As you shop for cell phone accessories, stop and think about your purchase before you make it.
Really, think about it.
If you buy it, will you still want it in a week or so?
In an aim to capture as much cash from the industry as possible, all sorts of manufacturers are trying to tap into the cell phone accessory market. Are you the victim of buying some of these worthless accessories? You don’t have to admit it out loud!
All of us have been victims of wrong choices, but I am sure not many of us would have made ridiculously stupid ones like the following.
#1 The Banana Phone Holder
Via trendhunter.com
Yes, you read that correctly. A banana cell phone holder may seem like the quirky, interesting choice for your mobile phone. Before you shell out a significant amount of cash for this bright yellow, curved phone holder, realize you may get a few comments of the not-so-nice nature if you dare to use it in public. If you plan to use it at home, that’s even stranger.
#2 The Textees
Via switched.com
You text a lot. You spend more time texting others than you do talking to your kids. Even though that may be true, avoid the Textees. These thimble-like devices fit over that well-worn texting thumb with the promise of eliminating errors while typing. Even if you’ve been embarrassed by auto-corrected texts, you don’t want to be caught wearing this ugly, silly and probably not-so-effective Textees. Can you imagine what your teen would say if you slipped this on in public just to send a text?
#3 The Retro Payphone Handset
Via sharperimage.com
Does anyone really miss standing in the cold rain, clutching that dirty handset in their hands as the metal cord wraps around their body? If you are one of those people, the Payphone Handset may be just what you need. It plugs into your cellphone’s audio jack. With it, you can hold a handset in your hand again and talk through it to whomever you dial. Perhaps today’s youngest mobile phone users are interested in it because they’ve never had to pick up a payphone or even dial on a corded phone!
#4 The Aquapac
Via bangdoll@flickr
It really sounds like a good idea. Are you willing to test this one out? The Aquapac allows the user to slip the phone into a waterproof pouch. The pouch allows you still to use the phone even while you are in the water. Armbands and carabiners make it easy for you to take this device with you. Here’s the risk. If it doesn’t hold, even with a small opening, your $300 mobile phone is no longer functional. Do you really need to take it with you out into the pool?
#5 The Seatbelt Cell Phone Holder
Via thinkawesome.com
As if the seat or car tray next to you were too far away, you can always store your mobile device in the Seatbelt Cell Phone Holder. As you may guess, it attaches to your seatbelt. It creates a handsfree option of not using, but accessing your phone. What’s the point, unless you simply need to have the device touching your body to feel at ease.
These are some of the outright stupid choices I’ve seen some of my friends make, and I’ve myself bought a banana cell phone holder which I used to stuff my brand new HTC Windows Phone 8. You can only imagine how heads turned towards me when I used it every time. Only, there was plenty of snickering and muffled giggling the moment my back was turned.
Which of these devices do you feel compelled to purchase? Unless you really feel that one of them speaks to you, avoid them and pocket the money saved for a better upgrade to your mobile device later.
Shaun Chatman is a freelance writer by night and a gym trainer in the day. Happily married and a father of two gregarious kids, Shaun lives in Dunedin, FL, and spends his free time playing with his kids or watching or playing sports. You can connect with him on Google+.
More About Cell Phone Accessories
- 5 Cell Phone Accessories You Should Never Buy From Your Wireless Provider
- AskMen: 10 Best Cell Phone Gadgets
- 10 Cellphone Accessories You Don’t Need To Buy Because You Can DIY Them
photo credit moochida
I got my first computer in 1986 and immediately started writing, saving documents, and organizing my entire life on it. Thus began my love affair with gadgets and all things tech. I built my first website in 1998 in old-school HTML code — before websites were "a thing". Blogs weren't invented yet. It was the same year that Google was born. My husband and I created TheFunTimesGuide.com in 2004 — before YouTube, Twitter, Reddit, and Mashable were launched. That was the year Facebook started and 'blog' was the Word of the Year according Merriam-Webster. Ever since then, anytime a new electronic gadget hits the market… I have to have it. (My husband's impulsive nature to try out every new tech gadget invented is even worse than mine!) When I'm not trying out fun new tech gadgets, you'll find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites).
