2 Pixelsnap accessories I've used almost daily, and 3 I can't wait to try

The Pixel 10 has introduced me to the wonderful world of magnetic Magsafe accessories. Woops! I, of course, mean "Pixelsnap."

What differences could there really be between two methods of attaching magnets to your phone? The difference is a resounding ... not much.

Let's be honest, we're all calling it MagSafe. At least, I know I am.

While that's bad for Google's branding, it's great for people looking for accessories that snap onto the back of their phones.

Here are five of the accessories I found I had to buy, including some rather weird choices that I love anyway.

Magnetic car charger

This one's a little vanilla, but I absolutely couldn't live without my Pixel 10 Pro's car charger.

It's part of my car ritual now: Get in, check the mirror, plug in the dash cam, and pop my phone onto the charger.

Most of the time, it doesn't need the top-up, but that doesn't bother me; just knowing where it is is good enough for me.

It helps that Spigen's Cryomax charger is a doozy of a charger, too.

The magnet's strength is perfect. My phone has never tumbled off this charger, despite bumpy British B-roads, but it's not too strong that I struggle to take it off when I need to.

Wireless charging can create a lot of heat, and that's not a good thing if a phone is placed near a dashboard where it might soak up the sun's rays. That's why the Cryomax has a fan to keep your phone cool.

This is one of those accessories that I would buy again in a heartbeat if I needed to.

While there are plenty of cheaper options on the market, Spigen's Cryomax has earned my loyalty.

Spigen OneTap Pro 3 Cryomax

Weight
151g
Compatible Devices
MagSafe and PixelSnap devices

$30 at Amazon
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A handy battery pack

This is another slightly boring option, but it's a reliable workhorse that's earned a place in my pocket, bag, or whatever I'm leaving the house with.

I used to get bad battery anxiety, but that has largely been cured, thanks to larger batteries and more efficient hardware. Or was it because my job doesn't require me to leave my house? Could be either.

But when I do leave my house, I like to make sure my phone can make it to the end of the day. Thanks to Anker's range of magnetic power banks, I can be absolutely sure every time.

The concept is simple. Slap this power bank on the back of your phone, and it sticks there, charging it up as it goes.

The magnets are strong enough to keep the bank attached to your phone during its normal use, and while it's fairly thick, it's not enough to really disrupt your use.

I favor the Anker 321 MagGo model because it hit a sweet spot for me between power and affordability, but Anker has several models on offer.

For instance, if you want something a bit thinner, you can. Or, if you want more power, there are mighty 10,000mAh variants as well.

Personally, 5,000mAh is enough. It's not quite enough for a full charge, but since I usually only need it to get my phone back to a charging point, it doesn't need to be any bigger.

Anker 321 MagGo Battery (PowerCore 5K)

Battery Capacity
5,000mAh
Wireless Charging
Yes

$44 at Amazon
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This adorable charging hub with a cute robot face

How could I not include this adorable charging hub? I'm a sucker for anthropomorphized tech, so if you slap a face on your product, you can bet I'll be more likely to buy it.

The Ugreen Uno is one of my favorite pieces of tech. I love charging hubs.

Being able to keep all of my devices charged from one device is a dream, and I love it when hubs give me the option of charging my phone, earphones, and smartwatch all together.

But what sets this apart is its sweet little face. It changes whether your phone is charging or not, and I find it hard to resist for that reason alone.

What's holding me back from buying it? First is the fact I've just missed the Black Friday sales, so I'm waiting for the Boxing Day or New Year's sales before taking the plunge.

But, there's also the fact that I've found Ugreen products to be a little unreliable in my time using them. But, their returns policy is excellent, and I've never been left with a bad product for long.

Will I be buying the Uno because it's a useful product that would benefit my life? Yes — but I'm also buying it because it has an adorable face.

Ugreen Uno Qi2 Certified 15W Wireless Charger Stand

See at Amazon
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A game controller

An underrated aspect of most smartphones is how powerful they are.

If you're over 30, like me, you probably remember your glory days of gaming on the PS2 or Xbox 360.

What's astounding to old people like me is that your smartphone is likely far more powerful than both of those home consoles put together.

So why not put that power to good use?

I've not generally been a fan of game controllers on smartphones. One way or another, it always feels a little clunky.

You either have to use a clamp, which always seems to purposefully cover the power or volume keys, or you need to find a way to prop your phone up as a display while you use a separate controller.

It's so inelegant.

So when Abxylute debuted its M4 Snap-On controller, I knew I had to try it.

The theory is simple: The magnet attaches to the back of your phone, and the controller part connects by Bluetooth.

So whenever you want to game, you turn it on, attach the magnet, and you're good to go. Plus, it's small enough to fit in a pocket.

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What's the catch? It's not technically available yet, and will be finding its way to me via Kickstarter campaign.

All the usual issues with Kickstarter products apply here, though I will maintain that Abxylute is a solid company that has delivered products before.

Hopefully, this will be a banger when it arrives, but I'll have to wait until the new year to find out.

An e-reader

What's better than a phone with an e-reader app? A phone with an e-reader attached to the back!

This one's a little weird because, yeah, your phone has access to a number of e-reading apps. So why would you want an e-reader that magnetically attaches to the back of your phone?

Because it's really cool, that's why.

Phones are chock-full of distractions. They're built around notifications, and while getting away from those can be done, you're subconsciously still aware you can go back to doomscrolling at any moment.

An e-reader is the perfect solution to that problem, and there's no e-reader easier to have on you than one already attached to your phone.

At first glance, this seems perfect. But there are some caveats.

It'll only take certain e-book files like EPUB and PDF, and it doesn't have a touchscreen, so it needs to use the buttons.

You also need to hook it up to your computer to manually transfer files across. And finally, it's only really available from sources like AliExpress, which have long waiting times and potential quality issues.

But hey, I'm rolling the dice because it's such a cool concept. I'll be sure to let you know what it's like when I get it.