The Nexus 4 smartphone now finally out into the open, or almost out rather, given the way Google Play seems to be running out of stocks every second day. The release of every great phone is almost always followed up with a plethora of accessories built specifically for that device. In fact, with the Nexus 4, this may be one of those rare cases where the accessories are more freely available than the device itself.
Usually it’s the other way around, with good quality accessories being hard to find. That said, we thought it would be a good idea to list out a selection of top quality accessories for the Nexus 4, so that those who have been lucky enough to finally get the device into their hands do not have to go through the hassle of searching for accessories and then hunting for user reviews, buying them, and then realizing that maybe they could have gotten something better.
After all, every great phone, needs to have a complementing set of accesory/ies to go with it, and nothing like a one stop page which lists out the most sought after and useful accessories for this awesome device as a good reference point for folks looking to dress up their new baby. So without further ado, let’s have a look at some of the coolest and best add-ons available for the LG Nexus 4.
Screen Protectors
The Nexus 4 is covered on both the front, as well as the back with a solid layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 2. Under ordinary circumstances (read – ordinary phones) one may forego the screen protector, but you don’t want your shiny new Nexus 4 to go through even a teeny scratch. Here are a couple of good quality screen skins which will protect your Nexus 4 surface against daily use wear and tear.
ArmorSuit MilitaryShield
ArmorSuit MilitaryShield is a clear full body protection film which features exceptional clarity and UV protection to guard against yellowing. The unique think about this product is that it is made out of the same protective material which is used to coat military aircraft! Can’t get any tougher than that, can it? Considering the material holds up well even when the aircraft travels at Mach speeds, it should be good to protect your Nexus 4 surface when it zips away at similar speeds thanks to that quad-core muscle inside.
And what’s more, ArmorSuit MilitaryShield comes with self-healing technology which constantly works to eliminate minor scratches on the film, and is corrosion and moisture resistant, and also protects against damage from paints, metals, plastics and rock. The ArmorSuit Military shield is available for $12.95 from Amazon and includes a Lifetime Replacement warranty.
Not the cheapest of screen protection options, but definitely a solid product.
Get the ArmorSuit MilitaryShield
invisibleSHIELD by Zagg
Zagg products need no introduction and are perhaps the most widely used and reliable screen/full body protection solutions you can get if you’re not a fan of a full case which conceals the design of your device. And with the Nexus 4, it would be a shame to actually hide that gorgeous glass covered reflective back panel behind a case.
The invisibleSHIELD also has its origins in the military, where it was used to protect high-speed helicopter blades from dust, dirt and debris. The Maximum Coverage shield gives protection for the front, back panel and even all four sides of the phone. And like with all Zagg invisibleSHIELD products, this one too carries a lifetime replacement warranty, (lifetime of the device) and a 45-day money back guarantee.
It does come in a bit pricey at 24.99€, but is well worth the money spent. After all, you did get a solid deal getting it from Google Play, didn’t ya?
Get the invisibleSHIELD by Zagg
Mpero Privacy Screen Protector
Here’s another cool, useful and inexpensive screen protector, that comes with a handy twist. The Mpero Privacy screen protector comes with a tint, which only allows the person looking at the screen head-on to actually be able to see what’s on it. Any prying eyes trying to get a peek at what’s on that gorgeous display, particularly when you are commuting via public transport, would just see a dark screen making it look like the display is off.
Now that is sure to get people thinking that you’re probably nuts, typing away on a blank screen, but what do they know, right. The Mpero Privacy screen protector comes in at a little under $5, so it’s definitely worth getting a couple of spare ones, at least for the laughs on the train ride back home, if not for anything else.
Get the Mpero Privacy Screen Protector
Bumpers
If you don’t want the added bulk of a full fledged case on your Nexus, but still want some basic physical protection against daily use wear and tear, including the accidental drop or bumps, then bumper cases are a good option to go for. While choosing a good bumper case, it is important to look for two things, one — whether the material feels good and sturdy, and two — whether it blends in with the design and colors of you device.
A gaudily colored bumper on a suavely designed phone sticks out like a sore thumb. And here’s the best option we could find for your Nexus 4,
Official Nexus 4 Bumper from Google
This is the official Nexus 4 bumper case, right from Google and is available on the Google Play Store. You’re going to have to keep trying your luck though, as these are blazing out of stock as fast as the Nexus 4 phones are on Google Play. Available in black, the Nexus 4 bumper case is currently priced at $19.99. This nifty bumper case should make your Nexus 4 more resistant to damages bought about by accidental drops and bumps. And considering it is the official accessory, there is no doubt that it will blend in just perfectly with the colors and design of your Nexus 4.
Get the Official Nexus 4 Bumper case
Car Mounts
Using a phone while driving can be a testy affair, not to mention downright dangerous, and against road laws in most countries. A car mount kit offers a safe and stable solution for still being able to use your phone without any distractions while driving.
