way to make sure humans remained central and special in a world where the internet had a lot of AI-driven content." Altman is also one of the founders and is currently the CEO of OpenAI, which is perhaps the most prominent artificial intelligence company today. 

World was used to be known as Worldcoin until Tools of Humanity decided to focus on the digital ID aspect of the project rather than the cryptocurrency part, because the Biden administration didn't have a friendly stance towards crypto. The project uses basketball-sized spherical objects called the Orb to scan a user's irises, which it then turns into a unique IrisCode for them. It will then use that information to create a World ID for the user that they can use to log into integrated platforms, including Minecraft and Reddit. Users who get verified will get some of the project's cryptocurrency for free. 

Tools for Humanity said World keeps some access to user's data to ensure they aren't double-scanning their biometrics. But it also said that most of the personal data it collects remains decentralized, anonymized and supposedly impossible to reverse-engineer to identify someone. World is opening six locations in Austin, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Nashville, Miami and San Francisco where people can get their irises scanned. 

During the event, the project also revealed that it's working on a smaller, smartphone-shaped device called the Orb mini that can verify a person's identify. It eventually intends to turn it into a mobile point-of-sale device. The project has introduced new partnerships, as well: It will soon launch the World Visa card for people who've had their identities verified, and it will pilot its identity and age verification tools with Tinder in Japan. 

Making electric cars from scratch is hard. Out of all the homegrown EV startups, Tesla is the only company that has broken through to the mainstream. Nikola was a scam. Canoo recently filed for bankruptcy. And depending on how you're counting, Fisker failed not once but twice. Then there are companies like Aptera that feel like they have been nearing production for more than a decade.

Among the ocean of EV companies hoping to outpace legacy automakers, Rivian and its second-gen models are making the transition to the electric era with both style and brawn. With its R1S SUV (starting at $75,900, or around $105,000 as tested), the company has created an adventurous car that impresses now, while also providing a blueprint for future success.

Design

The R1S is unapologetically boxy in a way that truck and SUV aficionados often prefer. That said, Rivian drives a neat balance between modern minimalism and retro ruggedness that allows it to blend in almost anywhere. Its oval (technically stadium-shaped) headlights might be some of the most striking in the industry, while Rivian includes rumble-ready touches like honest-to-goodness recovery hooks, beefy fenders and big 22-inch wheels with chunky tires. In a lot of ways, the R1S is what I imagine a Bronco EV might look like, except it's more luxurious, way bigger at 200 inches long and packs three rows of seats.

Interior

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

On the inside, I'd argue the R1S looks even better, especially when clad in Rivian's Black Mountain and Brown Ash Wood trim. It's like a cozy cabin that's been properly renovated and brought up to contemporary standards. There's a huge 15.6-inch high-res screen that sits on the dash without looking too ungainly or out of place, while a 12.3-inch display serves as a digital instrument cluster. It's clear Rivian is trying to embrace a tech-forward approach but it does so without completely abandoning traditional design traits like the car's stalk-mounted gear shift and wipers. While some folks may not appreciate how the buttons for climate and music are entirely touch-based, nothing really felt buried or out of reach thanks to a static row of icons along the bottom.

Overall build quality is solid too, with practically no rattles or massive panel gaps to speak of. The seats, while a touch on the stiff side, offer both heating and ventilation for front passengers, the latter of which I must admit is a real treat as we enter spring and summer. The cabin feels light and airy thanks in large part to its big panoramic roof. I love being able to switch the electrochromic glass (which is part of the optional Sound + Vision package) from transparent to opaque with a single touch. I also appreciate that there's a dedicated screen in the second row for climate and music (which thankfully can be child-locked if need be) and proper air vents for all three rows, so there isn't a single stuffy seat in the car.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Speaking of the third row, Rivian has really maximised the R1S' boxy dimensions. Even as a six-foot-tall guy, getting all the way in the back wasn't much of a struggle, though it's still a bit tight for someone my size. I need to slide the second row forward a touch in order to have adequate room for my feet. But make no mistake, there's plenty of space for kids or smaller adults back there, and if you need an EV that can properly transport seven people at a time, this thing has you covered. Alternatively, when cargo space is the primary concern, the third row folds flat to provide 46.7 cubic feet of space. You’ll get a whopping 104.6 cubic feet with both rows stashed.

