accessories

When LG announced the new G5 at its launch event in Barcelona back in February, it also launched a handful of ‘Friends’ to work alongside the smartphone. One of them was the 360 CAM, which is essentially a 360-degree camera, and we’ve been sent a unit to check out.

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One of the undoubted benefits of USB Type-C is the fact that it’s reversible. It doesn’t matter which way around it is, you can just shove it in your phone and know it’ll work. Of course, it has other benefits too, which is why Samsung’s decision not to use it in the Galaxy S7 series was a little puzzling. Still, you can at the very least get the reversible factor using the right cable. One available option is the SCOSCHE reversible light-up Micro USB which I’ve had for the past month or so.

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When Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S7 Edge, they also showed off some official accessories. Some of them we’d seen before, while others have been redesigned to fit the Galaxy S7 Edge. I decided to check out the new S-View Cover, keyboard case and wireless charger built by Samsung specifically for its newer devices.

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Towards the end of last year, a company called AC Worldwide launched a promising Kickstarter project. Essentially, these were fully licensed, to scale Star Wars Bluetooth speakers in the shape of C-3Po and Stormtrooper heads. Not long after the speaker project launched, an investor came in and offered the company all the money they needed to get the speakers to market. Now they’re here, and I just had to try them out…

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The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge has been on the market for roughly a week, and in that first few days, we’ve been testing a number of third party cases to see which we think are the best. Thanks to the phone’s IP67 rating, we know the phone is already pretty well equipped to handle the elements, but a little extra protection from drops and scuffs is always a good thing.

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It may not be one of the biggest names in audio equipment, but Edifier has a growing reputation for building great-looking speakers systems that don’t cost the earth. While the M3280BT hardly has the most catchy of names, it is a decent 2.1 audio system that’s at the very least, worth your consideration, if not your cash.

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If you’ve ever travelled abroad with your smartphone, there’s a chance you’ve been stung by a hefty roaming bill because you’ve used data in another country. Depending on which carrier you’re with, that could cost you hundreds of dollars just for doing regular, everyday stuff. And you can forget about using your device as a hotspot.

That’s where Skyroam comes in. It’s an affordable mobile hotspot you can take with you to countries in Europe, Africa, South Pacific, Middle East, Asia or The Americas and pay only one single flat rate per day for (sort of) unlimited usage.

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While mobile photography keeps on improving thanks to the advancement of tiny camera sensors and image processors, it’s still nowhere near as fully-fledged as DSLR or Micro 4/3rd photography. You can’t swap out interchangeable lenses for different types of imagery, and have to rely on third party manufacturers producing clip-on accessories. That’s where the Aukey 18mm HD wide angle clip-on lens comes in.

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Popular accessory maker Zagg today announced that it has acquired Mophie, another accessory maker best known for its battery cases and power accessories. The deal will see Zagg purchase Mophie for $100 million. Mophie CEO Daniel Huang and COO Shawn Dougherty will continue their current respective roles and will report to Zagg CEO Randy Hales.

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Speck is one of the best-known smartphone case manufacturers. Its products normally combine practicality and durability with attractive designs in a way not many other companies manage. Its Candyshell Grip case is one of the most recognizable around, thanks to the grippy, (usually) brightly colored stripes on the outer shell. Now, the company has decided to dive in to the world of virtual reality with its latest product: Pocket VR.