Finding the right mount though, can be a slightly harrowing affair as a lot of mounts are advertised and sold as universal, only for the user to realize later that his phone does not fit quite right as expected. We’ve selected a couple of useful solutions here that would make a good match for the Nexus 4 and also look good inside your car.
Arkon Weighted “Friction Style” Dash Mount & Holder
Arkon is one of the leading providers of mounting solutions for mobile devices. The Arkon Weighted friction-style car dash mount is designed keeping safety in mind, with a safety lop sewn into the backside of the mount. It also includes a plastic hook that can be locked on to your dash, thus ensuring that your phone is mounted on a stable and unmoving mount, despite any speed bumps you encounter on the way.
The package also includes a mini-windshield mount attachment which can be used to mount your phone on the windshield if you prefer an uncluttered dash. The Arkon weighted Friction Dash Mount is available for $25.75.
Get the Arkon Weighted Friction Dash Mount
Flex Vehicle Charger and Car Mount with Additional USB Port
Here’s another excellent and particularly useful car mount solution for your Nexus 4. The Flex Vehicle charger and car mount holds your Nexus 4 in place, while charging it at the same time too. The unit is sturdy, and the flexible gooseneck stand allows for 360° rotation for easy access to the display, and can be locked at a particular angle that you prefer.
The kit features padded side grips and a push button for quick-release should you want to unmount the accessory. The best part about this mount kit is that it includes an additional USB charging port which allows a secondary device to be charged simultaneously. The Flex Vehicle charger and mount kit is available for $21.95.
Get the Flex Vehicle Charger and Car Mount
Bikemate Slim Case 3
If you want to make your contribution to the environment by not using fuel-consuming vehicles, and prefer to bike it out to work or college, then the Bikemate Slim Case 3 is the perfect accessory for your Nexus 4. A universal bike handlebar mount, the Bikemate Slimcase 3 works with most smartphones and mobiles, even with external cases put on. The mount includes a tight and solid feeling foamex bag which will keep your Nexus 4 free of dust and spotless clean all through your bike ride.
Cases and Covers
Flip Cases
Flip cases are an excellent way to cover your Nexus 4 from all sides and add an element of style when the front flicks open to reveal that dazzling display. Flip cases usually come in leather or faux-leather materials, and are usually give a more formal or business-like appearance to your device. And we’ve gone ahead and found a couple of those for you, which combine elegance with functionality adding to that distinctly premium look of the Nexus 4
Poetic HardBack Nexus 4 Case
Poetic has been extremely popular with the awesome cases it has turned out for the Nexus 7. Slightly different from the usual vertical flip case, the Poetic hardback case for the Nexus 4 features a right to left flip cover, much like a book, and a hard back panel. The Nexus 4 snaps into the case comfortably, and with a satisfying click. The ultra thin and hard plastic based back panel provides adequate protection to the back panel of the Nexus 4, while the soft microfiber based interior lining offers anti-slip and scratch protection for the screen.
The other useful thing about the Poetic flip case is that it also acts as a landscape-oriented spin out stand which can be pretty useful while you are catching up on that TV show you missed last night. In the closed state, case completely covers the Nexus 4 and protects it against most bumps and scratches.
The case typically costs around $20, but Poetic has been known to slash prices big time during the pre-order period, which is currently on till December 10th. If you order one now, it’s just gonna cost you a mere $4.95. Hit the link below to reserve one for your Nexus 4.
Get the Poetic Hardback Flip Case
Poetic Slimbook Leather Case
Another good looking flip folio case from Poetic, the Slimbook Leather case is a much more formal version of the Poetic hardback case we listed earlier. As you can see above, this is definitely not for those who want to flaunt a casual look. More of a road warrior case, if we may say so. The inside of the front cover has slots for your credit cards, visiting cards, and ID cards.
And it also lets you prop the Nexus 4 up in landscape mode if you want to catch up on some videos. While these cases are all made of faux-leather, they still feel extremely well made, and the material has a premium feel to the touch. All the cutouts for ports are very neatly and precisely done.
You can pre-order this executive look Slimbook case for just $4.95. You’re gonna have to rush though, before Poetic starts normalizing prices and clocks the tag back to $17.
Get the Poetic Slimbook Leather case
Rugged Case
If you are the more outdoors type, and have recently managed to grab a Nexus 4, the standard TPU back covers, or folio cases may not be solid enough to sustain a rougher outdoors environment. What you need is some extra sturdy and rugged protection for your smartphone, which can come only with a rugged outdoors case.
Otterbox makes some of the best all-round solid protection cases for smartphones but have not released anything yet specifically for the Nexus 4. But we’ve managed to find a couple of alternatives that should work pretty well till the big brands release something that is more to your taste.
