Smartphones & Accessories

Starting off a new year with a new phone always feels like good timing, and there’s a pretty nice batch to choose from as the calendar turns over to another year.

You may not know that OtterBox is one of the fastest growing high tech companies, a supplier of ruggedized electronic gear protection to the US military and the world’s largest manufacturer of mobile phone cases. Chances are, you know the OtterBox Defender, though. These super-tough cases have a well-deserved reputation for protecting smartphones and tablets from drops, scratches and other hazards. For those who aren’t familiar with the OtterBox Defender, here’s an overview of this award-winning series of protective cases.

Samsung has a bit of a tough act to follow in the Galaxy S4. The company’s flagship smartphone has been the top-selling Android smartphone since its release in 2013, it’s the biggest competitor to Apple’s iPhone and in many ways it set the bar for what other manufacturers brought to the table since then: bigger displays, more powerful CPUs and innovative software like S Health. Competition in the smartphone market is fiercer than ever in 2014, so the Galaxy S5 really has to hit it out of the park to stay on top. Based on what we saw at Samsung Unpacked today, it looks like the Galaxy S5 has the chops to keep Samsung’s winning streak going.

 Smartphones are more than cool tech toys and tools. For many of us, they are a lifeline to our personal and work lives, an extension of our brains which have our schedules, contacts, photos, videos and music that’s close to our hearts. Here are the steps to take if you lose your phone.

Apple continues to evolve iOS, and though version 14 has been out since Sept. 2020, 14.5 is new, and it comes with a host of cool features worth trying.

 The dreaded “Can’t take photo. There is not enough storage space” message is history on my iPhone thanks to Leef iAccess. It’s a small, easy to use microSD reader that you can attach and leave on your phone to expand your memory up to 128 GB, and it’s the perfect summer accessory for anyone who wants the freedom to use their phone without storage issues. 

Smartphone cases designed for kids need to offer all the protection and functionality of regular cases but they also have to be appealing, fun and entertaining so kids will want to use them. 

Creating great content starts with the right gear. The DJI OM5 is a versatile smartphone gimbal stabilizer with intuitive controls and a portable design.

Google unveiled its latest smartphones—the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X—and while they don’t deviate too much from their predecessors on the outside, they are considerably different on the inside. With new cameras, faster processors and bigger batteries, plus the latest version of Android, both phones look to be interesting options for anyone shopping for a new smartphone this fall.

Smartphones are some of the easiest items to resell or pass down to friends or family. Even if they are no longer the latest, greatest models, they are still functional for calling, messaging and running apps. Here’s how to prepare for the turnover.