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In an effort to get customers entirely absorbed into their ecoystem in one fell swoop, HTC and Under Armor have today announced HealthBox. Although it may sound like the brand-name for some kind of nutritious lunch, it is in fact a system which ties together a smart scale, fitness band and heart-rate monitor with a smartphone app…

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With only a couple of months (or possibly weeks) left until Samsung reveals its Galaxy S lineup for 2016, a bunch of cases for the unreleased phone have shown up online. Some cheap cases now on sale from DHGate.com allegedly fit the S7 and S7 Plus…

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Back when OnePlus announced its third smartphone, the OnePlus X, you may remember it also teased a pair of earphones. These earphones, it claimed, would bring quality craftsmanship and great audio for a price way below what you’d expect. The OnePlus Icons are now available to buy for $44.99 (reg. $49.99), and I’ve got my hands on a pair…
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V-MODA makes some of the best earphones available. While sports stars and celebrities are normally seen wearing Beats, you’re more likely to find a pair of V-MODA cans wrapped around the necks of DJs. And if I’m going to trust someone’s judgement on an audio product, I’ll choose a music professional over a sports-person any day.

In the past, I’ve owned the Crossfade M100 and now, the award-winning earphones are back with an added feature: Wireless connectivity. I’ve been using the Crossfade Wireless for the past week or so, and they’re rather fantastic…

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The holiday season is well and truly upon us, and whether you’re looking for gift ideas for yourself, your friends or your family, we have you covered here at 9to5Google. This list contains some of my favorite smartphones, tablets, Chromebooks and some awesome accessories that I’ve used and loved. Ranging from $25 to $630, these are some of this year’s great gadgets…

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Amazon has announced that its popular Black Friday sale event will begin this week, and last eight days. From Friday, new deals will be added “as often as every five minutes” for eight straight days leading right up until Black Friday. What’s more, the company will offer 10 ‘Deals of the Day’ on Thanksgiving with ten more on Black Friday…

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Aukey is a Chinese company more commonly known for producing charging accessories like in-car chargers and multi-port USB stations. But, it also builds headphones. I’ve been testing the wireless Bluetooth earphones while out running for a few months now. For $25, it’s really hard to argue against the Aukey Sport Bluetooth Headphone…

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Mobile gaming has come on leaps and bounds as technology advances. And while touch screen games can still be good, you still can’t beat the feel of a full-size gamepad for proper gaming experience. For Android, that means the Stratus XL. It’s the latest mobile controller by SteelSeries and offers everything a gamepad should.

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With the holiday season looming, retailers and manufacturers are clamoring to sell as many products as they can. That means two things: There are new products on the market, and the older ones are being heavily discounted. Whether you’re looking to snag a great former-flagship for less than retail price, or pick an entry level phone as cheaply as possible, you’re not short of options. Our roundup of today’s best deals includes a twelve dollar smartphone and the LG G Flex 2 among others…

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The next generation of I/O technology is slowly making its way across categories and — as with any evolution — there’s a period of transition. With USB Type-C we a have a fast, reversible and small connector that does virtually anything you can imagine. Whether it’s powering a laptop, external hard drive or a flagship smartphone, USB Type-C can do it all.

Eventually, all tech will ship with USB Type-C ports, but until that’s a reality we’re still left in a position where we need to plug-in our USB Type-C equipped gadget in to something. That ‘something’ normally has a USB Type-A port…

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Google just announced its latest Nexus phones, and with new devices always comes the opportunity for accessory-makers to get busy producing cases for the shiny new smartphones. There’s no shortage of options for the Huawei Nexus 6P or the LG Nexus 5X. Whether you’re looking for official cases available on Google’s store, or cheaper alternatives, you should be able to find something to suit needs. Expand
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While many flagship smartphones have wireless charging built in as standard, LG opted against it with the G4. Unless you buy the company’s expensive and — in my opinion — unattractive Quick Circle case, you don’t get wireless charging. As always with these kind of problems, there is a solution and all it costs is $15 and a little patience…

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The Android tablet accessory market may not be as full of keyboards as the iPad market is, but even when you find one, chances are it’s terrible. The Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard wants to be the one to change that trend. It’s small enough to carry around in your pocket when folded, and works with Android, Windows and iOS devices. What’s more, you can have it paired to two devices at once and switch between them with the press of a button. It’s safe to say that this is one of the most versatile and portable Bluetooth keyboards on the market. This review was written entirely on it.

