Don't Forget These Accessories For Your New iPhone or Android Device!

If you're buying yourself or someone else a gift for the holidays that includes a smartphone of any kind, you owe it to yourself to make a mental inventory of the types of items you're going to need to include with it. It's easy to remember a case or a charger, because those are absolutely no-brainers. But what about the rest of the stuff that you don't always think about when you get home? Here are some important reminders to make sure your new purchase or gift is covered!

Good screen protection

You're inevitably going to scuff or scratch up your screen, even if it's through normal use. Why not invest now in a decent screen protector to ensure you're not having to replace your new device a few months out because the touch screen is a veritable wasteland of scratches, scuffs, and dirt? They're relatively cheap, but aim for department store versions instead of the phone store's editions or eBay cheapies, as they tend to be mid-range priced and come in multipacks. Then don't forget to change out the protectors here and there as they wear out. That way you'll enjoy your screen a lot longer without having to worry about it wearing out on you.

Extra power

You never know when you'll run out of battery life and need some more in a hurry. This happens to everyone at least once, so why not be prepared with something that can offer up a full charge in a flash? You can do this by purchasing a case that charges your phone and stores extra power back, or a device created especially for this purpose. They've gotten much, much cheaper over the years, and can be purchased relatively inexpensively. For an emergency when you can't get to a wall charger, this can be a life-saver depending on your situation, so be ready!

Memory cards

If your device allows for expandable memory, go ahead and purchase additional memory so that you never have to run out of room. Obviously this doesn't mean much for iPhone users since you can't give yourself extra space for storage, but for everyone else it's a useful addition you'll be wishing you had when you go on vacation and need some extra storage for photos or once in a lifetime videos you don't have time to delete extra photos and other random items for.