HTC Advantage car cradles

With the HTC Advantage X7510 inching ever closer to an official release, I thought it might be worthwhile to take a look at some of the car cradles/mounts that are already available for it.

Like its predecessors (X7501 and X7500), the upcoming unit's 5-inch display, great battery life, and built-in GPS make it well worth considering for use in the car. Mounted to the dashboard or windshield and with or without its magnetic keyboard, the X7510 would make an excellent travel companion not only for its navigational abilities but also for its mobile entertainment functions.

Check out six different mounting solutions compatible with all models of the HTC Advantage below.

Carcomm Mobile Cradle

Features:

• Powers and charges Advantage through integrated "high efficiency charging system"
• Uses original HTC cradle connector
• Single output connector splits into cigarette-lighter plug and PS/2 female connector

Includes: Cradle, extra fuse cable (to hardwire cradle into car), two screwsets, rotating swivel, window mount with suction cup

Price: $97 from eXpansys

Executive Tower Mount

It isn't identified as such, but I'm almost positive that this is actually a Herbert Richter mount.

Features:

• Vibration-free mount
• Rotating swivel for flexible positioning
• Extendable arm

Includes: Holder, spring-action suction mount, self-adhesive disc (to adhere to other surfaces)

Price: £35 (about $69) from PDA Hut

Herbert Richter Gooseneck Car Holder Pack

Features:

• Holder attaches to various Herbert Richter mounts
• Flexible neck adjusts to any viewing angle

Includes: Holder, 6.7-inch gooseneck suction mount

Price: $44 from eXpansys

ProClip/Brodit Holder with Tilt Swivel

Features:

• Can be used with or without Advantage keyboard attached
• Holder tilts 15 degrees in any direction, swivels 360 degrees
• Most of temperature-resistant ABS plastic

Includes: Holder only (vehicle mounts sold separately)

Price: $35 from ProClip (additional styles available)

TomTom Car Kit

Features:

• Install on windshield or dashboard in seconds
• Built-in "advanced amplification circuit and slimline speaker"
• Powered by cigarette lighter or hardwired into electrical system

Includes: Cradle, windshield mount, vent mount, dashboard mount

Price: £19 (about $40) from PDAMODS

Universal Oversized Car Mount Kit

Features:

• Goosneck pedestal absorbs vibration
• Padded side grips hold Advantage securely
• Adjustable holder fits devices 2.67 to 6.02 inches long (Advantage is 5.24 inches)

Includes: Holder, "one set vent pothook with two hooks" (not sure what this means), suction-cup mount

Price: $17.50 from E-Gadget Depot

If you know of any other car mounts for the HTC Advantage, please feel free to share them in the comments section below.

Comments

[Bruno]

This is not really for me, but I am glad a variety of docks for this and other devices is coming out - making a portable device "dockable" makes it a lot more usable.
On that note, Jenn, did you end up buying the docking station for your Advantage? How do you find it?

[Will]

Some of those look pretty killer! I was gonna build me a custom rig because I couldn't find anything I liked. Now I'm gonna get one of these or steal the design and build my own. LOL!

[hitrax]

I don't get why HTC bothered with the refresh. The original Advantage failed to impress at the pricepoint and I don't see the refresh looking any better. May as well buy a laptop for that price!

I'm sticking with my Garmin in the car, thanks.

[Jenn]

@ Bruno: No, I didn't. I came close a few times but always ended up buying something else instead. It looks like a must-have for heavy users, especially ones who often hook up to a monitor, but I think it would've eventually become an oversized power adapter for me.

I keep meaning to test the Advantage's USB host capabilities. I think it's only 1.1 but I wouldn't mind connecting a mouse or something. Have you tried it?

[Nurhisham Hussein]

I have - a mouse works just fine through the dock (wireless no less). There's even a mouse pointer that turns up! I've also tried hooking up a keyboard and mouse combo - that'll only work if you use a powered hub. And yes, data throughput is 1.1 only.

[Jenn]

Hi Nurhisham. Have you done it on the unit itself or only through the dock? I tried plugging a generic USB host adapter into the Advantage's mini-USB port, but it didn't work. I guess it wasn't supposed to, though, as the port is only for syncing and charging (right?). Is the 4-in-1 cable the only other alternative to the dock?

[Nurhisham Hussein]

AFAIK, yes it is (and pretty awkward it is, too, what with size and all). However, both dock and cable don't offer much more than 100mA, so you need external power if you're going to put more than one device through them - hence the need for a powered hub.