Articles by Ara Wagoner

Your Chromebook is a productivity machine, and to keep productive, sometimes you need more than just the laptop itself. These accessories will help you maximize the experience and get the most out of your Chromebook, through work and play!

All-color carry

MOSISO Laptop Sleeve with Accessory Case

Staff pick

Most laptop sleeves are available in 13-15 inch sizes, but MOSISO has us Chromebook users covered — literally! — with the option for 11.6-12.3-inch sleeves for these sleeve combos! Having the accessory case separate makes it easier to pack both in your bag.

From $10 at Amazon

MOAR storage!

Samsung EVO Select

You get a lot of bang for your buck with the EVO Select, which comes in sizes from 32GB all the way up to 512GB. If your Chromebook doesn’t have enough space, or you want to store everything you own, this microSD card has you covered.

From $8 at Amazon

Bluetooth or Wireless

Logitech Pebble M350

This mouse has a nice slim shape that makes it easy to slip in…

The best thin cases for the Galaxy S20 allow you to protect your new phone without compromising its protection. Samsung engineers its flagships to be as thin as possible, so why undo all that hard work with some monstrous tank of a case? These are thin cases that can add grip and light protection to your beautiful new Galaxy, whether you prefer thinner hard plastics or more adaptive and flexible silicone models.

Best in the biz

Totallee Thin

Staff pick

$30 at Amazon

Totallee is one of the biggest names in ultra-thin cases, and it’s the most liked thin case around. While it’s pricey, it’s darn good at doing what a thin case should, which is adding grip and scratch protection without any bulk at all.

Grippy diamonds

Spigen Liquid Air

$12 at Amazon

Yes, this case is a little thicker to accommodate the deeper texture across the back, but it’s absolutely worth it for a grippy case with air-cushioned corners. We just wish it came in different colors, but black goes with e…

The best Chromebook accessories for students elevate their experience in any environment, not just in school. Chromebooks are fantastic for so many people, but there are few environments they thrive in better than schools. Between easy management and maintenance, enterprise-grade security, and drop-dead easy workflow — not to mention all those lovely, lovely keyboard shortcuts — Chromebooks are in most cases, quite literally, made for the classroom. Before you head back to class for another year of learning and making dope memes with your friends, here are some accessories that can make your Chromebook slicker and sweeter than ever.

Expand your space

SanDisk Ultra

Staff pick

Chromebooks tend to have less internal storage than traditional Windows or Mac laptops, and with microSD card so drop-dead affordable, I’m okay with that, as just about every Chromebook on the planet has a MicroSD slot. Available in sizes up to 512GB, you can expand your Chromebook’s storage as much as …

The best Samsung Galaxy Note 20 cases are protective, grippy, and stylish. While the regular Note 20 doesn’t have a glass back, it’s still a big, honking phone and you shouldn’t dare step out your door without protecting it with a case. From thin and colorful to ruggedly handsome, these are the cases you can trust with your new Note 20.

Clear and clean

Spigen Liquid Crystal

Staff pick

Want to show off your lovely Mystic Green phone? The Liquid Crystal will offer grip and scratch protection while keeping things slim and sanguine. If you want a little more pop, I adore the Glitter variant!

$10 at Amazon
$13 at Amazon (Glitter)

Functional fabric

Samsung Kvadrat Cover

This sustainable case is bright, cheerful, and feels wonderful in the hand. The color choices are a bit small compared to the S20+, but the bright pink case mislabeled as Red is lovely, so why would you need anything else?

$35 at Amazon

Mesmerizing majesty

Caseology Parallax

The Parallax’s Aqua Green adds …

The best cases for the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra needs to balance protection and profile, style and substance, and do it all without breaking the bank. The Note 20 Ultra is one of the most cutting-edge phones on the market, but it’s also one of the largest and heaviest phones in 2020 as well. Combine that with the luxury price tag that Samsung demands, and you have a recipe for disaster if you dare to take your new phone out into the world naked. Skip the public smartphone indecency and get yourself a great case.

Slim and sublime

Ringke Air-S

Staff pick

If you don’t want to bulk up your Note 20 Ultra but need to add some grip, the Air-S is a minimalist case that will give your fingers more purchase than expected while also guarding against scratches.