Ionic Guardian Armor Case
This could possibly be the first rugged case that is out for the Nexus 4. As you can see above it does look rugged, and pretty decently so. The corners are reinforced to protect against accidental drops on corners and the cutouts for the camera lens and flash as well all the ports are neat and precise.
Ionic also says that that back is removable, which means you should be able to swap between different colored back plates easily, as and when they are made available. The case is constructed using hard reinforced plastic, with a rubberized exterior which provides a firm grip and prevents accidental slips that butter fingered folks are prone to.
At $9.85 if you pre-order it now, it is a steal over the normal price of $39.85 when it releases. So if you are keen on getting a solid outdoors case, go ahead and hit the link below to pre-order the Ionic Guardian Armor case for your Nexus 4
Pre-order the Ionic Guardian Armor Case
Protective Back Cover
A clear protective film and a sleek back cover goes a long way in providing protection against day-to-day usage without disturbing the inherent looks and design of the device. Personally, I love LG’s design of the back panel, especially that reflective subtle matrix-like effect, but if you are not a fan of the reflective back panel of the Nexus 4, nothing better than a sleek back cover to protect that lovely glass coated back. Here are a couple of great back you could go for.
SF Matte Navy-Rearth Ringke SLIM Premium Hard Case
A slim and sleek, minimalist design protective back cover, the Rearth Ringke SLIM Premium Hard Case is a great back cover protector for your Nexus 4. The slim design preserves the sleek look and feel of the Nexus 4, while providing adequate protection against most bumps and scratches. The open top and bottom design also allows for easy access to all of the ports on the device, while still covering all the corners.
This is a single piece case, which has a premium soft-feeling exterior despite being a hard case. And the matte finish makes sure that your device does not look too shiny and glossy. The Rearth SLIM Premium Hard Case is available for $9.99, which is a pretty good price for a good looking and sturdy back case as this.
Get the Rearth Ringke SLIM Premium Soft-touch Hard Case
i-Blason SoftGel Flexible TPU Case
And if you prefer a softer feel to the back case than the standard hard case for your nexus 4, then i-Blason’s SoftGel Flexible TPU case is a good option. It looks good, is made of soft gel TPU and is designed specifically for the Nexus 4, which means that all ports will be accessible without having to take the case off.
The front raised edges protect the screen when the phone is kept face-down by raising it slightly, and the anti-slip properties provide a better grip when the phone is placed on a smooth surface. No accidental sliding off. The i-Blason SoftGel TPU case is available in Black, Frost Clear and Pink, and can be had for $9.95. So take your pick at the link below.
Get the i-Blason SoftGel TPU case
Proporta Google Nexus 4 Leather Pouch
If you’re looking at a simple, but elegant looking slip out pouch case for the Nexus 4, the Proporta Leather Pouch makes for a pretty good looking accessory. Made from fine leather, and featuring an aluminum lining for added toughness to protect against accidental bumps and scratches, the Proporta leather pouch also has a pull tab for easy access to your device. Plus there is a lifetime exchange warranty included. Not bad for $28.
Get the Proporta Leather Pouch case
Black Leather Nexus 4 Clutch
This one is for all the ladies who may prefer a classic clutch case for the Nexus 4. It can be kept inside your purse, or even on its own with the wrist band that’s attached. The pouch also included slots for identification and credit cards. If you feel that the wrist strap keep getting in the way, it is easily removable. The clutch pouch also has a snap-in button on the front which makes sure that your Nexus 4 does not accidentally slide out of the pouch once closed. If you have a thing for clutches, grab one now for $9.99 while the discounts are high.
Get the Nexus 4 Wallet Black Clutch
Battery Charging Solutions
The Nexus 4 has an embedded battery, which means that it can’t be swapped put for a freshly charged spare battery while you’re on the move. To counter that, one of the features LG packed into this wonderful device is wireless charging capability, which lets you charge the LG Nexus 4 by simply placing it on the surface of an accessory which supports wireless charging. And if you still prefer to charge it the old fashioned way, we’ve put together a set of handy accessories that will prove more than useful when you;re running out of juice on the move.
PowerGen Mobile Juice Pack
The Powergen Mobile Juice Pack is a powerful 5200 mAh high capacity battery pack which is perfect for emergency charging while you’re on the move. It is slim, sleek and tiny enough to carry in your pocket. All you need to do is charge it before you leave your home, and carry the USB charging cable for the Nexus 4 along. When your device starts running out of juice, just connect it to the Powergen Juilce Pack via the USB cable and turn the pack on to charge your Nexus 4.
