Best Car Dock for the Maxx?

[SirGrant]

I am planning to upgrade to the Maxx over Christmas (present to self!) from a Bionic. I currently use the Bionic daily in driving and love it's official docking station. I have heard that there is no official car dock for the Maxx and that the Verizon recommended dock (Griffon?) isn't that great.

What are the users using? Pros and Cons of different models? Help me out please...

 

[SNeitzel]

Perfect timing...
I was just going to post on this topic today as well.

IMHO, the griffin dock is a real POS. I don't like the way it holds the phone and I don't like that putting the phone in and taking it out of the dock puts stress on the USB port. Plus, with the bumper case on the phone, the USB port barely reaches and it seems that even a little vibration causes the phone to not charge. I actually got it for free and I still feel like I got ripped off.

I had also read online that LG makes one designed for the LG G2 that would fit the MAXX. It is the same basic style as the one I had for the Bionic which I really liked so I ordered it. It fits, but with no case on the phone, the top clip that holds the phone in lands dead on the volume down button so it constantly pushed that button. With the bumper case, the clip would barely fit over the top edge and I can see that after a few months that will either break or stop holding the phone properly. It's going back to V.

Yesterday, I received the iBolt XPro and I love it. I ordered the version for BB because it was $10 cheaper on Amazon but other than the name on the box, identical to the "universal" one. I like the way the mount holds the phone and it is adjustable so it works with no case or with the bumper case just fine. Plenty of room left, so I'm assuming it will work with just about any other case as well. The one downside to the XPro is it does not have an integrated magnet to automatically launch Car Mode. I'm going to play with that and see if I can add one but if not, the app that iBolt has can easily be launched manually. When I did use a magnet to launch car mode, it gave me the option to run the iBolt app every time in place of stock car mode. Nice!

 

[doogald]

My favorite car mount for the Maxx is the ExoGear ExoMount 2: EXOGEAR ExoMount 2 iPhone Car Mount. World Best Universal Car Mount for iPhone, Smartphones and GPS

It holds the Maxx great. Unfortunately, it doesn't switch to the psuedo-car mode that the Griffin dock does (though you can stick a small magnet to the back left of the device if you really want that), but at least I can also plug in the phone if I want to, and the suction mount will not release (and, with the Assist app driving mode and touchless controls, I'm not sure that the car mode is all that necessary.)

I've also used the Kenu Airframe; if you have vents that will hold it and want to keep it off the windshield/dash, it works very well with the Maxx. Kenu Airframe - Kenu

 

[Whatstreet]

A car dock with wireless charger would be a nice gadget.

 

[SNeitzel]

A car dock with wireless charger would be a nice gadget.

I looked for one. There are a few out there but the cost turned me off.

 

[R1OT]

Proclip are nice, and there modular setup is great. The're just releasing or soon to be releasing the custom dock for the Maxx. Once you get the mounting base, then you get the holder, and if down the road you decide to change phones you just need a new holder.

 

[NewArtDroid]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I too am a former Droid Bionic person. What I liked about my previous car mount is that it also had the cable that connected it to a USB port that both went to my cigarette lighter (charge) and the audio in jack to my stereo (for music). Do any of the above options have that?

I had thought if I got a new mount, and use the existing cables from my Droid Bionic mount, that might work. However, it did not. When I tried taking my the microUSB from from my Droid Bionic car mount and putting it into the Droid Maxx, with the other end hooked eventually to the cigarette lighter, it didn't recognize it.

 

[doogald]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I too am a former Droid Bionic person. What I liked about my previous car mount is that it also had the cable that connected it to a USB port that both went to my cigarette lighter (charge) and the audio in jack to my stereo (for music). Do any of the above options have that?

Neither of the one's I suggested have USB ports, but both leave the bottom of the Maxx uncovered so you can plug a USB cable into the phone directly. Which is what I like about them... (the official Griffin dock will not charge my phone when the back is plugged in, which is one of the reasons why it is now collecting dust in my basement. The biggest reason is that it will not dock my wife's phone.)

