Category: Accessory Reviews

Reviewed – My Doodles Wireless Speaker Dock

There is no doubt about it, children are becoming more tech savvy than ever before, even from a very young age. My four year old son certainly knows his way around a tablet and enjoys watching films or listening to music on his iPad, iPod and Hudl. This has …

Acer Liquid Leap Smart Band in action

I’m still sitting on the fence with smart watches and smart bands if I’m honest. There’s a piece of me that wants a “normal” watch that I don’t have to tap or faff with to check the time and date. However, there’s another part of me that secretly …

Xiaomi Mi Band – Review

Xiaomi are a big name, a big name across the world, they are the third largest phone manufacturer at the moment, behind only Apple and Samsung. They are from China and along with companies like Oppo, OnePlus and Huawei they are starting to show people you don’t have …

Review – LuguLake Bluetooth speaker and built-in stand

This is a pretty decent idea if you think about it. Having a Bluetooth speaker is good, but you’ll find that your phone is usually placed on a worktop somewhere. Listening to podcasts, streaming media or internet radio is a little better if your phone is propped up, …

Inateck TPB-IM iPad mini Sleeve Case Review

Do you use your iPad naked (ooooo missus, the iPad, not you) or do hide all of the Apple design inside a case ? I recently took my iPad mini out of its case and instantly remembered how thin and light the device was. I decided that’s how …

Adding a Joystick to your Tablet – a look at the Satzuma Joystick

A lot of mobile games have a problem to resolve, most of us are used to playing games with a physical control pad, and most Tables and Smartphones can’t provide that option. Games designers obviously provide different control mechanics to get around the lack of buttons on mobile …

Onaji Pawa charger review

Remember me mentioning the Onaji Pawa recently? It’s a slender battery, complete with USB cable (for charging the in-built battery) and an interesting three-port connector for plugging your iPad, iPhone or other smartphone into. Straight out of the gate, I have to tell you that this isn’t going …

Spigen iPhone 6 Plus case review

With any big new handset launch comes a wide range of cases to help protect you from daily bumps and scratches. The accessory market has become huge over the past few years with different case designs and prices. From your cheap £2 eBay purchase right up to £70+ …

Inateck BR1001 Bluetooth receiver review.

Like most people nowadays I love listening to media from my phone. Be it either music, podcasts or audio books, I love it. I would say 90% of the time my listening is done through headphones. Now, I mainly use two sets of headphones. The first are my …

LG G Watch R – Review

The original Android Wear devices were about showing the world what Android Wear was about, the initial lineup included the LG G Watch which I reviewed here, it was just a black square on my wrist that basically showed some pictures of watch faces on my wrist to trick …

Encase Wallet review for Xperia Z3

A new phone means that it’s time for a new case. This time around I have moved away from the Roxfit cases that are abundant for Xperia phones and I’m instead trying a different maker – Encase. I have already tested one of their keyboard covers for small tablets and, …

Tactus Buckuva iPad Mini case review

I recently managed to pry my iPad Mini from my little boy’s hands, meaning I could finally use it for myself. I’ve been sent the Tactus Buckuva for review, so now was the perfect time to test it out. Good Points The case has a quality premium feel …

Swapping your phone? Got a SIM problem? Get an adaptor

Some clever sausage somewhere decided at some point that the standard SIM cards were just too big. Despite some phones still being massive (phablets etc), we’re seeing the teeny-tiny nano SIM slot on some phones, with the slightly-larger micro SIM now being an almost-standard. However, there’s still those …

Encase Bluetooth keyboard folio review

What is the main sticking point when trying to use an Android device for productivity? Simple. The keyboard. Sure, an onscreen keyboard is great for short notes and maybe the odd email or two, but for me it’s not a replacement for a physical keyboard. Although we have …

Selfy case review

A few weeks ago we covered the announcement of Selfy cases, a case with a slide out remote control shutter button for taking selfies, group shots or any other uses you may think of. The guys at Selfy were nice enough to send over a review sample for …

STK Cuboid 2 4000 mAh battery pack – Review

Mobile battery packs are a way of life these days, a kind of safety blanket that you keep in your rucksack, laptop bag, briefcase or handbag. It just sits there waiting to be pulled out and expected to charge your phone or tablet as fast as possible. Choosing …

Google Cardboard review

After almost a month, my Google Cardboard has turned up. This self-assembled version was ordered some time ago from dx.com and cost just over £2 in the end. Oh yes. I’m reviewing some cardboard construction that costs less than a pint of beer. I think I’ve made it …

Reviewed – Rock Jaw Arcana Headphones

Not too long ago we reviewed the Rock Jaw Hydra headphones. Call them in-ear headphones, call them earphones, call them what you like. They were a bit bloomin’ good and cheaper than a lot of the posh pricey competitors. Now we’ve got these Arcana headphones. They cost the …

MiPow Mirror Power 3000 Review

How can a mirror power your phone? How can you make a portable charger cool? How can you make your tech product appeal to those beautiful, beautiful ladies? All these answers and more coming up my friends, for this is the Mirror Power 3000. It solves the problem …

EE Osprey – Review

EE recently announced a range of new mobile connected devices including a new tablet called Eagle, an in-car WiFi option called Buzzard and this new MiFi – the Osprey. Whilst in London for a few days I was given the opportunity to try out one of these and see just …

Halloween Smartphone Spookiness. Morph Costumes reviewed.

