Here's one we can hopefully have some fun with.  There is plenty of functionality we can extract from our mobile devices, and accessories can add to that.  Some in ways that the phone manufacturers themselves may have never dreamed of.

So, sales professionals and mobile phone power users- what's the weirdest or most unconventional accessory you've ever used with, on, or connected to, your mobile phone?

Two spring to my mind immediately:

The Sipix A6 Infrared thermal printer.  That printer is about the size of a paperback book, uses tiny sheets (or rolls) of thermal paper about half as long as standard paper.  ("A6" paper for you office supply fans!) and connects to WinMo or Palm OS devices with a infrared port.  It's hard not to feel like James Bond or Jack Bauer when someone sends you an important email, and you print it out right there on the dashboard of your car! 

More often, of course, I'm printing a restaurant coupon, shopping list, or recipe, rather than an important email from the President or MI6, so, sadly, I typically feel more like Martha Stewart than James Bond.

A solar charger with USB outlet.

Imagine your plane goes down, stranding you on a remote island inhabited by polar bears, monsters, and a weird group of people creating a new society.  Oh, sorry, that's the plot of ABC's "Lost."  In my case, this solar charger with 2600mAH lithium ion battery serves two functions- a backup power source for travel and camping, but more often I use it for MP3 playback in the car from my phone.  My RF modulator picks up interference from my cell phone charger, creating a faint whine in the background of my music.  Unplugging the charger to silence the whine means that bopping to embarrassing 80's technopop ("We can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind...") runs down the phone battery unnecessarily.  Using the solar charger, which isn't connected to the car's electrical system, eliminates the interference, and keeps the battery topped up. 

I still take in on plane flights, though.  You never know....

So Connection- I'll bet you guys and gals can top this- give us your weirdest accessory, or the weirdest customer request for an accessory that you've been asked for, even if it doesn't exist.

I bought one of these, the crabble. A little plastic fold up phone stand. I've had it in my wallett for about 6 months for those emergencies when I need a phone stand. I've used it....... no times. It was a great idea, but I've just not had any "stand" emergencies. It just came out of my wallet and is now lying in the bottom of my drawer....

I'm not sure you would classify this as weird but certainly underused.

I have a virtual bluetooth keyboard. The idea is great and it worked fairly well, but it always took me forever to pair it and then use it.

Dave Parker MVP:

I bought one of these, the crabble. A little plastic fold up phone stand. I've had it in my wallett for about 6 months for those emergencies when I need a phone stand. I've used it....... no times. It was a great idea, but I've just not had any "stand" emergencies. It just came out of my wallet and is now lying in the bottom of my drawer....

LOL!  You posted about this thing when it first came out. I thought it was a brilliant idea.  I was scheduled for a flight that week and thought it'd be great, so I took some stiff cardboard and made my own, knowing one would never get to me on time if I ordered it. 

I set it up on the tray table in front of me, and realized while it worked fine, the darn phone was too far away for me to see it well, so I picked up the phone, held it in my hand to watch the rest of the movie, and tossed my homemade crabble in the trash bag when the flight attendant collected our trash!

Laura Rooke:

I'm not sure you would classify this as weird but certainly underused.

I have a virtual bluetooth keyboard. The idea is great and it worked fairly well, but it always took me forever to pair it and then use it.

Now that's James Bond kind of stuff!  Combine that with that LG phone with the Pico projector and you really have a "Pocket PC!"

 I've wanted one of those for ages Laura, but never got round to shelling out for one. Is it pretty good?

Once it's paired up it works really well - almost unbelievable and I have impressed quite a few people with it. I tried to pair it with a laptop also but never succeeded but that was quite a few years ago. Since writing about it here I have left it to charge and I shall try again with a newer laptop.

I'm willing to trade with you - any good Android phones you want to trade?

Great topic!!! Ok remember back in the late 90's.....that wonderful Antenna Booster! that advertised as "Seen on TV"? When I had my first retail store, I bought a few cases of them and after the first hour of trying it I knew it didn't work!!! I even told my customers that wanted to buy it that it didnt work! They didnt care they bought it anyway! Needless to say I sold a ton of them!!!

yrless:

that wonderful Antenna Booster

Yep - I bought one 

Laura Rooke:

yrless:

that wonderful Antenna Booster

 

Yep - I bought one 

Technically. I suppose, I've bought many of them- after people stopped buying them, all of the Hong Kong cell accessory importers on eBay started throwing them in as "free gifts" with every charger, battery, stylus, or screen protector I bought.  I never even opened the packages they came in. 

Todd Allcock:

Technically. I suppose, I've bought many of them- after people stopped buying them, all of the Hong Kong cell accessory importers on eBay started throwing them in as "free gifts" with every charger, battery, stylus, or screen protector I bought.  I never even opened the packages they came in. 

Smart man!

yrless:

after the first hour of trying it I knew it didn't work!

Wait, the antenna booster doesn't work? What about the computer-y font? That's usually a clear sign of legitimacy...

Bill Fisher:

computer-y font

What's that?

  I think Bill means that the font on the packaging is using the standard font type used in the old 80's style computer equipment so must surely be legitimate....... 

One of these guys: It's a non-hands-free-hands-free adapter. Vodafone was doing a promotion a year or ago and was giving these out.