CrackBerry Kevin World Tour: What accessories do I need for my Android phone?

By Kevin Michaluk  | Jun 09 2012 | 10:05 am  | 72 Comments

HTC One X Accessories

While sounding off about my HTC One X experiences during Thursday's Android Central Podcast, I brought up the topic of accessories. When it comes to BlackBerry, I have my list of favorites, and usually go on a shopping spree after I upgrade to a new phone. A pair of charging stands (need for both nightstand and office desk), a case or skin or screen protector, car mount, spare batteries, extra chargers (I tend to leave them in hotels)... you get the picture, I'm a bit of an accessory junkie. For some items I prefer going OEM while for other items I prefer going third party.

This is the first time I'm really going all-in on an Android phone, and it's a fresh start for me on the accessory front. I took a stroll through ShopAndroid.com today and loaded some items up into the cart, but figured before checking out I should check in with the Android Central community and get their input. I could tell from the comments to my Mobile Nations World Tour post that there are a lot of smart people on this site with a lot of strong opinions. So help me out here. What are the must-have accessories that will help me get the most out of the Android experience?

Don't be shy. Let me know in the comments. I lucked in by already owning a matching pair of Beats for my One X, but that's all I've got.

Kevin Michaluk

"Chief Media Officer of Mobile Nations"

18(articles)

28(forum posts)
 

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There are 72 comments. Add yours.

kitchin says:

Number 1 accessory: Root access. The rest are minimal at best

onthewhole says:

yep. that and a nice set of klipsh headphones if you don't have beats.

benthe1 says:

Root, of course, a screen protector, an extra charger (or some kind of back up battery unit), and if you like to protector your phone, a Otter box case.

WAldenIV says:

I would argue that a nice pair of headphones is necessary because right now all he has is a pair Beats.

msgnyc says:

I'd have to to agree with you there. So many better options within similar price ranges and/or less.

NexusKoolaid says:

Almost, but I put Root at a close #2. The #1 accessory/concern: Power. Root won't do jack squat for a dead phone.

kitchin says:

you can remove the bloat and save on battery life so it lasts longer with root. Not too big a difference usually but every little bit helps for a power user

onthewhole says:

to be fair an extended battery really is the bomb though.

kitchin says:

heard that

olorin says:

I think the One X has a non-removable battery.

Alucardsyco says:

He's on a One X so he doesn't need root to get rid of the bloatware. He can just disable them in settings.

naviwilliams says:

I have my Beats By Dre (red) headphones, and an Otterbox Defender. That's all I need...

Kevin Michaluk says:

Thanks Navi. Funny / weird / sad / awesome to see you here. :)

What phone are you using with that Otterbox Defender?

Nelimungous says:

Kevin I am going to have to agree with you. When I saw Navi in the comments I was like whoa...BlackBerry flashback. Coming from a former (often missing it) BlackBerry guy. I find myself missing the form and the keyboard. Ugh

nipcarlover says:

SGP Screen protector and Cruzerlite cases! :D

firefyte says:

One of my can't-live-without accessories is a 3.5mm to 3.5mm adapter with a mic and answer/play/pause button (and a volume slider), so I can use whatever (mic-less) headphones I want with my phone. I ordered mine from dx.com (http://dx.com/p/3-5mm-stereo-audio-adapter-with-microphone-for-iphone-2g...) and have gone through about 4 of them.

Impulses says:

The Cruzerlite TPU cases on Shop Android are nice, I got some for my EVO and bought one for the One X as a gift. Diztronics is another option... I can't stand bulky cases like the Otterbox, or holsters for that matter (if you're not a cop, rescue worker, in construction etc you have no business wearing a holster imo :p ); and TPU is a vast improvement over silicon (tighter fit, not a lint magnet, etc.). Matte cases are slicker but get less oily and stand up better with time, they're cheap tho so replacing them isn't exactly a big deal.

