Appletell reviews the Just Mobile Xtand Go

Product: Car cradle for iPhone
Developer: Just Mobile
Minimum Requirements: iPhone or GPS device
Price: $39.99
Availability: Now

If you have a GPS app for your iPhone, you’d better have a way to hold your iPhone for optimal reception and viewing. That means you need a cradle (no, the cup holder is not good enough). Just Mobile has a solution that you may find to be what you were looking for.

The JustMobile car cradle is not too different from other iPhone car cradles. That’s not to say that it can’t distiguish itself from the pack, though. Its small design comes apart to fit in a bag or to be stored somewhere in your car other than on your windshield. That’s something many car cradles can’t do. This design also makes it universal. Yes,while its main usage will be for the iPhone, it’s technically a universal car cradle.

This happens thanks to the detachable cradle portion. You can swap it out with a simple glue-free sticker, called a “Go Button,” that can be attached to pretty much any flat device. You could use it for a stand alone GPS unit, an iPod, or even a cassette player!

The cradle attaches to your windsheild with a suction cup, but you could also use one of those included Go buttons to semi-perminently afix it to your dashboard (or desk). After pushing the suction cup on and then twisting the tightening ring around it, you can attach the extension that holds this all together. This, also, is unique. It’s essentially a tube that twists, turns, and flips out. It’s a bit hard to explain, but that’s not going to stop me from trying.

Imagine 3 small cylindrical peices of plastic (think old fashion Carmex containers) attached together with hinges. The connections on either side of either peice are able to twist (in circles) and hinge open away from each other. This is very configurable. You can get your iPhone, in the cradle, to pretty much any orientation that you desire.

I have one problem with this device; the extension arm isn’t very long. I was really hoping for it be about twice as long as it currently is. While it works, you often are reminded of just how short this thing really is by not being able to go from portrait to landscape orientation without hitting the windshield, or at least mine. This problem is more pronounced on windshields that are more horizontal than most.

You could alleviate this problem by attaching the Xtand Go to your dashboard with a Go button, though not everyone likes to semi-perminantly attach anything.

Oh, and if you find the articulation points a bit too loose, there’s a built-in “dinky” tool to help you tighten them. It’s embedded in one of the sections of the extension arm. Nice touch.

Overall, the JustMobile car cradle is a great choice for many. It’s design is compact, functional and appealing. It will hold your iPhone right where you need it while driving. If being able to put a car cradle in a bag is a very appealing feature to you, then this might be the cradle for you. This cradle is also appealing to those who can’t live without a case. Otherwise, there are plenty of options out there at this price point, so I’d look around some more just to make sure.

Appletell Rating:

Buy the Just Mobile Xtand Go