Sometimes one gadget is all you need - for calls, GPS, MP3 and the web. And usually all those features can be neatly tied up in a smartphone.
Plus mobile cameras seem to be getting better with each new release, some even rivalling dedicated compacts.
But even with an impressive megapixel count on most smartphones and tablets, there is room for improvement.
Here’s a selection of camera accessories to squeeze a bit more from your back-pocket snapper.
Close up - iPhone 4 Eye Scope - £29.95 from www.red5.co.uk
When it comes to zoom, smartphones have a bit of catching up to do. But to get up close and personal without distortion, the answer is here, well for iPhone 4 users at least. This lens simply clicks on to your handset and with the included tripod, you can enjoy a whopping 8x optical magnification.
Face warp - Fisheye Pro Lens - £32.99 from www.firebox.com
Serving up another poke in the eye for cumbersome cameras is this quirky lens. It attaches to almost any mobile camera and gives your snaps a whole new dimension. Despite being only the size of a pencil sharpener, it packs well above its humble dimensions, distorting your images with a cool super-wide fisheye effect.
Old-school - Lomography Smartphone Film Scanner - £49.99 from www.firebox.com
Remember actual physical photographs? Take a trip down memory lane with this 35mm film scanner that allows you to develop your negatives as if in your very own dark room. Compatible with both iPhone and Android, scan your slides straight on to your phone and then upload them to the digital world. Plus some clever technology means you can create all manner of films, slideshows and panoramic productions.
Round and round - Kogeto Dot 360 iPhone Video - £44.99 from www.carphonewarehouse.com
This pocket-friendly accessory lets you take superb 360-degree video footage with ease on your iOS device - and it has the ability to share it online in moments. Just grab the gadget, download the free Looker app and you’ll be off filming a range of daily occurrences that you’d never normally bother with - it’s that much fun.
Still amazing - BubbleScope - £49.99 from www.bubblescope.com
Available for Android, iOS and Blackberry, this lens attachment gives you the ability to take panoramic shots of your surroundings in still and video. Grab the BubblePix app to capture the world around you and get sharing your ‘Bubbles’ on social networks, or print out amazing 360-degree pictures to put up in your abode - it’s a brilliant bit of kit.
Up and away - AR Drone 2.0 - £269.99 from www.flyinggadgets.com
This is one quite exceptional device - an ultra-stable quadricopter that takes minutes to master, and when it’s up in the air, it can take HD video and still shots. Control yours via a smartphone or tablet device with the use of the motion sensor or traditional on-screen arrows - you’ll be grinning all day while you play.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here