You’ve got that new tech toy, now what?

A lot of people were thrilled to find a new tablet or smartphone under the tree. But now that they’ve played with them for a few days, they’re wondering how to get the most out of their new devices.

From keyboards to audio additions, the choices of accessories and apps can be dizzying, says Seattle-based tech expert Chris Pirillo of LockerGnome.com.

Regardless of the device, Pirillo says the first thing you should get is a good case to protect your prized possession. There are hundreds on the market, some providing virtually bulletproof protection, others acting as a combination case, carrier and even keyboard.

But make sure you try them out first rather than just buying something online. Many can be bulky, uncomfortable or in the case of a keyboard, downright painful.

“I prefer the Apple keyboard,” Pirillo says. “It’s got great action, your fingers aren’t uncomfortable and there’s a memory mapping even as your fingers sit atop the keyboard.”

Many people use their devices for music, but don’t realize they have far more choices than just ear buds or the tinny little built-in speakers. With a simple bluetooth connection, you can power one of a number of wireless speakers and stream your music collection or favorite service like Spotify or Rhapsody right from your phone or tablet anywhere you go. And you’ll be amazed at the quality. Among the most popular are the Jambox and the Soundfreaq Sound Kick, which features a rechargeable battery and retails for less than $100.

Pirillo’s favorite audio solution is a step up from the simple wireless speaker. It’s the Sonos, which is a dedicated streaming receiver that lets you use your device as a remote control to power superior quality wireless speakers from throughout the house or office. It plays nearly every service out there from Pandora to Spotify along with accessing your iTunes library.

“There’s a million and one of them out there with different sound quality and of course accommodating different budget ranges as well,” says Pirillo.

Most of us have ditched our dedicated cameras for the convenience of the ones built into our new devices. A number of photography accessories and apps can help make your picture taking even better.

Among the favorites these days are clip-on lens adapters like the OlloClip for iPhone. It greatly expands your choices with macro, fish eye and wide-angle to dramatically improve your photography.

Speaking of apps, with so many to choose from, it can be intimidating to venture very far from the front page of the Apple or Android app stores. Pirillo says taking the time to do some experimentation is well worth it.

“There’s so many things that can transform your smartphone and your tablet into a music machine even if you don’t know anything about music, a productivity machine. Don’t be afraid to experiment on installing different applications,” he says.

Pirillo produced a handy video showing off all the apps he runs on his iPad (many of which are also available for Android powered devices as well, not as many for Windows phones and tablets just yet,) which is a good place to start. Don’t just trust the so-called experts: He recommends chatting up people on their devices at the local coffee shop or other public place and ask them what they’re using and if you can try it. That way, you can easily find out if that killer app or accessory is right for you.

“The thing I recommend most is get out and get a hold of an accessory to see how it looks and it feels,” he says.” Generally speaking people are for the most part friendly sharing their accessories and you can get a real idea of the user experience.”