Verizon Rezound Window and Dash Vehicle Mount

[andr01d]

HTC Rezound

 

[BenjaminH]

It works with the google nav app. The problem with the car dock is that at least with the oem verizon usb charger, the car dock does not charge your phone. At best, it holds it a steady state, but more likely a slow drain of battery power.

I'm going to try a different usb charger and hopefully that will solve the charging issue.

 

[olbriar]

I thought that mount had a pass through for a charger of your choice. I wasn't aware that it came with a charger. I have not done any research however. It is the mount I was considering though. I best do some homework.

 

[nynvolt]

I purchased this dock, it doesn't come with a charge cable. You can use whichever one you like. It uses Google nav, VZ just shows their nav app on the photo. On a side note, my droid x still works fine as a nav unit also the part that holds the phone itself fits on the droid x car mount arm. So it's been pretty handy.

 

[andr01d]

I bought it! The Verizon store people are very nice and gave me a newbie discount

New question: When i exit the main screen (the page with all the big icons) to the phone's desktop... is there an easy way or shortcut to get back to the main big-icons screen? (ie. without unplugging the phone and plugging it back in.)

Thanks.

 

[olbriar]

There is a capacitive button at the bottom far left called the home button that will bring your back to your home screen with just one click.

 

[andr01d]

Hi, I just tried again but it doesn't work. It only brings me back to the phone's home screen (the one with the big clock and weather info at the top). The main page that I'm looking for is this one below (the main screen for the car dock with 6 large icons)...

If I pick/use any of the 6 icons (not exit to the phone's desktop) then it will always get back to this 6-icon screen when I hit the home button. But the moment I hit the Settings - Exit (goes to the phone's desktop), then I can't return to this 6-icon page unless I unplug and re-plug the phone into this dock.
Please help... thanks.

 

[Race Director]

It works with the google nav app. The problem with the car dock is that at least with the oem verizon usb charger, the car dock does not charge your phone. At best, it holds it a steady state, but more likely a slow drain of battery power.

I'm going to try a different usb charger and hopefully that will solve the charging issue.

Same story here, very disappointed. It's a nice piece. But if it doesn't charge its useless...

 

[olbriar]

Hi, I just tried again but it doesn't work. It only brings me back to the phone's home screen (the one with the big clock and weather info at the top). The main page that I'm looking for is this one below (the main screen for the car dock with 6 large icons)...

If I pick/use any of the 6 icons (not exit to the phone's desktop) then it will always get back to this 6-icon screen when I hit the home button. But the moment I hit the Settings - Exit (goes to the phone's desktop), then I can't return to this 6-icon page unless I unplug and re-plug the phone into this dock.
Please help... thanks.

My bad. I didn't realize you had the phone docked. What you have when docked is the Car Panel app. HTC seems to have excluded it from it's app launching list in the Rezound. You can either use a third party launcher to access this app or it can be accessed by hitting the capacitive search button.. select apps and type in Car Panel. If there is another option, only those that have the dock could answer.

 

[andr01d]

You are correct! It's not listed in the app list or widgets. They definitely hid it quite well.
Thanks for the pointer -- I finally found the Car Panel app using the search function that you mentioned. I wish there's a short cut to get back to this app in case I bounce out of the Car Panel. For a moment I was trying to get it to become a short cut from the search list but it wouldn't do it. (I found the widget to get to the home/desktop dock though.)
Thanks.

 

[BenjaminH]

Same story here, very disappointed. It's a nice piece. But if it doesn't charge its useless...

The HTC usb charger wasn't any better than the Verizon one. It simply held the battery level, which is not satisfactory.

In the accessories thread someone tested some various alternatives and said that a tablet usb charger did add to the charge but I am wary of using that in fear of blowing up my phone.

 

[nynvolt]

If you use a custom launcher like launcher pro you can access the car panel in the app drawer and/or make a short cut. I'm enjoying the newness of sense, this being my first HTC phone but I'm starting to notice it's limitations. Kinda of reminds me of how windows dumbs down computer operations for people who aren't too techno-savy.

