It’s official: The world has gone gadget crazy. Welcome. Just be sure to put your protective booties on your protective boots before entering. You see, that is what it has come to. We don’t just buy gadgets. We buy gadgets for gadgets, and accessories for accessories.
We over protect our devices as if the worst thing that could happen is that one of them should get a scratch or scuff. With non-tech items, we go out of our way to distress them so that they look old and worn. Think jeans and wood furniture. But should a gadget get a scuff, we are mortified, shocked, and appalled.
And that’s just fine. Don’t fight it. Join the madness. Protecting your devices is not a bad thing, even if it can get somewhat out of control. Here are a few examples of what I mean:
Smartphone Cases
There was a time when smartphones were considered accessories to computers. They were not the central computing device. A smartphone was a rather expensive as well as fragile accessory. It was one of those accessories that needed a protective accessory like a case. It was not so unusual at the time. Anyone who grew up wearing glasses knew all about putting accessories in protective cases, and what would happen if they didn’t.
The next iPhone will be announced soon. Let’s just call it the iPhone X since no one knows what it will actually be named. What we can guess is that it will come in two sizes: the iPhone X, and the iPhone X Plus. The Plus sizes have more glass and cost more. So they always need a little more protection.
If you are planning on getting the iPhone X Plus, plan on getting one of the iPhone X Plus cases to go with it. The smartphone may no longer be considered an accessory, but it will always need a variety of accessories. And one of those will always be a protective case.
Headphone Protection
For some time, high-end headphones have shipped with special cases for storage, mobility, and protection. Some of them are even hard cases like little briefcases for headphones. Perhaps it makes sense when your favorite cans start at $300, and go up from there.
But this headphone protection trend has been extended to earbuds as well. These are devices we once felt comfortable tossing in a crowded bag or pocket. Bluetooth earbuds are changing the game. They are more expensive and are easier to lose. The truly wireless earbuds also need to be charged while you are out and about, so need some type of charging solution.
Apple’s AirPods are a perfect example of why these new earbuds need cases. They are practically non-functional without them. But we can take it a step further. There are a variety of cases and skins made specifically for the AirPods case. These are not about protecting the earbuds, just the case the earbuds come in. That may be taking it a bit too far. And in this world of gadgets for gadgets, too far is just right.
Stylus Protection
One of the best things about the iPad Pro is the Apple Pencil accessory. One of the worst things about it is that there is no good way to carry that accessory with the iPad. A simple stylus loop on the Smart Cover would have been a start. But Apple gave us nothing.
Never fear. The gadget world has produced a way to protect your Apple Pencil, and other styli in need of protection. Apple makes a first-party case just for your Apple Pencil. We wouldn’t want it to get scratched. But we can do better. There are a whole slate of stylus accessories that do everything from charge it to protect the little removable cap everyone keeps losing.
Protective accessories for other accessories is a thing that is not going away anytime soon, especially for Apple products. So get on board by protecting your iPhone, your earbuds, and your stylus. Because if it is worth using, it’s worth protecting and overprotecting.