Since the One X has a non removable battery you'll want an external USB battery that you can use when a wall charger isn't convenient. I bought the 5600 mah Anker that's on sale on Amazon for $33 or so and couldn't be happier with it, doubles as as an LED flashlight. I was tempted by the larger but much thinner 3200 mah version, since it has a built in cable, but the lower capacity and the fact that it charges slower (0.6A) turned me off.

You should Google the Startech right angle USB cable, I think Amazon has them... I got a 6" one I think and it works great with that battery, keeps the cable from sticking out perpendicular from the phone so you can easily hold the phone and battery on one hand if absolutely necessary. I've got a longer one on my desk and car too.

You can buy extra HTC OEM chargers cheap on Ebay, I like their charger because it's relatively compact and charges at a full 1A (unlike some of Moto's). That Anker battery comes with a charger too.

I've never used screen protectors but if you work in a dirty environment or go to the beach a lot you'd want one... Sand and fine particles tend to be the biggest danger when it comes to scratches on Gorilla Glass. As for mounts or charging docks, the One X has those cool contact points on the back so you probably wanna look into docks that can take advantage of that rather than using the USB port...

Speaking of which, if you wanna try mirroring the phone on a TV you can get an MHL adapter that plugs into the USB port and you can then connect it to any HDMI port (+ a charger for power, unless you're plugging into a native MHL port on a TV which is still a rarity)... If you wanna do it wirelessly, HTC's Media Link HD adapter is pretty slick; you can even output a video or sideshow while doing something else entirely on the phone. It's pricey but you can get it with a 20% discount ($72) at Sprint stores if you buy it with another accessory (or hook up with someone that's buying something else).

Impulses says:

Oh yeah, and for gaming, particularly if you're into old school emulators (SNES, NES, or even PS & N64), you can get a wireless BT gamepad like the Phonejoy. PS3 controller can also work depending on phone and the app you're using, works great with MHL... Instant portable console. ;)

Kevin Michaluk says:

Thanks for the in-depth feedback. Awesome.

Impulses says:

No problem, if you need links to any of that stuff lemme know. T-mobile used to sell MHL adapters the cheapest but they're probably all over the place now, I'd check Monoprice first. Last year around this time when HTC/Samsung started using MHL everyone was price gouging like crazy for months on those adapters.

The One X mounts I'm not familiar with since I don't have one but at least HTC should have a couple of them that make use of the contact points, I wish they'd kept that on the new EVO... Always envied that on the original Nexus. Though using them with a case might be hit or miss even with a thin TPU one, so maybe it's no great loss.

Testing out other platforms full on like this takes a big commitment, so kudos.

duplissi says:

first of all root access is something you should look at! there are many very useful apps that require root access: adaway and airblocker for ads, titanium backup, root explorer, font installer, wifi tether, etc.

as for a case i am fond of the otter box commuter series, they provide exceptional protection without the nasty bulk others come with like the otter box defenders do.

you may be fond of your beats but if you truly want to make use of the exceptional sound a beats certified phone can give ironically a pair of beats wont do.. lol. a pair of sennheisers or grados at half the price of the beats studios will preform much better, however this is subjective. i am only assuming you would like better sound quality simply because you own a pair of beats, but sadly the beats have the worst price to preformance ratio of any higher end headphones

if you plan to use google nav, which at some point you will anyway a decent car dock will make that much easier.

Impulses says:

Yeah, Beats are mostly overpriced and not that great if you really care about audio quality... They're worse than Apple or even Bose in that marketing drives their sales much more than any of the product's redeeming qualities (tho some of their IEMs are decent). Beats mode on the phone is just a gimmicky EQ too, doesn't make music sound any better (much less how the artist intended), just different.

I can appreciate HTC's partnership with Beats might make sense financially or from a PR standpoint, if it helps sell phones and it helps their bottom line that's great... But for anyone that really cares about SQ it's irrelevant, luckily all the Beats stuff can be turned off and ignored. Sennheiser, Grado, Beyerdynamic, Audio Technica, and even more budget friendly brands like Koss & JVC all put out far better headphones for the money; whether you're looking at full size or portables.

