With the holidays coming up, it is a great opportunity to arm Mom with multi-function gadgets that will enable her to multi-task at home and on the go. To save money, these practical gadgets can be purchased as holiday gifts, with the extra bonus of helping Mom find ways to save time.  Here are the top five multi-functional technologies to simplify a Mom’s busy life:

5. Go Wireless at home and on the go:

Giving the gift of wireless simplifies your life by getting rid of cables and Wi-Fi hot spot boundaries. A wireless home router streamlines your household with the ability to share Wi-Fi enabled devices and access the internet from any room. USB Broadband cards, such as the Compass 597 from Sierra Wireless, or built-in adapters allow wireless on the go. Wireless also enables extra functionality for those Nintendo Wii aficionados.

4. Carry ONE digital camera with multiple functions:

Parents who never seem to remember to carry the digital and video camera will benefit from the gift of a multifunction camera. For the sub $325 group, the Canon SD 880 shoots digital pictures and video, while the Canon PowerShot SX10 IS has a movie button for one touch filming. Casio’s Exilim EX-Z300 takes HD Video and comes in pink.  Both the Kodak EasyShare Z1085 IS and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35 records 720p video clips.  The Nikon D90 is a DSLR that supports movie capture. The Flip Video MinoHD is compact and has one touch video uploading for those wanting a dedicated video camcorder.

Pair that with a wireless digital photo frame, such as the Kodak EasyShare EX-1011 to send digital images and videos directly to the frame from the PC.

3. Buy all-in-one computers to bring multiple functions such as built-in networking, graphics processors for video viewing , sound and integrated cameras into one system:

The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 is not only light to carry (2.28 lbs. ) but also light on the budget  ($349). The general Dell Inspirion line has other multi-functions and pretty colors. The Apple MacBook is thin and light, while the 20-inch Apple iMac is a space saving desktop.  The HP 2311 Mini-Note is another mini notebook, HP Pavilion dv3510nr is a good midsize laptop, and the HP Touchsmart desktops have  large touch-sensitive displays.   Integrated cameras and built-in stereo speakers allow families to use Skype for video chats.

2. Use a multi-Function printers as “the” home office:

Every mom needs a home office, and all-in-one printers are compact while offering copying, scanning and premium printing functions.  A few standouts are the HP Officejet J6480, Canon Pixma Mx700, and the Epson Artisan 800.

1. Use a Smartphone as “control central”:

One of the most time-saving devices a mom can use is a smartphone, which can combine the functionality of an electronic day planner, cellphone, web browser, music & video player, GPS, and camera in ONE device.  BlackBerry is a good fit for heavy email users who prefer keyboard keys.  GPS and camera enabled models include the BlackBerry Curve and the Bold, while the Bold also films video.  For multi-media moms who want a touchpad phone, web browsing, music & video, and use of mobile applications, then the iPhone is a great choice. The iPod Touch can offer many of the same multi-media functionality – without the phone.  Palm, Samsung and Motorola also have smartphone models.

Pair smartphones with a Bluetooth headset for hands free use. To add extra memory storage, SanDisk has mobile memory cards for phones.

Beth Blecherman is Founder of TechMamas.com, a tech blog with a parenting slant. She is Co-Founder and Chief Technology Mom of the Silicon Valley Moms Group, collaborative mom blogs in cities across the country. Review links via CNET.