Max car dock

[mcso619]

Anyone heard anything about an OEM car dock for the Droid Maxx yet?

 

[mcso619]

After searching XDA's forums, found one on Verizon's site. Had to search for Griffin Car Dock if anyone else is having problems with it not showing.

 

[CKwik240]

Its under "mounts" for the maxx accessories on vzw's page. Mine should be at home waiting for me. Now i just need my maxx...

 

[doogald]

I received mine in the mail today. I haven't had time to try it yet, and won't until tomorrow or Wednesday. It seems fine - fits with the bumper case.

 

[Einsteindks]

I found that the bumper case doesn't let the phone totally plug into the car dock. Also, have you noticed that the car dock has no port for the camera to peek through? I fix that problem on mine really easy.

 

[CKwik240]

Anyone have any photos of the car dock mode? I won't have my Maxx until tomorrow and all I can do is start at the empty dock sitting on the table beside me that I've had since Monday.

 

[doogald]

I found that the bumper case doesn't let the phone totally plug into the car dock. Also, have you noticed that the car dock has no port for the camera to peek through? I fix that problem on mine really easy.

It works fine with my bumper case. I noticed a hole in the back, and assumed it was for a camera, but I couldn't imagine using the camera while I'm driving anyway. It's not something I need.

 

[Kevin-B]

So I have been using the Verizon-supplied (and branded) car dock for my Maxx, the dock version that sticks to the windshield. I don't have a case on my Maxx.

Pro:

• Nice long gooseneck lets me get the phone positioned where I want, and significantly closer to me than any previous one.
• It's a generic mount, so I won't have to pack it away when I get my next phone, as I have for my (beautiful) OG Droid and Samsung Galaxy Nexus mounts.

Con:

• The gooseneck is floppy unless you rest it or the phone on the dashboard.
• The right side grip covers the "Volume down" button -- annoying when navigating if the sound is too loud.
• Putting it on its side for "landscape" view (nice for navigation) doesn't feel secure. The phone is supported off-center at the bottom, and there's nothing on the unsupported end. Seems like it could fall out. I'm not going to use it in that orientation.

Another pro:

• I couldn't find anything better on Amazon or elsewhere, so maybe we're stuck with it.

 

[tspangle88]

Bummer on the landscape mode thing. That's how I currently have my Rezound mounted in my truck:

I'll probably go ahead and get one, but keep an eye out to see if anything better comes out. I use Waze and Torque in my truck all the time, so I really don't want to be without a nice car dock.

 

[doogald]

It works fine with my bumper case. I noticed a hole in the back, and assumed it was for a camera, but I couldn't imagine using the camera while I'm driving anyway. It's not something I need.

There are two holes in the back, but, obviously, they are not lined up with the camera. They are for the background noise canceling microphones - which makes sense.

I used it on a one hour drive today. It's fine for me. I just want something so that I can interact with the phone instead of having it in my pocket. The Assist driving option works fine - it offers to read text messages to me if I say the word "listen", and it works fine.

It works better if you hold the phone portrait so that when the active notifications are on, you can see the time, etc, at a glance.

By the way, I do not have the gooseneck one described by Kevin-B - it's the Griffin one, on the VZW web site.

 

[CKwik240]

Con:
[*]The gooseneck is floppy unless you rest it or the phone on the dashboard.

Another pro:

• I couldn't find anything better on Amazon or elsewhere, so maybe we're stuck with it.

I'm using a rather long arm mount in our Chevy volt. It is a Garmin mount that i attached the bionic navigation dock to. I used some adhesive backed foam padding to support the dock where it rests on the dash so it doesn't vibrate.

In our Chrysler 300, I installed a proclip dash mount with a ball adapter. I will be attaching the Griffin vehicle dock to it.