AT ATH-M50 and Senn HD25-1 II are two popular portable models, they may not look as sexy as Beats or any of these other endorsed headphones that are coming out left and right, but the sound will easily blow you away and they're far more durable to boot. Senn PX100, Koss KSC75, and MEElec HT-21 are other smaller and more portable alternatives (cheaper too obviously).

For IEMs with mic controls, the MEElec M9P are a great budget alternative... MEElectronics has a few solid choices further up in the price range too. Their Air-Fi AF-32 Bluetooth headphones are pretty sweet for the price too, I think Android Police or some other Android blog reviewed them, plenty more reviews at Head Fi.

prEvo says:

I agree completely. Beats is a just a marketing ploy. Complete low quality crap. All the extra dough is for Dr. Dre's name.
Beats sound? Wow, an EQ setting. Gimme a break.

Mike Rich says:

Couldn't agree more about the whole beats audio thing. If you want EQ settings, there are a hundred apps that can do that for you. I personally use DSP Manager. I am able to set up sounds for the type of music that I like. Beats seems to cater to hip hop music with heavy bass only in MHO. I listen to a variety of genres so I need my spectrum a little more diverse.

jlcurtis4 says:

Agreed about the Otterbox, but surprisingly enough, the Defender for the new EVO 4G LTE is not near as bulky as the past Defenders, and offers more protection! Good info about the Beats headphones, I was unaware of that!

mlsanders83 says:

I stopped using screen protectors a while back, I like the feel of the glass so much better. And if you have gorilla glass it's kind of pointless anyways. A good case for work is necessary for me as I work outside a lot, but I usually take it off as soon as the weekend rolls around. I bought several chargers/car chargers a while back that are pretty much universal at this point. SD cards are always useful for bigger files like movies and music. My best recommendation is a good keyboard, I prefer SwiftKey and am currently using SwiftKey 3 Beta. But you should try a couple to see what works best.

Hope this is useful for you as I've spent a lot of time and got a lot of help from Crackberry.com before my android rebirth.

aaronratner says:

Pretty much how I feel. I don't use a case though opting instead for the Seido spring holster which I find so awesome even though they're $30. Helps with resale anyway.

kra2y says:

Gorilla glass can scratch. Dont go to the beach and then use your phone. I used to not use a screen protector until I noticed small scratches starting

Benny_Bumlum says:

Don't waste your time and money on screen protection, it's gorilla glass. You shouldn't buy a case, the only thing it does is to add extra bulk, and make your phone look stupid.

kra2y says:

Gorilla glass can scratch. Common misconception

ghrubi says:

Root, custom ROM with great battery life, el cheapo TPU case, and sonix screen protector. Sonix protectors are stiff and and smooth, just like naked glass.

Nev says:

Waze.

adazamim says:

Hello Kevin,
These are a "must have" for your shiny HTC One X.
I bought them online and I am enjoying the protection and good looks.

1- HTC One X Screen Protector SP P730
http://www.htcaccessorystore.com/uk/p_htc_item.aspx?i=229873&phone=229814
2- HTC One X Clear Hard Shell with White Flip HC V701
http://www.htcaccessorystore.com/uk/p_htc_item.aspx?i=229878&phone=229814
The HTC Media Link is awesome to watch movies and youtube on your big screen.

3- HTC Media Link HD
http://www.htcaccessorystore.com/uk/p_htc_item.aspx?i=229872&phone=229814

I am an HTC one X owner an loving my gadget with these accessories.
Good luck

daniel2744 says:

Hey Kevin what was the name of the charger that you were talking about on the podcast? I really want to pick it up with its that good lol

Kevin Michaluk says:

You can grab it from ShopCrackBerry.com here:

http://shop.crackberry.com/blackberry-premium-micro-usb-charger/5A17A8102.htm

And I'm seeing it in the ShopAndroid Canada store here:

http://ca.shopandroid.com/blackberry-premium-high-capacity-wall-charger-2x-faster-charging-18a/5A17A11016.htm


I don't see it in the main ShopAndroid.com store at the moment, but I'll have our ecommerce team take care of that asap and make sure it's available there too. It really should be. May be a "BlackBerry" brand accessory but it's microUSB and really is an awesome rapid charger for phones.  

