Joe Fedewa has been writing about technology for over a decade. Android and the rest of the Google ecosystem have been a focus for years, as well as reviewing devices, hosting podcasts, filming videos, and writing tutorials.
Joe loves all things technology and is also an avid DIYer and food blogger. He has written thousands of articles, hundreds of tutorials, and dozens of reviews.
Before joining How-To Geek, Joe worked at XDA-Developers as Managing Editor and covered news from the Google ecosystem. He got his start in the industry covering Windows Phone on a small blog, and later moved to Phandroid where he covered Android news, reviewed devices, wrote tutorials, created YouTube videos, and hosted a podcast.
From smartphones to Bluetooth earbuds to Z-Wave switches, Joe is interested in all kinds of technology. After several years of jailbreaking and heavily modifying an iPod Touch, he moved on to his first smartphone, the HTC DROID Eris. He’s been hooked ever since.
I’m admittedly very much a Phone Guy, but my love for smartphones hasn’t translated to a love for accessories. However, there’s one particular accessory that I’ve become very attached to, and I never would have expected it.
I started using a magnetic wallet on my Galaxy S22 back in 2022. It was one of only two accessories I purchased that year, the other being a MagSafe-compatible case. The magnetic wallet was never intended to replace my “real” wallet, but four years later, it’s nearly a dealbreaker if I can’t use it with a phone.
I’m more minimalist than I thought
Started small—went even smaller
Originally, I bought the magnetic wallet as a more compact alternative to my regular wallet to keep in my SPIbelt while running. I already needed to carry my phone and car keys, so the magnetic wallet just simplified things. It was more organized than loose cards and easier than slipping them inside a tight-fitting phone case.
I should mention that my regular wallet at the time was already pretty minimal. It was the same wallet I use today—a Herschel Charlie. At max capacity, I’ll have maybe five cards and some cash in my wallet. When I first started using the magnetic wallet, I would swap in my primary credit card and driver’s license from my main wallet, then return them after my run. That was the plan, at least.
Pretty quickly, I realized that I didn’t really need more than those two cards in my daily life. Very rarely do I leave the house and use cash or some specialty card. I’ve been able to move almost all of those secondary cards—Costco membership, library card, loyalty cards, etc—to Google Wallet. If I really wanted to push it, I could probably leave the house with only my driver’s license.
ESR Magnetic Wallet (HaloLock)
Making life easier for my ADHD brain
Fewer things to remember is always a bonus
The magnetic wallet made me realize how little I truly needed to carry, but that’s not why it’s so important to me. Having my wallet on my phone means that my daily essentials are always together and can fit in one pocket.
It’s nearly impossible for me to leave the house and forget my phone—can’t say the same for my wallet. My phone is almost always with me, and if it’s not, it’s probably on a charger. In other words, I always know where it is.
On the other hand, my wallet doesn’t have a “final resting place,” if you will. I might take it out of my pocket as soon as I enter the front door. Maybe I put it on the nightstand before getting in bed. Or the end table in the living room when I was getting comfy for a movie. I don’t want to be frantically checking all these spots when I’m heading out the door.
Literally sticking those two things together means I never have to worry about where they are. Even if I do happen to lose my phone, I can find it much easier than I can find my wallet (thanks, Find Hub). It’s simply one less variable, and I need fewer variables in my life.
Google Pixel 10
$729
$799
Save $70
- Brand
-
Google
- SoC
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Google Tensor G5
- Display
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6.3-inch Actua OLED, 20:9
- RAM
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12 GB RAM
- Storage
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128 GB / 256 GB
Why can’t I always use it?
Deviating from standard phones comes with unintended consequences
With all this lovey-dovey talk about magnetic wallets, you’re probably wondering why I can’t use one all the time. You’d be right in thinking most phones these days either have a MagSafe-equivalent built-in or MagSafe-compatible cases. However, some of the most interesting phones these days are smaller than a credit card.
I’ve been experimenting with a few different Android phones lately. First, I returned to the Moto Razr 2025—even spent a weekend only using the external display. After that, I wielded a physical keyboard with the Unihertz Titan 2 Elite for a while. Now, I’m back to the flip phone life, but this time with the Samsung Galaxy Flip 7. All three of these devices are too small for my magnetic wallet.
It’s an unfortunate situation because I truly enjoy these smaller form factors. We all have our own quirks and preferences when it comes to phones, and this is just one of mine. I’m fully aware that this is a very small, somewhat silly problem to have. I never thought a wallet would matter this much to me.
Joe Fedewa
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