$11 at Amazon
$9 at Walmart

Sustatinable style

Samsung Kvadrat Cover

The Kvadrat Cover we loved on the S20+ is back for the Note 20 and it looks even more vibrant and lovely than ever. It’s made of sustainable materials and feels …

The Google Pixel 4a is one of the most compelling phones of 2020, offering excellent performance and cameras for less than half the price of a flagship. While it might not cost thousands of dollars, that doesn’t mean that it’s any less worthy of protection. Whether you need to spice up the Just Black of the Pixel 4a or need to keep it safe from the chaos outside your door, these are the best Pixel 4a cases you can buy right now.

Pretty protection

Caseology Parallax

Staff pick

This hybrid case comes in three dazzling color combinations — a deep navy blue, a lighter purple, and a darling coral/gold two-tone — and offers drop protection and grip in a compact profile.

From $15 at Amazon
$15 at Walmart

Guard the front and back

Poetic Revolution

This heavy-duty case comes with a screen protector built into the front frame, offering 360 degrees of protection for your new Pixel 4a. I also like the robust kickstand on the back that can be used in portrait or landscape.

$17 at…

Your phone may or may not be dirtier than a toilet seat right now, but luckily you can fix that with an ultraviolet phone sanitizer. After all, our phones pick up a whole heap of bacteria, germs, and other nastiness when we set them down throughout our days. Ultraviolet phone sanitizers are nifty little devices, and while they can cost a pretty penny, they’re 110% worth the investment if they can keep you from getting sick, now more than ever.

Best by a landslide

PhoneSoap 3

Staff pick

$80 at Amazon
$80 at PhoneSoap

PhoneSoap is one of the originals and is still one of the most trusted ultraviolet phone sanitizers around. Reliability and excellent build quality are part of why all of PhoneSoap’s products were really hard to come by the first several months of the pandemic.

Flip and repeat

HoMedics UV-Clean Phone Sanitizer

$60 at Amazon

This sanitizer keeps a slim, travel-friendly profile by being collapsible, and the lid zips open and closed to help ensure that UV li…

The Galaxy S20+ is quite an impressive phone with an impressively large 6.7-inch 120Hz display that you’re going to want to protect from the cruel, concrete world outside your door. To help you defend your S20+ from shattering drops and scratched glass, we’ve rounded up the best heavy-duty options for protecting the Galaxy S20+ in style.

Sleek and stylish protector

Supcase Unicorn Beetle Style Series

Staff Pick

$13 at Amazon

This stylish case combines a rugged bumper with a rigid and clear backplate that accents the phone without adding unnecessary bulk. It’s thin and lightweight on your phone and just as easy on your wallet.

For rugged outdoorsmen

UAG Pathfinder Series

$40 at Amazon

The UAG Pathfinder offers ideal protection for anyone who spends time exploring the outdoors. The slim design offers reinforced corners for added drop protection, and it’s available in black, olive green, and camo styles.

Kick back and relax

ArmadilloTek Vanguard Series

F…

Having to plug in your phone every time to sit down to work, every time you head off to sleep, or every time that low battery warning chimes is as annoying as it is outdated. Ditch your cables and quit wearing out your phone’s charging port by getting yourself a handy wireless charger. It’s easier than ever now that more wireless chargers are switching to USB-C so you can stick to one cable.

Cool and compact

Anker PowerWave 15 Pad

Staff pick

$40 at Amazon

This Qi charger can output 15W for the few devices that support it right now, plus 10W/7.5W/5W for everyone else as supported. It’s a sleek look and powered by USB-C rather than Micro-USB.

Best for Galaxy

Samsung Wireless Charger Duo Pad

$67 at Amazon
$68 at Best Buy

This is the perfect charger for those invested who have a Galaxy smartwatch. The pad will also support 7.5W for iPhones and standard 5W charging on top of 10W charging for Galaxy phones.

Affordably futureproof

Yootech 15W Metal Fast Wireless Charging …

School is a dangerous environment for most tools and tech, but none more so that phones. Phones are essential items in a phone, always in arm’s reach but often bumped, dropped, or banged in the hustle and bustle of changing classrooms or running to meet up with friends at lunch. Phone grips have been a lifesaver for me and my slim fingers, and considering how affordable these ones are, they’re well worth the investment.

Pop-ular and adaptable

Swappable PopGrips by PopSockets

Staff pick

Swappable PopSockets support wireless charging when you twist off the PopTop while still allowing you a better grip, a larger range of motion, and a flash of style for your phone. These also come in a bevy of pop culture character designs, like The Child from The Mandalorian.

$15 at Amazon
From $10 at PopSockets

Stylish slide grip

Speck GrabTab

Speck’s phone grip is the size of a credit card, comes in dozens upon dozens of styles, and is easy to keep a precise grip on. Best of all, since th…