If you grab one be sure to hit me up (emai, twitter, etc) and let me know what you think. 

daniel2744 says:

Cool. Thanks for replying back. I will check this out and let you know. I have the Sprint Galaxy Nexus with the 3800 mAh extended battery and I find myself using this phone so much that I can get around 9-10 hrs which is good for me anyways. I just don't like that it takes like around 5 hours to charge.

Hussein Hashi says:

I actually have one of these bad boys already (came with my playbook). I would use it but it seems that the micro-usb connection to my OneX is very loose, so I've stopped using it. Is this the case for you Kevin?

I (was) a hard-core blackberry user until I decided to try out an android phone after losing my bold 9900. I couldn't be happier with this choice for now!

Tsudeily says:

I love my ZAGG smartbuds

dancing-bass says:

For me (and this is for the GSM Galaxy Nexus) I have:
2x 2000mAh batteries
1x desktop charger for said batteries (also can charge the stock one)
1x Otterbox Commuter case
1x Zagg screen protector.

I'm one of those ex-Crackberry people. I miss the physical keys and battery life of ye ole 8130 that I rocked for quite a while. I don't miss the slow data and processor.

davemacd says:

I'm really disappointed that you bought into the Beats by Dre marketing BS. All the pro audio guys I know make fun of them. I guess they look neat, but they sound terrible.

For accessory recommendations, I'd go with an extended battery of some kind and a good case. I don't go for the gigantic batteries that I know some love. I guess I just like the phone to be smaller, but there's often a nice middle ground.

Kevin Michaluk says:

Lol. Me too. Ahh well. At least they match the One X and made for a nice picture to this blog post. I got them a longgg time ago.

jlo8720 says:

if you dont include cases/screen protectors (on all my android devices)

I have

Xoom-
BT keyboard (logitech)
BT Mouse (logitech)
HD Speaker Dock (motorola)

Wimax+ LTE evos-
nothing

Revue-
Webcam (logitech)

just bought a pair of surplus rezound ibeats to see how they sound.

gtp20 says:

When I purchased my first Android a few years ago I bought a universal cradle mount for the car that hooks into the air vent. I've used three phones in it now. Puts the phone right next to the steering wheel for easy access in landscape mode. I play tunes, stream radio and most importantly Google Nav. Its my most valued accessory.

Fkntwizted says:

Exomount car mount is absolutely beast.. sticks anywhere and is very minimalistic. Also otterbox defender since I work in a physical job. Zaggs screen protector and made a home dock out of legos.. yeah yeah make fun of the legos but.. I did this so I can change it when I change my phone.

Nelimungous says:

Kevin every time I read One X all I can think of is the Three Days Grace album http://www.amazon.com/One-X-Three-Days-Grace/dp/B000FBGBPC

You should add that as an accessory.

coldconfession13 says:

I would suggest getting the PowerAmp media player over stock media player.

abhijit1289 says:

unlock bootloader and install the b38 build of AOKP on XDA.....AMAZING battery life and music sounds great! plus........its AOKP :)

1bent says:

Otterbox Defender, and Anker 8400mAh. I enjoy them with my GSM Galaxy Nexus. Previously I had a Nexus One, dropped it and cracked the screen though it remained useable, and a seidio big battery. Before that, my G1 never needed any extras.

dylan808 says:

ah i too am an accessory junkie. i already have 5 cases for my One X :/. 3 Cruzerlite Androidified TPU cases, a Casemate Barely There, and the blue Official HTC Case.

I highly reccomend the Cruzerlite Androidified TPU cases. they don't add much bulk at all and look pretty cool.

