Trick Out Your Smartphone: iPhone Accessories
The iPhone 4 isn’t just a Smartphone; it’s a fashion statement. With such a stylish device, it only makes sense that its accessories should be equally stylish, and if they can’t be stylish, they’d better have a damned good reason why, like those ugly protective casings that enclose your iPhone in some tank-like skin.
Speaking of cases, we’ll start there.
The Best of the iPhone Cases
Anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock for the past few months has probably heard mention of the whole “Antennagate” scandal. For those who missed it, the iPhone 4 was found to have some glaring antenna problems shortly after its release.
In short, holding the phone in certain orientations (which just so happened to be the exact orientations most users would hold it during use) would cause the two antennas on the outside of the phone to short circuit and drop all cell and Wi-Fi connectivity. After a few months of denial and media spin, Apple finally admitted to their gross oversight and settled on a solution: if you want consistent signal quality, get a case.
Of course, these antenna issues aren’t the only reason to get a fancy case for your iPhone. As it is made almost entirely out of glass (yes, seriously, they made it out of glass) you probably want a case to protect that pricey investment.
The Trident Case Kraken Series
The Trident Kraken series is among the most protective cases you can buy for you iPhone, though it does detract slightly from its stylish charm. The best thing about the Kraken case is the amount of thought put into its design. All of the iPhone’s features and buttons are 100% accessible without removing the case, including the 3.5mm headphone jack, camera with flash, and dock connector.
Zagg Invisible SHIELD
The Zagg Invisible SHIELD gives you some protection, mostly against scratches, without compromising your iPhone’s aesthetic whatsoever. It’s perfect for those who love the look of their iPhone but also want to keep it protected. You’ll still want to be careful though; the Invisible SHIELD doesn’t protect much against impact damage.
Stylish Bluetooth Headsets
Hands-free operation is important, whether you’re working around the house or driving the kids to school, but what good is keeping your iPhone in your pocket if you can’t still look good using it. That’s where a stylish Bluetooth headset comes in, but style isn’t everything. You probably want something that functions well too.
Plantronics M100
Plantronics is very well known for quality Bluetooth headsets with state of the art noise cancelling and sound quality. It’s no surprise that the Plantronic M100 is the top ranked headset on alaTest. The M100 may not be the pinnacle of Plantronics’ lineup, but they look great and offer excellent sound quality compared to most any other headset in its price range.
Killer Quality Ear Buds
Klipsch Image S4I
The Image S4I headphones have been our highest ranked ear buds, and for good reason. Their sound quality is absolutely astonishing, providing amazing bass levels, perfect balance, and stupendous range, all in a compact package. Designed in coordination with Apple, the Image S4I’s 3-button mic and remote work perfectly with the iPhone. They’re a bit pricey, but worth every penny.
The Image S4I headphones are great earbuds. They have great clarity and amazing sound quality. Love them.