Half of the fun of owning a cell phone is looking for all the fun accessories that you can buy to go with it. We ran down some of the coolest cell phone accessories back in Spring of this year. It’s time again that we take another whirlwind tour to see what else is hot and new for the Fall of 2009.
Some cell phone accessories are meant to be fashionable. Some are meant to be functional. Hopefully, you’ll be able to find a nice balance of a little bit of both in the products that we’ve selected for this guide.
Luxa2 H1-Touch Aluminum Mobile Holder
Even though the primary purpose of our mobile phones is their ability to be used in a mobile context, many of us have also abandoned our landline telephones in favor of a cell phone-only existence. Even if you haven’t, there’s a good chance that you spend many hours at a desk at school, at work, or at home.
Rather than suffocating your poor BlackBerry in your pocket or letting your iPhone get all scratched up on the surface of the desk, you may want to bling it up with the Luxa2 H1-Touch. This desktop stand lets you display your phone loud and proud.
The Luxa2 brand is an offshoot from Thermaltake, a company that you may know better for computer cases. Well, they’re really starting to branch out into consumer accessories and luxury items. The Luxa2 H1-Touch is one of the first offerings and it’s quite the looker.
The all aluminum mobile phone is fully adjustable, accommodating the vast majority of today’s cell phones and smartphones. The six grips can expand and retract as needed, and the rubberized surface offers a good deal of grip without being sticky. Sadly, it doesn’t get quite wide enough to accommodate wider phones like the BlackBerry Bold 9000.
While you could certainly use a vertical configuration as shown here, the H1-Touch also allows for rotation to a horizontal configuration. This way, if you want to watch a movie on your iPhone, you can.
To add to the bling factor, Luxa2 has integrated a pair of Swarovski crystals into the base. They say that this has “re-enchanted its beauty.” Thankfully, the build quality and utility back up this bling. The H1-Touch retails for $49.99.
BodyGuardz Clear Protective Skin
So, you want to protect your phone. There is certainly no shortage of cell phone cases and holsters on the market today. You could take the route of a leather holster, a silicone sleeve, a plastic hard case, or any number of alternative options, but there is one thing that all of these options have in common: they add bulk.
One of the reasons why I opted for a Nokia E71 smartphone in the first place was its sleek and thin profile. At the same time, I wanted some form of proper protection for the phone and the clear protective skin from BodyGuardz seems to be just the ticket.
Available for a wide range of cell phones and other mobile devices, including the Nintendo DSi and Apple MacBook Pro, the BodyGuardz clear skin really has “got it covered.” This thin plastic film is completely removable and will protect your treasured smartphone against random scratches, bumps, and bruises. It won’t offer much help if you happen to drop your phone on the hard concrete, but that’s the trade off you get for having seamless protection.
Unlike one of its direct competitors, the BodyGuardz transparent protective film comes in a two-pack. This offers two complete sets for both the front and the back. Each two-pack sells for about $24.99.
Joby Gorillamobile Device Holder
When it comes to most car mounts and other similar devices for cell phones, they offer just one possible installation style. They may be designed to clip to the air vent, clip to the sun visor, or attach via a suction cup to the windshield. For a little more versatility, you might want to take a look at the Joby Gorillamobile.
The Gorillamobile offers exactly the same idea as the original Gorillapod, also from Joby. Instead of having straight tripod legs, you get a set of flexible, wrappable legs. Each leg is comprised of ten rubberized ring and foot grips. By using these wrappable legs, you can have your phone close at hand when you are riding your bike (wrap it around your handlebars), sitting at your desk (use it as a desktop stand), or anywhere else life’s road may take you.
The version shown here is designed for mobile phones and other devices. It comes with a universal camera adapter (1/4″ tripod screw), a custom engineered suction cup, and a pair of high-bond adhesive clips. The camera mount is straightforward enough, but you’ll really need to use the adhesive clip for about anything else.
I tried using the suction cup for a temporary hold on the back of my Nokia E71, but it didn’t do a great job of hanging on. In this way, the adhesive clip would constantly have to sit in the back of my phone if I wanted to use the Gorillamobile. If you happen to have an iPhone 3G/3GS, you can opt for the version from Gorillamobile that comes with a specialized case instead.
The Gorillamobile for handheld devices is $29.95, whereas the iPhone version rings in at $39.95.
Yubz Clipo Bluetooth Headset
As you may recall, I paid a visit to the people at YUBZ during CES 2009 and they showed off some of their newest gadgets and accessories. One of the highlights was the Yubz Clipo, which offers a unique take on the Bluetooth headset market.
Most Bluetooth headsets are designed to stay attached to your ear the whole time, but this may not be the most comfortable of experiences. So, the Yubz Clipo simply clips to your shirt and when a call comes in, you can pull on that retractable earpiece and hit the answer button.
When the call is done, you hit the retract button and the earpiece slides back up to the clip itself. Even though there is only a single earpiece, the Yubz Clipo is perfectly compatible with the stereo Bluetooth A2DP profile, so you can use it for mono-styled music listening too.
In my quick tests, however, listening to music on the Yubz Clipo left a lot to be desired. The sound quality was worse than what I’d get from a handheld radio. For voice conversations, the sound was perfectly adequate. You do have to make sure that you have the clip facing the right way, though, since the microphone is only on one side.
The Yubz Clipo Bluetooth headset lists at $49.95 and comes in your choice of sky blue, magenta pink, or jet black.
Devotec Solar Sound Bluetooth Speaker
Bluetooth is a wonderfully versatile technology. You can use it as a cellular gateway or as an extension of your phone for voice calls, but it can also be used to send music over a wireless connection too.
When you’re ready to share tunes without cables (or a power outlet), you may want the Devotec Solar Sound Bluetooth speaker. As its name implies, this Bluetooth speaker comes equipped with a large solar panel across the entire top portion. This way, it can soak in the rays and stay charged.
Not surprisingly, the Solar Sound fully supports any Bluetooth phone or MP3 player with the A2DP and AVRCP profiles. This way, you can beam over your tunes from a BlackBerry, iPhone 3GS, Nokia smartphone, or any number of other kinds of devices. It’ll also work as a speakerphone, since there is a built-in mic as well.
Even if you’re using a regular audio device like an Apple iPod or Samsung MP3 player, you can pump out the tunes using the standard 3.5mm audio jack. Devotec has even included a retractable cable for this purpose and you can charge it up via USB if the solar panel isn’t keeping pace.
The sound quality from the twin 2W speakers is far from sound blasting, but you’re getting a portable audio experience that is clearly better than most clock radios or cheap portable iPod speaker docks. The touch panel controls are attractive too.
The Devotec Solar Sound Bluetooth Speaker sells for about $80.
Accessorizing for Function and Fashion
Whether you’re looking for a slick new Bluetooth headset, something to protect your handset from unforeseen damage, or a way to proudly display your device at your desk, there is a cell phone accessory for you. There’s so much more to enjoy than simple car chargers and leather holsters, you know.
Futurelooks Fall 2009 Cell Phone Accessory Roundup Photo Gallery
