18
Jan, 2017
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Tip of the Week: 4 Accessories Every Smartphone Needs

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Smartphones are very convenient technologies, but with a couple of improvements to your device repertoire, you can drastically improve both your user experience and the value of your device. Here are four smartphone accessories that can enhance the way you use your mobile device.

Portable Battery Pack
Sometimes, no matter how much you charge your battery, you might find yourself falling short of the juice required to work while on the go. You aren’t always going to have access to an outlet, and even a quick charge may not be enough to get the job done. In instances like this, a portable battery pack is a huge help. There are battery packs available that are compatible with modern USB technology, so all you have to do is plug in your phone to charge your device. For starters, you can check out this one made by Anker.

A Long USB Cord
Your typical smartphone charging cable is generally only a few feet long, which means it’s easy to come up short when you need a charge. If you regularly find yourself needing the extra length, you can try out this huge USB cord by Anker. It makes a perfect partner for the portable battery pack we brought up. Plus, this cord is built out of some pretty hefty material, which means that you won’t have to worry about your pet chewing it, or severing it unexpectedly when moving a heavy piece of furniture around. With reinforced stress points, the cord can be bent and wrapped up for quite a bit, making it a long-lasting solution to your USB cord woes.

Bluetooth Headset
How often do you find yourself sick and tired of holding a phone to your face while trying to get work done? In cases like this (particularly long meetings with no end in sight), a Bluetooth headset for your smartphone can come in real handy. All you have to do is tether the device to your smartphone, pop it in your ear, and voila–you have a hands-free way of talking on the phone while getting to your work.

Other Bluetooth Technology
Basically, anything that uses Bluetooth technology is great for your smartphone, as it allows you to wirelessly tether devices to it. For example, you could use a wireless keyboard when you need to write a document or email. If you want to listen to music, you could hook up a pair of Bluetooth headphones so as not to bother others who might be in the vicinity.

What are some other great accessories that you can use for your mobile device while out and about? Be sure to let us know in the comments, and subscribe to our blog for more great tips and tricks.

16
Mar, 2015
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The Top 3 Technologies for Serious Selfie Takers

b2ap3_thumbnail_use_your_selfie_stick_400.jpgGot a smartphone? Then you’ve probably snapped a selfie before, or, depending on the expectations of your social circles, you may have taken a few hundred of them… in one day. Today, selfies are all the rage and people are coming up with creative ways to take them, like these three exciting selfie technologies.

Before we reveal our three favorite selfie technologies, we should first do a little backtracking and provide a definition. After all, it’s a rather new trend. But in all actuality, the selfie has been with us for quite a while; it used to be called, “No one else wants to take my picture.” For an official definition of the word selfie, let’s turn to the Oxford Online Dictionary (yep, it’s a real word): A photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically with a smartphone or webcam and shared via social media.

The Selfie Sombrero

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One of the hottest accessories in fashion today is the selfie sombrero. It’s a hat tasked by Acer to assist users with “creating the perfect social media moment.” To achieve this, a glittery-pink sombrero has room for an Acer Iconia A1-840 to hang from its brim. “The world’s first Selfie-Hat” can then be adjusted to allow the user to experiment with angles and lighting. As a bonus, when you’re not taking selfies with your sombrero, it comes with a smaller sombrero for your tablet. 

The Selfie Brush

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Good hair is a must for any successful selfie. This is exactly why the Selfie Brush was created. This is another example of a technology that combines a mobile device with an everyday item, like a hair brush. The Selfie Brush utilizes the flat side of the brush, which until now, has been wasted space. The Selfie Brush even comes with a small mirror so you can make sure your hair is perfect before you snap and share your pic. Granted, you might get a few weird looks for taking phone calls with your hair brush, but you can just tell onlookers that you’re a superspy–with fabulous hair.

The Selfie Stick

Finally, we come to the selfie stick. It’s a technology that may be a little more practical than the previous two techs. However, it will still get you some odd looks if you use it. The appeal of the selfie stick is that it allows the user to take a picture of themselves from a distance further than what their arms can reach. This allows you to snap a panoramic selfie without having to pass your camera on to another person. A typical selfie stick extends up to 39 inches and it works in conjunction with your camera’s timer. In fact, you may have even seen the selfie stick in action at your local tourist attractions.

What are your feelings about selfies? Are you on a quest to achieve the perfect selfie, or do you find the whole concept to be too narcissistic for your liking? Despite your feelings about selfies, it’s a trend that appears to be here to stay. This means that humans are guaranteed to come up with even more creative ways to take and share their favorite moments.

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