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This was published 12 years ago

Toss up: iPhone car cradles

By Adam Turner

A hands-free car kit is essential if you want to use your mobile phone while behind the wheel.

Belkin's TuneBase FM with Hands-Free connects to the car's DC power outlet and features a long flexible arm that holds up the phone. It charges your iPhone, but it also includes an FM transmitter, so you can tune in your car stereo in order to listen to music from your iPhone or use the TuneBase as a hands- free speakerphone.

Belkin TuneBase FM with Hands-Free, $99.95.

Belkin TuneBase FM with Hands-Free, $99.95.

There is also a USB port for charging a second device.

The Belkin mount lets you rotate your iPhone on its side, although if you're running sat-nav software you may prefer a mount that holds your phone closer to eye level.

Kensington SoundWave Amplifying Car Mount, $49.95.

Kensington SoundWave Amplifying Car Mount, $49.95.

Kensington's SoundWave Amplifying Car Mount is not as elegant, but it's more versatile. The Kensington cradle connects to your windscreen with a suction cup, with the ability to rotate the phone sideways, but you also have the option to clip the mount to an air vent.

An iPhone slides snugly into the Kensington cradle, but there's no built-in iPhone dock. This means it can hold any smartphone that is roughly the same size as an iPhone.

A gap at the bottom exposes your iPhone's connector if you want to provide your own cable to charge it from the DC outlet. This gap is also handy if your car stereo supports a USB iPhone/iPod connection, so you can play music from your phone.

The Kensington's added bonus is an acoustic chamber that amplifies the iPhone's built-in speaker without the need for power.

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The verdict
The Belkin cradle is handy for linking an iPhone to any car stereo, but if your stereo has a USB port that talks to an iPhone, the Kensington cradle might suit you better.

Kensington SoundWave Amplifying Car Mount
$49.95
kensington.com

Belkin TuneBase FM with Hands-Free
$99.95
belkin.com/au

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Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/mobiles/toss-up-iphone-car-cradles-20120802-23gxl.html