Accessories
Moga Pro Controller
Know a gamer who wants to turn his Android device into a full-fledged mobile gaming system? The Moga Pro Controller brings the power of console-like gaming to a phone or tablet.
Moga Pro Controller from Moga
Direct price: $50 | Retail price: $50
All you do is attach your device with the Moga Pro's flexible arms and then use its dual analog sticks, directional pad, triggers and range-of-action buttons to shoot, drive and maneuver through whatever worlds you desire.
Moga Pro syncs with the device via Bluetooth; the product includes a special app so your giftee can browse the Google Play Store for games that are enhanced specifically to take advantage of Moga's functionality.
You might also like: If you know someone who wants to game on the road, she can snap her phone into the Moga Pocket Controller ($30). It can handle phones up to 3.2-in. wide, adding two analog sticks, triggers and four action buttons.
-- JR Raphael
Mophie Powerstation Mini
Smartphones are great -- until they run out of power. Mophie's Powerstation Mini is a pocket-sized charger that holds enough electricity to fill most modern smartphones and even have some charge left over. You simply power up the Mophie by plugging it into any standard USB adapter.
Direct price: $60 | Retail price: $57 - $60
Once it's charged, just stick the thing in your backpack or pocket; when your phone needs a top-off, connect it to the Mophie via USB, tap the Mophie's single button and watch your phone's battery fill up.
The Mophie Powerstation Mini has a 2,500 mAh battery and is compatible with any device that uses USB to charge.
You might also like: The Mophie Powerstation Micro ($40) puts the power of Mophie into a keychain-sized gadget. Its 1,000 mAh battery won't charge your phone completely but should give you enough juice to make it to the next outlet.
-- JR Raphael
Spigen Tough Armor case for iPhone 5S / 5
Spigen's Tough Armor case for the iPhone 5 and 5S is a great accessory, providing protection without bulk. The one-piece case offers a sense of security in a pocket-friendly package, without the inconvenient thickness and weight found on competing products.
Direct price: $30 | Retail price: $25
The Tough Armor case is available in five different colors and is made up of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and polycarbonate, with air cushioning and a web pattern specifically designed for absorbing impact. There's a slight lip that raises the case 1.5 mm past the screen, which protects the display when you lay the iPhone screen-side down. It's just the right gift for your fumble-fingered friends.
You might also like: For an even thinner profile (with slightly less protection), Spigen makes its Slim Armor case for the Samsung Galaxy S4, the Samsung Galaxy Note S3 and the iPhone 5S / 5 ($25 - $30).
-- Michael deAgonia
CandyShell Grip
Glass, metal, plastic: Smartphones are made out of smooth, slippery materials. That not only makes them easy to drop, it can make them difficult to use, especially for one-handed operations like texting or taking selfies.
CandyShell Grip from Speck
Direct price: $35 | Retail price: $14 - $36
That's the point of the CandyShell Grip -- like Speck's other CandyShell cases, the Grip has a hard shell over a shock-absorbing liner, but it also has rubbery ridges to make it easy to hold on to. And it's not only safe, but good-looking as well: The case comes in a variety of colors and patterns.
There are cases available for a wide variety of phones as well, from HTC, Apple, Samsung, Nokia and others. So that whatever phone your giftee prefers, it can be made both safe and colorful.
-- Jake Widman