 

[93civiccpe]

The car panel app thing is silly/somewhat frustrating. On the HTC Incredible, it was a launchable app so I just had it on my homescreen that I could easily launch whenver I wanted to use my phone for navigation. I find it silly that they don't have it as a launchable app on the rezound, and that it only comes up with a search or when using a gps dock. (I guess it is a way to sell more hardware).

On a similar note, on the Incredible there was a launchable Camcorder app. It brought you straight to the camcorder recording screen instead of having to go into the camera app, and then toggling to camcorder. I know that is minor but that was one of my main apps on my homescreen as I have a 5-month old and sometimes you only have a second to catch those special moments. It is somewhat frustrating but I'm sure it will be easily fixable once root has been achieved.

 

[MrSmith317]

Quick question about the dock. I just started thinking about grabbing one. Does it still accommodate the extended battery?

 

[BenjaminH]

Quick question about the dock. I just started thinking about grabbing one. Does it still accommodate the extended battery?

Yes, the car dock does. It also has inserts to accommodate the regular battery, and the regular battery with a case. It will not work with the extended battery plus a case.

 

[nynvolt]

The car panel app thing is silly/somewhat frustrating. On the HTC Incredible, it was a launchable app so I just had it on my homescreen that I could easily launch whenver I wanted to use my phone for navigation. I find it silly that they don't have it as a launchable app on the rezound, and that it only comes up with a search or when using a gps dock. (I guess it is a way to sell more hardware).

On a similar note, on the Incredible there was a launchable Camcorder app. It brought you straight to the camcorder recording screen instead of having to go into the camera app, and then toggling to camcorder. I know that is minor but that was one of my main apps on my homescreen as I have a 5-month old and sometimes you only have a second to catch those special moments. It is somewhat frustrating but I'm sure it will be easily fixable once root has been achieved.

Launcher pro fixes it. You can use dock, car dock, cam-corder, mirror and maybe a few others I forgot. I do agree it makes no sense they are only accessible in search with the default launcher. Weird even.

 

[Race Director]

Has anyone got their car dock to actually charge the device? Im not sure if I have a defective unit or if they're all broke. I travel alot and need the device to charge while using Google Navigation. Its not a problem with my universal mount and car charger but as soon as I hook the same car charger to the ibolt doc the charge slowly falls.

This sucks because the dock is a nice piece and fits my phone well with the case installed...

 

[BenjaminH]

Has anyone got their car dock to actually charge the device? Im not sure if I have a defective unit or if they're all broke. I travel alot and need the device to charge while using Google Navigation. Its not a problem with my universal mount and car charger but as soon as I hook the same car charger to the ibolt doc the charge slowly falls.

This sucks because the dock is a nice piece and fits my phone well with the case installed...

It's been discussed quite a bit. At best it breaks even, but doesn't charge it. Someone used a tablet usb car charger and it did charge, for whatever it's worth.

 

[andr01d]

I'm trying the car mount right now at home. Note: this is at home on the kitchen island/desk (not in the car yet; not until i get a car charger later today). I'm using the 1 amp HTC little charger that comes with the phone. I am using the HTC micro-USB cable that comes with the home/desktop dock (the bedside alarm clock thing). A blue LED on this car dock at the lower middle area lights up when there is power to this dock and with the phone plugged in. I have the Google GPS/navi app on and its map on the screen. I named a location across the city and it gave me the route... just not moving since this dock is here on my desk but once in a while i toy with the map/display. The phone battery was at 81% about 25 minutes ago, and now it's at 88% (looks like it's charging fine).

Then I unplugged the phone from the dock. The battery level fell to 87%.
And I found my second dock (belongs to the wife). I plugged it in and the blue LED lights up (still at 87%). About 2 minutes later it climbed to 88%. I still have that GPS/map/route for a store across town on the screen. Another 2 or 3 minutes passed and now it's at 89% (also looks like it's charging).

Ok I have unplugged it for now. Later tonight on the way to dinner I'll pick up a car USB charger and plug it in to see if it charges in the car.

