Technology accessory manufacturers make cases for just about any electronics item these days, but cases for smartphones are a bit more essential because smartphones are usually carried with you most places you go; and because they’re portable, handheld devices, smartphones are one of the most commonly dropped or broken items.

Being one of the most popular accessories, most iPhone and Android based cases are simply $30.00 pieces of molded plastic that only protect the back of the phone. In today’s post, we will review some more unique cases that will not only help protect a smartphone, but also add more functionality to it.

Battery Cases

Because smartphones are capable of doing so much and incorporate better processors and graphics, battery life tends to take a hit. The iPhone and many Android based phones are notorious when it comes to battery life, and during a full day’s usage, most smartphones will simply run out of juice. If you want a simple way to get more battery life out of your smartphone, you may want to consider a specialty power case. There are a few vendors now that manufacture quality power cases. You may want to consider the following:

• Mophie Juice Pack (iPhone) – 1500 mAh – advertises 6 hours of additional talk time.
• PowerSkin (Android) – advertises 2x the power from standard battery.
• BoostCase (iPhone) -  1700 mAh – advertises 2x the power from standard battery.

Stand Cases

Smartphone manufacturers are constantly manufacturing phones with more screen real estate and slimmer bezels. This optimizes smartphones to be much better for tasks like enjoying television shows, watching movies, and other similar media based events. If you travel or fly a lot and your smartphone is just as much an entertainment system as it is an actual phone, you may want to consider a specialty stand case. These cases also may be assistive for things like video chatting. You may want to consider the following:

• Incase Snap Stand Case (iPhone) – iPhone protection plus a foldable stand that supports both widescreen and upright positions.
• Case-Mate POP! Case with Stand (Android) – Pop! Case with stand offers impact protection and a stand that supports both widescreen and upright positions for popular Android based smartphones.

Solar Cases

Similar in purpose to battery cases (listed above), solar cases are simply standard smartphone cases with built-in solar panels. Are you outdoors a lot or does your job require you to work outside? You can add a better level of protection and solar charging to an iPhone or Android based smartphone and not have to worry about the battery going dead. You may want to consider the following:

• Eton Mobius (iPhone) – High efficiency monocrystal solar panel for quick solar charging and added protection.
• ReVIVE Series Solar ReStore (any phone) – Not a case, but a universal, solar powered solution for charging various models of smartphones.

Wallet Cases

If you’re the type of person that doesn’t like to carry a ton of accessories on you and likes things simple, you may want to consider a wallet smartphone case. Most wallet based cases feature simple, hinged backs that double as a wallet or card holder. You may want to consider the following:

• Speck SmartFlex Card (iPhone) – Enough room for up to 3 cards and some cash. An essential wallet case.
• Swiss Tech Bank Case (Android, Universal) – A more traditional, leather wallet case with a nice design.

Keyboard Cases

If you love the options that smartphones offer, but prefer traditional physical keys vs. touchscreen digital keyboards, you may want to consider a keyboard case, which brings traditional keyboard technology to smartphones. You may want to consider the following:

• Nuu K1 (iPhone) – Sliding keyboard design that also offers protection for your iPhone.

Rugged Cases

While rugged cases don’t add much additional functionality to smartphones, they do offer better 360 degree protection, which is something that the majority of cases don’t offer. Many of the better rugged cases will protect the back, sides, and front of a smartphone. You may want to consider the following:

• Otterbox Defender Series (iPhone/Android) – Defender cases by OtterBox may add a bit of bulk to a smartphone, but the drop resistance and shock protection offered by these cases is outstanding.

Armband Cases

If your smartphone is also your training partner and Walkman, you may want to consider an Armband case. For jogs, walks, or other fitness activities, armband cases offer additional mobility so that you need not worry that your smartphone will fall out of your pocket when going for a run. You may want to consider the following:

• Incase Sports Armband Deluxe (iPhone) – A comfortable, premium armband case for the iPhone that also functions as a standard case, via a detachable clip.
• iArmbands Sport Armband (Android) – iArmbands Android cases offer ultra affordable protection and mobility for fitness activities. Design also keeps smartphone stationary during exercise.

Dock Compatible Cases

If you use a stand/dock to charge your smartphone, you may have noticed the incompatibility that most smartphone cases have with these docks. Many times, the bulk of a protective case simply will not work with a charging dock. If you dislike having to remove the case each time you simply want to charge your phone, you may want to consider the following:

• Speck CandyShell Flip (iPhone) – The bottom of the CandyShell Flip is engineered for better compatibility with iPhone docks and the Apple Universal Dock. By simply flipping upwards and out of the way, the CandyShell Flip simply works better with docking stations and iPhone/iPod stereos and boom boxes.

Overall, adding any case to a smartphone will likely help protect it. However, most cases are cheap, molded plastic solutions that offer minimal protection. With the case types on this list, however, you can find a cool smartphone case for your iPhone or Android based smartphone that will also add functionality.

Thank you for stopping by the site for today’s post. Of course, none of these products are affiliated or specifically recommended, as the purpose of today’s post was simply to help site visitors choose cases of different types that will help to accommodate their busy lifestyles. If any of our visitors have purchased any other types of specialty cases, feel free to leave a comment.