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Edifier is a company normally known for making audio products with an ultra-modern, abstract or minimalist design. I’ve reviewed and tested a few of their speakers in the past, and they’ve all had an unusual aesthetic. It was a refreshing change, then, to get my hands on the R1700BT bookshelf speakers. They’re Bluetooth, versatile, look good and sound great. More impressive, they’re available for a little over £100.

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The LG G4 has been around for a couple of months now, and since launch there’s been enough time for a handful of case-makers to get their wares to market. Although there might not be as many options as there are for Galaxy S or HTC One owners, there are still a good few cases on the market which I think you should consider. Unless you have a leather-backed G4, in which case, don’t bother. All the cases in this list came with a warning that they aren’t compatible with the leather back, or will probably ruin it over time…

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Despite the fact that smartphone and hardware manufacturers are pushing towards a wire-free utopia, we’re still no closer to ridding ourselves of pesky accessories, pens, earphones and other paraphernalia our smartphones seem to crave. Let’s face it, you don’t always want to carry around a huge backpack or messenger bag. And even when you do, you don’t want to have all your loose gear rattling around inside.

Waterfield Designs is a brand well known by bag aficionados, and one which has earned my attention and affection over the years. The Gear Pouch does nothing but make my appreciation for their wares stronger.

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Update: A tipster has sent an email confirming the existence of the “Welcome Kit”…

If you’re one of the lucky few who have received their invite to Project Fi, you’re probably also the kind of person that already owns a Nexus 6. If you don’t already have a Nexus 6 and you sign up for Fi though, Google makes you buy one—as it’s the only phone currently compatible with the service. According to a couple reports on Reddit, Google is giving these buyers some goodies… Expand
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Xiaomi is going to very slowly start its entry into Europe and the United States next week, according to a post from the company’s Facebook page. Starting on the 19th of May, the company will offer a small selection of accessories—including power banks and headphones—to buyers in the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany… Expand
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If you’ve somehow missed the overflow of coverage from CES 2015 last week, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. During the show we took a look at the latest devices and accessories that are expected to be released throughout 2015. The show was packed with new smartphones, home automation tools, cases, and some unexpected surprises. If you didn’t catch all of the coverage from the show, check out the roundup below with links to everything that we found interesting…

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If you own a Nexus 6 and you’re looking for some Google endorsed accessories, your options have just increased by one. The smartphone’s highly anticipated Stand Folio Case is now available from the Play Store for $40 with a warehouse departure time of one to two business days.

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After going up for pre-order on Amazon in October, the Nexus 9 Keyboard Folio case is now available on the Play Store. The case costs a whopping $129, which for those doing the math, is only $71 less than what HTC was selling the tablet itself for a couple of weeks back.

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The LG G Watch R wasn’t the only item tp quietly hit Google Play today. The search giant has also added a pair of cases for its Nexus 6. Priced at $35, the Naked Tough Case is a thin, clear hard shell with a minimal design and a kickstand reminiscent of the HTC EVO.

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Today, Chinese phone maker OnePlus revealed a new set of earphones for its hard to purchase smartphone, but unlike its homegrown offering, this ear gear is a byproduct of a partnership with JBL. Listed as “coming soon” at the company’s online store the aptly named the JBL E1+ Earphones are premium branded buds that will eventually set someone back $40 whenever they go on sale.

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Samsung announced a new accessory today that should compliment its large selection of mobile devices rather nicely. Priced at $20, the Samsung Power Sharing Cable lets owners of select Galaxy devices transfer power to another compatible smartphone, smartwatch or tablet. To manage use of the Power Sharing Cable, Samsung has put together a specialized app that’s now available in Google Play.

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Remember those StyleSwap covers that OnePlus announced a couple of months ago? You know, the ones that were supposed to go on sale last month? Unfortunately, the young company ran into some production issues that have resulted in the cancellation of the product as a whole.

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