After I upgraded to the iPhone 5, I needed a car mount as my Magellan car mount is no longer compatible due to the lightning port and the phone being taller. This car mount is easy to use, extremely portable, and works with different devices and not just the iPhone 5, which is great so you don't have to buy a new mount whenever you buy a new phone. You can securely mount it on your windshield or dashboard. The sticky pad is really sticky. I mount it on the windshield, and I had to pull it really hard to get it off. But I mount mine on the dashboard since it's closer to eye level, and it's easier to reach than mounting it on a windshield. I have a textured dashboard, and it mounts without any problem. The mount has two arms to secure the phone without any support at the bottom. I prefer a mount without any extra support down at the bottom so you can access all the ports without that getting in the way. This is especially the case if you're using it with the iPhone 5 since the lightning port and headphone jack are in the bottom. So far I'm really liking this mount, and glad I got this over the iOttie One-Touch Windshield Dashboard Mount (don't like the bottom support) or the Ciingo Mount (not sure how stable that sticky pad is over time, especially during the winter months in Seattle). If you want a car mount that is portable and affordable, I think you'll like this.
The mount is very small in size and compacts nicely when closed so it doesn't take up much space
You can easily rotate the arm to just about any viewing angle, and turn the phone around from a portrait to landscape view without removing anything
The pincher is able to hold very large phones, including my Samsung Galaxy S3 (with a case on it)
The suction cup is very strong: it was able to attach to my dash, which has a textured surface, and not fall off on a long trip
CONS:
The suction cup is very strong: they provide a small tab on the back for you to pull to remove the suction cup (after you twist the dial), but even still, it can be very difficult to pry it lose if it has a great seal to the surface it's on
If you have a stiff suspension like in my car, the phone will sometimes jiggle around a bit (although this more a fault of the car than the mount)I was looking for a dashboard car mount for my iPhone 5 so that I could use my phone for navigation. The phone fit perfectly and securely. However, when I went to stick the suction cup onto the dashboard, it didn't stick and had very weak suction! I even made sure to clean the dashboard from dust. I was disappointed and ready to leave a negative review because the product claimed to stick to any surface. I gave it the benefit of the doubt though. I took a wet paper towel and squeezed out the excess water. Afterwards, I rubbed the bottom of the suction cup with it and also the area where I was to place the mount on my dashboard. Afterwards it worked like a charm! Suction is nice and strong and I'm not worried about my phone falling down.I ended up purchasing four different car phone holders before I found one that works that sticks to my dashboard, holds my IPhone 4, makes it relatively easy, with one hand, to insert the phone and remove it. And it stays stuck to the dashboard. I drive a late model Subaru Outback and after placing and testing the mount in many different locations, I found the most convenient one for me was mounted to the dash on left side of the steering wheel.
The three models that would not stick to the dashboard, anywhere I tried, are as follows (I returned them to Amazon without a problem:)
The iOttie Windshield Dashboard Car Mount Holder
The iOttie Easy Flex2 Windshield Dashboard Car Mount Holder & Desk Stand
The Tylt Capio Universal Car Mount
The one model that works, and is still working after a month, is the Aduro U-GRIP Universal Dashboard Windshield Car Mount. An added note is that this model comes with an extra grip in case the mount doesn't adhere well. I did not need to use it.To start, I got the product in a timely manner (about a week).
I was worried about the clasp part of the product not being strong enough to squeeze my phone. My next worry was the phone slipping out of the grasp of the clasp. I think both of the worries were resolved when I noticed the clasp is quite strong and there are sticky grips on the clasp as well. Despite the bumps, its held onto my phone very tightly. So no problem here. There is a 'one-handed' mount feature which is nice. There is a release button in the middle of the mount face that, when pushed in, releases the clasp and grabs the phone. Nice for getting in the car and putting the phone in without fussing with the clasps.
The swivel is great. Let's you angle and tilt basically any way you need (assuming you mount the iOttie pointing in the general direction you want/need). The swivel is strong too so you won't have to worry about a bump causing a re-angling or re-tilting of the mount.
Now I took a star off because I got this mount for my dashboard. Initially, right out of the box, it did not stick to my dash...anywhere. I tired 3 different spots and no success. I read some of the other reviews on trying to wipe the surface with a wet paper towel then trying but still, no success. What worked for me was wiping the dashboard surface AND the sticky suction. Then I was able to adhere the mount to where I wanted it originally. I'll tell ya, once this thing is suctioned on good luck trying to get it off. I tried and it is quite tough..so make sure you know for sure where you want it.
Overall, it's a solid mount without the clunkiness of some. The 'one-handed' mount feature is a nice and the mount itself is pretty solid. I got the mount so I could use my phone as a GPS and so I could glance over to see who's calling while not taking my eyes off the road. This definitely gets the job done for me.
Btw, I drive a Prius C and I mounted the Flex iOttie middle right of my dash (above the radio). It is stuck on there solid. Will update the review if there is any problems in the future.
-------------------UPDATE:
So I've had the mount for about a month and the mount has held up great. It is stuck exactly where I installed it.
BUT...I have adjusted my rating.. Here's why.
I currently have the iPhone 4S and I started to notice that music was skipping when connected to bluetooth. I soon realized that something in the mount (perhaps the spring) is interfering with the bluetooth connection, causing the music to skip. I know the mount is the problem because when I remove my phone from the mount the music stops skipping. It does not matter if I play music that is stored on my phone or streaming music (I know streaming music buffers at times but the music stored on my phone should not be skipping). ALSO, this affects calls! This is really annoying! When I make or receive calls, the voices on the other end gets broken up and it is hard to understand them. I have to take the phone out of the mount to understand them.
If I can't listen to music or take calls from my phone in this mount, what's the point?
iOttie...Please fix...
UPDATE --11/26/12 ---UPDATE
After updating the last time, iOttie contacted me and offered to fix the problem! The customer rep (Brittany) was very accommodating and offered to send me a replacement or the onetouch model. I chose the OneTouch and this does not seem to affect the bluetooth connection from my iPhone 5 to the car. This mount is also much sturdier imo.
I am adjusting the stars to 4 for the great customer service. If you want a sturdier and more reliable mount, I would check out the OneTouch mount.
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