Smartphones Increasingly Finding Use as Micro Entertainment Centers

Over the last three years, computing has taken a distinct turn towards mobility. The iPhone changed our perception of what mobile phones could do, with even more advanced models, both from Apple and competitors like Samsung and Nexus, again reshaping our opinions. Functions that were once an exclusive task of full-size computers began shifting to the phone, allowing users to enjoy their favorite movies, eBooks, and apps while on the go.

But with new devices like the iPad 2 and Galaxy Tab selling like hotcakes, the idea that our mobile phones should be media centers would appear to be tapering off. Most phones are small devices, far from their big-screened, ultra-comfortable tablet counterparts. But the reality is that more people than ever are using their phones as all-round centers for video watching, reading, and researching.

Part of this is possible because of the devices themselves, with almost all modern smartphones able to carry out the tasks we once expected of laptops and full-blown PCs. But part of it is due to many of the advanced cases available today for our phones, many of which allow users to set their phone on a desk, sit back, and enjoy video content without having to hold their phone in their hand.

iPhone 4S covers like the Kickstand make it all the more possible, bringing iPad-like functionality to the device through a change in the way it’s designed to be used. One of the iPad’s biggest selling points is its ability to ‘replace’ a notebook for media viewing. Simply by changing their phone’s case, iPhone users can experience the same type of external function in a device they already own.

Of course, being able to rest your phone on a table adds functionality beyond videos and full length movies – it expands a phone’s ability to act as a reader. The Amazon Kindle app, one of the most popular applications for both iPhone and iPad, is enhanced dramatically by the new reading angle made possibly by the Kickstand. Users can set their phone down and read as if they had a hardcover book in front of them, leaning back on its own against the table.

These dual function cases offer more than just added functionality for phones. They’re cases, and as such they’re designed to protect your phone from drops and dents. Just as Apple’s own brand of iPad cases are designed with protecting and enhancing the device, today’s top iPhone cases are tasked with making the device more versatile and with making it more physically durable.

Whether you’re packing an iPhone or a Razr, a Galaxy Nexus or a Blackberry, buying a new case for your phone isn’t just a matter of protecting it from scratches and damage, it’s a matter of giving it new functions. For easy entertainment, simple reading, and a new angle on a plethora of other apps, a Kickstand-style case can turn your phone into an all-round home media center.