How to Get The Most Out of Your Smartphone – Top Must-Have Accessories

If there is one mobile device that people can't do without, it would have to be the smartphone. Your phone is the medium through which you stay in contact with the rest of the world. Without it, you're options become severely limited in terms of what you can do or what you know is going on.

Imagine an emergency situation and not being able to make a phone call. Or being somewhere and not being able to call a cab to drive you home. If a disaster takes place, there is no way of informing you if you cannot be reached through your smartphone. The reality is that the vast majority of people need to have a smartphone with them at all times and there are very few people who can afford to be without one.

Most people will therefore go out to get their own smartphone if they don't already have one. However, a smartphone alone is usually not enough. Most, if not all, people will get some accessories to go with their smartphone. The following is a list of five of the most used accessories that smartphone owners use.

1.A screen protector is used to protect your screen

As important as it is to have a smartphone with you, it won't do you any good if you cannot use the phone that you have with you. You may have a smartphone with you, but if you can't use it because it has a broken screen you might as well not have a phone with you.

Most smartphones now rely on touchscreens for input and output. Displays have also gotten progressively bigger and bigger. These screens are sometimes protected with reinforced glass such as Gorilla Glass, but some phones use regular glass that can easily break. It is therefore a good idea to protect your screen as best as possible.

Buying a screen protector is one way to protect your smartphone display. You have to apply them onto the screen where they protect you against scratches and screen cracks. The drawback is that some people find that their display becomes less bright. For more comprehensive protection, you may also want to get a case.

By Claudio Ammon [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

2.A case protects the body of your smartphone

A screen protector makes the display more resistant to damage, but does nothing for the rest of the phone. A smartphone can get hit or it may drop to the ground. All of which can damage the body of a smartphone, which is often made of plastic. Even smartphones made of metal are not invulnerable, although they are better able to withstand the force of impact.

The solution is to use an external case. By wrapping a smartphone body with a case, you get a certain level of additional cushioning against the force of impact. Cases come in a wide variety and can be made of different materials such as rubber, plastic or metal.

Another benefit of cases is that they can make your smartphone look more attractive as long as you pick a pretty case. Cases allow the owner to express their personality as there are lot of options to personalize. The downside of cases is that they obscure the body. While that can often be a non-issue, some people may prefer that their high-end smartphone be seen by everyone. An iPhone is one example of such a phone.

3.A cleaning cloth to wipe off dirt

A case and screen protector may provide protection, but dirt can still accumulate. To help clean your smartphone, it may be handy to have a cleaning cloth with you. You can use this to wipe smudges off your screen, get rid of fingerprints and, in general, keep your phone looking respectable.

When picking a cleaning tool, be sure that it's not abbrasive. You do want to damage your phone with tiny scratches in the process of cleaning your smartphone. It should be soft and not too rough. A microfiber cleaning cloth works great.

4.A headset or headphones will not disturb those around you

Another useful accessory is a headset. This allows you to use your smartphone without using your hands such as when you're driving a car. A wireless headset such as a bluetooth headset allows you to communicate while you're walking. There are many types of headsets available for many different uses.

Headphones or earphones are related to headsets. Many smartphones support extensive multimedia use such listening to music or watching video. Headphones allow you to do this without disturbing those around you, such as in a library. High-end headphones also provide superior quality sound.

5.An external battery pack when your smartphone runs out of power

The presence of a smartphone is crucial, but it's of no use if or when it runs out of power. While you can minimize the chance of this occurring by monitoring your battery indicator and rationing smartphone use when it's low, you may still one day run out of power.

Depending on your circumstances, you may want to have a backup in place in the form of an external battery powerpack. You can plug into your smartphone where they function as a second battery to allow extended use of your smartphone. Depending on the model, they can also recharge your depleted main battery.