When I was young we didn’t really do a great deal at Halloween. It was all “Penny for the guy” a few days later for Bonfire Night / Guy Fawkes Night. However, Halloween now seems to be as popular here in the UK as it is in the …

Hauppauge mySelfie review

Are you a selfie fan? Want more control? Well, this weird little gadget should suit you. Or should it? The mySelfie is a Bluetooth remote for your smartphone or tablet. Not only that but it’ll work as an anti-theft key ring to locate your phone or your keys. …

Reviewed – Rock Jaw Hydra headphones

If I’m brutally honest with you, I’d never heard of Rock Jaw before I started writing this review. However, what I did know (after a few minutes of Googling) is that .. a) They have a very cool name b) They’re based up the road in Belper, Derbyshire, …

SwannCloud HD Pan & Tilt WiFi Security Camera Review

Having the latest smartphone or tablet is one thing, but doing something really useful with it is another. Now, in the past we’ve seen security systems here at Coolsmartphone that’ll talk to your iPhone, Android or Windows handset. Remotely monitoring your home or getting informed when there’s movement …

LINDY BTS-360 Bluetooth speaker review

It’s fair to say that there’s quite a few Bluetooth speakers available. I usually put them into three categories. First there’s the many, many Bluetooth speakers you’ll see kicking around for the £15-£30 mark. They usually “do the job” in the sense that they’ll make things louder than …

Backbone iPhone 5s Wireless Charging Case Review

We see a lot of cases here at Coolsmartphone but we’ve been seeing an increasing profile from the people at Dog and Bone. This one is a bit special because it’s a case which makes your phone charge wirelessly and it comes with a clever charging base too. …

Lightning Rabbit phone cable review

This might be a bit of a short review if I’m honest. What can you say about that cable that arrives in the box with your mobile? One ends connects to your phone whilst the other either plugs into your charger or your computer for transferring files. All …

RHA MA 750i Earphones Review

RHA have been producing quality products from their Glasgow headquarters for a number of years now.  From their entry level MA350‘s to the more expensive MA600i’s, every product has so far oozed excellence from start to finish. Prior to the recent launch of the brand new high end …

Edifier Bric Connect Review

We’ve had a variety of speakers here at Coolsmartphone and there’s a big range in quality. Some are quite small, lightweight and OK for carrying around on holiday. Others are definitely beefier, with some hefty sound and more suitable for sitting at home or the office. This is …

Misfit Shine Review

Well, I have to say, I didn’t think I’d gel with this thing to begin with. I’ve not worn a watch for a good many years and when I saw the rubber strap I presumed that this wouldn’t be my thing. The Misfit Shine is a fitness and …

Inateck BP1002B Bluetooth speaker review.

Following on from my other Inateck speaker  review I have been sent a further bluetooth speaker to review, this one being the entry level BP1002B portable speaker. Features : Bluetooth v2.1 and EDRAux-inBuilt-in-mic for handsfree calling. Charge via micro-USBBuilt in Li-Ion battery1 x 3W speakerDimensions: 61.5 x 61.5 x 71.5 …

LG G3 Otterbox Symmetry Case – Review

Owning a flagship device is tough sometimes, the constant anguish over potentially smashing your phone into dozens of pieces is a daily problem for me and as such I always try and buy the most rugged and tough case I can find for my lovely phone. With my …

Taking a ride with the READYACTION chest harness

Morning all. How’s your Tuesday? Put your hands up if you remember our piece about the READYACTION chest harness? We showed how it worked in an all-action video of my kitchen. Oh yes. Rock ‘n ROLL! However, there’s a lot more potential in the READYACTION kit, and this …

Travelcard Charger – Review

Back in March I did a small post about a portable battery pack, I was keeping an eye on over on Kickstarter, called the Travelcard Charger (see here), anyway I finally got my unit through, so after popping it on charge I thought I would give it a …

Solar Technology Freeloader Solar Charger – Review

There are many constants within life, one being that the sun will rise every single day, providing us with warmth and energy. The other most important constant in life is that your phone will probably need charging at some point in every single day of your life. Solar …

MiPow PLAYBULB review

The bulb you screw into your light fitting has one simple task – to provide light. It’s a standard and rather boring task but, with the new eco-friendly bulbs costing more than the old-style bulbs, why not add something extra? This, for £59.99 (although I’ve seen them cheaper), …

Going on holiday? Don’t forget to use protection

Some months ago I wrote up a review of this TouchAbility waterproof case. If I remember correctly I splashed it with water, got the hose-pipe on it and gave it some positive feedback. However, it’s rare that reviewers get enough time to do a full-on test. Say, for …

The Snugg iPhone 5 case review

If I’m honest, it’s sometimes tricky to write a great deal about a case. This one is from Snugg and the blue ultra thin case we have here is £9.99. For that you get a case with a non-slip, durable finish which, if anything, adds to the style …

LG G Watch – Review

A watch fundamentally is foolproof, you look at it wanting answers and it duly obliges, although for many years this has been a rather simple transaction. i.e what is the time? It is 5am. Simple. This idea hasn’t been played about with for a long time. With a …