Smart phones seem to be getting bigger and bigger these days. With phones like the HTC EVO and the Droid X out there sporting 4.3” screens, you can be hard-pressed to find a third party mount that fits. Arkon hopes it has the solution.
With phones pulling all kinds of duties now such as mp3 player, GPS, and car phone, owners are hard pressed not to buy a mount. Unfortunately, with the luxurious sizes that these large phones offer, these mounts are being offered with subsequently luxurious prices. Enter Arkon’s Universal Mega Grip Holder. Bulleted as the super phone solution, this gigantic mount may be what super-users have been waiting for. Let’s find out!
Since Arkon’s goal here is value, it’s good to see that everything arrived in good condition regardless of the inexpensive packaging. The four units being reviewed today will be their Windshield Mount Kit w/ Universal Cradle (SM410), their Friction Dash Mount w/ Universal Cradle (SM412), their 15” Flexible Gooseneck/Floor Mount w/ Universal Cradle (SM425), and their Sports Armband (SMARMBAND). All units came in plastic bags with stapled cardboard labels at the top (think old-style candy packages). Within each package, the parts were individually wrapped and kept everything free of scratches.
As I open up the packages, a smart trend becomes quite apparent. Everything within the packages is interchangeable. With each package you get a base kit to get you started, and then some unique items that gives each package its flavor. The main piece is the phone holder itself. Although plastic-y and cheap at a glance, when you pick up the grip, it feels sturdy and stable. The concept is that any phone that fits into the grips arms can be clamped in and mounted. Although simple, the execution is satisfyingly polished. I just set my droid on the adjustable feet and cinch the arms together with my fingers. Voila! It’s mounted. To release the phone, you just press the button down below, and the grip releases. In my tests, I was always able to easily reach all of the phone’s ports.
On the backs on the grips, there is another Arkon patent: The Double-T Slot. This clever design choice allows the grip to attach securely to any of the available Arkon mounting solutions, a gooseneck, a suction pad, anything! Again, I was worried at first, but Arkon’s design really shines here and feels very secure.
Sure, the grips are cool, I’m impressed, but they are absolutely useless if we have no good ways to mount them! Fortunately, Arkon has us covered. From their thick product manual, Arkon has asked me to take a look at what I would think would be their four most popular mounts. The suction mount, I believe, is easily the most versatile. Arkon definitely got it right in this arena. With this mount, you can attach the grip via the T-Slot mechanism described above, and then attach it not only to glass or another flat surface, but also to the friction pad, an adhesive coaster type pad for on a dashboard or desk, or pretty much anything else you can think of. Arkon’s well thought out versatility is apparent in this function.
The Vent Mount included in the package is a welcome bonus. As advertised, it securely locks on to your car’s AC vents and lets the grip attach via those same T-Slots. The only thing I would improve here is rubberizing the clips to prevent side to side slippage, although none was apparent.
Moving down the list, the gooseneck mount is probably one of the first mounts I have seen that actually got me thinking creatively. There are honestly a ton of different applications this could be used for. First off, the build quality is superb. Flex is minimal, not like those cheesy microphone goosenecks I was so worried this would replicate, but a quality, sturdy, useful gooseneck that could be used nearly anywhere. Arkon facilitates this creative intuition by providing two multi-purpose bases that can be used with the gooseneck itself. One is a screw on base that can either attach to the gooseneck at a 90 or 180 degree angle, and the other has a 90 degree half-moon that can be attached to a seat bolt, or pretty much any other bolt for that matter. I can see this being incredibly useful in a small car such as a Honda S2000 where there is not much console or dash space, and this could just sit next to the seat, or in a tech station set up, seeing as how you can bolt it in virtually anywhere! At the top of the gooseneck is the same T-Slot adapter that allows any of Arkon’s grips to attach.
If you have some extra dash space, don’t like permanent installations, or just find yourself switching between vehicles often, then the friction mount might be for you. As I mentioned above, the regular suction mount actually attaches to the friction pad. The design is actually pretty slick. I popped in my Droid X and had the mount holding firm at upwards of 45 degree angles and still accepting button and screen presses with little flex. Now of course there is a little rocking movement when using this solution, but the base did not move from its original placement. For people that want that extra protection, Arkon bundles a little security hook that sticks to a surface and attaches to a loop on the front of the friction pad. I could see this being useful beyond a standard car usage for hunters using a GPS, or even golfers to mount a range finder in a golf cart.
Finally, Arkon sent me their Armband holster to try out alongside their other units. Unfortunately, the armband does not even come close to fitting my Droid X as it appears to be designed for an iPhone-sized device which is similar in dimension to my screen alone. A rather odd mishap. I did pick up a first-gen Moto Droid for testing sake and am happy to report that the screen is very responsive underneath the clear plastic layer. I did not notice any loss of responsiveness or accuracy which is definitely a good sign, but that it still doesn’t fit the subject phone is a rather humorous drawback in the context of this Super-phone Mount Review Series.
All in all I am very pleased with the product I have looked at from Arkon. I came into this assignment skeptical of their build quality and came out a believer, Arkon is definitely in the game, and Arkon is seriously competing in the Gigundo Phone space. I did not notice any defects or weaknesses in my testing, and would easily trust my Droid in one of these mounts. I am impressed by the versatility of Arkon’s collection, and would not hesitate to recommend them to my friends, much less a loyal TalkAndroid reader! Check out their new Flash site for the product HERE.Or, if you are interested in possibly getting one of these mounts for free, check out the contest at TalkAndroid.