Infotainment and tech

While the R1S doesn't support Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, Rivian's infotainment is a great example of why you don't need third-party add-ons when you have a solid homegrown interface. Almost everything you want or need is accounted for. Hitting the drivetrain icon gives you quick access to controls for ride settings (including height and regenerative braking adjustments). This option also displays super helpful stats enthusiasts will appreciate like elevation, motor temperature, steering angle and more. The other controls for climate, music, charging and navigation are self-explanatory, so even if you haven't driven a Rivian before, as long as you've used a smartphone or laptop (which covers pretty much everyone), there's not much of a learning curve.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Rivian also does a fantastic job with support features like Gear Guard, which uses the R1S' built-in cameras to monitor for accidents, bumps or people vandalising your car. I truly do not understand why every automaker doesn't utilize its vehicles' onboard sensors like this. And even though I didn't need it, it's one of those things you'll be incredibly grateful for when you do. Same goes for its onboard 120V AC outlets and plentiful USB-C ports, which are just plain useful.

As for monitoring the car and day-to-day stuff like starting it and unlocking the doors, there's Rivian's mobile app (available on both iOS and Android). It's dead simple to use, and unlike the phone-as-a-key feature on my Ford Mach-E, it was bulletproof during my testing. Once I had it set up, the car never failed to automatically pop out the door handles upon approach or lock itself when I walked away.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

I also want to give Rivian props for making its cars chirp when you lock them instead of beeping the horn like so many other vehicles. Not only is it less distracting, it just feels more respectful when you're out amongst the trees. Granted, this is a minor feature, but little details like this can have a big impact and it's another thing I'd like to see on more cars. Just imagine if you could identify specific makes and models by the species of bird song it tweets out instead of being bombarded by a cacophony of harsh beeps, honks and klaxons. Wouldn't that be sweet?

The one big wrinkle to all this is that currently there's no way to mirror texts or notifications from your phone onto the car's main display. In a time when people are growing more concerned about distracted driving (and rightfully so), this is a major omission. Rivian says implementing this feature turned out to be trickier than it initially thought, though there's hope that an update to add the tool will be available later this year. In some respects, I found that completely ignoring my handset while driving was actually kind of refreshing, but if this is a dealbreaker for you, I get it.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Unfortunately, if you want a physical fob with buttons for unlocking doors or popping the frunk, you'll have to shell out an extra $250. The R1S comes with smartphone controls via the app and a simple NFC key card instead of something that resembles a traditional key or remote.

Driving

Putting your foot down in an R1S is an instant reminder of why EVs are so fun to drive. When equipped with three motors like my test vehicle, a three-row SUV that weighs 7,000 pounds has no business being this fast. Acceleration from a dead stop is brutal (the tri-motor version has a 0 to 6 time of just 2.9 seconds). Until you get above 80 mph when wind resistance starts to become a major factor, it feels like the R1S has an endless pit of power. Furthermore, for a car this size, its turning radius is surprisingly tight.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Earlier this year, Rivian released its hands-free Enhanced Highway Assist feature that lets you sit back and have the car take the wheel. It works on more than 135,000 miles of freeways across the US and Canada, and while it isn't quite as polished as Tesla's Full Self Driving or Ford's Blue Cruise tech, the R1S still felt smooth and predictable when piloting by itself. It stayed neatly centered without bouncing back and forth between the lines, allowing you to change lanes with a flick of the stalk. For times when I wanted to take a little extra stress out of driving, Rivian's hands-free tech gave me the confidence to do that.