As for a screen protector, i don't really need one because i'm usually pretty careful with my phone and i've been lucky to have used my (now retired) Inspire 4G for a year with no screen protector and the screen remains flawless.

I do own a pair of iBeats earbuds and honestly i like them. i've never had a pair of expensive high quality earphones and the best ones i had before these were a decent pair of skullcandy earbuds and a TON of cheap-o's. the iBeats sound pretty good to me with the Beats EQ and since i listen to some Bass heavy music it helps it out. Although i got my iBeats free so it doesn't give me that buyers remorse. :)

olorin says:

Personally, my main accessory is a gel type case (Cbus has some great ones on Amazon & will only set you back about $5 including shipping). I prefer a gel case because it has enough grip that I can use my phone as a gps by setting it on my dashboard without needing a mount (I drive a lot of rental cars, so it's a practical thing for me... & I don't have to worry about losing it). Also, I find the Otter Box covers WAY to bulky. I used to be a big screen protector guy, but my gorilla glass screen has survived some major impacts without any scratches! I also always use a 2 port usb charger so I can simply plug in any cable. As for everyone who says root, I think you need a reason to want to. For instance, I rooted my Evo 4G because I ran out of memory. My Galaxy S II has no memory or speed deficiencies, so I don't feel the need (ok, ics is tempting, but it's not yet convenient, but since it seems to be easier to brick your phone when installing ics roms).

kidjolly says:

Dear Kevin,

I think you should just stick to posting this stuff in the forums. I am not sure why you get special privileges besides the fact that you own the site. I think its great you are branching out from blackberry, but I do not think the main page is a place for us to read about your experiences. We all know you will never switch to Android, your internet persona depends on you being the champion of Blackberry.

Will Android central post the thoughts and views of a lay-person on the main page? Or perhaps an avid blackberry or iphone user that is not famous? I doubt it.

olorin says:

Don't read it if you don't like it! Chill! He's not a lay person... that's the whole point!

olorin says:

Ok... this isn't really an accessory, but download something like ivona from the play store so you can get rid if that terrible robotic voice in google nav!

gurraj singh says:

HTC Media Link HD

:D

mcaples1 says:

Even though I didn't (couldn't, no comp.) do it...for you, Kevin...ROOT...since something as simple as a screenshot is neither simple nor free (like on a BB), you must root...also with that great screen I would get a protector plus an OtterBox

Robbzilla says:

Umm... Power button + down volume does a screenshot in ICS... He's on a One X, so it's baked into stock.

AndroidArmageddon says:

Get the OEM HTC kickstand hardshell case. It's kickass. They also have a pouch similar to those great berry pouches I use for my 9900. You'd have to score it though from htcpedia.com unable to find a shop in Canada that has them.

stanlm says:

This is more of a novelty, but the first few dogfights in x-plane with the hdmi adapter out to a big-screen is pretty neat.

UCLA 15 says:

Well to start a good "must have" would be good headphones, rather than Beats.

fernandez21 says:

I like having everything wireless, so the HTC media link for the t.v., HTC audio clip for the car, and a good pair of stereo Bluetooth headsets (the new motos sound great) are all I need.

google123 says:

ROOT!!!!

Also, if you care and I mean really care about the quality of your music, stay the &^%&* away from anything that says "Beats" on it. Unless of course, your idea of music quality is muddy mids and highs with overbearing and just %^%&^-sounding lows. That is all.

rfmike says:

1. Beats headphones.
2. Screen protectors.
3. Cruzerlite case.
4. Portable Spair charging pac.
5. Car dock
FOR HOME.
6. Desk top/night time dock.
7. A JamBox Jawbone Bluetooth speaker for rocking out with while playing music at home. Just dont play your porn on it too loud. Your to be wife might think you having a 3sum up there. Lol.

vjr021 says:

Doesn't matter what you want, or need, you can't get the good stuff.

