5 smartphone accessories from app-controlled locks to key-tracking Tiles to solve life’s little problems

WHETHER you can never find your car keys or need a lock you can open with your smartphone, here are five gadgets to take the pain out of modern life.

The Bluetooth device, Tile Mate, will help you keep track of everything from your camera to your car keys.

THE smartphone is the one gadget you always have with you, but what sort of gadgets should you have for your smartphone?

From a charger that will keep every family member’s phone powered up, to a handy gadget that will keep track of your car keys and a travel lock you undo with an app, here are five gadgets that will help take the chaos out of modern life.

EFM Charge Totem

EFM / 4/5 / $60 / myefm.com

The EFM Charge Totem has six USB ports for charging all of your devices at once.

Keeping all your gadgets fully charged is one of the challenges of modern life. The Totem charger has six ports: two ports to charge Apple iPads and iPhones with a maximum output of 2.1A; two Google Android charging ports with a maximum output of 1A; and two ports with device-sensing technology which can deliver up to 2.5A. The handy Totem is compact and means you aren’t crowding your desk with a fleet of chargers.

Dog and Bone Locksmart

Dog and Bone / 3.5/5 / $79 / dogandbonecases.com

The LockSmart travel lock works with an app instead of a key or a combination.

This TSA-approved smart lock lets you throw away the key. An app on your phone can be used to open the lock, and even share access to it with someone for either one use or a specified time period. It’s certainly handy and eliminates the need to remember a combination, and low-battery alerts plus a weather-resistant coating are clever features. The only downside is that it is not practical if you want to be able to lock your phone inside the bag.

Element Case Sector for iPhone 7/7 Plus

Element Case / 4/5 / $180 / elementcase.com

The Element Sector case for iPhone 7/7 Plus offers rugged protection but with a fashionable look

Most rugged cases sacrifice good looks for toughness but this case is an exception to the rule. Made from aerospace-grade carbon fibre and machined aluminium with a coloured anodised strip on the side, the Sector case meets military drop-test requirements. It’s a cool tough case to protect your phone from drops and bumps but disappointingly does not offer any protection from water.

Tech 21 Evo Check

Tech 21 /4.5/5 / $45 / tech21.com

The Tech 21 Evo Check for the Google Pixel XL offers slim protection, and protection for drops from up to two metres high.

WHY shouldn’t Google Pixel XL phone owners be able to drop their handsets from a great height too? Tech 21 is lending the protection of its FlexShock material to Google’s latest smartphone in this case, which it promises will protect the phone from drops of up to 2m in height. The company says this cover is also 30 per cent thinner than those offering similar protection, and it’s certainly comfortable to hold, adding little to the girth of handset. Enough space is left around all of its openings with this case installed, including the phone’s rear fingerprint sensor, although the power and volume keys are tougher to press. Its available in black and white, to match your Pixel choice, and a subtle checked pattern provides interest.

Tile Mate

Tile / 4/5 / $38 / harveynorman.com.au

The Tile Mate can finally solve the question of where you left your car keys.

IF you lose your phone, you can call it. If you lose your keys, you’re in serious trouble. This device can provide a solution to that stressful scenario, however, as it’s an inconspicuous, Bluetooth-equipped tracking device with a surprisingly loud voice. The Tile Mate is smaller than its predecessor, easy to add to a keychain, water-resistant, and can connect to Google or Apple smartphones. The accompanying app will show you where on the map your keys were last seen and, if you’re within a 30m radius, it will also let you trigger a ringtone played at up to 88 decibels. It even works in reverse, so it can make your phone ring with a tap of its one button. The Tile uses a non-rechargeable, inaccessible battery which should last for a year. After that year, however, you’ll be prompted to buy another one.