Some of R1S' other tech that improves its driving experience includes cameras built into its mirrors, which automatically pop up on the driver's display when you signal. Not only does this help eliminate blind spots, it's just a nice bit of redundancy. But my favorite feature might be Rivian's adaptive headlights. Due to quirks in US regulations, car companies can't really port over the matrix lighting used on vehicles in the EU and Asia. So in order to comply, Rivian engineered its headlights from the ground up to automatically adjust to driving conditions like angling its beams around corners, reducing bright spots for oncoming drivers and more. And after using them, it's hard to go back to basic lights that can only do high and low.

The one small issue I found was that no matter how I tried to adjust it, the R1S’ suspension felt far from supple. The lack of cushioning sometimes made larger bumps and potholes feel particularly jarring. Rivian updated the ride comfort (particularly at low speeds) after I returned my loaner vehicle and I've heard the difference is night and day. Regardless, driving feel is subjective, so if you're in the market for a new car and not conducting your own test drive, what are you even doing?

As a city-dweller, I'm not much of an off-roader, so I can't really speak to the R1S' trail-running prowess. But between things like its adjustable ride height (with up to 15 inches of ground clearance), torque vectoring and other related features, Rivian's vehicles appear very well equipped. And that's before you consider handy add-ons like the built-in air pump, which might save your bacon if you pop a flat in the backcountry.

Range, charging and configurations

The R1S is available in four main configurations: Dual Standard, Dual, Tri and Quad motor variants (the Quad option is coming later this year). The difference between the first two is battery size, with the former getting the base pack while the latter has the option of either large or max packs. The Tri and Quad motor models come standard with Rivian's biggest battery.

Range varies from 270 to 371 miles, depending on the specific configuration, and in my experience I found that Rivian's guess-o-meter was highly reliable. If the map said I was going to have a certain amount of battery left when I arrived at my destination, it was rarely off by more than a percent or two.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

On the tri-motor model, you can also disconnect the rear motors by putting the car in casual driving mode, which greatly improves the R1S' overall efficiency. When all three motors were running, I only averaged around 2.6 mi/kWh hour. But when only sending power to the front wheels, I was able to push that figure above 3 mi/kWh.

As for charging, peak rates top out at 300 kW, though you'll only see anything near that when the car's battery is under 20 percent. When I tried a more typical charging scenario by taking its power level from 20 to 80 percent using a 350 kW station, the R1S completed the session in 35 minutes with a peak rate of 168 kW. So while it's far from the fastest in the industry, the combination of big energy cells and efficiency means range anxiety isn't really a thing with the R1S. I just wish the latest models came with a native NACS port instead of an older CCS connector.

Wrap-up

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

While things are certainly better than they were just a few years ago, it’s still slim pickings when it comes to three-row EVs. If you can afford it, the Rivian R1S has put all the most important stuff together in a great-looking package — and then some.

Its size may be imposing, but it certainly delivers on the look and feel of a car that's just as happy on asphalt as it is on unpaved trails. And it does so while providing plenty of range and room for the whole family. Rivan's craftsmanship is highlighted by the R1S' exquisite interior, while a variety of battery sizes, motor configurations and other options make it easy to kit out to fit your adventures.

The only thing that might give me pause is that for people who aren't interested in off-roading, alternatives like the Kia EV9 offer similar passenger capacity for a much lower starting price. And other models like the Volvo EX90 and Lucid Gravity offer a bit more in the way of luxury. But for those with an adventurous lifestyle who love exploring the great outdoors, the second-gen R1S really feels like the total package.

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has ruled that Apple violated her own ruling back in 2021 on the lawsuit Epic Games filed against Apple a year before. Now, it's ordering (PDF) Apple to stop collecting commissions on purchases that weren't paid through the App Store effective immediately. In 2021, Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple did not hold an App Store monopoly. However, she also said that the company must allow developers to direct users to other payment systems that would let them bypass the 30 percent commission fee it collects from App Store purchases. 

In a legal filing by Epic Games last year, it accused Apple of non-compliance, since it still took a 27 percent cut for purchases made outside the App Store and even showed users pop-up screens warning them that paying outside its own store may not be secure. For members of the iOS Small Business Program, it took a smaller 12 percent commission. But the judge explained in her new ruling that Apple wasn't supposed to collect any fee at all. "Apple sought to maintain a revenue stream worth billions in direct defiance of this court’s injunction," she said. 

