Five iPhone Accessories to Up Your Geek Status

There is no shortage of options when it comes to iPhone accessories, but what about owners that are ready to up their geek status? Instead of those bland cases and ear buds, some want to know what science and nerd-based accessories they can use to make their smartphone more exciting than ever. If you own one of the hundreds of millions of iPhones that are in circulation, here is a look at five of the absolute best accessories for science and technology lovers. 

1. Portable Oscilloscope

With over 500 million iPhones having been sold, it is no wonder that some manufacturers have targeted electricians and hobbyists with a portable oscilloscope. These amazing devices have been used for many years to measure the change of voltage in an electrical charge for industries such as engineering, healthcare, and telecommunications, but they did come with the drawback of being large and unwieldy. A portable iPhone oscilloscope can carry out all of the same functions as a full-sized model, including the testing of digital and analog signals. 

2. Blood Pressure Cuff

High blood pressure can lead to a variety of serious health issues, including an increased risk of heart disease and heart attacks. Unfortunately, taking an accurate measurement typically had to be done with a personal cuff at home or in the doctor's office. An iPhone blood pressure cuff allows owners to test their blood pressure anywhere and at any time. As an added bonus, this accessory can send the results directly to a health app or stored for later analysis by the doctor.

3. Portable Telescope

With a simple attachment the iPhone can turn into a powerful telescope that has the ability to capture and save images from the sky. While these telescopes are around the same size as a traditional amateur telescope, they do come with some amazing advantages. The most useful feature is the ability to take real-time photos of the images that are seen as well as widen the picture so multiple users can enjoy the telescope at once. For those that already have a telescope that they use, a simple telescope-to-iPhone adapter can be purchased. 

4. A Digital Microscope

Just as an iPhone can easily be turned upwards as a telescope, a simple attachment can also turn it into a portable and high-def digital microscope. These devices are often no larger than a small flashlight and can take up to 5 megapixel pictures. They can be used by those within the healthcare industry to track information for patients or simply as a tool for the hobbyist looking for exciting new technology. Much like the telescope, simple adapters can also be purchased in order to capture images from a previously owned handheld digital microscope.

5. Solar Panel Case

With all of these accessories being used, even the iPhone's advanced lithium battery is going to need to be recharged frequently. Instead of waiting to get back to the car or looking for a wall outlet, a solar panel case is a great way to keep the smartphone running with nothing more than a little sunlight. While solar panel cases will not charge as quickly as wall chargers, they are more efficient than ever and add no more weight or size to an iPhone than a typical impact-resistant case. For a full charge from 0 to 100 percent, owners can expect a charge time of 3 to 4 hours depending on the amount of sunlight, apps that are currently on, and the age of the phone. 

The sky is the limit when it comes to some of the amazing iPhone accessories that are currently available today. These five products are only the beginning for iPhone owners that are ready to reaffirm their status as a proud geek.

Devious Devices: Technology We Can't Live Without

Over the past decade, mobile devices have gone from cool gadgets, to irreplaceable parts of everyday living. It has even come to a point where those who lack a smartphone are excluded from social groups and even certain lines of work, though not necessarily out of malice towards Luddites, but simply due to the fact that these are the platforms on which we communicate. Additionally, with the proliferation of screens you can carry in your pocket, a number of other fringe-accessories are now must-haves. Take a look at how new technology has come to change and grow into our daily lifes.

The Smartphone

These days, the question isn't whether to get a smartphone, it’s which smartphone are you going to get. After purchasing your first smartphone, it’s hard to imagine how you functioned before you had a map, the internet, your music, and a calendar in your pocket. The constant connection goes beyond the personal applications, though. Many jobs that aren't just made easier by having a smartphone, but are actually impossible to do without one. These aren't just high-paying business or marketing type jobs, but things as simple as taxi services and managing odd-jobs. Entrepreneurs are using smartphones as point-of-sale systems, opting for Paypal over other credit card service fees. 

Tablets

When Apple rolled out the iPad, many scoffed at a seemingly needless piece of technology. How would you compute without a keyboard? Now, there are schools that distribute tablets to their students and mobile app developer is a career path. The touchscreen is the preferred method of input, and children are learning how to use them at very early ages. A tablet has all the speed and most of the portability of a smartphone, merely trading the phone for a slightly larger screen. And, with all those other methods of connectivity, it’s not a bad exchange.

Cases

Every market creates a sub-market. Touchscreens smudge, and devices are fragile and expensive. Some sort of case and protective screen is practically a required purchase for any device, and this is where the marketing towards personalization really shines. You only have to go to cellphonecases to see how many different styles and types of protection there is. Cases advertised to every different kind of personality and lifestyle.

These devices are having drastic effects on how we interact with each other on personal and economic levels. Some of these changes are positive, as connectivity lends itself well to efficiency. However, it’s pretty easy to get glued to a screen and forget the world around you. Where will our devices take us next?