Best Accessories for Your iPhone 5

Oh this one’s delicious, as far as those fueling the Apple-Samsung rivalry are concerned. Apparently, Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller recently told The Wall Street Journal that “Android is often given as a free replacement for a feature phone and the experience isn’t as good as an iPhone.” Schiller also said that “When you take an Android device out of the box, you have to sign up to nine different accounts with different vendors to get the experience iOS comes with.”

Now, just to be clear, we have been using our Android device for about two years and counting, and we honestly don’t have any complaints whatsoever. And don’t be giving us that argument that we don’t know what we’re talking about because we’ve probably never tried using an iPhone. Fact is, we actually own an iPad 3 and have a few close friends who are what some would call iPhone disciples. And yes, they’re cool enough to let us try their devices from time to time. The point is that we really understand why Apple has this compulsion to deride the competition. But we remain firm in our belief that for some people (budget issues aside), an iPhone may not be the best choice. Still, we would agree that in terms of accessories, the iPhone has got Android devices beat. And if you’re not convinced, well then allow us to list some of the best iPhone 5 accessories in existence.

#1 Orbit Camera Solution

Yes, we know that your iPhone 5 is capable of downloading all the camera apps that you could ever want or need. But The Orbit is truly worth checking out if you’re a photography enthusiast, blogger, or interviewer. According to the product page, “The unique duraluminum casing matched with iDial, which consist of (3) three interchangeable lenses, allows you to shoot with a Fish Eye, Wide Angle, and Telephoto options.” The only downside is that it sells for a cool $239; but given “the quality results and the cool retro design of the case,” we say that it’s a good investment. Besides, if the price is too steep, you can buy the lenses individually and maybe buy a separate tripod if you feel like it.

#2 iSmart Alarm

iSmart Alarm, which made its debut at CES, is set to “turn your iPhone into the first port of call for home security.” Now, if you’re pretty okay with your guard dog and your CCTV camera, that’s fine. But if you’re allergic to pups and want to beef up the security of your home, you may want to try iSmart Alarm, which includes “cameras, motion sensors, contact sensors for windows and doors, and a remote tag for tracking kids or pets (or both).”  The only bad news is that you’ll have to wait for this system to be widely available in the market, which means you’re actually in good company since a lot of our friends are hoping for this baby to come out sooner.

#3 Endliss Case

Ever missed an important call or text because you’ve become so accustomed to having your smartphone close at hand that you sometimes just tune stuff out? Off topic, we actually have this fear of missing a call because we always think “what if it’s a friend who wants to off himself/herself?” And then we would be guilty if his/her only option is to call a business phone service (read more) crisis hotline, you know? Anyway, the Endliss iPhone Case looks to us like a promising solution, at least for iPhone 5 users, with its ability to emphasize on-screen notifications. Here’s how it works: “You slip your iPhone 5 into a two-tiered case, like the JuicePack. The first tier is a simple protective shell for the iPhone 5, good for protecting your smartphone from scratches. The second tier, however, is a snap-on battery pack replete with LED backlight.” It’s definitely cool. The only catch here is the price ($130). But hey, it’s a tad more awesome than most of the lightning battery cases out there today.