Just as you dress yourself in layers, you should dress your Treo in layers. We'll begin with the base, and that's a good screen protector. There are many styles from which to choose, from self-adhesive, to under the edge, one-time use, and reusable. There are even some out now that cover not just the screen, but the back and sides of your Treo.

You might want to consider something like E-grips on your next layer. E-grips protect your peace of mind, as well as your Treo. With E-grips, you'll never worry that a naked Treo will slip from your grasp, or slide too easily from a table top.

Of course, the best protection is a good case. Cases for your Treo are as diverse as your taste and needs. You can now find them in virtually any color, and fabricated from the simple to the space-age. There are cute little frufru bags, that won't provide much protection but will match your shoes; there are hard cases that can withstand 100 lbs. of pressure and are completely waterproof; and everything imaginable in between. Leather, skin, aluminum, vertical, horizontal, with belt clip, with belt loop…if you can imagine it, you can find it. Check the Treo accessories forum and see what other mytreo.net members are using.

Outside of a case and screen protector, I think the single most important accessory is an SD memory card. Buy the biggest one you can afford, because you will eventually run out of space. Watching movies and listening to music on your Treo frees you from carrying an iPod or similar device, and the bigger your SD card, the larger your media selection. You can also take all those old family photos out of your wallet now, because you'll want to store them all on your Treo. Of course, if you're actually using your Treo for business, the SD card is the perfect place to save your important documents, spreadsheets, and powerpoint presentations. Another perusal of the accessories forum will show you several threads comparing SD card speeds and general Treo compatibility.

At the same time you get your SD card, you may want to go ahead and get a card reader. They are relatively inexpensive (some as low as $3.00!), and make installation and file manageability super fast. There are always software alternatives, such as PFB or CardExport, but a card reader is definitely the best method. Another way to avoid the need for a card reader is to purchase the magnificently designed SanDisk Ultra II SD PLUS Secure Digital Card which using a unique mechanism "snaps" in half to provide a USB connector that will fit directly into any computer with a USB port - pure genius!

No matter how well protected your Treo, or how large an SD card you have, you'll be in deep kimchee if your battery dies. I recommend a charging cradle, and at least two spare sync/charge cables. I currently have one sync/charge cable at my desk at home, a cradle in the bedroom, a sync/charger at work, and a spare sync/charger in my computer bag. Personally, I try to stay away from the car chargers because the single prong plug just doesn't stay in well at all. The big heavy plug works best, and it's easy to take your sync/charge cable and use it in the car or in any wall socket with a few USB charging accessories. When one end plugs into the car, and the other into any USB cable, you can't go wrong. There are accessories like this for wall outlets, cars, airplanes, and even multi-purpose adaptors that have both a car charge tip and a wall outlet tip in the same unit!

If you still have some cash left at this point, you will definitely want to get a spare battery. There are times that it's just easier to pop in a new battery, and it takes up very little room. You just need to remember to keep your spare batteries charged. Of course, you can always get a battery charger or the kind of cradle with a battery charging compartment.

I very rarely take out my stylus, but there are times you simply have to use it (like when you have to do a soft reset). This being the case, a spare stylus is a good thing to have. And because not everyone is as technologically advanced as we Treo owners, the stylus with the built-in pen is a welcome addition.

If you're not completely bankrupt at this point, you can start looking at the nonessential accessories: Bluetooth headsets, GPS receivers, stereo headsets, car mounts, keyboards, and the list goes on. But I trust you have a good idea of what you'll need to get started, and know where to look for further help.

Happy accessorizing!

Related Links:

Treo accessories forum- discuss and share opinions on the best and worst Treo accessories.

Join the Discount Club and save up to 60% off all your Treo accessories and software purchases!

Visit mytreo.net/store for a huge range of Treo accessories.

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