5 Cool Cell Phone Accessories Chicago IL

A cell phone is no longer just a cell phone. With the ability to surf the Web, pump out tunes, and play full-length movies and TV shows, mobile phones have become more than miniature long-distance walkie-talkies. But as cell phones become more sophisticated, so do the gaggle of accessories dedicated to enhancing their functionality. We dug up five cool new add-ons--some of which are coming out in the next few months--that can help you make the most of your Treo, iPhone, BlackBerry, Walkman phone, or whatever model you're toting around in your back pocket these days.

Motorla's MotoRokr T505 combines the talents of a speakerphone, an in-car audio streamer for music, and an FM frequency optimizer. If your cell phone can handle stereo Bluetooth streaming, you are probably on the lookout for different ways to pipe music to your earholes. At first glance, it looks like your basic in-car speakerphone. Clip it to the visor of your car, and you can answer calls, dial by voice, and chat hands-free while driving. But besides handling phone conversations, the T505 can stream music to your car's stereo system via its FM transmitter, if your phone supports A2DP stereo Bluetooth (the T505 can also stream phone calls from any ol' Bluetooth phone). A cool StationFinder feature helps you locate the ideal FM frequency for broadcasting your tunes and for talking with as little interference as possible.

Griffin's SmartTalk headphone jack adapter lets you upgrade the headphones you use with your Apple iPhone. I've got a perfectly sweet pair of Sennheiser earphones sitting on my shelf; and yet, when tuning in to my iPhone, I remain bound to the standard-issue earbuds. (Thanks, Apple, for that overly narrow headset jack opening). Griffin's new $20 SmartTalk kills two birds with one stone, letting you use your favorite set of headphones to listen to music and to answer calls on your iPhone. Equipped with a skinny connector that easily shimmies into the iPhone's headset port, the SmartTalk allows you to jack in your own set of earphones for what's sure to be better sound than what you get from Apple's buds. And thanks to a small control module (complete with mic), the SmartTalk also gives you power over your music and calls. You can play, pause, and skip between tunes, as well as answer a call or send it to voicemail if you're more in the mood to groove than to chat. Sleek Headset for your ears: Jabra's JX20 Pura. Describing a headset as "sexy" is kinda like calling braces "cool." The two words just don't mix. Yet Jabra's latest is, indeed, one sexy hunk of metal. Introduced at CES, is the follow-up to the company's stylish but aging JX10. Crafted by acclaimed European industrial designer Jacob Jensen, who has devised numerous products for Bang & Olufsen, the JX20 Pura exudes luxury from every brushed anodized titanium pore. Weighing in at less than half an ounce, the $179 Pura comes with a matching desk stand, two different ear-hook sizes, and your pick of ear-gel inserts (various sizes and shapes) so you can find the most comfortable fit. The headset lasts for about 6 hours of talk time on one charge, and the earpiece itself rotates to power the device on or off, thereby preserving the minimalist design.