Summer Cell Phone Accessories
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Tom Schierlitz, Fastcompany
Enjoy a summer of go-anywhere, do-anything connectivity with these ultracool products that use Bluetooth to get the most from your phone's (or laptop's) music, photos, and, yes, calling features.
Next: Motorola's Motorokr S9More From Fast Company:
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Tom Schierlitz, Fastcompany
Motorola's Motorokr S9 stereo Bluetooth headphones ($130) offer an extremely low profile and are very lightweight -- about an ounce -- with great sound for the size. The controls on either side are touch sensitive, so you don't have to bludgeon your eardrums while pushing buttons to change the volume. Making calls works well, too, though sound comes through on only one ear, which can be disconcerting when you've been listening to music in stereo.
Next: IOGear's Bluetooth Hands Free Car KitMore From Fast Company:
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Tom Schierlitz, Fastcompany
The most complicated part about IOGear's Bluetooth Hands Free Car Kit ($90) is figuring out where to clip it onto your car's visor. After that, press one button to turn it on, another to make it discoverable by your phone, and you're all set. The speaker is a bit tinny, but the microphone is sensitive enough that you don't have to shout to be heard on the other end. Don't have a car? The gizmo can also be used as a speakerphone for your computer via its USB connection.
Next: Fossil's Caller-ID WatchMore From Fast Company:
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Tom Schierlitz, Fastcompany
Fossil is trying to keep watches from becoming more than just showpieces. Its Caller-ID Watch ($249), paired with a Sony Ericsson phone, will display a caller's name or number and also let you know if you have a text message. What it lacks in bling it makes up for in functionality: Buttons let you reject a call you don't want to take, the blue OLED display is bright and easily readable, and it can be submerged to 30 meters, even if your phone can't make it down that deep.
Next: Nokia's MD-5WMore From Fast Company:
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Tom Schierlitz, Fastcompany
Nokia's MD-5W Bluetooth Speakers ($170) do an admirable job filling a room with sound. About the size of two Toblerone bars, they're very portable (if not as chocolaty) and last about 30 hours on four AA batteries. Buttons in the center of the device let you change the track and volume, and it also doubles as a speakerphone if a call interrupts your jams. It's not going to replace your home tower speakers, but for an office, your emo music will sound just fine.
Next: Parrot's Photo ViewerMore From Fast Company:
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Tom Schierlitz, Fastcompany
Beam your snapshots directly to Parrot's Photo Viewer, the latest in digital picture frames. The 720-pixel-by-480-pixel screen of the 7-inch model (pictured, $240) is just as sharp as a real print. And despite having only three buttons on the back, it's very easy to navigate the menus to control settings such as image brightness and the slide show. Parrot also sells a 3.5-inch frame ($170) with 32 MB of storage, enough for approximately 100 photos. The 7-inch frame holds about 500 with its 120 MB of storage, so unless you like squinting, spring for the bigger size.
Next: Kensington's Vo200More From Fast Company:
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Tom Schierlitz, Fastcompany
From the "Why didn't I think of that?" department is Kensington's Vo200 Bluetooth Internet Phone ($90), which, when synced to your computer, lets you make Skype and other VOIP calls just like a real phone. The genius of this featherweight device--it's about the size and weight of four credit cards--is that it folds up and recharges in your computer's PC-card slot when not in use. It may seem a bit chintzy at first glance, but calls come through very clearly, even when using its speakerphone feature, and you can gab away on it for a good three hours.
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