 

[mcso619]

I got the Griffin mount off the Verizon website and I'm not all that impressed. It has a plug to charge while the phone is in it, but its really finicky trying to get it put in just right. Luckily, its a Maxx so it shouldn't need much charging anyways. Also, my phone, without any type of case on it, seems to move around in the dock. It'll do for now, but I can say that I like it that much.

 

[lewwill]

Observation of Droid Maxx in Navigation Mode.

!. I do not need or want to play music thru the phone while in the car. I have a very good satellite radio, CD player, ets. Primarily interested in navigaton.

2. I'm tired of buying a new dock and whole set of peripherals every time I get a new phone. That is why I spent a little extra money on the TYLT VU wireless charger. It also doubles as a desk dock for any wireless charging phone at a very comfortable 45 deg. angle.

3. My Bionic car dock had a ball joint on the back that fit my old Garmin bean bag dash mount and is easily switched from car to car. I purchased an Aduro U Grip Plus mount that has the ball joint and also fits my old Garmin bean bag mount. It will also fit any 5" phone. Inexpensive, nothing fancy. My lighted car charger from the Bionic car mount works fine on the Maxx and I did not notice any excessive heat build up, it was a cool day and the climate control was on.

4. Navigation app. (free from Google) still works great. I go to maps and enter destinatons I want to go to, physically or by voice, and star them. Then when I go to Navigation they are all there and I just tap and the map pops up with the little blue "start" arrow in the lower right. Tap it and you are on your way. I used it today to find an out of the way Drs. office my wife needed to go to. It took us there flawlessly. One point is that on two occasions on the way it stopped but I noticed the little blue arrow popped up in the lower left of the screen and when I tapped it, it caught up and on the way again. No real problem. Voice directions were loud and clear and I actually turned the volume down a little.

5. On Sept. 20th we are going to Columbus OH for a football game. All of the locations that I starred the last two years are still there on Google Maps. All I have to do is tap and go.

I upgrade about every two years and I want peripherals that are multitaskers. I am tired of spending $80 - $100 every two years because the form factor of the phones changes slightly. My Aduro car dock works in landscape or portrait and I did not need a new car charger/power cable. I am certain Assist would have read any texts to me and played music if I desired. No one texted me but I did receive an email that I read later.

IMHO this phone is outstanding. There may be a few little bugs that need fixing in the next update but overall I am extremely happy. This device is a giant step up from my DX and Bionic which were also excellent phones/mini computers. I am sure I made the right choice.

 

[tspangle88]

In our Chrysler 300, I installed a proclip dash mount with a ball adapter. I will be attaching the Griffin vehicle dock to it.

That's my plan, as well. After I took the pic above, I got a Proclip and a better dock. It's rock-solid. I love Proclips, they aren't cheap, but they are so much better than trying to use suction cups on the windshield or on those discs on the dash.

 

[CKwik240]

That's my plan, as well. After I took the pic above, I got a Proclip and a better dock. It's rock-solid. I love Proclips, they aren't cheap, but they are so much better than trying to use suction cups on the windshield or on those discs on the dash.

Nice! Its unfortunate the proclip for the volt mounts so low on the center console. Makes it too impractical to use for navigation. Now that google maps is so messed up with navigation, i regret not waiting for a volt with nav. Oh well. Good thing its a lease.

 

[CKwik240]

New problem. Proclip only has a 17mm ball available. the Griffin mount appears to be using a 15mm ball (I don't have my calipers available, so this is a rough estimate using a ruler). I'm not finding anything close in the more usual places. I did find some 15mm and 19/32" balls on mcmaster-carr, but both are hardened steel and would be difficult to drill in order to mount it. Why would anyone avoid the most common ball sizes given the flexibility a standard size would provide.

 

[LOTL]

There are two holes in the back, but, obviously, they are not lined up with the camera. They are for the background noise canceling microphones - which makes sense.

I used it on a one hour drive today. It's fine for me. I just want something so that I can interact with the phone instead of having it in my pocket. The Assist driving option works fine - it offers to read text messages to me if I say the word "listen", and it works fine.

