Accessory reviews

Click on a title to read the full review and view accompanying photos.

U2O iWalk battery packs for iPhone/iPod touch
Looking for a better way to keep your iPhone/iPod touch running longer? Then check out the U2O iWalk external battery packs (800mAh and 5400mAh) from Ultimate Travel Gear...

Carrymobile Sony Vaio P leather case
Carrymobile offers several choices for Sony Vaio P owners to protect their mini notebooks. One that enables in- case use of the device is the "book type" leather case that retails for $50...

Sony Vaio PC cleaning kit (VGP-CG100)
I'm a complete neat freak when it comes to taking care of my electronics. I buy six packs of compressed air to keep my keyboards dust-free, wipe my screens with lens cleaning cloths, polish away smudges, and even detail my computers with Q-tips and alcohol...

iPhone 3G mobile power station
Battery life may not be one of the top complaints about the iPhone 3G, but that doesn't mean it couldn't stand to be better. Considering its multimedia, gaming, and internet features, most people are obviously using it as much more than just a phone...

Sony Vaio P leather case (VGP-CKP1)
When Sony unveiled the Vaio P at CES 2009, the company also showcased several different cases to go along with it. My favorite among the four choices was the leather protective case (VGP-CKP1) because of its simplicity...

Noreve Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 leather case
One of the things you may have noticed when I unboxed the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 last month was that it didn't come with a case. Never mind that most people would expect to find at least some kind of protection after spending...

Noreve Archos 5 vintage leather case
Once I determined that the Archos 5 official protective case was a waste of money, I followed the well-worn path to Noreve, one of my favorite gadget accessory manufacturers, and took a look at their tradition leather case...

Archos 5 protective case
Even though the makeshift case I've been using with my 250GB Archos 5 for the past month has kept the Internet Media Tablet in pristine condition, my penchant for gadget accessories made it impossible for me to resist the official protective case...

Archos 5 mini dock
One of the most affordable ways to expand the functionality of the Archos 5 Internet Media Tablet is to snap on the optional mini dock ($30). The small plastic accessory allows the unit to play videos on a TV, transfer media files directly...

Willcom D4 cradle (CE-CR04)
One of the most interesting accessories designed for the Willcom D4 (Sharp WS016SH) UMPC is undoubtedly the official cradle (CE-CR04). It adds an impressive array of ports and functions to the device, but do all the extra features justify its...

HTC Shift full body invisibleSHIELD
The leather pouch included with the HTC Shift X9500 is great for traveling and storage, but it leaves the UMPC completely exposed and unprotected while in use. Rather than turn to a leather case or silicone skin that enables in-case...

Noreve Creative ZEN leather case
If you read my Creative ZEN review but have been holding off on buying the player until ample protection for it became available, then it may be time to crack open your piggy bank. The leather tradition case from NoreveUSA.com...

iriver Mplayer portable speaker
The iriver Mplayer, better known as the Mickey Mouse MP3 player, recently made a new friend. It's called the iriver Mplayer portable speaker, a precious 1.1-watt speaker that can connect to practically anything and isn't yet available in the US...

Sony mylo 2 charging cradle (COMP-CR1)
One of the official accessories designed exclusively for use with the Sony mylo 2 (COM-2) is the charging cradle (COMP-CR1), which is advertised as a "simple and convenient solution for charging and powering" the personal communicator. The cradle is true...

Noreve AT&T Tilt (TyTN II) leather case
Since the TyTN II carry case I bought for my AT&T Tilt didn't end my search for the ultimate in protection and usability, I turned to NoreveUSA.com and its handcrafted leather tradition case. I've never been disappointed with Noreve cases...

Noreve Samsung P2 leather case
With the recent Bluewave firmware update adding increased Bluetooth functionality and seamless mobile phone integration to the Samsung P2 digital media player, most users are probably finding it more difficult to leave home without the touch-based device in their pockets....

HTC TyTN II (AT&T Tilt) carry case
One of several differences between the HTC TyTN II and the AT&T Tilt, its US counterpart, is that the HTC-branded carry case isn't included with the Tilt. Disturbed that an official case (my favorite kind of accessory) was being withheld...

Tumi T-Tech Flow accessory tote
One of my new favorite travel bag collections is T-Tech Flow by Tumi, a luxury baggage company internationally renowned for its self-professed "design excellence, functional superiority, and technical innovation." I've been a Tumi fan since about 2001 but only discovered...

Sony Walkman cradle (BCR-NWU3)
The Sony Walkman cradle (BCR-NWU3) is part of the wide selection of official Walkman accessories currently available for the S610 and A810 series of digital media players. The cradle is designed not only to charge and sync, but also to...

