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The best mobile accessories at CES 2019
From the “standard” smartphones, laptops, and smartwatches to the jaw-dropping, futuristic, and bizarre, there were a lot of devices, products, and new technologies shown off at this year’s CES. There was also a slew of useful and interesting accessories announced at the event to help you get the most out of your smartphones or tablets. Here’s a roundup of the best mobile accessories at CES 2019!
JBL Link Drive
The JBL Link Drive brings Google Home and Android Auto-like features to your car by acting as a bridge between your phone and your car stereo. Simply plug the compact Link Drive into a cigarette lighter port, pair it with both your phone and your stereo, and then issue “OK Google” commands without needing to touch your phone.
You can answer calls, have text messages read to you, get directions, and do a whole lot more. It’s equipped with two noise-canceling mics to remove engine and road sounds and never miss a command. If your car stereo doesn’t have Bluetooth capabilities, you can also connect the device using an aux port. The JBL Link Drive also features a 2.1A USB port for charging your device on the go. The Link Drive will land sometime this spring at a retail price of $59.95.
Anker ROAV Bolt
The JBL Link Drive isn’t the only way to get the Google Assistant in your car. Also announced at CES was the Anker ROAV Bolt. It also plugs into the cigarette lighter port of the car and connects to your phone via Bluetooth and the car stereo via Bluetooth or the aux port. You get to control everything with your voice and brings to the car everything that the Google Assistant is capable of.
It has a couple of advantages over the JBL Link Drive as well. You get two USB ports with the ROAV Bolt and it is also slightly cheaper, priced at $50. The Anker ROAV Bolt will be available in February.
Anker PowerPort Atom PD 1
Anker showcased a lot of devices at CES this year, including the ROAV Bolt, a new Bluetooth speaker, a mobile projector, and more. However, what the mobile accessories company is best known for is its charging devices, and these weren’t left behind either. First announced back in October, Anker PowerPort Atom PD range is now ready to go on sale.
It’s one of the first chargers in the market to use gallium nitride (GaN), which is capable of handling high temperatures and allows for higher efficiency and output in a more compact package. This USB-PD charger provides a 30W output, letting you charge any smartphone that supports the standard, as well as devices like the Macbook Air and Nintendo Switch.
This ultra-compact wall charger will be available later this month, priced at just $29.99. Anker will also launch a 60W charger with 2 USB-C ports and a 100W charger with 2 USB-C ports and 2 USB-A ports later this quarter.
Corning Gorilla Glass personalized case
Last year, Corning introduced its new Ink Jet technology for its line of Gorilla Glass, allowing you to print photo-quality images onto Gorilla Glass, opening up the door for fully-customizable glass backs for smartphones. Although not at the back of an actual phone, Corning brought Ink Jet to CES 2019 and demonstrated it using glass-backed smartphone cases. Creating a case and getting the final product in your hand is surprisingly quick and easy, as Android Authority’s own C. Scott Brown can attest to.
iOttie One Touch Connect car mount with Alexa built-in
We don’t really expect much from our car mounts except for it to hold your phone in place properly. However, with the on-going surge of AI assistants, is it really surprising that this tech has made its way to our car mounts as well? Meet the latest iOttie Easy One Touch Connect car mount with Alexa built-in!
This doesn’t need to connect to your phone in any way, with Alexa integrated directly into the car mount itself. Two noise-canceling mics ensure that the device doesn’t miss a command and you get access to everything Alexa is capable of, including a range of over 70,000 Alexa Skills. Of course, you also get to take advantage of iOttie’s Easy One Touch Connect mechanism to easily place and remove your phone from the car mount. No pricing information is available yet, but the car mount will be available later this quarter.
iOttie Auto Sense car mount
If you’re too lazy to use the Easy One Touch Connect mechanism found with other iOttie car mounts, the company has a solution for you. The Auto Sense car mount uses a proximity sensor to know when you are moving the phone towards the car mount and opens its motorized arms to let you keep the phone. The arms then automatically close and hold the phone in place. The car mount also comes with a 10W wireless charging pad to charge any smartphone that supports the Qi-wireless charging standard. The iOttie Auto Sense car mount will launch later this year priced at $55.
Nomadplug travel adapter
Travel adapters are a dime a dozen, but what makes the Nomadplug stand out is the fact that it is guaranteed to work in 195 countries, while most work in up to 160 and often not even that many. The premium build quality is a huge positive and its unique design makes for a device that is quite compact despite its impressive capabilities. The travel plug also features a built-in 5,000mAh power bank with two USB-A ports and one USB-C port. Prototypes of the device were shown off at CES and the final product is expected to ship to Indiegogo backers in March. When released, the Nomadplug is expected to be around $120.
Mophie Powerstation PD portable power banks
Mophie introduced two new portable power banks at CES – the Powerstation PD and the Powerstation PD XL. The former comes with a built-in battery of 6,700mAh and the XL stays true to its name with its 10,050mAh capacity. Both power banks come with a USB-C PD input and output port and a USB-A port, allowing you to charge two mobile devices simultaneously. Both Powerstations come with a textured design that looks great and keeps them safe from scratches and scuffs. Both the Powerstation PD and the Powerstation PD XL are available now from Mophie and are priced at $59.95 and $79.95 respectively.
So there you have it for this roundup of some of the best mobile accessories that were seen at CES 2019! Don’t forget to check out our extensive CES coverage for a ton of cool new products that were launched at the event, and you can find more roundups like this below –