 

[SirGrant]

I went ahead and got the Exomount 2 dock. It seems wobbly as the Maxx has to sit slightly off center due to the volume rockers, but I think it would be wobbly dead center too. Not even close to as sturdy as the official Bionic Dock, but I can live with it...

By the way, if anyone DOES find one as sturdy as those old Moto docks, please let me know?

 

[Trickeration]

A little late to this thread but I just received the Kenu Airframe. It attaches to your air vents. This thing is awesome. Completely portable and universal. I use the Tudia Ultra Slim TPU case it fits perfectly in the Airframe. I highly recommend it.

 

[NewArtDroid]

Does the Kenu allow you to plug to both the headphone jack and the microUSB jack?

 

[doogald]

Does the Kenu allow you to plug to both the headphone jack and the microUSB jack?

Yes, The Airframe holds the phone on the two sides, leaving the top and bottom uncovered.

 

[NewArtDroid]

Thanks for letting me know. Also, I notice you mentioned the Tudia Ultra Slim TPU case. I've heard others mention the Skinomi. Any reason for one vs the other?

 

[NewArtDroid]

Is this link at Amazon the same Kenu Airframe? The reason I ask is I need to get over $35 to get free shipping on the Skinomi, otherwise I would order it directly from Kenu who offers free shipping.

Amazon.com: AIRFRAME Portable Car Mount Phone Holder: Cell Phones & Accessories

 

[doogald]

Is this link at Amazon the same Kenu Airframe? The reason I ask is I need to get over $35 to get free shipping on the Skinomi, otherwise I would order it directly from Kenu who offers free shipping.

Amazon.com: AIRFRAME Portable Car Mount Phone Holder: Cell Phones & Accessories

Yes, that's it.

 

[Trickeration]

Thanks for letting me know. Also, I notice you mentioned the Tudia Ultra Slim TPU case. I've heard others mention the Skinomi. Any reason for one vs the other?

Hey NewArt, sorry I wasn't checking back in on this. I chose the Tudia because of price. It's only $10. Figure at the price, if I don't like it, no big deal.

Amazon.com: TUDIA Ultra Slim Melody Series TPU Protective Case for Motorola Droid Maxx (Late 2013) XT1080M (Black): Cell Phones & Accessories

 

[NewArtDroid]

OK. I already went ahead and then ordered the Air and the Skinomi skin ($16) from Amazon and together it was more than $35 so I got free shipping.

 

[NewArtDroid]

I just got the Kenu Airframe. For my wife's 2009 Mazda 5, not so good because even though the case held her iPhone, the vents on her car humped up to the steering wheel and couldn't see it.

But for my 2006 Mazda 3, GREAT. Maybe even better than the dock because I can easily reach it. I took the audio cable coming out of my GROM and hooked it to the phone, and hooked the charger up too. I prefer the dock where you don't have to plug and unplug it, but it worked great.

I have GROM for iPod. Now I need to decide if I want one for Android and give the GROM for iPod to my wife who has an iPhone.

 

[blackman34]

check out the Xway from Tetrax. I've had one of these mounted in my car for several years and several phones. You just add the small magnet to the back of the phone and it holds it all perfectly. Super strong magnets hold it in place. I've been rear ended and the phone didn't drop. It's awesome.

Tetrax 72016 XWAY Smartphone/iPhone/GPS Magnetic Holder, Airvent Mount : Amazon.com : Cell Phones & Accessories

if you do a web search, you might be able to find an old link for a way to mount the xway to another universal phone stand so you can mount it vertically to the top of your dashboard.

 

[twister6]

Tetrax is ok, but you have to stick a metal tab on the back to attach to the magnet. This makes the phone to wobble when you put it on the surface since its not longer flat. For MAXX or another other phone, among all the car mounts I reviewed (in my main accessories list: http://androidforums.com/android-accessories/796475-twister-reviews-android-accessories-gadgets.html) I believe Arkon Slim Grip Ultra (http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-note-2/694925-arkon-slim-grip-ultra-mount-car-home.html) and my recently reviewed Arkon Mobile Grip 2 (http://androidforums.com/android-ac...iversal-smartphone-car-mount-w-lots-pics.html) to be at the top of the recommendation list.