Spring into these great smartphone accessories

Your smartphone has become a digital Swiss Army Knife, of sorts, as it's also your camera, music player, navigation device, fitness tracker and much more. But you can get even more out of your beloved mobile device by picking up a clever accessory or two.

Oh sure, you're well aware of protective cases and Bluetooth headsets (yawn), but there are many other practical and fun ways to enhance your smartphone.

The following are a half-dozen worthy suggestions.

Music matters

Ideal for active types who don't want to be tethered to their smartphone, Powerbeats2 by Beats by Dr. Dre ($199.99) are a pair of Bluetooth-enabled headphones that can wirelessly connect to your device up to 30 feet away. The only cable connects the two earbuds together, worn behind the head and with integrated microphone if a call comes in, while an over-the-ear loop keeps the earbuds snugly in place. An integrated rechargeable battery yields up to six hours of play time between charges. Other features of this water- and sweat-resistant music companion: dual-driver acoustics for crisp sound and clear bass; five colors to choose from and an included hard-shell carrying case and charging cable.

Thanks for the memory

An ideal smartphone or tablet accessory – especially for devices you can't add more memory to, like iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy S6 and S6 edge – the SanDisk Connect Wireless Flash Drive emits a Wi-Fi signal, allowing up to eight devices to access content at the same time (and password-protected, if desired). After you load it up with files from your PC or Mac, unplug it and take it to go – now press the silver button and you can access everything via the free SanDisk app for iOS and Android, or any computer. Reduce the "Are we there yet?" from the backseat as kids can now watch or listen to what they want on their own device, simultaneously (up to three for streaming video). A 32GB microSD card is included, but you can swap it out for one with more memory, if you like. The regular price is $59.99, but SanDisk's wireless USB drive currently on sale for $39.99.

What's your type?

Smartphone owners need not bring a laptop with them if they have work to do. Instead, bring along Microsoft's compact Universal Foldable Keyboard ($99.95). Available in July, this ultra-thin, lightweight and clamshell companion unfolds to a full-sized QWERTY keyboard, and can be simultaneously paired via Bluetooth with two mobile devices – be it an iPhone, iPad, Android device, Windows phone or tablet. Crank through sales reports, lengthy emails and documents – and when you're done, simply close it to turn it off, fold it up and toss it into a pocket, purse, briefcase or backpack.

Power play

While some portable battery packs are bulky or expensive, the PowerSkin Recharge 5000 ($39.99) is a small, lightweight and versatile 5000-milliamp (mAh) charger that can juice up many different kinds of smartphones and tablets (even two at the same time). In fact, it houses an integrated "male" USB cable and microUSB cable, as well as three "female" USB ports: two full-sized and a microUSB for charging up the battery (cable included). Four LED lights tell you how much life is left in this charger before you need to top it off from a computer or AC outlet (adaptor required). If ordered on the company website, you can also choose a free Ink'd custom design for the outside of your case or design your own.

Have a ball

Sphero 2.0 (from $129.99) is an app-controlled robotic toy that rolls around the floor, lights up in different colors and can be used to play more than two dozen (mostly free) games and activities downloadable from the App Store or Google Play. Using Bluetooth to control the waterproof ball up to 100 feet away, apps range from zombie-smashing adventures and racing challenges to a golf simulation and "augmented reality" games that also use your mobile device's camera to overlay virtual info onto the real world around you. As a bonus, two ramps are included in the box, along with an "induction" charging station (just place the ball on the cup to power up).

Lay me some skin

Why should your smartphone look like everyone else's? Instead, decorate your device with high-quality skins from Nuvango.com (from $15.00) that affix to the back of your favorite gadget – a smartphone, tablet, ebook reader, laptop or video game console and controller – to give them some unique flare. You can also download free, matching wallpaper to display behind your phone, tablet or laptop's icons. A percentage of each sale goes to the artist, plus you can upload your own design to create a custom, one-of-a-kind skin – such as a family photo, sports team logo, favorite artist and more. (In fact, artists can sell their wares here, too.)

Follow Marc on Twitter: @marc_saltzman. E-mail him at techcomments@usatoday.com.