I needed a car kit to charge my iPhone 3GS while on the move so I went around searching for a car mount with charging capabilities. In the end, I found the above “AllKit Cigarette Mount Holder and Charger with Full Range FM Transmitter for iPhone and iPod” in DealExtreme.com which cost USD $16.45 (S$23). Other then it is a car mount with charging capabilities, it is also a FM transmitter for iPhone and iPod!
The box was pretty mangled up when I received it but the contents are still intact. I made the order on 8th May 2010 and received it on 20th May 2010. Oh yes, shipping is free at DealExtreme.com!
Suitable for iPhone, iPod, MP3 and all cars. For your info, the car mount is made in China.
The contents in the box – it also comes with a mini instruction slip.
Flexible clamp to keep your iPhone/iPod in place and you just need to press the button on the left to release the clamp. Both the clamps and the back are covered with rubbery material to protect your iPhone/iPod from being scratched. For all those folks who are using protective casing on iPhone/iPod, please be aware that there is a possibility that it might not fit into mount with the protective casing on. The reason being – I am using SwitchEasy Vulcan and I just barely squeezed my iPhone 3GS into the car mount with the clamp already fully opened. It’s freaking tight fit!
Top of the car mount where you can select the FM channels (on the left “QS”) and then adjust to your desired frequency (using up/down button on the right).
The audio cable connection on the left of the car mount.
For all the non-iPhone devices, you can still charge them through the standard USB output socket (on the right side).
The angle of the tilt can be adjusted from the the back of the mount.
Cigarette mount with flexible goose-pipe so it is compatible with every car in the world.
Audio cable for you to connect the car mount and iPhone/iPod together so that the car mount can act as a FM transmitter to broadcast the music from your iPhone/iPod.
Setting up in the car. First thing I tried was to see whether the charging mechanism works. It’s works fine!
You can use any FM frequency of your choice from 88.1 to 107.9 Mhz to listen to music from you iPhone/iPod.
Final setup, music streaming via FM was surprisingly good. The quality was acceptable and there wasn’t any noticeable noise or distortion present. This will be fantastic as I will be able to listen to my favorite tracks during any long driving trips up north (Malaysia).
As I do use my iPhone as a GPS, so the car mount as well as the charging is a definite must-have. The only flaw is that I have to look down from time to time to check out the route but it’s not frequent as there are voice intructions for GPS as well. It will be idle if the iPhone car mount is on eye-level.
Well, the reason I didn’t get a eye-level car mount is because most of them comes with a glass suction to stick on to the windscreen. As my windscreen is covered with solar film, it will not hold strong and long. My friends have mentioned this scenario to me countless times and most of them also comes with goose-neck pipe extending from the windscreen, it wobbles a lot when you going through some rough terrain!
Night view of the car mount.
I must say that I am pretty satisfied and it’s worth the USD $16.45. My comments is that if there is a on/off switch for the charging (off the blue LED too!), then that will be great. Also, the furnishing is not that fine and I was momentarily shocked by the car mount thickness. The car mount also wobbles a bit due to the goose-neck extension. But overall, I am a happy man and will still recommend you to buy it too!
Update: On 30th Dec 2010, I noticed that the bright blue LED is dead….but charging still works.