The best add-ons that kept our devices charged, safe and productive
Being into smartphones is about more than just the phones themselves. You’ll be hard-pressed to find someone that has a phone and hasn’t gone out and purchased a case, wireless charger, headphones or some kind of other accessory. The editors here at Android Central are fortunate enough to have access to a good number of accessories for review, so we end up buying the ones that work for us.
While it isn’t a long or flashy list, these are my top five accessories that I used throughout the year of 2013. Hit the break and see what I keep around for my devices this year.
Logitech Ultimate Ears 350vm headphones
I’ve been using these headphones for just under a year, and have been very happy with the quality for the price. Although I had to have them replaced once (for free under warranty, of course) because of an earbud short, I think they offer a good bang for the buck at about $50. They isolate sound well, sound good and have an Android-compatible in-line mic and play/pause control.
Buy Ultimate Ears 350vm headphones ($44.99)
LG WCP-300 Qi wireless charger
With more and more devices supporting the Qi wireless charging standard, we’ve taken a look at a good number of chargers over the year. At this point the LG WCP-300 might fall into the “oldie but goodie” category, but at somewhere in the $35-$50 range currently on Amazon it’s a great choice. It charges quickly, stays put on the table and keeps your device attached nicely as well.
Buy WCP-300 Wireless Charging Pad ($39.16)
Google Glass
This counts as an accessory, right? Although it probably costs about three times as much as the phone it’s connecting to, Google Glass is certainly an interesting bit of computing magic to have. As we’ve discussed in our “Through Glass” columns on the site, Glass really isn’t for everyone, but if you’ve got $1500 burning a hole in your pocket it can be a really neat purchase for a gadget lover.
Get more information on buying Google Glass ($1500)
DODOcase Durables Nexus 7 Sleeve
Ever since I reviewed the latest line of DODOcases for the Nexus 7 I’ve been in love with the style and craftsmanship they offer. While their book-bound bamboo cases are stylish, I like to have a basic sleeve case that protects my Nexus 7 while it’s in my bag but gets out of the way when I’m using the tablet. The waxed canvas has a distinctive look and feels fantastic, and while it isn’t cheap, it’s a great accessory to have that will last a very long time. If you don’t have a Nexus 7, you can still pick up the sleeve for many popular tablets, phones and laptops.
Buy DODOcase Durables Nexus 7 Sleeve ($59.95)
Vaas 5000mAh Dual Port External Rechargeable Battery Pack
If you have lots of gadgets, you know it’s an endless game keeping everything charged up when you’re out of the house. I picked up one of these Vaas 5000mAh charging packs off of a deals site for around $15 and have been extremely happy with it. It may take a while to charge (and unfortunately uses MiniUSB instead of Micro), but this pack offers charging for two devices, including 2.1A output, and a big capacity for only being the size of a pack of cards. Best of all, it’s cheap (about $20) even at full retail on Amazon.
Buy Vaas 5000mAh External Rechargeable Battery Pack ($21.95)
More accessories
- Editors’ top accessories: Alex’s picks for 2013
- ShopAndroid.com has even more accessories for Android phones and tablets.