Fujitsu U810 executive leather portfolio
Shortly after unboxing the Fujitsu LifeBook U810, I returned to the company's online shop to browse its selection of carrying cases for the mini notebook. The one that had already been recommended to me by several readers and that immediately...

Treo 650 & 700 short antenna
If you've been looking with disdain at the long antenna on your Treo 650 or 700 smartphone since before Palm introduced the visibly antenna-less 680 last year, then you probably already know about the short antenna created by Tomer Litvin....

Sony Vaio TZ carrying pouch (VGP-CP11)
The Sony Vaio VGP-CP11 carrying pouch is the only official case designed for the Vaio TZ ultraportable notebook not sold at Sony Style in the U.S. It's a shame, really, because not only does the CP11 come with a coordinating...

Sony Vaio TZ leather case (VGP-CKTZ2)
The Vaio Leather Carrying Case (VGP-CKTZ2) sits at the top of Sony's line of accessories for its TZ series of ultraportable notebooks. Available in black and champagne gold, the leather case is luxurious, elegant, and slim. But all that style...

Sony Vaio TX & TZ series neoprene case
Sony advertises its Neoprene Protection Case (VGP-CCTR/J) as "the perfect fit in size and style for your TX series notebook." It can also accommodate the slightly larger (10.9" x 7.8" versus 10.7" x 7.7") Vaio TZ, Sony's newest ultraportable laptop...

Vaja iPhone classic urbano pouch
Argentina-based Vaja is well known for designing luxury cases for portable gadgets and consumer electronics. Combining premium leather, elegant designs, and the occasional sprinkle of Swarovski crystals, the company can easily command upwards of $300 for a single case. Fortunately...

iriver clix 2 cradle
One of the most uniquely designed and stylish accessories made exclusively for use with the iriver clix 2 is its official cradle, which not only charges and syncs the player but also enables audio playback through its integrated speaker and...

Noreve Archos 704 WiFi leather case
Unlike a lot of portable gadgets these days, the Archos 704 WiFi portable media player (PMP) is bundled with a substantial set of accessories that includes a nice protective pouch. The only drawback to it is that it limits in-case...

Noreve iriver clix 2 leather case
If you're on the prowl for a top-quality leather case worthy of your new iriver clix 2, premium accessory manufacturer Noreve has you covered (no pun intended) with its tradition leather case. Is it right for you? Read on to...

Samsung Q1 keyboard
About two months after I sent away for it, the Samsung Q1 portable USB keyboard (model AA-SK0TKBD) finally arrived. Normally priced at just under $100 in the U.S., this one was free with the purchase of any UMPC in the...

Sony mylo bookstyle case
The Sony mylo personal communicator may never be fully embraced by the masses, but it was given the Best of Innovations 2007 award in the wireless communications category at this month's CES 2007. Third-party accessory manufacturer PDair must have sensed...

Sony Vaio UX leather case
The official leather case (VGP-CCUX1) for the Sony Vaio UX series made its debut here in October, and now it's back for a full review. Here's what Sony says about it: Designed specifically for the VAIO® UX Series Micro PC,...

Leather pouch for Treo 650
I've mentioned my obsession with gadget cases before, right? The Smartphone Experts VP7 is a slide-in top pouch made of soft leather and other materials. It's designed specifically for use with the Treo smartphones currently (and soon to be) on...

Treo 650 CrystalCase
Soon after the Black Tie Treo 650 arrived at my door, I began the eternal quest for accessories. Even though the device was bundled with a hard case that I eventually grew quite fond of (and now use exclusively), at...

ZVM external battery charger
The Creative Zen Vision: M is already equipped with enough battery life to easily keep you entertained from sunrise to sunset. However, if you're camping for a few days or on a long flight, it won't be long before your...

Power on the go: Universal battery pack
It used to be that the only way to squeeze extra minutes out of the batteries of my mp3 player, digital camera, portable DVD player, or laptop was to turn off the backlight, use the viewfinder, or lower the screen...

Sony Vaio UX screen protector
Brando Workshop's Protector Plus screen protector is actually designed for PDAs, but it is apparently suitable for any device sporting a 4.5-inch screen. This one from eBay is marketed specifically as a UX protector (notice the sticker on the upper...

ZVM docking station
The Creative docking station is one of my favorite ZVM accessories. Even though it duplicates the functions of the subpack/sync adapter supplied with the ZVM, the docking station enhances the enjoyment of using the player. It's not as travel-friendly as...

Nintendo DS airfoam case
I've had this pink airfoam case for my Nintendo DS for about 8 months, and I still can't get enough of it. In addition to being incredibly well constructed, it's also nicely designed and a great size considering everything it...

Altec Lansing inMotion iM3c speakers
This is an old model but since it’s still available online and in stores, here’s a modified review of the Altec Lansing inMotion iM3c portable speaker system I wrote a few months ago at the height of my ZVM mania...