It works better if you hold the phone portrait so that when the active notifications are on, you can see the time, etc, at a glance.

By the way, I do not have the gooseneck one described by Kevin-B - it's the Griffin one, on the VZW web site.

Are you saying that the active notifications do not change position or do not display when in landscape mode?

 

[doogald]

Are you saying that the active notifications do not change position or do not display when in landscape mode?

They stay portrait.

 

[doogald]

It works fine with my bumper case. I noticed a hole in the back, and assumed it was for a camera, but I couldn't imagine using the camera while I'm driving anyway. It's not something I need.

I was wrong about the bumper case. If you use the bumper case, the phone will still fit in the car dock, but the USB connector at the bottom is not long enough to engage and the phone will not charge, even if you plug the car dock into power.

Apparently the Maxx has magnet sensors that are used to engage car dock and desk dock modes. So, a USB connection is not required to start the car dock mode - just a magnet (apparently in the car dock) in the right place.

 

[Thom]

They stay portrait.

Did you try it with Nova Launcher Prime? Standalone it supports the display of the dropdown in landscape mode. Is this also true in a dock?

... Thom

 

[doogald]

Did you try it with Nova Launcher Prime? Standalone it supports the display of the dropdown in landscape mode. Is this also true in a dock?

... Thom

I use the stock launcher. But I'm talking about active notifications - the occasional "pulsing" of the clock and any notifications. Does that go landscape as well with nova launcher?

 

[Thom]

Try the free version of Nova. It seems to me that EVERYTHING can be allowed to go landscape. The paid version ($4) has some added features that you'll like but I believe this one is in both versions.

These alternate launchers in the past were all rather "unfinished" in my opinion. I happened onto Nova after a recommendation from some others here and it is EXACTLY what I want.

It always annoyed me that the home screens and app drawer did not rotate. Mine do now.

It is supported under ICS and JB but not GB.

(No I'm not on commission.)

... Thom

 

[tspangle88]

New problem. Proclip only has a 17mm ball available. the Griffin mount appears to be using a 15mm ball (I don't have my calipers available, so this is a rough estimate using a ruler). I'm not finding anything close in the more usual places. I did find some 15mm and 19/32" balls on mcmaster-carr, but both are hardened steel and would be difficult to drill in order to mount it. Why would anyone avoid the most common ball sizes given the flexibility a standard size would provide.

Dang, that's not good to hear. Thanks for the heads-up, though.

 

[CKwik240]

Dang, that's not good to hear. Thanks for the heads-up, though.

I measured with my calipers and its 0.579 inches or 14.75mm. I found a potential option last night:

1/4" POST WITH 1/4"-20 THREADED HOLE STST

Its a 9/16" ball which puts it at 0.5625 inches. Might work if it can clamp down, but its also made of rubber which can result in two possible problems. Given the smaller size, if the rubber deflects enough, it may be hard to clamp down with enough pressure. Secondly, it may be subject to a small amount of vibration is the rubber can move slightly. Depends on the durometer value of that particular rubber. On the plus side, its likely more grippy than the typical plastics used for this type of thing.

If I get a chance, I'm gonna try and hit up some craft stores this weekend to see if I run into anything I can use. One option might be to somehow rig the Proclip ball to a lathe and turn it down. I don't have access to a lathe right now, but I've been thinking of crude ways to accomplish this with reasonable accuracy in a drill press.

 

[dmodert66]

Nice! Its unfortunate the proclip for the volt mounts so low on the center console. Makes it too impractical to use for navigation. Now that google maps is so messed up with navigation, i regret not waiting for a volt with nav. Oh well. Good thing its a lease.

What do you mean by "messed up with navigation"? Just curious. Also, does your Volt have a Chevy MyLink Radio as my Spark does? If so, get the software updated and buy the $50 Bringo app to put your phone's navigation on the radio's LCD screen. I really need to get off my butt and get the software update. Sucks that you have to go to the dealership to do so.