Have Fun with Your Phone with Retro Accessories and Free Apps

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By , dealnews contributor

Once upon a time a telephone sat upon a wall. Nowadays, we've cut the cord (and shortened the name) and our phones are mobile and have the processing power to accomplish a number of "smart" things. They can: take pictures, record voice messages, send and receive email, and entertain us for hours.

Smartphones are fun implements of tech-age diversion, as well as, uh, the thingy that also happens to make phone calls. In that spirit, we've found five deals that will bring out even more fun in your phone.

  1. iCam Camera Case for iPhone 4
    Price: $12.99 with $2.61 s&h
    Lowest By: $4

    Is It Worth It?: Want to outfit your ultramodern iPhone 4 in a retro style? This hard shell iPhone case looks like an old film camera and comes with a nick strap. The extendable lens also doubles as a practical support stand for landscape viewing. One caution: It's not clear what color you'll get when you order, but whether you receive a red, yellow, or black case, your iPhone will look picture worthy.

    Love the idea of a camera case, but want something sleeker? You can also try this Soft Silicone Camera Case for iPhone 4 ($1.99 with $2.08 s&h, a low by $1).

  2. Universal 3.5mm Retro Phone Handset
    Price: $14.99 via coupon code "R6L59P" with free shipping
    Lowest By: $3
    Expires: November 9

    Is It Worth It?: Ring, Ring! That's the 1950s calling. Available in black, pink, or yellow, this handset from Cellular Factory looks like the vintage phone receiver, but comes with noise-reducing technology for a crisp and polished sound, and a soft-touch finish for comfort and feel. We're also betting it weighs much less than the old handsets, too, which had more than a passing resemblance to barbells.

  3. HandHeldItems Sale on HTC Phone Accessories
    Discount: Up to 90% off plus an extra 20% off via coupon code "htc20phones"
    Shipping: Free shipping
    Expires: November 30

    Is It Worth It?: The folks at HandHeldItems are pulling out all the stops with this sale, which can net you a great discount on phone accessories on top of an already generous price slash. Make sure to enter the coupon code "htc20phones", and take advantage of the $1 HHI store credit with your purchase. A best bet is the chalkboard-like Graphic Case for HTC myTouch 4G (pictured) for just $3.31 after the coupon, which would be a hit with any teachers in your life.

  4. Stylus for iPhone / iPod with Anti-Dust Plug
    Price: 99 cents via coupon code "CJMX0Q" with free shipping
    Lowest By: $4
    Expires: November 7

    Is It Worth It?: Keep your fingers off the glass! Use this stylus to prevent fingerprints on your device. It keeps handy when not in use, as it attaches to the docking port. And the folks at Cellular Factory bet that since you're already using a stylus, you might also be the type to want to prevent any dust; the stylus is bundled with an anti-dust plug (pictured) that protects the data port of your device from both dust and water.

  5. iPhone App Freebies
    Price: Free
    Lowest by: $2

    Is It Worth It?: What better way to have fun with your phone than with a few free apps? dealnews lists a daily roundup of free apps, and some current hot offers include Fish Paradise (a virtual pet game), Fotoyaki and ClassicINSTA (photo software), and Muffin Knight (a delicious adventure game).

Lou Carlozo is dealnews' Green Dad columnist. He was most recently the managing editor of WalletPop.com, and before that a veteran columnist at the Chicago Tribune. Follow him on Twitter — @LouCarlozo63. You can also sign up for an email alert for all dealnews features.
DealNews may be compensated by companies mentioned in this article. Please note that, although prices sometimes fluctuate or expire unexpectedly, all products and deals mentioned in this feature were available at the lowest total price we could find at the time of publication (unless otherwise specified).

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3 comments
Lindsay Sakraida (DealNews)
Hi zanne101, I don't think anyone at dealnews has had the issue you've described... CellularFactory is a site owned by a Better Business Bureau accredited merchant, so perhaps it is just a browser-based problem like briantho suggested? 
November 4, 2011
briantho
I have used cellular factory before, however I have noticed one thing in particular about their site: It doesn't display correctly in any other browser besides IE. I have tried chrome and firefox with their site and both screw up the checkout page. Even with Internet Explorer, I have to use compatibility mode for it to load correctly. To be fair though aside from that big issue, I have ordered from them several times before, and they actually are a legit company. I have never had a order not go through, and the orders I have placed actually ship in a reasonable amount of time. However, The fact that the site only works well in IE, means that from a new customer standpoint, i could see it looking like a suspicious site.
November 4, 2011
zanne101
Re Cellular Factory (Universal 3.5mm Retro Phone Handset).  I went to the site to check it out, signed up.  Yesterday I got an email from them, clicked on it and before I even left my email screen a password was required.  Looked weird, so I tried to delete - I couldn't!  And I couldn't even close down my email acct or browser.  I had to force quit to get out of it.  This has never happened before. I put in a filter that they were to be deleted any time they sent an email from now on.  This site is very strange and I will never use them again.
November 4, 2011