Maybe help to double-check a few things there.... blue LED is on (only lights up after we plug the phone into the dock), USB connector behind the dock is seated tight, car USB charger is 1A or higher capacity. Thanks

bye

edit: The battery level number is the reading from the "Batteryminder" app.

 

[olbriar]

I installed my iBolt window and dash mount today. At least I installed the disk on my dash and now giving it the recommended 24 hrs before clamping the actual dock to it. I was fairly pleased with the build and inserts for accommodating different battery covers and cases. I have the wireless back on order but see no problem finding a combination of inserts to make a nice fit. As for charging, I have not tried charging with my old auto charger (original BB charger) while docked. Will return when I have something to share.

 

[andr01d]

Hey guys i'm home now and did some experiment out on the streets. Earlier i picked up a Best Buy Rocketfish 2-port USB charger. It says 3.1A total output on the box and it's made for tablets and phones.

Got into the SUV, plugged it in and started with 80% battery on the phone. Then asked the Googirl Navi to route us to the restaurant. Along the way it kept showing 80% on the Batteryminder app (along with the maps/turns/speech/etc). 22 minutes later as i was pulling into the parking lot it suddenly became 81% lol. That probably means she must be using so much power we just can't charge the battery.

Then I toyed with phone a little after dinner (like 4% battery).

After getting back to the SUV, i docked the phone and the 6-icon Car Panel appeared on the screen. The battery was at 77%. Then i figured... ok... lets hit the power switch and put it into the standby/sleep mode (blank screen). 26 minutes later we got home. I woke the phone up and saw the battery at 90%. Well... it looks like this car dock charges the battery when we're not using the phone

Bye.

 

[olbriar]

Thanks andr01d. Though I do use the navigator now and then.. mostly I will have the phone in the doc charging.. ready for calls and texts. I don't seem to be short on battery during the day. Mostly I want the phone docked so I don't have to try to wrestle it out of my pocket while driving lol. If it charges some that's great. If it's just handy to answer calls/texts and place a call or send a txt or two.. I'll be a happy man.

 

[Race Director]

Hey guys i'm home now and did some experiment out on the streets. Earlier i picked up a Best Buy Rocketfish 2-port USB charger. It says 3.1A total output on the box and it's made for tablets and phones.

Got into the SUV, plugged it in and started with 80% battery on the phone. Then asked the Googirl Navi to route us to the restaurant. Along the way it kept showing 80% on the Batteryminder app (along with the maps/turns/speech/etc). 22 minutes later as i was pulling into the parking lot it suddenly became 81% lol. That probably means she must be using so much power we just can't charge the battery.

Then I toyed with phone a little after dinner (like 4% battery).

After getting back to the SUV, i docked the phone and the 6-icon Car Panel appeared on the screen. The battery was at 77%. Then i figured... ok... lets hit the power switch and put it into the standby/sleep mode (blank screen). 26 minutes later we got home. I woke the phone up and saw the battery at 90%. Well... it looks like this car dock charges the battery when we're not using the phone

Bye.

Interesting read, I conducted a experiment myself this morning using a blackberry micro usb AC travel charger.

OEM Battery at 38%, reboot, launch Google Navigator, start countdown timer.

Start @ 38% and 30 minutes later = 45% plugged straight into the phone.

I waited another 30 minutes for the phone to cool back down to room temperature....

Placed phone on to the ibolt dock, reboot, launch Google navigator and start stop watch.

Start at 42% and 1 hour 50 minutes later = 44% with the same A/C charger plugged into the idock.

both tests were ran with Google navigation being displayed with satellite layer being displayed the entire time.

Bottom line = This thing is BROKE!

 

[olbriar]

Did you initiate nav from the car panel app in both scenarios? Perhaps it's the car panel app running that is such a resource hog.

 

[Harry2]

Had anyone a look at the phone's battery status when the phone is in the dock?

There should be the same status as when the phone is charged with the wall charger which came with the phone: "Charging (AC)", not "Charging (USB)" which stands for dribble charging on a PC's USB plug.

To look at Settings, About phone, Battery, Battery status ...

And if the phone has "Charging (USB)" status in the dock, then the dock's microUSB plug could be the culprit.

Harry