The Powergen Mobile Juice Pack includes a Grade A LG Cell and an LED indicates the charge level. You can also use it as a flashlight for upto 250 hours once fully charged. The battery pack can be recharged using the same USB charging cable that works for most cell phones. At $29, it’s quite a handy accessory to have on your person especially when you are travelling long distance and may not have a charging port available at hand.
Get the Powergen Mobile Juice Pack
Energizer Single Position Inductive Charger
We all know that the Nexus 4 supports wireless charging, and are eagerly awaiting the official release of that cool looking Nexus orb charger for it. The interesting bit here is that LG decided to incorporate the Qi standard for wireless charging into the handset, which means that the Nexus 4 will work with any Qi-enabled wireless charging solution, and not just one which is designed specifically for the device.
And it so happens that Energizer, the market leader in battery solutions has a Qi-enabled wireless charger that simply works too well with the Nexus 4. All you need to do is simply place the Nexus 4 on the Energizer charging pad, and voila! This is relatively new tech, and so it can’t be expected to come cheap.
Still, $47 is not a bad deal for being able to show off all this super-cool stuff that your Nexus 4 can do.
Get the Energizer Single Position Inductive Charger
The Wireless Charging Orb
The much publicized Wireless charging orb, that looks like a Nexus Q sliced off in the center, is yet to be made official by Google. And there are no pricing details, rumored or otherwise, available as yet. But whenever it does come out, this will be a must-have accessory for the Nexus 4. If not for anything else, but for pure brag value. Wireless charging just couldn’t get cooler! And of course, we’ll be keeping our antennae tuned in for this semi-spherical accessory, and will keep you updated as we pick up signals.
Miscellaneous Accessories
SlimPort HDMI Adapter
We hope you are aware that with Android 4.2, Google introduced Miracast support which would let you mirror the content on your phone or tablet screen to a Miracast enabled HDTV, and watch those videos you captured on a larger screen. If you don’t have a Miracast box, or a Miracast enabled TV, all you need to do is use this nifty little SlimPort HDMI adapter to be able to achieve the same effect. Yes, the Nexus 4 micro USB port is SlimPort compatible, and you can get the adapter from Analogix for $30.
Earbuds
More often than not, the earbuds that are bundled with the phone are mediocre at best. And if you happen to be an audiophile, with an extensive collection of lossless music files that you love carrying along with you, then a set of quality earbuds is a must-have accessory. And since the Nexus 4 uses the standard 3.4 mm audio output jack, there are a variety of high quality earbuds to choose from, depending upon how much you are willing to spend. We’ve listed out a few good ones for you, and tried to cover a reasonable broad pricing range.
JBuds J6 High Fidelity Ergonomic Earbuds – $40
High quality earbuds with unparalleled audio fidelity, the JBuds J6 set includes Kevlar reinforced cable with a 24 karat gold-plated jack. An ultra-slim and soft rounded shape provides ergonomical comfort and you get 7 extra cushions to choose from to get that perfectly snug in-ear fit.
Klipsch Image S4A In-ear Headphones for Android with Inline Microphone – $75
Klipsch is a a top-end manufacturer of audio equipment and has been producing tome high-quality earbuds optimized for use with Android devices. Klipsch has combined their expertise in audio engineering and headset design into an Android app that allows you to control the sound on your device as you prefer it.
The Klipsch Image S4A also comes with a microphone, which can pick up your voice without ever having to raise a finger to get it close to your mouth. The Klipsch app lets you configure what the physical mic button does, as well as allows to customize a variety of settings for calls and alerts. if you’re looking for a set of quality in-ear headphones, may as well look towards something specially designed for your device.
Sennheiser CX200 Twist-to-Fit Earbuds – $21.95
Sennheiser is another regarded name in audio equipment. And the Sennheiser CX200 earbuds do pretty well to live up that reputation. The innovative twist-to-fit feature makes sure that you have the best in-ear fit to enjoy your favorite music and podcasts. The earbud set also takes advantage of Sennheiser’s high passive attenuation of ambient noise technology giving you virtually no disturbance caused due to ambient sound while plugged in. And for a shade under $22, it’s a pretty good buy.
Bose IE2 Audio Headphones – $89.95
If you are a discerning audiophile, and are demanding about your music as well as the equipment you use to enjoy it, Bose is no doubt a very familiar name to you. The Bose IE2 in-ear headphones combine advanced design and durable materials with that exacting, detail oriented audio quality that Bose has come to be known for. It’s pricey at almost $90, but then this isn’t your average conventional earbud, it’s a Bose.
So that more or less covers our recommendations on the accessories round up for the LG Nexus 4. While different users may have different needs and preferences, we have tried to cover most of the common accessory categories that people tend to look for post getting a new device.And there will also be users (like yours truly) who manage to do just fine with the accessories that come bundled with the device.
That said, this is definitely not an exhaustive list and in case you come across an interesting suggestion, feel free to drop us a line in comments below.
