Appletell reviews the Arkon IPM512 Mini Friction Dashboard Mount
by at August 27, 2010 9:27 am
Sections: iDevice Accessories, iPhone, iPhone/iPod touch/iPad, Reviews
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Provides: Windshield/Dashboard mounting system for iPhone
Developer: Arkon Resources, Inc.
Minimum Requirements:
Price: $19.95
Availability: Now
As more and more of us get iPhones, and as the hardware and software technology improves, the advantages of using them as GPS units continue to grow. You’ve already got the phone, after all, and the software isn’t too much more expensive, but how do you mount them in your car? Perhaps on your dashboard? Arkon Resources would you like you to consider that option with their IPM512 : Mini Friction Dashboard Mount.
This system is pretty easy to set up, as it’s meant to just be placed on your dashboard. The Travelmount Mini attaches via its suction cup to a platform on the mount, and it holds quite securely. You should have no problem with it popping free.
The weight and material on the bottom of the mount are there to hold it in place, and they kind of do, based on your dashboard and driving environment. It bumps when you bump, and it slides a bit when you turn sharply or brake quickly.
Still, dashboard mounts are the preferred method of GPS mounting in some states, so Arkon pushes this model with the inclusion of an adhesive hook to help hold the Friction Dash Mount in place. This hook latches onto a loop on the mount, with the intent of preventing it from sliding out of position or, worse, off the dash completely.
In my initial test of the Friction Dash Mount, the hook held just fine and the mount did little more than slide a bit to its right. As mentioned earlier, the Travelmount and Slim-Grip holder were rock solid, although they did bounce with the car. A hidden benefit to keeping your iPhone on the dash is that if you have it plugged in, your cable won’t be dangling from your windshield. One less thing to distract you.
After my testing period was over, I had my wife keep it in her car. When I got in a few days later, the adhesive had worked itself free of the hook; it was just a strip of adhesive stuck to the dashboard. The friction and weight of the mount kept the system on the dashboard, but I still found this disconcerting.
The good thing here, I suppose, is that if you have trouble with the friction mount, you’ve got a fully functional windshield mount ready to go. You’ve just paid an extra $5.00 to get it.
As a result, I can’t completely recommend the IPM512 : Mini Friction Dashboard Mount. It’s easy to install and use, and if you get two hooks, you can transfer the entire system between vehicles. But I’m not comfortable with the strength of the adhesive, and depending the slope and material your dashboard, counting on friction to prevent your iPhone from sliding to the floor may cause for some stressful highway moments.
Buy the IPM512 : Mini Friction Dashboard Mount
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