By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla
The perfect accessory can totally enhance or complete the experience of today's most popular devices. Accessories don't have to be expensive but they can definitely show thoughtfulness and creativity. Here are 5 awesome accessories we've loved using.
Elecom Soundblock iPod/iPhone speakers - US $36-$50 Online retailers
Although the may seem kitschy at first, we found Elecom's Soundblock speakers to be the perfect accessory for the new iPod Nano (and found it to work well with most i-devices). Wearing headphones all the time isn't always comfortable and can result in the increase of bacteria. Sometimes tiny speakers that can manage decent volume are the perfect solution and great for sharing music when traveling. Simply plug in the speakers where you usually have the charging connector and you get completely usable external audio for your device that's way louder than the built-in keyboard. Soundblock speakers can be found at Geek Stuff 4 U and JZool.com.
Griffin Loop for iPad - $29.95 at the Apple Store
For folks that already own an iPad, the Griffin Loop for iPad is the smartest and most versatile stand we've seen for the device. This weighty rubber stand can hold the iPad securely in various horizontal and vertical positions and is a great place to store the tablet when it is charging or being used to playback content. This is a great solution with those using the iPad with an external Bluetooth keyboard and it can even support an upright iPad and cradle an iPod Touch or an iPhone.
Nokia BH-505 Bluetooth Stereo Headset with Mic - $68.20 popular celfone or carrier stores
Let's face it, wired headsets aren't the most comfortable accessories around and specially when you're a sporty and active person. Nokia's BH-505 is designed to deliver great wireless sound and is rated for durability as well as comfort. It takes around an hour to charge, delivers over 24 hours of audio at 60% loudness and is compatible with most major smartphones, computers and audio players. With its built-in microphone it is a terrific handsfree solution as well as great for Skype and other chat software. What we like most abut the BH-505 is that it is lightweight, comfortable and delivers really great sound and is easy to pair with most Bluetooth devices.
HP Wireless Mini Keyboard - $38.30 electronics and big box stores
With tablets, TV streaming set-top boxes and mini-PCs becoming popular we find that a great wireless mini keyboard is an essential accessory. HP's line of wireless mini keyboards are complete solutions that incorporate a sleek spill-resistant chiclet style - keyboard in a light and compact form factor as well as the versatility of a mouse with HP's precise OFN (Optical Finger Navigation). Compatible with most Windows-based devices and running on 2 AA batteries powering the 2.4GHz wireless keyboard.
Kodak Mini Video Camera - $99.95 (online and selected retailers)
About the size of a credit card, Kodak's feature packed mini video camera brings all the technology of their successful line of PlaysPort line of active lifestyle HD video cameras, the Mini Video Camera manages to shoot 640x480 video at 30 frames per second with 3X digital zoom. Software is built right into the device so all you need to do is plug it into a PC and run the software that can format the video for the web of for your TV. Aside from its diminutive size, this small video camera can be expanded with up to 16GB of memory.