Car Dock - out of stock

Desk top cradle - out of stock

I am a guy that likes to have all the accessories with his phone as well, if your lifestyle lends itself to living with docks, cases, etc as part of your pone, it is difficult to change that.

I returned my one x after a week, partially because of the lack of support with accessories.

PhoneMaverick says:

Besides a good set of headphones I recommend getting a HTC ONE X BALLISTIC CASE. Save battery life by downloading the app JUICE DEFENDER from Google Play. Then a battery bank for backup. I have this phone and love it.

pantlesspenguin says:

Kevin! I echo everyone's suggestions of TPU case and car dock. Most TPU cases are so thin I forget I have a case on! I learned my lesson of not having a case during a freak accident with the HTC Sensation.

Since you're using an HTC device, do check out all the customizable widgets!!

severinggecko says:

I have ghost armor on my HTC One X and a pair of beats (yeah i know they are bass heavy but I enjoy them for it) also have an otterbox commuter for travel and it does not add that much bulk if you want a case

neb95 says:

Working in a phone shop I see my fair share of ruined phones I can't recommendthe zagg invisible shields enough, they are very tough and if you get them from certain stores they will provide fitting and if you fancy a new one you just take it back even if it is screwed up in a balland they will exchange it for a brand new one! If your in the UK and want one pop onto carphone warehouse to grab one.

Best headphones for under £50, I listen to mainly rock/dance/drum and bass?

HANCOMI says:

I have a HTC Thunderbolt. My accessories include Verizon car dock, extended battery, seidio home dock and active case. I'm am also rooted running cm7. I am a overhead Crane repair instructor and a amateur developer for apps at work. The desk dock is more of a personal preference to me because I like the way it looks on my desk. The car dock had been modified with a dremel tool to fit the phone with the case attached. We need more docks that fit phones with cases. I use mine on my daily commute and during buisness travels with the GPS and Pandora/slacker radio. A built in FM transmitter would be nice for those who don't have Bluetooth built into their car. Or even one built into a car dock that uses USB audio much like HDMI or MHL that puts out a FM frequency. My case was purchased after breaking my screen two times within a year and replacing it myself. Even though at first it felt bulky after a few days I didn't mind it at all. In my line of work I spend more time teaching than wrenching but the added protection does help with peace of mind.

My phone lasts about 2 days before it needs a charge with moderate usuage and over 20 hours while power usage. CM7 and the battery really boosted the life.

So I think root, bigger batteries or power managment, docks that fit cases and more audio out options are the way to go.

applcobbler says:

Everyone here who thinks Beats is a joke should try the Studio cans. The in ear ones are crap and the mid grade over ear are weak but the Studio ones are great. 90% of the people here dissing them have never even handled a pair and are just repeating what they read on a forum somewhere.

dadathepanda says:

hey Kevin, as a fellow Blackberry -an who recently went Android (and regrets it for the most part), I'd like it if you would do a post on how to root these d@mn devices. I've tried a few methods but it seems I'm not getting something. So, for all us BB people who jumped ship until BB10, give us a hand...

Thanks

trap49 says:

Two Batteries for ANY phone! Welcome to Android, Kevin. I was issued a BB 8703 at work maybe 4 years ago, and the kit came with a spare battery and charger. When they upgraded me to a Curve 8530, it used the same battery, so a fresh charge was always just a battery swap away. I moved to Android for my personal mobile phone in 2010, and picked up an HTC T-Mobile G2 because as a BB-user at work, I thought I couldn't live without a hard keyboard. But I never use the KB, because the various soft KBs are so easy to use. My upgrade is coming in August, and I've already decided on the GS3 because it has a removable battery. I like the One X, but I've gotten so used to having that charged second battery ready-to-go that I never want to be without it. When the GS3 becomes available in Canada, pick one up and see how you like it compared to the One X. I'd love to see your take on which one you like better.

Piney Boy says:

Why do people keep telling Kevin to get another battery for the One X? Have they read the specs of the phone. The One X has a non-removable battery!