Join Namerah Saud Fatmi as she explores the cool, quirky, and sometimes downright odd world of smartphone accessories, gadgets, and other nerdy toys every week.
Hello, fellow beings on the internet! Welcome to my corner of Android Central where I nerd out over all the weird and wonderful accessories that make our lives easier, better, and sometimes, more fun. Gadget Weekly is where I explore the coolest new knickknacks that I've come across, love, and think need to be on your radar.
For the first issue of this new weekly column, I'd like to kick things off by featuring the cheap and cheerful MagSafe adapter ring for Android. It's the one ring to rule all of your smartphone accessories for several good reasons.
I've heard varying opinions about MagSafe adapter rings, but for the most part, people seem to love them. If you're still on the fence about them, you should really consider getting one. It's something so cheap and simple and can be such a versatile tool. You no longer have to worry about which phone case to get as you can add and subtract features on demand with a MagSafe accessory. A few dollars can add MagSafe capability to virtually any case or phone skin. Once you've stuck the little adhesive magnetic ring to the back of your phone, you're all set.
You might be worried about the strength of the adhesive, but trust me when I say that your fears are unfounded. That's as long as you buy one from a decent brand, of course. Anything from Spigen, ESR, Ringke, PopSockets, or similarly well-reputed brands should do. My team members and I have tested these rings on cases as well as skins, such as the ones Drband makes, and they stay put.
For example, my colleague Nick experimented with a Spigen MagSafe ring back when he was testing the Pixel Fold. As risky as that may sound, his plan was a success, and he had good fun using MagSafe phone stands, wallets, and other such paraphernalia with it.
Recently, I decided to add a MagSafe ring to both my phone's case as well as the device itself. I'm rocking a Pixel 6, pictured above, and it has the Dbrand Something skin on. The PopSockets MagSafe ring that I slapped on the back has been through heaven and hell. I'm a really heavy user and I tend to chuck my phone in my purse along with a million other things. The ring didn't budge though, and I didn't drop my phone either.
Right after getting a case and screen protector for your phone, you need to get a MagSafe adapter.
To take things further, I used branded and off-brand phone grips that I found for a few bucks online. While I was extremely nervous, I'm happy to report that my phone never fell off the magnetic grip, the MagSafe adapter stayed right where it was stuck, and both grips worked marvelously well.
It's so convenient to snap your phone onto a magnetic car phone holder or slap on a MagSafe wallet on the back. This is going to be one of the first phone accessories that I recommend to anyone going forward. Right after getting a case and screen protector for your phone, you need to get a MagSafe adapter.
Using a MagSafe ring on Android completely changes your world.
Using a MagSafe ring on Android completely changes your world. It's a whole new way to use accessories with your device. This is the closest we can come to experiencing Qi2 on current devices if used with a MagSafe wireless charger for Android.
So, if you're on the fence, I hope I convinced you otherwise. Spend that $10 to $15 because it's totally worth it. You're suddenly able to use a whole world of accessories that were previously limited to iPhones exclusively. Every brand from Anker to ESR has dedicated MagSafe lineups that are so creative. Just look at the ESR HaloLock series and Spigen's MagFit series, for instance. You'll have so much fun using your phone, just like I did.