In addition to prohibiting Apple from collecting fees for external purchases, she also barred the company from showing users "scare screens" discouraging them from using third-party payment systems. She prohibited Apple from creating rules that would prevent developers from presenting customers with buttons and links for external payments, as well. Apple said it will pursue an appeal, but that it will comply with the court's orders. "We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court's order and we will appeal," an Apple spokesperson told The New York Times. 

In her ruling, Rogers said that the documents Apple submitted last year showed that App Store lead Phil Schiller advocated for the company to stop collecting fees on web links during a 2023 meeting. But Apple's former Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri convinced Tim Cook otherwise. Cook also asked his people to revise the scare screen for web links "to reference the fact that Apple’s privacy and security standards do not apply to purchases made on the web.” Apple knew exactly what it was doing and "at every turn chose the most anticompetitive option," Gonzalez Rogers wrote. Further the company's Vice-President of Finance, Alex Roman, allegedly lied under oath to hide the truth. Thus, the judge has asked the US attorney for the Northern District of California to investigate Apple and Roman for criminal contempt.

In a tweet, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney announced that it will bring back Fortnite for iOS in the US next week. He also promised to return Fortnite to the App Store worldwide — and to drop any lawsuit covering the issue — if Apple applies a commission-free tax-free payment framework everywhere.

If you’ve just picked up Apple’s latest flagship, protecting it should be a top priority — and the best iPhone 16 case can do more than just shield your phone from scratches and drops. Whether you prefer a slim and stylish look, a rugged design with extra grip or added features like MagSafe compatibility and built-in stands, there’s a case to match your needs. From the sleek iPhone 16 to the feature-packed iPhone 16 Pro, we've rounded up the best options to keep your device safe without compromising on style or functionality.

Best iPhone cases for 2025

iPhone 16 case FAQs

What is the most protective brand of phone cases?

There is no one "most protective" brand of phone cases, but rather there are many that tout extra security for your handset. Some of the most protective phone cases we've tried come from Otterbox; most of the brand's cases have a bit more protection than your standard phone case, even the ones that are designed to be on the slim side. Otterbox also makes a wide variety of phone cases, so there's a good chance you'll find one that suits your style and provides the level of protection you're looking for. Otterbox's Defender series is one of the best you can get if you care first and foremost about making sure your phone survives all kinds of accidents (save for a dunk in a pool).

Silicone vs hard case: Which one is better?

Neither silicone nor hard cases are better than the other. Silicone cases tend to be thinner and feel soft to the touch, and they're often easier to put on and take off of phones. Hard cases can be on the thicker side, but they provide a bit more drop protection than silicone cases. Which type of case is best for you depends on the type of experience you want from your phone. It's also worth nothing that both silicone cases and hard cases come in a variety of colors, designs and styles, so you have plenty of choose from to match your personality on both sides.

Does an iPhone 16 need a screen protector?

The iPhone 16 features Apple’s tough Ceramic Shield front, which is definitely more durable than standard glass — but it’s not invincible. If you want to avoid scratches from keys, drops onto pavement or just the wear and tear of daily use, a screen protector is still a smart move. It adds an extra layer of defense without getting in the way of touch sensitivity or Face ID. So, while it’s not absolutely essential, using one is a good idea if you want to keep your screen looking flawless for the long haul.

Is the iPhone 16 drop-proof?

The iPhone 16 is built to be tough, with Ceramic Shield on the front and a sturdy aluminum or titanium frame (depending on the model), but it’s not completely drop-proof. It can handle the occasional bump or short fall, especially if it lands on a flat surface — but drops on concrete or at awkward angles can still cause cracks or damage. If you’re prone to butterfingers, pairing your iPhone 16 with a durable case and maybe even a screen protector is the best way to play it safe.

Georgie Peru contributed to this report.