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iOttie HLCRIO102 car dock review

Price(4.5/5):
Design(4/5):
Features(2.5/5):
Overall Score:3.6
Advantages Disadvantages
  • Two 360 degree joints
  • Easy to use docking mechanism
  • Works for most smartphones
  • Gel type suction pad
  • Limited functionality
  • Bottom holder can cover up charging port

iOttie is a car mounting dock that is intended to be used in car to secure your smartphone while you are driving. This particular model is designed to be as easy to use as possible and you can mount your phone with one hand and also adjust the angle and tilt of your phone with the same one hand so you can do it while you are driving!

Basically this device is made from plastic but not your cheap toy plastic but really durable and strong plastic that hold your phone in place even on the most bumpiest roads. The mounting mechanism is a suction Gel pad but not your typical one and you will be able to mount this device with ease and it won’t fail even in the hottest of summer days or winter cold so you can be certain your device will be secure and won’t fall of your panel or windshield. This custom Gel suction pad is designed to be fitted on almost any surface and you can mount it on your dashboard or on the front windshield but the best part is that the suction cap can be reused with a good soak in water and air-dried it will again be able to attach to any surface so if you are changing cars regularly it won’t be a trouble for you and you won’t need to buy new car dock every time.iOttie car doc adjustment mechanism

This dock has two 360 degrees rotating joints so you will be able to position it on any angle and be able to adjust it to get the best viewing angle from your smartphone. One of those rotating joints has a ball shaped mount and other is just a straight 360 degrees hinge but both of those adjustment mechanisms are solid and won’t fiddle around if you are driving on bumpy roads. But if you have to adjust that viewing angle then be careful and not grab by your phone as the locking mechanism is not designed to handle that kind of stress and you should grab by the edges of that holding mechanism and then twist and adjust to your pleasure.iOttie suction gel mount how it works

The docking mechanism itself is amazing because it allow you to dock your phone with one hand by just putting it inside and pushing it back a bit. The two side mounts will pop in place and securely fit your device and the bottom rest will give added stability if you get a really bumpy road. When you are finished with your journey and want to undock your phone just push on the two buttons positioned on both sides of that dock and those holder arms will pop loose and you will be able to take your device with no hassle. Because of this one-touch docking mechanism I think this is the best car dock for Android and Apple smart devices and I have seen it being used for more than a year with no problems at all!

The device measures in 4.9 inches x 2.8 inches x 5.5 inches (12.4 cm x 7.1 cm x 14 cm ) so it is a really compact one and won’t feel that clumsy of huge on your dashboard! The dock weighs only 5.5 ounces (156 grams) but feels like the holder mechanism could hold several kilograms so you really won’t be able to get it loose without the proper detachment procedure and there will be no slipping even on rough surfaces!

The final and maybe the best part of this dock is that you can accommodate almost any smartphone and no matter if it is an Apple or Android product. Basically any prone with any cover or protective enclosure that is from 2.3 to 3 inches (5.8 cm to 7.6) wide will fit inside that clever docking mechanism.

This dock is amazing but if you have a phone like iPhone 5 then you could have some problems connecting the device to charger or to play music in your car as the bottom holder is not designed for that and you can have some problems there. But some people are saying you can easily screw that bottom part off and side holders are strong enough to hold the device and there won’t be any more problems with connections. Anyway this is just my viewpoint and you should check for yourself but I can say that I really like this device and it works perfectly!

Erick Hodge

Erick Hodge

One Comment

  1. I know this is cheap and you get what you pay for, but I would at least hope for something that works when I pay for it. It would be fine (probably even say good value), if I could rely on it wroikng all the time. I nearly binned it immediately because it would just not charge. However, I gave it another try and it worked. Don’t know if it will work again next time though. Have already ordered something else.

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